Each day is a unique adventure, filled with unexpected twists and turns; therefore, describing a typical day is nearly impossible, but most days until recently usually followed a pattern that looked something like this:
The night before class:
9:00 p.m.: In order to prepare for the following day, I set aside $3,400 pesos for the bus ride to school and $2,000 pesos for my breakfast of two bananas and a package of nuts. That's just under the equivalent of $2 USD. I fill my water bottle, pack my bag, and decide what to wear for the following day. With the excessive heat and exhaustion of speaking a second language, I sleep at least eight hours a night. Before falling asleep, I make sure to lightly spray my sheets with bug repellent so that the mosquitoes don't bite me during the night!
The day of class:
6:05 a.m.: Off sounds my alarm! After washing my face, I usually dress in a pair of breezy pants and a tank top. I braid my hair or wrap it in a bun secured with a banana clip...a very popular fashion trend on the coast.
6:30 a.m.: Time to catch the bus. Even before 7 o'clock, I'm already sweating as I walk several blocks to the street where my bus passes. Some days I wait five minutes for the bus. Other days, I wait for 20 minutes. There are no bus stops; rather, when you see your bus approaching, you wave your hand in the street as signal for it to stop. The mornings are relatively quiet in Barranquilla, although many men along the street are already selling "tinto" (a small plastic cup of strong, bitter coffee) and "arepas de huevo" (eggs fried inside of a corn crust).
7:00 a.m.: Once I get off my bus, I walk into a "tienda" (a small store filled with a plethora of groceries and household items) to buy breakfast. As I walk several blocks to my school, I eat my bananas and wave to the students that I see en route to school with their parents. While some students walk, others ride on the back of a motorcycle. As I enter school, I greet the "portera" (the guard who stands at the entrance of the gated school) and make my way to my first class.
7:15 a.m.: Although class starts at 7 o'clock, students continue to arrive at school up to 30 or 40 minutes late. I begin class with songs...a favorite activity among Colombian students. Classroom activities also include chants with hand motions and completing activities in a textbook. Most rooms have air conditioning, which helps combat the heat.
10:00 a.m.: Descansa! During a brief recess period, students play soccer in an outdoor area in the center of the school. These resourceful students use an empty soda bottle when a soccer ball is unavailable. Others munch on chips and cookies from a small snack stand inside of the school. Being able to converse with my students during recess is my favorite part of the day. We often play hand games, like "thumb wars" or "rock, paper, scissors." The second-grade girls also love taking selfies on my cell phone.
10:30 a.m.: Back to class! During the last hour and a half of school, students are usually restless after recess, but we continue with our normal routine, sometimes consisting of group work or a dreaded exam.
12:00 p.m.: School's out! As I catch the bus home, salesmen jump aboard, selling everything from candy to coloring books. Sometimes a man representing a political party jumps onto the bus to distribute pamphlets about the upcoming election, while others will sing a salsa song or share a brief message about Catholicism. Ultimately, they are all looking for spare change in exchange for what they offer. The ride home from school in the afternoon is always much livelier than the ride to school.
1:00 p.m.: At lunchtime, I love cooking with eggs, quinoa, oats, lentils, and fresh fruits and vegetables. I usually go to a tienda once a week, spending about $20,000 pesos (or around $7 USD) on my supplies. I make sure to drink an overabundance of water and usually talk to my host family about the day while watching a soccer game.
2:00 p.m.: After eating is a perfect time to take a nap or call my mom! Being able to stay connected to my family is incredibly important and I am thankful for the strength that their support provides.
3:00 - 9:00 p.m.: The afternoons and evenings are spent completing paperwork for my Teaching English as a Second Language (TEFL) certification, attending a small Spanish class, meeting friends for dinner, reading, or seeing a movie. On Wednesdays, a ticket to the movie theater costs $2 USD! Obviously, planning for my next lesson is an essential afternoon routine!
Why are no two days alike in Barranquilla? Many factors contribute to the unpredictably of a day on the coast. During the powerful, heavy rainstorms of September and October, deadly rushing water races through the streets and halts all activity. Furthermore, an outage of water or electricity can delay the start of a day. "Puentes" (three-day weekends) occur frequently as Colombians celebrate a national holiday. Even a national soccer game can cut a workday short as Colombians prepare to watch the game.
If variety is the spice of life, then Barranquilla is the place to be.
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