Job Hunting

On Monday, Doris and I toured through the various cafe's in Bogota. I also tried calling the volunteer groups with no luck again. So, we boarded an overnight bus to Medellin. Throughout the night, the bus made stops along the road for police checks, and I felt safer knowing that the police regularly monitor the roads. We arrived about 10 hours later.

Medellin is known as the city of eternal spring because the weather is always fantastic year round. Medellin and Cali are also known for having the most beautiful women in the country and some consider in the world. The mix of African, indigenous, and European descent lend to creating really gorgeous women and the numerous plastic surgeons only help to accentuate their beauty. Interestingly, Cosmetic Surgery tourism is increasing in this country.

Medellin is also known for having once been the drug and murder capital for the cocaine cartels with the drug lord Pablo Escobar having lived here until the government hunted him down for 499 days straight and killed him in 1993. Since then, Medellin is a peaceful and relatively safe city.

Medellin also has some of the friendliest people. Men and women of all ages invite me to sit at their table for lunch, they easily engage in conversation in lines, and they readily answer any question I might have. I really like the people of Colombia. I just wish I could get a job here

My friend Virginia's step dad, Gonzalo, is from Colombia and she put me in touch with his family. They recommended I check out a health clinic for kids. I met the director of the clinic, but unfortunately he did not have any job openings. He did spend 30 min talking with Ophelia, who is the head of the Medellin local volunteer organization, to help me find a job at another clinic. I didn't realize this, but Ophelia ended up calling Gonzalo's family as a reference. I haven't even met them and yet Gonzalo's mom, who is 81 yr old, gave me a glowing recommendation. I now have a job interview for tomorrow. I just hope I don't blow it with my imperfect Spanish. Additionally, Gonzalo invited me to attend his uncle's funeral mass tomorrow. I really hope I don't screw up my Spanish.

Although, I have been told that Colombians speak the clearest Spanish, I am having a difficult time understanding them. I don't know if it is because I have been away from Spanish for the last month or maybe I never knew the language to begin with. Whatever funk I am in, I hope to be ready for both the interview as well as the funeral tomorrow.

Meanwhile, I have enjoyed touring the city. Bortero is from Medellin and so many of his sculptures adorn the parks. I spent most of my first day touring around the poorer neighborhoods located on the hills while meeting the friendly locals.