Stranger in a (not so) Strange Land

As any child or adult can attest being the new one in class or on the job is always a little difficult, a little awkward, a little insecurity inducing.  But when you don't have a new class or a new job to report to, it does present a unique challenge when trying to make friends.  This is where Jon and I found ourselves here in PR. Jon is working remotely from his office - no new people to meet here.  And I am not working.  2 months. Hmmmmm....  Tick tock.....  Crickets.....
You have no choice but to just put yourself out there.  It started during football season.  The only place in town that had the Patriot's games was Chicago Burger.  The night of Pats vs. Denver (I know, don't remind you) we met Julio there with his brother and niece cheering on the Broncos.  Many beers and a Denver win later we exchanged phone numbers.  Julio is a gregarious, generous Puerto Rican who must have inherited these traits from his mother.  We were meeting him for drinks and on the table were Pasteles - a pork dish cooked in banana leaves that are a favorite here.  He told his mother he was meeting his new friends from Maine, and she sent these for us to have.  Yummm!  In addition to keeping us well fed, Julio has offered guidance for getting around the island, and the above and beyond moment was getting a doctor's appointment for a friend of mine who was catching her cruise ship here in Puerto Rico and experiencing eye troubles.  Now that's a friend!

Pasteles

During the SanSe festival, I was having trouble translating the quote on a piece of art work.  Jorge walked up and offered his bilingual assistance.  Ten minutes later I am laughing and chatting with he and his fiance Arelis. Arelis is a Spanish teacher by day, and a (wait for it....) Ballet teacher in the evenings!
While Jon was away in NYC, I took the initiative once again to just GO OUT and meet people.  There is a bar across the street from my house, and I went in and ordered myself a drink.  By the end of the night, I was discussing Puerto Rican and Cuban history and culture in a mix of Spanish and English with my 73 year old drinking companion, Tuti, and Doctoral candidate/Bartender, Eduardo.
But the real watershed moment came one night on my way back from Yoga.  My phone is buzzing with text messages from Jorge and Arelis wanting to get together for drinks, I walk by the bar and Eduardo yells, "Tina! Hola!"  and our landlord and his wife stop their car to pull over and tell me they'll be around tonight if Jon and I want to hang out.

Our apartment

From Puerto Rico - 
You wanna go where people know, 
people are all the same, 
You wanna go where everybody knows 
your name.