Still 31st December in Colombia

... but 2014 in the UK so I feel I have one foot in each year!

I found a list I wrote on 1st January this year;

• wear every pair of shoes I own this year - fail, but then they were in storage for 3 months during the warm weather-
• blog again - hmmm not had any thing interesting to say... 
• training with mabel - I looked into it, honest.  And she does know 'auntie char' and will do anything for a ball.
• holiday - hurrah, succeeded in the final days of the year! 
• eat more fruit - got a juicer for Christmas, one more last minute win 
• ethical meat only - major steps forward but I'm not very careful when eating out, I often have to chose between dairy free or meat free. 
• train for sahara and keep up fitness -  I trained, I went, I got very unfit and yes, you guessed it, most recently I've rejoined the gym so ... 
• finish degree - absolute WIN 
• cook more - it's all relative isn't it.  
• cycle more  - nope, cycled once this year.  and that was to rehome the bike. shocker.

All in all I made a very realistic list and did half well at it.  Well, as well as I would have done if I hadn't written the list.  I've made some other big things happen this year that I wouldn't have thought to put on the list, that's the joy of life isn't it - being able to add things to the list to instantly tick them off...

So with one foot in each year, simultaneously looking back and forward, I'm not sure what angle to take.  Here I am, in Colombia having taken a brave step, determined to add to my life experience and get a good break from 'normal' life.  But life is bigger, and more important than the bubbles we visit, the escapes we make.  It's the 'normal', everyday which shapes us and gives us purpose.  Living for the next time we can get away is wasteful, isn't it?

2014 is the last year of my 20s, and I'm ok with that - I almost feel like I'm growing into myself (I don't have to justify going to bed early at the weekends).  But inevitably I want to end the decade well, like I've actually learnt something in these formative years.

It's tempting to try and cram in lots of adventures so that I have lots of impressive photos to put on my walls and show everyone (me) what a life I'm living.  But what I really have learnt is that living life is filling the everyday with adventures and friends, and meaning.   

I'll write a list, of course I will.  ButI won't put it in a drawer and let life wash over me.  

Tuesday 31st December

Very odd walking through the streets sleeveless with Christmas decorations around and having to remind myself it's New Year's Eve.  It's also strange to know that my friends are 5 hours ahead and out in the cold partying (more are sitting in the warm with a cup of tea actually) while I'm sitting in the sun...

One of my favourite things about visiting other countries is going to the supermarket and being part of 'normal' life.  I love not having a clue what half the food is...  I'm still feeling ropey so I stuck to one of my travel survival rules: only shop in a mainstream supermarket and don't buy anything that doesn't have a price and barcode on, otherwise you may have to engage in a conversation at the till.  And choose a till with a queue so you can observe any customs, today I had my bags packed for me.  Small things...

I'm mostly excited about cracking open the caramel spread.  Might treat myself later tonight.  Yup, that's the level I'm operating on.

The photo is from my hostel's front door, you can see right over the city.

Once my head clears I'll write something profound.  Probably.

Monday 30th December

Today, I sound like a man.  I am so grateful that it is lovely and warm; going outside feels like a much needed hug.
Despite feeling sorry for myself this morning at school was great.  My teacher is a 23 year old film maker called Gheraldine; she is great and I remember enough to build up some confidence before I hit the hard stuff. Unfortunately I change teachers on Monday but it’s a relief to have a positive start with a teacher I feel comfortable with in a one to one situation!
The only other students at the school this week are advanced, a Russian whose English is ok and a French guy whose English is ropey but both are helpful.  We went with Gheraldine to town and they were really helpful in guiding me to change money and we went to a restaurant that had no menus so I'd never have survived alone, thus I have had my first authentic Colombian meal (and a beer).  However they are all happiest chatting in Spanish, fortunately I do know enough to get some gists so I'm not completely isolated, but I can't contribute much, I feel like a child!
I’m taking it easy for the rest of the day, and then two days off for New Years and I am looking forward to exploring when I recover from today, it is exhausting having to listen so hard for words I understand but I keep reminding myself that not being able to talk English and being immersed will help me learn.  My brain is a bit frazzled for today though!
I’m probably start writing a lot less as the days become more similar, and I’ll get my camera out too!

An end and a beginning, my Colombian adventure

Sunday 29th Dec 2013

I think the tone for this adventure has been set from the outset; full of contrasts.  

Thanks to the helpful 5 hour time difference, I got a full 9 hours sleep for which my body was grateful after 23 hours in transit.  However, I woke up with a cold...

My lovely landlady Luz met me to show me where the language school was, but we spent ten minutes trying to understand each other, it's hard to explain that repeating the same word doesn't suddenly teach me it ... I soon learned she was also suggesting we got something to eat while we were out.  We had an interesting time in a tiny cafe where strangers talked comfortably and I had a tasty omelette and sweet roll.  I knew I would be so at home here if only I understood a flipping word.  I can pick up a lot of nouns and seem to make myself understood, but the words I recognise and can't remember the meaning of and being left clueless is so frustrating.  I think they all think I'm bonkers to come over here alone with so little language.

I had a nice wander down into the city; I'm minutes from the school and from the centre and quickly joined a crowd of tourists and street sellers with police and security folk a plenty. I feel like I've got my bearings and it's a city of such character, even with the graffitti.  My favourite discovery today is that it's much warmer than I anticipated - much like a British summer!  Despite so many people walking around in coats and winter boots it's enough for my Irish blood.  Walking up the incredibly steep hill back to the hostel was painful in the heat ... so a shopping trip is inevitable.  However my room, which is lovely, is also built for tropical weather not this 'winter' so I'm sitting here in two jumpers with my tissues and vicks.

Unfortunately I can't get the internet to work in the hostel which is leaving me feeling a bit cut off, as well as staying in touch with people I'd like to look up what the events that seem to be planned for this week in the city are and maybe some reviews of restaurants etc, we'll sort that tomorrow hopefully.
I'm looking forward to getting tomorrow, first day of school, over with.  I'm the only one at the hostel this week, and I have a feeling the school is very quiet so I may be going solo for a few days at least, but I really am ok with that space.  I'm tired and in need of time to read and write and walk, and I stand more chance of getting to grips with the language if there's no one to talk English with!  Knowing I'm not 100% means that concentrating for 4 hours when there aren't other students to hide behind will be tricky, equally I will go at a much faster pace so I just need to get started.  Then there are two days off for New Year and I am looking forward to exploring more and experiencing the fiesta!

So in summary, I'm feeling rough but that's ok cos I can go to bed early knowing I have plenty of time to explore.  I'm confident that on New Year I can happily join in the party in the main square.  And I'm sure I'll fall in love with Bogota soon enough!

This is going well. Ahem

Hmmm 31st March... twice so far is still more than last year...

Things I have been thinking about that may deserve further exploration:

- being 'who really you are', includes being your bad bits

- a life less normal, not letting the mainstream get you down

- if the weather stays this cold when will I get to wear all of my shoes?

- living with the questions, holding a heap of contradictions

- resilience, having the resources to get through the nothingy bits

- wearing the summer wardrobe in winter, not waiting to be who you want to be

Just a taster.  As far as an update goes, went to the sahara for a week to trek for charity so the year has already done something interesting so no panic about that. 

There's enough moving on for me not to have had my annual birthday freak out, another win.  But things are a bit turbulent, things out of my control with the year whizzing past. Plenty of curturing ground for crazy ramblings.

Shhhh... I might be back...

It's been a while, but something prompted me to put 'returning to my blog' on to my New Year Resolutions list.

Other items on said list include:

- wear every pair of shoes I own by the end of the year (47 heels, 30+ 'other' shoes)
- eat more fruit
- go ethicurean: so no supermarket veg and only ethically sourced meat

and others.

I guess a few of my posts will be filling in the blank space between now and March 2011.  Lots has happened, well... lots and nothing.

The most important change is that I now have someone very special to care for.  For the past 5 months Mabel May McAdam has licked, pooped and pootled around my life and she, no doubt, will feature as heavily in my blog as she does in reality.  She is, in fact, licking the keyboard right now.  I have become a soppy puppy owner and dog bore.  Hurrah.