I've decided to learn how to swim! Technically, I can keep my head above water, but not for very long, and not moving very quickly. Mostly, it is just way too hot in Cali to run comfortably, and it's too dangerous to run in the evening when it starts to get cooler, and I'm so desperate for exercise that yesterday I finally overcame my catlike hatred of swimming and just got in there to do laps. Except holy jesus, swimming is really good exercise, or I'm extremely out of shape, because all I could manage was a lap at a time, and then I had to catch my breath for a few minutes before attempting another. At least there is clearly a lot of room for improvement, so hopefully by the end of the summer I will be a dolphin.

I also can't tell if it is possible to 'practice Spanish' in a non-flirtatious way. In the two weeks I've been in Cali, I've met a few Colombians, but the only ones who have suggested that we get together so I can practice Spanish/teach them English are guys. So does that mean if I accept this offer, it's kind of like a date? I wouldn't think so, but I guess it is a classic excuse for a date, and no girls have offered. Maybe I will just have to try it and find out, because I really do want to practice Spanish...

Side note: you can't flush toilet paper down the toilet because it clogs the pipes, so you have to throw it away in the trash can next to the toilet (like other Latin American countries I've been to, and maybe most developing countries?). This makes taking the garbage out DISGUSTING, but also provides a lot of insight into the folding/crumpling habits of others.