Saying Goodbye

I'm not one to cry. Really, I'm not. But this past week has been full of tears. Between little cries with Alexander and busting out into tears over breakfast with my host mom, the tears have been flowing this past week.

I've never had to say goodbye to someone incredibly close to me knowing that I will probably never see them again. Saying goodbye to Charlie and the other exchange students was way harder than I expected it to be...

We went to El Bar, the salsa club downtown. It was weird that we ended up there, because I haven't been since we took salsa lessons my very first month in Mexico. Being there with everyone and with Alexander was so weird. The bar hasn't changed a bit, but I have. I was in a strange reflective mood all night. Remember that time I tripped during my first salsa lesson? Remember the first time Charlie tried to teach me how to dance salsa? (hey, let's try it again a year later...nope, I'm still a horrible dancer...). Look at everyone working here, think of the ridiculous nights you had with them a year ago, and try not to bust out laughing every time you look at them....(ESPECIALLY Armando....though Gustavo and Turus were a bit of a challenge too...).

Mexico, I already miss you.

Noise

As much as Americans have a reputation for being loud and obnoxious when abroad, we live very, very quiet lives compared to the rest of the world.

Mexico is constant noise. Between street vendors calling out, music blasting from storefronts, children running around yelling, and the ridiculously loud buses, finding a quiet space is near impossible.

Like right now, for example. My host brother is playing American music loudly on the speakers throughout our house. The house that is sort of diagnally above us is blasting banda music. As if the clash between these two playlists weren't enough, the students who live above us are continuing their never ending party. The callejonadas continue leading tourists through the streets as they sing old love songs. Any minute now, the parade that has been happening every single night will start up, and there will be a marching band and hundreds of people cheering them on.

The social norms we have in the States about making noise in public absolutely do not exist here. No matter where you are in this town (and the few other places in Mexico I have been), finding a quiet place to sit and frantically write a final essay is near impossible.

Last week.

So much has happened since going to Puerto Vallarta, I don't even know where to start. It has been a rough month, not because of drama or illness, but just because I know that I'm leaving Guanajuato soon. Over the past year, this city has truly become my home. I will miss sitting on the steps of Teatro Juarez doing nothing in particular, drinking in the sketchy basement bar La Pinta with Alexander and his co-workers, watching a really gruesome autopsy show with my host mom as we eat dinner.

The day after I got back from Puerto Vallarta, I went to Alexander's cousin's birthday party. It was SO much fun. I spent the night chatting with the family, dancing salsa and cumbia, and getting caught in the middle of a flour/confetti fight. Best birthday party ever.

The first weekend of April I went to Lagos de Moreno with Alexander to visit his uncle. It is a city in Jalisco, but only about two hours away from Guanajauto. Hospitality in Mexico is unlike anywhere else. When you visit someone, you are always told estas en tu casa, or you are in your house. Sort of like mi casa es tu casa, but deeper and more sincere. We started off the visit by spending the day at the pool with the whole family. His uncle has three children, roughly 12, 9, and 2. I'm in love with those kids. In the pool it was boys vs girls, so Denise (9ish) and I teamed up against Alexander and Axel (12ish) in some sort of game. After the pool, we went grocery shopping, ate dinner, then stayed up all night playing Guitar Hero. Just like home. The next morning we stayed in watching movies, then headed back to Guanajuato that night. I felt more at home with his family than I have felt in a very long time, and was very sad to have to leave. The family might be taking a trip to the US sometime next year, hopefully they will drop by Portland!

Nothing all that exciting has happened since. Friday night was the program's goodbye dinner. Afterwards, I finally went out drinking with Imelda, Charlie, Allison, and Abram. We started off at La Diabla and ended up at the UG Foreign Language Department's goodbye party. SO MUCH FUN. Within twenty minutes of getting there, I was getting salsa and cumbia lessons from a really nice student. He kept saying "See? I told you it was easy. You're a natural." He was just being nice, but it was still so much fun. After an exhausting hour of dancing, I joined back up with Imelda and met a lot of other exchange students. I'm really sad that I'm only just now meeting them, because I can see most of them becoming pretty good friends.

So that is all for now. Less than a week left in Mexico. I still have so much to do. I still have my final essay and presentation for 19th Century Latin American Literature, packing (how am I going to fit everything in the two small suitcases that I brought?), and gift buying. Sigh.

Oh, Mexico, I'm going to miss you so so much.

Pizza with chimichurri. SO good.'

Me, Alexander, Denise, and Axel after a day of swimming.

Puerto Vallarta

I spent the second week of our spring break lounging on the beach. It was fantastic.

I ended up going to Puerto Vallarta. I was a little hesitant because it is a huge tourist city, meaning it would be expensive, full of tourist traps, and not my type of vacation. But since I was traveling alone for the first time, I thought it would be a good idea to stick to the beaten path. And I had an incredible vacation.

The best part was my hostel. It was about a twenty minute walk from the beach, in a residential neighborhood, so it was away from all the tourists. The staff and the other people staying at the hostel were fantastic, and it made my vacation.

I spent the first day sitting on the beach, reading, eating seafood, and drinking some yummy beer. It was so relaxing.

The second day I went on a snorkel cruise. The water was murky that day so I couldn't really see anything, but it was my first time snorkeling and I enjoyed it a lot. It was also really nice to be out in the ocean swimming. I was the only American on the boat, though there were a few Canadians. (Even in Puerto Vallarta there were hardly any Americans. Almost all of the foreigners were Canadian or British. It was the same in Chiapas, everyone was surprised to see Americans- we have been majorly scared away by the reports of violence).

Day 3 was spent with some of the other people at my hostel. We took a bus a little outside of town to a more secluded, less touristy beach, where we hung out for most of the day. After a few hours we headed back to the hostel and just hung out the rest of the day, until Ladie's Night at Harry's. So much fun.

Friday was my day to go home. My bus didn't leave until the afternoon, but I spent my day at the hostel because I knew that if I went to the beach, I just wouldn't get on my bus.

Dia de los Flores, Random Updates

Hey everyone.

April 15th was an awesome holiday, Dia de los Flores. As far as I could tell, it is a celebration of the Virgen de Dolores. All over town, people set up altars for her and left offerings, mostly fruit and ice cream. The entire city stays up all night eating, drinking, and partying. Plaza de la Paz is completely converted into a giant tent full of food and flower vendors.

I started off the evening with three fellow study abroaders that I hadn't hung out with much previously. We started really early so the streets weren't to crowded. First we got some food at the giant food tent, got some drinks at Zilch, then headed to a party a friend had invited us to. We continued the festivities there for a few hours, and a learned a few drinking games. (New favorite: Pendejo. A lot like Spoons but more intense, involving tequila and markers.)

From the party the rest of my study abroad friends went to go salsa dancing and I met up with Alexander. We ended up just wandering around for most of the night, with a quick stop at some cantina-like bar where he tried to teach me how to dance (fail). I ended up getting home around 4 in the morning (which is early for Dia de los Flores!)

Since that day I have been nursing a pretty nasty cold, so nothing much to write about April.

Tomorrow I'm heading to Puerto Vallarta until Friday. I'm going by myself, which I'm not going to lie, I am a little nervous about. Not so much about safety issues, just about logistics. The last trip I went on, I was with Lisa, who is the ultimate trip planner. I definitely channeled my inner Lisa when I was planning this, so hopefully everything goes smoothly. Keep your fingers crossed for me :)

Now some pics from Dia de los Flores:

Most of the group from the party

Giant food stand!

Example of one of the hundreds of altars set up around town

Random Thoughts

I've been meaning to post for the past few weeks to let everyone know what I have been up to...I keep having random thoughts pop up that I want to share with everyone but they were never quite enough to justify a post. But it is a hot Friday afternoon and I have nothing to do until later, so here are just a few of those thoughts.

1) Studying abroad can be such an emotional roller coaster, it is exhausting. Some days, this is my favorite place in the world. Spanish rolls of my tongue and I'm never going to leave Mexico. Then the next day, I can have a completely different attitude. I'm so homesick that it physically hurts. I can't focus on what people are saying to me at all. The past few weeks have been mainly low (personal drama, family emergencies, missing birthdays back in Oregon, the cold that WON'T go away)...but I'm starting to get myself out of that rut.

2) I just read an article about how students who have studied abroad tend to do better in school after their experience than before, which was really interesting. First of all, when you go to school in a foreign country, the systems they have in place are completely different. You're going in blind, and have to figure everything out (in your second language...). By the time you get back home, you're so used to having to work five times as hard for something that the familiar is a piece of cake. If you can figure out the way they organize their books at the library in Valenciana (something that still alludes me...), you can pretty much handle anything the university system back home can possibly throw at you.

3) My tastes in food have changed so drastically since I have gotten here. Now I gobble up my papaya with my breakfast in the morning. I looooove micheladas (beer mixed with tomato juice, chile, lime, and some other stuff...also the variations with juice are yummy), salsa verde (the spicier the better), light dinners (washed down with a glass of milk, which I couldn't even drink when I first got here). Just a few examples.

4) Semana Santa. Our spring break is in April (Easter week and the week before). 2 weeks! I am going to the beach. Not sure which one, or with who, but it will happen. My host mom says I should go to Ixtapa. My friends want to take me to Puerto Vallarta or Acapulco. I want to go back to Chiapas and check out Boca del Cielo. Also I have an offer for Puerto Escondido. We shall see what happens. All I need is some quality beach time and I'm good.

Alis volat propriis

The past few weeks have been pretty dramatic. I'm not going to rant or go into details, but I lost someone I thought was a dear friend over something so ridiculous, leaving me with absolutely no women friends here in Guanajuato. For the first time in my life, every single one of my friends is male. This has ups and downs, but I have to say, I reallllllly miss my girls back in Oregon.

Right before coming to Mexico, I participated in a week long conference with Portland State's Center for Women, Politics, and Policy (CWPP). There, I met 20 of the most amazing women I could ever hope to meet. 20 women of all ages lived together, worked together, and partied together for an entire week with absolutely no drama, cliques, or whatever other ridiculous shenanigans women have a bad rap for. It was absolutely incredible to be surrounded by such strong, ambitious women, and it is an experience I will never forget.

Since then, I look at most women that I meet through a completely different lens. Naively I automatically assume that I'll get along with everyone as fantastically as I did with my lovely CWPP ladies, and it is always shocking to me when I meet a woman who doesn't have the type of confidence, self respect, and ambition that these women do.

That is about as much of a rant you're going to get from me. Parting words: I miss my girls.

My CWPP ladies and Barbara Roberts, Oregon's first woman governor, June 2010

Time Flies

I have worked at the kindergarten for almost a month now. Even though it can be the most frustrating thing ever, coming in the door on Mondays and Tuesdays always makes up for it. 15 adorable little children run at me screaming "KAHLSEEEEE! TE QUIERO!" (Kelsey, I love you!) definitely makes your day brighter (even if later you end up covered in juice, clay, tears, and snot).

A few random pictures...

My classroom!

Pretty much the only place I have found cheap dark beer. Sketchy basement bar. Free tacos (when you go with Abram).

This I Believe

My very first paper in college was the hardest that I have ever had to write. The assignment was seemingly simple: write a three page essay on what you believe. No other requirements.

I remember how much I struggled to write that paper. I must have restarted it at least ten times. Right before starting my freshman year, my life had changed so much that I wasn't quite sure what it was I believed in anymore. In the end, that is what I wrote about.

Earlier today I was cleaning some old files off of my computer and I stumbled upon that essay. After reading it, two things struck me. 1) It is amazing how much I have evolved as a writer in three short years (some parts were definitely cringe-worthy) and 2) it is amazing how that essay still rings true for me today.

2 quotes:

"I believe in embracing the changes life throws your way. Though things may look difficult at first, there is something to be learned in every challenge thrown at you, no matter how menial it may originally seem. In every challenge, from a missed bus to a difficult class, a bad day to a family tragedy, there is an opportunity to come out knowing more about yourself and what you believe."

This especially applies to my life today, living in a foreign country and speaking in a second language. Absolutely every part of every day is a challenge. Nothing is easy, and the smallest victories are relished as if they were monumental. And, just as my 17-year-old self claimed, I have come out of each challenge a stronger person.

"I believe that five, ten, and thirty years from now, my core beliefs will have morphed and evolved, and will only vaguely represent those I feel strongly about currently."

Again, my 17-year-old self could not have been more right. When I wrote this essay 3 years ago, I was majoring in Criminal Justice and Political Science. I wanted to go on to change the world, and live in as many different parts of it as I could. And while some of that mentality still remains, it has also been altered. I joined MUN and learned that while politics are interesting, it isn't what I want to do with my life. I worked at a school and discovered a passion for teaching. I moved to Mexico and discovered that I'm absolutely in love with Oregon and would be perfectly happy living there. The list goes on. And all of those changes happened in three short years. I can't even imagine how different things will be five, ten, and thirty years down the line.

Anyways, enough with the self reflection (for now...I have a few more especially reflective posts in mind). It is Saturday night, off to hit the town :)

Perfect Day

Between working at the kindergarten, being a somewhat good student, and actually having a social life, the past week absolutely flew by.

Nothing important to note between Valentine's Day and today.

At the kindergarten, for some reason the teacher decided to have a two hour long meeting with the school director in the middle of the school day, leaving me alone with 15 rowdy Spanish speaking children (and by the way, she didn't mention this at all to me. I was clueless until another teacher came out and told me that recess for my class was over and I had to get them ready for lunch). I was surprised at how well they behaved at first, but after lunch that all went down the drain. Books were being thrown across the classroom, children were locking other children in closets, and I was trying my best to hold it all together. It was madness. And even though those kids gave me hell, I STILL love them to death.

After class, the teacher I work with, Anabel, invited me to her house for lunch. She is such a sweet lady who is so excited that I am there to help her. (Sidenote- I almost didn't end up with this class because when we were introduced to the teacher I thought she was mean, but I liked the kids. So I chose to be with this class and I am so glad!). She introduced me to her 14 year old daughter and her husband (who works for the Supreme Court of Guanajuato). I thought I was just having lunch with them, but they kept me the whole day. We went and got ice cream, went on a walk, talked a lot about education, had dinner, and then they drove me home. They are all so incredibly sweet, and made me feel really at home. I have a feeling this will be a repeat occurrence.

I WAS planning on doing my ridiculous reading for my class Wednesday morning when I got home from Anabel's, but then a group of my friends invited me to go out. Originally I was only going to stay an hour...but time flies when you are having fun. Now it is almost 1am and I have a ton of reading to do before my class tomorrow.Yet here I am, updating my blog. Oh well, I can be an irresponsible student every now and then, right?

Also, camping is a possibility this weekend. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

I Discovered the Purpose of Valentine's Day!

That is right...I finally understand what Valentine's Day is good for. But first, I will tell you about my day. And then you will understand.

I volunteer at a school that has kids from ages 3 to 5. I'm working with the oldest kids. Our classroom has maybe 15 and one teacher. You can tell she is so overwhelmed by how energetic these kids are, so I'm really excited to be able to help her out a little bit. For the first few classes I'm mainly just observing, and eventually I will be giving English classes.

Today was my first day working at the kindergarten. It was possibly the hardest day I have had in Mexico so far. Adults don't come running up to you in tears because someone stuck out their tongue at them. They don't lock themselves in the bathroom because they didn't get the same amount of candy in from the piñata as their best friend, and they don't poke and prod at you. That being said, I'm totally used to little kids from babysitting and working at Buckman. But dealing with little kids in English and then in my second language is a completely different story. When the kids come running up to me bawling, I have absolutely no idea what they are saying. Or if I do, I have no idea what to say back.

BUT, today was nice and easy thanks to good old Valentine's Day, also known in Mexico as the Day of Love and Friendship. Patricio stuck out his tongue at you? Patricio, we don't do that on the Day of Love and Friendship! Now hug and make up. Oh, Evelin, we don't throw our lunches at our friends on the Day of Love and Friendship. Now hug and make up.

Seriously, this whole Day of Love and Friendship thing is quite possibly the best thing ever. Not a single fight drug out for more than a few seconds, because no one wanted to be a bad friend during the Day of Love and Friendship. It was so adorable to see all the little kids immediately think about how their actions affected others, and want to say sorry and hug right away.

So, I have come to the conclusion that Valentine's Day was really invented by schoolteachers who needed a break.

Scorpion

The first time I ever saw a scorpion was within my first month of being in Mexico. It was a pretty tiny one, and rather than freak out I just stared at it for a really long time. They are so funny looking.

I find the occasional scorpion in my room, which doesn't really bother me. In this part of Mexico the scorpions are pretty small and not too harmful, whereas in other parts of the country if you get stung you are supposed to run to the hospital.

Friday night was the first time a scorpion actually made me freak out. It was late at night, and right as I was about to crawl into bed I noticed an ENORMOUS scorpion on the wall that my bed is up against, directly above my pillow. It was just out of my reach, so I couldn't just smash it with a shoe. I tried throwing shoes at it, swinging a towel at it, and banging on the wall to try and make it come down (and hopefully not fall into my bed), but it was staying put.

Frustrated, I decided to take a break to get some water. Miracle of all miracles, my host brother was awake and in the kitchen, so I recruited him to help me. Even he freaked out a little about how big this guy was. Picture below. (Though I have to say, the picture doesn't really do it justice.)

We ended up pulling my bed away from the wall. He stood on a chair and with the help of a broom and a huge boot disposed of scary Mr. Scorpion. He left a really large gross stain on my wall.

Mexico City Adventures

This weekend our study abroad group headed to Mexico City for a short three day trip. It was the same exact trip that I took in late July when I first got into Mexico for the new students this term, but I got to leave the group a few times to do something new. Even though I repeated a lot of the same activities, it was really great because it made it clear how far I have come since first getting in Mexico.

We left Saturday morning and got into the city around 1. The start of the trip, we ate at the same little restaurant we did last time. I remember looking at the menu and not recognizing anything except for tongue and tortilla soup. This time around, I knew what everything on the menu was and had eaten it at some point. I was so excited.

After lunch, we walked around downtown. Our tour guide for the day this time around was so much better. He was interesting and showed us lots of interesting places, not just the usual two or three tourists stops. He pointed out this place that sold tacos, and two other girls and I went and got dinner there that night. SO GOOD. Best salsa I have ever had.

After tacos, we went up to the rooftop bar in the hostel for a beer. It turns out that the university had organized a trip for all exchange students to Mexico City (we went with our exchange program, not the university), so the hostel was full of UG exchange students. We had some beers with a few French and Swedish exchange students (a conversation in which everyone was speaking their second language...way cool). All of them have only been in Mexico since January, and it blew my mind when my friends were having difficulties saying something and turned to me to rescue them. Or when someone asked a question and they looked to me for the answer. I was the one avoiding talking last time around, so I had another moment where I clearly saw how much I have learned since getting here in July.

Sunday morning the rest of the group went to Frida Kahlo's house and Xochimilco, and another kid who had already been to those places and I split off from the group. Instead, we went to the National Anthropology Museum with a friend of our program director who offered to take us. It was a super long drive because the city had shut down their main street, Avenida de la Reforma, to celebrate Bicycle Day. There were thousands of bicyclists, which was neat to see, but it made car traffic a complete mess.

The museum was well worth the crazy traffic. It was pretty incredible. We really only looked at the section with all the pre-hispanic art, but we were there for about two or three hours. I was so amazed by it all that I completely lost track of time.

Afterwards we went to an enormous park in the middle of the city, Bosque de Chapultapec, and a real castle at the top, Castillo de Chapultapec. It was pretty, but we walked so much I felt like my legs were going to fall off. Also, almost all of the kids there were on leashes, which reminded me of a dog park. It was kind of hilarious.

We had lots of time to burn after the park so we had some lunch and then some coffee. It was really fun to have Lalo's friend with us because he was really knowledgeable about the city and had a lot to say. We ended up talking a lot about the swine flu scare and narcotrafficking and how hard Mexico was hit by it all.

After our tour I was supposed to go out exploring with the girls, but my legs felt like they were going to fall off. The boys were headed to a bar to watch the Superbowl, so I decided to go with them instead because I could just sit down. The first Superbowl I ever watched was in Mexico.

That night I went up to the rooftop bar to write in my journal and have some alone time, but I ended up meeting some travelers from Argentina and one from Canada that I got along really well with. We hung out for awhile and I finally made it back to my room, completely exhausted, around 1 AM.

Monday was an alright day. We went to see the Lady of Guadalupe and Teotihuacan, both of which I had already been to. When we got to Teotihuacan there was an enormous line because it had been closed most of the day (Why? The president of Mexico was there for some ceremony!). There were a TON of police.

Now I'm back in Guanajuato. This week will be great because both of my literature classes were cancelled, so all I have is Spanish on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and then Migration and Politics on Friday.

Now for the good news! I got a job volunteering at a preschool/kindergarten! I'm really excited. We are still working out the details, but it looks like I will be working Monday and Tuesday from 10-1, possibly more. I will be teaching an English class, observing other classes, and helping out the teachers. Today we went to the school for the first time for a little tour. I'm really excited to get started.

One of my favorite things I saw at the Anthropology Museum.

Visit #2 to the pyramids. This time it was sunny!

Host Family Love

Last term, I had to spend so much time dying in my bed that I didn't get many opportunities to have conversations with my host family. This term, I have been making a huge effort to get to know them better.

Usually during lunch, it is just my host mom Berta and I. She can talk for hours and hours, which is great Spanish practice for me. We usually have lunch while watching a movie, then talk during commercials and after. She is a movie fanatic and finds it so funny that I never really watched them before coming to Mexico. Today I heard the whole story behind her love of movies, which was pretty interesting. When she was first married to my host dad Jesus and my host brother Beto was a toddler, they lived in Chiapas. Jesus worked out in the remote jungles logging (or something like that) and would be gone for 20 days, then back for a week. Berta was left at home in a tiny city in the middle of Chiapas with a toddler and nothing to do, so they starting going to the movies all of the time. Fast forward 20some years, and here I am, living with movie fanatics like I have never seen before. (Side note- My host dad, the engineer/professor/government worker/not really sure what he does, out in the jungles of Chiapas logging? I can't even picture that).

Through daily English/Spanish lessons with Jesus, I have also been getting to know him pretty well. He is a fantastic host dad, he loves hearing all about what I am learning and what my impressions of Mexico are.

My host siblings, Beto and Abril, are hardly ever home, but I have been trying to talk to them more whenever they are around.

One of the trees in our garden that has been bare for most my time here has started to blossom...and it is a peach tree! Berta says the peaches won't be here until June or July after I have already left, but I'm ok with that because the tree is so pretty. It reminds me a lot of cherry blossom trees in good old P-town. And it is almost right outside my bedroom window, so I can look at it even when I'm stuck inside reading boring 19th century Latin American literature.

Quelsi

I just finished up my third English lesson with my host dad, and they have been going really well. He is still a beginner, so we had to switch from having discussions to going over grammar. So far, it has been going really well. Looking at English from the perspective of a Spanish speaker has been really strange (especially the pronunciation of English words...it makes no sense whatsoever), and I feel like I am learning a lot about both languages.

I'm pretty sure that I have already mentioned how much trouble Spanish speakers have with my name. They have a lot of trouble with the K-e-l combination, because the way you pronounce "k" in Spanish (kah) leaves an "a" almost always following it. Usually my name turns into Cassie or Kahlsee, or some really strange combination of letters, but today my host dad wrote it out "Quelsi"...which actually sounds almost like my name. But then he asked me how the hell I spelled my name, because he had absolutely no idea :)

On an unrelated note, this weekend I am headed to Mexico City. The new exchange students are taking the trip we took last term to Teotihuacan, Xochimilco, and a few other places, and the ones who already went have some other options. I'm really excited, I really like Mexico City and I can't wait to see more of it!

More Gushing About How Much I Love Mexico

My host mommy made a comment today about how dark my skin already is, after only being back in Mexico for a week. I spend a huge portion of my day out in the sun doing homework (which usually ends in me being sleepy...but sometimes can be productive). The sun beats down on the tiny staircase in our garden that leads to my bedroom, and I sit there for hours every morning reading.

This weekend was great. Between the sun, the food (I can't even count the number of times I have had chorizo this weekend...we may need to have an intervention), the beer, and the company, I was kind of in heaven. I spent the weekend people watching on the steps of Teatro Juarez, eating chorizo tacos in various plazas around the city, meeting new people at the dirty hippie bar, catching up with my other exchange buddies who also went home over break...like I said, heaven.

Getting Resettled

There is something so wonderful about Mexico that I can't possibly put into words. The people, the food, the pace of life...I'm completely in love. Oh, and the weather. It is January and I have a giant sunburn (my host mom saw me and was terrified that I was getting sick again). It isn't hot yet because there is a nice cool breeze, but the sun definitely beats down on our little mountain town. I have to get back into the routine of putting on my sunscreen every morning.

Today I had class with my fantastic Spanish teacher Imelda. For the first time we actually stuck to the course plan, but luckily we ran into her after class on the steps of the Teatro and had time to catch up. I spent hours sitting on the steps in the sun before my next class, 19th Century Latin American Literature. It could either be a really challenging course or just something that I have to sit through three hours of every week. If anything, it will be great practice in listening to Spanish since the professor speaks faster than anyone I have ever heard in my life. I absolutely cannot believe how quickly words flow out of his mouth, but surprisingly I was able to follow him during our entire class today. (Yes, I'm bragging about that...it was quite the task.)

After lunch I spent almost three hours on homework, then finally got a chance to sit down and talk with my host dad Jesus. All of last term we wanted to have English/Spanish conversation practices, but our schedules didn't match up. This term we are making an effort and will be practicing together around 6 each day. Last term I always loved finding a few minutes to chat with him, so I'm really excited about making time to talk each day. Today we ended mainly speaking in Spanish, but it was still great. My host dad is definitely an intellectual and had a lot to say about migration, our topic of the day. He is really fun to discuss topics like that with, and he is so encouraging when it comes to my Spanish.

Tomorrow I have class again with Imelda, then a new class called Migration and Contemporary Social Issues in Mexico which I am really excited about. After class I'm heading to my favorite park down the street for some journaling, homework, and maybe even some fun reading. And this time I will remember my sunscreen.

Mexico: Parte 2

After a crazy ridiculous break, I have finally made it back to Mexico. I wasn't really sure how I would feel coming back. Could I really leave Portland behind? Would I go through culture shock all over again? The entire plane ride I was driving myself crazy with questions like those.

The minute I got into a taxi, all of those thoughts disappeared and I was smiling like a crazy person the whole ride home. Surprisingly, I wasn't just excited, but I felt like I was home. I didn't get to my house until around 10 when everyone was already asleep, but the sound of me failing miserably at getting my suitcases up our enormous staircase (picture below) woke up my host mommy Berta and she came to my rescue. I was assaulted with hugs, kisses, and crazy fast Spanish while I tried to catch my breath and answer all of her questions. After finally managing to convince her that I wasn't hungry, I passed out on my bed and slept through the night for the first time in weeks.

We have a new water heater (and it works! I can take a hot shower whenever I want now!) AND they put a new showerhead in my bathroom (washing my hair doesn't take half an hour now!). The walls inside my closet sort of fell apart so I have a dresser now, which I like a lot better. My clothes don't smell like damp plaster anymore. The house above us that was under construction all last term looks like it is almost done, and the family painted it a gorgeous turquoise color that I'm loving. Lots has changed in the two months that I was gone.

I had my first class today, Contemporary Mexican Literature, which I am really excited about. Our professor teaches at UNAM, Mexico City's massive and prestigious university, but is taking a year of sabbatical and teaching this course in our little university. I knew immediately I would like him when he introduced himself by explaining that one of the greatest joys of his life is writing with fountain pens.

Tomorrow I have to unpack, figure out why my phone is not working, make a photocopy of our 240 page workbook for my lit class, drop by the study abroad office to sign some papers, and buy school supplies. Once I get all of that done, I'm heading to the steps of Teatro Juarez to soak up some sun and celebrate being back.

Our staircase. This is only about half of it. Lugging my suitcases up here while extremely nauseas and exhausted was so fun.

Tonsils out!

My time in Oregon is coming to a close, I fly out in just 8 days.

It has been pretty incredible to be home. I got to spend lots of time with friends, family, and the boyfriend. And like I wanted, I got my tonsils out! It was ridiculous how often I was sick in Mexico, so I'm really glad that I got that taken care of at home. The surgery was not too bad, I think the worst part was the pain meds they gave me after. They made me so nauseated that I couldn't keep anything down. Yesterday I stopped taking them during the day and I feel so much better. My throat hurts, but I can eat a little bit. I'm stuck in bed basically until I fly back to Mexico, and I am SO BORED. I went back to posts about my trip (which I never finished...still have 3 days to go. I'll get to it) and added some photos.

I'm sad that I can't end my time in Oregon on a high with lots of adventures, but I'm excited to get back to Mexico and be able to push myself more than last term. So far I don't have any concrete plans for the semester, but I do want to try and get to the Yucatan Peninsula and back to Chiapas. Some beach time is most definitely in order. We will see what happens.

Hiking!

The boy.

Christmas

A few more weeks in the States

Being home has been absolutely incredible. I was so homesick, and so ready to be surrounded by family, by friends, and by my usual life. The initial excitement has worn off, and even though I absolutely love being here, I'm ready to go back to Mexico. It is slowly starting to work its way into my dreams. I miss everything about it, even things I used to complain about (like my INSANE cat Meow or the obnoxious rooster that crows at all hours of the night).

Heading back in 15 days...