This is it. The first phase of fun and excitement has passed and I´m beginning to realize how badly integrated I am and how little I know about my surroundings.

I was surprised by how easy it was to live in Caracas, depite its bad reputation. Of course I was aware of the fact that I did not "fit in", that is I felt that everybody who sees me in the street must know that I´m a foreigner. But somehow I it was not as difficult as I had imagined to lead a normal life, go to work, meet with friends, go shopping etc. So it is not as difficult to survive in this country as I had imagined. Positive surprises everywhere: the people in the steet were very helpful, I met some people I felt comfortable with, I liked the city and the variety in it. I knew people from Aiesec, from work, I had wonderful housemates, the finnish girls form the embassy etc.

Then I came to Marcaibo. Again, I was positively surprised. I was prepared for an unbarable heat, deserted streets, rude people etc. Instead I found that the heat can be lived with, there are people in the streets and sofar nobody has been rude to me. I learned where I can go grocery shopping, how to take the bus to work, I got to know many wonderful people and have experienced some excellent parties and nights out.

The reality strikes. My Spanish is insifficient to communicate anything beyond the very basic. My understanding of Spanish is insufficient to understand what other people want from me. In the language knowledge is included, naturally, also the nonverbal communication; all the touching, kissing etc. which I sometimes find difficult to interpret. Of course, these are not straight forward things in any language or culture, and some people are better communicators than others, but I do feel a bit lost in what I am communicating and what is being communicated to me. Sometimes.

One day, I think this was during my first week in Maracaibo, we went looking for an appartment with some people from Aiesec. I remember that one guy asked repeatedly where the closest farmacy (specifically Farmatodo) was situated. I didn´t want to ask why the farmacy was so imprtant for him, but I thought it was a bit peculiar. Today it all dawned to me. I went (all by myslef, I´m pround to announce) to the bank and asked for a debit card (to withdraw cash from a cashdispenser). I got it and asked where I can withdraw money: at Farmatodo. OK, I guess they guy wasn´t so strange after all. On my way home for lunch I scanned the streets for a farmatodo. No farmatodo. I need to ask the girls when I return to work.