Fiestas

Somehow this weekend got away from me and it has been a couple of days since I posted -- I'm feeling a bit disconnected from everyone! Despite a holiday at the start of the week, we were all pretty tired by Friday. Going home and passing out after work would have been sensible, but did we do that? Oh no. After a couple of drinks at Golden Beach (I may already have described it, but in case not, it's a restaurant and bar literally right on the beach, and an ideal way to relax after work if you enjoy the sound of the ocean and a great breeze), we moved on to sushi at a nearby hotel. We paid the bill around 11:30, which I thought was an ideal time to go home and sleep. However, the rest of the group felt differently, which is how I found myself at a Liberian outdoor dance club called The Garden around midnight.

It took us a little while, but we found our way to the dance floor and enjoyed the 80s music and good people watching (a highlight: a young Liberian woman in hot pants and a vintage Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles t-shirt). A Liberian friend with us was amazed that I didn't know a song called "The DJ Saved My Life," yet when I started dancing to Madonna's "Holiday," he asked, "You know this song??" "IT'S MADONNA," I shouted back. I mean, honestly, I may not be the coolest kid around but I've got Madonna covered.

Saturday was sadly spent doing work (lots of last minute projects that occupied all three of us housemates and a couple others), and then we spent an hour or so shopping for food for a Mexican brunch we were hosting today. By the time we got out of the supermarket, Jenna and I decided we needed a release, so we went for a jog outside, which was PERFECT. It was probably 85 degrees and humid, people were burning trash, we splashed through some stagnant water, and it was STILL PERFECT. We had been cooped up all day and we wanted out.

This morning's brunch turned out quite well! We served breakfast burritos, corn bread, chili, fruit, mango and pineapple bellinis, and coffee with cinnamon sticks (thanks Ellie!). Nine of us sat around eating too much for a couple of hours, and then we moved out to our pool and sat in the sun for a couple more. I went for a run outside at the end of the afternoon, and had a Liberian running partner for a little while. A teenage boy joined up with me and if he hadn't been wearing flip flops he probably would have left me in the dust. If you run in this climate for more than five minutes you get red-faced and sweaty enough to fool yourself into believing that you've had a major workout. It's a nice little confidence boost : )