Along with the roosters, the birds wake me up every morning around 6:30 AM. When they begin to sing, I open my eyes to the soft morning glow sweeping through my bedroom window. They repeat the same short song for 20 or 30 minutes, their piercing chirps overpowering the steady hum of my fan. Then...
Today my breakfast looked like a Miró painting. There was a brown hot dog on the left side of the plate, two triangular pieces of Costeño cheese in the top center, and a fried ball of dough on the right. Food unintentionally inspired by 20th century art. I picked up the ball of fried dough...
“I’m not going to teach you those,” Jorge said. “But how can we know what the kids are saying if you don’t teach us?” I asked. We were in Spanish class, focusing on Costeño idioms, including the phrase decir vulgaridades. It didn’t take long to convince him; Jorge stood up, walked over to the whiteboard, and...
I walked to my house in complete darkness, like I was blindfolded, taking part in a Spanish class activity to practice giving directions. A la derecha, past the church. A la izquierda, at the next corner. Every few seconds a car passed by, and I momentarily noted the cracks in the sidewalk. Tipped-toeing with my arms out for...
Kharkhorin, Mongolia. July 2013. Outside of Ulaanbataar, I walked in circles around an ovoo exactly three times. An ovoo is a Mongolian shamanistic cairn, often found on the top of mountains, consisting of piles of rocks scattered with horse skulls, empty bottles of vodka, and other symbolic items. They’re used as landmarks, for Buddhist ceremonies, and/or to...
1. I’m standing in line with two bananas in my hand. It’s Sunday and we’re going to the beach. I need to break a bill so I’ll have change for the bus. My bikini top peeks out of my tank top. I’m wearing sandals with rhinestones and I carry a pink and purple-printed backpack. I...
My host brother is always smiling; his blue braces poke out between his lips, causing him to appear younger than his 22 years. He usually wears orange board shorts printed with tropical flowers, and he constantly watches the Disney Channel dubbed in Spanish. Sometimes I sit next to him in a woven rocking chair. When...
Since I turned 18, I’ve moved around and left my footprints on four different continents. For the most part, I’ve initiated these endeavors on my own. I do my research (or lack thereof) alone. I fly alone. I walk alone. I ride buses alone. I book hostels alone. I meet so many people, but still,...
A few days ago, when the Colombian soccer team was scheduled to play Uruguay, some volunteers and I decided to chill at a pizza place and drink a couple beers after class. Wanting to explore the city more, we decided to meet in a neighborhood of Barranquilla called Los Andes, where some of the volunteers...
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