By the Numbers

I've been lax on posting lately, as the last two weeks have been full of "Reconnect"--our first in-service training, immediately followed by Semana Santa, during which I went to Cartagena and Santa Marta (full post on that coming soon!)

But tonight, lying awake with a cold and sweating in the "winter"heat, I've realized today marks the official 6 month anniversary of my arrival in Colombia. Sort of a long time...but in the scheme of my 27 month adventure, almost nothing at all.

Either way, here are a few stats*

Weeks I've spent in Barranquilla: 26.5
Weeks I've spent as an official volunteer:17.5 
Families I've lived with: 2
Students I've worked with: 500ish
Weeks school has been in session: 13
Weeks we've had actual classes: 5
Minutes it takes to walk to my school: 23
Hours I spend teaching each week: 22
Number of times I've danced publicly, for an audience: 7
Number of times in my life I've danced for an audience: 7

Arepas eaten (of any sort): 150. Give or take a few
Times I've been asked if I have a boyfriend:150. Give or take a few.
Creations cooked and consumed by myself and fellow volunteers: 30 or so
Things I've cooked the Colombians have liked: 5
Colombian cities I've visited: 4 (Santa Marta, Cartagena, Valledupar, Bogota)
Barranquillan bus routes I've ridden: 23
Articles of clothing I've "grown out"of: 4
Guests who have visited from United States: 1
Volunteers who have so far gone home: 2
Months left: 21

*accuracy all up for grabs. I was never very good at math

I'm sure there are more exciting stats, and many wonderful and other things I've just never really thought to keep track of. I speak for not only myself when I say there's a lot of counting in the Peace Corps. We count up the days we've been here. The months left. The hours of time spent working...the hours of time spent waiting...the hours of time spent sweating...the number of students we love more than anything...the number of coteachers we work with weekly...the list goes on.

Without a structure like we've ever known before, numbers help us get through, give us some kind of order. A record of what we've done so far, a mark of what is still to come. A triumphant measure of small successes, a surreal acknowledgement of passing time, a bastion or mantra to recite when the daily rollercoaster starts swooping, and a measurement of how far we've come.

This is the longest I've ever lived out of the country, the longest I've ever lived in the city, the longest I've ever gone without entering a forest or playing in the snow or taking a moonlit walk. It's the longest I've gone without seeing family, and the longest I've gone without celebrating a holiday in an American fashion.

27 months will be more than double the longest I've ever been in one place since high school--the longest time I've been in a self-directed job and the longest time I've ever faced to sustain ideas and projects and continue building on activities. It's simultaneously amazing to think of the opportunities this brings, but honestly, a touch claustrophobic, to know I'll be here, in this very spot, for 21 more months...because for the first time, instead of jumping to a new location and/or occupation to keep life interesting, I have only myself to depend on  for that!