Currency from around the world is so fascinating (here is a lovely collection of images of paper currency.) Handling and thinking in terms of a new currency is a beautiful challenge when traveling. I exchanged some USD (United States Dollar) to COP (Colombian Peso) and marveled at the 440,000 COP Brian brought home from the bank. As a visual person, I took up the pen and sticky notes. There is nothing a sticky note cannot do in my world. Labeling each note with the USD equivalent helped me to see a pattern emerge. Sarah's requesting I bring back coins; I'm eager to see what those look like.
I'll be engaging in lots of mental math while in Colombia, translating and converting currency in my head. Ah, school life as real life. And if you are craving a little bit of real life as school life, consider this - what is 440,000 COP worth in USD? (PS - Currently, $1USD = 1853.70COP. Dear MMCS Peeps (present, past and future)!
I wish I could take you all with me to Colombia. You are traveling with me -- in my heart, part of my being. Can't wait to share this experience with you! Hope you all are enjoying the summer. We have just a bit over a month until we're back at school (except for our Amy Biehl folks who head back in two weeks!) See you soon! And don't forget to sign up for a personalized digital postcard here! Love, Ms. Jen I've been waiting for this adventure for a long time. And, for better or worse, the internet has provided information and images to fuel my imagination, to ignite my curiosity. I've saved dozens of images on my Pinterest board, have viewed countless videos, have read through blogs, wandered through travel guides, and trudged through history books. I have, indeed, done some reclining-chair-travel to Colombia and back. Am I over prepared? Have I knocked out the mystery of what is to come? Three summers ago, Sarah and I traveled to China. I'd seen countless images of the Terra Cotta Warriors. I'd seen videos by PBS, BBC, Discovery Channel, History Channel, and National Geographic. I read (and followed) the advice from the Lonely Planet guide to arrive early and go directly to Pit 1 before the rush of tourists arrived. I knew what to expect. And the tears still sprung forth when we entered and saw this... Seeing it in person, so close, was stunningly awesome. I love that memory. So, yes, I can imagine, what it will be like to see the Caribbean Sea from the shores of Cartagena. I anticipate the taste of my first arepa and the view of Bogotá from Monserrate. But there's thump-of-the-heart feelings that come from gazing upon these wonders with my own eyes. The tastes. Smells. Those feelings of awe, curiosity, joy and adventure that bubble from deep within. I'm most excited about meeting people. I'll have the good fortune of meeting teachers and students and working with my fellow TGCers from across the US along with Colombians. Aside from smiling at the thought of smiling with the people I will meet, I can only begin to imagine the rich encounters I will have. Experiences from TGCers who have traveled before our group have certainly issued glimpses of Extraordinary, and I understand that Extraordinary cannot be manufactured; it is authentic. We had many experiences like this in China including one special day in Datong. We had hired a driver for the day to take us to several sights in the area. He was kind, helpful, entertaining, and very protective of Sarah. He provided an umbrella for us when we arrived at the Yungang Grottoes and he drove into a corn field so I could get this shot of "Buddha Mountain." I really wanted to go on the coal mine tour in Datong, but the last tour had already left when we arrived in the late afternoon (hindsight-is-20/20 realization -- we had no business going on a coal mine tour! Coal mine disasters are prevalent in Datong!). Our driver saw my disappointment and rushed off to talk to Somebody. Before we knew it, Sarah and I were being escorted across the campus of the coal mine and refinery until we entered a building with a marbled foyer with photos of dignitaries hanging on the walls. At the end of the hall was an elevator, from which, the coal miners returned to the light from the depths of the earth: We had been taken to see the coal miners come out of the mine. We stood there - Sarah and I - smiling waving like maniacs at these gentlemen (some waved back and, I imagine, some thought we were crazed.) This gesture -- obtaining permission to take us to this point to make up for us not being able to take the tour -- that was Extraordinary. I was moved to tears.
It's experiences like this - gems that I cannot anticipate - that I look forward to the most on this trip to Colombia. In one week, I'll be there, in Bogotá, at nearly 9,000 feet above sea level. To Do/ Try While I'm in Colombia
in no particular order and certainly not complete Collaborate with teachers Observe classrooms Interact with students Have a meal with locals Go to a beach where locals go Listen to live music Eat fresh seafood Visit El Museo del Oro Eat a variety of arepas visit a beach on the Caribbean coast Empanadas I'd love to teach a lesson to students in Spanish chocolate colombiano Visit an outdoor market Patacones Try a variety of luscious fruits Salsa dancing People watch, even for a little bit, in a plaza Visit Cerro de Monserrate |