Today I’m going to tell you in a little bit more detail about my life here in Venezuela.
When I wake up in the morning, I shower, brush my teeth with purified water that’s been boiled for at least 15 minutes, and wake up my roommate, Jenni if she’s still sleeping. Then I choose one of the four t-shirts that I brought with me to wear with my favorite jeans. I slip on my black flats, pack my backpack, and let my hair air dry while I eat breakfast. When Jenni and I walk into the kitchen, Benilde, our 29 year old host sister, will already be there with two pots and two pans on the stove, all boiling or steaming or simmering with something different inside. She’ll greet us with “¡buenos dias!” and we’ll greet her back and sit down on our stools on opposite sides of the kitchen island. Benilde will set down two mugs of café con leche in front of us (a rich blend of milk, coffee, and sugar), and then put down our plates on matching orange placemats. Breakfast usually consists of arepas (a traditional Venezuelan pancake made of ground corn dough) which are sliced open when they are still warm and stuffed with ham and cheese or eggs.
When we are finished eating, we grab our backpacks and head out the door by 7:40 to make it to our 8:30 class on time. We walk along this path…
next to this lake…
to get to on this red trolley-bus.
And this is what I see outside the trolley window on my 15 minute ride to school.
I see the same colorful fences and houses and powder blue mountains on the ride home. And then I know I’m at the right stop when I see the sign on the corner that says “Museo de Ciencia y Tecnología”.
This is the museum that I live by. And this is what it looks like from across the lake.
On my way home I walk up a big hill, and this dog follows me.
I pass by the house with the crazy plant (which I always stop to look at), and the little store where I buy yogurt and apples, and I have no idea how much anything costs.
And then I walk three more blocks along the windy road until I see this gate.
Behind the gate is my house…
and this beautiful garden…
and a very interesting tree with very interesting flowers.
When I walk through the front door I pass through the livingroom…
and then flop down onto my bed.
Loving life this morning 