"About that lane drifting..."

We have been here for 3.5 months, and we get to come home in 2. We are done with quarter 1, and deep into quarter 2. It is good to remind one another that we have made it this far, and we can make it until December. We are all excited to see family and friends. I know that I am excited to see mountains!

I was talking to a friend at home the other day, and she said "you sound like you are pretty acclimated." I thought about it, and I guess I am. What are my clues?

1. Dog barking doesn't keep me up at night. The sad lives of many guard dogs doesn't surprise me anymore, and the non stop day and night barking has become part of the hum of life.

2. I don't comment on the extreme security anymore. House gates are just part of the landscape, and I am more surprised if I see a house without one. The endless line of metal gates doesn't shock or irritate me anymore. I still wish I could admire all of the beautiful houses behind the gates and walls, but they are much more in the background than they used to be.

3. I have started drifting when I drive. This is the piece that worries me the most. When we first arrived, the drivers seemed INSANE and CRAZY. They pass on small 2 lane residential streets on blind corners, they don't slow down at unmarked intersections, and they turn on their hazards for any NUMBER of activities (turning, pulling over, slowing down, checking phone, looking at the river, etc...). Rob and I were looking every which way whether we were in the driver's seat or the passenger seat. Drivers also have a tendency to drift between lanes, sometimes driving right down the white line, enjoying 1/2 of each lane.

Yesterday, as I was headed down the road to the Animal Shelter for a little dog therapy with Marieka, I found myself drifting in and out of the lane, not turning on my blinker, and generally being a space cadet.

What has happened?

I think I am getting acclimated.

I am not necessarily proud of this, but I think it is true.

I am not drinking mate yet (Rob is), and I am really tired of pizza and french fries (which shocks me honestly) but the things that disquilibrated me at the beginning have begun to fade and change a bit. 

The language, of course, continues to be a struggle and a hurdle, so that will never feel "normal" I am sure, though I can predict some things now- everyone will greet you when you are in a group (maybe with a cheek kiss, so prepare yourself with "buenas," or "buen dia" or a "hola" and a fist bump (my preference). you will be expected to sanitize your hands when entering a store, and the checker will ask "do you have points?" everytime you buy groceries (I haven't tackled that yet...). We do have cedulas now (like a social security card) so we can order things online and maybe go to a soccer match, and when someone asks for my cedula (which, unlike the social security number, thrown around everywhere) I can answer "si."

In other news, we found a great restaurant-

Really good salad with toasted quina- I am going to try this!

Marieka got dumplings!

I found some interesting things on the river shore...

Some people had a crazy night...

Found this amazing bush with another purple plant attaching itself to it. Seems to be an "air plant"

I love a good flag photo!

Swim friends Gabriel (left) and Antonio (right)

I am swimming a couple times a week at a beach called "Malvin." There is concern in the swim group because the lifeguard stands are being put out, meaning the guards will be back, meaning we aren't supposed to swim more than 50 yards from shore (which is not really our style). The cold water swim group (or now, the not-that-cold-water swim group) is in contact with the city to figure out a solution.

I like to shop at a store about a KM away called "Tienda Inglesa" (because it was started by a British guy...). They have theme weeks, where they have a special display of food from another country. This was during the German celebration. They are teeny little BMW's from the 1950's. They were amazing! They sounded like little motorcycles.

You never know what you might see around a corner...

And I got to motor pace behind a bagel truck the other day!

Marieka turned 14. She had a trampoline park birthday party with all of the 8th grade girls.

I was thrilled to not have to figure out how to get a birthday cake!

Speaking of getting acclimated...

Mate.

Beach.

Chairs. 

Repeat.