Perfect Day in Cartagena

It's ridiculous how perfect the weather is today. Seriously. OFf the charts. Super sunny. Really warm. Really breezy. The ocean seems extra Caribbean in color today. No joke. I'm in my swim suit... we're ready to rumble... just waiting for Nick and Ashley to arrive!! And by ready to rumbler... I do mean that we're ready to spend the rest of the day by the pool in the sun. A fun day.:)

We did have a very dark moment in our trip on Friday... care of Spirit Air. Our friends at Spirit Air cancelled our flight on Monday the 4th. They put us on a flight on June 3rd... or we could fly by on June 6th. The whole thing is just a mega bummer. And Spirit Air was incredibly disappointing in terms of how they handled it. So... our not-so-positive impression of them flying down here has become a "yea... I don't think it will ever be a good idea to fly Spirit Air again" kind of impression. We're sad that our vacation has been cut a day short. Weekends are precious since Lindsey and Michelle obviously won't need to work... and it's a game changer in terms of our weekend plans for next weekend. But I do get the fact that it's incredible to get to enjoy time we have left here even if it is a day shorter.

There's much to recap... but Nick and Ashley just arrived! So it's time to begin a new leg of the journey. Good friends, great sun... extremely content...:)

Grounded

My view from where I'm typing... it's the ocean!:)

My. It sure is crazy humid! And already really (really) warm and it's only 8:00ish am. I like Cartagena.:) If I wouldn't be able to catch some quality ocean breeze... this heat and humidity would totally freak me out. But knowing that getting ready for the day today probably means throwing on a swim suit and some sunblock... that's a pretty great deal.:)

We landed yesterday without any glitches. Although to be honest... I don't think Spirit Air makes the top of my list... and Jachin being 6'4", I'm not sure it would even come close to making his list at all. Funny (you know... "funny"... but not really funny), old, crazy cramped planes! But travel went smoothly all the same. We were at Lindsey and Michelle's apartment when they got home from work. Can't even explain how great it is to SEE them. It's SO much different than seeing them on Skype or in a Google hangout. And yet at the same time it seems really bizarre to think that it's really been as long as it has been since I've seen them last. I sure do treasure friendships that don't skip a beat despite continental separation.:)

We got to jump in last night on "food for the homies," so they call it. Michelle and Lindsey are here for two years teaching at an American school. Several of the teachers from their school have shown up every Thursday night with loads of food to share with the homeless community near the historic center of Cartagena. After hearing so much about it, it was fun to get to be a part of it. I really appreciated the sense of community in the gathering, the easy spirit and gracious intention of it all. Sharing food obviously seems like a kind idea, but what I actually appreciated about it is that it has shaped how the teachers involved, plus other friends that have gotten involved with the effort, relate to many of the street vendors in the city. They sure aren't people that Lindsey and Michelle just walk by and try to avoid getting pressured into making a purchase. Rather they're people, names, stories, part of shared community. I really loved getting to see that in action.

After hearing many a tale over skype, it was crazy fun to get to put personalities and real, live interactions with people I've heard so much about. It will be great fun to continue to do so. I'm feeling extremely grateful for the chance to get to see friends' worlds. And sharing it all with Jachin makes it all the more meaningful. People REALLY liked talking with him last night even though he hasn't mastered much Spanish beyond "Si" and "Si claro."

Alrighty. Off to a full day in Cartagena.

back to ORD... followed by Colombia!!

Mobile Office :)

Funny. The last post I made here was from ORD. And that's where I'm headed right now. Jachin and I are in the car right now as I type. Somewhere east of Hixon, WI. I'm plugged in and connected to Jachin's phone (wireless hot spot) in order to submit my last paper of the quarter!!! I intended to finish well before I got into the car... but thankfully Chicago isn't that close... so it gave me plenty of car time to wrap up!

Jachin and I are heading to a park n' ride just outside of Chicago before hitting O'Hare for a Spirit Air flight to Cartagena, Colombia at 5:30ish am tomorrow morning! We're reeeeally looking forward to some quality time with our friends Michelle and Lindsey. Plus two other friends from Texas will be meeting us there on Sunday! Should be a fun and restful week to get away, sleep on the beach, enjoy friends, etc. Physical distance in friendships... I suppose it's really all quite relative or subjective... but I can't wait to actually have quality time with these four that I don't see nearly as often as I'd like to. And I'm really stoked to get to share an international experience with Jachin. I suspect it will be really insightful...:) And very fun, of course. But then again... Jachin makes most everything more fun.

Anyway. I'll try to take up the cause of blogging for the week since I'll be international. Follow along if you'd like. But for now... it's time for me to relish in my submitted homework assignments.:)