Friday, 01.10.2014 - 9:48 pm.
I kept thinking of writing in here all through the week and I failed. For good reasons though:
1. I started my training to be a professor for third year psych students in march. OMFG. I'm so pumped about this, so pumped that I've forgotten how terrified I am of standing and speaking for hours in front of 40 late adolescents (they must be like 20 but eh). I've had to travel to the other side of town, which takes me two buses and one hour and yet, I don't mind one bit. I'm so happy with this job. Nervous and scared because I have to make the syllabus from scratch (the career is only two years old in that university). But yeah, excited!
2. I've been working on the research projects, which still remain my main jobs. I have a lot of tasks to accomplish, especially because we are to turn in the first year report this month.
3. I've been working as a translator. Two friends of mine have asked me to translate documents for them and of course, they pay me for it. I have a deadline that has me typing frantically but you know, it's all good. Glad to help and earn some bucks in the process.
4. I do wish I had more time to write in my blogs.
5. Andrew and I are taking this wedding planning thing more seriously now and it is a headache. I would like to sort some things out with him like *right now* but I don't want to be breathing all over him. My siblings are helping me but also, as my sister says, Andrew and I are the ones who must make the decisions. If we start hearing everybody's opinion, we'll go nuts. My only concern now: money. We have to throw a party in my home country and here, and that's a blow to our overall budget. We do want to make something nice and fun, but even in the most humble way, these types of events are expensive.
Speaking of family, today I got a package from my parents, which included a precious little gift from my friend Virginia. They mailed it in november and it was stuck in Peru until recently. It was a wonderful package with edible loot and homely stuff, put together with love, you could tell. Also, there was the invitation to my mom's 75th birthday party (last december) and a wonderful letter from her in which she refers to Andrew as her son. That brought tears to my eyes.
More family news: I learned my niece ditched college, after only one semester. I wasn't told much by her dad, Brother #1, other than "in her own traumatic fashion..." and I didn't want to ask but it broke my heart so bad. On the other hand, my niece #2, who should be born in less than 10 days, was upside down in the womb but she's turned herself around and now she will be able to crown properly. Learn from your fetus cousin, Niece #1!
6. Andrew and I rescued a kitten. On wednesday, I heard loud meows and I went out to the balcony. I saw a fur ball in the street perpendicular to our building. I came down and walked the two blocks to get there. There was a dead kitten in a yard. I spent nearly an hour chasing the one that was crying, luring it with tuna. Andrew came down to help but the kitten ran too fast and would hide in garages.
The next day, Andrew tried to catch him during lunch, and he and I tried again in the afternoon. We couldn't have made it without two neighbors. One was very serious and reluctant, with all reason, since we were in his property, but in the end he showed solidarity. Same as another neighbor, who'd let me in his garage the day before, and told his son about Andrew and I so he let us in the next day, and helped us reached the kitty who was hidden under a mountain of wood. That's where Andrew finally caught him.
He was a little savage, he'd buff and hiss and moan loudly every time I tried to pet him. He could barely open his eyes due to an infection. Andrew took him to the vet while I went to one of my training sessions. The kitty is ok, with infections here and there but no major diseases. He too hissed at first at our friend Karin, the vet, but as soon as he felt hands treating him gently (for the first time in his life, I assume), started to purr. Our friend told me today that now he loves being in people's arms and doesn't like to be left alone. He appeared to be a savage just because he was terrified.
He'll be under observation for a week and then we'll bring him home, to socialize him with humans and cats (our cat Nico is wonderful with kitties and pups, I shown by past experiences) and then find him a good home. I felt bad that I didn't get past my fear of this tiny kitten. I'd try to reach him and he'd run and yet he'd continue crying. I knew he was crying for help. He was cold, a little wet from the rain, and hungry and alone.
I loved how Andrew came down the street with me and helped me. The best part though is that he wasn't doing it for me, he was doing it with me; this really was his cause, too. The night we couldn't catch the kitty, it started to rain and he and I were feeling heart broken; I still could hear him cry from our apartment. The next night, last night, we high-fived each other, knowing we'd done well and he was now in a caring environment.
(speaking of Andrew, we had a nice end of year. We came home from his grandfather's house at about 10:30 pm. We watched That 70's Show and ate cheese and drank wine until midnight. 2014 started and we put on some music and hugged and kissed. We celebrated and then we went to bed).
And that's why I haven't written! But there you go, now I have written. Until next time. And it may be a little late but happy 2014!
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