Visitors in Medellín

Blaire and Katie with me at the top of Cerro Nutibara at Dusk

The Happy Travelers at El Puente del Occidente over the
Cauca River in Santa Fe de Antioquia

On the Metro-Cable
(hanging cable cars used for mass-transit)

On different weekends in June, friends Blaire and Katie, of FL, and Sarah and Chris, of WI, visited me here in Colombia.  It was an incredible treat to get to host them all and show-off my adopted hometown.  They all seemed impressed with Medellín's beauty and sophistication.  We had a great time meeting some of my dearest friends here in town and heading out for some city night-life.  I also enjoyed using their visits as an excuse to wander out of town a bit to see some neighboring small towns that I'd heard great things about.

Posing with Chris in Parque Berrio
with a favorite Botero Statue

Sarah and Chris visiting Grandma Magola
in her lovely garden

Sarah and Chris hanging out above Medellín on the Metro-Cable

A Graduation!

In May I went back to California for a quick trip for my sister Daniela's graduation from my alma mater, Pitzer College.  The whole family came to town to celebrate the big event and it was an incredible pleasure to be with my parents and all my siblings.  Congrats, sister!  Daniela already has a full-time job working for San Francisco City Hall... just about the only one of her friends to be employed right out of college.  Congrats again!!

Photo Book

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My Places: JazzDance Academy

This is the beautiful dance studio where I spend several hours each week taking Ballet and Modern  dance classes.    My instructors are excellent and the classes are full of motivated adults.  I feel so lucky to have found this lovely school which offers classes in tap, ballet, jazz, modern, contemporary, flamenco, and hip-hop for ids and adults.  I felt right at home the first time I entered this school and cherish the time I get to spend there.

I can walk to this studio in about 25 mins. past a large university and a neighborhood full of great restaurants and lively bars and cafes.  

My Places: Altitud Climbing Center

I spend quite a bit of time at Altitud, a local climbing center.  I have made many friends at this gym who I climb with at the outdoor climbing destinations in the region.  The owners are great friends of mine now and have shown me incredible kindness since my arrival.  They have really made me feel like part of the Altitud family!

Juan Guillermo and Maria Isabel Directors of the climbing school, seen here at the the potluck I hosted in November.  They also put on the annual trail run half marathon that I participated in last fall.  Incredible athletes and remarkable people.

Carlos and Marco: my climbing buddies hanging out in the bouldering cave.

Outside of Altitud :)  I can walk there in about 25 mins. from my house through a lovely little neighborhood.

My Students

These are some of my 6th grade Math students.  I have 70 6th graders, 70 7th graders, and 70 8th graders.  They are in groups of 35 (so much for "Montessori," right?).  I spend 6 academic hours (45 mins each) with 6th graders, 2 hrs with 7th graders, and 1 hour per week with 8th grade.  I still don't know the 8th graders names!  I also spend an hour a week doing a creative movement/intro gymnastics class for the 6 yr. olds here...the highlight of my week!

Our school year follows the calendar year, Jan - Dec.  The students will be off for a week in April, the month of June, a week in October then ~7 weeks between December and January.  I have travel plans worked into these breaks.  My parents will be here for Spring Break, we will go to a southern Colonial town; in June I will be in Ecuador with my sister and friends; I hope to be on the Caribbean Coast in October and Peru in December.  Always planning the next trip!!

Holidays in Medellin

Now that the Holiday Season here and in the States has passed, I figured it's time to provide a glimpse at how Colombians celebrate.  I hosted a potluck around Thanksgiving with new friends, then in December I enjoyed the Legends and Myths Parade downtown-- a great family tradition here in the city.  Medellin is know for it's lights displays, especially those that twirl above the river!  I was highly impressed with  the brilliance of these displays.

Potluck!

Holiday Lights

Parade Floats

The new school year has begun and I will not be with the 3rd graders after all. I will primarily be teaching 6th grade math with a few hours with the 7th and 8th graders as well.  In February my modern dance workshop will begin at the university.  I am excited for the year to get rolling!  Hope your New Year celebrations were great!  Enjoy the photos.