Bring it On 2012, I am riding into the New Year!

This gal is happy to start the New Year! I leave 2011 with great memories, a hope to continue on a path towards peace and fulfillment, a future that holds new adventures and fun. I have realized a lot of my dreams this year, I have gained knowledge, and am on my way to independence from my past. A past that has troubled me with regrets. Life plays out for all of us in a way that is at times really wonderful and at times so horrible we wonder "why me"?. I think the most important lesson for me in 2011 was to realize this and to move forward with an attitude that says "why not me"?

Some of my most memorable moments were simple, unassuming moments. An eagle on a post as I rode on a motorcycle, watching my dogs run free without a leash while I fast walk, having the people of Colombia speak with me in Spanish, all the while realizing I could understand them and answer back! Those types of moments are what I have learned to live for and enjoy. Finding myself was my "ahah moment" as Oprah would say. A me that is forgiving of myself first, others who have hurt me, all the while acknowledging the past that is part of me , the good and the bad.

Colombian traffic jam!

I have learned to accept things that I found to be disturbing because I am American. Watching a motorcycle ride by me with a child on board without a helmet, actually seeing babies asleep across their mother's knees while the father is driving. I know, it is hard to picture and fathom, but it is part of society here. I now only look twice when I see something really different. I see moto's with two men carrying a pig that is skinned across their back without a blink of my eye. I see horses pulling a carriage full to the brim with supplies on the main highway, along with cars, bicycles, motorcycles, mass transit, and even an occasional wheelchair. Everybody fighting for their space. I see cows being herded to a new field to graze on roads traveled by all, and the people wait patiently to get by. There really is no angry honking of horns here in Colombia. Just patient people who live a calm life.One of my most treasured memories is "Horsey" whom visited me on several occasions. He first started grazing in front of my home, gradually entered my patio and then my house. I miss Horsey because he stopped coming to visit a couple months back. This is not unusual as the Colombian people are about making money and selling! If you look interested in anything, they offer to sell it to you.The Colombians have firsthand knowledge of "getting ahead" and saving their money for what they want. I have learned to appreciate the small things here, as the small things add up to big things and happiness.

I leave this year with happiness, gratitude, thankfulness. I have left my past behind, but still embrace it. I find memories when I least expect them among st my many boxes still left unpacked. I am ready to ride into the future on a motorcycle, one of many accomplishments yet to be learned. Looking forward to sharing my thoughts in the New Year. Bring it on 2012! 

Playing tourist in Palmira valle del Cauca

I arrived in Colombia thinking that I would be living on a farm that I had made an offer on before
I moved. A mudslide and rains were a gift that showed me I had made an impractical decision. I
had not signed any papers and the deal was called off.  So now a place to live was necessary and
family here had connections to a new house that had been built and was available in the small country town of St Elena. I got settled quickly, and was curious to start seeing all the sights near my area of
residence.

The first place I visited was the famous Hacienda El Paraíso, a house museum, it is the icon of this Colombian region and is known worldwide as the stage for the epitome of Latin American romantic novel: María, by Jorge Isaacs. This novel is what brought many Japanese people to the area, and is

widely acclaimed for the beauty described in the book of this region of Colombia. Palmira and surrounding towns are known as the main agricultural developers for sugarcane, coffee, corn, rice and more. Sugarcane being the most abundant crop in my living region. As you can see from the photos this museum is beautiful with rooms depicted exactly the way it was. The grounds of the Hacienda El Paraiso are spectacular as well and many photo opportunities are to be enjoyed. Another beautiful spot nearby is the El Cerrito: A Museum for Sugar Cane which represents sugar cane and its derivatives in this municipality. There are gardens full of plants, instruments used for the cultivation of sugar cane, and historical information about the industry. A beautiful spot and a must see for visitors.

About an hour or so away is the town of Lago Calima known for its impressive lake, and the Museo Arqueologico Calima Darien. The objects displayed and their uniqueness has become a vital site for study

about the cultures that created them. This area has been a focus for unlawful stealing by "treasure hunters". The climate is crisp in this town , and a jacket is needed for warmth. I have been visiting all on a motorcycle, and was very happy I had warm clothes. As you ride up the mountain road to see the beautiful views surrounding the lake, the wind kicks up and the weather becomes quite cool. On my way back I had to stop to see the town of Buga, and have lunch. This town is known for Basilica del Senor de los Milagros, the church which houses an image of Christ called El Senor de los Milagros ( The Lord of the Miracles). It is well worth the stop, and I bought a huge wooden rosary to be blessed and displayed in my home.

If you choose to go further ( about 3 hours away by motorcycle) you can visit Armenia, another city in Colombia. Armenia is cool also , and warm clothes are a necessity! This beautiful country town is known
primarily for the crops of coffee, plantains, and bananas. The main tourist attraction is Colombian National Coffee Park, it is kind of like a small theme park those from the USA are used to visiting. This park has all kinds of attractions for all ages. The bed and breakfast type hotels nearby make for a wonderful time, and

I stayed an extra day because of the little hotel I stayed in! The picture above shows my hotel and all around was nature in abundance. I woke up to wild rabbits outside, visited the ducklings and parrots on the property, and watched from my hammock all kinds of birds that would fly by! I saw eagles, parrots and hawks, not mention the smaller variety of birds. Colombia is known for having the most species of birds in the world! I felt like I got to see many on my visit to Armenia!

Palmira valle del cauca is about an hour away from the mountains of Cali, again by motorcycle, and the beautiful waterfalls  Chorrera del Indio waterfall is a must see if you visit Cali and the surrounding areas! As you travel up the road to view this waterfall, you will see the local people out enjoying themselves in the rio along the way. Vendors are selling mango and other local fruits, while music plays all around. It is quite festive! This was a day trip, and well worth it. On the drive back through Cali, the Three Crosses are visible
and beautiful.

I played tourist on weekends just driving around on the motorcycle and looking at the magnificent views from the mountains that surround Palmira. I am totally captivated by Colombia and all it has to offer. I still need to expand my trips and go further to the coasts and other large towns. Bogota is beautiful, as I had mentioned in an earlier blog. I will continue exploring my new country as I learn Spanish and enjoy the beauty that available to me , just a short walk outside my door. This final photo is the end of my street here in my small town.

The Decision: Staying healthy in South America is easy!

The Decision: Staying healthy in South America is easy!: Let's talk health insurance, and how reasonable it is here in Colombia. Let's also talk about not having health insurance in Colombia vs t...

Staying healthy in South America is easy!

Let's talk health insurance, and how reasonable it is here in Colombia. Let's also talk about not having health insurance in Colombia vs the USA.

I left the USA without health insurance because I could not afford it after my divorce. My premium was 700
dollars and that did not include the co-pays or prescriptions. In my mind, way to much! I took this expense into account when making my decision to move to South America. Hey, a girl has to live and have some spending money! That was not possible for me in the United States. I had health insurance through my ex husband's employer and that was gone the minute I
signed on the dotted line. What to do? I needed insurance because of a persistent and painful back problem, I also need my regular check ups, for all the well care that keeps us healthy. I read up on the healthcare system in Colombia before I moved, and it is highlighted as a great reason to live here. I left the USA with  all my check ups and dental cleanings done, but I still had a back problem and would need my
regular check ups within a few months of living there.

I arrived in Colombia and focused on getting settled with my menagerie of animals, and thought I would
tackle the healthcare in a couple months. I was healthy, with only my persistent back pain. In Colombia if
you get an infection, all that is needed is a local pharmacy for small sicknesses which we all can diagnose
ourselves. YES, I KNOW when I have a respiratory infection, a bladder infection, a common cold! Pharmacists are as educated as doctor's here and ask your symptom's and give you medicine. Simple! The cost of a prescription here is negligible,only about 2$ to 5$ per prescription US. I , however, did not take in
account that my back would really flare up due to all the moving. I had to see a specialist, but visit a doctor in the emergency clinic first to be referred. Sound familiar? It is, but the one thing missing is it was fast, and
cheap. The emergency visit and the specialist came out to less than 100$ and that was with an injection included!

My next encounter with a healthcare provider was a teeth cleaning. A dental facility was nearby and  the
price was 10$ US. The offices are all white , clean and have sparse decor. The rooms where the exam
or in this case dental  cleaning take place , very simple with the equipment, and the doctor. I have had my
teeth cleaned so many times, I knew he did a good job and I am about to get my next 6 month cleaning
at the same place. In the USA you call and get a switchboard for appointments. In Colombia, most of
the time you just drive to the office and see if they can take you. If they can not take you they give you an appointment for the next day. Simple and efficient , not expensive, and this is without insurance.
.

I was able to get a policy after living here for a few months by getting my Colombian ID card. This card is
necessary for all aspects of life, it must be shown for a bank account, at the doctor's, for buying a car or motorcycle, it is your identification in Colombia as a member of the country. I got mine after I received my
Visa. All Colombians have country run insurance that they have to buy for hospitalization, doctor visits, and all health needs. It is basic and not expensive. It costs around 15$ per month per person US$ (the money

is pesos here) and all of the country is covered for their health needs. Once I got this simple policy , I upgraded to the VIP policy that gives me private hospitalization if needed, a book of specialists in my area, and many other perks. I have a co pay of around 12$ US if I use a specialist. I start that plan in January 2012, and for a 6 month premium for one person is around 260$ plus the other insurance of 15$ per month.
Affordable insurance with doctors just as educated and professional as the doctors of the United States. I could not be more pleased with these options, and I do not have to break my budget or lifestyle!!!!

Another way to go is the small town doctor. I found this out in the last two weeks. I had some pain in my abdomen due to a small infection. My manicurist told me to go to the little clinic in my town. I did not know
we even had one! If you get there first thing in the morning with a copy of your ID, you are seen without
insurance for 5$ US, I kid you not! My visit involved a pap smear for 5$ US too. Here in Colombia if
you get a test like that, you buy your own kit at the pharmacy and give to the doctor or nurse who see's  you. The kit is also really inexpensive. I also had an injection , which you buy at the pharmacy with the syringe, and the doctor or nurse injects you.  So you see, you are the middleman, and the costs are kept low. I had blood work drawn, and that was done in my town by a nurse who has a business in her home.
She had the results that same afternoon. The blood work was a complete work up and was around 10$ US and then I had to see the doctor again with results. She sent my to the city to get a sonogram, which was the most expensive at 40$ US. I have had this sonogram in the United States before and it was NOT inexpensive but ridiculously expensive! My care was wonderful, and the same as the United States, and
once again the professionals here are not to be questioned. I was told I was AOK before she finished, as
like most of the Doctors here she spoke some english.

I will start my well care in the New Year with health insurance, peace of mind, and no worries. What more could a girl ask for? I can live well , free of worry from health issues that might come up in the future. I have thought since I have lived here, this is a simple uncomplicated system, that appears to work well with other entities. People in the USA would find it the same but different. I embrace the difference because I am well taken care of!

Christmas reflections, and how I learned to embrace my spirituality by living here

Christmas had lost a lot of it's meaning to me in the last years. I hate to admit that, because I always loved the decorating, the Christmas tree, and all the good cheer. I lost the meaning of the season because my life  was disintegrating around me. When I would see all my neighbor's in the USA putting up decorations after Thanksgiving, I would think "oh no, I have to start decorating, it is so much work" instead of, "I can't wait to
see my house in all it's Christmas glory"! I had secretly felt this way for a very long time. How could I have felt like Christmas was an obligation I had to fulfill? I know, terrible right? I did not even get a decoration out last year, I could not bear it, this would be the first Christmas since my daughter's death. I was relieved to have a reason not to decorate, because I was leaving on my trip to Colombia! No one I knew would question my motives, as I was going to be out of town. Truth be known, I could not think about looking at my many Christmas items, with all the memories attached to them. I had lost my spirituality, my traditions, all that the season meant.

Arriving in Colombia on Christmas day had such an impact on me. My inner self exploded with excitement the minute I arrived in Colombia and took a taxi through Bogota on the way to the place I was staying. All around were lights, festive music played loudly emanating through the streets. Lots of people out, even though it was late. I was swept off my feet in less than 20 minutes. Colombia had brought back Christmas to
me! I went to sleep Christmas night reliving the ride from the airport and the sights I had seen of beautiful holiday cheer and wonderful sounds. I felt alive for the first time in years. I fell asleep knowing that the next day would bring more of the same.

Waking to a beautiful day, off we went to a church on a mountain in Bogota. We had to take a cable car up to the Church of Monseratte built high on a mountain that overlooks Bogota. What an experience! The church is white and not really fancy on the outside. The inside is special, with ornate religious rooms built off to the sides of the main church, and Jesus is black, one of only a few in the world. I was overwhelmed, and had to go outside and sit for awhile, tears flowed freely. I felt spiritually and emotionally drained after this excursion. The true meaning of Christmas had flowed right into my body that day in that church. This was the beginning of a wonderful vacation, influencing me enough to get my strength and vitality back, to go home and start my plan to move to this wonderful country!

Now a year later, I am living in Colombia during this festive and religious time of year. I have simple decorations put out, which I relish. My home is simple, my past decorations (the few I brought over) still
packed in a box. I bought inexpensive lights, bulbs for my tree, and holiday ribbon to adorn my home. It is
what I wanted for this year. I know that looking at past memories will bring heartache, thoughts that might take away from my new beginning here in Colombia.

Colombian traditions are different and more religious than those of the United States. Christmas is the season of the Church, primarily Catholic in this country. I was raised Catholic so I can relate to everything. Nativity's adorn business showrooms, homes, restaurants, front lawns, every home. They are built in large or small and hold the same theme of a village, with Jesus, Mary, and Joseph the center of the theme. They are delightful! I love seeing a new nativity, and the differences in all. I love how the season starts in November and does not end until sometime in January. I remember hounding my ex husband to take the lights down the day after January 1st, and how I disliked the work involved in packing up everything. I see it differently here, I relish enjoying every second of the festivals, Christmas Day, New Years Day, and the fiesta's that will continue on in the celebration of the three Kings.

All I have accomplished in this year can be summed up with the Blessings of the season of Christmas. This is a spiritual awakening for me, a fresh beginning. My heart is filled with the joy of the season, my love of life once again. The only thing I have desired for so long has been attained, inside I am free of pain, the sadness is there, but the peace is also there. I wish all of you who take the time to read this, a loving holiday no matter what your views, religion, or feelings. It is a time for reflection for us all, one that had lost meaning for me. My true present is to have found Colombia, and healing .

The Decision

When I first told my friends and family I was moving to Colombia , South America astonishment was the look I got, the question that came next was expected. "Isn't it dangerous there?" No, it is no more dangerous than any big city in the United States.One year ago Christmas day 2010, I visited Colombia for the first time and fell in love with the beauty, the people, and the lifestyle. I had always wanted to retire to a farm in my long held dreams, but the state of the economy and my personal life made that dream seem unattainable. I held my dream close to my heart, during a divorce that( seemed) would never end, and the tragic death of my daughter in the middle of this horrific divorce. I would get up everyday and look around wondering where I would be in a year, would I be able to afford a home, and keep my five animals with me. Really, I could barely think of much else. I guess that is why I endured, I did not want a whole lot at this point, except peace and to be able to grieve my daughter without some nasty ploy by the opposing counsel being thrown at me. When I actually was divorced, and saw my settlement, I knew that a condo in a neighborhood that was full of high rises, one in an undesirable location, was all that I could afford in the United States. I new I would struggle with bills. I still did not think much about my future, because I was still in my marital home  trying to sell it, and my life consisted of one day at a time. 

Enter a good friend who lived near me, gave me a lot of support,loved animals (especially mine) as much as I, and is a dual citizen of the USA and Colombia. "Hey lets visit my family at Christmas , it is such a beautiful time of year there"! I jumped on that idea, as Christmas was not going to be a great time for me, considering the death of my daughter, my divorce, the uncertain future. As a retired flight attendant, I am no stranger to travel, so the trip was planned. We arrived in Bogota on Christmas day 2010, and stayed longer than scheduled, my future looked brighter. I now saw what I wanted, but was unsure of how to do it. Another trip was planned for February as we talked and discussed options of actually moving to Colombia. The second visit, cemented my dream to reality. I now had a vision, a goal! I also had to figure out how to pack up a huge house, ship my animals, and start my life in another country. Somewhat difficult, but not unrealistic.

I researched becoming an ex patriot on the internet, printed out all I "thought" I needed to know and went for it! I actually did quite well, as I arrived with all my belongings on April 12th 2011. My animals and I are living a wonderful adventure, complete with great climate and beautiful surroundings. I will be sharing on my blog what I have learned along the way, and what you can do to follow your dream of living a lifestyle that is no longer available in the United States. A decision I will never regret, one that has given me peace after years of turmoil and pain. We all have dreams, but often think they are not realistic. I hope by following my blog, and personal journey, you will see that you can also make your dream come true through perseverance, hard work and determination.