Finally!!

Hello from Colombia! I made it and all is well.

After leaving Salt Lake City, I spent a week at home. It was a great time to unwind, see friends, and spend time with my family. It seems like saying good-bye kept getting harder, rather than easier.

I am currently in the Colombia’s capitol, Bogotá, spending 3 weeks studying and tuning up my Spanish. I am taking classes and living with a family. I am amazed by the city. It is brimming with people and completely modern, but there is still a very prominent colonial-Spanish influence here. Large buildings are right next to small tiled-roofed homes. Here is the front of the home where I am living. That is Samuel, a Golden Labrador, at the front door.

I live with Dueña Alba Luz and her 12 year-old daughter Paula. The house has four other professionals living in it. It is a great, friendly atmosphere for learning.

This past weekend, I visited the oldest portion of Bogotá, La Candelaria. Not only did I love the small streets and old homes, but I also completely enjoyed the Botero Museum. Fernando Botero is a Colombian painter who inflates his subjects, from political figures and infants to oranges and guitars, both in oil paint and sculpture. I can’t see his work and not smile.


Later that night I went dancing and started to learn salsa. Needless to say, I have my work cut out for me. Pictures do exist, but they aren’t really available at this time.

The following day my classmates and I took a trip to Chicaque Parque Natural. It is just outside of Bogotá’s sprawling city limits. It is just a little higher in altitude than Bogotá (~8000 feet), but is a forest consistently surrounded by clouds. We did some hiking, threw the Frisbee, even rode on horseback. I am helping my friend here. I am the one with the big backpack-still a Boy Scout at heart.

My goal is to update this page every few weeks. I am really a novice at this. If anyone has any tips for me, please feel free to drop a line. I am hoping blogspot allows posts. I hope this finds everyone well. As much as I miss home, I feel completely content and happy.

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