Oh yeah, it's still January

The past 3 weeks have been a whirlwind to say the least, here's a little update:

• Moved to Miami with 3 checked bags, 2 carry-ons and a hopeful disposition to find my place in this weird Latin American city
• Mom came after 4 days, spent 4 days helping me get my bearings, find an apartment and a car.
• Found a car. 2009 "salsa red" VW Jetta. Still don't have it in my possession, financing and car insurance holding everything up (who sends papers through the MAIL anymore??). Really need to get a Florida driver's license, but need a Florida resident for that first.
• Day Mom left I flew to London. Spent 1 hour in customs, 2 hours at my former boss's flat, 3 hours in a meeting, then flew to Helsinki.
• Screwed up from the time difference (Helsinki is +7 hours!!), my first opportunity for a real night's sleep in Europe, couldn't go to bed until 3 a.m. Wake up to cleaning lady knocking on door of my hotel room at 12 p.m. Work all afternoon from the hotel, check out Helsinki center in the evening. Shop at H&M, eat a delicious burger with olive tapenade, goats cheese, and a Finnish beer.
• Meeting the next day (what day? Friday?) with our most important client. Did surprisingly well. During the afternoon, walked around Helsinki with our CEO and his wife. Saw the water, boats, market full of cheeses and meats, snow (obvs), pretty lights, pretty Finns. Was pure euphoria.
• Friday night flew to London for weekend with my babez (friends from Mexico 2007 study abroad). K picked me up at Heathrow, took the tube to our friends' place in Camden Town, gossiped the whole way there. Surprised friends with elaborate story, wished I had filmed it to put on youtube and get millions of views, was that good.
• Fabulous friend-filled weekend in London. Got drunk. Saw the Olympic Stadium.
• Came back to Miami on Monday, got to the office in the afternoon, had a breakdown. Saw an apartment on Monday night, found the place.
• Breakdown continued on Tuesday morning, emotions, tears at work, no good. Bosses helped me sort everything out, felt like a child, but we're OK now.
• Finished 500 page book, discussed it over phone with friend for Book Club.
• Sent in financing papers to buy car, hope to pick up salsa Jetta next week.
• Approved for the apartment that I found in the midst of my breakdown, move in February 17.
• Got invited to a Superbowl party, hope to drive my salsa red Jetta there.
• Giovanni's 30th birthday spent in Bogota, alone. Me sad :( Giovanni's visa appointment in ONE week. Me happy :)
• Started new Book Club with friend in London.
• Spending weekend with Couchsurfing people who I had never met. They're nice, took me to Mexican food, showed me pictures of their worldly adventures, let me stay in their bedroom for the weekend. We're gonna go out and ride bikes later.

Boy January's a long month.

Why is it always winter when I visit Europe?

Two days in Helsinki and I’m in love. It’s as if I’m back where I belong, which sounds silly because the quarter Finnish in me doesn’t really justify that, nor does being in Colombia for the past 3 years and also loving it there! But walking around the city center on Thursday night, I don’t know; the combination of the European city center, freezing temperatures warmed by a white snowy landscape inhabited by the happy Finns just walking around (jogging and cycling in fact!) in 25 degree temperatures – well, who wouldn’t feel content? I’ve already started to imagine myself living here, enduring the harsh winters and little daylight, but then venturing off to see the Northern Lights and explore the Baltic islands during the summertime. I’ll dye my hair blonde (I was already contemplating this – living outside of Latin America now I feel enabled), learn Finnish, have lovely blonde-haired blue-eyed children (ok with my Colombian boyfriend that might be difficult, but we can adopt!).

Ok, ok, enough with my fantasies, here are a few fun facts that I’ve learned about Helsinki/Finland in the past few days:

• Usually at this time in January there are 3 feet of snow on the ground and the temperatures drop to -10°C (°F – I’ve been lucky this time around with temperatures only reaching -3°C and only about a foot of snow on the ground
• Women receive one year paid maternity leave. Women may have up to 7 years maternity leave (on a lower paid salary of course) after which employers legally have to give them their job back
• Children start school at age 7, finishing high school at around 19.
• The metro in Helsinki is on the honor system. No one/place checks that you’ve paid.
• Finns pay about >30% in taxes
• Although the country is very northern, you can only see the Northern Lights when you go past the Artic Circle, about 700 km from Helsinki
• Mercedes seem to be America’s Toyota
• Everyone knows how to drive in the snow and it is not a deterring factor nor does it slow down drivers
• Everyone speaks English, even the older folks. And everyone is just really friendly.

sarita does Helsinki (more photos to come)

We love us some public transportation!

One and a half years in the making and finally they opened the Metroplus, a new bus line in Medellin. What makes this bus line so special is that it's state-owned, unlike the other bus lines that are run by a handful of private organizations. It was also constructed to give support to the neighborhoods around the metro and has its own lanes, like Bogota's Transmilenio. So on our 2nd to last weekend in Medellin, Gio and I took to the buses!

One of the Metroplus stops

Entering the metroplus platform

Yay, we love public transportation!

Very similar to the Transmilenio and European 2-car buses

Metroplus platform from the outside

Family time

As our time here is coming to an end, Giovanni's family is realizing that we really have spent very little together. So this past week they've been trying to pack lots of activities in, renting a finca (country house) and making reservations for paintball. I was able to take Thursday afternoon off work and Gio and I joined them that day until Friday morning. Besides the typical freak show role that I play at family gatherings ("What languages do you speak?!"; "Where are you from, you're not from here right?!"), I also had the joy of being the victim of a practical joke and had water thrown at me, along with being sprayed with foam later in the evening (ok well everyone was a victim of that joke). Usually I'm a good sport, but this time I was cold from a 5-hour long downpour and lack of warm clothing - I did not sign on to play the role of wet dog at this family reunion!

I enjoyed myself nonetheless, and am glad that Giovanni got to spend time with his family, something he rarely did before he was with me, so at least I'm somewhat of a good influence on him! Then, two days later we met up with Giovanni's sister, 2 children, and boyfriend for a round of paintball - a first for everyone! There were bruises, paint in ears, mouths, and noses, but we all loved it! We made plans to all buy the gear for next time, so we wouldn't have to rent smelly masks!

Pool time!

Even Giovanni's mom got in on the action, albeit with all her clothes on

Playing cards with the nephew, sister and brother-in-law

Giovanni's sister and her boyfriend

Giovanni's sister and her daughter

Mom and nephew

Giovanni's sister with her 2 kids and mother

Aww

Gio and his two chicas!

This is when it got ugly, yet these moms, aunts, and grandmas had fun with it and started dancing!

Paintball!!

Badass face

Packing

I leave Medellin (for good, as in relocating, not coming back for a while) on Monday. I still can't believe it, it hasn't really hit me. Oh yeah, except when I started packing this evening because I was getting anxious that it all wasn't going to fit in 2 suitcases. So far so good, somewhat. It doesn't look like much (or well, it looks like I've still got a lot left to pack) but I somehow feel better. I'll have to check 3 pieces of luggage (damn my big desktop iMac) and bring on two substancial size carry-ons, which is going to make for a fun time going through customs. Oh and to top it all off I still haven't figured out where I'm staying where I get there yet, oy.

My bare bookshelves

Why does my closet still look pretty full?

One suitcase packed to the brim

Happy New Year!

This year when Giovanni told me we were going to go to our roof at midnight on new year's eve I was not completely on board to say the least. He would have to get a few drinks in me before I would be able to get up the nerve. But surprisingly, it was quite easy and serene watching the fireworks that are set off all over Medellin with a 360 degree view.

The week between Christmas and New Years we went with our friends to check out the river since we hadn't been down there all December. Medellin is known for its lights spectacular across South America. And this year I would say they did not disappoint.

View from the roof (28th floor) on 01/01/12 12:00 a.m

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Lights by the river

Gio, me and our friend Ana Maria