A New Life in Bogota

Here we are: my first week in Bogota!

It all began with the flight, an easy, 5-hour direct flight from Atlanta. I even had a special guest to keep me company, a bobble head Rosie the Riveter! It was a going-away gift from my friend Sara, who told me it will remind me that YES, I can do it! I love it! I wonder where we will go together....

Now this is where it gets (more) interesting:

At Georgia Tech, I had a student from Bogota (Natalia) who initially wanted me to stay with her family when I arrived. I thought that would be a bit much, so I turned it down. However, I did accept a ride from the airport because the plane would be arriving at 10:30pm. It was pretty funny to have Natalia’s mother, father, and older brother waiting for me with a sign that said “Kathleen!”

I immediately realized how kind and generous they were, so I was not actually surprised when they just took me home with them. They were pretty much like “No, we’re your family now so you’re staying with us!”  Well…okay.

The father, Sergio, and the oldest son, Sergio, Jr., both speak very good English, but the mother, Marta, and youngest brother, Manuel, do not. It has been good though because I can start practicing Spanish and have help translating too!

Sunday, the family took me around the city. We went first to the University, so I would know where to find it. Because it was Sunday, no buildings were open, but I could see that it was very pretty! Then we drove through La Candelaria, which is the historic part of town close to the University.  The father’s friend had a room available there for rent, but it was quite small and a little expensive for what it was, so I turned it down.

Then, we went grocery shopping! We went to the open market to buy fruits and vegetables. I had fun trying to remember the names in Spanish while Sergio Jr. helped (and laughed a lot).  We also hit up the supermarket, meat shop, and generally drove all over the city. I can already tell that there are vast differences between the areas of town. Some are clearly run down, but others are entirely fine. There is also graffiti EVERYWHERE. Some are just scribbles, but there are really beautiful and interesting murals. It reminded me a lot of the Living Walls project in Atlanta. I hear there is even a graffiti tour, so I will have to look into that.

After a home-cooked lunch, Sergio Jr. had two friends and his girlfriend over. We played ping pong and pool in the apartment building’s rec room. Naturally, I swept them with pool (thanks, pool league!), but I was no match at ping pong. We ended the night by going to the rooftop of a mall (a common thing here, I'm told), and had a few drinks at a small rooftop bar. It was really nice to sit with new friends, listen to their Spanish, and even speak in English. A very good start, I think!

Monday, I found my way to the university, which is really one of the most beautiful sights I've seen yet! Very old buildings built into the mountain side, as you can see in the picture.

The next few days were a series of frustrating events pertaining to documents, identifications, and more. I quickly realized I would have to
be patient with the infamous traffic and public transportation in Bogota, and the slow processing as well. Most of my frustration came from the fact that I was unable to start teaching until I signed the contract, which could not be done until I received my Colombian ID card. Luckily, I received it on Friday morning, so I will now be able to start teaching!

My class schedule is interesting. I have 4 classes total, 2 of Level 4 (more pronunciation practice), and 2 of level 5 (culture and writing). That means I only have to prepare material for 2 classes, but grade for 4! I have all four classes on MWF, starting at…7am. Nooooo!!! Apparently Bogota wakes up very early because mid afternoon starts to get gross, and it’s dark by 6:30-7. I will have trouble getting used to this! On the bright side, I’m done by 3:30, so I have time to meander.

While I’ve been sitting around the office (feeling kind of useless), I have met several other teachers. Everyone has been very kind, and I think I will have fun with many of them. Everyone is open with their lesson plans and have offered help whenever I need it. I  have had lunch at different places most days with a few different teachers. Interestingly, the lunch hour is the same for everyone on campus, from 12:50-2pm. That means the nearby restaurants are PACKED! Here's a sample of some really delicious Colombian food I had.

I have not had too much time to go exploring, as most of my time has been committed to things for school. In addition, practicing Spanish is exhausting! I am usually ready for bed quite early, which I suppose is good preparation for that 7am class. I do hope to do more adventures soon!