The Weekend

Today is Friday. My students are finishing a three day lab. My wife's students are playing math games. But everyone is ready for the weekend. The energy of today is the same here as it is in the States. Some will travel to their fincas, while others will go the movies, and still others will stay at home sleep, stay up late and sleep in tomorrow morning. So what do Liz and I do on the weekend? That's a great question.

On the weekends, we sometimes take in a movie, which is subtitled, or go to a friend's house for cards and pizza. Every so often, we will get a big group of friends and go out to dinner at a new restaurant or an "oldie but goody" place that everyone enjoys.

Dinners here are usually eaten around 8:00 or 9:00pm, and dancing follows for many Colombians. Saturdays are very active days. Liz and I will go to a park or for a walk if it is good weather, and stay inside if it is raining. There are many festivals throughout the year and on almost every weekend. Liz loves to shop at the fairs and I will play "futbol" if my team is in a tournament.

On Sundays, Liz and I get up, have breakfast, and then go to church. Going to church is a process. It used to be easy with just one cab, but our church has temporarily moved until they find a new building. So, Liz and I hike about 20 minutes to the Transmilenio, or light rail, take the train north to the last stop, get off and then catch a flota, or bus. The train ride is about 20 minutes, and the bus ride is about 20 minutes. We then get off the flota next to the last stop and walk about five minutes down an unpaved road to church. We reverse the process to get home.

Sunday afternoons are for naps, reading, and calling home. Sunday evenings come too quickly and then it is back to school for another eventful week. This is a typical weekend for Liz and I. Some weekends are called puentes, or holidays, on which, Liz and I usually travel throughout Colombia with friends.

So how was your weekend?

Much Love,

Al & Liz