No matter how poor a man is, if he has family, he's rich

Today was alllll about family (and I had a lot of fun, Dad!) I woke up at 9 after getting home at 3.
Let me back up and tell the story of last night... My night started at 7:45 when I left my house to take the Transmilenio to the place where all of the volunteers were meeting. I met up with two friends on the bus on the way there and got there at 9. (Yes, I live ridiculously far from EVERYTHING.) We waited until 9:30 for the late ones and walked through five blocks of bad neighborhood to the bar/disco. There were about 20 of us, including like 5 Colombians, so we weren't too worried about being in a bad neighborhood. When we first got there around 9:45 it was totally empty and pretty boring. They played mostly American music that really was not very good to dance to until about 1 when they started playing salsa music, which I loved! I started actually having fun at that point, and then we left at about 2. It took about 45 minutes in the taxi to get to my apartment (which only cost 6 dollars, amazing, so cheap!) and I found it on the first try! I was actually ridiculously proud of myself :).

Ok so back to today... I woke up unfortunately early and left around lunch time to go meet my host parents' extended families. They were sooo nice and we had ajiaco for lunch which is the most amazing soup ever. They all called me Anita, much to your dismay, mother. Ramiro's mom was obviously very taken with me, and she told me that she had dreamed about me before I got here! It was really adorable. After meeting their extended families I went to meet Gustavo and co.! Honestly, I almost cried tears of joy, and that would have been the first time ever. It was just such a cool thing to be doing and experiencing and I really realize how lucky I am to be here! They were completely welcoming and I could actually communicate surprisingly well in Spanish. Claudia helped me when I wanted to say something more difficult though, because she speaks English. They asked a lot about the boys and about grandpa. I told them that I think grandpa is going to suffer enormously at altitude (someone show this to grandpa and tell him that he really really really needs to get on working out! my apartment is on the fifth floor and even I get out of breath walking up the stairs because of the altitude! If he wants to see me he will need to step it up like ten notches.) and that the rest of the family is doing well! Claudia asked if I have ever done pilates, and I told her that I usually do it twice a week and miss it! She said that she also does it and that she wants to bring me to a class! That was really exciting. As I was leaving Mariela, Gustavo's wife, told me she loved me in Spanish and in English and I definitely teared up! They all walked me downstairs and Gustavo told me (in Spanish obviously) that anything I could ever need he will be there to provide for me and it was just the cutest thing ever! I am really looking forward to getting to know them and spending more time with them.

I got another food/drink speech tonight...haha we were eating arepas for dinner and Martha (my host mom) made me mora juice. (I am not quite sure what mora's are in English..blackberries maybe? but more bitter.) I am fine with drinking juice sometimes..but she always asks what I want to drink, I tell her water, and she always gives me something else! I said to Ramiro that they just don't understand that I really enjoy water! He said they do but that they don't enjoy water so they just aren't used to it. Also, when we were at Gustavo's, they spent a full on 10 minutes talking about how I like fruit a lot and how I don't eat very much! Anyone who knows me would disagree with that statement, I think.

I started writing things down in a little book that I wanted to remember to put in my blog, so here goes:
1. The car they have doesn't have seatbelts in the back! I hate hate hate not wearing one, especially in Bogotá traffic and with Bogotá drivers.
2. I took my first "Collectivo" or "buseta" a few days ago! They all have specific routes that are mapped out no where and you just flag them down anywhere when you want to get on or off. Kinda sketch.
3. Today when we were driving to Gustavo's house we passed some little houses in a gated community. Ramiro was like "those houses are sooo expensive" and so I asked how much they were. 350,000. I thought to myself that you couldn't even buy a cardboard box to live in in Davis for that much money! Ok not really, but it is interesting and eye opening to see the difference in perspectives.
4. The Transmilenio system is now super easy! I am getting into the groove of living here and figuring out the way around the main areas and that feels nice!

Hope I'm keeping you satisfied with almost-daily posts mama! Love everyone!