Today is one of those special dates in family history, marking the anniversary of both my step-sister and her husband and my grandfather and grandmother's anniversary. It's also the birthday of my other grandma, so a big day all around. I am celebrating these various occasions by laying in my hammock, icing my knee and catching up with people on Skype. My knee is giving me trouble again, but otherwise this Saturday is a perfectly good Saturday as Saturdays go- erring on the lazier side of productive, not too rushed, tentative plans for the evening that may or may not go through. It feels nice to be in a routine; even the power going out for an hour randomly earlier this afternoon doesn't dampen my mood, because any good routine in the 3rd world leaves room for adaptation.
Have this lazily productive time on my hands has me thinking a lot of about my time in the third world and what my next move is going to be. In two short weeks, I will have to notify my school of my intention to stay or leave next school year. Contracts in international schools come so soon since the visa process takes so long, and choosing not to renew your contract almost always means doing so without another job lined up. That is a very scary prospect for me, especially considering that Ivan and I are planning to make the next transition together. Moving as a pair makes my recruitment process quite a bit more complicated, and I would be lying if I said I hadn't lost sleep over my indecisions regarding this process. I continue to have stay days and go days and they continue to add up pretty close to even. When I make my mental pros and cons list, it also turns out even. Then of course, there are those nagging feelings that come about whenever you stand on the verge of a precipice. On one hand, the adrenaline of change overwhelms you- the excitement of possibility and new opportunity. On the other hand, the gripping fear of the unknown, the dread of uncertainty and change. After all, I like my routines in Caracas, even the ones that force me to be more adaptive than I had expected.
So, those three of you that actually read my blog, I ask for your prayers for discernment. May the best path for me present itself and may it lead me to continued personal and professional fulfillment. I, in the mean time, will be visiting Holly in Colombia, where I plan to ignore the impending decision deadline and instead eat at places called "chicken and crepes" and drink world renowned Colombian coffee, even at 3pm if I so feel like it. That is the kind of break in routine that I can really get behind.
September 27, 2014
September 13, 2014
Ahoy Tortuga!
What a great couple of weeks it has been! Things are really back into the swing and I am busy as ever- but busy in a good way! Last weekend was a great and busy weekend. Ivan and I celebrated our one year anniversary with a trip to La Isla Tortuga!
Isla Tortuga, far from the debacherous party island portrayed in PIrates of the Caribbean, is an uninhabited, undeveloped barrier island about 85 km off the coast of Venezuela. It is only accessible by boat, and Ivan and I were up for this maritime challange. And by up, I mean up at 2:30am on Saturday morning to catch the boat at 4am! After a quick stay in a posada in Higuerote, we headed to the dock very early to catch a small boat that would take us to our waiting yacht, which would take us on the 4-5 hour journey to Isla Tortuga!
Whew!
We, being Ivan, I and 18 of our new best friends, piled into the "lancha", or motor boat, at the dock and were quickly whisked with all our bags, chairs and coolers off to the yacht. Travelling at night through the sleeping marina was so calm- the beautiful bay front apartments and houses stood stoic and dark against the moonlit water. Before long, the city lights faded and just when I thought that the lancha would take us all the way to Tortuga, we came to our yacht, moored just outside the last marina. Sleepily we loaded on and all found a soft spot to sit. Though some spots were definitely softer than others, we all nodded off in no time.
By the time Ivan and I came to, I had an adorable six year old's legs in my lap and the sun was well above the horizon. I enjoyed the rest of the boat ride standing at the open door to the deck, watching Isla Tortuga slowly emerge from the blue abyss in front of us.
The boat made port on a barrier island just past the eastern tip of Tortuga- a cayo (small island) as they call it in Spanish. There, we found about 200 new new best friends! Many private yachts were moored around the island, and tents were set up along the beach for us touristy, non-yacht-owning types. And so our adventure begun! We claimed a tent right next to a beach umbrella so that I could stay mostly out of the sun- 24 hours on an equator island is too much for my German skin without a lot of shade time! We cracked a few beers and headed to the gorgeous blue, clear, perfectly cool but not too cool water.
We spent the next 24 hours enjoying the beach life- snorkeling, pasaering, sleeping under a full, amazingly bright moon, taking morning dives into the welcoming water, talking and just enjoying one anothers company. Besides some over zealous music playing by the yacht anchored directly in front of us and the absolute lack of any facilities besides a shared bucket, it was the perfect weekend. After another lengthy yacht ride (and nap) back to the mainland, we made the jaunt back to Caracas in time for a good nights sleep before the work week.
The work weeks have been blowing past at an alarming speed....I mean, not like I am complaining about that! Between school, Spanish lessons, physical therapy and the various after school activities I am tangled in, I barely have time to get eight hours of sleep before the next day is already on top of me. I actually hope this speed keeps up- I have a lot to look forward to in the next few months! Walli, Anne and I are visiting Holly in Colombia in October and then in December I get to take another trip with Ivan AND go home for nine glorious days! I am SO stoked I get to go home for Christmas. I really want to hug my Mom and Dad! Sometimes I think I am more homesick this year than I was last year....I guess the honeymoon is over! :) But, I found milk in the store today so at least I am only homesick for my parents and not for basic foodstuffs! Small victories!
Isla Tortuga, far from the debacherous party island portrayed in PIrates of the Caribbean, is an uninhabited, undeveloped barrier island about 85 km off the coast of Venezuela. It is only accessible by boat, and Ivan and I were up for this maritime challange. And by up, I mean up at 2:30am on Saturday morning to catch the boat at 4am! After a quick stay in a posada in Higuerote, we headed to the dock very early to catch a small boat that would take us to our waiting yacht, which would take us on the 4-5 hour journey to Isla Tortuga!
Whew!
We, being Ivan, I and 18 of our new best friends, piled into the "lancha", or motor boat, at the dock and were quickly whisked with all our bags, chairs and coolers off to the yacht. Travelling at night through the sleeping marina was so calm- the beautiful bay front apartments and houses stood stoic and dark against the moonlit water. Before long, the city lights faded and just when I thought that the lancha would take us all the way to Tortuga, we came to our yacht, moored just outside the last marina. Sleepily we loaded on and all found a soft spot to sit. Though some spots were definitely softer than others, we all nodded off in no time.
By the time Ivan and I came to, I had an adorable six year old's legs in my lap and the sun was well above the horizon. I enjoyed the rest of the boat ride standing at the open door to the deck, watching Isla Tortuga slowly emerge from the blue abyss in front of us.
The boat made port on a barrier island just past the eastern tip of Tortuga- a cayo (small island) as they call it in Spanish. There, we found about 200 new new best friends! Many private yachts were moored around the island, and tents were set up along the beach for us touristy, non-yacht-owning types. And so our adventure begun! We claimed a tent right next to a beach umbrella so that I could stay mostly out of the sun- 24 hours on an equator island is too much for my German skin without a lot of shade time! We cracked a few beers and headed to the gorgeous blue, clear, perfectly cool but not too cool water.
We spent the next 24 hours enjoying the beach life- snorkeling, pasaering, sleeping under a full, amazingly bright moon, taking morning dives into the welcoming water, talking and just enjoying one anothers company. Besides some over zealous music playing by the yacht anchored directly in front of us and the absolute lack of any facilities besides a shared bucket, it was the perfect weekend. After another lengthy yacht ride (and nap) back to the mainland, we made the jaunt back to Caracas in time for a good nights sleep before the work week.
The work weeks have been blowing past at an alarming speed....I mean, not like I am complaining about that! Between school, Spanish lessons, physical therapy and the various after school activities I am tangled in, I barely have time to get eight hours of sleep before the next day is already on top of me. I actually hope this speed keeps up- I have a lot to look forward to in the next few months! Walli, Anne and I are visiting Holly in Colombia in October and then in December I get to take another trip with Ivan AND go home for nine glorious days! I am SO stoked I get to go home for Christmas. I really want to hug my Mom and Dad! Sometimes I think I am more homesick this year than I was last year....I guess the honeymoon is over! :) But, I found milk in the store today so at least I am only homesick for my parents and not for basic foodstuffs! Small victories!
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