Two Cents Tuesday: Meduh-jean

Mar 7

Mar 7 Two Cents Tuesday: Meduh-jean

After a weekend celebrating Carnaval and a short vacay in Cartagena, we arrived safely in Medellín (dear Mom: It's not spelled 'Medinne'). I skipped a week of writing because, well, you'll see when I post pics. Boating around the Caribbean and drinking piña coladas out of coconuts was not conducive to blogging, or working for that matter, but I did actually manage to work through the 90-degree heat (by the pool). I won't brag too much about Cartagena because most people reading this are stuck in colder climates without a tan, but that beautiful, cobblestone beachtown is a new favorite vacation spot of mine and I will be returning in the future.

It's hard to believe we're already in month three. That means we'll be a quarter of the way done after March. One group, Cousteau, ended this past month, and Darien, another tribe we met in Barranquilla and became bffs with (#Dariaki), concludes in June. They are all freaking out to say the least, and it has me freaking out because I can't imagine packing my bags to go home for good. I actually hope that never happens, but I digress.

Medellín is breathtaking. I really did not expect for this city to be so lush- I'm talking bamboo trees, bright tropical flowers, palms, and babbling brooks at every turn, not to mention the expansive green mountains with buildings nestled all up the foothills (somehow they beat out those of Bogota). It's currently 81 degrees and the past two afternoons have brought booming thunder/lightning but hardly any rain, the perfect combination for working at a sidewalk cafe under a small overhang. Although my apartment is in a very residential neighborhood, we are about 25 minutes (up and down some very SanFran-y hills) from a tiny hostel area with quaint bars and restaurants, where I now sit sipping on espresso and fresh lemonade. Oh, even better news, I'm NOT SICK!

My two cents:

1. If you have the chance to visit a devout Hindu yoga studio that doubles as a lunch-spot, sit on the dirty floor without your shoes, and eat vegan food out of tin bowls, do it. It will be a cool experience and moment of reflection.

cartagena_yogayveglunch1.jpg.crdownload.jpg

2. The equator runs right through Colombia, so unless you want a lovely sunburn after a long day on a boat, wear your 50+spf (better yet, 110, which is actually pretty common here).

3. Bullet-proof naps are a real thing: Drink a bunch of coffee, then immediately take a 20 minute nap. You will wake up more focused and alert (sorry people who work in an office).

4. Lemons don't exist in Colombia (so I'm not really sure how they made the lemonade I'm drinking...)

5. I'm really starting to get the hang of this Remote Year thing. Two months of sheer happiness down, 10 more to go.