Reflections on first week

Hello!

I can't believe it's already and only been a week here-so much has happened since I left Chicago! I feel like I could have been here months!

The rest of this week has been consumed by changing living situations, being social and being touristy, although I have made some productive phone calls. On Tuesday I moved to stay with another couch surfer, who in turn brought me to his half-constructed hostel in El Hatillo, which was really the other extreme of the city. Up in the hills of Caracas, and almost an hour by bus to the metro (which runs along the center), El Hatillo looks like a little colonial village. It was beautiful, but too far away to stay for more than one night. These were typical buildings:

On Wednedsay I moved to a neighborhood called Bellomonte, with a girl named Marianela and her family, and their little black lap dog, "Bloody Mary." They are super sweet and wonderful, the apartment is relatively close to the metro and center. Marianela has been a fabulous host, taking me to parks and for walks and even to the doctor (my skin had a terrible allergic reaction, now I'm on creams and medications and stuff, it still looks horrendous but feels much better). All of the people I have talked to here have been accomodating and caring and incredible, going out of their way to help me and make sure I'm safe and don't feel lonely. They're very open and warm. Almost everyone knows someone who is somehow related to the music world, too. I already have to choose between social dates! On Sunday I'll move to where I'll stay for a few weeks while I figure out my research/travel plan.

I have been eating a lot of exciting tropical things, mangos, papayas, pinapples, coconuts, and bananas (the little ones, the normal ones and plaintains) are cheap and easy to find, and delicious! (vegetables are not as exciting, unfortunately, and are not nearly as local). Today I tried a cocoada, which is coconut meat and milk and sugar all blended into refreshing perfection. I have also eaten many arepas, a favorite food, which is like a fried corn-meal pita filled with many different options, my favorite being fresh cheese.

Besides that, I went to the U.S. embassy for a "security briefing" and met very nice people in the Cultural Affairs office. I also went to play Ultimate Frisbee with a women's team, which I think I will participate in, this should be a lot of fun.

Here are some pictures from an old hacienda-turned-park in the city (I am starting to find some beautiful places here, too!):