I've been living on my own for the first time in a small casita, complete with a large backyard bursting with fruit trees--mangoes, lemons, limes, oranges, bananas, coconuts, maranon (cashew), almond, and others that are still a mystery to me (that and I keep forgetting the names for them). I also have my very own pila and latrine to complete the picture, and Cristina has told me that she'll be giving me a couple pollitos (chicks), and Colombia will be handing over a kitten when it's old enough. Cristina jokes that all I need now is a dog, a cow, a pig, a husband, and kids...well, I don't think all that will be happening in a year, but it's certainly nice to feel like I'm settling in. Living alone certainly has its challenges as well, but
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