Day 42: CEDEI or Bolivar? (01/08/10)
I set my alarm correctly last night, but when it started blaring this morning, I was not ready to get up.
I stayed up late last night reading and didn't let myself check the time before trying to fall asleep. My eyes were dry and starting to puff up before I went to sleep though.
When I finally did get up this morning (about 9:15) the power was out. As far as I can tell they're alternating between 9 am and 1 pm for the blackouts. I think over the weekend there shouldn't be any blackouts (like when I was in Canoa).
When the power comes back on, I'm gonna shower, check email, and stop by the CEDEI office.
I'll ask some questions and if the answers sound good then I'll take the placement test (if they need me to, I think it's safe to say I'm a beginner) and head to the bank for the tuition money. If I'm feeling if-y I'll check out the Bolivar school and get back to CEDEI about my decision.
I think today I'll also send letters and look up Galapagos stuff. Maybe email Santiago about it.
Hopefully, I'll hear from Rafael about my suggested dates for a visit and be able to buy my plane tickets.
I'm looking through the "501 verbs" book my mom sent and cracking up.
Apparently, if you want to say "beat it" you say "¡Cómprate un calvo y péinalo!" the literal translation is actually "buy a bald man and comb his hair!"Hahaha WTF.
Took a nap (watched TV). Showered, and hit the internet spot.
Haven't heard from Rafael, but double checked the flight availability (the tickets are still available).
Looked at a couple sites for the Galapagos trips. They're ridiculously expensive. Hopefully, with Santiago's help I can find something good. Speaking of Santiago, he sent me an email that I literally could not understand. He kept talking about "her" or "she" but didn't reference any names. He said something about CEDEI and something about Peru...??
He also left his cell number, so hopefully I can meet up with him this weekend.
I did a little reading on the lonely planet website about Central American spots and Caribbean spots. It finally just started stressing me out so I quit looking.
Gabe wrote briefly. I'm going to be so excited if we pull off a short vacation together.
I left the internet shop and headed to the CEDEI building. I wound up just going ahead and signing up for and paying for a week's worth of classes. If I really like it maybe I'll sign up for more. If I don't like it I might give Simon Bolivar a try later. My first class/lesson is Monday at 3pm. I need to show up a little early to find out where it is etc. I hope I like my teachers because it's 1:1 lessons, so if I don't like it, it'll suck pretty bad.
After leaving CEDEI I headed to Tía to buy some yogurt. I missed lunch, so I had a yogurt/granola/fiber snack around 4:30. I bought some mani (peanuts) too, but they're weird. They're called Mani Cris and they're basically peanuts with a tough salty shell on them.
After my snack I was gonna nap, but wound up watching some soap opera-esque show for a while, then "Hey Arnold."
Around 8:15 I headed back to the internet place. My mom had written back about our Skype date. A couple other people had written me, so I wrote back (to some, I forgot about Alina and Carolyn!).
I did some general internet cruising for a while, then came back to my room.
It's raining, but it feels kind of nice (until you stop walking and then you just get cold quickly).
I didn't send the mail today, maybe tomorrow? I don't know what the post office hours look like on Saturdays.
I also really need to get more cash. After paying for the Spanish I'm left with about $30.
Well, I think I may do some writing or reading and then hit the hay.
I want to wake up a bit earlier so that I'm hungry for lunch at the appropriate hour (I haven't been getting hungry until 3 ish).
I stayed up late last night reading and didn't let myself check the time before trying to fall asleep. My eyes were dry and starting to puff up before I went to sleep though.
When I finally did get up this morning (about 9:15) the power was out. As far as I can tell they're alternating between 9 am and 1 pm for the blackouts. I think over the weekend there shouldn't be any blackouts (like when I was in Canoa).
When the power comes back on, I'm gonna shower, check email, and stop by the CEDEI office.
I'll ask some questions and if the answers sound good then I'll take the placement test (if they need me to, I think it's safe to say I'm a beginner) and head to the bank for the tuition money. If I'm feeling if-y I'll check out the Bolivar school and get back to CEDEI about my decision.
I think today I'll also send letters and look up Galapagos stuff. Maybe email Santiago about it.
Hopefully, I'll hear from Rafael about my suggested dates for a visit and be able to buy my plane tickets.
I'm looking through the "501 verbs" book my mom sent and cracking up.
Apparently, if you want to say "beat it" you say "¡Cómprate un calvo y péinalo!" the literal translation is actually "buy a bald man and comb his hair!"Hahaha WTF.
Took a nap (watched TV). Showered, and hit the internet spot.
Haven't heard from Rafael, but double checked the flight availability (the tickets are still available).
Looked at a couple sites for the Galapagos trips. They're ridiculously expensive. Hopefully, with Santiago's help I can find something good. Speaking of Santiago, he sent me an email that I literally could not understand. He kept talking about "her" or "she" but didn't reference any names. He said something about CEDEI and something about Peru...??
He also left his cell number, so hopefully I can meet up with him this weekend.
I did a little reading on the lonely planet website about Central American spots and Caribbean spots. It finally just started stressing me out so I quit looking.
Gabe wrote briefly. I'm going to be so excited if we pull off a short vacation together.
I left the internet shop and headed to the CEDEI building. I wound up just going ahead and signing up for and paying for a week's worth of classes. If I really like it maybe I'll sign up for more. If I don't like it I might give Simon Bolivar a try later. My first class/lesson is Monday at 3pm. I need to show up a little early to find out where it is etc. I hope I like my teachers because it's 1:1 lessons, so if I don't like it, it'll suck pretty bad.
After leaving CEDEI I headed to Tía to buy some yogurt. I missed lunch, so I had a yogurt/granola/fiber snack around 4:30. I bought some mani (peanuts) too, but they're weird. They're called Mani Cris and they're basically peanuts with a tough salty shell on them.
After my snack I was gonna nap, but wound up watching some soap opera-esque show for a while, then "Hey Arnold."
Around 8:15 I headed back to the internet place. My mom had written back about our Skype date. A couple other people had written me, so I wrote back (to some, I forgot about Alina and Carolyn!).
I did some general internet cruising for a while, then came back to my room.
It's raining, but it feels kind of nice (until you stop walking and then you just get cold quickly).
I didn't send the mail today, maybe tomorrow? I don't know what the post office hours look like on Saturdays.
I also really need to get more cash. After paying for the Spanish I'm left with about $30.
Well, I think I may do some writing or reading and then hit the hay.
I want to wake up a bit earlier so that I'm hungry for lunch at the appropriate hour (I haven't been getting hungry until 3 ish).
Day 43: Pay Phone (01/09/10)
So much for getting an early start. I stayed up reading and writing for a while and then decided not to set an alarm. I woke up probably around 8:30 or 9 but tried to sleep a bit more. I got up at 9:45 and headed downstairs for desayuno. Today there was melon jugo (juice). It was good, Cantaloupe maybe?
I read a tourist brochure while I ate.
Now I'm headed to the internet shop to check emails and maybe metropolitan-tours.com, then maybe the post office?
For lunch I think I might try "Aguacolle Café." They have veggie almuerzos and are a short walk from here (according to guidebooks).
So, metropolitan-touring.com was a bust. It was less helpful and I think a bit more expensive than the local tour site I looked at before.
When I left the internet spot I headed to where I thought "Aguacolle Café" was supposed to be, but it wasn't there. I'll have to look online again to find it. I walked around for a long while, but the places that came to mind weren't open. I stopped by the bank and then back to the hotel to hide my money. I decided to see of "Café Austria" was open (it's just a few blocks from my hotel). It was open. I ordered a smoothie and an empanada.
I had really wanted to go back to "Tiesto's" to try their empanadas, but I doubt their construction will be done by the time I leave.
I sat and read while I waited for my food and drink. I'm determined to finish this book before I start Spanish lessons.
The smoothie came first. It had both fruits and veggies in it, and was more of a juice than actual smoothie. I'm not sure how I picked this one specifically. It was ok, but the second wave of flavor was all veggie (which was a little gross).
My chicken empanada was delicious. At first I was a little bummed because I thought it was supposed to come with a few, but it was only one. Once I started eating, however, I was glad it was only one (very filling).
After leaving I walked back to the hotel and read another chapter of my book, then headed back to the internet spot.
I really hope that Rafael writes back about the dates for going to Venezuela soon. If he doesn't I might not be able to afford it.
Steph wrote me an email. It sounds like she's doing pretty well.
Santiago didn't write me about whether his phone is Porta or Movi, I hope he writes back tomorrow.
Elsa wrote me back saying that Jack made it safely back to Portland, but that she doesn't know Margaret's plan. I'm honestly a little ticked at Margaret.
I wasted a couple hours online and then decided I should probably get some dinner (if I planned on eating tonight).
I contemplated heading to the place around the corner that I've already been to, but I decided against it.
Instead, I headed to the place on the end of my block "Cacao & Canela" (Chocolate and Cinnamon). Lonely Planet online had only mentioned that sandwiches were cheap, but I thought I'd give it a try.
The menu (as far as food is concerned) is short. They have cheap sandwiches, a few appetizers and a few salads. I ordered a Ensalada César and an Aniseto.
The salad was definitely not a caesar, but I don't really care (it had ham and cheese and vinaigrette).
The drink is anise flavored liquor, rum and something else.
After drinking less than a quarter of it I was tipsy. Now I've eaten my whole salad and I'm not quite half was through the drink and I'm probably drunk.
I'm a little worried about what I'll feel like if I finish it.
I really want to call Gabe, if I can figure out how, but I think it's probably a bad idea. Plus he DJs tonight.
I caved. I went back to the hotel to try to find the international calling code for the U.S. (I could've sworn I had just seen it on something). I couldn't find it in my Spanish books or on anything else. I went to look at the tourist guides downstairs, but didn't find it there either. The owner asked if I was going to a discoteca, I said no and he laughed a little and then I tried to fold the brochure up and started getting flustered (I think I drank a bit too much of that drink).
I went to the internet spot and found the code(00) and then tried calling Gabe. He didn't answer. I called Natallie and we talked for a while and then her phone cut out. I called back and we talk some more. I tried Gabe again, but it went straight to voicemail.
After the calls, I headed to the hotel and watched part of "Sex In The City" in Spanish and then went to sleep.
I read a tourist brochure while I ate.
Now I'm headed to the internet shop to check emails and maybe metropolitan-tours.com, then maybe the post office?
For lunch I think I might try "Aguacolle Café." They have veggie almuerzos and are a short walk from here (according to guidebooks).
So, metropolitan-touring.com was a bust. It was less helpful and I think a bit more expensive than the local tour site I looked at before.
When I left the internet spot I headed to where I thought "Aguacolle Café" was supposed to be, but it wasn't there. I'll have to look online again to find it. I walked around for a long while, but the places that came to mind weren't open. I stopped by the bank and then back to the hotel to hide my money. I decided to see of "Café Austria" was open (it's just a few blocks from my hotel). It was open. I ordered a smoothie and an empanada.
I had really wanted to go back to "Tiesto's" to try their empanadas, but I doubt their construction will be done by the time I leave.
I sat and read while I waited for my food and drink. I'm determined to finish this book before I start Spanish lessons.
The smoothie came first. It had both fruits and veggies in it, and was more of a juice than actual smoothie. I'm not sure how I picked this one specifically. It was ok, but the second wave of flavor was all veggie (which was a little gross).
My chicken empanada was delicious. At first I was a little bummed because I thought it was supposed to come with a few, but it was only one. Once I started eating, however, I was glad it was only one (very filling).
After leaving I walked back to the hotel and read another chapter of my book, then headed back to the internet spot.
I really hope that Rafael writes back about the dates for going to Venezuela soon. If he doesn't I might not be able to afford it.
Steph wrote me an email. It sounds like she's doing pretty well.
Santiago didn't write me about whether his phone is Porta or Movi, I hope he writes back tomorrow.
Elsa wrote me back saying that Jack made it safely back to Portland, but that she doesn't know Margaret's plan. I'm honestly a little ticked at Margaret.
I wasted a couple hours online and then decided I should probably get some dinner (if I planned on eating tonight).
I contemplated heading to the place around the corner that I've already been to, but I decided against it.
Instead, I headed to the place on the end of my block "Cacao & Canela" (Chocolate and Cinnamon). Lonely Planet online had only mentioned that sandwiches were cheap, but I thought I'd give it a try.
The menu (as far as food is concerned) is short. They have cheap sandwiches, a few appetizers and a few salads. I ordered a Ensalada César and an Aniseto.
The salad was definitely not a caesar, but I don't really care (it had ham and cheese and vinaigrette).
The drink is anise flavored liquor, rum and something else.
After drinking less than a quarter of it I was tipsy. Now I've eaten my whole salad and I'm not quite half was through the drink and I'm probably drunk.
I'm a little worried about what I'll feel like if I finish it.
I really want to call Gabe, if I can figure out how, but I think it's probably a bad idea. Plus he DJs tonight.
I caved. I went back to the hotel to try to find the international calling code for the U.S. (I could've sworn I had just seen it on something). I couldn't find it in my Spanish books or on anything else. I went to look at the tourist guides downstairs, but didn't find it there either. The owner asked if I was going to a discoteca, I said no and he laughed a little and then I tried to fold the brochure up and started getting flustered (I think I drank a bit too much of that drink).
I went to the internet spot and found the code(00) and then tried calling Gabe. He didn't answer. I called Natallie and we talked for a while and then her phone cut out. I called back and we talk some more. I tried Gabe again, but it went straight to voicemail.
After the calls, I headed to the hotel and watched part of "Sex In The City" in Spanish and then went to sleep.
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