wrapping up Neiva

Leaving tomorrow is bittersweet. Before we came to Colombia I told my family that I really hoped we’d be in Neiva for five weeks. I wanted to soak up as much of Colombian culture for my girls as possible, live in their birth city with them for as long as possible, create as many memories of the beginning or our lives together as possible, here in Neiva. I don’t want to leave tomorrow. I know the girls say they are excited, but I am sad for them. When will we get back here? They’ve lived here for 5 years and it’s all they know. I feel like we’re ending such a huge part of who they are.

So I have a Grand Plan 😉 Yesterday, when trying to buy thank you cards for all the people here who’ve helped us, I noticed that the supermercado only sold cards for Quinceneras. Oh yeah! I asked Sorany if turning 15 was a big deal in Colombia and she said definitely. So what is the big gift they get for their 15th besides a HUGE princess-like party? They get sent abroad to travel!!!! Guess where we’re going in 10 years for sure? Back to Neiva!

More about the girls in Neiva: When we take our daily walks they soak it all in, wide-eyed, as if they are seeing every thing for the first time, even though we walk the same street 3 times a day. They know how to dodge cars, motorcycles and buses to cross the street. They know whom to trust and around whom to hold on tighter to mami’s hand. They know how to pay for paper in the supermercado and how to take things out of the shopping cart and correctly place them on the check-out counter. They had to teach us how to do that. They don’t mind getting their feet dirty. They know how to pile into a cab on one side. At first they didn’t know to throw their trash in a trash can outside on the plaza. Now they do. They don’t beg for things as we walk along. I guess that surprised me a little. I thought they’d ask for candy every time we saw a vendor but they don’t. They don’t even ask for ice cream. Only papas! They love potato chips. And that’s a huge an understatement. They think the river smells bad. They don’t talk to strangers. At least when we pass them and Kelly is talking I’m pretty sure she’s just chattering away to herself, as usual. They know what Exito is. They love to point out the moon on our evening walks. The sun sets year round at about 6:00. They also love to point out every avion that flies overhead. They get their energy from fresh squeezed juices. Their favorite is pina (pineapple). They don’t like cookies or donuts at the pastry shops; just fresh fruit in jelly and more jugo. They even like carrot juice. They point out every stray cat or dog in the street and say “Awww, perrito, gato.” They are good with directions and know their way around this area. They don’t know how to be quiet in the streets, or any where for that matter. Very loud voices as if we won’t give them our attention. We’re working on that. I don’t think they know the name of there city. Their world is so small.