Oh, Medellin!

I can try to describe our Colombia trip, but really, the feelings I have about the country and our time there can't be put into words. Luckily, I took my big camera, and I think my photos capture much of what I loved. Japan has had my heart since we lived there, but I have found a (much closer!) place I love almost as much. Medellin surprised us because it was clean, modern, and safe. The food was healthy, delicious, and cheap. Service was excellent and people were friendly. The public spaces were phenomenal and there was more to do than we had time for. The views from our apartment took my breath away. I usually want to travel somewhere different, a new country I can check off the list, but we'll be back in Colombia soon!

Excellent views and facilities at the apartment we rented.

Cable car ride to the top of the mountain, where there was so much cheap, fresh fruit.

Downtown Medellin, with its crowded streets, buñuelos, and Botero sculptures. The bird was destroyed by a grenade in the nineties and Botero asked that it be kept as a memorial. Next to it stands a new, unharmed bird.

I took a lot of photos at this barefoot park!

Uber was soooo cheap!

Last night in Medellin=super moon!

parents in panama

Panama has a bunch of national holidays sprinkled throughout November, and we took full advantage of the time school was out. At the beginning of the month, my parents came for a visit. We rented a larger car and drove for the first time into the capital. I was nervous about driving there, but Earl was a pro! One great thing about Panama is that it's pretty easy to navigate. Except when you accidentally choose the toll road with booths that only allow prepaid passes! Luckily, an attendant stepped out from somewhere and helped us.

We headed to the Canal, a first for all of us. We lucked out on timing, arriving as one ship was exiting and the last one of the day was entering the locks. The second ship was huge! It was in the closer side of the canal and filled its width completely. Among other things, there were dozens of Chiquita (the bananas) containers. You really get caught up in the process of the water levels changing and the ship being raised and maneuvered through the locks. We were all impressed by the engineering.

Our next stop was Casco Viejo for gelato, a walk, and views of the modern skyline. I really love this colonial part of Panama City. It's both old and new. I'm excited that we're staying there during our next trip into the city.

We headed back home in time for the second day of patriotic festivities. Before the parade downtown, each school holds its own national anthem ceremony, with band performances and other acts. We went to the one at my school and then caught the end of the one at C's. We found a shady spot to watch the parade and watched for our schools' bands. It surprised me that the parade was full of such young kids. They definitely have stamina! We were just watching and didn't make it to the end of the parade.

Because we returned the large rental car when we got back to Santiago, my dad opted to ride around town in the trunk of our SUV. Just before my parents left, our car started acting up, so we took it to a mechanic. It took forever to hail two taxis, but we finally made it home. In some ways, I was glad my parents got to experience the transportation challenge we withstood our first month here. I don't take our car for granted!

We were able to squeeze in a visit to San Francisco (yes, again!) and a night out without kids for Earl and me. The girls have such special relationships with their grandparents, and it was fun to see N really come out of her shell with Pop G. It was such a nice time, and we can't wait for them to come back!

downtown

One weekend at the end of October, we decided to stay put in town and do some shopping downtown. It was just before the first of the November holidays, so people were buying silk flowers for the cemetery, and flags for the patriotic holidays had just started to pop up. I decided I'd hold my breath and venture into the meat area of the market so we could buy some fish, but we were too late, and it was already packed up for the day. Next time! We did buy a $1 pineapple from the sweetest man with an entire pickup truck full. I wonder how many he was able to sell! The girls were excited about the flags and hair bows we bought in preparation for the week's parades.

Oh, and before we left the house that day, we worked to rescue a gigantic moth that was trapped in our window. It was at least 6 inches wide and tough to catch!

Chitre

In October, we took a day trip to Chitré, a town about an hour away from where we live. It was really clean, colorful, and charming. We explored around the plaza, where there was a stage and we saw a few groups sing or perform before we ate lunch. On our way out of town, we spotted a mini Riba Smith, a high end grocery store that sells a lot of US-made products. We found cottage cheese and a pumpkin, so I'd call it a success!

Panama City and City of Knowledge

To me, one of many benefits of working in a foreign country is seeing sides of the country that you might not see as a tourist. My host institution is a national bilingual initiative based in the capital, so our meetings are often held near its headquarters in the City of Knowledge. It sits directly across from the canal and is an area of the former canal zone that has been converted into schools and business related to education. I love the architecture mixed with the landscape here. It feels like a city within a city.

One night after a meeting, some of us were invited to dinner at our textbook consultant's beautiful house. The views of Panama City and the Pacific were gorgeous. I wish I had been able to sneak some photos of her house. It was magazine-worthy! And quite a contrast from the rural side of Panama that is my everyday. From 53 floors up, I was able to appreciate the city's modern architecture and a completely different view from the one I had admired earlier that day.