It's All Greek to Me.... the language learning curve

His face was clearly distressed. His brow was furled and his eyes narrow as he paced back and forth in front of his home, dust flying. When I saw him, I knew I was in trouble. He had been expecting me. and I was late.

Joel was fiery, energetic, and (usually) patient. We could do anything together: read, play ball, or tell stories about life and the way things were. He could tell the same story a thousand times, and maintain the same excitement and passion as the first. Whenever I had a bad day, I just needed to think about his smile and unending optimism, and I knew I would feel better. He was my lifeline. He was also four years old. And today, he was not feeling so understanding.

As soon as he saw me, he maintained his look of displeasure long enough for me to understand what I’d done, and then instantly broke into a toothless grin. Before I knew it, he was running into my arms, pointing inside, and jabbering on about his latest conquest, involving a bug and a stick. I was actually here today to tutor his older sister, who was currently failing my class. Originally, when I had imagined myself tutoring, I had hoped it would be with teenagers or adults, looking to practice their already-decent English and willing to pay for it. I mean, I am a volunteer and a little extra spending money would have been lovely. And the company of an older crowd couldn’t hurt either. However, when Joel’s mother had asked me how much I charged, I couldn’t utter anything besides “nada.” How could I possibly charge a family who had cooked me lunch and taken me to the beach without a thought of cost? And who, I should also add, did not have a functioning toilet. I couldn’t. obviously.

So here I sat, Joel in my lap, trying to explain the use of the sentence “I am wearing…” to a smiling 5^th grade girl without a clue. The whole affair made me really think about language, perspective, and choices. If you had told me a year ago that I would be here, in Colombia, in a house where no one spoke English, I would probably have laughed. I came to Colombia without a word of Spanish, and no overwhelming talent for picking up languages on the fly. To this day I understand maybe 30% of what people say to me. Still, against my better judgment, I continue to go to lunches at students’ homes. I still try to talk to families and spend time with my students after school. This is all because I’ve come to learn in my 4 months here so far, that language is not just a barrier. It’s an opportunity. A chance to learn and a chance to connect with someone using whatever tools you have available. It’s not about how quickly you can form your sentences or whether you use the perfect vocabulary or idioms. It’s about effort. It’s the time you take to sit down and listen. It’s the message. The smiles you witness when an understanding has been found. For me, Spanish is a source of immense frustration, pleasure, challenge, and accomplishment. Compared to the other volunteers here in Barranquilla, my skills are terribly lacking and I am constantly confused and embarrassed on a regular basis. But I'm also learning. I'm making friends. and I'm getting there. and that's what counts.

The same is true with for my English students. When we started, they knew absolutely nothing. Now they are actually learning vocabulary and trying to use it. They are making sentences (sometimes half in English and half in Spanish) but they are learning. When visitors come, they are eager to use their warm up questions on the new faces. "Where are you from?" "What is your name?" "How old are you?" The amount that they still don't know is certainly overwhelming, but it doesn't stop them from trying. The truth is, I learn a lot from their enthusiasm. From teaching them English, I have not only picked up new Spanish vocabulary, but I have watched their eagerness to learn and to try and it has really been a source of motivation for me.

So here I sit, trying to channel my inner Spanish to help Isabel understand how English is similar. Neighborhood kids are waving from outside, visitors are constantly passing by, and joel is jammering away. It's probably a billion degrees and bugs are everywhere. But this is my life. Language acquisition is certainly a difficult process, marked by a great deal of trial and error. But if my kids are willing to listen to me and try to learn, then I owe them the same patience, both with them and with myself. So, with dictionary in tow, we trudge on. Me with my Spanish and Isabel with her English. Learning from each other and growing together. And with Joel giggling by my side (as an ant crawls up my arm), I now know that some things are the same in every language.

they say to really understand a man, you must walk a mile in his shoes...

So here are where my shoes have taken me. Lately, I've got to thinking a lot about transportation in Colombia (and apparently watching too much Sex adn the City on my computer since my last two posts have started with "I've got to thinking.") But that is neither here not there. In a country that is always changing, yet still behind the times in so many ways, I thought I would enlighten you on the many transportation choices available to one living in La Playa and the joys that await you with each:

(1) Walking -
First and foremost, your own two feet are easily the cheapest option, and often the most entertaining. Most things that you really need are within walking distance in La Playa: our school, tiendas, panaderias, churches, Atlantico University, neighborhoods to run in, even a gym run out of a small shack-like building. Plus, there are people, animals, food carts, and any number of adventures that await you if you choose this method. However, you must take into account the many obstacles. First, beware that if you are a lady, you will inevitably encounter a large number of admirers on your trek. Whether you are heading into the La Playa proper or out towards the Universities, men will whistle, call out compliments, try to use any English words they know (I even had a guy yell July! once), make noises, or even block your way for attention. In most instances, it is rather harmless, semi-flattering (if you choose to see it that way), and easy to tune out after awhile. Every now and then you will get an over-zealous admirer who wants to make your walk a little more difficult, but its all part of the adventure. For some, anyway.
Then, you must remember the live animals you will encounter. These could include anything from dogs and cats, to birds, horses, donkeys, chickens, etc. One of my children even had a hamster on my walk home yesterday. It is also entirely possible to encounter children with dead animals, as I have on several occasions. So be on guard... :)
Next, you must consider the ever changing traffic patterns. Calle 14, the main road through La Playa, has been under construction since March. Now I want to assure you that I use the word "construction" loosely. Mostly, men have been sitting around, digging up the perfectly adequate cement road, creating a mess, moving dirt around, and forcing both cars and motos to drive on the sidewalk. Now, if this doesn't sound exciting enough for you, just wait. They enjoy moving the dirt in such a way as to change the traffic pattern daily. So you never know when you are going to get run over or when the traffic will be "directed" to the other side. Furthermore, the construction creates an amazing amount of dust and dirt in the air. Like I said, always an adventure.
Lastly, and probably the worst obstacle of all, is the weather. The heat in the afternoon is downright unbearable! The sun is beating down, my hair is a sweaty mess, my clothes and soaked with sweat, and some days I am practically a puddle on the floor by the time I get home. Often, I wonder if I am even going to make it. However, we did find a nice little shortcut, htorugh a neighborhood. It is lined with nice trees (many of them with mangos!) and provides a lovely two blocks of shade and protection from the crazy construction mess. Then, when it rains, oh dear. The streets flood, the "sidewalks" get muddy, and the rains ensure that you are completely soaked by the time you read your destination, even with an umbrella. However, if you make sure to avoid the midday sun, the heat is tolerable (at least you get a nice tan ;), and the rains can often be avoided with a little patience. just gotta learn to adjust.
However, there are some perks to this whole walking thing, besides the exercise. First, there are the food and fruit stands. You can't stop for a fresh fruit juice or inexpensive snack if you are in a cab or on a moto. Nothing like a fruit juice popsicle or fresh maracuya to make the walk a little more pleasant. Secondly, you get to meet the neighbors! It's nice knowing who lives around you. You get to know them, say hi, hear about their days. Sometimes, complete strangers will even offer you some fruit from their yard (its currently mango season and I can't get enough of the mango gifts). it's acutally really nice seeing people you know and having people recognize you. it makes you a real part of the community and reminds me, at least, why I love this place so much. The people. With a little music to set the mood, it can be a very pleasant experience.
Still, if all this "adventure" is a little too much for you, and you have the money, never you fear. There are definitely other choices just an arm's reach away...

(2) Bus -
Then there are buses. Now I never considered myself a "bus person" before coming to Colombia. the invariable schedules and complicated routes left me with way too much to remember. I would much prefer a fairly regular train schedule with a list of stops or a metro map any day. However, since these options do not exist, buses are basically essential is you are without a car, poor (like me), and have any desire to actually go into Barranquilla city (or anywhere outside La Playa for that matter). Therefore, I have learned to love them, with their own set of quirks. One good thing about the buses is that they run fairly frequently (unless, of course, you are in a hurry) and you can pick a bus up at any point along its route; you don't need to walk all the way to a designated stop. Also, buses can take you almost anywhere, if you just know the right combination for relatively cheap. A typical bus costs $1,300 pesos ($1,400 on Sundays and holidays) regardless of where you get on or how far you are going (and thats about 65 cents). This makes it fairly economical and pretty simple to figure out what you owe. A few weeks in La Playa and the bus will become your best friend.
However, buses are definitely not entirely smooth sailing. First, many buses are not marked with their exact route, and what small, hand-written sign they do have is probably not legible until the bus is right in front of you (and thus too late to make it stop). Therefore, you need to know esactly what you are looking for. Second, the bus will pull away the second you step on, so hold on tight and have your money ready, because you need to pay before sitting down.. Also, be aware that buses are often crowded and not air conditioned, so try to sit near a window if at all possible. If you are fortunate to find an empty bus, don't be surprised if the people who get on after you want to sit in the seat next to you, despite all of the available seats in the rest of the bus. All part of the adventure. Ok, now that you are safely in your seat, pay attention! Because the bus will only stop when you tell it to. So if you aren't watching where you are, you very well may miss your stop and end up in God-knows-where. When you are close, make sure to give yourself enough time to maneuver to the back of the bus, push the button above the door, and wait to be let out. Then you're done. Easy, peazy, lemon-squeezy.

(3) Moto
Another popular option is the Moto. Motos can come in two forms. One is your typical, run-of-the-mill motorcycle, some of which even offer the option of wearing a helmet. The other is a wagon-looking contraption, with a bench-like bubble attached to the back of the motorcycle. Motos are typically a step up in price, but they more than make up for it in speed. They can take you just about any distance and get you there quickly - just make sure you don't value your hair style that day. plus, it is super fun!
However, they do come with some form of discomfort (I mean, it is a motorcycle )and its fair share of possible hazards. First, it puts you very close to another person on a very hot day, and with bags it can be fun trying to balance. Furthermore, I, myself, have a lovely looking scar on my leg from a burn I received almost three months ago, from stepping off the wrong side and burning my leg on the muffler (please exit to the left...). Another volunteer at a different location had a moto go so fast that when it took a turn, it skidded out and left him with his own battle wounds (simply remember despacio por favor!) Also, as another volunteer reminded me, sharing helmets can certainly open you up to lice or any other form of health issues. Entonces, efficient, fun, but slightly risky. But what's life without a little risk, right?

Below is a short jaunt on a moto through parts of La Playa (with one of my students and her dad). This is on of the mroe major roads, and once you leave, you are subjuct to crazy terrain, dirt, gravel, and rocks. Therefore, I could only film a little before holding on beat my desire for a good movie. But it gives you an idea.



(4) Cab
Perhaps the MOST efficient, yet most expensive is to take a cab. Unlike in Bogota, you do not need to call a cab ahead of time. They are just about everywhere and fairly reasonable, especially with a few people. You can comfortably fit 4 passengers in a typical cab, and some will even let you squeeze 5 (but they risk a hefty fine if they get caught). A typical cab can get you into the city for about $5,000-7,000 pesos (about $2.50-3.50) and if you need to go a little farther or its later at night, you are looking at about $10,000-12,000. The buses stop running around 9:30-9:45 PM so if you are considering a late night in the city, cabs are your only option (or you can just live it up until the buses start running again at 4-4:30 AM).
BENEFITS = speed, time, comfort, the radio, sometimes air conditioning, no weird people to have to maneuver around, etc.
DRAWBACKS = price
RULES = always negotiate a price before getting in the cab, and its perfectly reasonable to barter. Second, if you are with a colombian, let them do the talking. The second the driver realizes you are not from around here, they will raise the price like crazy. Third, pay attention, because many cab drivers have absolutely no idea where they are going. As odd as it seems, many drivers do not know the city at all. even with an address or the name of a well-known establishment. I had one cab driver struggle to drive us five blocks. It was late and we didn't feel comfortable walking in a part of the city we didn't know very well, but we ended up calling a friend to give the driver directions - back from the 15 blocks out the way we had traveled. It was a mess and took forever. Luckily we had time and got an excellent tour around el centro in the process!

(5) Friends with cars
And then there is the elusive friend with a car. This, while difficult to find, is the best optino by far. You get all the perks of a cab (speed, radio choices, air conditioning, direct routes, and a usually knowledgable driver, without the cost). It's awesome. However, most people are not lucky enough to enjoy this luxury. So for the other times when your friends are too busy to play chauffer, you are stuck with the bus or cab.


And those are your options. Clearly, La Playa and Barranquilla is just a mecca of transportation options, you just have to be open to a little adventure.

Just another day...

So I got to thinking lately about how I am viewing my time here and how I portray the experience to other people. A friend asked me recently how I could be so happy here if all I ever do is talk about my frustrations. On this blog, I probably go a little in the opposite direction, talking about the amazing things, and leaving out the challenges. Ultimately, the question at hand is: If I spend a good part of every day completely and totally frustrated, am I lying to myself when I say that I am happy here?

The truth is, life is really, really hard. I do not speak Spanish (well) at all. I am constantly struggling to understand and be understood. I have classes with 40-50 kids in them with no wealth of teaching resources to draw from. Some of these classes don't seem to be learning a thing. or have any desire to even try. I am exhausted all the time. I went from a place where I had tons of different groups of friends in nearby cities to a place where I know almost no one. I miss my family and my comfort foods and activities from home. Sometimes it takes everything in me to keep from calling up my best friends from home and trying to plan a night out on the town. Plus, I am not making any money, I'm draining my savings, and I have no idea what I am going to do with my life when I get back. Some days, I wonder what the heck I am accomplishing this year.

However, with all that said, I can still honestly say that I am truly and completely happy here. I know. It makes absolutely no sense. But some days I can't help but smile. Whenever I am in the midst of my frustrations and I'm counting down the days until the next weekend, all I seem to need is one smile on a child's face or one lightbulb moment in one of my classes and I remember. I live in Colombia! I have a whole new continent at my fingertips! And I am doing exactly what I love to do. Helping children. Learning about a new culture. And challenging myself every day. I actually love the challenges. I really do! Coming up against these obstacles and fighting my way through is what makes me who I am. While at the time, they may seem insurmountable, I can feel it making me a stronger person and I am learning a lot about myself and the person I want to be. Plus the feeling you get when you realize you are making progress is irreplaceable. The fact is, a lot of my classes are actually learning English!! I have students trying to form sentences and actually using vocabulary they learned. They will chase me down in the hallways or interupt my lesson to ask me how to say any number of words in English, and then actually try to use them. My Field Director was particularly impressed during my evaluation with my use of mostly English in my teaching and the progress the students had made in being able to understand. So apparently I am not completely wasting my time in the classroom.

Furthermore, I am loving the time I get to spend with them outside of class. Most meriendas, or snack time breaks, me and a group of girls go curl up on the bean bags in the library and read stories in English and Spanish. After school, we paint our nails and draw pictures, all the while sharing stories about life and family. I walk kids home from school, get to know the neighborhood, and meet their parents. One parent even thanked me for spending time with her son because he doesn't have a lot of friends. And when I asked why, she explained that the kids in this area are bad news. So now twice a week , we play soccer (and I use the term "play" loosely in my case) with a group of boys after my afternoon English class. We play till it gets dark and wander home together. By the time my class is over, it is 5 o'clock and I'm exhausted, but those two hours kicking, throwing, and playing are just what I need to recover from the stresses of teaching. I wouldn't trade them for anything.

Today marked another interesting adventure for me. A student had invited me to her house for lunch. While my better instincts told me that my Spanish skills were not up to this, and that I should just save us all the stress and awkwardness by politely declining, I honestly didn't know how to say no and not insult her. Besides, the other half of me was secretly excited by this prospect. So I went out, grabbed a dessert, and got ready for my afternoon. My student, Isabel, even called me early because she just couldn't wait any longer. And when, upon my arrival at their house, her younger brother of 3 years gave me a toothless grin and ran into my arms, I knew I had made the right decision. We had an amazing time. We ate a delicious lunch of fish, rice, platanos, salad, apples, and avocado. It took all of my might to finish the plate, it was so full. I looked through photo albums of faded photographs, played games, drew pictures, and received a lovely makeover complete with makeup and a new hairstyle. We watched some TV, and to show me that they had movies in English, I had the difficult choice between "What am I going to do with my life?" or "How to make decisions that honor God." Let's just say I feel much more enlightened now. After hanging out at the house, we took a moto through La Playa, waving at my students as I sped by, ending up at the beach near the mangroves. We played in the water, looked for seashells, played with the hermit crabs, watched a horse get a bath, cheered on a rousing game of water volleyball, and tossed a ball around on the shore. Needless to say, these clothes will now be going in the wash. The Spanish was hard and there were definite times that I struggled. But I did it. I made it. and every time I do something like this i will get better. Will I ever be fluent? I think its safe to say no. But I'm challenging myself and I'm making progress. It is exactly this sense of accomplishment, this growth, this progress that keeps me smiling. And every time I struggle with the challenges of being a teacher or living so far from home, I draw on this warm feeling and remind myself that this is what I love. Because it is. There is nowhere in the world I would rather be. And i wouldn't trade it for all the American comfort food or cushy adult apartments in the world. I promise. :)