Last night, while sitting in a room with four people speaking Spanish, I, too tired to put energy towards following the conversation, trailed off in thought to my own little world.
This actually happens quite frequently. I still manage most the time to follow the speakers around the room with my eyes, paying attention perhaps, but not understanding.
Anyway, I glanced down at the floor and noticed beautifully pedicured and painted toenails of two of the women in the room, one being my host mom. I took note of my own as well, while my eyes were down there and my attention was unfocused on much else. Mine are not so beautiful since they were painted a month ago by myself, but they're painted none the less. This random observation took my back to the night before I left Portland. Monday, August 17th.
On that night, I was sitting on a couch in Eric's apartment, nestled up against Charlie and Erica. We'd all consumed plenty of good food and good beer and I was doing what I could to digest the food as well as my current and pending reality. Sitting with some of my best friends, enjoying their company and passing the last few hours I had in Portland. Erica looked at my painted toes and told me I should probably remove the polish before I leave. Both of us were making the assumption that perhaps I would be living rural, in a third world country, in a community where women don't paint their nails and thus certainly don't have polish remover.
I was preparing to live perhaps without electricity or water, internet - yes - but sporadically, unreliably. Prior to leaving I was hoping for a city but nothing too urban; for a spanish speaking community; for a community that would welcome me and put me to work. Much of this I got. Benque is a town but muy tranquilo y silencio. Calm and quiet. Plenty of Spanish, daily challenges and opportunity for me to learn the language more. I have all the amenities I need yet life is still quite simple. I had limited expectations, knowing nothing before leaving of the future ahead. But to sum up this long ADD thought journey of mine, many women here have pedicured feet. I can find most amenities I desire, though I have to look hard and strategically sometimes. And my toes are still painted sometimes. (Although I've pretty much stopped wearing makeup!)
I'll shoot for a more informative, thought provoking blog next time... :)
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