We are car shopping again! It's been a year since we got our first car and when we bought that one, I was pretty adamantly against it. As I said last year, I thought it was a waste to pay so much for a car when there are a million taxis every direction you turn. Carlos said it would make our life easier, give us more freedom, and make us feel safer if we had a car. I couldn't imagine that driving would be easier and more freeing than calling the portero (the combination door men/armed security guards that are at the entrance to our building) and requesting a taxi that could take us wherever we want while we relax in back.
As I spent more time here, I realized (as I usually do) that Carlos was right. While taxis can be easy (unless you go to the grocery and need to try to squeeze everything into the nearly non-existent trunk), and freeing (unless you want to explore a new place, or talk about personal issues- money, work gossip, or even speak in English at all {Carlos has a fear of us getting taken advantage of or have bad things happen if we are obviously foreigners}), they can also make you fear for you life and remove all opportunities for spontaneity. One of my favorite things to do has been driving around and exploring new places with Carlos. We NEVER could do that in a taxi. They are too rush rush get you where you're going and kick you to the curb (and god forbid you slam the door). Also, taxis aren't meant for safety. They are tiny little things, and more and more we hear about taxis getting rear ended, and the people in the back getting seriously hurt. Not to mention the potential for getting robbed.
So here we are- one year later we have a car but we are becoming faced with the same issues we had a year ago. The more time I spend out of the house, the more time Carlos spends in a taxi. He is against me using taxis until I am a lot more fluent and ideally not before I can pass for Colombian so I don't get taken advantage of. He absolutely despises taxis so he's hating it. I have had the car every morning since I joined the gym since I go while the kids are in school and then sometimes I need to go to the grocery or run errands and then need the car in the afternoon too. So he's basically had enough.
Another reason we want a new car is space. We have a Nissan Versa now which has a decent amount of space, but if we need to take something large in the car, or suitcases we need help from Carlos' parents who have an SUV. We wanted an SUV last year, but I was set on buying something cheap since cars here are outrageously priced. Now that I have gotten used to the idea I'm more at peace with the fact that you can't really compare prices. Here it costs what it costs. I went through this with the carseats too.. Paying 10x the price I would have paid in the states was a kick to the gut, but what can you do?
A last reason having another car will be nice is a little thing here called "pico y placa". This policy was enacted in order to reduce traffic within city limits. It roughly translates to "beak and [license] plate". As I said, very rough translation. But what it refers to is the last number (beak) of the license plate on your car. Every day of the week, 2 numbers are restricted from entering Bucaramanga city limits. Our day is Wednesday. And it never fails, every Wednesday morning I have something I need to go to the mall for and then I remember, ugh pico y placa. FCV is here in Floridablanca so pico y placa doesn't apply and whenever I need to go into the city we can just switch cars! As Emma would say, "no problem!!"
We were all over the place on what car we might buy and have been doing hardcore research and shopping for going on 3 weeks now. We both got kind of attached to a new Ford Explorer we saw at the auto show last weekend, but then we saw it price tag. It starts at around $60,000. (According to kbb.com, which has become one of my most visited websites, the same one in the US is just over $29,000.) It carries the same price tag as an Audi Q5. (US MSRP over $45,000.) So we set out yesterday morning to try see all the cars we were interested in. We wanted to check out Toyotas, Volvos, and Hondas, but struck out on all counts. Then we were driving to the mall to have some lunch and play time and wallow in the defeats of the day. As we were passing though, we saw a car show going on AT THE MALL!! Right away we saw Toyotas and Hondas!! The Volvo dealership in Bucaramanga closed down, so there weren't any of them around though. So.. we think we decided on a car finally!!! I think we'll follow the path of my parents and get a CR-V! They are having a sale this month at the dealer and it looks like we may be able to bring one home for under $40,000! Hopefully :)
Monday, August 26, 2013
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Room Renovation [almost] complete!
Charlie's room is almost done!! All that it needs are locks on the closet doors, and a buff down and paint job on the wall! We decided to buy a gate to keep him in his room at night and it is working out well! It even detaches from the doorway when you don't want to use it. I don't know if this is normal for the swinging fixed gates, but it was a pleasant surprise for me!
I hope that it gets easier though because last night was rough, i'm not going to lie :) He woke up 3 times, and he woke me up calling, "open my door mom!" Good thing he's cute!!
I was very reluctant to move him to the extra room because we used that room for overflow. It was our catch all place for things we didn't want messed with. For instance, toys that we took away for punishment, the printer and extra computer, all the extra clothes we don't use much, towels and sheets, etc. Also, there was a couch in there that I didn't really want out in the main area. The kids jump on couches and climb like monkeys whenever they can get away with it, and two accessible sofas are more than enough. Carlos suggested half jokingly that we should just put the couch in our room. So we did! It actually fits better than I expected, which is a relief :) I had visions of the house being so cluttered and a mess, and us not having space for anything at all. Well that is NOT the case :) We shuffled some stuff around, and as it turns out, we feel like we even have MORE room!! It is definitely an improvement!
Emma and Charlie's old (shared) room
Emma's new (roomy) room!
Our room, with the new addition
And finally (!!!) Charlie's new (almost completely toddler safe) room!!!!
On another note, I have my second interview about this future job of mine! I think we will go tomorrow for it. Basically I have the job since there aren't any other American nurses around to do it :) We just have to talk more about job description, payment, hours, start date, etc. I am excited to get out and do something else in the morning to get my mind moving :)
Also, this last week one of my fears came to life. Emma had been coughing up a storm, to the point that two nights in a row she was up puking/dry heaving most of the night. Charlie had been sick with a respiratory thing last month, and it started right after that. I figured she had a cold or something and couldn't shake the coughing. But it just continued. And continued. After two sleepless nights, I texted her doctor. She told us that she wants Emma to get a chest X-Ray pretty much ASAP, and she wants us to bring it, and Emma to her office. I was freaking out because I thought that she had pneumonia. No. She did not have pneumonia. She has asthma. Right now it is mild, but this has been one of my fears since we started having kids. Carlos has severe asthma that put him in the hospital all the time as a kid. I have witnessed him having asthma attacks, and overall breathing issues whenever his allergies act up, and it terrifies me. She has been immensely better since we started treatment though (corticoids for a month, and xoponex twice a day until her cough goes away).
I am beyond thrilled that things seem to be going well, but now I will have to add one more potentially fatal thing to the "Things I need to worry about regarding Emma and Charlie" list. Ugh.
I hope that it gets easier though because last night was rough, i'm not going to lie :) He woke up 3 times, and he woke me up calling, "open my door mom!" Good thing he's cute!!
I was very reluctant to move him to the extra room because we used that room for overflow. It was our catch all place for things we didn't want messed with. For instance, toys that we took away for punishment, the printer and extra computer, all the extra clothes we don't use much, towels and sheets, etc. Also, there was a couch in there that I didn't really want out in the main area. The kids jump on couches and climb like monkeys whenever they can get away with it, and two accessible sofas are more than enough. Carlos suggested half jokingly that we should just put the couch in our room. So we did! It actually fits better than I expected, which is a relief :) I had visions of the house being so cluttered and a mess, and us not having space for anything at all. Well that is NOT the case :) We shuffled some stuff around, and as it turns out, we feel like we even have MORE room!! It is definitely an improvement!
Emma and Charlie's old (shared) room
Emma's new (roomy) room!
Our room, with the new addition
And finally (!!!) Charlie's new (almost completely toddler safe) room!!!!
On another note, I have my second interview about this future job of mine! I think we will go tomorrow for it. Basically I have the job since there aren't any other American nurses around to do it :) We just have to talk more about job description, payment, hours, start date, etc. I am excited to get out and do something else in the morning to get my mind moving :)
Also, this last week one of my fears came to life. Emma had been coughing up a storm, to the point that two nights in a row she was up puking/dry heaving most of the night. Charlie had been sick with a respiratory thing last month, and it started right after that. I figured she had a cold or something and couldn't shake the coughing. But it just continued. And continued. After two sleepless nights, I texted her doctor. She told us that she wants Emma to get a chest X-Ray pretty much ASAP, and she wants us to bring it, and Emma to her office. I was freaking out because I thought that she had pneumonia. No. She did not have pneumonia. She has asthma. Right now it is mild, but this has been one of my fears since we started having kids. Carlos has severe asthma that put him in the hospital all the time as a kid. I have witnessed him having asthma attacks, and overall breathing issues whenever his allergies act up, and it terrifies me. She has been immensely better since we started treatment though (corticoids for a month, and xoponex twice a day until her cough goes away).
I am beyond thrilled that things seem to be going well, but now I will have to add one more potentially fatal thing to the "Things I need to worry about regarding Emma and Charlie" list. Ugh.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Charlie got a new room!
Charlie is getting a new room. On multiple occasions, he has waken up before 5am and refused to go back to sleep. He opens his eyes and gets reminded of all the fun toys waiting for him when he gets out of bed. He has also decided that nap time is pointless unless we are in the car. In which case he falls asleep almost immediately. The other day Emma begged not to sleep in her room because "Charlie is too loud.. He wakes me up". So we need to make some changes. It wouldn't be so bad if we could lock him in there with a gate, or just the door.. But Emma sometimes wakes up overnight to go to the bathroom, so she needs to be able to get out. So operation baby proof has begun in our extra room. It has basically been kind of a catch all room, where we put things that we wanted to be out of the way. But now we will need to figure out where to put everything.. This will be a little bit of a job, but I think in the long run it will be very much worth it. Here is the before..
As you can see, there are many hazards. The floor is literally hard as a rock. There are cords and cable lines everywhere, and the printer and this old laptop need to find a new home. Also, the ledge is low enough and wide enough that Charlie could climb up onto it. Especially with this table in here. So far we got rid of a bunch of stuff that could be moved, and put down a carpet. I really wanted to put down foam tiles or something like that, but then we found a great rug. It is so soft and plush, and it covers the entire floor! Perfect fit!! We got an amazing deal on it, so we went back the next day, and bought another one too!!
Well I have been going to my new gym for a week. I am so glad to be going! I forgot how good it felt! One weird thing though. I feel like people are looking at me weird the whole time. I don't know if they heard me talking or something and wonder why my Spanish is so bad? Or if it's because I am wearing loose gym shorts and a baggy tank? In a week, I have seen 3 women wearing shorts.. they all wear tight pants, usually with a tight shirt too.. I like to be cool and don't like tight stuff when I work out.. I get claustrophobic. Is it because I am not wearing Adidas? Hey- I may not have Adidas workout gear, but I DO have Lulu :) Am I singing out loud? No. I am careful not to do that either. I think it could be because I am running? Typically the women don't really run, they speed walk. Or normal walk. Today a lady on the treadmill near me, kept looking in my direction, and then I caught her looking at my screen, it looked like she was checking out the speed. So I guess she just wondered how fast I was going since I probably looked like I was hurting a little :) Another thing at the gym that I didn't expect: Life Fitness machines that are WAAAY sweeter than the ones they have at Lifetime!!!
They all have huge touch screens and they have the option to watch TV or listen to music right from the machine!! I don't think it's set up yet, but it's a cool service! I wish that they had that at Lifetime instead of the big TV screens that you have to tune into the radio to hear. If anyone lives in Bucaramanga, I highly recommend BodyTech! I only pay like $35 a month!!
As you can see, there are many hazards. The floor is literally hard as a rock. There are cords and cable lines everywhere, and the printer and this old laptop need to find a new home. Also, the ledge is low enough and wide enough that Charlie could climb up onto it. Especially with this table in here. So far we got rid of a bunch of stuff that could be moved, and put down a carpet. I really wanted to put down foam tiles or something like that, but then we found a great rug. It is so soft and plush, and it covers the entire floor! Perfect fit!! We got an amazing deal on it, so we went back the next day, and bought another one too!!
Well I have been going to my new gym for a week. I am so glad to be going! I forgot how good it felt! One weird thing though. I feel like people are looking at me weird the whole time. I don't know if they heard me talking or something and wonder why my Spanish is so bad? Or if it's because I am wearing loose gym shorts and a baggy tank? In a week, I have seen 3 women wearing shorts.. they all wear tight pants, usually with a tight shirt too.. I like to be cool and don't like tight stuff when I work out.. I get claustrophobic. Is it because I am not wearing Adidas? Hey- I may not have Adidas workout gear, but I DO have Lulu :) Am I singing out loud? No. I am careful not to do that either. I think it could be because I am running? Typically the women don't really run, they speed walk. Or normal walk. Today a lady on the treadmill near me, kept looking in my direction, and then I caught her looking at my screen, it looked like she was checking out the speed. So I guess she just wondered how fast I was going since I probably looked like I was hurting a little :) Another thing at the gym that I didn't expect: Life Fitness machines that are WAAAY sweeter than the ones they have at Lifetime!!!
They all have huge touch screens and they have the option to watch TV or listen to music right from the machine!! I don't think it's set up yet, but it's a cool service! I wish that they had that at Lifetime instead of the big TV screens that you have to tune into the radio to hear. If anyone lives in Bucaramanga, I highly recommend BodyTech! I only pay like $35 a month!!
Monday, August 12, 2013
Charlie got a big boy bed, and I joined a gym!!
Well, it's the end of an era.
Charlie is in a big boy bed. I am not really that happy about it to be honest, but it had to happen. Unfortunately, he became a little too proficient at climbing out (and he did it every chance he got) so we had to nip it in the bud. Nothing spells injury quite like a 5 foot headfirst fall onto the marble floor. We were in such a good rhythm too. He went to bed early, slept all night, woke up around 6:30 or 7, and everyone was happy. Now he fights falling asleep, climbs out every chance he gets, and screams when we insist he stay in. Yesterday I awoke at 5:20 to a gentle pulling on my foot. I guess he will get the hang of it, but I am really dreading what could be in store for us. Emma always slept great until we moved her out of her crib. I guess time will tell, he is a much more relaxed and easy going kid than her so maybe he will surprise me.
Also, in other big news.. I JOINED A GYM!!!!
I had been running behind our house on the path, but I always got so bored, and too hot. We have a gym here, but it is only opened from 6-9 am then 4-9 or something. Since I only have a babysitter from 7-4, and I take the kids to school at 8. Also, in the morning it is PACKED in there. Everyone wants the cardio machines, and there aren't many of them there. So it's usually a bust. Also, they don't use A/C so it's like 90 degrees in there. But I found a new good one! It is close to me, and has central air :) That would probably be enough to convince me to join, but it also has classes, tons of cardio, and lots of machines that I am already familiar with! They even have a reformer pilates room! I most likely won't be taking any classes in there though. I have always been interested in taking one, but never have since I was afraid of looking stupid. I definitely won't do it here since I won't be able to understand everything they are telling me to do. But it is there! I am going a little later, so I will report back how it goes!
Charlie is in a big boy bed. I am not really that happy about it to be honest, but it had to happen. Unfortunately, he became a little too proficient at climbing out (and he did it every chance he got) so we had to nip it in the bud. Nothing spells injury quite like a 5 foot headfirst fall onto the marble floor. We were in such a good rhythm too. He went to bed early, slept all night, woke up around 6:30 or 7, and everyone was happy. Now he fights falling asleep, climbs out every chance he gets, and screams when we insist he stay in. Yesterday I awoke at 5:20 to a gentle pulling on my foot. I guess he will get the hang of it, but I am really dreading what could be in store for us. Emma always slept great until we moved her out of her crib. I guess time will tell, he is a much more relaxed and easy going kid than her so maybe he will surprise me.
Also, in other big news.. I JOINED A GYM!!!!
I had been running behind our house on the path, but I always got so bored, and too hot. We have a gym here, but it is only opened from 6-9 am then 4-9 or something. Since I only have a babysitter from 7-4, and I take the kids to school at 8. Also, in the morning it is PACKED in there. Everyone wants the cardio machines, and there aren't many of them there. So it's usually a bust. Also, they don't use A/C so it's like 90 degrees in there. But I found a new good one! It is close to me, and has central air :) That would probably be enough to convince me to join, but it also has classes, tons of cardio, and lots of machines that I am already familiar with! They even have a reformer pilates room! I most likely won't be taking any classes in there though. I have always been interested in taking one, but never have since I was afraid of looking stupid. I definitely won't do it here since I won't be able to understand everything they are telling me to do. But it is there! I am going a little later, so I will report back how it goes!
Monday, August 5, 2013
{another} Potential Job!!!
The time has come. I am not sure why, but I have been really dragging my feet when it comes to getting a job here. In my head I know that it will be a huge benefit to me. I have been in a little bit of a funk here, and need to meet more people and get out there. For some reason though I have not wanted to make any effort to try to decide on what kind of job I want to do. Then this morning Carlos called me. His boss, who is the head honcho, called him aside and said that he wants a face to face with me! I was taken a little bit aback by this!! He has wanted me to work there for a long time, (during Carlos' initial interview he was already talking about me working there) since I am a nurse who was trained and has experience in the USA. This hospital is really aiming towards appealing to Americans and English speaking peeps from Aruba and the Caribbean, so they are anxious to have anyone they can get who has training in the US, and speaks English. To my knowledge, I would be the first American nurse there. Well, recently the pediatric portion of the hospital was bought by Pittsburgh Children's! They are supposed to be taking over next month, and Carlos' boss wants me to act as a go between! Kind of a contact person for the Pittsburgh people to talk to at FCV! The first specialty that is getting moved to their service is Cardiology!!! So it is actually a perfect fit. I worked as a Pediatric Cardiac ICU nurse up until we came here so I know at least a little bit about how we do things in the States :)
OK- I have said it before, but I will say it again (and will probably keep saying it :) I LOVE THE FARM!!! It is so beautiful, cool, breezy and peaceful.
I wish we could live there full time instead of just going on the weekends! It is nice to be close to everything down here though. It is a good 30 minute drive to get up there, so it would be too tough for Carlos to commute every day. He could definitely do it, but if we lived further away he wouldn't ever be able to come home for lunch. Would I want to trade the lunchtime visit for a big yard where the kids and the dogs can run and play?
It is a hard decision, but I think for now we are very happy being close to the action. The weather though... Ah it's heaven. Cool and breezy, just like a fall day, every day (if you are in the shade that is :). By far, my perfect weather. I love the way it looks when storm clouds gather in between the mountains, they come through so fast and strong, then they are gone!
Now for a rant.. Customer service here is not at all the same. If you make an appointment for someone to come to the house they may not show up. Keep in mind, there are some people and companies that are AWESOME.. But in the last two weeks I have had tons of bad luck. First off, our fridge needs a new water filter. That is an easy fix. Buy the one that corresponds with your fridge/filter, and then switch them out. Super easy. Here not easy at all. Johana called refrigerator repair man (who is apparently who you talk to to change the filter). I just wanted to know how much it would cost to change the filter. He wouldn't answer the question. He said that he must come to the house to look at the fridge to know what filter he needs. Why does he need to do that?? We can tell him the model number, serial number, etc and he can look up the filter. He said no- I think it has a different, not normal filter so I need to come check it. I said fine whatever. So he planned to come at 2. Guess who didn't show up? No call, no show. Nothing. Meanwhile, in about 2 minutes I found the filter we need online and a list of stores that sell the fridge we have. I figured, any place that sells a lot of appliances will have water filters, right?? WRONG. They said that you can't buy those in the store, you need to call the Samsung repairman. I was like are you kidding???? So we need to try to make an appointment to have the guy come, hope he shows up, and then wait for him to go buy a new one and decide he feels like coming back. Such a hassle. I guess it runs people out of a job if everyone has the ability to change their own filters, but if you want the job so much, you should at least show up. Just out of spite, I am ready to order a filter from the US and install it myself.
Example number two: We have a foul smell coming through the pipes in our bathroom. It gets ridiculously bad after we shower, or use a lot of water. So we called a guy to come and see what the issue was and fix it. He came the next day to take a quick look and then set up a time for our appointment. I was adamant that he come in the morning when the kids are at school. In the afternoon we like to have quiet time, and plus, if the kids are awake, they are very difficult to keep away from the action. (Also here when you have people working in your house, it's a good idea to watch your valuables. Since the master bathroom is the one in question, they would need to be working in our room. Which is where we keep our valuables. It would be difficult for me to watch the workers and the kids.) But also, I needed them to come back as soon as they could because the smell is hard to bear. He said, "ok, here is my information.. Have your husband call tonight to tell me if and when I should come, since it could be up to about 100,000 COP (like $50)." I was like, whoa whoa-- We don't need to wait for him to talk to you, just come the first morning possible. He looked a little concerned about that, but agreed to come on Friday morning. (more on that later) So Friday morning came and went. He didn't show up. At around 6pm he rang the bell. He said please please can I come next week. Tuesday maybe? I told him sure, as long as it was the morning. So I repeated back to him about 5 times Tuesday morning, right? En la manana, cierto??? He assured me that yes- he would be there Tuesday morning. Well around 10am on Tuesday morning, we were wondering where he was, so we called. He informed us that he couldn't come in the morning, he needed to come in the afternoon instead. AAARGHHHH!! We told him don't bother, just wait and coming tomorrow morning. He did, and he charged us a hefty fee to put a drain top over our drain in the floor. Our bathrooms have drains so it's easier to clean.. You just throw down the water and bleach or what have you then push it all down the drain.
Well.. It didn't help. The next morning our noses were bombarded with very hateful odors. Today, my in-laws came with a contractor type who brought all the stuff he may need, and put a new top (solid cement covering the hole) on it.
So far no smells. But it really goes to show that once you find a good person, you need to keep them close.
Ok- so I referenced I would come back to something. The guy who came seemed a little confused and worried that I told him to just come back without even consulting my husband. Then when he came to do the work, he nearly insisted we call to ask Carlos what type of cover he wanted. I maintained that what I wanted is what we would do. Later I complained about it to Carlos, like come on! I can make decisions. What I say goes. If I think we should get a white cover, why would he argue that it needs to be tan instead? He trusts me to make decisions for the household. So it is a non issue. Plus, he's super busy. If I actually called to ask him a question like that he would be so confused, like why on earth are you interrupting this consult/meeting/lab interpretation to ask me a question like this? He said that in lower socio economic families, the husband calls the shots.. Probably that guy who came would be upset if his wife made those decisions without talking to him first. I was actually pretty surprised to hear that since most every Colombian woman I have met is independent, self-assured, and I would be surprised if any of them ran home to ask permission for everything decision they wanted to make. I guess I don't know a lot about different types of families here. Yet another reason to get a job :)
OK- I have said it before, but I will say it again (and will probably keep saying it :) I LOVE THE FARM!!! It is so beautiful, cool, breezy and peaceful.
I wish we could live there full time instead of just going on the weekends! It is nice to be close to everything down here though. It is a good 30 minute drive to get up there, so it would be too tough for Carlos to commute every day. He could definitely do it, but if we lived further away he wouldn't ever be able to come home for lunch. Would I want to trade the lunchtime visit for a big yard where the kids and the dogs can run and play?
It is a hard decision, but I think for now we are very happy being close to the action. The weather though... Ah it's heaven. Cool and breezy, just like a fall day, every day (if you are in the shade that is :). By far, my perfect weather. I love the way it looks when storm clouds gather in between the mountains, they come through so fast and strong, then they are gone!
Now for a rant.. Customer service here is not at all the same. If you make an appointment for someone to come to the house they may not show up. Keep in mind, there are some people and companies that are AWESOME.. But in the last two weeks I have had tons of bad luck. First off, our fridge needs a new water filter. That is an easy fix. Buy the one that corresponds with your fridge/filter, and then switch them out. Super easy. Here not easy at all. Johana called refrigerator repair man (who is apparently who you talk to to change the filter). I just wanted to know how much it would cost to change the filter. He wouldn't answer the question. He said that he must come to the house to look at the fridge to know what filter he needs. Why does he need to do that?? We can tell him the model number, serial number, etc and he can look up the filter. He said no- I think it has a different, not normal filter so I need to come check it. I said fine whatever. So he planned to come at 2. Guess who didn't show up? No call, no show. Nothing. Meanwhile, in about 2 minutes I found the filter we need online and a list of stores that sell the fridge we have. I figured, any place that sells a lot of appliances will have water filters, right?? WRONG. They said that you can't buy those in the store, you need to call the Samsung repairman. I was like are you kidding???? So we need to try to make an appointment to have the guy come, hope he shows up, and then wait for him to go buy a new one and decide he feels like coming back. Such a hassle. I guess it runs people out of a job if everyone has the ability to change their own filters, but if you want the job so much, you should at least show up. Just out of spite, I am ready to order a filter from the US and install it myself.
Example number two: We have a foul smell coming through the pipes in our bathroom. It gets ridiculously bad after we shower, or use a lot of water. So we called a guy to come and see what the issue was and fix it. He came the next day to take a quick look and then set up a time for our appointment. I was adamant that he come in the morning when the kids are at school. In the afternoon we like to have quiet time, and plus, if the kids are awake, they are very difficult to keep away from the action. (Also here when you have people working in your house, it's a good idea to watch your valuables. Since the master bathroom is the one in question, they would need to be working in our room. Which is where we keep our valuables. It would be difficult for me to watch the workers and the kids.) But also, I needed them to come back as soon as they could because the smell is hard to bear. He said, "ok, here is my information.. Have your husband call tonight to tell me if and when I should come, since it could be up to about 100,000 COP (like $50)." I was like, whoa whoa-- We don't need to wait for him to talk to you, just come the first morning possible. He looked a little concerned about that, but agreed to come on Friday morning. (more on that later) So Friday morning came and went. He didn't show up. At around 6pm he rang the bell. He said please please can I come next week. Tuesday maybe? I told him sure, as long as it was the morning. So I repeated back to him about 5 times Tuesday morning, right? En la manana, cierto??? He assured me that yes- he would be there Tuesday morning. Well around 10am on Tuesday morning, we were wondering where he was, so we called. He informed us that he couldn't come in the morning, he needed to come in the afternoon instead. AAARGHHHH!! We told him don't bother, just wait and coming tomorrow morning. He did, and he charged us a hefty fee to put a drain top over our drain in the floor. Our bathrooms have drains so it's easier to clean.. You just throw down the water and bleach or what have you then push it all down the drain.
Well.. It didn't help. The next morning our noses were bombarded with very hateful odors. Today, my in-laws came with a contractor type who brought all the stuff he may need, and put a new top (solid cement covering the hole) on it.
So far no smells. But it really goes to show that once you find a good person, you need to keep them close.
Ok- so I referenced I would come back to something. The guy who came seemed a little confused and worried that I told him to just come back without even consulting my husband. Then when he came to do the work, he nearly insisted we call to ask Carlos what type of cover he wanted. I maintained that what I wanted is what we would do. Later I complained about it to Carlos, like come on! I can make decisions. What I say goes. If I think we should get a white cover, why would he argue that it needs to be tan instead? He trusts me to make decisions for the household. So it is a non issue. Plus, he's super busy. If I actually called to ask him a question like that he would be so confused, like why on earth are you interrupting this consult/meeting/lab interpretation to ask me a question like this? He said that in lower socio economic families, the husband calls the shots.. Probably that guy who came would be upset if his wife made those decisions without talking to him first. I was actually pretty surprised to hear that since most every Colombian woman I have met is independent, self-assured, and I would be surprised if any of them ran home to ask permission for everything decision they wanted to make. I guess I don't know a lot about different types of families here. Yet another reason to get a job :)
My No Shampoo- Low Shampoo Journey
Ok, it has been way too long.. But we have had a busy couple weeks. This post is going to be about my hair, then I will post another one shortly about other things!
So as for my hair, the last time I posted anything about it, I was super happy with my hair and I had very high hopes. So lets go back in time to day 4.
My hair is shiny, and not too bad! When I have it down and brush it with my new boar bristle brush it looks ok! Then I put it in a ponytail. When it's back, it looks a touch greasy, I guess I can handle it though.. Especially when I am not going out anywhere.
Ok. Day 5. My hair is a greasy mess. I just "washed" it, and look at it.
I had been looking for cocoa powder to use as a dry shampoo, but I haven't had luck. I turned to the group "No poo (no shampoo) & Low Poo Hair Care Group Forum" on facebook. (They are amazing if you decide to go no poo!) It was recommended that I try putting cinnamon onto my roots. That worked wonders! My hair looked pretty ok actually!
Almost good enough to forget about all the work it took to look decently ok down.
Day 7. I decide what am I doing this for? My hair is a mess, I feel like I stink, and I am very self concsious leaving the house. I decide to switch my focus to low 'poo. This way I can wash my hair with actual shampoo, and smell good too! I find a great sulfate free/paraben free shampoo and conditioner that isn't completely outrageously priced. I was so excited until I used it a few times, and realized that the clean feeling only last about 12 hours. After that, I was greasy all over again.
So on day 14, I switched back to normal shampoo and conditioner.
I figured that maybe my hair would eventually be really nice, but I kept reading about people who said that they [finally!!!] had hair that was back to how it had been with shampoo. It was then that I realized... I can't do this anymore. My entire purpose was to make my hair look better, not to work for an hour a day to get presentable. Also, I need a clean feeling head. If my hair feels dirty I cannot bear to have it down on my neck and around my face. I may try to swap in my low poo shampoo once or twice a week just to change it up. But I need chemicals in my hair it seems!
So as for my hair, the last time I posted anything about it, I was super happy with my hair and I had very high hopes. So lets go back in time to day 4.
My hair is shiny, and not too bad! When I have it down and brush it with my new boar bristle brush it looks ok! Then I put it in a ponytail. When it's back, it looks a touch greasy, I guess I can handle it though.. Especially when I am not going out anywhere.
Ok. Day 5. My hair is a greasy mess. I just "washed" it, and look at it.
I had been looking for cocoa powder to use as a dry shampoo, but I haven't had luck. I turned to the group "No poo (no shampoo) & Low Poo Hair Care Group Forum" on facebook. (They are amazing if you decide to go no poo!) It was recommended that I try putting cinnamon onto my roots. That worked wonders! My hair looked pretty ok actually!
Almost good enough to forget about all the work it took to look decently ok down.
Day 7. I decide what am I doing this for? My hair is a mess, I feel like I stink, and I am very self concsious leaving the house. I decide to switch my focus to low 'poo. This way I can wash my hair with actual shampoo, and smell good too! I find a great sulfate free/paraben free shampoo and conditioner that isn't completely outrageously priced. I was so excited until I used it a few times, and realized that the clean feeling only last about 12 hours. After that, I was greasy all over again.
So on day 14, I switched back to normal shampoo and conditioner.
I figured that maybe my hair would eventually be really nice, but I kept reading about people who said that they [finally!!!] had hair that was back to how it had been with shampoo. It was then that I realized... I can't do this anymore. My entire purpose was to make my hair look better, not to work for an hour a day to get presentable. Also, I need a clean feeling head. If my hair feels dirty I cannot bear to have it down on my neck and around my face. I may try to swap in my low poo shampoo once or twice a week just to change it up. But I need chemicals in my hair it seems!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)