Letter al mundo

Dear world,

Hey.  It’s me.  I know it’s been awhile.  Sorry.  Thanks for your patience.  I know I should write more, and I have been meaning to. really!  I know, I know, still totally lame, right?  If wishes were fishes, the path to wherever is paved with good intentions…etc…I have no excuses.  I know I have become “that girl who went off somewhere exciting, probably doing exciting things, who we never hear from”, also known as one of many iterations of “that girl”.  The deadly combination of not only borderline severe business but also nearly debilitating laziness have meant that I have been kept from posting here by an invisible brick wall of my own busy/lazy life.

But life is good, mostly!  I know, world, you actually like to know what it is I am doing, why, where, how, more.  Or at least a little more.  I hope you haven’t resorted to checking CNN to see if the FARC has abducted any young gringas from Cartagena.  No, nothing of the sort, I still feel quite safe here.  Nothing scarier than 6 and 7 year olds.  And since I am safely vegging out in my apartment, munching on yucca chips and starting to feel sore after my second day after taking up running, I decided it might be time for a little update.

Meanwhile…my life has been fairly interesting, for the most part.  Some recent highlights:

• My aunt Karen cam to visit!  She stayed in the historic Centro area, and we had a great time together.  We ate at Crepes and Waffles a number of times…delicioso.
• I smiled at Benicio del Toro.  He came to my favorite Cuban salsa bar, where I was out dancing for the night.  Also, I saw his new movie…in Spanish.
• I went to Carnaval in Barranquilla!  Totally crazy, my friend had her wallet stolen but I did not.
• Last weekend, I went with some friends to a borrowed beach house.  Lazed around there, also went snorkeling.
• Finished all the necessary things to be scuba certified…except the last dive.  That will be coming soon.
• I have been working a lot.

A few highlights from before Christmas…I know, for shame, Linnea!  But I still have stories.  It’s all fresh in my mind, like a new cut papaya:

• I visited Medellin.  It was very safe.  I loved it.  I also took the overnight bus there and back.
• I went to Parque Tayrona.  Twice actually.  Slept in a hammock one of those times.
• Went sailing for the day with a bunch of friends, one of whom had some connection to charter a boat.  I layed on the beach or the boat and ate half a whole fish.
• I went to Tolu, this little hick town not too far away.  Went to the islands and got sick on the boat on the way there.  Actually, more accorately, over the edge of the boat.
• I went with a big group of teachers on a gringo chiva.  We basically drove a party bus around blasting 80s rock music.  Was awesome.
• I did a fair amount of salsa dancing, and I am improving in my skills.  I have pretty well established Havana, my Cuban salsa bar, as “my place”.

Now let’s play a game, shall we?  Which of these stories would you like to hear more about??  I have stories, and every little tidbit has a lot more I can share about.  Comment here, or shoot me an email, and I will be good.  Promise.  More updates soon. As well as updates on the updates.  But after this weekend.  This is the first break we’ve had since Christmas break, so I am going away for the three day weekend.  Hiking and beaches and hammocks, wahoo!

Have a super weekend!

Love, Linnéa