I'm a Kid at Heart

Last week I had the opportunity to go back to Camp Bob as a volunteer. Because this place is so special to me, I was super excited to go hang out for the week, see old friends, and play with some great kids.

I got there a couple of days before the week's campers arrived and spent some time in town and running trails :) However, due to lots of unexpected circumstances (camp is all about being flexible, right?) I ended up being offered a counselor position for the week. I immediately accepted and then began my week looking over 15 eleven and twelve year old girls.

I had definitely forgotten about the demands of trying to keep children from stupidity and death, and the week was full of teenage drama, sickness, and tears. However, mixed in with all that, was lots of fun, smiles, and hugs. I'm hoping that my girls got as much out of that week as I did. I think that having a job that allows me to swim, hike, sing lots of crazy songs until I lose my voice, etc. is just about perfect! I know I must enjoy camp just as much (if not more) than the campers.

The week was also a great reminder, after a year without really working with kids, of why I want to be a teacher. Last summer I had an administrative position in the camp and was mainly doing behind-the-scenes work and discipline. While it was a great experience and I grew and learned a lot, I was reminded by this week as a counselor how much I get out of more direct interaction with the campers. I can't help but make the transfer to education and my (hopefully) future career as a teacher. Maybe eventually I'll want to look into other areas, possibly even school administration...but for now I'm excited about being in the thick of things as a classroom teacher, taking both the ups and the downs, and being a "kid" for as long as I can!

An update about...

So, I've neglected this blog because 1. I'm no longer in Mexico and 2. Life just doesn't seem as eventful. Then, while this blog might not be too interesting, at least I'm making the effort, right?

I've pretty much been in Burlington since I got back in June, and I'd better start getting used to it because I'm going to be commuting half an hour to UNCG and back every day starting in the fall. This is going to be a completely different sort of experience for me (I mean, talk about the two extremes: living in a foreign country...and living at home), but I'm working on having a good attitude about it.

I'm keeping up with my running (mostly consistently) somewhat for the simple fact that there's not too much else to do right now. I ran a race in Greensboro at the end of June and did a lot better than I had expected. Now I need to bring up to speed my swimming and biking...triathlons, here I come :) :)

One nice thing about being home (and being on vacation) is having a wonderful, relaxed morning routine. A 4-5 mile run, a cup of coffee with soy milk, the newspaper or a book (the local library is probably one of my most frequent current hang-outs)...perfect!!

While a couple more things have been happening, I'll save them for future (and hopefully more entertaining) posts!

Back in North Carolina

Well, I am back in the States, speaking English, sitting in air conditioning, etc. It's kind of weird.

Actually, reverse culture shock hasn't been too overwhelming yet (I'm still waiting for the big shock), but there have been little things that really get to me.

First, traveling back was kind of a nightmare. I had gone to a goodbye party the night before leaving Guanajuato, so I had slept maybe 5 hours before beginning the journey. In Leon, my flight was delayed two times so it left over two hours later than originally scheduled. Waiting to get on the same plane were 4 other Americans (who spoke English really loudly) who complained to the room in general the WHOLE time. And they were really rude about the inconvenience. It irritated me a lot, and I didn't have any desire to associate myself with them. Then, in customs in Houston, the line was reallyyyyyyy long and I waited over an hour (with my backpack that was about half my body weight) to see an immigration officer. During this hour there was a couple in front of me and a group of people behind me who complained the entire time about the inefficency of it all and threatened to write nasty letters to the airport, the government, their senator, Obama, etc. I could not believe how ridiculous it was for them to get so worked up about such a comparatively small thing.

I know I'm not being very understanding or gracious, but it was just such a disappointing way to come back to be around my own countrymen.

Currently, I'm trying to:
-not suffocate from the intense humidity
-not freeze from air conditioning
-not forget all my Spanish (I'm already scared about this)
-not be bored out of my mind from sitting at home...I have to find something to do/someone to visit

Although it's nice to be back, I still do miss Guanajuato.

Futbol Fever

Yesterday was the beginning of the World Cup (soccer). Like any other American, I knew/know extremely little about the world leagues of soccer...actually, probably even less than the average American.

However, yesterday the inaugural game was Mexico vs. South Africa. Of course, being in Mexico, it was almost like a requirement to watch the game. So, I dutifully woke up really early and walked the 30 minutes downtown to eat breakfast in the Jardin with Jenny and Mark and watch the game in the restaurant.

I actually really enjoyed it. Not only was I eating my favorite breakfast food (chilaquiles), but EVERYONE was completely focused on the game, wearing their Mexico team jerseys, and enjoying the atmosphere. In those couple of hours everyone was on the same side, cheering for the same team. There was a sense of unity and camraderie that I've never felt in the States (mostly because the Super Bowl invokes some intense rivalries). And you wouldn't believe the excitement when Mexico scored and the tenseness when it looked for a while like South Africa would win. I couldn't help being caught up in the collective emotion.

So, it looks like I will be following the World Cup in the States as well (but maybe cheering for Mexico)!!

P.S. Soccer players will always be hot. Period.

Last Minute Things

Today I officially turned in my last assignment! I'm done with school...well, for now. It's been an interesting year not studying my "real" major. I think it's going to cost me a little to get back into the whole music thing. Now the idea of trying to identify a key signature seems really foreign and far away. I should have taken the Praxis II when I still actually remembered my music theory.

And, all my gifts are bought! For those of you who know how much I hate shopping, this is quite the accomplishment. I'm pretty excited about them all and stayed relatively true to my list. I also got a couple of little things for myself :) Now, the issue is getting it all in my suitcase...

The days pass by so quickly now. Sunday is going to be here before I'm ready for it.

Coming Around Full Circle

The most common question nowadays: Como te sientes? (How do you feel?)

This question refers to me leaving in exactly 1 WEEK after having lived here in Mexico since July. Wow.

It's hard to answer, but I say that I'm okay with going home on June 13th. On the other hand, I would also be okay going home in another two months. I'm accepting the return date because that's what it is; my plane ticket won't change.

With that in mind, it's been strange how I've been coping with the prospect of going home. Living here in Guanajuato has become normal life for me after so much time here, but, recently, I've noticed that I'm experiencing Guanajuato more like I did at the beginning of the year. I notice when cowboys ride their horses up my street, I sit in the Jardin and people-watch a lot more, and I'm going out more with friends since it's the time of despedidas (goodbyes). It's like I'm becoming more and more an observer and less a participator as I get ready to go back to NC.

Although I think that the transition back will be pretty rough (apologies in advance for probably acting like a jerk), I have been thinking about things that will happen when I'm back. Some things I can't wait to be the same, but I'm also hoping to incorporate things that I have picked up here in Mexico. Such as: running a lot more, riding my bike and walking instead of driving as much, drinking tea without sugar, eating fresh fruit every single day, and, of course, speaking as much Spanish as possible :)

I don't know how I've changed this year in Mexico (although I'm sure I have), but I know I will have to re-adjust. On the other hand, I am also sure that there are lots more exciting adventures to come in the next couple of years. (Be prepared Dad, I've already got lots of crazy plans to go over with you!! Haha.)

National Running Day

Dear Creeper,

Thanks for cutting short Shannon's and my run this morning. You're lucky we're such nice people or else we probably could have told you quite a few things that we were thinking. Go creep on someobody else...or, better yet, not at all.

Other news:

-It's been in the mid-90s for like a week solid. Ugh. You step out of the house and the heat and the sun kills you. I have absolutely no energy after being outside all day and think I am continuously dehydrated. I know I've been an air-conditioning basher, but what I would give for some relief...or a giant pool to jump in.

-I have my German oral exam today. I'm going to try my absolute hardest to not slip into speaking Spanish. But it's going to be hard.

-I don't know how I'm going to pack all my stuff to comply with airline regulations.

-This picture makes me laugh every single time I look at it. It's from our bike trip to San Miguel. Jumping pictures will ALWAYS be the best. Period.

Because nobody wants to read about me writing my finals

This has nothing to do with what is currently going on in Mexico, but I thought it would be good to play some catch-up!

So, as a lot of people know, I have never had a pet. Leaving aside all sorts of arguments like something vital and essential was missing from my childhood, I have enjoyed having my adopted pets here in Mexico. The family I live with has a dog (Manchas) and three cats. Now, I have never considered myself a cat person, but Rita, the oldest of the cats and the only one who stays inside, and I have become good friends over the past year and she often keeps me company by sleeping at the foot of my bed at night.

One day wayyyyy back last semester I got back to the house one night and was informed that Rita had been taken to the vet for emergency surgery. Arturo had gotten back to the house and found her wounded and bleeding from her leg. Somebody had shot her when she had been wandering outside and there was a bullet still lodged within her!! Poor Rita had to have two surgeries: one to remove the bullet from her stomach and the other to sew up her leg. Thankfully she recovered fully and continues to shed hair all over my bed and my clothes...

This semester Chilipa (the youngest of the cats) was wandering around in the house and I mentioned to Octavio that she looked like she was getting fatter. Turns out she was pregnant and had four little kittens in the patio out back. They were soooo cute and I really enjoyed going out and playing with them after I got back from my morning classes. Unfortunately, we didn't keep them and Octavio found other homes for them as soon as they could eat by themselves. But, to make the signs he posted around, he did borrow my camera to take photos!

Cute, huh? Maybe my own pet won't be too far in the future!!

Sometimes it is good to not be as responsible and forget all about obligations :)

This past weekend I went to the beach, right before the last week of classes and with deadlines coming up within the next 10 days. But I went anyway :)

Shannon and Lisa and I went to Barra de Navidad in Jalisco which was really small, and with very few people...exactly what we wanted. I didn't take anything to do with schoolwork, but I did read two books in English!

So, the weekend was full of sun (I'm a little burnt) and lots of swimming. This was my third time in the Pacific Ocean (since I'm such an East-Coaster), and it is so different. It seems to me a lot rougher in general, and I have total respect for the ocean since it is so powerful, and if you lose control, well...that's it. We were constantly watching out for each other, probably a lot like worried moms, and made sure we swam when the waves weren't as big. Eventually, we figured out that where all the kids and families were swimming, closer to the boardwalk, was probably where we needed to be as well. Good choice.

Barra de Navidad:

So, my last viaje in Mexico was perfect. And, last night, Shannon and Lisa and I celebrated our last anniversary with coffee and cake. 10 months.

Now begins the times of "last": last anniversary, last trip, last class, etc. I can't believe it's all coming to an end so soon.

North American Moments

I think Mexico is pretty awesome (in case you haven't gathered that), but I think it's also important for me to acknowledge that sometimes life here isn't all fun and easy and picturesque. Sometimes I get frustrated, and it's necessary to remember this side of my year here as well as the overwhelmingly good times...which still do far outweigh the bad ones.

Shannon explained to me once that sometimes she has "North American moments" where she idealizes how something would be done in the States as compared to here. Today I had quite of few of these moments.

The orchestra I'm a part of here played this morning in a ceremony to celebrate "Day of the Teacher." (There's a day for everybody here in Mexico...coming soon, Day of the Student...which means no class!) We were scheduled to play at 12, but had a short rehearsal starting at 10...which really means we started at 10:30. To make a painfully long morning short, we ended up playing at 1:30 because the governor arrived late, the speaker went overtime, etc. I was so frustrated at the end of it all because I spent more time sitting around waiting for something to happen than actually doing anything more productive/fun. What I would have given for Dr. Geraldi and the UNCG orchestra...

Another thing that has me thinking about home a lot right now is that today was graduation at UNCG. I've spent some time today looking at everybody's pictures they've posted of their cap and gown, the ceremony, the diploma, etc. And I think that it could have been me. I don't have any regrets about spending this year in Mexico...definitely one of the best experiences of my life. Still, it's somewhat strange to think that I could have offically been a college graduate by this time. Time goes so fast and while I am still very grateful for the chance to still be a full-time student, part of me would have liked to participate in the festivities today with everybody else.

In closing, I'm sure that when I wake up tomorrow I will be in a much better mood. That's the good thing about it...I can never stay bummed for very long :)

Waging War

Recently (maybe because of the almost-unbearable heat) cockroaches have been somewhat invading my bathroom. During the day, I never see them, but I'm always a little cautious entering at night because you never know exactly what you'll find. I've taken to closing the bathroom window at night, but that doesn't deter them much.

The positive side in all of this is that I have yet to kill one myself. I can be kind of a wimp when it comes to cockroaches (read: disgusted and unable to do anything) so I always call Octavio or Arturo to come help me. And it's not like these cockroaches are small and harmless. The Mexican variety is enormous and ugly. And, I keep thinking that cockroaches are the only species to survive nuclear bombs...and that's completely revolting.

Anyway, last night I entered my bathroom only to find a visitor (really big) on the floor by my shower. I immediately called Octavio who came to look for it and end its miserable life. He saw it, but somehow it disappeared and neither Octavio nor I could find it as much as we looked. Cockroaches are fast.

I don't have any pictures to prove to you all that I am not exaggerating since I kind of freeze up when I see them, but believe me. It is not a joke.

Today is May 13th. I will be back in North Carolina for the first time in 10.5 months on June 13th. If you had asked me yesterday, I would have said that I'm ready to go back. Today I'm not so convinced.

Weekend

Sometimes it can be overwhelming with all the terrible things that humanity does to one another. It's so easy to be cynical and bitter. But, then there are moments where you see the generosity of others, and it restores my hope :)

On Saturday Shannon and I went biking with Jenny and Mark (a couple from Idaho), and Guido and Lalo from the Bike Station. The plan was to go from Dolores Hidalgo to San Miguel de Allende where there are some natural hot springs. This trip is part of a tour that the Bike Station offers, and the four of us had been talking about going for several months. Jenny and Mark asked about it and told Shannon and me what it would cost. It was pretty expensive and more than what we wanted to spend in one day. Shannon and I said we would think about it, and, the next day, we received a message from Jenny and Mark saying that they had negotiated the price and it was going to be a lot more affordable than what we originally thought. I was really excited and we immediately committed to the trip. To make a long story short, Shannon and I found out (although we weren't supposed to know) that Jenny and Mark had talked with Guido and supplemented our part of the trip to make it more economical for us college students. So sweet.

When we arrived in Dolores Hidalgo before starting out on the bikes, we wanted to find a restroom. We were definitely in a poorer section of the city, but we asked a senora who was outside her door if we could use her bathroom. She said that it was fine, and we entered her home which had a big dirt courtyard. There were lots of dogs running around, and the rest of the family was outside doing chores. The bathroom was a room apart from the house and we had to flush by pouring a bucket of water into the toilet. Afterwards, we offered the senora a little bit of money (you have to pay for bathrooms in most places in Mexico anyway), but she refused saying that it wasn't necessary. It was evident that this wasn't the most wealthy family, but they invited three foreign strangers into their home without hesitation.

So, even little things can make the world seem so much brighter.

Other highlights from the trip:

-One of Shannon's bike wheels was left in the store in Guanajuato...another one was bought in Dolores Hidalgo

-We got lost and asked for directions several times. Everyone tried to get us back to the highway...they didn't understand that we were trying to do off-road biking.

-Mark's six holes in his wheel. Who even knows how he got so many thorns in there?!

-Seeing some of the most beautiful countryside everywhere

-Being chased by dogs

-Guido flagging down a passing truck with fruit and buying bananas and mangos off the back of it

-Seeing the church where Hidalgo came out with the banner of the Virgen of Guadalupe in 1810

-Having a carne asada...without any utensils! All natural :)

-Going to hot springs on one of the hottest days of the year

-Having a wonderful time with great friends, and laughing the entire day because it was all so bizarre!

Come Thou Fount

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be.
Let that goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander Lord I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, o take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

Yesterday I was waiting at the bus stop and this came on my iPod. I think I listened to it at least three times. I'm so glad that others can put things more eloquently than I can.

2 hours, 4 minutes, 24 seconds

That is how fast I ran my first ever half-marathon. Actually, it was my first race, period. So much for starting small. (Although, when I think about it, it's kind of how I do the majority of things in life: I start with tons of enthusiasm, never realizing how extreme it is...until later.)

Anyway, we got to Chapultepec at 6:30 on Sunday morning (way early) and there were already tons of people warming up and running small laps. It was extremely intimidating since everyone looked really professional and hardcore. Shannon, Lisa, and I put on our numbers and our chips and waited for the race to start. We also participated in the group warmup which was led by three people on a stage with mics...it was soooo funny to see everybody in their matching shirts, moving their waists around in a circle, etc. Needless to say, I was cracking up the whole time (and I'm sure all the Mexicans were like "who is this gringa?!").

This is pre-marathon...we're pretty excited! Oh, and did I mention that there were 2,500 runners in total? Here are just some of them...

So, we started (about 1 minute after the actual start time since there were so many people in front of us) and started running down Av. Reforma. While this might sound bad, I felt better about the race after the girl in front of me started running after the first km marker. It was so fun to run through Mexico City (because it was a lot flatter than Guanajuato) and there were people all through the race at the sides, watching us, and encouraging the runners on. There were also tables set up every so often with water and gatorade, and so I got to run by, grab a cup of water, and then throw it over my shoulder afterwards (like all the professional runners on TV! Haha). I did, however, feel rather guilty about littering...

Although I didn't think we had trained sufficiently for the race, I actually felt really good the whole time. We kept a really consistent pace, and talked and told stories the whole time. Running is definitely a lot easier with friends! The last 20 minutes or so I was kind of ready to quit, but it felt so good to get to the finish line and achieve what we had been working so hard for!

Of course we had to take one photo with our arms raised over our heads!! After the race, it was kind of like Christmas because we went through this whole process where they gave us all sorts of things like water bottles, gatorade, hats, flip flops, bags, and pizza and tacos (only in Mexico!).

So, it was pretty much a perfect memory. Good running, pretty scenery in one of the largest cities in the world, great friends...and all in a little over 2 hours!

AND, I just went running again this morning :)

Thursday

I absolutely love Thursdays. I don't have class in the morning so my schedule consists of getting up early, running for 40-50 minutes, drinking carrot-orange juice from the market, and then finally showering and eating breakfast. I love it when I can enjoy the morning, and I don't have to rush :) Too bad I'm going to be a teacher...that means about zero possibility to take my time in the morning.

Also, this is my first blog post as a 22 year old. It's still a little surreal; 22 seems so "adult" (which I'm probably not). I had a wonderful birthday, though. Saturday I went out with Shannon, Armando, Lisa, Jenny, and Mark to eat Italian (there was not a tortilla in sight!) and then we went to a bar afterwards where several other exchange students came to hang out. Then, on Monday (my actual birthday) Shannon and Lisa and I went to eat dessert and celebrate (a little late) 9 months in Mexico. (This led to lots of conversation about how you say 9 months to any woman and they will automatically think of a pregnancy. Awkward.) The next day was Shannon's birthday which means there was even more cake. And all of this dessert right before our race...not good timing.

Last night I had orchestra rehearsal and, since people were missing, I sat first stand with the concert master which was actually really helpful because we talked the whole rehearsal about how things are said in Spanish. My music vocabulary has already increased probably 500%!

Last night I was looking online at the University of Florida which evidently has a really good Masters program in Hispanic Linguistics. It looked super interesting. I wish there weren't as many options since I can never decide...and then I wish that I could take advantage of these options. Moral of story: I don't know what I want.

Tomorrow Shannon, Lisa, and I go to Mexico City. Half marathon: T-3 days.

A New Perspective

This morning Shannon and I went to run. It wasn't the best run in the world since we started really late and it was pretty hot. We were feeling pretty bummed about it since our race is in exactly one week. Then, however, we realized that we had gone 21 minutes before calling it quits (around 2.5 miles, at least), and, for the average person, that's a decent workout. So, it wasn't our normal 45-55 minutes, but not too awful.

Countdowns:
Birthday: 1 day
Half Marathon: 7 days
Beach Trip: 19 days
North Carolina: 56 days

Laugh for the Day

This is a true story:

Yesterday a guy told me that I have "precious eyes" (literal translation). He told me it was like I had spent too much time looking at the ocean on my flight over here, and that now the ocean was reflected in my eyes.

What can you possibly say to something like that?

I laughed a little (kind of awkwardly), probably blushed a lot, and then changed the subject.

Just one reason why life is really good

Every Tuesday in el Jardin de la Union one of my favorite Guanajuato traditions take place. In the center gazebo a small band gathers (saxophones, trumpets, a drum set) and plays for an hour or so while the "elderly" population dances.

Let me try to describe the scene. The benches around the gazebo are filled with grandmothers and grandfathers dressed in their "Sunday best." High heels, dresses, button-down shirts, and ties. As the band begins a song couples move to the "dance floor" and begin to do their thing. The couples rarely vary, everyone has their favorite partner, and it's fun to watch the different styles. There are no rules as to how people dance, and neither do the dancers themselves seem to care (believe me, there are some characters). They're just there to have a good time.

The other half to this weekly event is the crowd that gathers to watch. People sit on benches a bit further away from the gazebo to enjoy the show. There are families, students, other grandparents, everyone. The performers don't seem to mind, and everyone is smiling and clapping at the end of every song.

Life is so peaceful and happy at 7:00 every Tuesday, and it makes me smile just to be a part of it.

I think it's interesting to see how life turns out. One of my deepest fears, out of a couple, is being bored in life. Not the temporary boredom of "there's nothing to do right now," but the boredom of thinking that life holds no surprises and adventures. The thought of doing the same thing day in and day out just because I need to pay bills terrifies me. I sincerely pray that I will find meaning and purpose in what I do.

With that in mind, I was talking the other day on Skype with a good friend about what people's plans are for the upcoming year. They sound pretty exciting. People are going abroad to Europe/Asia/Africa, moving to go to grad school, etc. And as for me? I will be going back to UNCG for my last year of undergrad and then will be teaching four years in NC (assuming that I will find a job...). It all sounds kind of anticlimactic in comparison.

Depending on when you ask me and what type of mood I'm in, I can be pretty frustrated at this "lack of options." It seems that my life is just beginning like I want it to be, and the idea that I can't take advantages of the more "exciting" options feels restricting at times. But then I also have to be honest and admit that there will be lots of adventures in the next 5 years. I will be completely in charge of an elementary string program in the fall, student teaching in the spring, and then four years of working with middle or high school students (hopefully). I listen to stories of my friends who are currently teaching in public schools and I can't say that their days are boring...to the contrary, there is ALWAYS something going on. When I get past the feeling of being confined and restricted by these 5 upcoming years, I really do know that teaching in NC WILL be an adventure in and of itself, and I know I will learn and grow a lot during that time.

And after that time? Well, there's still lots of life left and lots of options...Fulbright? Grad school? Teach in another country? Learn another language? Learn how to organic farm? Have a family? Own a used bookstore? Move to another state? Become an ex-pat? Be a translator? Work for a non-profit?

At least life won't be boring.

A little of this and a little of that

I apologize in advance for the choppiness of this blog...I have a lot to catch up on :)

So, I had two weeks of Spring Break which is definitely awesome, but it's a really long time and it was hard for me to remember at the end of it that I'm really a student (although I think some people still doubt it, I DO go to class and do my homework).

The first week I traveled to San Luis Potosi and Zacatecas. I was by myself which was kind of weird at first (more and more I'm realizing my need to be around people) but definitely an adventure. I visited Luis and Arturo in SLP which was so cool. Three years later and friendships can still be maintained, and it gives me hope that I'll keep in contact with the people I've met here in Mexico as well!

In Zacatecas (which is kind of like a Guanajuato although definitely not as pretty) I toured a mine, climbed a bufa (see picture), and went to several free concerts since they were having their cultural festival (kind of like the Cervantino). This was the part where I definitely missed having Lisa and Shannon, my normal traveling companions, around but it was also cool to be forced to meet new people and rely completely on myself for things.

Then, Mom and Dad came to visit! It was kind of strange to have them here since it was the first time my US life and my Mexico life crossed, but I loved being able to show them around and introduce them to my friends. It was interesting for me (and hopefully for them as well) to see how self-sufficient I can be in this environment and for me to be the one who had to navigate/manage everything. I do think, however, that my translating skills could be improved quite a bit...
(Thanks again for coming Mom and Dad! I really did love having you here!)


So, after four cities, tons of new experiences, and doing lots of tourist-y things, I had the rude return of having to return to school and homework and such. This past weekend I wrote two papers (one a midterm exam) in three days. I think this speaks quite well of my Spanish, although maybe not too well of my self-discipline in not procrastinating. Ugh.

It is now 100% official that I am going to run a half-marathon. I've already registered and paid my inscription fee. I AM SO EXCITED!!!

Also, it is April 13th. This day (luckily it's not a Friday) signifies several things. First, it's Garret's birthday. Garret, I don't know if you read this, but, if you do...HAPPY 20th BIRTHDAY LITTLE BROTHER!! On a sadder note, this marks exactly two months until I have to leave Guanajuato and Mexico. I don't know how I'm going to cope...

A Quick Update

Mom and Dad are here in Mexico!! I can't believe that 1. they actually came and 2. that we're going to be spending all week together. I'm super excited, although it's weird having to take care of them in a sense...what role reversal.

Also, yesterday I got back from a week of traveling. I went to San Luis Potosi and Zacatecas, and it was amazing and incredibly random and awkward (of course). Hopefully I'll be able to post pictures and more details soon!

Last night I tried to make a cake for Lisa's birthday.

Let's just say that it's probably for the best that I've never had aspirations of becoming a professional chef/baker/anything that involves the preparation of food for human consumption.

A Harsh Reality

Yesterday in class, I ended up talking with two of my classmates during our break (because the class is 3 hours and who can sit through that straight?). One of the girls is from Monterrey and she was telling us about how crazy it's gotten there. People are afraid to leave their houses, the narcos recently took control of some universities in the city, etc. I was really interested and kept asking questions, especially since I'm going to be doing research on narcocorridos and northern boundary issues.

The other girl, from Leon, said that although it wasn't quite as evident here in the center of Mexico, there was still quite a bit of drug trafficking in Leon and Irapuato, especially since they're both on the way to Michoacan. I mentioned that I wasn't really aware of any of this and always felt really safe.

She told me, "Well it exists. They killed my cousin, and lots of my other relatives are in jail right now for being involved with drugs."

Ouch.

3 Day Weekend

We don't have class today! Why?

Because yesterday (a Sunday) was Benito Juarez's birthday, the Mexican government has decided that today (Monday) is a holiday. I'm still trying to figure out the logic behind that (not that I'm really complaining).

You can read more about Juarez here: http://www.mexonline.com/benitojuarez.htm

So, I'm enjoying my day off for a holiday that happened yesterday...pretty sweet!

This past week I gave two English tutoring sessions to students in my facultad. One girl is pretty far advanced and we're going to work on her reading (I have Alice in Wonderland and we're starting with that)! The other guy is an extreme beginner and I have to speak more with him in Spanish than in English. This week we're going to look at vocabulary within the classroom and try to describe school experiences, both past and present.

I didn't realize until this how much I missed teaching and really enjoy coming up with things to do to help people learn. I'm excited about continuing to tutor Gaby and Julio Cesar (no, I did not laugh when he told me his name, but I'm kind of laughing now) this semester!!

In other news, I went mountain biking again for 6 hours today, and am not pathetically collapsed on the couch afterwards like last week. I think I'm getting better!

I Can No Longer Walk

Today I mountain-biked 35km. I am so sore.

I thought that I would be somewhat okay since I've been running quite a bit the past month. WRONG. I was definitely the slowest one out there (somewhat embarrassing), but I kept going the whole way, even carrying my own bike over my shoulder when the trails got too overgrown to ride.

I love the excitement of trying something new. Mountain biking is completely out of my scope of daily life, but I saw more of Guanajuato today than I knew existed. I'm constantly being reminded of how humbling it is to go out of my comfort zone. If I always did what I knew/was good at, I would have never learned how to drive stick shift (actually, I still don't know if what I do can be classified as "driving"), moved to another country to force myself to learn Spanish, or gotten on a mountain bike. What would I miss out on in life if I refused to go out and learn (read: make a fool out of myself)? Well, for one, I wouldn't be training for this half marathon in 2 months! Sometimes I feel so hardcore...haha.

And mountain biking next Sunday? I think so!

It can NOT be March already. Where did the time go?

:(

People are nice

The past couple of days several people have paid me lots of compliments. The surprising thing (or maybe not so surprising) was that I was completely taken aback by all of them.

This morning when I was running I was thinking about what had been said to me, and then a thought came to me: I might be a "gringa con buena onda" (and I don't think that it's as quite a contradiction as some people think; I know lots of Americans who are really open to new things and don't think the world revolves around them), but I wonder if what people see when they look at me is actually the love that Jesus has for the world (because I don't think I can claim some of the things people have told me)? I can only hope so...

Last night I went with a couple of friends to see the movie Norteado which is about a guy in Tijuana, Mexico as he tries several times to cross the border into the US. (REALLY good movie by the way, I definitely recommend it.)

Andres tries to cross several times but is always found by border patrol (whose office is set up with a huge pictures of George W. Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger) and sent back to Mexico. During this time, he works in Tijuana at a fruteria run by two women whose husbands "crossed" and then were never heard from again. At the end of the movie, Andres and his friends finally get the idea to build him into a big armchair and someone drives him across the border in a truck.

For me, the movie was really powerful because it deals with such a touchy topic between Mexico and the US. I don't pretend to know much (if anything) about the politics of immigration, but it really saddens me to think that we as humans can treat one another in such an inhumane way.

After the movie, Julieta (a friend from Argentina) asked me why everyone wanted to go to the US if immigrants are treated as badly as they sometimes are. I gave her the normal answers of job opportunities, education, etc., but it sounded really shallow, even to me. Why do people want to move to the US? I'm not too sure...

Armando, a Mexican who also went with us to see the movie, said that it didn't really shock him as much as it did us because in the news there are always reports of immigrants who were sent back across the border, some mistreated. Once again, I was shocked that this is some people's reality: constantly hoping for a "better" life and repeatedly being thwarted in their search for the "American Dream."

Again, I don't know exactly how I feel about all of this, but I wish it wasn't such a harsh reality.

What I'm Learning

A couple of days ago I was talking with my friend Lisa about how "normal" being in Mexico has become. (Note: Not that life has become any less exciting; it's just that Guanajuato has now adopted us, and it feels like we belong here.) For example, for both of us it is completely natural to speak Spanish all day long, many days without speaking a word of our native languages. We don't speak perfectly by any means, but it's passable :) It's kind of a feeling of "Of course we speak Spanish...what else would we speak?"

Because of this integration of the language, I'm now learning a lot more than just Spanish (although I'm still working on my Spanish everyday). It's become more of the context than the actual object of study.

-I'm playing in the school orchestra this semester and rehearsals are, of course, completely in Spanish. (Although I think I will always and forever count music in English...)
-I have German class four days a week. I love it, and the hour and 15 minutes fly by every day. Since we're all just beginners 95% of the class is explaining in Spanish. It's so cool to learn a foreign language through another foreign language :)
-My friend Coleman began to teach me some guitar this past month. I can play the song "Wagon Wheel" (but not very well yet).
-I'm training with two of my friends to hopefully run a half marathon in June before the semester ends here. So I've also been running quite a bit...and the entire time we run, we have conversations in Spanish!

It's so exciting to learn new things and be involved in all sorts of things all within the context of Mexico and Spanish. I think I've discovered that I really just like to learn. Life is so much more interesting when you're constantly thinking about things in a new way. It's like the saying that goes, "The more you learn, the more you realize how little you actuallly know." The more I find out about things in this world, the more I want to learn...it's a never-ending process.

Other note: Today marks exactly seven months in Mexico. Could time PLEASE slow down?! :(

I am SO behind.

Since starting this semester, I have found that I'm really busy (surprise, surprise) doing all sorts of things (but that's another post in and of itself). I hate that I don't have as much time to blog, write in my journal, or Skype with people...I think I'm going to have to find a better balance? For now at least are the rest of the highlights of my Christmas break travels!
Palenque: definitely one of my favorite spots in Mexico

What happens when you've seen too many pyramids; you just want to jump off of them!

Hiking in the jungle in Chiapas! Que padre!

Christmas Eve dinner!

Chichen Itza

Beach in Tulum...beautiful!

Typical meal in Belize: chicken, rice and beans, potatoes, and watermelon juice. Yum!

Tapado en Livingston, Guatemala...the meal where everything comes with eyes and legs still attached. (I'm still not too convinced.)

Tikal in Guatemala

Couch surfing in Xela! So much fun!

Coffee in Chiapas :)

Monte Alban in Oaxaca. The end of a wonderful trip!

How do you picture Mexico?

A generalized American view of Mexico: immigrants, drug trafficking, swine flu, dirty water, lots of poverty (and, if you're in college, Spring Break Cancun trips).

I remember how several people asked me before coming here, "Why Mexico? They also speak Spanish in Spain." Yes. I really don't know exactly why Mexico appealed to me so much, but I am so glad that I am here as opposed to anywhere else in the world right now.

The other day I read something a friend had written about how the US view toward Mexico tended to focus on the negative. It was then followed by something along the lines of, "and many of my friends who come to Mexico on mission trips only have these stereotypes reinforced."

This idea has stuck with me since I read it because it's so true. I had been to Mexico a couple times on mission trips before, and you are exposed to things that maintain these stereotypes such as the extreme poverty, the lack of work, places with no electricity or clean drinking water.

But, Mexico is so much different and bigger than just that tiny little view. There are places with theater, commercial grocery stores, commercial movie theaters complete with popcorn and all, parking decks, museums, upscale bars and restaurants and clubs, etc. These aspects are just as valid and important as the others previously mentioned.

At the end of it all, Mexico is structured like any other country. Yes, there is poverty (like in the US if we look around), but there is also a rich culture (in many ways that I like more than that of the US) where family is extremely important, where people take walks around the plazas and stop to really chat with their neighbors and their friends, where people really take time to dress up to go to parties, weddings, etc.

So, all this to say, that maybe we as a Church are just contributing to the idea of "Since I'm more privileged and have more material resources, I feel obligated to help you." While I'm certainly not bashing helping your neighbor and being generous with what you have, we need to keep in mind that this could (and should) be applied equally to Africa, South America, Europe, and your neighbor across the street in the suburb where you live. It is NOT exclusive to "third-world countries."

My idea is that the next mission trip you take to Mexico should be to a middle-class community, instead of the rural desert or the urban slums. I think you would be surprised at how different Mexico can be from what you actually think it is...and maybe you'll be given more than what you yourself can give them.

Thanks Lydia

I corrected my grammar in my last post. You should read the new and improved version so all of you know that I CAN speak proper English.

Thanks.

Some Overdue Photos

I'm sorry I'm lazy and haven't blogged :( Here are some photos that will hopefully make up for it.

Puebla:
Laura eating chapulines (grasshoppers). Yum.

Train museum

Pasitas of Puebla

Laura and me showing our opinions of live Christmas trees

Veracruz:

Ice cream

Tulia, Pablo, and me

Everyone in Veracruz

Villahermosa:

en La Venta

More pictures to come...hopefully sooner rather than later.

Happy 6 Months!!

I am currently experiencing deja vu, but 100 times better!

Since being back in Guanajuato, things have been pretty similar to how they were last semester at this time:
I have run from office to office trying to figure out how to register for classes
I have hiked to the Bufa
I have a roommate from Argentina
I eat meals with the family
I go to cafes, and plazas, and museums

What makes this semester even better, however, is that I actually understand what's going on! It's so interesting to experience the same process and do the same things, but with the understanding that whatever conversations I have or instructions I receive, I can handle it. It puts a whole new perspective on living in Guanajuato. I'm so proud of how far my language skills have come (although, don't worry, I still make an idiot out of myself quite frequently, I'm sure), and I know that I'll be able to enjoy myself even more this semester because I can be more outgoing instead of worried about myself all the time.

Classes start tomorrow...bring it on Spanish syntax!!

Coming Home

I am back in Guanajuato!

It's been very interesting for me to see how comfortable I've become in Mexico, and specifically Guanajuato; so much so that I now refer to it as "home" without even thinking.

When I was in Belize and Guatemala it was great to see different countries and experience new cultures. But, it was also somewhat exhausting because we had to adjust to everything and figure out what, for those that lived there, was normal and ordinary. It struck me how much work it really was when Shannon and I entered Mexico again in Chiapas. Road signs became familiar, brands and advertisements were things that I was more used to, and I began to hear "no manches" again!! There was definitely a feeling of being back in my comfort zone (who would have thought six months ago that Mexico and the Spanish language would be part of my comfort zone?)!

This morning, we got back to Guanajuato and there was an even stronger feeling of "home-ness." I was walking around downtown and ran into two people I knew who stopped to ask me about vacations, and then, when I was up at school looking at class schedules, I had lots of conversations with classmates and old professors. The feeling of being in a place where you belong and have a life and friends, and you're not merely a tourist, is one of the best in the world.

This does not signify, by any means, that I am done exploring the world. (I think my next two destinations are going to be Alaska and Argentina.) It is, however, nice to be settled back in Guanajuato for one more semester!

I can now add two more countries to the list of places I've been: Belize and Guatemala.

It's amazing how neighboring countries can be so entirely different (and sometimes so alike).

Traveling is NOT conducive to blogging, and there is just way too much that's happened...I wouldn't even know where to start.

Classes start relatively soon so I'll be back in Guanajuato in the next couple of days. I'm going to be kind of glad to be back in a place where I have all my stuff in my closet instead of my backpack, and I know for sure that I have a hot shower everyday. But, on the other hand, I'm going to miss traveling around, and seeing so many things, and meeting so many people.

(Evidently I still like lists as well...some things never change!! Hahaha.)

Happy New Year!

It is January 1st and I have a tan lines from both my bikini and my Chacos. Awesome.

On another note, I'm really excited for 2010. I know that everybody is kind of obligated to say that every time we enter a new year, but for real I'm excited. Why? Because 2010 should have looked something like this: begin student teaching in the next couple of days, graduate college, find a job in North Carolina, and begin my ¨real life¨as a teacher. Instead, I will spend six and half more months in Mexico, a country and people and language that I have fallen in love with, I will go back to UNCG to be a student for another year, and I'm sure the year will be filled with laughing, teaching, and learning. It's nice how things don't always turn out as planned...life is more interesting that way.