Adios Barranquilla

Since I'm flying first class tomorrow for the first time ever, I've been daydreaming, fantasizing really, about how it will be...

I've convinced myself that I will be sitting next to a celebrity and that that celebrity will be Martha Stewart. This brings up all sorts of questions: Does Martha Stewart fly commercially, somehow I doubt it, but when picking my outfit tonight I thought, "I wonder if Martha would like this?"

I'm also imagining champagne and hot fudge sundaes. I'll let you know how it goes.

We leave Barranquilla at 2:30 and will arrive in Chicago around midnight. There aren't any flights to Des Moines after midnight so we'll stay in Chicago and get to Des Moines around 9:30 am on Sunday.

"w00t" has been added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. w00t! w00t! In less than 24 hours I'll be back in the USA!

Christmas Party

We were all thinking it was a bit strange to have the party on a Wednesday since we have a full school day today, but it got even stranger when we sat down at the restaurant and a bottle of rum was almost immediately placed in front of us. The rum is served with lime juice and coke, (no, not that kind)and it seemed to be coming in a never ending supply.

The restaurant was called Canta Gallo (singing chicken). Canta Gallo is also Barranquilla's most popular karoake bar. Before going I was imagining total embarrasment for everyone. I was wrong. Colombians can sing! And they're amazing dancers. I didn't get in on the karoake action, but I did dance. I think I danced with everyone at the party.

They say that Colombia is the fourth happiest country in the world, I've even heard second happiest country in the world. I don't know how they measure it, but I can see it. Have you ever been to a party where the whole room is dancing? Even Brad danced.

Eventually the restaurant kicked us out and everyone piled into taxis to go to various bars around the city. We stayed out until after one, I did it against my better judgement.

Waking up this morning was rough, but Gustavo, the guy we ride with stayed out until 4. We showed up 15 minutes late to school and no one said a word.


I've decided that the students have worked very hard and deserve to watch a movie today.

A Christmas Carol

Despite only two weeks to pull it all together the 7th graders' play was a success. There were a few problems. Tiny Tim momentarily forgot he was a cripple and jumped off a table. Scrooge asked the Ghost of Christmas Past who he was three times before remembering that he doesn't talk. And the Ghost of Christmas Present had a giggle fit when telling Scrooge that Tiny Tim would die. We had an audience of enraptured third graders who couldn't tell the difference though.

The kids were so cute in their costumes. I'll add pictures tomorrow.

Brad and I leave on Saturday and until then there's a party every night. Today the PTA had a lunch for us. It was delicious; there were tamales, date cakes and coconut drops. Tomorrow the school is having a Christmas/karaoke party. Thursday we're having a party with our friend Susana, who is moving to Bogota and Friday after school there's a bbq on school grounds. Alfredo, Amber's boyfriend, talked the administration into letting us have beer. So, the time should fly by until we're home, but I'm still anxious to touch that good Iowa soil on Sunday.

Straw Family Vacation Destination: COLOMBIA!

The Straws are coming to Colombia! Here's a copy of the email I sent in repsonse to the news that they had purchased their plane tickets:

Hi Family!
I am pumped! Colombia 2008 is going to be the best family vacation ever! We will bond over our common stomach ailments, show strength as a family against kidnappers, get rich smuggling cocaine. Just kidding! None of those things will happen. Unless you want to smuggle cocaine, and then you're on your own.
Seriously I am excited and I have some homework for you all:
1) Watch Romancing the Stone
2) Read 100 Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
3) Read this Wikipedia article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartagena,_Colombia
4) Pick at least 3 restaurants from this page
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/South_America/Colombia/Departamento_de_Bolivar/Cartagena-1578306/Restaurants-Cartagena-BR-1.html
5) Learn how to dance
There will be a test over this. If you fail, I will leave you at the airport.

I leave for Iowa a week from tomorrow!
Woop-woop!!!!!

Love you,
Sarah

Sancocho

On Saturday we went to Alfredo's house for a sancocho. Alfredo is Amber's boyfriend. He's 35, but lives with his parents. Don't worry, that's the thing to do in Colombia. Alfredo's mom made us a huge pot of sancocho, a delicious Colombian stew full of meat and yucca (Colombian potato) that you squeeze a lime into right before eating. So far we haven't been overly delighted by Colombian cuisine, but Saturday's meal was exceptional. Halfway through my bowl of sancocho, just when I thought things couldn't get any more delicious, Alfredo's mom asked if anyone wanted cucallo, the burnt rice at the bottom of the pan. Besides the fruit, cucallo is the best thing about Colombian food. It is crunchy, salty, buttery, warm, a perfect accompaniment to stew or anything, really. After the sancocho we sat around and had a few Aguilas before heading to a small market six blocks away to finish our Christmas shopping.

Tyrona Two

Just after getting back from Tyrona I agreed to let the seventh graders perform A Christmas Carol. To give you an idea of our progress we are having our first rehearsal today, a week before we raise the curtain, if we even have a curtain by then...

So you can expect a hilarious recount of next Tuesday's events, which will take place in front of parents and coworkers, but for now I give you Trip to Tyrona Two:










Joe had two friends visit from Minnesota, that's why he looks so happy.


Christmas shopping in Rodadero