During Times Like This: Trust in the Lord and Stay ''HESH''

A week ago we traded the lush green ''Eternal Spring'' of Colombia for the still hidden ''budding of new life'' in Rochester, Minnesota. It was a tough decision. We closely followed the news stories surrounding the spread of Covid-19 and saw fears and restrictions increasing around the world. I prayed that God would help us decide and lead us to where we need to be. 

It was the ''Public Service Announcement'' that our son posted on his skateboarding website, TheHESH.com, that reassured me that we were making the right decision ... During times like this, we need to Trust in the Lord and Stay HESH!

''H''ands - Wash Them Often

''E''lbows - Cough Into Them

 ''S''pace - Keep Safe Distance

 ''H''ome - Stay Put If You Can

So home is where we headed on one of the last flights out of Colombia, just days before the entire country was put on a 25 day quarantine. There was a nervousness on the airplane full of masked and gloved passengers. There was an eeriness of landing in the Orlando airport void of any excited Disney World visitors. There was difficulty at seeing Doug's parents and realizing that we couldn't hug them.

A father-son Covid-19 ''Hug''

The Baby Beest survived its time in storage and started right up when Doug reconnected the batteries. A check of the systems proved that all was still working well. We packed up our belongings and decided to make a quick trip up to Minnesota. Most state parks and restaurants were closed along the way, so we stocked up and spent the night at a couple of Walmarts along the way. Knowing that we were heading to the land of ''freezing temps and snow still possible'', we booked an AirBnB apartment for the next five weeks in Rochester.

In normal times, Doug would have been excited to be living next to one of Rochester's newest craft breweries ... which is now very quiet as they await permission to reopen.

In normal times, we both would have been overjoyed to be able to go for walks and bike rides with dear family and friends ... but only Rochester's famous Canadian geese greet us as we walk around Cascade Lake.

In normal times, we would be enjoying some of our favorite local restaurants ... but instead Doug reaps the benefits of having his own personal chef. Tonight's winner ... Chili Cheese Chicken. Here is the recipe if you are in search of an easy dinner with a little kick!

In normal times, I would be returning to work as a nurse for a few months ... but for now, I am not needed. While I was hoping to be able to stay busy by helping out in the hospital, during times like this, I will trust in the Lord, stay HESH,

... and enjoy the signs of Spring that are slowly returning north with us!

Let's keep in touch, friends, especially during times like these!

Let us know if there is any way we can help you out.

Cherishing the Special Blossoms of Friendship

Two weeks ago as we were walking our normal route to the Metro, I saw it ... a magnificent cactus-like plant in full bloom. Funny, neither of us had noticed the blossoms the day before. The next day as we walked past, the flowers were closed and turning brown. What a difference a day makes! And I realized ...

It is the blossoming of plants, people, and experiences that have made our time in Medellín so special.

I thought about these rapidly blooming and dying flowers this week as we saw and were forced to deal with rapidly changing conditions in our community of Medellín as a result of the arrival of Covid-19. 

Two weeks ago we were meeting new friends ... sharing smiles, laughs, high-fives, and hugs at the many language exchanges hosted at local cafés.

Two weeks ago we were traveling on crowded Metro trains across town to teach English to eager students like this delightful mother and daughter. It was so great to see how they encouraged each other to learn.

Two weeks ago we were marveling at how congested the roads were as people rushed home from work and school.

Two weeks ago we left a lively neighborhood where neighbors gathered in the corner panadería to watch their favorite fútbol team and listen to latino music late into the night.

Two weeks ago we moved to a quieter part of town where we awoke to the songs of birds and were still greeted with a friendly ''buenos días'' as we explored our new barrio.

But like that rapidly blooming and fading flower, times are quickly changing for us, for the people of Medellín, and for the world. 

... masked faces cover the smiles (where are the ''buenos días??)

... empty cafés and restaurants (where are the paisas who love to socialize as they eat out??)

... long lines in the grocery stores (where are all the disinfectant wipes??)

... cancelled classes and language exchanges (where am I going to go to learn about this challenging language and beautiful culture??)

... locked up churches (where is this faith-filled community going to gather??)

Doug kept careful track of this rapidly changing situation surrounding Covid-19, and two days ago we made the tough but wise decision to cut our Colombian adventure short and return to the United States. A tough decision made easier when we heard that Colombia will be restricting travel in and out of the country starting next Monday.

So, even though we know this is the best decision for us now, it is hard to say goodbye to the special friends with whom we have shared learning and laughter ... especially since these goodbyes need to be in the form of text messages instead of in person.

We will cherish the many special friends who, like that flower, may blossom in our lives for a short time ...

But will always live in our hearts!

Learning to Dance in the Rain

''Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass,

it's about learning to dance in the rain.''

Last Friday afternoon I was working with a delightful group of young Colombian women who want to learn English. Alexandria, Dahiana, and Alejandra are high school seniors from a poor Medellín neighborhood who have big dreams. 

Dreams of being accepted into a good college ...

Dreams of obtaining a teaching or medical or business degree ...

Dreams of snagging that ''dream job'' ...

Dreams of traveling the world ...

Dreams of improving their life and the lives of their family.

Even though they learn some English during their grade school and high school years, they realize that they want and need more. So that is why Alexandria, Dahiana, Alejandra ... and about fifty other students show up every Wednesday and Friday afternoon at the San Javier Library for free English lessons organized by Primed Community. Primed's philosophy is that through language learning and social experiences, they can support and empower this beautiful Medellín community that we are fortunate to be a part of. 

That Friday I worked on solidifying my students' understanding of the verb ''to be''. In Spanish, different verbs need to be used to state ''I am'' depending on the context. For example:

I am a woman ... Yo soy una mujer

I am happy ... Yo estoy feliz
I am 29 years old ... Yo tengo 29 años ;-)

I am cold ... Yo tengo frío (hardly ever heard in Medellín!)

After we reviewed the ''slight'' irregularities that the verb ''to be'' has in English ...

I am

You are

He/She/It is

We are

They are

... my students realized that they still have it easier than I do when I have to learn the three Spanish versions of ''to be'' as well as when to correctly use each one in Spanish conversation.

Ser: to describe permanent attributes

Yo soy, Tu eres, Él/Ella es, Nosotros somos, Ellos son

(I am, You are, He/She/It is, We are, They are)

Estar: to describe temporary states or locations

Yo estoy, Tu estás, Él/Ella está, Nosotros estamos, Ellos están

(I am, You are, He/She/It is, We are, They are)

Tener: to express age, to feel

Yo tengo, Tu tienes, Él/Ella tiene, Nosotros tenemos, Ellos tienen

(I am, You are, He/She/It is, We are, They are)

Is your high school Spanish coming back??? If so, you may appreciate some Spanish humor:

Teaching (and learning from) young people like these three is always a highlight of my week. They had a better grip on ''to be'' then I have on ''ser'', ''estar'', and ''tener'', so that afternoon we worked on vocabulary building and pronunciation. I have often thought that the bizarre ways in which English words are spelled and pronounced is as bad or worse than the numerous verb conjugations that I have to memorize when learning Spanish.

I proposed an activity that is often very difficult for teenagers. Using the phrase ''I am'', I wanted them to tell me about all of their good qualities. It was difficult for them at first to talk about their positive traits, but soon the words started flowing ...

I am kind (Yo soy amable)

I am organized (Yo soy organizada)
I am 17 years old (Yo tengo 17 años)

I am determined (Yo soy decidida)

I am cheerful (Yo estoy alegre)

I am loving (Yo soy cariñosa)

I am curious (Yo soy curiosa)

And because it was close to dinner time ...

I am hungry (Yo tengo hambre) 

But it was another comment that made me realize that, like the rest of the world, these teens have heavy thoughts on their mind.

''¿Cómo se dice, 'estoy preocupada' en inglés?''

How do you say ''I am worried''?

The day before, President Duque of Colombia had declared a health emergency in the country to help contain the outbreak of Covid-19. These three seniors, set to graduate in November, were worried about what it would mean for their academic futures if school had to be canceled for a few weeks.

At that moment, I wished that my Spanish was better than it is. But somehow we had a ''Charlie Brown'' discussion. I was able to encourage them to use their strong qualities of kindness, organization, determination, cheerfulness, curiosity, and love to overcome their worries. By doing that, they can be open to enjoy the good moments that will fill their future. I gave them suggestions of how they can continue to strengthen their English skills at home using on-line apps, videos, and music. They seemed to leave class determined to use the qualities that will help them continue to enjoy the good that surrounds them ... and ultimately become stronger women.

The state of emergency over the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly changed the tone here in Colombia as I imagine it has in your community. The streets are quieter ... schools will be closed for about four weeks ... restaurants are empty ... and there have been mad rushes to the stores for chicken, rice, hand soap and cleaning supplies ... but on the positive side, we can still find paper products that can stand in for toilet paper in a pinch!

There is uncertainty about the storm that is brewing, but there is also the opportunity for us all to use our strengths and ...

Learn to dance in the rain!

Changes as a result of Covid-19 continues to affect our community. As of this weekend, the Colombian government closed its country's borders to non-residents, closed all schools and universities until at least April 20, and suspended any gatherings of 500 people or more. They have discouraged use of the Metro, especially during busy times of the day.

We have noticed these changes affect us this past week we moved to a smaller apartment in a quieter part of Envigado. Thankfully we are surrounded by cute little restaurants that are still open and not very busy. We can easily walk to get any services that we may need. Unfortunately, all our Primed Community English classes and language exchanges have been canceled, so I am following the advice that I gave my students and using on-line resources to continue my Spanish studies at home. I have a local medical doctor and public health nurse as Spanish/English language-learning buddies along with numerous other local friends, so we feel reassured that we would have good support should we need any medical advice. We are currently ''learning to dance in the rain'' while weighing our options of staying here verses returning early to the US. 

Wishing you calmness during this stormy time ...

so that you can enjoy the beauty that
blossoms because of the rain!

Colombian Coffee Farm Tour

Photo credit: Picasa

Café ... Cappuccino ... Java ... Morning Joe. No matter how you say it, to a coffee lover, there is nothing more precious than that morning cup of coffee. Add the name of an exotic country of origin like Costa Rica, Ethiopia, or Colombia to the label ... and that cup of coffee instantly reaches superstar level!

For a coffee lover, a visit to Colombia is not complete without a visit to see the origins of their beloved brew. So when Jill (certifiable coffee connoisseur) visited us in Medellín, she had one request that I was very happy to fulfill ...

Let's journey high into the Andes Mountains of Antioquia for a Colombian Coffee Farm Tour!

We booked our tour through Toucan, the school where we took Spanish lessons last year. Transportation, English-speaking guide, breakfast, lunch, coffee tour, and tastings cost $70 a person. Toucan has a café in which they brew delicious cups of coffee, and they also have a coffee museum that highlights fun facts about this amazing drink. It is there that we met our group and guide, Fernando. An hour and half van ride brought us over the mountains south of Medellín to the town of Fredonia. From there we loaded into two 4x4 vehicles to complete our journey up twisty, narrow roads that brought us higher into the fertile mountains that produce some of Colombia's best coffee.

Walking the last half mile up to the coffee finca (farm) house just added to the ''authenticity'' of the experience. Humberto Pareja and his wife welcomed us to his family-run coffee business, Café de la Cima (Summit Coffee). We sat down to enjoy a homemade arepa de choclo con queso breakfast and our first of many delicious cups of liquid heaven.

With our guide Fernando acting as our interpreter, Humberto began to explain the labor-intensive process that ensures that we can enjoy our daily caffeine fix. Colombia produces 15% of the world's coffee. High in the Andes Mountains, the perfect blend of sun, precipitation, and soil conditions produces the red Arabica beans that Colombian coffee is famous for.

After introducing us to the process, it was time to get to work. Donned with our sombreros and baskets, we climbed up the hillside for the coffee bean picking experience. 

The best coffee is hand-picked to ensure that only the ripest, most flavorful beans are used. Trying to keep my footing while reaching deep into the bushes in search of those deep red coffee cherries proved to be a challenge. A skilled harvester can pick more than 100 pounds of beans a day.

My haul after 30 minutes of ''work'' leaves a lot to be desired!

I will blame it on being side tracked by the amazing views. Recognize the pyramid-shaped mountain in the distance? It, along with ''Juan Valdez'', is the inspiration for the Colombian Coffee Federation symbol.

This label on your Colombian coffee bag confirms that only the best beans were used and that proper processing procedures were followed in order to produce the best tasting coffee.

Once picked, the beans need to be immediately processed. The pulp from the coffee cherry is removed, and the seeds washed and sorted according to their size and weight. Those beans that don't meet the stringent requirements (not ripe enough or too small) are not just thrown away. They end up being sold to companies that make instant coffee. With this new knowledge, it's going to take a lot of convincing to get us to drink a cup of instant coffee again!

The beans are dried in the warm Colombian sun and put into jute bags that are shipped to local and international roasters. After subtracting the costs to grow, pick, and process these beans, the average coffee farmer can hope to make only about 30,000 cop (less than $10 usd) per 70 kg bag. That is one of the reasons that Humberto and his family branched out into the coffee roasting and coffee tourism business.

He led us into the coffee ''laboratory'' where his seemingly simple roasting set-up is actually more of a science than first meets the eye. The combination of precise temperatures and exact roasting times produces the rich flavor and velvety aroma that Colombian coffee is famous for.

After a delicious ''bandeja paisa'' lunch that included soup, beef, rice, plantain, salad, empanada, and coffee lemonade (very ''interesting'', but not sure that I am a fan), we began the coffee tasting portion of our tour.

Five types of beans were used to prepare five different cups of coffee. The first step was to judge the quality of the beans based on the aroma. Each sample was just a little different with cup #3 being our favorite and cup #5 being our least favorite. After that it was time for the taste test. As we took small sips, Humberto skillfully explained what qualities we should be noting. Cup #3 was still our favorite, and we were happy to find out that our favorite was also Café de la Cima's best product. Our least favorite, cup #5, contained the coffee beans that end up in the instant coffee brands.

Feeling pleased that we were becoming coffee tasting ''experts'', it was time to learn how to brew our favorite beverage. Humberto showed us once again how proper water temperature and brewing time produced the perfect cup of coffee. While his brewing methods were a little more sophisticated than what we usually do when using our ''Mr Coffee'' coffee maker, we took his advice to heart ... The best cup of coffee begins with the best Colombian coffee beans.

And for us, the best beans were found ...

High in the Andes Mountains of Antioquia during our Colombian coffee farm tour!

Medellín's Cerro Pan de Azúcar: The Ultimate Walk in the ''Jardín''

Not sure if I want to let our secret out, but we have discovered a hidden gem in the eastern hills of Medellín. Cerro Pan de Azúcar (Sugar Loaf Hill) is the location of one of the city's newest parks ... and has definitely become one of our favorite walks in the ''jardín'' (garden).

Like many of our RVentures, the journey to Cerro Pan de Azúcar is part of the fun. From where we are currently staying, we walk about twenty minutes to the Envigado Metro station and pay our 2355 cop (about $.70 usd) fare to take the subway north to the San Antonio station.

From this central Metro station, we get off and walk east across the street to the Tranvia and head to the Miraflores stop. At Miraflores, we head over to the adjacent Metrocable cars and take them to top of the hill to the 13 de Noviembre stop. Because they don't charge for transfers, this whole trip costs us just the price of the original fare (about $.70 usd).

From there, get ready for some amazing views ... after a short but intense two block hike up a neighborhood street. While we couldn't measure it directly, our friend estimated the street to have a gradient of at least 35%. Yes, the adventure begins!

The street is always bustling with pedestrians, vendors, cars, motorcycles, buses, and garbage trucks all competing for the same space on the very narrow roadway. It is always best to be prepared to jump onto the entryway of one of the homes or businesses, especially when a huge bus or truck is heading your way ... and hope that their engines and brakes are functioning properly!

Once again, the journey is half the fun, as views of everyday paisa life surround you. Make sure you grab a piece of fruit, a fresh-squeezed orange juice, or a hot chicken leg from one of the many little ''tiendas'' (shops) along the road ... you are going to need the calories as you climb the hill.

After the two block urban uphill climb, you will reach a leveling of the road where El Camino de la Vida (the road of life) walkway begins. This paved, relatively flat walkway circles a portion of the hillside. Alongside it you will find colorful gardens of plants and flowers along with entertaining garden displays.

Completed about four years ago, a walk along the flat perimeter of Cerro Pan de Azúcar offers a fairly easy stroll as well as some amazing views of the neighborhoods below.

But for an added challenge with even greater payoff, head to ''La Cima'' (the summit) ... only about 1000 steps to the top!

Yes, you heard right ... 1000+ steps await you, but the rewards will be well worth the effort! The concrete and stone steps lead you by blooming flowers, through pine forests, and past scenic overlooks. Every rest stop (and believe me, you will need a rest stop every now and again) will reward you with magnificent views.

Make sure you stop to admire the flowers, banana trees, and play areas along the way.

And just when you think that you can't climb another step ...

... the summit with its 360 degree panoramic view awaits you!

''La Virgen de la Candelaria'' welcomes you to sit down and relax for a while. Swarms of butterflies dance in the breeze. Flocks of birds glide in the wind currents. The Virgin's shadow cools you off as you enjoy the views of the city below.

The Cerro Pan de Azúcar hike has all the elements that make it a great way to discover the beauty of Medellín. The process of getting there allows you experience three unique types of public transportation for just the cost of a single Metro ticket. The walk through a typical barrio (neighborhood) gives you an ''up close and personal'' look into everyday paisa lifestyles. The hike up to the summit provides a good work-out while rewarding you with amazing views. And the view from the top makes you realize the incredible vastness and beauty of the Aburrá Valley.

So, while I would love to keep the beauty of Cerro Pan de Azúcar a secret ... I really think that it is something that everyone who lives in or visits Medellín should discover. 

The ''ruta de campeones'' (route of champions) is quietly waiting in the eastern hills of Medellín.

Climb a few steps ...

... in order to enjoy the ultimate walk in the ''jardín''!