Sunday reflections

I'm changing.  For the better, I think, but I'm changing.  I am noting more and more qualities about myself that have changed, or grown and it's scary and wonderful all at the same time.

For starters, they are getting less ugly.  And by 'they' I mean platform shoes.  I know.  I can't believe I'm saying this either.  A month ago I looked at platform shoes and laughed.  I looked at the women trying to walk and quietly (well okay sometimes not so quietly) judged them wondered what they found so cool about the shoes.  Every pair that I saw (meaning about every 30 seconds walking down the street), just made me chuckle because I thought they were the ugliest shoes ever.  And yes, I actually took these photos to give you examples. 

Now, however, I feel differently.  I see some pairs that I actually like, I think they look good as part of the outfit, and I even would not mind trying a pair on just to see how comfortable they are (or are not).  Would I ever buy a pair?  Probably not.  But the fact that in such a short period of time my perspective on something that I used to hate so much, has already changed, says a lot about the effects of complete cultural immersion.

Another thing that has changed is that I have become a bit of a night owl.  Prior to coming here, there was nothing I loved more than going to bed at a reasonable hour, waking up on my own at 7:30 or 8am, going for a quick run, and then sitting on my couch with a cup of coffee in hand watching the news.  I sound like an old lady, I know, but seriously, nothing I loved more.  I still love that, and I get excited thinking about going home at Christmastime and being able to do that again.  However, now I also love staying up late and sleeping in.

I can now stay up until 5am and sleep in until 12 o 1pm and I have no problem with it.  In fact, I kind of enjoy mornings spent sleeping in, and then waking up to lunch time and a day in full swing.  It's not so bad.  It's also a sign that I am truly becoming a Cordobesa, seeing that here everyone, even little kids stay up until at least 11pm or midnight regularly.  It is a night life city and it is growing on me.  My avergae bedtime prior to coming was about at 11pm and now its around 1 or 2am.

I'm a cake person.  I've never hated cake, but I've always had a kind of take it or leave it attitude about cake (unless it's chocolate with peanut butter icing...that's a whole different story).  But here, I love cake.  Maybe it's that the cake here is always 100% homemade, or that it usually includes dulce de leche, or that it is always accompanied by the best cup of coffee, or that it is truly made with love.  I have no idea what it is, but I am a cake person and also now a believer that life is too short to not eat the cake. A piece of cake a day keeps the doctor a way?  Is that how it goes?  Regardless, it's good for the soul.

While on the topic of food, prior to coming here, I thought I was going to suffer with the meal times here, but I have actually grown to love them.  They make sense.  Every morning when we wake up we have toasted bread or criollos or medialunas (or whatever else mi abuela buys from the panaderia) with mermelada (jam) or dulce de leche.  We don't eat a ton; two or three little slices and that's usually it, accompanied by a cup of coffee, and the day starts out sweet, light, and delicious.  At around 1:30 or 2pm we have our big meal of the day.  What it consists of depends on the day, but usually meat, veggies, and potatoes...and bread.  Mi abuela eats every single meal with a fork in one hand and bread in the other.  I am not kidding.  I don't know what it is about the people here, but they love, and I mean LOVE their bread.  Around 4 or 5pm, we have what is called a merienda (snack) which consists of tea or coffee with crackers.  It's just a little something to hold us over until dinner.  Then around 9pm (this is actually an early time) we eat dinner, which is similar to lunch, but lighter, as no one likes to eat a lot right before bed time.  I am learning to love and appreciate these times, and my stomach has adjusted accordingly.  I rarely ever feel super hungry, and I kind of like going to be with a happy, satisfied stomach.   

Everything here is slow.  Not in a bad way, though, as I have come to appreciate the slowness of this culture.  Eating a meal takes at least an hour and a half, if not more.  In fact, mi abuela makes me get up early enough to have a half an hour to "desayunar bien" (eat breakfast well) with her.  So every morning, I happily oblige, and spend a half an hour slowly consuming my little pieces of bread and coffee as we watch the news together and chat.  Also, going anywhere does not happen fast.  For example, my friend lives about 5 minutes away...in a car that is.  Since I can't walk there because it's too dangerous, I take the bus.  It takes me 10 minutes to walk to the bus stop, 20 minutes on the bus (since it's not a direct route to her apartment), and then when I get off the bus, another 5 minute walk to her house.  It takes time.  Time makes it so much more intentional.  Here, if you want to see you friends, you are going to have to make time to do so, and it will probably be the best thing ever.  "Running errands" doesn't exist.....or it does, but it's going to be at a much slower pace than a run, and it will probably take all day because the bus will come late and you will stop and have mate with five different people.  Also, the people here don't look at it as "running errands" with the negative connotation that those two words together seem to have, but rather they enjoy going out and taking care of things and going shopping just because it's a part of their lives.  There are a thousand other examples, but to sum it up, everyone here lives their life in a way in which whatever they are doing can easily be put to the side at any time to talk with a friend or help someone out.    

I have become more confident, yet careful.  I don't know if this is due to the robbery or what, but I feel that while I've definitely become more careful, I have also become more confident in my ability to not look like a target while walking down the street.  I have become a master at hiding my purse.  I tuck it under my shirt, zip my jacket up over it, or just don't bring it.  I also always, always, always have $100 pesos in my bra.  That way I know that if I get robbed again, I at least have enough money to take a taxi home.  I usually hold my keys too...partly in case I need to use them as a weapon and partly because I would feel so scared if someone robbed me again, but this time also had the keys to my house.  I've also become such a city person.  In fact, now that I think about it, I can't remember the last time I saw a wide open space (that doesn't include the park here).  I am learning to love the city.  Prior to coming, I didn't really think about the fact that I would be living in the city, walking everywhere, relying on public transportation, falling asleep to the sounds of people, cars, and motorcycles.  I just really did not think about it, but that's the reality here and I'm loving it.
  
Another change- I am NOT a germ-a-phobe, because you can't be one here.  I never really was a germ-a-phobe, but even more so since coming here I've become more lax about the idea of germs.  We all share the same mate and drink out of the same straw.  We all touch the railings and bells in the buses and sit in the same back seats of the taxis.  We all drink from the same cups and at times eat from the same silverware.  In fact, mi abuela usually eats off of and/or licks her knife and fork and then uses them to cut a piece of bread for me.  At first I thought it was a little odd, but now it's just life.  She wanted to lick the fork, I wanted a piece of bread...why dirty more silverware? We also all pet the same street dogs (even if you don't try to...some really like to snuggle), and inevitably walk in the piles of surprises the leave strewn about the city.  And best of all, we all kiss the same cheeks, because we all kiss EVERYONE that we are in contact with.  Personal bubbles and strict hygiene  policies don't really exist here, and I can't say I mind.

All in all, I'm changing.  I think it's for the better, because I am adapting and falling more in love everyday.  I keep thinking I can't love it more, and then it happens, I love it more, and the cycle continues.  Whether it's mi abuela's adorable fashion advice, mi mama's ability to make a delicious cake, the slow pace of life here, the people, the kisses, the love, the culture, I just can't get enough of it, and it is definitely making it's mark on me.