Ok,
so i realise i have been rather slack, in part due to the internet access. it is not bad, but we do not have internet at the house and invariably when we go to an internet cafe we are on our way somewhere else, and you know, i just can't write when pressed for time!
as this is my first post since arriving in colombia, which was almost two months ago now, i guess i should give a brief description of where i am staying etc.
we are staying with gus's father (people here generally live with there parents until they get married or move to a different city/country) in cali which is located in the valle de cauca, colombia. the place is more or less on the outskirts of the city, but there is a pretty decent government run bus operation and we have a car, so no major dramas thus far, and while the city is quite big it is not as spread out as auckland.
the property is quite large, there is a paintball set up at the back of the property, and the remainder consists of a very nice pool a couple of unfinished buildings and then the building that we live in.
there are two dogs, no idea what they are and they don't seem to have names, but i quite like them, and as the doors don't lock, they offer a measure of safety when i am home alone! there are also two cats, and as of 6 weeks ago, 4 kittens, we have named the kittens tiger, mouse, peq (short for pequeña, which is spanish for small) and the fourth is still unnamed....
there is also a parrot who hangs around, and loads of the biggests ants i've ever seen, there are the leaf cutting variety and you can find lines of them marching along with big green leaf sails, at least 3 times the size of the ants, (which may i remind you are HUGE).
i spent the first two weeks getting molested by mosquitos and sporting very large and very itchy bites which lasted for weeks, i now however take pills which apparently make you 'smell not quite so tasty' and using spray and a deterent in my bedroom, still get the occasional bite or two but nothing like in the beginning.
there is a girl/lady called norita, who works in the house, cleaning, washing, cooking etc during the day and there are also 2 men who look after the grounds and help with the cocks (fighting cocks) and they live in one of the partly finished buildings.
it's taking quite a bit getting used to having 'other people' on the property all the time.
i am studying spanish at one of the universites here (USC, for any Caleños) and have classes 3 afternoons a week for two hours and an additional conversation class friday afternoons. So far so good, i find the writing relatively easy, it is the confidence in speaking which i mfind the most difficult.
driving here is interesting, but no worse than anything in asia, other than people possible drive faster here (there are few enforced speed limits it seems!) and ofcourse the whol otherside of the road/car buisness, but i have now mastered the fine art of walking to the right side of the car when requiring the passanger seat!! that was almost harder than spanish!
well i will leave it there for the moment, and will return shortly (honestly) with more news and weather. (actually completely forgot to mention the weather- nice and warm during the day- 30s- and cooler during the evening-20s, have definately aclimatised as most days i wear jeans, and i still get cold in the eveing....)
over and out
xx
