un blog para compartir unas historias colombianas....

Sunday, December 14, 2008

i'm not a pop star.

except last thursday.





we arrive so late, last minute ticket manipulation.

we run and dance to mala gente as they keep on telling us to go farther and farther up and sideways.

we possibly have the worst standing spots in the whole coliseo.

but there is room for some fantastic dance moves



and juan esteban puts on an unbelievable show.

and i never thought that i could love someone so much from so far away.

and annika and i dance and sing real hard.

and then andres calamaro glides on stage for a surprise encore with great purple pants. aND he sings a song with some of the most beautiful poetry about this wonderful country and how it's so full of hope despite all this violence.

los árboles estan llorando
son testigos de tantos años de violencia
el mar esta marrón, mezcla de sangre con la tierra

pero ahi vienen bajando de la montaña con la esperanza
las madres que den por sus hijos
y que sus libros para la escuela son su soñar
pero ahi vienen bajando de la montaña con la esperanza
hombres y niños mal heridos, buscando asilo
buscando un sitio, para soñar y amar


no merecemos el olvido, somos la voz del pueblo
dice un señor sentado, con sus dos ojos vendados
pero que aún tiene la esperanza en sus manos

son caminos de caminos.

Monday, November 24, 2008

something about this neighbourhood.

coctelcito party at my house, nov. 22.

ivan made pisco sour, apple martini, tequila something with salt and pepper and lime, strawberry and lulo caipirinha.

i made gembre gembre. and some delicious food.



cake i made for javi.

noo, that's the cake i made for javi!





friends from school.

three greats. in my kitchen.


erin, juanca, lars, ali.

woaah!

Thursday, November 06, 2008

streetside roses.

update, minor.

BARACK! happy anniversary big 3-0 mum and dad. 120 parent teacher student conferences in the last 2 days. donut holes. hey pretty. recording songs!

tonight a good friend of mine is playing a concert a la pola - he plays in a funny bogotano rock band called vietato. they are playing with a great band from medellin - artefacto - check them out on myspace it's rocknroll colombia.

this weekend we're working again on saturday (who signed me up for this job) but the countdown is on - so close to the best holiday of the year, november break week and then snowtime canada 08/09!

it's been an intense start to the year. the social studies 8th teacher let us all know that we had taught a 3rd of the year as of tuesday - 60 teaching days have passed already. november, december, january and february are light - we go to golfo de morrosquillo for a week in feb - then we're back march april may and then JUNE it's all done. it seems not to be too far off.

plans for nov break include getting money back from avianca, possibly buying some nice jewelry and spending a day or two in the sunshine. it's possible i might get to manizales but the priority is doing bogota things in this city that i love while i have the time.

i have been thinking more and more about next years plans - it's all up in the air because i'd love to be here, in europe or maybe even argentina but most likely i will.. well.... i'll let you know.

the canal (cisv colombia national board meeting) was last weekend - man colombian cisvers are inspiring! they think out of the box almost all the time which i find so refreshing. the project with ocasa is (hopefully) rolling - we need to get on that for the IPP 09/10.

post script, the otesha tours are open for apps. thiSSSS would be just great.
www.otesha.ca

check out the learning exchange rising tide!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

school today!





it was a beautiful sunny one.

the kids all are members of 4 houses, kind of like hopo, and today the midschoolers were having a sports afternoon with their families. it was cute. and finally sunny.

Thursday, October 09, 2008

a parisienne dedication.

come hell or full circle
our arms filled with miracles
they hop skip
they walk round
like magic, play aces
stay with me
go places
once more for the ages

come one now
come all you
this story breaks free here
tears from the back pages
from somewhere
encina
deus ex machina
good morning christina

come hell or full circle
our path blocked
but showing
make records then set them
make copies
win races
stay with me
go places
once more for the ages

(newpornographers/goplaces)

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

sunday night housewarming.

took a little while

but i had a dinner in my apto, fireplace, raining and sunday night - warm and bright inside.

it was pretty lovely.
and now i have a lot of leftover dessert.





Tuesday, September 09, 2008

physio THER a PY.

things are settling down in the big city

besides the frustrations of cold and rain, being stuck in your house when you want to get a taxi on rainy fridays, and having to wear flip flops to work, i am doing a-ok.

school is insane. my kids and i went through a honeymoon period for sure. we are now quite definitely out of that phase. today i had to send a discipline referal for roughhousing during a LAB ACTIVITY (um... what?!) and lecture a queen diva outside to check her attitude and lying-skills at the door.

i miss my old manizalenos but i realize it's only because we knew each other so well that it was easier. it will come here.

curriculum is a bit of a mess but planning is going well - the middle school science dept (ie three teachers) has a lab assistant and he is running around picking up cool stuff for experiments and helping me make copies and figure out the computer systems. it's been helpful. but que stress.

i am glad skype exists.

on my first night in bogota trying to venture out to juli's i totally banged myself right up carrying a box down some stairs. i tripped. i rolled over on my foot. it effing hurt.

i didn't have much time, so me feeling invincible decided it would likely just heal. no prob.

10 days later. still got a puffy ankle. bibi abri and juanma are at my house saying get to the doctor you idiot.

went to the doc. got x rays and put in a hard ankle brace which is not a SHOE in and of itself but yet does not allow me to wear any kind of shoe WITH it unless that shoe has no back. ie, the flip flop.

so my toes are a bit cold.

tomorrow i go to PHYS i O!

the apto is great and i have plenty of space for whoever drops in. come stay with me.

otherwise i am quite in love with this city and the nice things there are to do. we went walking to a great french patisserie and sat in the sunday sun. i am going to buy a (cheap and crappy) bike. the transit system gets you places. i have more than 4 friends. the art galleries are free. jazz al parque is this weekend.

gotta mark then enrico's birthday, if i can swing it without falling asleep.

xo.