Making New Friends and Couch Surfing

For various reasons, I no longer am at my hostel;numerous individuals have had items and money stolen from their bags, the hostel pretty much is only men who spend all day talking about how to score drugs and women, and the tourists are becoming drug addicts. I met a great group of single female travelers when I first arrived, but have yet to meet any since. The other hostels in the area are even more a fraternity. So, I moved out and made new friends.

Compared to my usual self, I have been pretty anti-social and have not gone out during the week; partly because I am not interested in hanging out with drug addicts and partly because my work and salsa lessons wipe me out (more about that later). But, last week, I decided to make a concerted effort to meet the locals instead and create a new friend base here in Medellin. I joined an on-line community forum of locals and have met some wonderful people. They invited me to watch a folk ballet and I loved it! Although, at times, I wondered if Carmen Miranda had joined the show. The next day, I went out to watch a tango show on my own since the rest of the group chose to watch a free jazz concert in the park. I joined up with them for salsa at a salsa bar after and sadly crashed and burned on the dance floor.

Although, I didn't bother learning salsa in Guatemala because I didn't have a real interest in it, I chose to take lessons here. At first, I thought my salsa teacher might give up on me because I seem to lack any smooth rhythm. Thankfully, she kept teaching me. I guess I didn't give up on myself and I kept paying for more lessons. I thought I had learned enough to brave going to a salsa bar with the locals, but I soon found myself way out of my league. The locals salsa differently than how I have been taught; more with their hips. However, they didn't seem to mind that I couldn't remember how to count properly or really know what to do with my feet at such a fast tempo. They kept telling me that I was receiving free lessons and not to worry. Soon, I let go of my self-consciousness and just had fun. That night, I also met Luisa, my first couch surfer host.

For awhile, I have wanted to try out couch surfing, a world-wide phenomenon where people stay for free on other people's couches. There is some inherent trust needed for this to work and every person must register on the site and be verified as to their actual home address for security reasons. Some people travel around the world only using this site as their search for accommodation and therefore save tons of money. The host, in return, has the opportunity to meet people from all over the world. It is the couch form of social networking. Couch surfing is also my way out of the hostels.

I found Luisa's listing on the site and emailed her. She gladly agreed to host me for a couple days. After trying to get together for a drink for a few days, we finally met up at the salsa bar. I immediately liked her energy and spirit. We went out for bowling the next day with a group of her friends and last night, I stayed at her house for the first time. Granted, she really didn't have a couch, and so I brought a soft top mat that a couple left me for my hard bed at the hostel. I met her mother who is sick and staying with her while she gets better, her sister, and Juan, a guy who is studying at a nearby university and paying rent. I had no idea so many people lived with her and I love the opportunity to practice my Spanish even more. I have lost a couple of amenities in my move such as hot water, internet, and space, but I really like my host, I trust that my things will not be stolen, and my conversations can be of more cultural topics. I only have a few more days in Medellin before I head off to Cartegena and I plan to spend them at Luisa's place.