Medellin
After six separate flights, long layovers in China and San Fransisco, and two connections within South America, I finally made it all the way from Asia to South America! Our several travel day experience was by far the longest I have ever traveled. I was in quite a state of delusion after all the time changes. I still cannot believe that I have left the continent of Asia and I am now in South America! But bienvenido, I am in Colombia and in the Eastern timezone (feels like home).
Where am I?
Our location of the month is Pedrigales, a small town on the outskirts of the city of Medellin. The city of Medellin is the second largest city in the country. It is located in the north region of the country. The city is located in a valley and the bordering neighborhoods are located up from the city. Therefore, because I am in a neighboring area, this is my view all the time.
What do I do?
This month we are paired with a church called Ministerio Nueva Vida. So far this month we have picked up with the work this church is doing. We have met with members of the church to have prayer meetings and Bible studies. This past Saturday they held a night event for young adults and we got matching shirts for this too! Our work this week has included many different forms of preparation for this event. This next week, we will move to a sister church of theirs and help with whatever is needed there! So far, we don’t really have a schedule of what our work will be this month, we are in the culture of go with the flow here in South America!
Who is hosting us?
This month we actually live with our hosts. They are the pastor of the church, Pastor William and his wife, Christina. They have four kids who are mostly grown up. However, they have various family members and friends constantly running in and out of the house. They are incredibly hospitable and welcoming! They are a beautiful family, very close and connected, very active in the church and community, and very loving. It has been cool to feel like we have become part of their family, part of meals, late night conversations, invited to their friend’s birthday parties, and Christina even curled my hair for our church event! They really have opened up their home and hearts to us.
Where do I live?
This month, we live in our host’s house. We live in rooms underneath the main part of the house that the family lives. It is great because we are close to the family, but we also have our own space when we need it. We have been split into two rooms and we sleep on mattresses on the floor. We have a small kitchen and table right outside our rooms, indoor plumbing and showers (cold). The house is also attached to the church right next door, very convenient. We live so close to the church that we almost always hear church music playing as we relax in our room! Around our house there are a few scattered restaurants and small convenience stores. There is much more in the city of Medellin, but it is a car ride away.
What do I eat?
We eat amazing food everyday made by our host Christina (or Mama Christina)! She makes us three meals a day. It is typical in Colombia to eat a small breakfast, a large lunch and a small dinner or snack late at night. We have been able to try all sorts of dishes usually including different versions of potatoes, rice, vegetables, arepas (a thick flour or corn tortilla), and meats with different fruit juices on the side and almost everyday we have either coffee or hot chocolate! We are absolutely spoiled and we are eating very very well here. And since it is culturally inappropriate to leave food on your plate, we eat a lot here 🙂
Currency?
The money here is called the Colombian Peso. 1 USD= about 3,000 peso.
Transportation?
Since our home and church is connected, we haven’t had to transport much. A few restaurants are walking distance to us. However, when we want to go farther, we can take the bus or taxi.
Exercise?
The places to exercise this month are slim… however I have found some things to work with…they are called stairs. Because we are located very high up on the mountain, almost anytime we walk anywhere we basically hike. Therefore, my workouts for the month will include running up and down these seep hills. I have also found a cute park near the house with homemade cement weights! I have learned that you use whatever you have in each location!
Tourism?
On the first day after we arrived in Medellin, we took a small day trip out to a famous neighborhood in Medellin that is known for its beautiful graffiti art. This area is called Comuna 13. The area used to be one of Colombia’s most dangerous neighborhoods. We finished off the day with yummy popsicles! I have also ridden the somewhat famous and new metrocable (or gondola), which is a form of public transportation and is an amazing way to see this massive and spectacular city! I am excited to see so much more of Medellin during my time here!
