Spring has Arrived and My New Vida is Blossoming!

Spring tends to bring a sense of new beginnings along with it's warmer weather and fresh breezes. It's the promise of summer and the sneak peek to the beaches and sunshine that is to come. You could say, spring is like the opening act to the concert you've been excited for since you bought your tickets six months ago. Well, it took us a few extra weeks here in Uruguay, but we are officially in short sleeve worthy weather and it feels great after so much rain and cold!

In line with the change of seasons things are starting to flourish for me as I try and get settled into my new city and life.

Last Friday, you may have seen my Facebook or Instagram post about getting my temporary residency card. This was a process I started a year ago with the consulate in Toronto, when I began the steps towards getting my Uruguayan passport. Getting that ID card last week felt so good, like I had finally gotten somewhere after months of laying the groundwork. It also made my being here feel all the more real. The card itself is only good for one year and I still need to jump through one more hoop before I'm an official national, but woo-hoo! One step at a time.

Happy girl, last Friday afternoon after getting my ID card (la Cédula de Identidad)

Last week I also took the first steps towards getting involved with a non-profit organization (NPO) here in Uruguay. Techo is an NPO that is active all across South America. From what I know so far, they work to alleviate poverty through community projects, like building emergency homes that protect families from flooding. They also capacitate community members with workshops that focus on opportunities for education, micro-credit loans for small businesses, and other empowering initiatives. Right now I am still learning about their work and looking into what areas I'd be interested in volunteering in. Getting to know an organization like this and seeing how and if they add value to the communities they work in is usually best done by getting your hands dirty. So here I go!

Yesterday I interviewed with a language school here (Eureka) that was recommended to me by a Canadian friend that teaches there. This school is involved with Plan Ceibal, a government program that coordinates the delivery of online English classes to students all across the country. These classes are set up so that the teacher sees the class on a big screen TV and the students see the teacher on a projector screen. I am really excited to say that I will be teaching English to primary and secondary students next year as part of Plan Ceibal. On top of this, I'll also be teaching conversational English and business English to adults. Yay for meaningful and flexible work!

And lastly, I am officially looking for shared accommodation in the city. I am so grateful for the time I've had with my Tios. We've had quality time together and we've been able to get to know each other, something that was never possible before now. I've also been able to experience first hand how half the population lives, the 1.5 million that aren't in Montevideo. It has been a luxury arriving to a new country and having a comfortable and safe home base from which to get settled and familiarize myself. Having said that, I should be in the city for November 1st and I can't wait!

I'm looking forward to more salsa classes (I've been going for 3 weeks now), followed by beer and pizza with new salsa class friends and more Coffee Shop hanging time where we talk about everything and anything. Plus all the other things I have left to discover!

This year, I have spring fever for Montevideo!

Sitting in the sun outside the Coffee Shop, watching the people walk by and talking about life.