Tengo Amigos!

The past few days I have truly felt like a local. Yea, it is cheesy and not entirely true that locals do all that I did as part of their regular routine, but I am learning a ton about culture and life here! At work, I got to do a cycle count audit on the warehouse floor all by myself! I was so excited! Yamalier my co-worker was so awesome and patient in teaching me how to do it the past 2 weeks (and in teaching me how to be sassy in spanish!). I also tried an alcapuria at work (delicious deep-fried yuca bread with chicken in it from Cayey roadside stand) and stuffed potato from a roadside stand. Both incredible! Friday, I went to a warehouse in Las Piedras which is about a 45 min drive from Cayey. I had to wake up at 4:30 am but it was well worth it! I got to eat breakfast with Angelly at a place that had delicious breakfast potatoes and bacon and eggs. I also got chai tea, which came in a mini cup and was beyond delicious! In Las Piedras, we counted inventory and saw the Carmela sausage factory. Axel, our supervisor, came too and he is a blast! After, we went to the potato place for lunch with Cristián and I practiced a bit of salsa while we waited by the stand! I got to leave work at 2 since I got in so early, so that was a treat! I came back and ran some errands to Supermax and went for a run to the bridge. I enjoyed an acai bowl at Crush and had a quiet night watching 'What Happens in Vegas!' It was a bittersweet day because it marked my last day with my first rotation (Audit). :(( I do not want to stop working with wonderful Angelly, Cristián, Humberto, Axel, Mirna and Yamalier! They are so, so much fun and have taught me so much about Puerto Rico and of course operations. I cannot wait to have lunch with them this week and go to Culebra and shopping with them soon on a weekend!!! As I left Friday, they told me I now have 3 older brothers and a sister and a mom in Puerto Rico :) So sweet! I just finished making them seven layer bars for Monday because they were so awesome. I also went to Beyond to get my nails done for the first time in acrylic and they're hot pink... when in Puerto Rico, right? Everyone here has bright nails, so I went to Debbie and had a wonderful time laughing with her for a few hours as we chatted, sipped on wine and enjoyed our Friday.. and of course somewhere in there my nails were being done :) Today, I went for a few miles of walking just to enjoy the breeze, warm sea air and see the ocean in the morning. It is so gorgeous I couldn't help but smile all the way. I went to Isla Verde down Calle Marginal today with Patricia and Merlyanne from HR at work. They are awesome. Patricia brought her sweet little boy with her family. We had so much fun just chilling on the beach, drinking delicious Club Caribe Coconut rum with pineapple juice, eating chips and salsa and laughing the day away! Finally, we realized we did not eat yet and headed to a local restaurant for mofongo. I came back and debated going to a bar and salsa dancing with a friend from church, Giovanni, but ended up hanging out with Lynn and making the Seven Layer Bars and some food for the week as well as having so much fun cooking for the super bowl party here tomorrow night!! I cannot wait to salsa with Giovanni soon- should be a blast! Tomorrow I plan on going to church at First Union again, cooking with Lynn and going to the beach before the big party here. I really would love to go to Old San Juan with Patricia to see her friend play guitar at a bar- maybe after the game! I am loving life here- I really am falling in love with the people, the island and more and more with the God who created it all! It truly is the 'isla de encanta.' I am so thankful that I have been able to speak Spanish with everyone the entire 3 weeks and somehow am getting by without feeling as if I am stuttering or at a loss for Spanish vocab or fluency! Thank the Lord! :) The only worry I have is fitting in all I want to do with the time I have left here... things are pretty amazing if that is my biggest worry and I am so grateful for that!