Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Resumen, jueves 20-miércoles 26


Un resumen de estos días…

Jueves 20 – Eso de que no tenia “jet-lag” pues…mentira. Después de escribir decidí tomar una corta siesta que se convirtió en dormida de 5 horas! Me desperté a las 3 a correr al centro comercial a conseguir mi celular y almorzar.  Claramente tuve una noche horrible, me acosté a las 12, desperté a la 1, me volví a despertar a las 2.30 como hasta las 4 que decidí tomarme una pastilla que me adormeciera un poco.

Viernes 21  - Fui a recoger a unos voluntarios del sitio donde me estoy quedando a escondidas. Uno de los sitios donde fuimos se enfoca en leones así que ví leones bebés de muy cerquita, una hermosura total!! Por la noche nos quedamos en la casa con Natasha, Ruben y Gihan (ese nombre me ha costado mucho aprendérmelo y no se si lo escribo bien siquiera, es Afrikaans), hicimos un braai (un asado, pero no son tan complicados para hacerlos así que es muy fácil y común tener Bari) y nos quedamos charlando y tomando como hasta las 3 am (claramente me tome 3 cervezas y ya porque mis guayabos son de muerte).

Sábado 22 – Nos despertamos como a las 10 y fuimos a averiguar lo del Internet para mi Comput. y otra cosa en el Mac Store y después fuimos a un centro comercial en Sandton, MUY lindo y MUY, MUY grande. De ahí salimos a la casa de Tristan donde preparamos (yo hice una parte, la salsa boloñesa) “Vet. Koek” que es como una masita que uno prepara y después la fritas y la abres y le metes la salsa que quieras o mermelada adentro. Estuvo rico, nos fuimos como a la medianoche a la casa.

Domingo 23 – Intentamos ir a un parque de diversiones, hicimos la fila como media hora hasta que pasamos las rejas y vimos que faltaba la otra mitad de la fila y había demasiada gente así que en vez, cruzamos la calle y fuimos al Museo del Apartheid. El museo súper grande, como un laberinto, pero muy buen museo, es tan grande que alcanzamos a hacer una parada de almuerzo y volver y eso que no terminamos bien porque a las 5pm apagaron luces y nos mandaron para afuera a todos.
Por la noche salimos a rumbear a “Billy the B.U.M.S”, estuvo sabroso la verdad pero juepucha si que hace falta la música de uno. Electrónica y pop-eléctrico y techno TODA la noche es demasiado monótono, hace falta algo que lo ponga a mover el esqueleto y no solo rebotar de un pie al otro toda la noche.

Lunes 24 – Dia festivo acá en Sudáfrica! Fuimos a un parque de perros que queda como a 40 minutos de donde nos quedamos y wau…este sitio es el paraíso de los perros! Pensé muchísimo en mis canchosos, Lola y Martina especialmente estarían dichosas y Felipe también porque estaría feliz acostado al lado de uno mientras prepara la comida. Tienen un pocoton de sitios para acomodarse y hacer “braai”, dos laguitos, y muchísimo espacio donde todos los perros andan sueltos jugando y oliéndose…sobra decir que fui muy feliz y tome muchas fotos porque estábamos con seis perros (Golden) así que estuvo muy divertido. Me queme la mitad de la cara (ya a punta de lavanda me veo normal nuevamente) pero estuvo delicioso el DIA. Por la noche fuimos donde Tristan a tomarnos algo y comer, comimos “sushi steak” que es carne sellada, cortada en trozos, se come con palitos chinos y se le pone un pedacito de piña y se mete en salsa soya con wasabi. Suena rarisisisimo pero, sabia sorprendentemente rico.

Martes 25 – Nuevamente dormí mucho! De 10-2 y después me desperté a buscar mi SIM para poder tener Internet (funciona perfecto!) y comprar las cosas para hacer la comida (spaghetti carbonara) que les dije que yo preparaba la comida como para agradecerles haberme recibido.

Miércoles 26 – Me desperté y taday camino a Mozambique! Estoy en el aeropuerto en este instante esperando que comiencen a abordar. Claramente tengo dolor de panza porque siempre que viajo me da como ansiedad, no se que pero pues…me da así trate de calmarme y me sienta calmada, mi barriga no se siente tranquila.



No alcance a subir fotos, ya están abordando!  


Saturday, September 22, 2012

Septiembre 18


I made it! I’m in South Africa! Seriously, until I didn’t have the stamp on my passport allowing me in I really wasn’t going to believe it. The plane ride was 18 hours…the longest I have EVERY been on a plane and I’m just dreading the way back because this time around I had 1 night in Washington, next time I get to Washington and fly directly to Panama with only a 2 hour window to get to my next plane (which I am totally nervous about because getting through security and immigration is a bitch).

On the plane I met a woman from Zimbabwe sitting next to me and a girl from Minnesota who was moving to Port Elizabeth to be with her husband. She was really nice and we exchanged info so now I have someone to hang out with when I go to P.E!

We got in to JBurg at 5p.m: I am carrying my big ass backpack, my very geavy carry on with all my camera gear AND my old backpack which is simply REALLY uncomfortable to carry, plus my small backpack with my computer. You can imagine how heavy all this is and how crazy I must seem walking through the airport, trying to get my Gautrain ticket and then actually getting to Rosebank station. Luckily everyone here is very nice so a girl helped me on the bus, especially when I had to carry all my stuff up three different stairs (I swear I was gonna faint at some point).
I met Natasha (my friends’ Sebastian friend) at the Rosebank station and she brought me back to her place. She works at a company focusing on brining volunteers from abroad and getting internships and jobs for people abroad and lives at the guesthouse where she works. Im basically here in hiding because no one except a couple of co-workers know I’m here. I hope I don’t get her in trouble.

We get back to her place, and they were making  a “brai” (BBQ) which was delicious. Anyone who knows me knows I don’t really like eating meat much but this was yummy, lamb chops and then something that sounds a bit like Bratwurst (but it isn’t) which is basically like a chorizo made out of meat…but It doesn’t taste like chorizo or bratwurst…yea, I didn’t really say anything right there :p IT WAS GOOD.
We hung out for a while, I tried speaking some Afrikaans or Zulu but I’m pretty sure I failed at it. I think South Africans have the capacity to learn almost any language because most of them are trilingual, speaking English, Afrikaans and then another language depending on where they go to school. All these languages have so many different sounds so they have the capacity to pronounce very well other languages like Spanish for example.

Close to midnight the lights went off so we just went to bed pretty soon after that. Turns out I wasn’t as jet lagged as I thought so I was able to get a full nights sleep (I didn’t sleep almost at all the second half of the flight, from Daqar to JBurg so I could settle in with the time zone better). Today the day is beautiful, its probably like 19-21C, the sun is out, and I’m going to go out and change money, get a phone, buy some shampoo and stuff I didn’t bring.  My first outing in Johannesburg.




EN ESPAÑOL


Bueno, ahora en español! Logré llegar a Sudáfrica! La verdad no estuve tranquila hasta que la señora de migración me puso la estampilla en el pasaporte. El vuelo duro 18 horas, incluyendo una parada de 1 h en Dakar que no tenia idea que iba a hacer (ni yo ni otros en el avión). La primera mitad del vuelo dormí casi todo el camino, ya después de la parada en Dakar que eran como las 7am de acá trate de no dormir casi para acostumbrarme al cambio de horario. Creo que funciono, aun tengo un poquito de sueño pero pude dormir bien anoche.
En el avión conocí a una gringa super querida de Minnesota (y si, tiene un acento chistoso en algunas palabras como Marshal de HIMYM), que se casó con un Sudafricano así que se vino a vivir a Port Elizabeth unos meses. Básicamente, ya tengo conocida en P.E y donde quedarme J.
Llegamos a Johannesburgo a las 5 p.m y mientras hice migración, espere maletas (las mías fueron de las ultimas), cambie un poquito de plata y logré conseguir un tiquete al tren (todo esto con morral grande a mis espaldas, morral pequeño colgándome enfrente, carry on pesadísimo con todo mi equipo de fotografía Y otro morral vacío que no se porque me puse a cargar hasta acá y del que tengo que deshacerme porque en verdad es solo un encarte gigante). Con todo esto encima tuve que coger el tren, hacer cambio de estación y después subir 3 escaleras distintas para llegar a la salida que por suerte salí por donde era así que me encontré con Natasha de una.
Vinimos a su casa/oficina que queda muy cerquita a la estación y estaban haciendo un “brai” (BBQ) como de bienvenida que se me hizo muy chévere. Como ella vive donde trabaja (una empresa que trae voluntarios y manda a gente a trabajar afuera) estoy aquí como a escondidas y solo 2 de la oficina saben que estoy acá. Por hoy y mañana me toca estar aquí a escondidas! Hablamos un buen rato, intenté hablar un poco de Afrikaans y Zulu pero que vainas tan difíciles de pronunciar! Me da una envidia de la buena que todos aca hablen dos o tres idiomas mínimo: ingles, afrikaans y otro dependiendo de la región (hay 11 idiomas oficiales en Sudáfrica para los que no sabian). Claramente para los sudafricanos aprender cualquier idioma es mamey porque pueden pronunciar una cantidad de sonidos. Después de un rato se fue la luz asi que nos fuimos a dormir, la verdad no tenia mucho sueño porque en mi cabeza eran como las 4 de la tarde pero logré dormirme.
Hoy el día esta hermoso, el clima rico como en 19-22C  y con cielo azul y sol afuera. Ya estoy lista para salir a comprar mi telefono, cambiar plata y conocer por aca cerca. Trataré de comprar un USB de esos que dan Internet porque aparentemente el Internet en Sudáfrica es una porqueria, no hay WiFi en ningún lado y yo quiero poder subir mis cosas a Internet a menudo.








Esperando el shuttle al aerepuerto, preocupada de que quiza yahubiese pasado y me  hubiese dejado




1 hora en Dakar...


Chao Dakar!

Great entertainment, me vi 2 peliculas y 3 programas de TV

Llegue a territorio Sudafricano!

Un "braai" de bienvenida

Lamp Chops y Boerewors 
Yo con frio , como siempre, asi que me pegue al fuego

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Travel Day 1


Monday September 17, 2012. 14:40

Well ,I’m here! In the waiting room…waiting. The flight is a bit delayed apparently because boarding time was at 2:15 ant its 2:40 (I hope I’m in the right place). I still feel very anxious and nervous, not about the flying but about the whole getting in the country, not having my bags lost, you know…all that annoying airport stuff which is simply annoying to deal with.
I still don’t know the dates of what I’ll be doing but I certainly have things in mind I definitely want to do! Diving..for sure! I’m planning to hike Drakensberg which seems AMAZING (even though I’m a bit scared of the actual hiking, mainly because I don’t want to feel like I’m the one lagging behind and I probably will be). I have my month at Thanda which I’m super excited about, still not sure if I’ll be able to go Oct-Nov instead of Nov-Dec (hopefully I will be). I’m also planning on doing the Baz Bus from Joh-Cape Town or Joh-Port Elizabeth, it all depends on dates basically.


Monday September 17, 2012. 15:50

Im flying! The sun is out, it’s a beautiful day, blue sky, little clouds. I honestly tried not to be scared, I really wasn’t…until the plane started to go through the runway, and those initial 10 minutes are just not my favorite time of the day. Luckily its been a smooth ride so far – FUCK, seriously?! I just typed that and in less than 10 seconds the plane starts shaking…I’m freaking out here, I really don’t like the shaking – it isn’t like the time I got my crazy on, but it would still be nice to be able to squeeze someone’s hand at least! Ugh…it wont stop! Ok…it seems to be calming down a bit.

Honestly I am so tired I can’t even write much…I slept like 3-4 hours last night and I’ve been waking up at 2, 3 and 4 am for over a week to check my email because that’s the time I get S.A emails. So far, its all going good…again, I’m nervous about the whole immigrations process, its really isn’t fun for me and I wish the world didn’t have all these borders (for that we would need the world to be in peace and well, sadly history has showed us that is impossible…so far!)

I’m hungry, ate an early lunch and was way too nervous to eat before getting on so now I think im gonna have to pay $4 for a bag of potato chips (que robo!).

The pilot just spoke, if im not mistaken I land at 8pm in Miami which is not too good seeing as my plane leaves at 9 and I have to go through customs AND immigration! I hope It’ll be fast and I have enough time to buy some FOOD before hopping on.

K, goodnighty for now! Nap time!


Monday September 17, 2012. 21:45

Im on my way to Washington Dulles! Miami airport wasn’t that bad, the people were actually very nice…the immigation officer was extra chatty which was nice when you talked to him but it was a serious pain having to wait for him to get through everyone in line because it took forever! It’s also so different once you have to check in to domestic flights, airport security is seriously stressful…the lines are not only long (that is something you can deal with) but its just they make you take all kinds of things out of your bag, your shoes and then rush you out so I clearly almost left my laptop which would have been AWFUL.

I think part of the lesson I’m supposed to learn from this whole experience is patience…and letting go of things. My visa didn’t get here on time, I had to cancel one of my programs, my flight was late, and then I had to wait more than anyone else in line during immigration. I’m all for learning things but I just hope I don’t get a crazy lesson tomorrow on my way to Johannesburg.

I didn’t get much sleep my past flight and had like 15min to connect flights after immigration, customs, security and then getting to gate so I could only eat half of a very expensive sandwich and now my eyes are like on fire! Not sleeping is not good…


Tuesday, September 18 2012. 1:21 am

I made it! Remind me never again to get a shuttle so late at night, I had to wait for 45 min before we left! Next time, I rather pay more but get some sleep! G’night!!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

My battle: Getting to South Africa

I'm Colombian, I'm proud of it but damn it can be seriously frustrating at times, mainly when it comes to traveling. Having that burgundy red passport is like having the coodies or something, any consulate, embassy or airport will simply look down on you or catalogue you as "guilty" for drug dealing, drug consumig, drug producing, prostitution, you name it. So, you can imagine what an ordeal it is for anyone with a little burgundy passport to get a visa to go, well..basically anywhere! Even though there are countries that don't require colombians to have a visa (mainly South America which in the past years has "opened up") you basically have to get a transit visa in order to get to them.

I have traveled to the following countries, all of whom have required for me to apply for a visa: U.S.A, The Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Austria, Italy (all these Schengen), Czech Republic, Switzerland, Mexico, Costa Rica and Guatemala. Argentina and Peru have been two countries I have been to that don't require visa for colombians.

Now, as you all may know im planning to go to South Africa. Off course I need a visa to go to South Africa...so, I sent my papers and they arrived at the consulate the 30th of July. I waited 10 days before calling because those were the days it took for the process of the visa to go through. The 10th day I call...and I get told that my papers aren't ready and I need a stamp on some documents, yata yata yata. Long story short, basically a whole other month goes by with failed calls, getting hung up on by the oh-so-nice secretary from the consulate and a lot of un-responded emails. (btw, the consulate of South Africa dealing with Colombians is in Venezuela).  I hear from other colombians who have traveled to South Africa and learn I am not the only one, some got their passports 2 hours before heading to the airport, another 2 days before leaving...basically last minute.

So, my flight is scheduled to leave tomorrow September 12th at 3 p.m to Washington Dulles via Miami. My flight to South Africa is scheduled to leave September 13th from Washington Dulles at 5:30 p.m. 
My visa was approved yesterday, Monday September 10, at 3:30 pm. I ran over to DHL and begged the guy so my passport would be picked up today and I could have it here in Panama by tomorrow Wednesday before noon. Papers are sent, things are on their way. Today I hear from the woman at the consulate telling me that without an air guide the guy from DHL won't take my passport because its happened before. I call DHL dude in Panama and he tells me the guide will be made when the thing is picked up, he doesn't create the guide but Venezuela DHL created the guide. Ok, so I wait...(mind you, Hugo Chaves decided for some crazy ass reason that Venezuela time was 30min ahead than it actually should be so, 3 here is 3:30 there, and at 4 they closed the consulate). By 3:30 the DHL guy hadn't gone to pick up the passport, I gave up. Suddenly I get a call that the guy is there but there is no guide so he won't take it. Long story short, I'm screwed. Big time screwed. The consulate is closed, the guy left because there was no guide, there is absolutely NO chance of my passport getting to Panama before   my flight. It can get here Thursday morning.

Before I even knew I had my visa approved (I emailed and called Thursday and Friday and wasn't really told anything, that I would or wouldn't get it or how long it could take, they just dont answer anything) I called South Africa Airlines to find out how much it would cost to move my flight one day (for friday 14th instead of thursday 13) and well the answer was $685 dollars - to change my flight 24h.  
So, now that I KNOW I don't have my passport I have to move EVERYTHING around because there is no chance in hell im paying $700 dollars for 24h (not including what my flight Panama-Washington change is going to cost). 

The plan so far: 
1 - Originally I was scheduled to go to the Thanda Photography Conservation project from Sept. 16-October 14, travel for 2 weeks and then begin on Nov. 1 my Sodwana Bay conservation volunteering. 
2 - The Sodwana project begins the 1st of every month. 
3 - Solution: Change my Sodwana Bay volunteer to the month of October instead of November. And change Thanda to begin Nov. 11 - Dec. 9.
4 - Change my South African tickets could cost me $400 dollars (changing both ways), which would mean I can go the 18th or the 20th and come back December 17th. 

Basically, I move everything about a week. It's still a LOT of money because that was basically the money I had to spend IN South Africa but I can't really think of any other solution. Only inconvenience is the time change, I can't hear back from any of the coordinators confirming my changes until tomorrow between 2-3 a.m but I know that I have to change my tickets ASAP so I guess I'll just have to change them and hope for the best.




Life has taught me everything happens for a reason even though we might not always or ever understand those reasons. I know there had to be a reason for my brother dying, even though I might not want to recognize it. All this ordeal had to happen for a reason, maybe to relax and not stress about money so much (even though I am freaking the eff out over all this money that changing tickets will cost), perhaps its because I was meant to be in Panama this week and enjoy time with my mom who is on vacations and my grandparents who happen to be here this week. I honestly do not know WHY all this happened, why I had to deal with such awful people at the consulate and why seriously ever little thing that could have gone wrong - did! (including the fact that I was dialing 30min straight to contact the consulate, and when someone important actually picked up (a south african not the venezuelan bitchy secretary) my cellphone ran out of minutes and cut the call). Life simply works strangely, I think we're never really supposed to understand it (it would become pretty boring don't you think?). So now, im off to making a bunch of calls and hoping for the best, I guess I have one more week in Panama to enjoy.


This post may sound all cheery and happy but trust me, my eyes still get watery with frustration when I have to explain what happened to someone and im still really upset about it...but I know, inside, everything I just wrote..perhaps writing it down makes it more "real" to me and I can really assimilate it.  


Friday, September 7, 2012

Volví

Voy a tratar de escribir mas en español, así que de "bienvenida" nuevamente a mi blog escribiré en ESPAÑOL!

Tengo por fin computador nuevo! Un MacBook Air de 13", y estoy feliz! La verdad no he escrito pues estuve unos 10 días en Bogotá. Fui a recibir mi diploma de Antropóloga (oficialmente por fin!) y me quede una semana mas, creí que era para ver amigos pero la verdad no pude ver a mucha gente, me la pase enviando paquetes y empacando cosas...fue un poco desesperante pero bueno, tocaba!

El día de mi grado fue muy lindo poder compartir con tanta gente, muchos amigos de la familia, familiares y amigos. Mis papas organizaron una comida muy rica y estuvimos metidos en la piscina de mi tía hasta las 3 y pico de la mañana! Tuve un momento bastante molesto pero en este instante no quiero hablar de ello...pronto será!

Ahora estoy en Panamá, llevo casi una semana...se supone que salgo a Sudáfrica el miércoles 12 pero aun no tengo mi visa. Ha sido un proceso ESPANTOSO para ser honestos. Llevo mas de un mes en el proceso, he mandado miles de cartas (repetidas veces) y copias de cosas y cada vez piden mas y mas cosas, ha sido una experiencia horrible y básicamente si no me dan la visa mañana viernes no voy a poder viajar pues necesito tener mi pasaporte de nuevo acá en Panamá antes del miércoles que viaje. La gente en el consulado ha sido horrible, una pésima actitud y básicamente siento que hacen todo lo posible por NO darle la visa a uno, da MUCHA rabia!

Le tengo buena gana y mañana es básicamente el día definitivo. Originalmente creí que hoy lo sería pero me di cuenta que el 12 es miércoles y no martes así que tengo un día mas para lograr que me llegue el pasaporte a tiempo, si no me toca comenzar a cambiar tiquetes y pierdo mucho para ser honestos.

Esta semana esta en Panamá dos de mis mejores amigos y me ha encantado poder pasar tiempo con ellos. Somos amigos desde el colegio así que poder volvernos a ver ha sido genial. Aunque para ser honestos es muy raro darse cuenta cuanto tiempo ha pasado y lo mucho que hemos vivido en estos años desde que nos graduamos del colegio. El martes fuimos al colegio a visitar a profesores y fue muy impresionante ver lo distinto que esta el colegio, lo mucho que ha cambiado y lo "viejos" que estamos. Igual fue una experiencia muy linda, por ejemplo ver a mi "profe" de pre-kinder que después fue asistente de laboratorio y ahora profesora es una locura muy chevere :)

Perdón por haber estado tan perdida...igual creo que el 95% de los lectores de esto me conocen y han hablado conmigo estos días....no tener compu no ha ayudado a que escriba por acá, ademas he estado tan preocupado por mi visa que no pienso en nada mas y no quiero escribir nada que después pueda arrepentirme, motivo de la frustración tan grande que he tenido con toda esta experiencia.

Un abrazo grande y mandenme por favor mucha energía para lograr que mañana me den mi visa!