Two Weeks
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On the way to school
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It's hard to believe that it has already been two weeks since I arrived in Colombia. But at the same time I feel like I have been here longer than that. Its a strange feeling and I still don't think it has hit me yet that I will be here for almost a year! Since I last posted a lot has happened. I started school a few days after I got here (at seven a.m. I might add). Its been good, so different than what I am used to. The school is about ten minutes away from where I live and the view is BEAUTIFUL(as you can see in the picture). I get to wear a uniform which isn't too hideous compared to some of schools uniforms I have seen from other exchange students that go to other school around Cúcuta. Its a white shirt with a green stripe on each sleeve, a white skirt, knee high socks, and tennis shoes. I actually secretly kind of like it... And its a lot easier than having to decide what to wear everyday. So school starts at seven
a.m. and we have a twenty minute break every hour and a half-ish. At around twelve we all go home and eat lunch; then at two its back to school until five. It's a long day. Its interesting because the students stay in the same classroom all day and the teachers walk from class to class. They have eleven grades instead of twelve. I am in tenth grade. My host sister is in eleventh grade and she just had to take a test. This past week all she did was study. Seriously every time I saw her thats what she was doing. She wants to study at a university in Bogota and this test will decide if she gets in or not. I'm sure she was very stressed about that and the fact that the day after the test she left for the United States for a year! I will miss her, I'm back to being an only child again. My whole host family is wonderful, I couldn't have asked for a better place to be. They are understanding of my bad spanish and help as much as they can. I've been to a few Rotary events already since I have been here. The first one was a welcome to me after a few days after I arrived and it was so sweet really. I got flowers and apple pie.
The picture is with me and my three host fathers, all in Rotary. At the second Rotary meeting Milena (the exchange student from Switzerland)and I met our counselor, Carlota. She is so sweet. She invited us to her house the following saturday and we ate a great meal and she showed us around the city a little bit. The last Rotary event I went to was in Ureña, Venezuela. It was less formal, we went to a fútbol game. And you might assume that because it was a third and fourth grade game there wouldn't have been a huge gathering of fans with noise makers and drums and people with their shirts off and stomachs painted for their team.
But you would be wrong. All of those things occurred.The picture doesn't do it justice. After the game was over we got invited to go out to eat with the Rotary club there. The meal was probably the best I've had since I've been here which is a very bold statement. We went to a little restaurant on a side street and I was a little surprised that it could fit all 30+ people that had come to eat with us. The other exchange students are awesome. I have met four from Rotary (I still haven't met the two girls from france) and I met some others from another program (ASF). In September there are a few days when all the exchange students from this district will come to Cúcuta. Even more exchange students woo! Random fact: being an exchange student is exhausting. If I don't take a nap during the day I find myself falling asleep at eight o'clock. I think its because my brain is always translating everything and taking in my new surroundings, I don't know. Its been a crazy two weeks and I'm sure the rest of the time I'm here will continue to be surprising and spectacular.
a.m. and we have a twenty minute break every hour and a half-ish. At around twelve we all go home and eat lunch; then at two its back to school until five. It's a long day. Its interesting because the students stay in the same classroom all day and the teachers walk from class to class. They have eleven grades instead of twelve. I am in tenth grade. My host sister is in eleventh grade and she just had to take a test. This past week all she did was study. Seriously every time I saw her thats what she was doing. She wants to study at a university in Bogota and this test will decide if she gets in or not. I'm sure she was very stressed about that and the fact that the day after the test she left for the United States for a year! I will miss her, I'm back to being an only child again. My whole host family is wonderful, I couldn't have asked for a better place to be. They are understanding of my bad spanish and help as much as they can. I've been to a few Rotary events already since I have been here. The first one was a welcome to me after a few days after I arrived and it was so sweet really. I got flowers and apple pie.
The picture is with me and my three host fathers, all in Rotary. At the second Rotary meeting Milena (the exchange student from Switzerland)and I met our counselor, Carlota. She is so sweet. She invited us to her house the following saturday and we ate a great meal and she showed us around the city a little bit. The last Rotary event I went to was in Ureña, Venezuela. It was less formal, we went to a fútbol game. And you might assume that because it was a third and fourth grade game there wouldn't have been a huge gathering of fans with noise makers and drums and people with their shirts off and stomachs painted for their team.
But you would be wrong. All of those things occurred.The picture doesn't do it justice. After the game was over we got invited to go out to eat with the Rotary club there. The meal was probably the best I've had since I've been here which is a very bold statement. We went to a little restaurant on a side street and I was a little surprised that it could fit all 30+ people that had come to eat with us. The other exchange students are awesome. I have met four from Rotary (I still haven't met the two girls from france) and I met some others from another program (ASF). In September there are a few days when all the exchange students from this district will come to Cúcuta. Even more exchange students woo! Random fact: being an exchange student is exhausting. If I don't take a nap during the day I find myself falling asleep at eight o'clock. I think its because my brain is always translating everything and taking in my new surroundings, I don't know. Its been a crazy two weeks and I'm sure the rest of the time I'm here will continue to be surprising and spectacular. 
Hi Abby,
ReplyDeleteI'm Theo's mom, who is in Ecuador this year. I'm following you because Theo and our other son Gabe were both born inColombia. I"ve been there 3 times but only as a visitor so am interested in your experience, which sounds great so far. So what was this amazing meal? Nancy
Hi Nancy,
ReplyDeleteYes, so far my experience has been amazing to say the least. The people are so kind and loving, the food is great, and the culture too; so much history. The meal that was so great was steak potatoes and yucca (typical everyday stuff, but we were all hungry, I think maybe that's why I thought it was so good ;))