And That's A Wrap!
- pete
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
It’s 7:30pm on Saturday night as I wait in the airport in Bogota. I have three suitcases, a carry-on, and a backpack holding everything I have left from Venezuela. It is exhausting. To be fair, my dive equipment takes up an entire suitcase all on it’s own, so it's worth it.
This last week was spent saying good-byes to some rather remarkable people. From educators to friends in the community, Maracaibo has some gems. This last post from Maracaibo is meant give you a little peek behind the curtains of how I spent my time and with whom.
It is tough to stay busy here. There isn’t too much to do besides go to the gym or play pickeball or padel after work. I went to the gym and had the opportunity to practice yoga while learning from a exciting and energetic teacher. Anu was as fun as she was challenging. Every class was different and there was a wonderful blend of challenging sequences and sequences that slowly stretched everything out. I’m going to miss her and our little crew immensely.
But I need to stay active! Saturday afternoons were spent playing basketball with some colleagues and friends. Over time, we developed a strong chemistry and the games became really fun. I started to record some plays and we all laughed because in our heads we are much faster in real life than on video.
I realized that regarding basketball, I’m not bad, but I’m definitely not good.
Edgar is a good dude and is tall with smooth moves on the basketball court. Plays like LaMarcus Aldridge. Coletta is a monster down low, reminds me of Dennis Rodman. Plus I broke his thumb once! Sorry buddy. Leandro has a smooth jump shot and makes all the right passes. He also keeps the games organized and running well. He reminds me of Steve Francis. Michael is Manu Ginobili. Smooth as silk with a Euro-step drive to the hoop. Very tough to guard. The professional player, Javier, is (obviously) Lebron James. He is the king and only gives 30% effort. We’ve played entire games where he is clearly the best player, yet he didn’t even break a sweat. It would bother me except he is as nice as he is talented. One of the best all-around humans I’ve ever met. I’m proud to call him a friend.
I mentioned on a previous post that I intend to get more footage of softball games in here. Solanyel was a little sweetheart (of course) and volunteered to come watch and take photos and videos. After watching what she took, I realized that I’m a lot better in my head than I am in real life.
Softball is a weird sport because it is so similar to baseball, but the hitter’s swing doesn’t necessarily translate over. I don’t know how to be patient! A lot of early swings and weak pop-outs to 2B. Oh well. It’s still fun.
My barber Luis got me in on this group a couple years back and although I still don’t understand when they are yelling out on the field, the spirit of the sport doesn't need a translator. We all understand what’s happening.
I started off in left field but moved over to shortstop. When I put on my baseball glove, my mind thinks I’m sixteen again, hence I’ve thrown my arm out multiple times.
My favorite part of the games are when the guys get in arguments. Maracuchos are notoriously expressive and passionate. Playing softball is no different and these guys get can get super animated. Before the game, I asked Sol to record any time they got in an argument. It wasn't a matter of if, but when. It never ends poorly (no one ever fights each other), but they are always entertaining. In this case, the runner on second said he was never tagged out (which from my perspective, he was right), but everyone else said he was out. He made himself heard then walked back to the dugout.
During our last game, I got a couple cajas (crates) of beer for everyone and after the third inning, errors started to increase. Coincidence? I think not.
They are a fun group of guys. Playing softball with them was a great way to spend my Sunday afternoons.
Maracaibo can be a weird place though. If I were to summarize their city & culture in one sentence it would be loud people listening to gaita while eating tequeños. But that doesn’t sum it up and I know a lot of locals would say there is more to it. One quirky bit of cultural lore that they enjoy is La Chinita.
Recently on a field trip with my grade tens, we went to the epicenter of the Catholic church in Maracaibo. The church is rather beautiful with lovely design features and a rather interesting focal point.
The "Virgen de Chiquinquirá," or "La Chinita," in Maracaibo holds considerable cultural significance, rooted in 1709. The story tells of a washerwoman finding a small wooden board on Lake Maracaibo's shores. The next morning, it glowed, revealing the image of the Virgin Mary. When attempts were made to move this "miraculous tablet" to the Cathedral, it became impossibly heavy, but lightened when directed towards the modest San Juan de Dios hermitage. This act is seen as the Virgin choosing her dwelling, solidifying her status as the patroness of Zulia state and a symbol of spiritual authority.
I thought this story was an old folks tale told to give the city some culture and spice, but the truth is, there is actually a piece of wood that exists today and is on display in the church. Let’s check it out.
Whoa! How about that! I'm speechless.
Now let’s wrap this up with a sub-par video of birds. There are large turkey vultures that can be seen in the area and every now and then a thermal shows up close by in the early morning as they ascend into the sky. One morning as I was walking to my classroom I was able to see a considerable group right above me. Again, a pretty garbage video, but the birds are cool to watch.
It also gives a nice perspective of my classroom. By the way, my classroom at EBV was the nicest classroom I’ve ever had in my career. I got tons of natural sunlight and never used the classroom lights. It was at the end of a short hall so I got no through traffic. The best part was the huge windows that overlooked into the treetops of a courtyard. Everyday I would see the daily activities of various birds, butterflies, and iguanas. I definitely did not take it for granted.
And that’s a wrap for Maracaibo! My last day at EBV. What a wild three years.
