Daddy always tells me that I have two speeds: really fast and stop. Emotionally, he’s absolutely right. I’m 100% sunshine the biggest part of the time, but when the rain comes, it gets ugly. Give me a little space, some comfort food, and a good cry and I work my way back to sunny skies. […]

Posted in colombia, running 2 Comments »

Mis amigos, mi familia: I’ve never liked Valentine’s Day, really. First of all, shouldn’t you be all mushy and romantic everyday? Commercialized holidays shouldn’t tell us when to buy flowers or say nice things, should they? Fair enough, I’m probably just bitter and against relationships altogether. Generally I wear all black on February 14th, eat […]

Posted in colombia, friendcitos, home 4 Comments »

I had a date last night. Okay, so it wasn’t a real date. It was more like my friend won two tickets to a jazz concert and she invited me to tag along. I’m sort of a sure thing that way. The concert was part of the Jazz Festival of Manizales which is just the […]

Posted in colombia 9 Comments »

I’m sort of prone to carsickness.  Scratch that.  I want to throw my guts up at the sight of twists, turns, and dips ahead.  But I haven’t thrown up carside in quite some time. Well, except for that time when I was 25 or so and had to say, “No, Ma.  I’m serious.  I’ve got […]

Posted in colombia 8 Comments »

Yesterday started out as a sort of bummer. I got home, took out my running shoes, laced them up and met some friends for a jog. We ended up on the track below my house. And I think my insides jumped a little. Ten years and thirty pounds ago I was really fast. That’s not […]

Posted in colombia, rambling 7 Comments »

Dear Boomama, I didn’t know who else might sympathize the way that you would.  We are kindred spirits, you know.  How could we not be?  Southern girls, Mississippi born and raised.  Bulldogs by choice.  MA-ROOON!  WHITE!  See the spirit?  Do you FEEL the spirit?  I have it.  You have it.  WE have it, Boomama! So, […]

Posted in colombia, friendcitos 5 Comments »

It’s no secret that I love cafeteria ladies.  I love the heart that they have for serving and I appreciate how hard they work, not to mention that I heard all sorts of tales from the lunch room as a child.  My grandmother, after all, worked in the cafeteria for umpteen dozen years.  So, each year […]

Posted in colombia, teaching 9 Comments »

I like beginning of the year activities. They’re a chance to get to know one another and to be silly and to build community. One of my favorites is Me Bags. I ask kids to put three objects that best represent themselves in a bag and to share the contents with the class. Today there […]

Posted in colombia, home, teaching 9 Comments »

I live on the busiest street in Manizales, Colombia.  There’s a theatre within walking distance, a large grocery store, and a Juan Valdez coffee shop who’s wifi I can pick up occassionally.  There are people wearing clothes imported from the States and fancy cars that fly by obnoxiously blowing their horns throughout the night.  There […]

Posted in colombia, compassion 5 Comments »

It is afternoon.  The middle of a school day and my classroom is quiet.  There is no Spanglish chatter.  There are no shuffling feet or screeching chairs.  The floor is littered with shreds of colored paper and cookie crumbs.  My desk is full of notes, drawings and gifts left by children that seem older today.  […]

Posted in colombia, faith 4 Comments »