Day 72, Cartagena: Happy Women's Day from La Vecina!

Who rule the world? Girls!

I am at work so just writing a short post to say how much I enjoy spending my days amongst these adorable kids. This morning, right when I had started working, one of the youngest and cutest boys came to our office, together with our secretary, to wish me a felíz día de la mujer. He gave me a card and hugged me so hard that I almost started to cry. That was really the best way to start my day.

We had a big celebration at the foundation, as the Colombian style seems to be. Led by my roommate A, we talked about gender equality and why there is a day called the International Women's Day. Some 5th grade boys then played serenades and all the girls received a small gift. 

Since today is all about girls, I tried to spend as much time as possible with them today. We really have some great young ladies here at La Vecina: all so intelligent, hard-working, brave and beautiful. I hope and believe that these girls have a very bright future ahead of them!

I was also extra happy because one of my favorite kids (of course I don't really have favorites but for some reason I'm just very fond of her) was back at school. Last week I took yearbook pictures of all of them and she was missing because she was so sick that she had been to hospital. I was so worried about her and relieved when I saw her today, healthy and smiling, and could steal her for a minute to my office and take her picture (+ a selfie). Ah, I'm in love.

Nothing to do with the women's day but I must tell you how proud I am of my Spanish skills! The thing is, I usually work at an office on the second floor but since my boss, N, is travelling in the Netherlands I have moved to her office because it has air-conditioning. Our secretary has her desk in the same office and her phone rings all the time. At first I panicked every time I heard it ring but now I have started to answer it if she's away. Usually I can only say hello and tell that we will call them back but today, like 10 minutes ago, oh my god I managed to have a real conversation on the phone!! This woman didn't accept my we will call you back but started to ask more questions and somehow I answered all of them without sounding an idiot and without once having to ask her to repeat. Seriously, I can't get over this: I really made understandable sentences in Spanish, on the phone, talking to someone I don't even know. You can congratulate me now. ;) It actually happens to me every now and then that I surprise myself. Like last weekend when I went to have my hair cut. I had thought that I would ask the hairdresser if she spoke English, but then I didn't and I realised I survived speaking only Spanish. And yesterday I had dinner with an Argentinian girl whom I got to know via work. We had been texting a lot (in Spanish) but it was the first time I met her and I thought I would ask her if we could speak English. But we started speaking Spanish and it was ok so I never did. I'm so happy!

Now back to work,
xx Emi

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