Wednesday, March 6th, 2013

Reina tells me my Cedula appointment is tomorrow after I had noted it’s on Friday.  She called the office again and confirmed the appointment is Thursday morning.  Not sure how that miscommunication happened.  Maybe I just don’t know my days of the week in Spanish as well as I thought I did.

The bed is supposed to be delivered tomorrow and then Jesus will paint it.

Yesterday I received an email from the US Embassy in Bogota.  Probably because I signed up for STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program) with the US government.  They invited me to attend a Town Hall meeting in Medellin on Saturday, March 16^th from 10 to 11am.  It’s at Colombo Americano Medellin, Multipurpose Room, Carrera 45 (El Palo) No. 53-24.  They are going to introduce the new US Consul General as well as answer some general questions from the audience.  You have to arrive at least 20 minutes before the start time and bring your US passport to identify yourself as a US citizen.

I took a little nap from about 11am to noon and when I woke up I found a box on the chair in the dining room.  It’s the new umbrella from Shedrain.  If I understood Reina correctly someone knocked on our door and handed it to her.  Let’s see, I emailed them on February 10^th, they answered me on February 13^th, it was postmarked February 19^th, and I received it on March 6^th.  The small customs form (used for packages under 4#) says they valued it at $10 with a weight of 1# and spent $24.05 in postage.  Other than the address label there’s no type of Colombian stamp on it.  (Of course, they misspelled my name on the address label.  Lol.  But hey, nobody’s perfect.)  I sent them an email thanking them for their terrific customer service.

Reina says we will probably get our first utility bill this month.  Uh-oh!  But we can wait until next month and pay for 2 months.  Whew!

Reina informed me there would be no rice at lunch today.  Apparently she forgot to put it in the refrigerator last night and it all spoiled.

Reina went downtown for something and I stayed at the apartment so save on bus fare.

It’s about 5:15 and I hear the buzzer from downstairs.  I ask “who’s there?”  No answer.  I say “como se llama?”  (What’s your name?) No answer. Reina usually answers.  Finally I look over the balcony and I see a woman with a couple of bags of clothing and the only thing I understand she says is ropa (clothes) and plata (silver/coins).  She seems to be insisting we owe her money.  When I ask her what my girlfriend’s name is she shakes her head no.  Reina didn’t tell me she was expecting anyone.  Is this woman someone I met with Reina and I’m going to be embarrassed because I don’t remember her name? I think of calling her on her cell phone but I understand a home phone can’t call a cell phone.  I finally decide to go downstairs and let her in figuring I can find out what she wants using Google Translate.  She comes upstairs and is insistent she wants something but I don’t understand a word until she finally says Banyo.  I show her where the bathroom is.  She comes out of the bathroom still zipping up her pants which I thought a little odd.  She then motions that she’s going to go back and wash her hands.  When she finally comes out I ask her directly (via computer) “What is my girlfriend’s name?” and she can’t answer.  She shakes her finger at me like she doesn’t want to use the computer.  “What’s the apartment number you’re looking for?” No answer. But she’s insistent I owe her money.   I then tell her “You don’t know the address, you don’t know the apartment number, you don’t know my girlfriend’s name, but you want me to give you money?”  She then pulls down her T-shirt and shows me her breast.  I’m in shock.  I said “no, no”.  Then she stands up and pulls down her jeans, her shorts, and her panties and shows me her pussy.  I said “no, no, vamos” and she finally left.  But she insisted on shaking my hand before she walked out the door.  Weird!

When I told Reina about this she got really upset.  She told me in no uncertain terms to NEVER open the door for anyone I don’t know.  That woman could have had a gun and murdered me.  Believe me I learned my lesson!

We went to Viva! And I took out the last of my pesos to pay for the bed to be delivered tomorrow.  We stopped at Exito and picked up a few things.  That doesn’t leave us a lot to last us the rest of the month.