JulieMartineau
Québec City
Worth visiting!
I spent a year in Bogota in 1993-1994. I lived with a host family and worked as a volunteer at a hospital, and later in a national park. It was intense, it was fun, and it changed me forever.
abellod
Bogotá
hola Julie…I changed my account but I´m the same one above. I wanted to tell you that I lived in Toronto at the same time when you were here in Bogota. Well, I had written longer but it got all deleted when I changed the account. Please tell me more about your trip. I found your reply very interesting. It shows that you are a very intelligent and insightful person.
Are you planning to come back?
Did you visit Guatavita when you were here? I just send the photo so you can remember those good times. We have a little house there and I love the place. Good luck with all the things you want to do.
JulieMartineau
Québec City
Alo Ana Maria!
Actually, I got your other reply on an e-mail, so I was able to read it. ;)
I intend to post some more details about my time in Bogota (I think a year is quite a bit more than a mere “trip”!) eventually; I just need some time to organize my thoughts. It was, after all, 14 years ago… yikes!
I feel ambiguous about going back, and the reasons have nothing whatsoever to do with Bogota itself: it’s just that considering the time and the means I can put in travelling as a working married mom of 2, I’m seriously considering travelling to parts I have not seen yet… The only provision being the Macarena national park in Colombia, where I spent a truly exceptional week with some Bogota friends.
Yes, I did visit Guatavita! We went to the market, bought some truly enormous mangos and went to the lake to eat them and savour the view as well… what a treat. Being an emotional Kleenex addict, tears come and threaten every time I see the Eldorado lake on television… silly me. ;)
That beautiful place is your home?! Wow – such history and rich, rich culture!
What about your trip to Toronto? Was it to study?
Good luck too! ;)
Las hojas de los arboles van cambiando de colores… ahi viene el invierno…
abellod
Bogotá
Hola Julie…Thank you for answering. How nice to read your message! No, I don´t live in Guatavita. We have a house there for the weekends. I live in Bogotá with my husband and two sons (7 and 9 years old).
My brother has lived in Toronto for more than 20 years (Actually in Mississauga). He was single at that time and we had no children, so we decided to live there for one year at my brother´s house in order to learn some English and be in contact with different cultures. You know that it´s not so easy to find a foreigner in Bogotá. They are all scared to come to Colombia! Therefore, it was very attractive for us to be able to share views with oriental people and also to face different religions. Do you keep contact with many people in Colombia?
Disfruta tu día y trabaja por tus 43 cosas!
Ana María
JulieMartineau
Québec City
Bonjour Ana Maria!
I’m delighted you had the chance to come see our (rather big) corner of the world! Of course, Toronto is still quite some distance away from my own home (Québec City), but it is indeed one of the most cosmopolitan cities in North America.
It really is too bad about Colombia. Such a beautiful, beautiful place so full of generous, hospitable and on the whole absolutely fantastic people…
I wish I could say I’ve stayed in touch, but the host family with whom I stayed in the 90’s have almost all left the country. They’re scattered all over – one of them married a Canadian guy from British Columbia. ;)
Funny, your boys are just about the same age as my daughters (6 and 9)!
You know, Québec City is celebrating 400 years in 2008, and there are festivities planned almost all year. I work with the committee organizing these festivities. You can go take a look at www.myquebec2008.com for details, but should you feel like coming over, don’t hesitate to let me know! ;)
Are you still in contact with people from Canada?
You know, your written English is simply superb!
Que te vaya bien y suerte por tus 19 (y mas!) cosas! ;)
abellod
Bogotá
Hola Julie…I wanted to answer your mail before but I have been very very busy. I took a look at the website you mention and your job seems very interesting. Unfortunately I couldn´t understand everything because there were some things in French.
My brother moved to Houston, TX, yesterday after living in Toronto for 17 years, so it is less problable now that I travel to Canada. He works for Hewlett Packard and the office in Toronto is being closed.
How are your 43 things going?
Thank you for your compliments about Colombian people and about my written English. I try to read something in English every single day in order to improve my vocabulary but I don´t have many opportunities to speak so my fluency is very poor. I hope all your dreams come true and of course you are always welcome back to Colombia. My sons will be glad to meet your daughters..jajaja. Last week there was a terrible rain in Bogota. Take a look at the picture. That is below the bridge at the 26th street, near the Tequendama Hotel. Do you remember this place? All the best.
