Nervous I guarded my bags as I waited for my bus to Cartagena. In Santiago I felt so comfortable. Everyone I met was super nice and we became a little family. But at the bus stop it hit me that I hadn’t really started the adventure I came here for, to teach English. Sweating profusely I boarded the bus, filled with hot and sweaty people. I found myself alone for the first time in two weeks, but I was okay with it, I was excited.
The bus ride to Cartagena from the capital is about on hour in half. Traveling through the countryside I got to see the soul of Chile and its greenery. Baking in the sun, I felt very alive, and blessed to be able to have this eye opening experience. As I got closer I began to get a little nervous, I didn’t know anything at all about Cartagena. I tried researching on the Internet about the city, but there isn’t a lot of information at all. SO I knew that this new place was a little unknown probably because it was poor.
I arrived and with open arms there was my darling little mother and my little brother Eliso who is eight years old. I arrive about 6:30 pm and we hopped in a taxi to my “house”. They were speaking so fast, I was bombarded with questions, half of which I didn’t really understand. Chilean Spanish is very different then what I studied in the past. Its been said by many that if you understand Chilean Spanish, you can understand all Spanish The native tongue here is something that I will have to get use to, but with practice I will be just fine.
In the taxi and I observed my surroundings, I could tell that my new city it very rural but beautiful as it hugs the coast. We arrived at the house, my mom speaking a million kilometers a minute was explaining many things. One of them was that their house is a hotel and that many pasajeros who come in and out of here. Its very cool and very clean. It reminds my of a boat, everything made out of wood, and it smells like one too because I literally live on the beach. In the kitchen you have the most beautiful view of the ocean, it’s amazing. The hotel has 16 rooms. I think this is actually a blessing that I live in a hotel because it’s a great way for me to meet new people and I will always be talking and practicing my Spanish. Also, if anyone wants to visit me, ay! I know just the place! I have my own room and bathroom so that is very nice.
After I unpacked a little my Mom feed me dinner. She is an amazing cook, loves veggies and good meats- my kind of gal. I had an empanada horno and a typical Chilean stew- so good. My mom is hilarious like all Latin women, commenting on my weight and the way I look. It so funny how abrupt and in your face they are. I don’t mind it because it’s a great way to break the ice. Most Americans would have a big problem with this, but I find it awesome. In two hours, she new everything about me, my family, my diet, my weight, Taylor, what I think of Obama, if I believe in god, the medications I take. Its nice to just lay it out.
So I have three brothers Eliso, 8 Miguel 22 and hector 23. I haven’t met hector yet but the other two are great. Eliso, el niño and I are going to be best friends sin duda. He actually attends the school that I will be teaching at, so we get to hold hands and walk to class together. As of right now, I’m not sure exactly what grade I will be teaching, but tomorrow I will find out. Stoked about my family I decided to go to bed early at 1:30am
Sunday 4/1
I woke up this morning excited to walk around the city. I ate desayuno with mi madre padre y hermanito. I plan to gain some weight here because Pan (bread) is about 60% of your diet, but I don’t mind it. After deasyuno my brother and I went for a walk to show me around the town. Cartagena is a beach town of about 16,000 people. Just walking a few blocks, I could tell it was a little poor. I would say 65% of it is middle class and 35% lower class. The town is small so it’s nice that I can walk everywhere. There is one main plaza, where there is a market and some other stores. There are many dogs here, as of all of Chile. But the dogs here seem to be a little, how should I say, rapid. This is the really only thing that I'm scarred of, but I will be fine. For the most part they mind their own business. We walked for about 20 minutes and decided to head home. Cartagena so far so good. over and out.
