I've been in Bogota for a month now and am finally set up with home Wi-Fi, hence the radio silence on this blog and in general. In more ways than one, though, I feel connected.
When I arrived in Bogota, it became abundantly clear that I was in over my head. I was completely lost in a sea of Spanish where all I could mutter was "no hablo Español muy bien." I talked a good game before leaving the States claiming that I could listen and speak kinda well. So naturally it only took about 2 seconds of me talking to the Customs Officer for all of the wind in my sails to go away. Having been here a month, I'm obviously doing much better. I'm almost fully immersed and am picking up more of the language everyday.
The beautiful part is that 99% of the Colombians I've met have been extremely understanding and patient with my broken, child-like Spanish. Uber rides have become mutually beneficial events in which I get to practice my Spanish and the drivers get to learn some English. Every day I get a little more confident and I'm proud to say I can order a bottle of wine without hesitation (be proud, Mom and Dad).
Bogota is a loud, bustling, and absolutely beautiful city. I thought living next to a biker bar for three years properly prepared me for what street noise sounds like. However, once again, Bogota proves I know nothing. Car horns, trucks backfiring, and airplane engines fill the void around 4:30 every morning, and my walls are so thin I might as well be out there with them. So now, much to my chagrin, I'm a morning person. While I'd love to sleep more, the sunrises are worth it. The pale orange and bruised blue is stoic and peaceful, a paradox to the chaos and traffic below. Now, as I type this post, I'm watching the sun set with my favorite colors: lilac, baby blue, and a peach-yellow glow that darkens the forest green trees to navy.
Sure, it's cold sometimes, the equatorial sun has surprised me with some inconvenient sunburn, and it is really annoying to be cold while you are simultaneously getting sunburned. Yet, I really like it here. Bogota is growing on me. I mean, I'm here for two years so it kinda has to. But you know what I mean. Before I left I was crippled with anxiety for the first time in my life. Am I making the right decision? And for several days after I landed I asked myself the same thing over and over again. It's only been a month, so I'm by no means an expert and don't have nearly enough data for an informed decision, but my gut and my heart are telling me that I did make the right decision.
This is the most selfish thing I think I've ever done in my life; a part of me will never stop feeling guilty for this. I miss my family so, so much. I want nothing more than to be there during the good and bad. But this voice in my head telling me to go and see hasn't stopped talking in seven years. Now that I'm here, it's quiet. It's happy to be a small fish in a big pond. I'm happy to be a bumbling fish who can't speak Spanish properly. I'm participating in something bigger than myself and the risk is hopefully worth the reward. I have a feeling it will be, but time will tell.
I should go into talking about school, my new friends (I know, it's shocking, I have them), my adventures, etc. However, this sunset is really beautiful, so I'm going to go watch that... and Netflix.
we miss you
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