Visit to Catia de la Mar "Casa Misioneras de la Caridad"- Children with Brain Paralysis and the Mother Theresa nuns

One of those breathtaking moments I mentioned in an earlier entry happened a month or so ago. I went with the local Rotaract group, Rotaract Avila (in formation), to a center for kids with special needs, mostly ones with brain paralysis. The center is run by a group of 8 nuns of the Mother Theresa Order. These women are incredible... they left me breathless with their dedication, smiles and knowledge. This was one of the best facilities of this type I have seen (including in the US)- clean, wonderfully decorated to stimulate the children, which they need because of their condition, and a loving environment. One of the nuns took us through the baby-toddler wing and later through the older children's wing and introduced us to each child, explained their condition and "translated" their movements. One little girl moved her hand in a way that showed she was happy, another smiled... the nuns know every last expression that these children make. Because of the severity of their health problems, most will never be able to leave the center and go into a normal family home.

There were a few stories that stuck with me after the visit was over and still haunt me. They told us how one little boy was normal until he was five months old, at which point someone threw him up in the air, as we all do with little babies (they love it!). Unfortunately, he hit his head on the ceiling and from that point on was permanently disabled from the head trauma. Another child, a little girl, was found tied up with wires behind a dumpster. The nuns who discovered her had to shoo away the rats that were beginning to eat away at her skin. They told us how the laws and regulations have changed and now they are forbidden from going into the streets and picking up the children who need their help. Now, as in many other places, they have to battle the red tape to be able to continue with their work. It makes me wonder what will happen to the kids like the little girl who was tied up behind the dumpster. Who will care for them? Even while telling these stories, they never stopped smiling, even though it turned into a "we just have to keep pushing forward" smile.

I left the center that day with mixed feelings. First, I was amazed by the work being done for these children that almost no one wanted. Then I was feeling hopeful because the nuns had told us that a couple of the children's parents had come to the center to take their children home (in one case, the mother dropped the child off, and the father came back for the child). It still doesn't take away all the sadness that I felt knowing that these children would never have lives of their own, but I am grateful to these nuns and other workers who are giving them the best lives that they can possibly have.

If anyone is interested in donating to this center, please contact me.

Battle of the Bolivarian Bulge

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez frequently makes speeches about the well-being of the Venezuelan people, along with other topics. This time, my own mother wrote me to tell me of a speech she heard about in which Chavez discussed the growing obesity problem in the country. Turns out the US is not the only one having problems with an obese population. Here are the articles (one in English and the other in Spanish) about the issue.

Chavez identifica una nueva amenaza para Venezuela: la obesidad

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez urges citizens to lose weight

Hmmm... going hiking up the mountain again today sounds even better after reading all of this!

Gas is HOW much?

For reference purposes, $1=5,4oBsF (approx.)

I was out with a friend the other day and he informed me that we would be stopping to fill up the gas tank. While the attendant went to work, I saw that my friend had a 5BsF (approx. 0.92USD) bill on his lap. I looked at him, incredulous, and asked if he was planning on filling up the whole tank with that (it was only half-empty). He looked down at the bill and said "Yeah, I didn't have anything smaller to pay with!" My mouth still agape, I asked how much a tank was. He laughed and said gas was pretty much free. Another friend had mentioned once that when the government raised the price of gas by a minuscule amount, there were huge protests and they were forced to lower the price back down.


So the final cost of a 28.38 liter, or 7.5 gallon, fill-up was 2,75BsF, or appoximately 0.50USD. Geez, almost broke the bank! Must be why a metro ride costs 0,45BsF (0.08USD).


To give you an idea of what things cost here, an arepa (see previous posts) is around 12BsF, a newspaper 1-1,50BsF, a liter of milk around 5-6BsF, 10-15BsF for a loaf of bread... a tank of gas, around 5.50BsF, or about $1. Crazy!

The price of gas, while seemingly wonderful for those of us who pay an arm and a leg to fill up the tank in the US and Europe, is not very positive in my opinion. While the excess of cars on the road also has to do with a lack of roads, I strongly believe that if gas were more expensive, there wouldn't be as many cars on the road. Parking at the mall or anywhere in town is nearly impossible; you can spend a half hour just looking for a spot in the parking deck! Plus, the pollution is intense in the city from the exhaust (no E-Check here!). Most people don't think twice about taking several cars when a group of friends go out and think it's strange that I'm always trying to figure out a way to carpool (it's ingrained into me). I have to catch myself when I consider offering gas money. It's almost an insult. :-P

Just another random observation from the place where anything can happen!

U.S. Embassy Warning

A couple days ago I got an email from the U.S. Embassy in Caracas....warning me about the protests and demonstrations in Venezuela! I realize that it's not a funny situation, but I laughed at the irony of receiving this email weeks after my first experiences with the protests. I read through the characteristics of these sometimes violent events and couldn't help but shake my head, because they were 100% accurate... but I had learned this by actually living through them!

Here is a copy of part of the message I received, with some comments of mine in parenthesis.

This Warden Message alerts U.S. citizens traveling to and residing in Venezuela that political marches and demonstrations are frequent in Caracas and in Venezuela. Travelers should be aware that violence, including exchanges of gunfire and tear gas, has occurred at political demonstrations in the past (I saw them launching tear gas bombs from the 6th floor of my faculty building) Demonstrations tend to occur at or near university campuses (most of the protests I've seen have been at the entrances to the UCV campus), business centers, and gathering places such as public squares and plazas (and the other one was at Plaza Venezuela). Marches generally occur on busy thoroughfares, significantly impacting traffic (no one could get to my one afternoon class because they closed off Plaza Venezuela because of the protests, and when they block the UCV entrances with burning tires and garbage, no one can get on campus by car/bus).

We wish to remind U.S. citizens that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence (like this one in Plaza Venezuela, where 8-10 people were injured- when my professor realized what was going on, she said class was canceled and gave me a ride home, just in case). American citizens are therefore urged to avoid the areas of demonstrations if possible, and to exercise caution if within the vicinity of any demonstrations. Since the timing and routes of marches and demonstrations are always subject to change, American citizens should monitor local media sources and the Embassy’s website, through the American Citizens’ “Demonstrations” link, for new developments.

In the center of the picture you can see the low-flying police helicopter over Plaza Venezuela, October 21.

The smoke you can see is from the tear gas bombs that were launched in an attempt to pacify the protest.

Needless to say, I always am careful around here, because as I've come to realize- en Venezuela, todo es posible. However, I do want to comment that no matter where you are in the world (like Youngstown and Cleveland, both cities that made the top 10 most dangerous US city list one year), you need to exercise caution. I don't necessarily feel all that unsafe here because I am constantly watching my back and don't put myself into questionable situations. No worries mom, I am taking good care of myself, and the Rotarians and my other friends are too. :)

Venezula??

Just a quick post to apologize for spelling Venezuela wrong in my blog title. I can't believe I've had it up for so long and no one has kindly mentioned it to me! Sorry about that. For your reference, it should be "VenezuEla", not "Venezula".

Protests, Strikes, No hay agua...just another week here in Caracas

First of all, sorry for not being very timely in my posts lately! I've had a lot of difficulties with various aspects of life down here (mainly school-related) and haven't had much time or energy to write. As I'm writing this I'm thinking about when I had to get up for a 7AM video conference and that tomorrow I'm getting up early to go visit a center for young people with cancer. I was worried about being able to "attend" the video conference and was thinking I wouldn't be able to if internet went down, my roommate's puppy chewed through the internet cable, power went off or my alarm didn't go off (the second two have happened already). As I keep reiterating, here in Venezuela, anything is possible.

But luckily, being able to write this post means a few things: Terry the cute little ball of fur has not chewed through any cords, the water is back on (even though it was off most of the day), the hot water tank is fixed (oh didn't I mention the switchplate melted and there was almost a fire?), and I'm getting caught up on schoolwork.

It hasn't been easy and I haven't always done things the right way, I'll be the first to admit that (and my friends and family will remind me of it whenever necessary!). But I feel like I'm finally getting somewhere. I've been able to get my opinion heard in class (it's not like at YSU, where you raised your hand- it's a free-for-all debate, which sometimes means that if I'm not on top of things, I don't get a word in edgewise) and have even been asked for my views on certain topics that have to do with the USA. I was surprised at the amount of readings we were assigned in English. On that note, one day in class we were discussing an article on decision-making units by Margaret Hermann from OSU, and I had understood it perfectly because it was in English and straight-forward. I could relate to the examples. Then I found out that some of the points she made didn't apply in the Venezuelan context. That class was one of the most interesting I've had so far, because my classmates helped me to understand some of the key differences between the USA and Venezuela in that subject and I realized that just because it made sense to me didn't mean it was going to make sense to others.

I've been asking everyone questions about everything here. Luckily, I have some really awesome friends who don't mind. "What does this mean?" "Is a girl looked down upon for taking the pill/contraceptives?" "Can I walk here by myself?" "What's a 'totuma'?" (I will explain this one later, it has to do with something funny President Chavez said today with regards to saving water) "Wait, is that really a taxi?!" (They put stickers that said "taxi" on the windshield of these awful, old, cars and I'm supposed to get in? NO WAY!) "Are classes going to be cancelled again because of the protests?" "IS THIS NORMAL?!" etc

The answers to my questions have been both surprising and at times unbelievable. I hope to post more frequently now that I have things under control because my life here has been anything but boring. I want the people reading this blog to get a better understanding of Venezuelan life, that it's not all like what is shown on the news in the US! I have had some breathtaking moments already here, and am sure that they aren't over yet!

For now, I leave you with some recent pictures. Next time I'll update more on some specific activities I've been involved in. :)

Me, my friend Goldsmitd and my apartment mate, Idalmis in El Hatillo, a little town on the outskirts of Caracas. We were in a chocolate store-yum!

Terry the puppy!! He's a teacup poodle mix and weighs less than 2 pounds, and probably won't weigh more than 4 fully grown. He's a pistol....



Andrea, the president of Rotaract Avila (in formation) and I the day we visited a center for kids with special needs in Catia de la Mar (updates on this soon).


Free outdoor concert sponsored by the government, we saw Calle 13, a Puerto Rican group. Awesome energy! Orlando, Susan, me and another new friend, Jesus (I met him while at the workshop at the Peace Monument).

Arepa success!! I finally started using the "tostiarepas" (like a waffle maker for arepas) and my arepas are turning out wonderfully. Thanks for the lessons, Idalmis!

No hay agua?! Again?!

I am entertained by the fact that today, once again, our water has been cut off. I'd LOVE to know what they're doing to the plumbing outside so that water doesn't make it to the building. Sometimes you just have to laugh.... My roommate's friend said that he's lived in Caracas his whole life and never once been without water. My roommate says that it's happened maybe once here (before I came) in the four years she's lived here. Since I've come, it's gone out on two separate occasions, the first time for a couple of days, starting the night that I got here. Figures... some higher power wants to make sure I have enough material to write that book about my life, "No hay agua"!

By the way, make sure you turn off that faucet when you're brushing your teeth and try to make good, conservative use of water! You never know when you won't have it.

Cheers!

Finding Inner Peace

This post is dedicated to KF, KD, SF and CA, in hopes that they'll find inner peace soon, too.

I felt compelled to write this post not only because of a recent event I attended at Caracas' Peace Monument last Saturday, but also because of a conversation I had later that day with fellow Rotarians and not-so-peaceful moments in the lives of some of those around me.

In the last few days, I have been tired, cranky and frustrated at times. This was not the overall feeling of the days, but the tired/cranky/frustrated times seemed to overpower the other feelings. I was overwhelmed by the early starting times (7AM) of my classes, the amount of material, the expectations of me. Stress took over and I began to wonder if I was going to be successful this year.

Yesterday and today I had a little bit more down time and had time to reflect on the events of the last few weeks. As I mentioned, last Saturday I took a tour at the Peace Monument (Monumento a la Paz) in Colinas de Bello Monte (a part of Caracas). The monument was started by Dr. Farid Mattar in 1963 using rubble from the city of Caracas. Over the years, the monument has expanded considerably, and each part of the monument has a different meaning. However, each rock is placed “in the name of every Venezuelan child that will be born.”

It truly is a "peaceful" place with lush gardens and a spectacular view of El Avila (the mountain to the north of Caracas). Please take a look at the International Free Planet Foundation website for the full story and some beautiful pictures.

View from the entrance

One of the first gardens

The first path

Do you see a face or a tree?

It felt like walking through a jungle!


El Avila

Even the contemplative have to relieve themselves somewhere!

A lower level


Reflecting while sitting at a table made from rubble.



Rotaract President Andrea and I helping each other balance and "creating a peaceful bond."



El Avila

After the tour of the premises, there was a round table discussion about peace and how we can go about promoting peace in our lives. Several participants discussed different local programs designed to reduce conflict and tensions in areas of Caracas and the world. October 2 marks the start of The World March for Peace and Nonviolence, a worldwide movement for peace that will last until January 2, 2010. There will be events and marches in a wide array of countries, because

"The moment has come for the voiceless to be heard! Out of agonizing and urgent need, millions of human beings are crying out for an end to wars and violence. We can make that happen by uniting all the forces of pacifism and active non-violence worldwide." (http://theworldmarch.org)

After the discussion, I went to Rotary Club Las Mercedes President Pedro's home, along with his wife Gina, and niece Andrea (President of Rotaract), all three of whom had attended the event. We had a scrumptious lunch and settled into the living room for an after-lunch chat with their daughter. I got more out of this conversation than I ever thought that I would.

At Pedro's home.

We began by talking about what had happened that morning, our opinions of the monument the round table discussion. I had thoroughly enjoyed the visit, especially since I hadn't expected such a magnificant structure, nor the round table at the end. Pedro then brought up the topic of inner peace, something that was briefly touched at the meeting. "How do we find inner peace? How do we make peace reign in our homes?"

I started to think about my own life, about my own inner peace. How many times did I fight with my brother, or argue with my parents? How many times should I have turned the other cheek in a situation, and didn't? Why is it that it is so easy for us to hurt the ones around us, yet so difficult to tell them that we love them? Why do we judge others without getting to know them first, using superficial characteristics as guidelines for judging their worth rather than the person that they are?

The conversation turned to my own family and disputes that have happened within it that have torn some of us apart. I got emotional thinking about relationships that I wish were better, that sometimes it seems will never improve. Gina mused that one of the most difficult tasks to carry out in the home is achieving peace. They encouraged me to not give up, to keep trying, and I was reminded of some steps forward in the last couple of years.

Since I have been home for very short periods of time since about 2003, it's always difficult to keep in touch with everyone, much less work on bettering relationships while abroad. However, I feel like things have improved lately, which I know has helped with my own inner peace. This summer one of my sisters moved closer to my house as a positive result of a negative situation. I was ecstatic that she moved closer and that I could see her and her two of her children (my niece and nephew) more often. They're getting to an age that you can really see what type of people they are turning out to be and I really don't want to miss out on that. I've had the chance to get to know them better and I think it would be awesome if my nephew could come to visit me here, or maybe on my next trip. I also had more time to spend with my brother, sister-in-law and his children, and feel like things get better every time I come home. I had the opportunity to spend a day each with both my sister and my brother's daughters, a "girl's day out" and hope that we continue to do so when I come home. Even though my parents were working and away from home for a good portion of summer, we still were able to spend time together. Because I'm gone so much, we try to make the most of the time that I'm there.

But what about those relationships that I haven't been able to improve? What do I do about them? Like Gina said, don't give up on them. World peace starts with our own inner peace and creating a peaceful atmosphere in our homes, strengthening our families.

Before I left for Venezuela, my dad asked me if I would come home for Christmas. I have never come home during a year abroad in the past (this is my fourth year abroad, and I've only been home for 2 Christmases since 2003) because of the cost of the plane ticket and wanting to experience the holidays in a new place. Even if I was in Ohio, I took advantage of the time off at Christmas to travel. I am young and independent, and realize that I won't be able to take off and travel at the drop of a hat once I "grow up." My parents have always supported me in this and they encourage me to keep learning and bettering myself.

However there comes a point when you realize that the cost of the plane ticket shouldn't be a concern. Getting to spend the holidays with your family when you spend so much time away from home doesn't have a price. I can't feel completely at peace knowing that it would bring my parents and my family happiness (and me, of course!) for me to spend Christmas with them, and having the possibility to go home and not go. Maybe this is what I need to do to better those tough relationships that I haven't gotten to yet. We all need to take a good look at ourselves once in awhile and ask these kinds of hard questions.

Some of my friends are going through a rough time right now. We're all growing up and the growing pains can sometimes be unbearable. It seems like inner peace is hard to come by these days. Moving back home is just what the doctor ordered for some, fastidious for others. Some feel that the path that they chose isn't the right one because the going got tough really quickly, while others still can't find their path. I wish I could be there to give each and every person who's having a tough time dealing a hug. I wish I could tell them that it's going to be alright, and know that they believe it. I've been where they are, not knowing where life is going to take me, and it can be miserable if you think about it the wrong way. I still find myself in that situation sometimes! If you think of it as a curse that you don't know what life is bringing, what you're going to eat for breakfast the next day, it most certainly will feel that way.

To my friends and anyone else feeling a little bit lost and lacking for inner peace, know that once you are at peace with yourself, everything else will fall into place and the effect on everyone and everything around you will be noticeable. Tomorrow, October 2nd, starts the three month World March for Peace and Nonviolence. I invite each one of you to do your part by finding your own inner peace and making peace with those around you. You never know what kinds of amazing things may come of it.

How to Make an Arepa

Step 1: Buy some flour mix that contains corn, oats and corn bran, or just look for a package of flour with a big arepa on it!

Step 2: Add water and let it be absorbed into the flour. If it is still dry, add a little more water, but be sure to give the water enough time to absorb completely.

Step 3: Knead the mixture until it forms a malleable dough.

Admire your wonderful dough ball!

Step 4: Form the dough into small discs if you're using an arepa maker. The arepa maker is the double-sided pan shown that can be used to easily flip the arepas while on the stove and cooks them thoroughly. You can also make larger ones using a frying pan.

Step 5: Voila- your arepa is ready to be sliced in half, bagel-style, and filled with whatever delicious treats you'd like to put in there! If you've got a sweet tooth, maybe jam. If you're hungry for a good meal, try filling it with a local favorite- avocado and chicken salad, or ham and cheese. For a picture of a filled arepa, refer back to the first September post.

Rotary- The best business in the world

In the last two weeks that I have been in Venezuela, I have come to realize what a difference being a Rotarian ambassador makes in the experience of studying abroad. A few nights ago, my new apartment-mate Idalmis asked me what benefits and advantages one enjoys upon joining Rotary International. Why become a Rotarian? I was able to thoroughly answer her questions as a direct result of a speech given last week by the Rotary District 4370 District Governor, Pedro Pablo Puky to Rotary Club Petare and other experiences I have had with Rotary so far.

On Tuesday, September 15, I attended a Rotary Club Petare meeting with Dr. Aracelis Ortega, my temporary host counselor. I was nervous because it would be the first time that I would meet most of these Rotarians. So far I had only met Nelly Meléndez from Rotary Club Las Mercedes, and Aracelis. I shouldn't have been worried, because from the first moment I walked into the room, I was welcomed by the Rotarians, who had been looking forward to meeting me just as much as I was excited to meet them. DG Pedro Pablo Puky and I had emailed back and forth and he greeted me as he would an old friend, which made me feel at ease with him immediately. We had found common ground in our Hungarian ancestry a few months back. I found that Rotarians here love taking photographs as much as I do and had no problem getting everyone together for a group shot before the events began.

Some members of Rotary Club Petare.
The first on the left is Petare's assistant to the District Governor, Dr. Jaime Bolaños. The District Governor, Pedro Pablo Puky (not a member of RC Petare), is seated to my right and wearing a yellow tie. Dr. Aracelis Ortega is second from the left, next to Dr. Jaime Bolaños.

I was asked to hold the Venezuelan flag out while the Club sang the national anthem.

Before I continue, I want to stress that this meeting was significant for Rotary Club Petare because the District Governor is required to visit each local club one time during his year as DG and this was his first visit to the club.

The meeting started with reports to the DG Pedro Pablo Puky about the status of the club. I was particularly interested in learning about the service projects that the club is carrying out. One of their projects involves paying tuition for children in children's homes to attend private schools each month. The members of the club also visit the children and assist the centers in maintaining the building. The member commenting on this project stated the need to improve many of the facilities, including the bathrooms.

Another project was directed towards those who have poor vision and require glasses, but perhaps cannot afford them. Rotary Club Petare's goal is to help 1,000 locals get the glasses they need, whether it is by subsidizing the glasses or giving them to the needy outright.

The third project that was discussed was "Operación Kilo," a food drive for the needy. Throughout the month, donated food is gathered and stored at the Club president's house and once a month, members of the Club deliver the food to children living in the streets and other homeless persons.

In January, a chapter of Rotaract was formed in Caracas. Rotaract is a Rotary Club for young men and women aged 18-30 who want to make a difference through volunteer service. The club is still "in formation," as they have not yet reached the minimum number of members necessary to officially become a Rotaract club. I met Rodrigo and Yohana, current members of Rotaract. Although the club is still in formation, the members are involved in different service projects already, from a lottery to benefit children with cancer to assisting Rotary scholars who came from Mexico to Caracas to learn about Social Responsibilities for Businesses.

After giving a few suggestions and commenting on the projects that were presented, District Governor Pedro Pablo Puky began his speech that would provide the answer to my apartment-mate's questions. According to Pedro Pablo, everyone is concerned with helping his fellow man/woman. But why don't we just give money to beggars, why should we get together as a group rather than making individual contributions? His answer was that if each one of us helps out separately with a part, we still might not be able to achieve the goal. However, if we combine our efforts, strengths and abilities, we can multiply those individual parts and make the sum of the group's efforts much greater than the sum of the individuals' efforts. After all, one person can help a child, but a group can build an orphanage.


Combining efforts to carry out service projects is an important part of Rotary, but it is not the only reason to be a part of Rotary International. There are people that we see every day at work or at the store, but real friendship is hard to come by. Rotary offers the opportunity to meet people we may not have otherwise. In my case, I would never have met the majority of the people that I have met so far in Caracas. Most of them are Rotary contacts. The weekly meetings serve as a way to stay united and develop strong friendships. Rather than being a member of a homogenized group of persons in a service group (such as one formed through a workplace, etc), the contacts and friendships made through Rotary are diverse. In one night I met a surgeon, a lawyer, a pharmaceutical teacher, a chemical engineer and an architect! This diversity allows Rotary members to combine their skills and enrich each other, as well as be a more effective service group.

Pedro Pablo discussing Rotary International's theme for this year: "The Future of Rotary is in Our Hands"

Another unexpected advantage of Rotary is the improvement of public speaking skills. Even back in Ohio as a future Ambassadorial Scholar, I was put to the test and asked to give a speech before I left to my sponsor club, Rotary Club of Cleveland. During the meetings, at which there are usually at least 20-25 Rotary members present (sidenote: any Rotary member from any part of the world can attend any other Rotary Club meeting as a guest), one must lose his/her fear of speaking in front of a group to ask even the simplest question. Pedro Pablo told us about a very shy woman who became a member of his local Rotary Club who made an incredible transformation and now is one of the chattiest members. Through Rotary, one has the opportunity to better both him/herself as well as better the world around him/her.

Pedro Pablo ended by commenting that Rotary International is the best business in the world- the demand (for service/volunteerism) always exceeds the supply. That said, there's a lot of work to be done in the world to make it a better place for all. Consider visiting your local Rotary Club to see what Rotary International is all about- Rotarians love visitors and will make you feel welcome from the start!

A member of Rotary Club Petare, District Governor Pedro Pablo Puky and me after the meeting. Right before this picture was taken, I gave Pedro Pablo an Arch C. Klump medallion as a gift from the Rotary Club of Cleveland. He sends his thanks to the Rotary Club of Cleveland!

My new place- what do you mean, there's no water?!

Just a quick post to "show" you all a little bit of my new apartment. I don't have many pictures of the inside yet, but here is one of the outside. I found it on Google Maps too, so if you want to "see" it, write to me and I'll give you the link!

The fruits of my first trip to the grocery. It only took an hour to get there (it's about 5 minutes away, but I went the wrong direction)!

The lovely news that we would only have water from 12:30-2:00PM and 7:30-9:00PM, until further notice. Apparently some water pipes broke. Hahaha, my future book will definitely be called "No Hay Agua"...

Small Victories

This entry was mostly written on Wednesday, September 16.

Being in Caracas reminds me of when I was in Ecuador for many reasons. I learned life lessons in Riobamba that have served me well over the last 5 years since I came home from my year abroad. It was a difficult year that taught me more about myself than anything else. There would be several days in a row when we simply did not have running water (if I wrote an autobiography about my life up until now, it would be called "no hay agua"-there's no water- for this reason), when the catcalls really got on my nerves, the two months before Carnaval when I got attacked with water balloons, flour or water pistols every time I set foot out of my house (apparently it was more fun to attack the "gringas") and other times when things just didn't go my way. I learned patience, street smarts, how to appreciate the small victories, and how to replace bad memories.

In Caracas there is usually water in the shower, although it's not always hot, and I haven't gotten pelted with flour or water pistols yet (however I have been rained on). But I have already experienced times where things just didn't seem to go my way. The days seem so long because so much happens over the course of the time I'm awake. Actually, even when I'm asleep it's eventful. Someone had the brilliant idea to set the hotel room TV timer to 4:05AM and that was waking me up every morning. The bad part of it was that I would roll over, fumble around until I found the remote to turn it off, and by the time I woke up I wouldn't remember exactly what had happened. I originally thought that I was waking up with the sun or something. Then one morning I awoke to some sitcom and within a few minutes became very sick to my stomach. Needless to say, I remembered what happened a few hours later when I woke up and turned off the timer, especially since the Pepto Bismal tablets that I had taken at 4AM had turned my tongue black (thanks to Khoa for forewarning me about that one). Last night I went to sleep with a satisfied grin on my face, knowing that no sitcom would be trying to make me laugh at 4:05AM. What I didn't count on were my new neighbors. I suppose I should be grateful- they did let me sleep until 6:15, at which point they decided to start their day with energy.... right outside my door. sigh...

Annoyances like this are a part of life. At times it can seem like the annoyances outnumber the satisfying moments. Either way, the small victories must be celebrated. What are small victories? They can be anything. My first small victory after I was dropped off at the hotel was walking by myself to McDonald's (there's really nothing else around here that I can walk to after dark) and getting dinner. Another time it was scrounging up the courage to start making phone calls about apartments. It's nerve-racking to make phone calls in another country to people that you don't know, in a language that's not your own, about something that's handled completely differently than in your native country.

Today's victory was school-related. I had forgotten that I needed to take a Spanish-language test as a prerequisite for entry into the graduate program. Once I found out that I needed to take it ASAP, I called the Modern Languages office and got directions. I walked from the hotel to campus, a route that I finally knew well, and started my search. I had been told that the office was in front of the Pharmacy College building. Well, now if only I knew where the Pharmacy building was! I wandered in the direction of the building where my classes would be held, wandered in another direction, and finally decided to ask for directions. I was pointed in the direction of a “building with a red wall” and some others that I didn’t know. I wandered more, asked more people for help and finally (after doing a few laps around the campus) arrived at my destination. I always look at the posted signs in hopes of finding something interesting and this time was in luck- I found out that Arabic classes are available and who to call. (update: On Friday I was in the building where they’ll be held, in another area off-campus called Altamira, but didn’t have time to find out anything more. I’ll have to call Monday)

After speaking with the secretary and receiving a slip of paper with an account number on it that I was supposed to use when I deposited 75BsF (about $12.50) as payment for the test, I received further instructions on finding the Banco de Venezuela. Apparently there are two branches on campus and the one that I found first (and of course it was the one that was the furthest away from the language office) was closed with chains and a big padlock. It took me at least another 30 minutes of walking and asking and feeling like I was running in circles to find the other branch. Another half hour of waiting in line and I finally got to pay for my test. I paid especially close attention to how people were paying and what they had to do to fill out the form, etc. but luckily I didn’t have too much of a problem because they used a similar system in Spain. However here, you have to “sign” with a thumbprint as well. I’ve never had to put my prints on so many documents in my life! Luckily they didn’t ask for any other ID because I had forgotten my passport. I guess if you want to deposit money for someone else, that’s your own prerogative.

Feeling satisfied, I returned to the hotel and called the language office again to confirm that I had paid the deposit and to ask when the test was. The secretary wasn’t sure I would be taking the test at the same time as everyone else because mine was in Spanish and theirs in English. I got another set of phone numbers to call to ask a professor if I would be taking the test on Friday. His son answered the first number and the professor himself answered the second and said that it was not a problem.

Since Wednesday when I wrote this entry, a lot has happened, many small victories as well as difficulties. I will update again soon and tell a little more about my first Rotary meeting, moving into a new place, finding out that the “no hay agua” does apply here in Venezuela after all, and my disdain for catcalls in the streets, barking dogs and blaring music. Stay tuned for the insanity….

Tormentas

The past couple of days have been stormy here, and I've had a fantastic view of the storms from my 7th floor hotel room. It's amazing how you can see the rain blur the mountains and buildings in the distance until they turn into a gray soup. Tonight I saw a lot of lightning; one of the bolts touched down on a hill just outside the city and the whole town went dark. Luckily, the lights went back on one by one. Here are a few pictures of the storm.

Before the storm

The storm coming in

The grey soupiness that "erased" the city

In other news, I got my phone fixed, which has facilitated the apartment search. Tomorrow I have a couple of appointments to see rooms and Nelly has agreed to come and help me decide. It eases my mind to have a Venezuelan (especially such a nice one!) come with me, so that I won't run into any problems.

This afternoon when I was out getting my phone fixed, I noticed the number of stores/malls here. In the town I lived in in Spain, there were many real estate offices, bar/cafeterias, several grocery stores and a few dollar stores. Here, I've noticed many, many malls and more fast food places than bars/cafeterias. These malls aren't the kind that I'm used to in the US, either, long and flat, usually not more than 2 or 3 floors. The mall, El Recreo, was 6 or 8 floors, a massive building with a mix of American and Spanish stores. I was elated to discover a hot soft pretzel stand, though, as pretzels don't seem to be as popular in countries outside of the US (except Germany, of course). Cell phone stores abounded and I wasn't surprised to hear that many Venezuelans have 2 cell phones, in order to call between the same networks (as in call from a Movistar line to Movistar users and use the other phone for other companies). I was, however, surprised to hear that many have as many as 3 or 4, for this same reason!

My impression of Caracas so far is that it's a small-town big city. It has a lot of big-city characteristics like size, population, variety, noise, but a small-town feel in that the people are very welcoming, and I wouldn't be surprised in a few months to run into someone I know in the streets in an area I don't usually frequent. When I went to the UCV to meet my professors today, I was greeted warmly and personally guided through the process. Not only did Profa. Yonis and Prof. Garaicoechea sit down with me and explain the registration procedures, they also gave me their personal cell phone numbers and said that if I had any problems, to feel free to call them.

In short, my experiences so far have exceeded my expectations.

Earthquake!!

The View from Susan's House

Today while I was at my fellow Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar friend Susan's house, we experienced a earthquake of 6.2 on the Richter scale. The weather was already quite strange and I took several videos of the clouds coming through the mountains because it reminded me of visiting a clouded forest in Mindo, Ecuador. Soon after it started pouring down rain, we were sitting in her living room/kitchen area enjoying some delicious plantain slices topped with guacamole and cheese, and everything started to shake. We sat there in shock for what seemed like an eternity and it seemed as if the floor were rippling. Everyone got up and went outside because we were safer there than in the house (just in case of anything falling on us). After a few minutes, we returned to our meal and felt a few more, much weaker, vibrations. Fortunately, there didn't seem to be much damage as a result of the strong thunderstorms and the earthquake.

In other, much more pleasant news, I had the opportunity to meet Nelly Melendez, the current secretary and 2010-2011 President-Elect from the Rotary Club Las Mercedes. Ms. Melendez is a high school teacher here in Caracas. Nelly offered to help me out with opening a bank account and choosing a room. I also met a friend of hers, Esther, a doctor at a public health clinic. She told us about her job and the problems she encounters on a daily basis. Esther commented that she has faced the same problems since she began- too many patients and too little time, as well as corruption.

Esther, Karen, Nelly, Susan at Susan's house in Hoyo de la Puerta

I met Susan's "babies" (she has cats that hang out outside her house and one just gave birth a week ago) and enjoyed the view from her terrace. We looked at some photos from her and Orlando's wedding last year and ate a delicious dessert of banana bread (made from local bananas) and tea/coffee.

Susan with one of her "babies"

Orlando, Nelly, Esther, and Susan on the terrace

After the excitement of today, I can't wait to see what else this year is going to bring!

Y así empieza...

My name is Karen Varga and I am a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar from Rotary District 6630 representing the Rotary Club of Cleveland, Ohio. I will study International Relations at the Universidad Central de Venezuela in Caracas during the 2009-2010 school year.

Today was my second day in Caracas, Venezuela. It's difficult for me to find the words to describe my adventure so far, but I'll try my best.

I arrived into the Simón Bolívar International Maiquetia yesterday, after about 12 hours of overnight travel. By the time I got to the Caracas airport, I was tired (although not nearly as exhausted as I anticipated being), hungry and getting a little nervous, especially going through Immigration. I was sure I filled something out wrong or that I was going to face some kind of anti-American sentiment. One of the reasons that I wanted to come to Venezuela was to find out what the general Venezuelan opinion of the USA is, and to see how they view Americans. Much to my relief, I had no problems in Immigration or Customs. I was both surprised and glad to see an airport security guard checking the baggage stickers we were given against the tags affixed to our suitcases. There were also a few security guards at various points around the luggage carousel. I felt fairly safe.

Probably the most interesting part of the airport was waiting for my bags at the luggage carousel. There was an employee whose only job seemed to be to catch the bags as they came down the first conveyor belt and flip them so that the name stickers were up and they would travel down the conveyor belts without falling out or hitting people.

My friend Elio's parents, Elio Miguel and Mirna were waiting for me outside the gate and it was very reassuring to see the sign with my name on it, with two smiling people behind it. My first thought when I got outside was "If the weather is always like this in Caracas, I'm going to be miserable!" However, they explained to me that since Caracas was about 16 miles away, and at a higher altitude of 2,500-3,000 feet, it didn't get that hot. In fact, some Venezuelans consider Caracas to be chilly (Caracas' average temperature stays in the 70s and 80s) in comparison to other tropical areas that are at sea level. In the two days I've been here, I've found the temperature both days to be quite pleasant all day.

The car ride to the city was enlightening. I saw various forms of pro-government propaganda, as well as some anti-government graffiti. I was thoroughly entertained watching the flow of traffic and the absolute insanity that ensues on the roads leading into and within Caracas. I hope to never have to drive on those streets, however, because I think one must have been brought up here to understand the complicated manuevers that one must make to get to his or her destination. I looked on as the cars parted to let an ambulance get through and was surprised to see a group of well-organized motorcyclists following close behind, taking advantage of the open space behind the ambulance before the cars closed the gap once again. It almost seemed rehearsed. Elio Miguel drove calmly, as if we were on a Sunday afternoon drive, and Mirna chatted with the both of us. They immediately made me feel welcome. Elio Miguel commented that I am arriving into Venezuela at a "crucial moment," because changes are happening quickly, both on a national and international level, and I will experience them firsthand. I am excited to speak with people who have already passed through many of these changes and hear about their personal experiences.

Before we got into the city, we passed through the outskirts of Caracas, best known for their favelas, shantytowns or "barrios." They are poor areas where persons of few resources may live. I have heard that the actual living quarters are poorly built and was astonished by the number of houses and shanties built one on top of each other on the side of the mountain. I hope to speak with more people about these areas to understand them better.

After a few wrong turns and a subsequent scenic tour of Caracas, we arrived at the hotel and I got settled in. Next was a typical Venezuelan breakfast- arepas (a type of fried cornmeal bread shaped like a pita) filled with a variety of foods, from chicken and avocado to cheese to sweet fillings, black beans, fried and scrambled eggs, pulled pork, washed down with amazing fruit juices. I had a ham and cheese arepa with passion fruit juice and enjoyed every bite (see photo above). We ran into a cousin of Elio's, who is also studying at the Universidad Central de Venezuela. He offered to help me get settled into Caracas.

After breakfast we visited a few banks to see if I could open a bank account. Unfortunately (and much to the surprise of Elio Miguel and Mirna), a new requirement has been made that one must be a resident to open a bank account. In another bank, we were told that I also needed to have proof that I had been paying my utility bills in order to prove that I was financially stable. The bank tellers were sympathetic and did all that they could to help me, but said that the changes were on the government level and they had to respect them. I consider this my first taste of the immediate impact that the government's changes are having here. I am not for or against these types of changes, but hope to learn more this year about their positive and negative causes and effects.

That afternoon I was able to meet up with Susan, another Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar living here in Caracas. Rotary International forwarded me her contact information soon after I was assigned to come to Caracas. She has been here since early this year and has been my best source of information, as well as becoming a good friend. She and her husband, Orlando, took me in their 1960s VW Beetle to the local mall to see if I could get a cell phone. I was immediately overwhelmed when we first drove into the parking garage- it was packed and it seemed that there were just as many cars driving around, looking for parking spots. When we got in, I was overwhelmed once again. The mall was 6 or 8 stories high, with a kids blow-up playground in the middle on the ground floor, and every store you could imagine. We only saw parts of 2 floors and I was amazed at the number of people and variety of stores. I saw many familiar fast food places, a few stores that I saw in Spain and other American brands. The cell phone search was quick and I just needed to wait a few hours for my phone to be activated.

The three of us headed out to Altamira to an Italian restaurant and I felt renewed after our terrace dinner. I had been up since 5:15 that morning, so sitting down and having a pleasant dinner with great company was a relief. I finally had the opportunity to ask Susan and Orlando about their experiences in person.

Today I slept in after finding out that I wouldn't meet up with Elio's cousin, Cesar, until this afternoon. I moved to a smaller, cheaper room in the hotel (it's still quite nice) and can finally settle in for the next few days, knowing that I won't have to change rooms again. Cesar came by and took me through the Universidad Central de Venezuela's campus and showed me where my college is located. I felt at home on the campus, especially when Cesar saw some fellow students and we had a lively discussion about world affairs (Cesar is in the undergradate International Studies program, while I will study International Relations on the graduate level). I can't wait to register for classes next week and start going to class the week after. However, I'm not looking forward to the 7AM start time!

We headed to the mall again to find out why my phone won't allow me to call yet and get something to eat. They told me that the systems are down and that my line should be activated by tomorrow night. So no apartment-search calls quite yet.

So far, so good. I'm looking forward to seeing and experiencing everything Caracas has to offer, and meeting my host Rotarians next week.