Heading "Home"

I just finished our End of Service Conference with WorldTeach and it was a great way to begin my final week in Colombia. Tomorrow I head to my favorite place-- Villa de Leyva. I've said before that it's a beautiful town and I will be with some of my favorite people. Then I return for a few final days in Bogota before my midnight flight on Saturday. End of Service kicked off my own period of reflection on this year and started to prepare me for the process of "going back home." I have some anxiety about the many unknowns in the future and I expect a good deal of reverse culture shock. The process of going home is so much more than a place or even a community I am a part of. Here is a quote WorldTeach shared with us that touches on the important aspects of how a year abroad changes you...


"The problem is the word home. It suggests a place and a life all set up and waiting for us; all we have to do is move in. But home isn't merely  a place we inhabit; it's a lifestyle we construct (wherever we go), a pattern of routines, habits and behaviors associated with certain people, places and objects, all confined to a limited area or neighborhood. We can certainly construct a home back in our own culture-- just as we did abroad-- but there will not be one waiting for us when we arrive. And this is true even if you move back into the same house you lives in before you went overseas. In other words no one goes home; rather, we return to our native country and, in due course, we create a new home."

-- Craig Storti, The Art of Crossing Cultures

My final lesson to my students

Well, that's it. My final day of classes. I ended each section with personal notes to each of my students and I read them "Oh, The Places You'll Go" by the one and only Dr. Suess. It was an emotional day for me and for many of my students. They are all between fourteen and sixteen years old, and sometimes at that age, life is really hard. Being their teacher was sometimes really hard. But I want to leave them with this final lesson...and I know a lot of you read this :)


The ten most important things I hope you learned from me this year:

10. Cultural exchange is really cool. People that are different from you are sometimes really cool too. Difference and diversity are beautiful things.

9. The "TH" sound means you have to stick your tongue out! It's not the same as "T"! And the "V" and the "B" are Vvvvery different sounds too.

8. Take care of yourself: your body, your mind, and your emotions. Eat vegetables!

7. The only things worth spending lots of money on are education and TRAVEL. Explore your world. There is so much to do, so much to eat, and so much to understand.

6. It is good to push yourself. Get outside your comfort zone. "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." It can be good to do things that scare you. (Like an oral presentation in English in front of the class or whatever.)

5. There is an "S" at the end of verbs in present tense third person. I walk, you walk,  she walks!" And please remember there is a difference between HE and SHE.

4. American English is better than British English. Hehe. No, I'm kidding!... but really...

3. Education is the most important gift you will ever receive. The best way to show you are thankful for it is to continue it. Find something you are passionate about and learn everything you can.

2. You speak English. Repeat. "I speak English." Yes, you do. You just had a full year of English class with a native speaker. And you can read this sentence. And you can understand at least 25% of what I say... YOU SPEAK ENGLISH! Have confidence in your talents, your English, and your SELF.

1. YOU ARE LOVED! By me and by a lot of other people too. As your teacher, I care about you and I care about your education. I want you to succeed. And most of all, if you think I helped you, I want you to go help someone else now. We call this "making a difference," and it means to change someone's life for the better.   I ask each of you to be a positive influence in the world.


Now go, on your own, out into the world... take with you a little more English, an open mind, and a lot more love.

Election Night in Colombia: "Look Colombians! Not all Americans look like me!" and other thoughts about diversity.

Well, now that the election is over, I can finally return to New Hampshire without the brainwashing of TV ads and robo-calls. It's weird watching such important events for my country from overseas (you may remember my Olympics post!), and it certainly gives you a different perspective on things. So here is my reflection, for whatever it's worth, watching the election from abroad.

First, if you didn't watch the President's victory speech, you should. It was not Democratic or liberal or political; it was presidential.

Second: One thing that I realized after living abroad, and actually miss about the states, is just what exactly having a diverse country means. Sure there are many differences between Colombians. But in the United State, for better or worse, it is relatively normal to have people around you that don't look like you, talk like you, or or especially think like you.

I like having Obama as my president while I live abroad, because I am constantly asked if everyone in America looks like me. Ummm, hello? Obama finally embodies this notion that, as he stated last night, "What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on Earth"


All day today and yesterday the election has come up frequently and randomly. Everyone wants to know who I voted for, how I voted, and if I like Obama. Here are some examples of the conversations I had:

Student: "I like Obama! Who is that other guy?"

Student: "Ohh teacher, Romney is from Boston! He wins your home?"

Student: "I like Obama because he's black."
Me: "Why does that matter?"
Student: "Well, because he's different. Someone new." 

Student: "Romney is the typical, imperialist type of person that you had so many presidents like him."
Me: "And Obama isn't?"
Student: "No, because he uses communication. He acts like a partner."

Whether you think about this when you go to the polls or not, the rest of the world is watching us on election night. When I asked my students whether the US election was important to Colombia, they all unequivocally said YES!

Read this from Thomas Friedman's Op-Ed today:

"Many in the next generation of America know climate change is real, and they want to see something done to mitigate it. Many in the next generation of America will be of Hispanic origin and insist on humane immigration reform that gives a practical legal pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants...  Many in the next generation of America see gays and lesbians in their families, workplaces and Army barracks, and they don’t want to deny them the marriage rights held by others." 

I still can't believe that in 2012 we are discussing things like equal pay for women and men and the rights of rape victims. I can't believe it's not a given that whoever your family is and whoever you love doesn't define who you are and cannot justify discrimination.

Diversity is what makes our country exceptional, and tolerance is what makes our country great. No matter what your political party may be, I hope my generation continues to appreciate the value that people with "differences" have in our communities and our lives.

I hope in the future (not so far away), when my generation grows out of the "youth vote" and looks back on this time, we can all say we were on the right side of history. Not because we did or did not vote for Obama, but because we saw intolerance and decided to change things, by voting.

The playlist to my year

Every period of one's life comes with certain songs that trigger special memories and associations. This year in Colombia has been no exception. It's quite the mix of Colombian and American tunes, but each song will forever be one of my Colombian songs.


The sing-a-long on the bus song:  Luis Enrique "Yo No Se Mañana"
(Also my favorite Colombian love song)

The song everyone is singing in the bars and you can't understand the words:
Michel Teló "Ai Se Eu Te Pego"
(Spoiler alert: no one knows the words because they're Portuguese!)

The song to remind you what your students think of you:
Carlos Vives "Carito"
(The answer is they all have crushes on us)

The song that becomes a sensation in the States and nobody gets here UNTIL NOW and also describes a typical Friday night:  Carly Rae Jepson "Call Me Maybe"

The song to sum up Colombians' obsession with 80s music and desire to learn new dance moves wherever and whenever:   Michael Jackson "Thriller"

The song we here at our favorite bar as we get free drinks and life becomes complete:
Justin Timberlake (Featuring Nelly) "Girlfriend"

I swear I cannot make this up, every bar without fail plays songs from the past three decades. I have no complaints.

There's also an odd amount of show tunes in the public transit system (I've heard Mamma Mia more than I can count)

And finally, The song that echos throughout the city each day at 6am and 6pm. One of the most beautiful National Anthems in the world. (Don't take my word for it, there was a study!)

Himno Nacional de Colombia!
(There may or may not be a video of me singing the first verse of this on Student Day... I may or may not know all the words...)

Wills and Won'ts

As of today I have exactly 35 days left here in Bogota. This past week it's started to really hit me that things are coming to a close. I have only 13 classroom teaching days left, and I know that is going to fly by. As I cram as much as possible into the teenagers' reluctant brains, I've been thinking about what I will miss most (and least) about this year. Here's a working list...

1.  Will miss- my students, most of them, when they do their work and care about learning and speak          English.
     Won't miss- grading, making worksheets, lesson planning, teenage too-cool-for-school-ness.

2. Will miss- rocking my lab coat every day.  
     Won't miss- all my ugly clothes here. Most of which I am leaving behind.

3.  Will miss- practicing Spanish
      Won't miss- struggling to express myself in Spanish

4. Will miss- cafe con leche
     Won't miss- disgusting coffee at my school and when Juan Valdez doesn't open until 9ish on a Sunday!

5.  Will miss- The awesome albeit crazy Transmilenio and generally great access to public transportation.
      Won't miss- the super bad pollution and general traffic chaos.

6.  Will miss- So many fruits! Feijoa,lulo, mora, maracuya, guava, guanabana...
     Won't miss- PAPAYA! Disgusting feet fruit sneaking its way into fruit salads and silently terrorizing fruit eaters everywhere.

7.  Will miss- Cheap veggies! Freshest and tasty non-GMO tomatoes and lettuce and so many yummy things.
      Won't miss- walking by dead pigs in storefronts and general displays of dead animals.

8.  Will miss- Arepas, empanadas, and the plethora of street food.
      Won't miss- rice and potatoes at the same meal and constant carb overload

9.  Will miss- no humidity and no bugs at a comfortable 9,000 feet above sea level.
      Won't miss- the lack of seasons. I miss fall and snow and even sometimes heat.

10. Will miss- walking to buy groceries and city living with things right on the block.
       Won't miss- threats of street crime and sticking out wherever I go

11.  Will miss- Villa de Leyva! By far my favorite place in Colombia. And all of my opportunities to travel.
        Won't miss- I actually really like all of the places I've been and will miss them all...

12. Will miss- Simon Bolivar Park. The Central Park of Bogota.
       Won't miss- rain crashing our picnics

13. Will miss- Colombian music and dance parties. Especially Vallenato music.
        Won't miss- The dance parties in my house all night when I'm trying to snooze.

14.  Will miss- Ridiculously cheap haircuts and manicures.
        Won't miss- The risk of getting way too many layers or losing skin during a pedicure.

15. Will miss- Colombians' happiness, sharing, sensitive feelings, and love of having fun.
       Won't miss- General disorganization little "AHHH" moments of frustration living in a new culture.


Yea, I'm going to miss a lot. And even the things I won't miss I may look back on fondly after some time. (Except for the dead animals in the windows and the papaya. I'm really over that...)

Colombian flag on a street in Villa de Leyva

Do you know where your coffee comes from?

If you are thinking about traveling to South America, you have to consider Colombia. 

If you come to Colombia, you have to go to the coffee region. 

If you go to the coffee region, you have to go to Salento. 

And if you go to Salento, you have to visit Don Elias' coffee farm!

I spent a few great days in the coffee region, and all of it is beautiful. But my visit to Don Elias' coffee farm made the trip really worth it. 

When Ben and I got to Salento, we were following many WorldTeach volunteers before us and had a lot of advice about what to do and where to go. There are yummy American food restaurants and great hikes, but the number one activity on my list was to take a coffee tour.

There were quite a few tours to choose from. Not many were available in English, and they ranged from bigger farms to little fincas. Ben and I decided to go for a smaller place, and decided I could translate for Ben just fine in English We found a jeep-taxi in town and drove about 30 minutes into the mountains. We pulled up to a small fence with a little wooden sign that read "Don Elias- Coffee Tour." . A few friends recommended Don Elias but warned us that he was a little old man with no teeth. They said to hope for his grandson that's quick and super easy to understand.

Well, we got Don Elias.

He greeted us with a big smile and mumbled (in Spanish) "My farm is small, but it is the work of my life. Welcome." Ben and I exchanged a look of "what are we getting ourselves into?" and off we went into the field. 

Not exactly the fields of Vermont or the Midwest

The fields were set along a fairly steep hill, and we soon noticed coffee trees weren't the only thing growing here. Plantain and banana trees, blackberry bushes and pineapple shrubs sprouted all over the place. We walked through the trees touching, smelling, and of course picking the red and yellow beans. 

Don Elias reminded us throughout the tour of the importance of his natural, tradition approach to farming. he pointed to a spider wed and said. "these are my only pesticides. These friends eat all the unwanted bugs." And for the coffee shells and rotten fruit, "This is natural compost, the best possible food for the soil." He was so into it, and of course the Vermonters in Ben and me were thrilled to see such an organic process.

Here's some things you may not have known about coffee:

It's colorful!

The tree flowers first in April and May and produces coffee through the fall-- October into November. (Perfect time for us to be there!)

It's the second most traded commodity in the world after oil.

De-shelling the beans. Don Elias uses all hand operated machines.He said if he
used an automatic one he'd be out of work.

There are two types grown in Colombia, and the Arabica type is most popularly exported.

Beans are exported before they are roasted. They look like this when they arrive at the door of Starbucks or Dunkins.

The tour with Don Elias was by far one of my favorite things I have done in Colombia. It was great to see where something that is so integral to our lives comes from. It's important to remember that these things we love come from the earth and there are real people harvesting these for us. So maybe this morning you'll think of this sipping on your cup of joe.

Things I can now successfully do in Spanish:

1. Get from one end of the city to the other (and successfully survive the bus "system").

2. Talk about anything related to food vocabulary or cooking. I understand 98% of food vocabulary and the 2% would be the exotic meats this vegetarian doesn't eat.

3. Get my hair cut. three different times. two of which I did not hate.

4. Read the mysterious handouts that I am asked to give my students. Now I'm in on the secret field trips and assemblies that were much more of a surprise in the spring.

5. Understand when my kids swear in class and call them on it. (Mierda! Endendiste?!)

6. Make one dirty joke. And possible three regular jokes. (Other than people just laughing at my accent.)

7. Understand and sing the entire Colombian National Anthem. (Part of which is on video for further proof.)

8. Have multiple bus conversations about the everyday trials and tribulations of the 8th graders on my bus. And understand their jokes, usually related to vomiting or falling down.

9. Eavesdrop on approximately four conversations. This takes quite a bit of brainpower, and I usually put in the effort only when I can tell they are talking about me.

10. Adapt my vocabulary and mannerisms to include Colombian Spanish sound effects such as uush, uuuf, oye no, and related hand gestures.

and maybe a few more things... I am certainly no where near being fluent at this point. But of course I understand more now than last year or even last May. Speaking another language in my opinion is a necessary evil. (Evil only because it's so hard.)

And some Spanish-speaking goals of mine before I leave here:

1.  Practice writing, my level of reading and speaking is much higher.

2. Learn the lyrics to a full song and be able to sing it. I have a few that I've been practicing.

3. Successfully explain and/or discuss politics. There are some great organizations I would love to be involved in here if only I could get over the language barrier fear.

4. Have better come backs when people say dumb things or make fun of me. Particularly a new roommate of mine who has had two five-minute conversations with me so far, both of which have been mildly offensive. Ugh.


So I have just under two months left! And luckily I have no choice but to practice every day!