Tuesday, October 30, 2012
The worst flight of my life.
I need to spend a few minutes venting. So sorry in advance :) Later on, I will write another entry about other stuff.
My kids have been on 14 flights. They are usually pretty well behaved. Last night was the worst flight we have ever been on. Hands down. And my kids were pretty much angels until the last hour. What made the flight so bad were our flight companions. Never before have I been surrounded by so many people who were so strongly opposed to being on a flight with kids. (Even well behaved kids) Neither kid had made a peep yet, and the lady directly in front of me was yelling to people rows up about how lucky they were to be where they are, and "look what I have to deal with" (as she points to my sweet little boy, who is quietly looking around from daddy's arms with his big doe eyes). Then nudged the guy in front of Carlos and said, "I am so sorry for you." As if we couldn't hear her. Before we took off, while waiting to everyone to board, Charlie walked across the aisle to see me, and this lady spun around in her seat and glared at him. Then, he touched the shirt of the guy in front of Carlos, and the lady acted like she was personally offended by it, and in a raised voice scolded Carlos saying, "He needs to be in his seatbelt." Well since he didn't have a seatbelt (as lap infants don't on American Airlines) Carlos just grabbed him back into his lap, and ignored her. And every time Emma made a peep of any kind, or any noise emitted from the iPad, the lady spun around, glared at her, humphed, and shook her head angrily. The tension on that plane was palpable, and Emma could sense it. Eventually a meltdown occurred (as can be expected when you are traveling all day with two kids. And it is 11pm). The guy in front of us had his seat as far back as it could go, and every time that he got bumped, or Emma cried, made a huge spectacle of covering his ears, hitting his head with his hands, and overall being dramatic about how terrible it is to be near a crying kid on a plane. Not to mention the hideous woman ahead of me. At one point, Emma was behind her, and she screamed for the flight attendant that Emma wasn't in her seat belt and she had to move. So he came back and told us that Emma had to get back in her seat. So not helpful. Let me reiterate the fact that both kids were quiet, barely making a peep for about 1 hour and 50 minutes of the 2 hour and 12 minute flight. and people were already shooting us dirty looks.
To all of my non-parent friends (and I bet my parent friends will agree with this): Please, please know that the parents of those kids have it worse than you. I know that my kids aren't cute to you. I don't expect you to be excited about flying near them. If I could avoid flying, I would. Trust me. I don't enjoy taking a 2 1/2 year old and 1 year old on a plane. But I have to do it. Would any parent flying with young children like them to be quiet and well behaved the entire flight? YES!!! Do they want to hear their kid cry? Absolutely not! Just know that anyone traveling with young kids is probably dreading it. No 1 or 2 year old wants to be still for hours. And no parent can make them. A parent can only do what they can do to make them behave. We spent all of our time on that plane trying to distract and re-direct energy. Fortunately, Charlie slept. But Emma was tired, and ready to be home, and did not want to be on another plane. She is a 2 year old. She wants what she wants, when she wants it. And last night she didn't want to be on a plane. Flights aren't about giving people the opportunity to relax and get rejuvenated. That is what a spa is for. Flights are to get them where they need to go, and being nasty about the fact that a kid is misbehaving doesn't help anything at all. In fact, all it does is stress out the parents, and make them less capable of handling their child. Watching a person a few rows up pretending to strangle someone, and someone else pretend to stab someone (while your kid is crying) only makes parents more upset, and does not help anything at all. My kid cried for 20 minutes at the end of the flight. Up until that she was quiet, occasionally telling Carlos about the drawing she was doing, or the fruit she was ninja-ing. And on that note, I should mention that parents know their kids. They know which battles to fight, and which ones to let their kids win. The situation with Emma freaking out started when yet another another passenger insisted that we turn off the volume on her game (which was not even at full volume I might add). Obviously tears and fighting ensued. Once Emma started crying, the lady was like, "Oh nevermind... i'll take the ding ding ding instead." Unfortunately by that point it was too late. We knew that it would happen. But until someone insisted that we fight that fight, we were going to let her win it. But we wanted to look like we were playing nice since everyone made it explicitly clear that we were not welcome on the plane.
And on that note- I take back my earlier complaint about Colombians always trying to coddle my crying children. I will take that any day of the week. My kids have acted worse on international flights, and NO ONE has ever been rude about it. They may get into your business, and try to be nosy about why your kid is crying, but no one has ever been as rude to me and my family as they were on that flight. And the majority of people in question were FROM CINCINNATI! I like to think that people from here are friendly and understanding. It was disheartening that that kind of attitude was our welcome home.
I am sorry, this was very long, and very ranting, and I sound very bitchy. I just needed to vent, and maybe someone who reads this will have a little more sympathy next time they are in that predicament.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Watch out- gringa behind the wheel!!
I drove here for the first time yesterday. It was the most scared I have been behind the wheel since I was 15 1/2 and learning to drive for the first time. People here drive like lunatics. And motorcyclists think they rule the road. At any given time, anyone could come from any angle. For instance, just because you are in the farthest left lane, and are turning left, someone could very well drive into the lane of oncoming traffic, in order to pass you during the turn. There are no right of ways either. The one who has the right of way is the one who is going. It is ugly out there. We went out for YogenFruz and I and could barely eat mine I was so stressed from the drive there :) Hopefully, like when I had my temps, it will get easier every time I go out! Here is a good example of what streets look like here..
Clearly I didn't take this while I was driving. As you can see, not only do people not follow the "rules" of proper driving etiquette, but the roads are not even built the same. At all. They aren't always marked with lane dividers. AND the "lanes" are very narrow. Not like the two-lane comfort cruise I am accustomed to.
Another weird thing here... When I run on the path here, I always see people exercising in nice clothes. Like Polo golf shirts and then work out shorts. At first I thought that maybe those people didn't have normal running clothes because they were just starting to exercise, or were just going for a little jog before work. I quickly learned that that wasn't the case when I saw that they were running almost as long as I was. Since I run at least 3 miles a morning it seemed a little unlikely that these guys fell into either category. I brought this up to Carlos to see what he made of it, and I was very surprised by his answer.. He said that people here like to show off brands, and that they probably where these clothes to show off that they have them. I laughed at that, but he then said that they were probably eyeing me, and thinking, "Ha!! I am wearing Lacoste, and she is only wearing Nike.. HAHA!!!" I have only seen two guys doing this, but I still think it is so weird.
I cannot believe that we are leaving here for 2 months in less than a week! I will be happy to be home, but I will definitely miss it here. When we leave, I will get some practice flying by myself here.. Emma and I are flying on a different flight to Bogota than Carlos and (hopefully) Charlie. There was a big mix up with our flights, and our airport here was closed the day we were supposed to leave. Since Carlos had booked on a different itinerary than us, and we didn't have our Bucaramanga-Bogota tickets, he got on one flight, and then when we went to buy our tickets, all that was left was first class, and more than double the price of the next flight in the afternoon. Since we didn't want to spend $300 for a one way ticket that is usually about $90, we had to book a later flight. Carlos is working on getting Charlie added to his itinerary so I don't have to travel with both kids. Fortunately it is only for the trip from Bucaramanga to Bogota. We fly to the Miami the next day. This airport practice will come in handy too, because when we get back the end of December, my family is coming with us! They will be here for about a week, and then I plan on escorting them back to Bogota, to get them through all the changing of terminals and paying the impuestos, etc! English is much more present than it was, but still- the process isn't exactly straightforward.
Also, Emma is having surgery a few days after we get back :( These next two weeks will be a whirlwind. She needs her tonsils out big time, and since she is only 2, she has to be admitted :( They are so big that they are obstructing her airway, and all of her symptoms are getting worse instead of better. Poor little lady. So we will get home late late late on Monday night, Tuesday the internet is getting installed, and then on Thursday, Emma has her surgery. It doesn't take a doctor to see how huge her tonsils are! They practically touch.
I feel bad for the nurses who will be taking care of her. I forsee myself being a pain of a parent. I will keep you posted :)
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Back in Bucaramanga!
We are back! Well we have been for a few days now, but this is the first chance I really had to sit down and write. The trip to the US was great! I couldn't believe how homesick I was. I didn't realize it until I got there, and I was like, "Oh how I miss it here!!" I had a great few weeks, and so did the kids! I definitely missed having Johana around, but it was sure nice to be able to just sit around, do nothing, decide at the last moment what we would do for meals. It was very nice. Plus, the weather was gorgeous and we were able to spend a lot of time with family and friends. It got me so excited to be there with Carlos come the end of Oct!
When we got here, we met Carlos in Bogota, and rather than go back to Bucaramanga we flew to Santa Marta for our little vacation! It was really nice and the kids had a lot of fun! But while we were there, I was again reminded of one of my pet peeves here... Kids are constantly consoled whenever they get upset. It is definitely not the norm to let a kid cry. If one more stranger asks me why my kid is crying, or gives me a dirty look because I am not coddling my two year old during a tantrum, I am going to scream. People never mind their own business about it! Complete strangers will come up to Emma while she is screaming about something, and try to comfort her, which just makes it 10x worse since she is so shy. After making the situation even more difficult for me, they continue to ask why she is crying. In the US, no one would ask. You see a toddler throwing a fit and you are just glad it isn't you that has to deal with it. It goes without saying why they are crying- they are a toddler, and the terrible twos are terrible for everyone :) Now, Carlos has nicknamed me "Ferber Mom" since I made such a big deal about my rights to ignore a tantrum haha!
Anyway- it is SO nice to be back here with Carlos and our typical routine. Johana missed Charlie a lot, so I did not feel at all bad leaving for my run yesterday morning :) Speaking of running, I am signed up for a 1/4 marathon here in a week and a half! I don't know if I will be able to do it though since it is the day we leave :( We thought it was the day before, but then when Carlos signed me up, he saw that it was on Sunday. Hopefully it will be early enough that I can do it. We don't leave until the afternoon, so it may work.. But we'll see. I am still training for it in hopes that I will be able to do it.
A first will be happening this weekend!!!! Carlos and I are going out of town together! He got invited to speak at a conference in Bogota on Friday afternoon, so we are going together! We will leave early Friday morning, and get home early evening on Saturday. It isn't much time, but I am so excited. We haven't left the kids for us to go out of town ever. Just for a few hours at a time when we went out on dates. They have stayed with family overnight before if I had to work and Carlos was out of town, but never for us to do anything fun! So so excited!! It will be like old times!
Here we are 4 1/2 years ago in Japan! We look so young!
When we got here, we met Carlos in Bogota, and rather than go back to Bucaramanga we flew to Santa Marta for our little vacation! It was really nice and the kids had a lot of fun! But while we were there, I was again reminded of one of my pet peeves here... Kids are constantly consoled whenever they get upset. It is definitely not the norm to let a kid cry. If one more stranger asks me why my kid is crying, or gives me a dirty look because I am not coddling my two year old during a tantrum, I am going to scream. People never mind their own business about it! Complete strangers will come up to Emma while she is screaming about something, and try to comfort her, which just makes it 10x worse since she is so shy. After making the situation even more difficult for me, they continue to ask why she is crying. In the US, no one would ask. You see a toddler throwing a fit and you are just glad it isn't you that has to deal with it. It goes without saying why they are crying- they are a toddler, and the terrible twos are terrible for everyone :) Now, Carlos has nicknamed me "Ferber Mom" since I made such a big deal about my rights to ignore a tantrum haha!
Anyway- it is SO nice to be back here with Carlos and our typical routine. Johana missed Charlie a lot, so I did not feel at all bad leaving for my run yesterday morning :) Speaking of running, I am signed up for a 1/4 marathon here in a week and a half! I don't know if I will be able to do it though since it is the day we leave :( We thought it was the day before, but then when Carlos signed me up, he saw that it was on Sunday. Hopefully it will be early enough that I can do it. We don't leave until the afternoon, so it may work.. But we'll see. I am still training for it in hopes that I will be able to do it.
A first will be happening this weekend!!!! Carlos and I are going out of town together! He got invited to speak at a conference in Bogota on Friday afternoon, so we are going together! We will leave early Friday morning, and get home early evening on Saturday. It isn't much time, but I am so excited. We haven't left the kids for us to go out of town ever. Just for a few hours at a time when we went out on dates. They have stayed with family overnight before if I had to work and Carlos was out of town, but never for us to do anything fun! So so excited!! It will be like old times!
Here we are 4 1/2 years ago in Japan! We look so young!
Friday, September 14, 2012
Food poisoning :(
I can't believe that we are leaving in 3 days. I feel like it isn't really happening!
I also can't believe that we have started potty training Emma!!! At school this week, they started to teach them, and Em has been doing so well! In three days at school she has had 1 accident! Here on the other hand...... She has been really stubborn here and hasn't wanted to cooperate too much with our plans. I thought potty training would make things easier, and I guess eventually it will be better, but right now, it is definitely not easy. At all. People say it usually takes about a week of work, and they get better at it. I am hoping that is the case. I would LOVE to start getting the hang of this before we get home to our house, and our hard to clean floors. Here it is so easy. The floors are all glossy marble (well- marble-esque... I don't really know what they are made of) Plus, I have help. Not that I make Johana clean up after Emma- I do that myself, but she can take Charlie while Emma is in a precarious situation. That is HUGE. i am not too too worried about the trip home. There will not be potty time on the plane, so Ems will need to just suck it up and use a diaper since I can't easily take her to the potty with Charlie.
Well, it seems I have wrung this trip out the way I rang in it. Sick as a dog. I am pretty sure that it was food poisoning this time. I was violently ill 3 days after arriving here too. And here we are, 3 days from leaving, and I am just getting over it again.
I ate leftover steak for dinner Wednesday night, and 2 hours later, well regretting it doesn't even come close to covering it. Seriously, I would much rather recover from a c-section than go through that. This morning is the first time that I am really out of bed and eating real food. And I am not too sure how I feel about it either. My stomach is still quite sensitive. Thank goodness this happened now, and not right before we left. Oh that would be misery. I would probably need to change my flights. I don't know what I would have done without Johana. She is a godsend. She stayed late yesterday to take care of the kids. I didn't have to get out of bed all day. It was heavenly. And she made home-made chicken broth with potatoes for me :)
Today I am going to meet Carlos' boss, so I better snap out of it. And quick for that matter. He will be here to pick me up in half an hour :)
I also can't believe that we have started potty training Emma!!! At school this week, they started to teach them, and Em has been doing so well! In three days at school she has had 1 accident! Here on the other hand...... She has been really stubborn here and hasn't wanted to cooperate too much with our plans. I thought potty training would make things easier, and I guess eventually it will be better, but right now, it is definitely not easy. At all. People say it usually takes about a week of work, and they get better at it. I am hoping that is the case. I would LOVE to start getting the hang of this before we get home to our house, and our hard to clean floors. Here it is so easy. The floors are all glossy marble (well- marble-esque... I don't really know what they are made of) Plus, I have help. Not that I make Johana clean up after Emma- I do that myself, but she can take Charlie while Emma is in a precarious situation. That is HUGE. i am not too too worried about the trip home. There will not be potty time on the plane, so Ems will need to just suck it up and use a diaper since I can't easily take her to the potty with Charlie.
Well, it seems I have wrung this trip out the way I rang in it. Sick as a dog. I am pretty sure that it was food poisoning this time. I was violently ill 3 days after arriving here too. And here we are, 3 days from leaving, and I am just getting over it again.
I ate leftover steak for dinner Wednesday night, and 2 hours later, well regretting it doesn't even come close to covering it. Seriously, I would much rather recover from a c-section than go through that. This morning is the first time that I am really out of bed and eating real food. And I am not too sure how I feel about it either. My stomach is still quite sensitive. Thank goodness this happened now, and not right before we left. Oh that would be misery. I would probably need to change my flights. I don't know what I would have done without Johana. She is a godsend. She stayed late yesterday to take care of the kids. I didn't have to get out of bed all day. It was heavenly. And she made home-made chicken broth with potatoes for me :)
Today I am going to meet Carlos' boss, so I better snap out of it. And quick for that matter. He will be here to pick me up in half an hour :)
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Trip jitters
I had a nightmare last night. Johana wanted to leave us because it was too much work, and she was sick of it. I was begging her to stay, and I woke up in a sweat. Then it occurred to me that a life without Johana is going to be my reality. Very soon. Ugh. And when I am in the US for vacation, I won't have Carlos either. I am so excited, but I am just anticipating how hard it will be. For instance, every day Emma spends the morning at school, and I spend the morning doing my thing. Charlie plays with me when I am home, or Johana while I am doing stuff. Basically I am free in the mornings. This will not be the case. However- I am also itching for some freedom. Oh the joy of being able to just pack up the kids and go out for the day. Not having to work around lunch, or picking Emma up. And I CANNOT wait to drive again! Since we still don't have our car, I haven't driven in 2 months. So that also means I haven't been able to go shopping leisurely in 2 months. I am so excited to go to Target :)
Now I am off- I need to get ready for my Chocolate skin treatment, whole body exfoliation, and massage :) (Another thing I will miss in the US :)
On another topic- I am avoiding thinking about the trip home. I can't even wrap my head around the fact that it will be me and both kids. Carlos is coming to Bogota with us, so I am not at all worried about that leg. Esp. since it is only about 45 minutes. The other two I am worried about. Each flight is about 3 hours, and fortunately they are both during Charlie's normal nap times. Fingers crossed :)
Saturday, September 8, 2012
El Bochorno
I leave to go back to the US in 1 week and 2 days. It is kind of surprising to me, but it is actually very bittersweet. It means the beginning of the end of our first stay here. I expected that at this point, I would be just so anxious to get back home. I am starting to consider this home now, and I really did not anticipate that. The life here is just so easy and relaxed, and I am finally starting to make some friends, and I am really going to miss it. When we get back here in Oct., we will be going to a conference/vacation until the 15th. Then it's only 2 weeks until we pack up and head back to Cincinnati. I really like it here, and I feel like we are starting to have a life here, and that is a little unexpected for me.
Today my post is going to focus on two things that are different here, than what I am used to. The first is this: The hottest, most humid, most uncomfortable time here is typically right after the sun goes down. (give or take) It rains here every day for about an hour. It usually is in the late afternoon, then the sun sets at 6. After the rain, and the air gets still, the moisture just sits there. They call it bochorno. It is so odd to me that the only time we need to use the A/C is once the sun goes down. But- the sunsets are just gorgeous. Especially those odd days when it rains late, and the dark clouds chase the sunset.
Another different thing is that people wear their wedding rings on the right hand, instead of the left. I didn't want to just switch my wedding band to the other hand because I feel like it belongs on the left hand. That is where Carlos put it when we got married, and that is where I want it to stay. The problem is that here, if you don't have a ring on your right hand, you look single. Not like I am worried about people trying to pick me up, but I am married so I want people to know it. SOO this weekend, I got my new ring! I am so excited about it because I have been wanting to do it for so long! Now, if we could just (finally) get our car! We are still waiting. I thought we were going to have it by now, but apparently the estimate is now the end of NEXT week. Since we leave Monday morning, I am just hoping to be able to see it before that!
And- to add a little more personality to my blog: some pictures of the kids cheering :)
Today my post is going to focus on two things that are different here, than what I am used to. The first is this: The hottest, most humid, most uncomfortable time here is typically right after the sun goes down. (give or take) It rains here every day for about an hour. It usually is in the late afternoon, then the sun sets at 6. After the rain, and the air gets still, the moisture just sits there. They call it bochorno. It is so odd to me that the only time we need to use the A/C is once the sun goes down. But- the sunsets are just gorgeous. Especially those odd days when it rains late, and the dark clouds chase the sunset.
Another different thing is that people wear their wedding rings on the right hand, instead of the left. I didn't want to just switch my wedding band to the other hand because I feel like it belongs on the left hand. That is where Carlos put it when we got married, and that is where I want it to stay. The problem is that here, if you don't have a ring on your right hand, you look single. Not like I am worried about people trying to pick me up, but I am married so I want people to know it. SOO this weekend, I got my new ring! I am so excited about it because I have been wanting to do it for so long! Now, if we could just (finally) get our car! We are still waiting. I thought we were going to have it by now, but apparently the estimate is now the end of NEXT week. Since we leave Monday morning, I am just hoping to be able to see it before that!
And- to add a little more personality to my blog: some pictures of the kids cheering :)
Monday, September 3, 2012
Looking at a Condo today!
So excited... Today after lunch, we are going to look at a condo! We aren't that serious about buying one, but I really want to see it. When we were originally planning on moving here, we were looking at condos here in the neighborhood we live in. We wanted to be close to Carlos' family. Well since we are back and forth this year, and his parents wanted to let us live here, it's where we are. So the two options that I was all about were 1) the houses here, and 2) the penthouses. These are the the two floor plans that are the biggest, and possibly the best for having kids run around in. I was done when I saw this:
6 A/C units. The fact that a house needs this many is concerning to me. It is so cool here because of the breeze, and the airflow. We have 1, and we don't even use it all the time. Option 2 is the penthouse. It is a 2 story huge condo, and has a lot more space for the kids, and visitors. In our apartment, we have space for one extra person, but the penthouse would have much more space. The first floor is pretty much the same as what we have here, but then it has another floor that has a large master bedroom, a little office, and then tons of space outside. (Well, tons may be a little generous, but we will see soon enough :) There are two potentials problems that I forsee: 1: The view. We overlook a lot of green space and the mountains, this is facing the road. I don't know what else we will see from that angle. Since it is on the 16th floor, we may not really even see much of the street (unless we look for it.) When I update, I will add a picture of the view
This penthouse condo was pure heaven... All the open space on the patio would be perfect for Emma and Charlie to play! Emma could ride a bike/car/whatever up there, and it would just be PERFECT! There is so much space for them, that it would be just perfect.. BUT- we are coming and going this year, so it would be stupid to do anything drastic now. But there are a lot of those units here (4 per building) so we are hoping that one will be open next summer, and we could lease it. So we will see. We are SO happy where we are that it won't be bad at all to stay here :)
2: The extra patio. I don't know how that will be with Emma. Already, we can't just let her hang out out there since she's a monkey, and we are afraid that she will climb on something and be able to climb over. So we will have to see about how that will work out. But today I noticed that this penthouse has extra bars on it. (Look at the top floor, in the middle, slightly to the left) We also saw, when we were looking at the penthouse, that the one across the hall had covers that came down from the ceiling, past the bars. That would help keep monkey inside too!
I will do an update later to share how it is. We love it here though, so this is mostly just for my curiosity :)
Also, I know this is very late since sweatybands are not new.. BUT anyone who sweats a lot NEEDS one. I always used one at home, but I exercised in my house, and didn't sweat that much. Once I got here, and ran outside in the humidity, I was begging for one. My mom sent one to me, and OMG... it makes a HUGE difference. I had no idea what a change it would be. The first time I used it, I was shocked at how sweaty it was, and no sweat got into my eyes :)
And a picture of the little (almost) 1 year old :)
Well, we are STILL waiting for our car. Ugh. Things here are so different. At home, you wake up one morning, think, "I want a new care..", go to the dealer, sign, the papers, and then you take your new car home. You don't even need to put money down. Here, you cant go sign the papers, and drive home with it. You go, find out the cost, get the bank to approve the amount, then once you get approved, you have to wait a couple days for the bank to disperse the money to the dealer, then it takes a few days to get the tags, THEN you have to wait for the car to be shipped to you. Dealerships don't just keep a large supply of cars. We were off and on about for a little while, since we would be getting the car so close to when we were leaving for the US, but Carlos was still shopping around for banks since it is SO expensive here. In the US you can get 0% financing for a car without too much difficulty. Here it's a pretty standard 14%. Carlos has been able to get it down a little, but enough to make it a good enough deal to get one this close to us leaving.
6 A/C units. The fact that a house needs this many is concerning to me. It is so cool here because of the breeze, and the airflow. We have 1, and we don't even use it all the time. Option 2 is the penthouse. It is a 2 story huge condo, and has a lot more space for the kids, and visitors. In our apartment, we have space for one extra person, but the penthouse would have much more space. The first floor is pretty much the same as what we have here, but then it has another floor that has a large master bedroom, a little office, and then tons of space outside. (Well, tons may be a little generous, but we will see soon enough :) There are two potentials problems that I forsee: 1: The view. We overlook a lot of green space and the mountains, this is facing the road. I don't know what else we will see from that angle. Since it is on the 16th floor, we may not really even see much of the street (unless we look for it.) When I update, I will add a picture of the view
This penthouse condo was pure heaven... All the open space on the patio would be perfect for Emma and Charlie to play! Emma could ride a bike/car/whatever up there, and it would just be PERFECT! There is so much space for them, that it would be just perfect.. BUT- we are coming and going this year, so it would be stupid to do anything drastic now. But there are a lot of those units here (4 per building) so we are hoping that one will be open next summer, and we could lease it. So we will see. We are SO happy where we are that it won't be bad at all to stay here :)
2: The extra patio. I don't know how that will be with Emma. Already, we can't just let her hang out out there since she's a monkey, and we are afraid that she will climb on something and be able to climb over. So we will have to see about how that will work out. But today I noticed that this penthouse has extra bars on it. (Look at the top floor, in the middle, slightly to the left) We also saw, when we were looking at the penthouse, that the one across the hall had covers that came down from the ceiling, past the bars. That would help keep monkey inside too!
I will do an update later to share how it is. We love it here though, so this is mostly just for my curiosity :)
Also, I know this is very late since sweatybands are not new.. BUT anyone who sweats a lot NEEDS one. I always used one at home, but I exercised in my house, and didn't sweat that much. Once I got here, and ran outside in the humidity, I was begging for one. My mom sent one to me, and OMG... it makes a HUGE difference. I had no idea what a change it would be. The first time I used it, I was shocked at how sweaty it was, and no sweat got into my eyes :)
And a picture of the little (almost) 1 year old :)
Well, we are STILL waiting for our car. Ugh. Things here are so different. At home, you wake up one morning, think, "I want a new care..", go to the dealer, sign, the papers, and then you take your new car home. You don't even need to put money down. Here, you cant go sign the papers, and drive home with it. You go, find out the cost, get the bank to approve the amount, then once you get approved, you have to wait a couple days for the bank to disperse the money to the dealer, then it takes a few days to get the tags, THEN you have to wait for the car to be shipped to you. Dealerships don't just keep a large supply of cars. We were off and on about for a little while, since we would be getting the car so close to when we were leaving for the US, but Carlos was still shopping around for banks since it is SO expensive here. In the US you can get 0% financing for a car without too much difficulty. Here it's a pretty standard 14%. Carlos has been able to get it down a little, but enough to make it a good enough deal to get one this close to us leaving.
Friday, August 31, 2012
2 1/2 weeks until a trip to Cincinnati!
I just saw something on facebook that is extremely exciting. The Coffee-Mate liquid creamer pantry pack. No refrigeration needed until opened!!!!! That means I can bring it here!!!! I am so excited! I am getting so tired of vanilla powdered creamer. Since that is all I have seen here, thats what I have been using. I can't wait to get more information about these pantry packs. I saw a french vanilla one on facebook, but I can't find any other information anywhere!! I am so excited to look around when I am home in a couple weeks!
Also on my list to buy when I am home:
SHEETS They don't have the kind I want here. Everything is 100% cotton since it is more breathable, but I like modal, and our room is very pleasant at night. I would go so far as to say cool. So I am not panicking about having the coolest, most breathable sheets. We found some sateen sheets that were pretty nice and pretty soft, but not as soft as ours at home, and much more expensive. Also, I hate having everything white. Here, it is hard to find linens in other colors. I am glad that I didn't spend $200 on Sheex before I came here :) I planned on it since I kept hearing how hot it always is, but now that we leave our windows open, I wear long sleeves to bed usually!
PEDICURE STUFF people here don't have respect for dry feet.
SPERRYS at $200 a pair here, I will be buying in the USA.
KID CLOTHES: Kid clothes here are sooo expensive. Especially Carters. I bought a 3 piece set for Emma at Costco before we left. I spent $8.99. I saw the exact same thing here. It cost about $32. Since I will be there in the end of September, there should be good sales on summer clothes! For all of us :) I could use some clothes too. I basically wear tank tops all the time. I will probably buy most of my clothes here, but some more cheap summer basics would be nice.
I never thought I would say this: I am really actually excited to go to work when I am home. I feel so useless here! I need a hobby or a job, but at this point it is kind of late. I feel like I don't really contribute anything, and since my Spanish is still not the best, I feel like no one really expects I know anything. I told Johana yesterday how I was going to be working when we were visiting the US, and she looked surprised that I had a job, and asked what I do. When I told her I was a nurse, her eyes pretty much bugged out of her head. She couldn't believe it. I guess I have never done or said anything here that would make her think that I am capable of more than exercising, eating, sitting at the computer, or going to the pool.... :) But that is the exact reason that I want to be useful again. Don't get me wrong- I love just hanging out, not having to do anything unless I want to, but it is also nice to make a difference, and use your head. I have been reading, and practicing my Spanish, but it is not the same as doing something that you are trained to do, and something that makes a difference in people's lives. If I were at home and not working, it may be a different story since I have a lot more there to keep me busy. Maybe I will have to get a job here after all :)
On a closing note- we made apple crisp the other day! It was delicious! As always, a little different than the usual for some weird reason- but absolutely delicious! Also, I was introduced to dulce pina, or sweet pineapple. I am in LOVE. The pineapples here are not as sweet as the hawaiian ones we are used to, and they are more acidic. So it seems that it is popular here to cook the pineapples with a lot of water and a little brown sugar until the pineapples are cooked, and the water is almost dissolved. Johana made this for a fruit salad, but I asked for a little bowl of them to snack on beforehand. Apparently this is how Carlos used to eat his pineapple growing up. It tastes/smells like fall :) I can't wait to try something similar with apples!
Also on my list to buy when I am home:
SHEETS They don't have the kind I want here. Everything is 100% cotton since it is more breathable, but I like modal, and our room is very pleasant at night. I would go so far as to say cool. So I am not panicking about having the coolest, most breathable sheets. We found some sateen sheets that were pretty nice and pretty soft, but not as soft as ours at home, and much more expensive. Also, I hate having everything white. Here, it is hard to find linens in other colors. I am glad that I didn't spend $200 on Sheex before I came here :) I planned on it since I kept hearing how hot it always is, but now that we leave our windows open, I wear long sleeves to bed usually!
PEDICURE STUFF people here don't have respect for dry feet.
SPERRYS at $200 a pair here, I will be buying in the USA.
KID CLOTHES: Kid clothes here are sooo expensive. Especially Carters. I bought a 3 piece set for Emma at Costco before we left. I spent $8.99. I saw the exact same thing here. It cost about $32. Since I will be there in the end of September, there should be good sales on summer clothes! For all of us :) I could use some clothes too. I basically wear tank tops all the time. I will probably buy most of my clothes here, but some more cheap summer basics would be nice.
I never thought I would say this: I am really actually excited to go to work when I am home. I feel so useless here! I need a hobby or a job, but at this point it is kind of late. I feel like I don't really contribute anything, and since my Spanish is still not the best, I feel like no one really expects I know anything. I told Johana yesterday how I was going to be working when we were visiting the US, and she looked surprised that I had a job, and asked what I do. When I told her I was a nurse, her eyes pretty much bugged out of her head. She couldn't believe it. I guess I have never done or said anything here that would make her think that I am capable of more than exercising, eating, sitting at the computer, or going to the pool.... :) But that is the exact reason that I want to be useful again. Don't get me wrong- I love just hanging out, not having to do anything unless I want to, but it is also nice to make a difference, and use your head. I have been reading, and practicing my Spanish, but it is not the same as doing something that you are trained to do, and something that makes a difference in people's lives. If I were at home and not working, it may be a different story since I have a lot more there to keep me busy. Maybe I will have to get a job here after all :)
On a closing note- we made apple crisp the other day! It was delicious! As always, a little different than the usual for some weird reason- but absolutely delicious! Also, I was introduced to dulce pina, or sweet pineapple. I am in LOVE. The pineapples here are not as sweet as the hawaiian ones we are used to, and they are more acidic. So it seems that it is popular here to cook the pineapples with a lot of water and a little brown sugar until the pineapples are cooked, and the water is almost dissolved. Johana made this for a fruit salad, but I asked for a little bowl of them to snack on beforehand. Apparently this is how Carlos used to eat his pineapple growing up. It tastes/smells like fall :) I can't wait to try something similar with apples!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Another Weekend Down
Well, Our bars are finally in the windows! I was wrong about the day. They actually came Friday to do them, not Thursday. I knew that it would be nice to have them, but I had no idea how nice. for the first time since we have been here, I was cold at night! The kids woke up in a room that was pleasant, and the AC got a rest the whole time! I wish that we would have done this right away! It was so worth it! The only downside to the night was that there is a big festival going on in the land behind our condo. The police "clubhouse" for the city is right behind us, and while it is fun to watch the horses they have there, times like this are not ideal. There was partying and hooplah until about 4am. It wasn't too bad because we mostly just heard music, and not so much of the party itself, but that still makes it hard to sleep.
Then, as if the heavenly night of cool fresh air wasn't enough, we had the most spectacular waffles for breakfast. I was/am so proud of myself that I have to share: I cut the calorie count PER WAFFLE by 290 calories!!!!! We have been making these belgian waffles in my MIL's belgian waffle maker, but while they were delicious, they were pretty unhealthy (even when I tweaked the recipe). First, it calls for 1 cup of butter. I had not been using that much, but still, more than I would ideally use. Also, it calls for 3/4 cups of sugar. Since we don't have white sugar in the house, that was an easy swap that I had been making from the get-go. We only have Splenda, so that's what we had been using. Also, I had been using low fat milk since that is what we drink. My goal for this weekend was to find some apple sauce so that I could swap out the butter. I usually do that at home, and having babies around, I pretty much always have some variety of apple sauce. I mix it up sometimes and use the cinnamon, or berry too! So when I make waffles at home, I always switch out the fat for some type of apple sauce. When I told Carlos that that was on my list, he laughed at me. Apparently, the only Colombians that eat pureed apples are babies. I had to buy baby food apples and I was crossing my fingers that it would be good. Well. It was! We did not miss the butter at all, and I didn't feel at all guilty putting a little on top :) They were so sweet from the Splenda and the apple compote that we didn't need to use any syrup either! (But then again, we never use syrup on these since they are so sweet.)
Ok- I need to vent for a second.. One thing here that I absolutely HATE... At the grocery, people who represent different brands stand around their products in the aisle, and they get in your business, asking what you are looking for, and trying to block the competitor's products. The first time it happened to me, I was looking for razors and she was trying to get me to buy Nair instead. The last time it happened was yesterday. We were in Carrefour, and I wanted to get an air freshener for the house so we could start smelling like apples in here. I am so ready for fall, so I wanted to kick the "season" into gear since it is almost September. The Febreze lady was so nosy, trying to explain how to use the Scent & Refresh, to which I had Carlos reply that I already know how to do it, but then she was trying to ask which scent I want, and if I need refills or a starter, and I was so annoyed that we left without buying one. I walked away thinking, "ugh.. I guess I will just wait and go to Bath & Body Works when I am in the US..." And as I was walking away, I remembered that I accidentally packed a Gingham Apple Wallflower this time! Yay!! I guess those people would be good if I was sending Carlos for something, and he didn't know what to get, they could help him, but I like to browse. I like to smell different scents, compare prices, take my time. Carlos said to just say, "no entiendo.. no entiendo" and hope that they leave me alone. So anyway- our house smells just divine now!
Another exciting thing this weekend: We got fish for the kids!! We were feeling nostalgic for our pets at home, and so we wanted to have some new little friends for the kids. Emma is obsessed with the fish here at the lake, so I thought that she would love to have some of her own! And she does!! She LOVES to feed them, and watch them eat. She named them "Meow" and "Ruff Ruff"
Also, It was the big sale at Pepe Ganga this weekend, and it's a good thing too because Charlie's 1st birthday is next week!! We were able to stock up and get his presents for 40% off!! Unfortunately they were still more than I would have spent in the US. But oh well! He is very excited for all his stuff :)
Then, as if the heavenly night of cool fresh air wasn't enough, we had the most spectacular waffles for breakfast. I was/am so proud of myself that I have to share: I cut the calorie count PER WAFFLE by 290 calories!!!!! We have been making these belgian waffles in my MIL's belgian waffle maker, but while they were delicious, they were pretty unhealthy (even when I tweaked the recipe). First, it calls for 1 cup of butter. I had not been using that much, but still, more than I would ideally use. Also, it calls for 3/4 cups of sugar. Since we don't have white sugar in the house, that was an easy swap that I had been making from the get-go. We only have Splenda, so that's what we had been using. Also, I had been using low fat milk since that is what we drink. My goal for this weekend was to find some apple sauce so that I could swap out the butter. I usually do that at home, and having babies around, I pretty much always have some variety of apple sauce. I mix it up sometimes and use the cinnamon, or berry too! So when I make waffles at home, I always switch out the fat for some type of apple sauce. When I told Carlos that that was on my list, he laughed at me. Apparently, the only Colombians that eat pureed apples are babies. I had to buy baby food apples and I was crossing my fingers that it would be good. Well. It was! We did not miss the butter at all, and I didn't feel at all guilty putting a little on top :) They were so sweet from the Splenda and the apple compote that we didn't need to use any syrup either! (But then again, we never use syrup on these since they are so sweet.)
Ok- I need to vent for a second.. One thing here that I absolutely HATE... At the grocery, people who represent different brands stand around their products in the aisle, and they get in your business, asking what you are looking for, and trying to block the competitor's products. The first time it happened to me, I was looking for razors and she was trying to get me to buy Nair instead. The last time it happened was yesterday. We were in Carrefour, and I wanted to get an air freshener for the house so we could start smelling like apples in here. I am so ready for fall, so I wanted to kick the "season" into gear since it is almost September. The Febreze lady was so nosy, trying to explain how to use the Scent & Refresh, to which I had Carlos reply that I already know how to do it, but then she was trying to ask which scent I want, and if I need refills or a starter, and I was so annoyed that we left without buying one. I walked away thinking, "ugh.. I guess I will just wait and go to Bath & Body Works when I am in the US..." And as I was walking away, I remembered that I accidentally packed a Gingham Apple Wallflower this time! Yay!! I guess those people would be good if I was sending Carlos for something, and he didn't know what to get, they could help him, but I like to browse. I like to smell different scents, compare prices, take my time. Carlos said to just say, "no entiendo.. no entiendo" and hope that they leave me alone. So anyway- our house smells just divine now!
Another exciting thing this weekend: We got fish for the kids!! We were feeling nostalgic for our pets at home, and so we wanted to have some new little friends for the kids. Emma is obsessed with the fish here at the lake, so I thought that she would love to have some of her own! And she does!! She LOVES to feed them, and watch them eat. She named them "Meow" and "Ruff Ruff"
Also, It was the big sale at Pepe Ganga this weekend, and it's a good thing too because Charlie's 1st birthday is next week!! We were able to stock up and get his presents for 40% off!! Unfortunately they were still more than I would have spent in the US. But oh well! He is very excited for all his stuff :)
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Running the Stairs...
Last week, since I am a glutton for punishment, I ran the stairs here. Today, the same rings true I guess. I started my run and then decided that I was bored, and didn't want to do it anymore.. So I took to the stairs. Yikes. Last week, it was probably two and a half days before I could really walk again.. Hopefully this week I will not be in as much pain. I did the same amount, so hopefully I am in slightly better shape, and won't be hobbling around for days!
I learned this week (again... as I feel like I KEEP learning this lesson) I can't just expect that things here are the same as I am used to. First it happened with pizza. I assumed- ah pizza! A comfort food! I know pizza, so we can have something I am used to. Well pizza here is not the same. They don't use red sauce. And the crust isn't crusty. I was envisioning Deweys when we first ordered it. No spiciness to this pizza. That's for sure. I never thought that I would say it, since I am not a huge pizza enthusiast (I mean.. I like it, but it's not my favorite food by any means) but I really miss pizza. It's the food in the US that I think I miss the most. I expected to miss Chipotle. But we have recreated that, and I may even say that I like our "chipotle" better! Yesterday I learned another of my comfort foods that is very different. We decided to have lasagna for lunch. It was kind of a last minute decision, so we didn't even think to go over the plans with Johana. We had all of the ingredients, except ricotta, but Carlos said he didn't even know if they had ricotta here anyway, and they certainly don't use it in lasagna. I thought about it for a minute, and decided that since Johana knows how to make it, she can just use the cheeses that she is used to using. Well... As it turns out, there is also no red sauce in lasagna here. They use a cream sauce, cheese, chicken, and beef. Then throw in a smidge of "tomato sauce", or as we would call it- ketchup. Don't get me wrong.. It was very tasty. Delicious even. But it was not the meal I was expecting. I guess that I will need to spend some time, and write out all the meals I like, how to prepare them, and which ingredients to use. I can't assume that meals here are prepared the same way as I am used to.
As another example: the traditional way to cook meat here is boiling. I have NEVER boiled meat in my life. Ok, I think I have boiled chicken before maybe once or twice when it was going to be heavily seasoned, and shredded into small pieces, but for sure, NEVER any kind of beef. But here, they have to specify carne ASADA if they want it grilled. Color me surprised. I guess that is why filet isn't popular. Who wants boiled filet??? Whenever we have eaten at the farm, everything has been grilled usually, but I guess in people's homes it is different. Carlos told me that he didn't think people here really cared so much about the taste of the beef, and cooking it to optimize the taste. This I just don't get. Oh well.
I also don't get these chicken flavored chips. I haven't tried them yet, Carlos says they are very popular, but I am a little afraid to try them. These though- i totally get. Not only get.. but LOVE. These ripe plantain chips are completely delicious, and I love them especially before bed for my bedtime snack :) Just the right balance of salty and sweet!
Today our windows get covered with the prison bars and screens!!! YAY!!!! We will finally be able to have the windows open instead of closed all the time! The air here, especially at night is just so cool and fresh, and it will be a treat to be able to keep the windows open! I will post pictures of that later, after they get installed! We also put this thing on our door. It's a lock so that you can't open something. Each blue circle sticks to the surface it's on, and then when the lever is down, you can't open the door. Emma recently became obsessed with opening the door, and has been obsessed with the elevator, so we were afraid she would go down to the parking lot without us noticing. Especially since she wakes up a lot at night.
I learned this week (again... as I feel like I KEEP learning this lesson) I can't just expect that things here are the same as I am used to. First it happened with pizza. I assumed- ah pizza! A comfort food! I know pizza, so we can have something I am used to. Well pizza here is not the same. They don't use red sauce. And the crust isn't crusty. I was envisioning Deweys when we first ordered it. No spiciness to this pizza. That's for sure. I never thought that I would say it, since I am not a huge pizza enthusiast (I mean.. I like it, but it's not my favorite food by any means) but I really miss pizza. It's the food in the US that I think I miss the most. I expected to miss Chipotle. But we have recreated that, and I may even say that I like our "chipotle" better! Yesterday I learned another of my comfort foods that is very different. We decided to have lasagna for lunch. It was kind of a last minute decision, so we didn't even think to go over the plans with Johana. We had all of the ingredients, except ricotta, but Carlos said he didn't even know if they had ricotta here anyway, and they certainly don't use it in lasagna. I thought about it for a minute, and decided that since Johana knows how to make it, she can just use the cheeses that she is used to using. Well... As it turns out, there is also no red sauce in lasagna here. They use a cream sauce, cheese, chicken, and beef. Then throw in a smidge of "tomato sauce", or as we would call it- ketchup. Don't get me wrong.. It was very tasty. Delicious even. But it was not the meal I was expecting. I guess that I will need to spend some time, and write out all the meals I like, how to prepare them, and which ingredients to use. I can't assume that meals here are prepared the same way as I am used to.
As another example: the traditional way to cook meat here is boiling. I have NEVER boiled meat in my life. Ok, I think I have boiled chicken before maybe once or twice when it was going to be heavily seasoned, and shredded into small pieces, but for sure, NEVER any kind of beef. But here, they have to specify carne ASADA if they want it grilled. Color me surprised. I guess that is why filet isn't popular. Who wants boiled filet??? Whenever we have eaten at the farm, everything has been grilled usually, but I guess in people's homes it is different. Carlos told me that he didn't think people here really cared so much about the taste of the beef, and cooking it to optimize the taste. This I just don't get. Oh well.
I also don't get these chicken flavored chips. I haven't tried them yet, Carlos says they are very popular, but I am a little afraid to try them. These though- i totally get. Not only get.. but LOVE. These ripe plantain chips are completely delicious, and I love them especially before bed for my bedtime snack :) Just the right balance of salty and sweet!
Today our windows get covered with the prison bars and screens!!! YAY!!!! We will finally be able to have the windows open instead of closed all the time! The air here, especially at night is just so cool and fresh, and it will be a treat to be able to keep the windows open! I will post pictures of that later, after they get installed! We also put this thing on our door. It's a lock so that you can't open something. Each blue circle sticks to the surface it's on, and then when the lever is down, you can't open the door. Emma recently became obsessed with opening the door, and has been obsessed with the elevator, so we were afraid she would go down to the parking lot without us noticing. Especially since she wakes up a lot at night.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
New Car!!!
Wow what a busy long weekend we had! Yesterday was a holiday, so since Emma didn't have school, and Carlos didn't have to work, we went to the farm for lunch. We had such a great day there. The food was delicious! The steak was grilled medium which I haven't had since I got here :) The typical is to have thinner steak cooked very well done. Also, we got to spend time with Carlos' parents and my brother and sister in law and niece, and the weather was just divine! I didn't have an accurate reading of the temperature since people here don't use thermometers, but I would guess 70 with a cool breeze. It felt like fall! Someone close by was having a bonfire too, or at least it smelled that way! Oh, I was definitely in heaven! This is one reason that I want to be home for fall!! If I miss the good part of fall, at least I know that it is possible to have it feel like fall here.
In other big, and exciting news- WE BOUGHT A CAR!!! We were able to find one that wasn't insanely overpriced! We were planning on getting an SUV, since a lot of the prices were pretty similar to sedans. But that would end up being about $600 a month. Which I was totally against. Our TWO cars in the states cost us that much. I was just sick over it, and we kept looking at cars just thinking that it was going to be so expensive. But then- we found the Nissan Versa! Since Nissans are not imported from the US, the price is about the same as what the cost is in the US! So we decided to go for it. It isn't an SUV, which re really wanted so that we could pack more stuff in the trunk.. but the trunk is bigger than most, and the price is right.. So we went for it! Hopefully we will get it by the end of the week!
Oh, and this is exciting- Our spa here opened this weekend! You can get a 60 minute volcanic stone massage for $35! It will be fun because Carlos and I are planning on going for a couples' day! Four hours worth of massages, facials, and exfoliating treatments, plus time in the sauna, jacuzzi, and steam room with drinks and snacks for $160 :)
Aaannd: Good News/Bad News.. I think Carlos will be working here through October :( Our flights are scheduled for Sept. 17th, so we were thinking about just switching them. But then I was getting to thinking.. I was mentally prepared for 60 days. Not 100 days. I do really like it here, but I was planning on leaving in September, and I am starting to get a little homesick. We decided that me and the kids will be coming home at the regular time, but only for a vacation. So we will be spending about 2 weeks in Cincinnati then back for good (well for 2 months) at the end of October! I am so excited to be making this trip, and I know my family is too! The one thing that sends shivers up my spine is the fact that I will be making the trip just me and the kids. Twice. To Cincinnati, and back here. Ugh. At least we will be flying with Carlos when we leave at the end of October though!! And we will get back just in time for vacation :) Carlos will be in Santa Marta for a conference, and so we will be able to join him there and have some nice relaxing time at the beach! I am so excited!
In other big, and exciting news- WE BOUGHT A CAR!!! We were able to find one that wasn't insanely overpriced! We were planning on getting an SUV, since a lot of the prices were pretty similar to sedans. But that would end up being about $600 a month. Which I was totally against. Our TWO cars in the states cost us that much. I was just sick over it, and we kept looking at cars just thinking that it was going to be so expensive. But then- we found the Nissan Versa! Since Nissans are not imported from the US, the price is about the same as what the cost is in the US! So we decided to go for it. It isn't an SUV, which re really wanted so that we could pack more stuff in the trunk.. but the trunk is bigger than most, and the price is right.. So we went for it! Hopefully we will get it by the end of the week!
Oh, and this is exciting- Our spa here opened this weekend! You can get a 60 minute volcanic stone massage for $35! It will be fun because Carlos and I are planning on going for a couples' day! Four hours worth of massages, facials, and exfoliating treatments, plus time in the sauna, jacuzzi, and steam room with drinks and snacks for $160 :)
Aaannd: Good News/Bad News.. I think Carlos will be working here through October :( Our flights are scheduled for Sept. 17th, so we were thinking about just switching them. But then I was getting to thinking.. I was mentally prepared for 60 days. Not 100 days. I do really like it here, but I was planning on leaving in September, and I am starting to get a little homesick. We decided that me and the kids will be coming home at the regular time, but only for a vacation. So we will be spending about 2 weeks in Cincinnati then back for good (well for 2 months) at the end of October! I am so excited to be making this trip, and I know my family is too! The one thing that sends shivers up my spine is the fact that I will be making the trip just me and the kids. Twice. To Cincinnati, and back here. Ugh. At least we will be flying with Carlos when we leave at the end of October though!! And we will get back just in time for vacation :) Carlos will be in Santa Marta for a conference, and so we will be able to join him there and have some nice relaxing time at the beach! I am so excited!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Shoes Shoes Shoes!
It is 7 o'clock. My kids are both in bed. What kind of strange universe is this? I am hoping that I am not jinxing myself by mentioning it. Emma isn't asleep yet so this could always take an unexpected turn. But they did both skip their naps today, so they should be very tired. Plus, they both fell asleep at the dinner table.
Well, the strange phenomenon of sizing here continued on it's unpredictable path. As it turns out, I got to be pleasantly surprised this time! I actually wear a size smaller here than in the US! I went shoe shopping today. I realized pretty much as soon as I got here that my feet were terribly out of style. I pretty much expected that. I brought 4 pairs of shoes with me. Gym shoes, flip flops, Toms, and a pair of ballet flats. Obviously not really appropriate for all situations. Women here are very fond of their shoes. My Mother In Law told me that on average they buy 30 pairs of shoes a year. She built a closet in their new house just for her shoes. I know that some people in the states have this outlook on shoes. But not like here. You don't see anyone out in public wearing flip flops. Or gym shoes. Or any other kind of non fancy shoe. This is the norm. And I am finally part of the norm :)
We went to an area in the city that specializes in shoes. It is an entire at least 2 blocks with only shoe stores. Lining both sides of the street are shoe stores. I wanted to take a picture to put on here, but my MIL said that the area was not the safest in the city. Not that bad.. But not safe enough to be flashing things of value around. Soo.. there was no way that I was going to pull out my iPhone to start snapping pictures :) All I can say is WOW. I have never seen so many shoes in my life. Carlos said that they make them pretty locally and that's why there are so many stores in that area. Now the fact that they buy 30 pairs per year is not at all surprising to me. I bought 4 today, and spent just under $100! Also, I joined the bandwagon... I bought more heels. EVERYONE here wears them, and I was feeling a little left out. I rarely wear them at all in the states, only for formal events. And even then, I don't like it. I have to say though- I have missed them! I used to always wear them, and I had forgotten how much I love how tall I get when I wear them! And the comfort level overall in pumps here vs. what I am used to in the US.. no contest! The ones I bought are so comfortable that I can't wait to wear them!
Well, this is the first time (probably of many times) that I am alone with the kids while Carlos is out of town. It actually isn't going so bad! Carlos' mom spent the day with me today, so that completely helped and made my day fly by! They offered to have us over while he was gone, but I thought it would be easier to have the kids on their own turf, own beds, etc. It is fortunately a super short trip (he will be home tomorrow night) but still, it is always different when he's not around. At least I have Johana!
On a negative note, the day was almost spoiled by me tripping over a step on the street today going into the grocery. I brought Emma and my MIL down with me. My hand, knee, and toe have been throbbing ever since, and I am hoping my nail will be intact. Emma did not sustain any injuries except a tiny scratch on her knee. Carlos' mom left the scene with a wound on her wrist, and a sore ankle. I will report back on my toe.
Well, the strange phenomenon of sizing here continued on it's unpredictable path. As it turns out, I got to be pleasantly surprised this time! I actually wear a size smaller here than in the US! I went shoe shopping today. I realized pretty much as soon as I got here that my feet were terribly out of style. I pretty much expected that. I brought 4 pairs of shoes with me. Gym shoes, flip flops, Toms, and a pair of ballet flats. Obviously not really appropriate for all situations. Women here are very fond of their shoes. My Mother In Law told me that on average they buy 30 pairs of shoes a year. She built a closet in their new house just for her shoes. I know that some people in the states have this outlook on shoes. But not like here. You don't see anyone out in public wearing flip flops. Or gym shoes. Or any other kind of non fancy shoe. This is the norm. And I am finally part of the norm :)
We went to an area in the city that specializes in shoes. It is an entire at least 2 blocks with only shoe stores. Lining both sides of the street are shoe stores. I wanted to take a picture to put on here, but my MIL said that the area was not the safest in the city. Not that bad.. But not safe enough to be flashing things of value around. Soo.. there was no way that I was going to pull out my iPhone to start snapping pictures :) All I can say is WOW. I have never seen so many shoes in my life. Carlos said that they make them pretty locally and that's why there are so many stores in that area. Now the fact that they buy 30 pairs per year is not at all surprising to me. I bought 4 today, and spent just under $100! Also, I joined the bandwagon... I bought more heels. EVERYONE here wears them, and I was feeling a little left out. I rarely wear them at all in the states, only for formal events. And even then, I don't like it. I have to say though- I have missed them! I used to always wear them, and I had forgotten how much I love how tall I get when I wear them! And the comfort level overall in pumps here vs. what I am used to in the US.. no contest! The ones I bought are so comfortable that I can't wait to wear them!
Well, this is the first time (probably of many times) that I am alone with the kids while Carlos is out of town. It actually isn't going so bad! Carlos' mom spent the day with me today, so that completely helped and made my day fly by! They offered to have us over while he was gone, but I thought it would be easier to have the kids on their own turf, own beds, etc. It is fortunately a super short trip (he will be home tomorrow night) but still, it is always different when he's not around. At least I have Johana!
On a negative note, the day was almost spoiled by me tripping over a step on the street today going into the grocery. I brought Emma and my MIL down with me. My hand, knee, and toe have been throbbing ever since, and I am hoping my nail will be intact. Emma did not sustain any injuries except a tiny scratch on her knee. Carlos' mom left the scene with a wound on her wrist, and a sore ankle. I will report back on my toe.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
We got a scale!
We got a scale!!!!! It brought good news for all, too! Emma gained some weight, and I lost some! YAY!! I am officially within 5 lbs of my goal! I have lost like 4 pounds since we got here! Hip Hip Hooray! Emma was anxious to try it out, she wasted no time getting on it :)
I am loving getting back into the routine of exercising too! I was so out of practice. The trail doesn't have a terrible view either :)
I am loving my new morning me time! Emma goes to school at 8, and then while she is there, it is my time to go to the gym, run outside, get my nails done, go to the pool, whatever! The spa opens next week, so soon I will be adding massages and steam room to that list! Since Charlie and Johana get along so well, I can leave him with her, and go do whatever I want! I will miss having a built in babysitter for sure, but it will be nice to get back to the States and be able to get back into the real world :) As opposed to this vacation world I have been living in. I will miss empty, quiet, relaxing pools though!!
BUT if I didn't have her- my floors would never ever look like this :) I can honestly say that they are clean enough to eat off of- and that's a good thing, since Charlie does!
Oh- I am so excited.. You may have seen on facebook, Charlie's bed finally got taken care of! He is in his big boy bed and out of the pack n play!!!! He LOVES his new bed, and all the extra space he has now! AND the guy came yesterday to measure the windows for our bars and screens! I am not 100% excited for the way they will look, because who wants bars covering their windows?? But this will let us keep our windows open! The screens will let us keep everyone open at night, and I am SO excited for that because in the last couple of days we have been getting some bugs in here. I don't know why it is just now starting? But regardless, no more mosquito bites for us!! YAY! Everything should be installed by the end of next week! The screens have to be specially ordered. I cannot wait!
Onto another note- does anyone know of any place that you can watch American TV and not physically be in the US? Carlos doesn't want to get VPN access because he is afraid of getting hacked since we both have protected info on our laptops, and we obviously don't want it stolen. I am not able to watch anything from the US unless I pay top dollar on iTunes. Except for the rare occasion that I find something on youtube. I think it is so stupid that I can't watch anything while i'm here. I pay for cable there, I have a permanent address there, I just happen to not be there, and I have no access to anything. All the websites give me a geographical restriction message, and I can't view anything. Since it looks like we will be here after the start of the fall tv season, I want to be able to watch the shows I like without having to buy them. I love to watch trash TV, but not necessarily enough to pay a lot for it. (Keeping up with the Kardashians costs $47.99) Also, we like other not so trashy TV, but I hate to spend over $40 for something I probably won't re-watch. I also don't want to just wait and hope that everything shows up on Netflix. Esp. since we have to use the Colombian Netflix. It is a little different. There are more Disney movies, which is good for Emma, but unfortunately there is a much smaller selection of TV shows. UGH
This post is looking a little verbose, so here is another picture. Our church in the neighborhood. 
Monday, August 13, 2012
Shopping trip
One of the most depressing things about not having a scale at home is trying on clothes. I could have sworn I was doing good, and maybe even lost a little weight. Then I went shopping for jeans... I was shocked to find that I couldn't even button my normal size. (If I was lucky enough to even get them up all the way) Sizes here are not right. At least not to me. I have to buy one or two sizes bigger than usual. I am pretty sure that it is just that these brands are smaller baseline.. But I can't be absolutely sure if I don't have a scale.. AGH! It doesn't help that we went after the biggest meal of the day :(
Another frustration with buying pants especially here is that they are made completely different. Women here very proud of their curves and want to show off their hips (per Carlos, and what I have seen seems to back this up :) I am of the mindset that I want to minimize and hide my post baby hips. No luck here. Pretty much every pair of pants is cut to emphasize large hips and butts, and then tapers in so drastically that they are like jeggings from the knee down. I hate it! I pretty much always buy boot cut jeans so that I can try to even everything out, but I found one pair of jeans that helped me to do that, but overall they were just ok, and at $100 they better be a little more than just ok. I don't usually spend more than $60 or $70, unless it is a very special situation, so why do it here?? Anyway.. I found a pair that could almost classify as straight leg, and Carlos liked them, so did I surprisingly! 
Another weird thing is that all the pants come standard 33" length. I like my jeans long enough that they cover my shoes, and not look like highwaters when I sit down.. But the longest I would buy is 31". Carlos buys 33 length and he is over 6 feet tall. I guess it is because everyone here wears high heels. Plus I think I am shorter than average here too. I have never worn my pants like this-- but I guess there is a first time for everything, and since this is the way most people wear them, I won't be out of place! 
(I went with the ballet flats in case you were wondering :)
So it was a winner of a trip! I really needed jeans because I brought two pairs with me, and I squated down to talk to Emma wearing one pair, and split them :( I hate when that happens. Oh well- I guess thats what happens after about 3 years! So I am down to 1 pair here. This would not be a huge deal except that we need to wear pants when we go to the farm because of the bugs. So, one wrong move, and the others are goners, then where will I be? Wearing pj pants.
After we left the mall, we had to go to the grocery. In search of a scale. The whole outing had me panicking. (I know I haven't been eating much dinner here, but would all the queso crema and crackers make up for that???) As we walked to the service desk to ask if they had any (they didn't) we passed a rack of clothes. Not just any clothes- jeans. And the brand you ask??? ABERCROMBIE & FITCH. In the grocery. And $25. What??? 
I was half expecting to see the label marked on like at TJ Maxx, but nope! They seem to be normal/undamaged :)
I was so surprised, and delighted that I might finally find jeans cut the way I like them that I grabbed a handful and headed to the changing room. I don't think I have stepped foot in an Abercrombie for myself in almost 10 years. (I started to feel like I was someone's mom) But I couldn't afford to be picky this trip! All said and done, I bought two pairs of jeans, and a pair of khakis for the price of the jeans that I bought in the mall. Go figure. I never would have imagined that they would have Abercrombie and Hollister in the grocery store. I tried to think of the "weird" foreign brands that we have in Wal-Mart and made a mental note to be a little less judgmental :)
On another note- Emma went to school this morning, and she walked in the door by herself, and gave her lunch box to the teacher! She hasn't done that yet! We always have to pick her up and hand her over kicking and screaming. I guess times are changing!
Good news/ bad news about our plans for this afternoon- Emma, and Charlie need blood drawn so that they can get their blood types documented for citizenship. I need it too for my visa. I could easily get the records from home, but since the kids need theirs too I want to do it here so that they can see it first before they get it done. I am so nervous for it because Emma can be so dramatic, and I don't know if they can do a heel stick, or will need to do a venipuncture. Ugh. That is the bad news. But we will get to see Carlos' hospital, and I am very excited for that since it is supposed to be pretty nice!
Another weird thing is that all the pants come standard 33" length. I like my jeans long enough that they cover my shoes, and not look like highwaters when I sit down.. But the longest I would buy is 31". Carlos buys 33 length and he is over 6 feet tall. I guess it is because everyone here wears high heels. Plus I think I am shorter than average here too. I have never worn my pants like this-- but I guess there is a first time for everything, and since this is the way most people wear them, I won't be out of place! 
(I went with the ballet flats in case you were wondering :)
So it was a winner of a trip! I really needed jeans because I brought two pairs with me, and I squated down to talk to Emma wearing one pair, and split them :( I hate when that happens. Oh well- I guess thats what happens after about 3 years! So I am down to 1 pair here. This would not be a huge deal except that we need to wear pants when we go to the farm because of the bugs. So, one wrong move, and the others are goners, then where will I be? Wearing pj pants.
After we left the mall, we had to go to the grocery. In search of a scale. The whole outing had me panicking. (I know I haven't been eating much dinner here, but would all the queso crema and crackers make up for that???) As we walked to the service desk to ask if they had any (they didn't) we passed a rack of clothes. Not just any clothes- jeans. And the brand you ask??? ABERCROMBIE & FITCH. In the grocery. And $25. What??? 
I was half expecting to see the label marked on like at TJ Maxx, but nope! They seem to be normal/undamaged :)
I was so surprised, and delighted that I might finally find jeans cut the way I like them that I grabbed a handful and headed to the changing room. I don't think I have stepped foot in an Abercrombie for myself in almost 10 years. (I started to feel like I was someone's mom) But I couldn't afford to be picky this trip! All said and done, I bought two pairs of jeans, and a pair of khakis for the price of the jeans that I bought in the mall. Go figure. I never would have imagined that they would have Abercrombie and Hollister in the grocery store. I tried to think of the "weird" foreign brands that we have in Wal-Mart and made a mental note to be a little less judgmental :)
On another note- Emma went to school this morning, and she walked in the door by herself, and gave her lunch box to the teacher! She hasn't done that yet! We always have to pick her up and hand her over kicking and screaming. I guess times are changing!
Good news/ bad news about our plans for this afternoon- Emma, and Charlie need blood drawn so that they can get their blood types documented for citizenship. I need it too for my visa. I could easily get the records from home, but since the kids need theirs too I want to do it here so that they can see it first before they get it done. I am so nervous for it because Emma can be so dramatic, and I don't know if they can do a heel stick, or will need to do a venipuncture. Ugh. That is the bad news. But we will get to see Carlos' hospital, and I am very excited for that since it is supposed to be pretty nice!
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