Puerto Escondido Here I Come!

¡Me Voy a Puerto Escondido!
I skipped class today (boooooooooo). I just didn´t feel like going....and pretty sure I´m not gonna feel bad about it! So far I have spent the day eating, reading in the zocalo, and catching up on my blog! I AM GOING TO PUERTO ESCONDIDO TONIGHT! and I´m super excited! Puerto supposedly has some of the most beautiful beaches Mexico has to offer. Unfortunately it takes about 6 hours in a van on an extremely curvy, sickening road. Vomitville here I come! Lalo already told me I will probably puke...great! We leave tonight at 11pm and will arrive at about 5am so hopefully I can sleep most of the way. Lalo and I are going to meet up with Panina who went with her class, and Miguel is coming on Sunday. Our plans is to stay until Monday morning! I am psyched because I have wanted to go there since I got here....the beach, beers, the sand, the ocean...a mini-vacation within my vacation! If you don´t here from me again....assume I have met a hot surfer and decided to live in Puerto Escondido for the rest of my life :) So excited to soak up the sun....except sunblock literally costs about $20 for a small bottle here...charge those gringos! Adios...Besos...Hasta Pronto!

Dia Numero 20

¡Me encanta la comida aqui...Que rico!
I recieved a package from home today....lots of goodies, magazines and a few clothing items. It is fun to share with my friends...¡Gracias Familia! Today was fun because Lalo doesn´t work on Thursdays...he came to school to pick my up when I was done. We went to pick up my box together since I didn´t know where the post office was...they told me they wouldn´t deliver the box because it was too big. I was expecting a HUGE box...I think they are just too lazy to deliver packages! We went to get a cheeseburger at a place called "la segraria" the mexican equivalent of a diner....horrible....never eat bad american food in Mexico! We then went to see Miguel at the tattoo shop...I want to get another tatoo...something in Spanish...not sure yet what I want...or maybe a piercing...hahah! After dropping off my box and finishing my homework, Lalo and I got dinner at what so far has been my favorite place. We had the best "pozole" which is an amazing soup with meat, veggies, and spices. ¡Que sabrosa! I´m lucky to have a "mexican tour guide"! I need to find a recipe for that when I get back...I wish you all could share some of these experiences with me because I will never be able to describe in words how amazing they are! To eat authentic pozole at a small little cantina where you pretty much know there is a little old lady in the back making everything from scratch...indescribable! Next we had "tacos al vapor con res" steamed tacos with bull? Not sure we eat that in the U.S. and if we do we don´t call it bull...I learned the authentic way to eat them....open them up and load in quacamole, tomato salsa, spicy salsa...roll it back up and YUM! After dinner we were going to meet up with Katie and we had a drink and a "pastel de nuez" (nut cake...not my favorite) while we were waiting. Unfortunately Katie wasn´t feeling well so we decided to go to "Casa de Mezcal" Here I experienced another one of my most favorite things from Mexico...smoky Mezcal followed by a juicy orange slice covered in "sal de gusanito" (salt mixed with chili and crushed maguey worm). The combo of the sweet orange mixed with the spicy, salty chili is amazing! Don´t worry I am bringing both back the the states with me when I come...along with "chapulines" a favorite snack here. I´ll let you know what those are after you eat them....The culinary experience here has been truly awesome. Most things I have liked...some are a little too nasty for me (tripa or pig intestines...with the filling and all) but I have tried it all! I only wish that I could capture it all and bring it home to share with you all! Adios...Besos...Hasta Pronto!

Dia Numero 19 MIercoles!

Subjuntivo!
We are studying the subjunctive in my classes now....one of the more difficult concepts to master since the tense doesn´t really exist in the English language. We added a new woman to our class yesterday...and until now she is the only person I have met that I truly despise! ¡Me molesta UN CHINGO¡ (She bothers me alot!) She is a nurse from Chicago and pretty much thinks she knows everything about spanish. Me and the older woman I have made friends with (Carolina) glance at eachother rolling our eyes. I had to put my head down because I was laughing at her! Carolina actually asked her to stop answering the questions that she had posed to the maestro...haha! Also, as a cutlure Latinos are very annimated when they talk often times making noises and hand gestures....well she has taken this to an extreme pulling out some of the most ugly guttural noises I have every heard. I´m kind of embarassed to be affiiated with her as an American...you can tell that the Mexicans think she is a piece of work! Other American woman I met at school quickly asked me if I had diarrhea after 2 minutes of knowing her...what are we (Americans) thinking? I think Carolina has gone so far as to ask the head officials that we not be placed in a class with her again! I am really enjoying my conversation class with Carolina and my old professor Hugo. We have had some interesting conversations mixing politics, cultural differences, naughty words, and bodily functions all into one 1.5 hour class. Carolina is a very sweet woman and has been somewhat "motherly" offering me advice when I was sick, walked with me to try to find a new hotel, and dramamine for my potential trip to Puerto Escondido! I have been so impressed with everyone I have met so far....everyone is lusting for adventures and seeking out the unknown. For example, Carolina is in her 60´s and beginning a journey to learn a new language and travel all over Mexico all by herself! How cool to meet people that have such desires and motivation! I feel empowered to do something cool after I return...what that is...not quite sure...maybe teach English somewhere? I am excited to know that you can be by yourself in a foreign place and meet such cool people! ¡Que Suerte Tengo! Adios....Besos...Hasta Pronto!

Dia Numero 18 ¡Viva U.S.!

¡Inaguracion!
I was excited to experience the inauguration here in Mexico despite my glimpse of sadness not being in the U.S. for such a monumental event. I watched the Inauguration on T.V. and couldn´t help but feel a large amount of pride in the fact that it truly feels that as a whole we are demanding change and for once we may really get it. I enjoyed listening to Obama speak and his ties to historical relevance. After just 3 weeks here, it was so obvious to me how much we really do have as a country...seeing Obama and his wife and daughters dressed in beautiful clothes, parades, security, and 2 million people flocked to the capital. I tried to explain this to my friends but I think there is such an atmosphere of complacency here that it is hard for them to understand the energy behind the change. I felt energized knowing that so many people united to witness the inauguration! It was very interesting to watch the news here in Mexico surrounding it. The news was absolutely flooded..I was trying to think if we gave as much attention to foreign leaders taking power...I really don´t think we do. The power and Influence that America has in the country is outrageous and outstanding. I challenge someone to buy an article of clothing with words in spanish...you won´t find one! There is a sentiment here that things are going to change for Mexico with Obama´s presidency. As we all know, there are so many "elegales" living in the U.S....everyone hopes that things will become easier for them! On a lighter note...I have discovered one of my new favorite things to eat...."pistache" ice cream. "Michoacana" has the best damn pistachio ice cream i have ever had...I ate 2 cones in one day and I don´t usually particularily care for ice cream...I´m gonna eat some everyday until I come home....fat and happy! Oh and the best part...it costs the equivalent of $1.40 per cone! ¡Que Rico! Adios...Besos...Hasta Pronto!

Dia Numero 17

Free Mezcal anyone?
I was super tired in my classes today...however, the sun is back in Oaxaca and it feels great! It had been overcast and somewhat cold here so the sun feels great! After class I decided to go walk around and try to find a new hotel. Lalo and I had seen one near the Zocalo on Sunday and asked about prices....I went back and THANK GOD I decided to view the room before-hand because like usual the bathrooms were discusting! If I never have to pee in another discusting bathroom I will be so happy! I walked across the street and found a cute, quiant little hotel that only costs 300 pesos per night which is about $25 so my refund will cover it! The room is clean, comfortable, and guess what! HOT WATER! I have become quite accustomed to taking a nap after class and eating something (today I had a tlayudo which is like a huge quesadilla with lots of fillings). Sure gonna miss that when I have to go back to work! Lalo, Panina, Miguel and I made plans to meet up in the Zocalo around 8:00. Lalo and I met Panina and we went to get Miguel at his job at a local tatoo shop. The shop is small but cute and reminds of a shop you could find in the U.S. The people there were all quite interesting with tatoos and piercings...very friendly nonetheless! After picking up Miguel we went to La Embajada again because they serve free Mezcal on Mondays. ¡Me encanta Mezcal! Put a little salt on your lime...¡Que Rico! Not sure I understand their philosophy because you literally do not have to buy anything....they give you a small cup and continuously walk around filling them up. I think we bought 2 beers (40 pesos)...I really like the atmosphere there because it is a place where many travelers go and it is very laid-back with couches and places to sit. Everybody enjoyed the Mezcal and we decided to call it a night around 1:00 am. I am looking forward to tomorrow because of the presidential inauguration...it should be interesting to experience this in a foreign country. The impression that Bush has left here is not a good one...nobody has respect for him...and this is coming from a people who traditionally have disappointment with their government. In the Zocalo their is a group of indigenous people on a hunger strike to protest the corruption and thievery in their community...hopefully change in the U.S. will bing a brighter outcome for the world....Adios....Besos! Hasta Pronto!

Dia Numero 16 Domingo!

Sightseeing?
Katie, Lalo, Miguel and I had decided to meet up in the Zocalo for some sightseeing. Miguel is from Guanajauto and Lalo had never been to any of the museums so they were "psyched" to go as well. Despite our plans, communication problems prevented Katie from meeting up with us :( I did however, meet a new girl that Miguel had met at Elefante the previous night. Her name is Panina (like the sandwich...she loves that). We remembered that we had actually met in the airport when we arrived in Oaxaca. I was missing my bags and must have had a worried look on my face when a friendly Mexican woman asked me if I needed help. When I informed her I didn´t have my bags and was going to a hotel...she offered me her place. Turns out that Panina was one of the students staying with her for the month of January. Small world...no? She is super friendly and we ended up spending the rest of the day together with the boys. Unfortunately the boys weren´t super interested in sightseeing once we got started. We went to "La Casa de Benito Juarez" which was actually quite boring. Benito Juarez is the Mexican equivalent of Abraham Lincoln...with founding father appeal...he is somewhat worshipped by Mexicans. After a few minutes with Benito we decided to move on to more intersting activities...drinking Micheladas....Beer mixed with lots of lime juice and Chili! Que Rico! I have discovered that Mexicans pretty much put chili on everything....including pizza! After our beers, Lalo and I grabbed some pizza..which tasted soooo good after all the Mexican food I have been eating...Not that I don´t like it...Pizza just tasted really good! I returned home for a good night sleep before classes again on Monday. I am a little tired of my classes...they seem to interfere with my social life...hahah! No, but really they are a little boring and I feel like for me speaking is the most intrigul part of the process. I feel 95% confident in understanding just about any conversation...however, ask me to speak back and that is where I flounder. Lalo says my Spanish is good but I still feel a little apprehensive. I speak in present tense...What did you do today? I go to the Zocalo...studid! I´m getting better and better. Better start getting this under control if I want to come back someday! I´m so happy that I have had this experience by myself. I cannot tell you how much self-assurance I have gained simply by being the only person I have to rely on! I think given the opportunity...every woman should travel at least once by herself. Don´t worry about being lonely...you make friends everywhere! I have made some great friends that I will be sad to leave behind....despite what all of you think...my FRIEND Lalo has been super fun and I look forward to being able to come back for a visit! Too bad U.S. policies suck and no one can come to the U.S. without a lengthy process....Adios...Besos...Hasta Pronto!

Dia Numero 15 Sabado!

Monte Alban Here I Come....
Hola amigos! Today I took an excursion to Monte Alban with other students from Solexico. There were about 25 students that went in 2 vans. Monte Alban is ancient ruins just about 25 minutes outside of the city of Oaxaca. It is situated in the mountains near Oaxaca. It was beautiful! You cannot imagine the scale of this place until you actually set foot...supposedly nearly 250,000 people lived there at one time. It is clear that our ancestors (Latino or not) had a grasp on things that we will never understand. That architecture can still be standing 2,000 years later is amazing. They also had a underground tunnel system that provided them with running water. Maybe current day Mexico should learn a thing or two from their ancestors :) After returning home from Monte Alban I took a nap to get geared up for the night. Katie and I had decided we wanted to go for drinks and dancing. Lalo and his friend Miguel Angel met up with us and we went to a club called Elefante. Here we danced our little butts off until well into the morning! I had a super fun time and I it was my first time being a little "boracha" here in Mexico...Don´t worry I made it home safely without any problems. Katie wanted to leave a little earlier than the rest of us so we walked her home and ended up returning to the club afterwards. There was a large group of Americans from Maryland and it was fun to dance to the few American songs that they played. Otherwise I actually enjoy the Mexican music they play in the bars here...not too bad! Not to mention that drinking here (pretty much like everything else) is much cheaper than in the states. My round of 4 beers cost 80 pesos or less than $8! Too bad that won´t continue after I return to the states. I still have no hot water in the apartment that I am living in and am feeling incredibly frustrated. There is nothing worse than when you are sick, tired, and have incredibly dirty feet than getting in the shower and not having hot water....I actually almost started crying! You never realize what comforts we have at home until you have to go without! My plan is to spend some time looking for Hotels this weekend and I am going to move. The school is going to refund my money ($25/night) that I had paid so I should be able to find a hotel for that price! 2 weeks have passed and I have 2 weeks more...and I DON´T WANT TO COME HOME! Any chance I can leave it all behind? Start all over? Adios...Besos...Hasta Pronto!

Dia Numero 14

Viernes! El Fin de Semaña!
I kind of forget what day it is here sometimes since I don´t have a super stict schedule to follow other than going to school Mon-Fri! I went back to school today and some of the teachers were relieved to see that I came back. They thought that after the incident with my family I might not return...they figured I was sick! Although I made it to class, my head wasn´t really in the game! I enjoyed my conversation class today talking with my professor Miguel and a classmate named Carolina. We discussed many of the sayings that are common here in Mexico..."No mames guey" Literally means don´t suck man or don´t be stupid. "Guey" (pronounced way) is the equivalent of man or dude and you hear it alot among the younger Mexicans (orele guey..ok man). Although it seems silly to discuss swear words and bodily functions it is quite essential to becoming socially fluent in any language. Fluency, I have learned takes much more than classroom grammar lessions or even conversations with other spanish speakers. You must spend time with true Mexicans in order to understand the context of their language! Who would know that "codo" means elbow but also cheap because someone who doesn´t want to reach into their pockets keeps their elbows close? Or that "ya chupe farros" means something like "I bit the dust"...Translated literally it means "I am sucking cigarettes already"...I doubt that you would learn that in Spanish 101. I am continuing to take it easy as I am still not feeling well. Tomorrow I have plans to see Monte Alban which is are ancient ruins up in the Mountains. Katie and I are hoping to go to a club and be "borachas" tonight! I am looking forward to getting out! I am realizing how much this experience has made me want to see more of the world...LIVE somewhere foreign for awhile...don´t worry I´ll still come home for Christmas...haha! Adios...besos...Hasta Pronto!

Dia Numero 13

Post-Traumatic Stress...
I didn´t go to class today as I have a horrible cold. I haven´t been sick in a while and I kind of forgot how much it sucks. Especially with colds because there really isn´t anything that you can do! I slept pretty much all day and got up to get some lunch around 2. I went to the Zocalo and chose a place that is probably Mexico´s version of McDonalds for tacos..."se llama...Taco Inn". The tortilla soup was good nonetheless and felt soothing on my stuffed nose and aching throat. Afterwards I went home to sleep some more and read. I just finished a book I bought here called "There is no toilet paper on the Road Less Traveled". It is a collection of short stories about some of the horrors you encounter while traveling in a foreign country. It was quite hilarious and I would recommend it to anyone who is doing more than vacationing in any 3rd world country. I am not loving my new house...I am the only student there and there doesn´t seem to be hot water for more than 2 minutes in the shower...that really sucks not to have hot water! Plus...I´ve decided I am officially sick and tired of the dirty bathrooms in Mexico. I´m not sure why everyone here accepts such squalor...Please let me pee in a clean toilet with toilet paper that I can flush. Afterwards I would love to wash my hands WITH SOAP and have a clean dry towel to wipe them off with...I never knew that was too much to ask! Lalo and I went to dinner at a "touristy" restaurant and I had a traditional Mole Colorado...I asked him to order for me since I haven´t quite grasped what food is deemed acceptable by the locals...It was quite tasty! I have also come to love Atole which is a warm drink made from corn and milk and it has rice in it. It kind of tastes like liquid rice pudding...why not!? I hope that Katie and I can keep in contact now that we are not living in the same house...Despite my Mexican Ebola Virus I am readjusting to my new situation...I have learned that "going with the flow" may just be the best way to keep yourself content despite minor setbacks. Also, Note To Self: The verb disfrutarse (to enjoy) does not translate well when you say "me disfrute" i.e I enjoyed myself! Adios...Besos...Hasta Pronto!

Dia Numero 12

Sever culture shock at its finest!
This morning I was approached at school by one of the head ladies whose name is Edith (pronounced Edeet here). She informed me that my family has family arriving and they need a place to stay and that I will need to move from my current house to another one. I instantly realized this could not be the real problem and they real problem had to do with my friend Lalo. As I have previously shared my friend Lalo has several facial piercings and longer hair (just to his shoulders). Although these "people" exist in Mexico they are far less common than in the United States or even Europe. My host mother Eva had mentioned to me that she was concerned about him...keep in mind this is based solely on the way that he looks. Lalo has been a great companion and we have enjoyed alot of the city together...not to mention the fact that I am forced to speak spanish with him...even at school I find myself speaking English with the other students. As students we are not allowed to invite guests into our home...which of course I have followed. Communication problems are unavoidable and there were several times where Lalo came to the door to ask for me. He always courtiously asked for me and we would promptly leave to get a coffee or a beer or whatever. We or he was never outside of the door for more than 5 minutes. Upon arriving home, I began feverishly packing my bags...I am angry! I told Katie and she was in absolute shock just as I was. Eva came to discuss the problem with me and told me she thought I needed to know the "real" reason why I needed to leave. She told me that her neighbors have been complaining about Lalo coming to the door for me (3 times) and that rather than telling me how I should live my life outside of her door, she thought it was best I find another place to live. She told me that there were not any problems with ME and that she was very content to have ME in her house but she just couldn´t see any other way to resolve the problem other than me leaving. I said: "Entiendo pero no entiendo" I understand but I don´t understand. She told me that as a culture they are extremely closed minded and although my friend may be a very nice person she didn´t want him around! Needless to say I finished packing my bags and Katie and I moved myself into student apartments owned by the school. I left quickly without an argument but it was definately huffy. I was just getting acquainted with my other family and didn´t feel like I wanted to deal with that all over again so I decided it would be best to have a little more freedom with the apartments. Unfortunately meals are not included in my new living space so I will just have to enjoy more of the Mexican dining that Oaxaca has to offer! The new house is nice enough but there are no other students living there right now except for 2 "house mothers" that live upstairs. Also, there is no hot water....sucks! The whole thing was quite surreal and everyone I have talked to about it, including the school officials, have been quite surprised. They told me that they will question placing students in this home again in the future. I felt very sad being rejected by the family but have come to realize that I probably never will understant their position. I am grateful that I come from a country that is not dominated by closed-mindedness and that we have the ability to express ourselves in different ways without getting the cops called on us! I surely have done many worse things in the US that would likely get me kicked out of a house...funny that I didn´t even do anything wrong and here I am! I am not going to let this or anything ruin the experience that I have had here! I´ll just add this to the list of stories that I will never forget! Adios....besos....Hasta Pronto!

Being sick in a foreign country....

Let´s talk about being sick in a foreign country....!Que Malo!
Being in a foreign country presents enough challenges on its own without throwing a head cold and cough into the mixture. For any of you that have thoroughly experienced Mexico you understand some of the challenges, some of which I have shared most of which I have not. Challenge Number One: My Spanish is hard enough to understand as it is. I am a foreigner with an accent and poor grammar...throw a nasally sinus condition into the mix and you have one hard time communicating with people. ¿Como? ¿Tienes un gripa/rezfriado? Si, Claro! I am repeating myself with the hopes that if I speak slower people will be able to understand me! Challenge Number Two (which is related to the bathroom challenges): There is never any toilet paper to blow your nose with. Most of the bathrooms here do not have toilet paper as you cannot flush it. Most people either carry it with them or don´t keep it in the bathroom. This presents a problem when you need to blow your nose! I´ve "stollen" some tissue from the bathroom at the school to keep in my bag! Challenge Number 3: People are constantly asking you what do you have? I have a cold. What are you taking? Nothing it is a cold and there is nothing you can take. Oh well you should take some medicine! Enter the pharmacy....clueless what anything is and what actually is in these bottles labeled for a "gripa" or "rezfriado". I think I will chose sleep as my cure rather than risking buying constipation medication or something along those lines. Challenge Number 4: I am on "vacation". No one wants to be sick while they are on vacation. I have not felt up to doing much the last couple of days so that is a bummer. I am just going to sleep and drink lots of water and hopefully this will pass quickly and without incident. Hopefully I don´t have the Mexican version of the ebola virus or something equally as horrible :) The last couple of days certainly have been a challenge to my stamina however, I am pressing on and not going to let anything ruin my trip. In spite of being sick I am still really enjoyig myself...one plus of being incredibly stuffed up is I don´t have to smell the constant sewer stench that permeates nearly every city in Mexico! Adios...Besos...Hasta Pronto!

Dia Numero 10

Hola Amigos!
Today I switched my classes because every monday new students come from all over the world. They fill the classes based on ability...I jumped to a new group working in the 2nd workbook. My new "maestra" ´s name is Norma and she is very nice. The class moves much faster than my previous one. The first day there were 2 other students...an older woman from North Carolina who shooshed me when I spoke English and a Swiss-German who decided to move to another class after the first because she didn´t understand anything. My understanding level has gotten so much better. My teacher speaks the whole time in Spanish I haven´t had trouble yet understanding what she is saying. I feel pretty good about that! I also have a conversation class but I am the only student...not much conversation! I talk with the professor which is kind of nice because I think that I do better one on one...plus I get more attention! It has been super cloudy here and cold..okay probably not cold like you are experiencing back in MN but cold for Oaxaca. All the natives have said how cold it has been...I didn´t bring many warm clothes so I am quickly running out of things to wear...good thing no one cares! After "la comida" I took a nap and hung out reading for a bit. Lalo and I went out for a tea and did my homework together. The assignment was to write a poem modeled after one by Jorge Luis Borges discussing what you would do if you could live your life over again. I´ll share his poem in a seperate entry...it´s quite good! I was tired and returned early. I have been freezing in my room with sheet that you can see through and a small blanket. Katie and I have been unsure whether or not we should just buy a new blanket or ask Eva for one. Katie and I have spent a good many instances discussing cultural differences between the U.S. and Mexico. Culturally, Latinos are a very happy culture...whether they have pesos or not. We have been saying that if only all Mexicans could see an example like the U.S. (not that we have everything figured out...clearly not) they would require more from their government rather than just resigning to the fact that all government officials are corrupt and rob from the citizens. The minimun wage here is 48 pesos PER DAY! That equals less that $5 per day! A dishwasher in the U.S. makes more money PER HOUR than a minimum wage employee makes per day! And we wonder why so many Mexicans jump the border. Every family here has a story about a family member or a friend that has gone to the U.S. for work. Unfortunate that in a culture so different from ours, they are forced to look to the outside world for help from the poverty that permeates their society. We as foreigners want to see the world but bring every necessity with us so that we can maintain our comfort level we have at home...maybe everybody should live wondering where their next peso is going to come from before they pass judgement on an illegal immigrant?! Adios....besos...Hasta Pronto!

Dia Numero 9 Domingo!

Hola Amigos ¿Como Estan?
Un Excursion al Tulle y mas!
Be prepared to be really jealous....This morning when Katie and I woke up, we calmy sat at our spots at the kitchen table for breakfast. Eva starting laughing saying "don´t you remember we are going for tamales today?" Who would have guessed they would be for breakfast...I quickly learned that for those tamales I would gratefully wake up at 3am everyday! We drove roughly 15 minutes from the house to this small little house with a wonderful old woman who made all the tamales by hand. I ate 3 tamales for breakfast...one with green salsa and chicken, one with chicken and mole, and one sweet one with raisins. A sweet tamale might sound gross to anyone who hasn´t tried it but I guarantee you would fall in love! After a quick and delicious breakfast Katie and I joined a group from school for an excursion to "El Tulle", Tlacolula, and a "Casa del Mezcal". Upon joining the group we met a group of 4 canadians who had ventured here for vacation and to spend a week in school learning Spanish. Now, these 4 were roughly in their sixties and quick interesting...probably couldn´t have looked or sounded more touristy. They were incredibly friendly nonetheless. We all filed into a van and traveled off to see a 2,000 year old tree. The tree is said to be the largest in the world not because of height but because it is so wide. The Mexicans say that it has been witness to their history. After the tree, we went to visit a tiny village where they make traditional Mexican "tapetas" which are tapestries or rugs. This was truly amazing. All the wool is spun by hand and died using natural plants, bark, insects, etc. The man who demonstrated was truly amazing! Some of the rugs had designs that were beyond belief and they are all done by memory. The colors too! It is amazing what you can do with nature if you have the knowledge....it truly is another form of intelligence that I don´t posess. After seeing the "tapetas" we went to visit the Tlacolula market which was rich with people, sounds, colors, and some of the most interesting foods I have ever seen. Picture this: women carring live chickens and turkeys with their legs tied together, pig carcasses lying in the hot son fresh for your picking, fruit so fresh you could almost see the juice pouring out of it, women yelling "quesadillas, tlayudas, tortillas" in your face as you walked by, and people so foreign you could see the years of hardwork in their faces, their hands, and their aching bodies. Truly a sight never to be forgotton. One of the canadian ladies asked an elderly mexican couple if she could take their picture...she (the canadian), not understanding the importance and naivety of photography, snapped their photo. Katie translated for them, as they were extremely concerned where she would be bringing them (their photo). They asked Katie to tell the woman to take care of them....amazing! After leaving the markets we made an impromptu stop at a mezcal house where they make mezcal the old fashioned way...(not sure there is any other way). There literally was a horse in the middle of the house pulling a large round stone to crush the smoked agave plant. Don´t worry I bought some delicious Mezcal along with sal de gusano (salt with chile and the maguey worm). We will share when I get home! I really like it. After Katie and I returned home hoping to feverishly hop into our beds for a nap, Eva informed us that we were going to return to El Tulle with the family for Quesadillas and a romp in the park. Unfortunatly for me I haven´t fallen in love with a Mexican man, however, I have fallen in love with the food. I cannot imagine a better place to visit to ground yourself other than a fresh produce market in another country. As Americans, we are so removed from what we put into our bodies...it fascinates me to see everything alive, fresh, moving, and smelling wonderful! We truly are missing out with SuperMarkets! Adios....Besos...Hasta Pronto!

Dia Numero 8

Hola Amigos! ¿Que Onda?
Today was my first real weekend day where I didn´t have to get up and go to class. I slept until about 11:30! It felt great! After I woke up I sat in the sun for a while reading out on the patio! I haven´t burned yet and I noticed in the shower today that I have a sandle tan! I love those! Katie had to work until about 6pm so I just hung around the house until she got home. We decided to go out and Lalo wanted to join us too. We all met up around 10pm and went to a small restaurant for some "tortas". They are mostly like a sandwich with Mexican fillings like beans, chicken, cheese and avocado...of course I poured salsa all over mine! !Que Sabrosa! Afterwards we decided to go to a bar Lalo and I had been to before that has a live band. It was super crowded as it was Saturday. Let me just tell you all about what a horror the bathroom there was. Literally I would rather pee my pants than step foot in there. I held it! Here we found a table and I had a "suero"...my new favorite drink. It is a "chela" mixed with lots of salt and lemon juice! So incredibly tasty! We met a few guys from Italy...!Guapisimo! They were friendly and we talked for awhile. It is crazy to hear other accents in Spanish...I guess I never thought about other cultures also learning Spanish. We met a crazy Canadian girl who showed up with one of Lalo´s friends, Miguel Angel. People think Americans are crazy...she had her upper inner lip pierced...you know that little thing that connects your top lip to your gums...yeah that was pierced! Lalo was asking her all sorts of questions about piercings and she quickly informed us that she is a dominatrix and the piercings she does for her "clients" are only meant to last for a few hours. After explaining this to Lalo in broken Spanish (she didn´t speak much Spanish and I certainly don´t know the Spanish word for dominatrix!) he was far less interested in her piercing him. She also explained that she only drank tequila or here Mezcal and that she had thrown up ON the last bar that she was at. Nonetheless she was very nice...she and Miguel Angel left together....in broken English he said "Why Not?" We had fun meeting new people and I really enjoyed the music. It was fascinating to me that despite the horrifying bathrooms you could have picked this bar up, placed it in the middle of the United States, and you would never have noticed the difference. Going to a bar, listening to music with your friends, and drinking a "chela" couldn´t be more universal! Despite my mother´s worries, I have made some great friends who really do look out for me....(with the arrival of a few drunk men, Lalo quickly traded places with Katie so they wouldn´t bug her). I know I can´t be too trusting, but you also can´t look at everyone expecting the worst! No need to worry...I am looking out for myself! Adios...Besos....Hasta Pronto!

Things I am going to miss about Mexico :(

In no particular order....
1) The FOOD! Cheese, the salsa, quesadillas, tacos, tlayudas...Que Rico!
2) Siestas!
3) Reading 3 books in a week
4) Being a student again
5) Having free time
6) Paying roughly $1.60 for delicious food AND a soda
7) Walking everywhere
8) THE SUN! Perfect days!
9) Being the only "gringa" in the room and feeling ok about it!
10) Mis Amigos!
11) Fresh "jugo de naranja" everymorning
12) Internet that costs less than $1 per hour
12) Feeling like I accomplished something when I understood a whole conversation!
13) Lalo
14) Pistache Ice Cream

Things I take for granted :)

In no particular order...
1) Clean feet
2) Faucets marked hot or cold
3) Water pressure
4) Toilet paper in the bathroom
5) Being able to flush your toilet paper
6) Mirrors in the bathroom
7) Toilet seats
8) Paper towels to dry your hands
9) Smoothly paved streets
10) Being able to communicate easily
11) Knowing what snacks are in the store
12) People pronouncing my name correctly
13) Vegetables and fruit that you can eat without disenfecting them

Dia Numero 7

¿Que honda vieja?
Friday! I am super tired today after going out last night. Steven Spielberg told me I was burning the candle at both ends...he may be right but I feel like I only have 1 month here and I want to experience as much as I can! Today was the last day of classes for my friend Andreas. He will be spending several more weeks traveling around Mexico. It is so much more common for Europeans to travel exstensively while they are young than it is in the U.S..."Que Suerte!" Monday new students will arrive and more than likely they will mix the classes up based on the abilities of the new students. We probably won´t have the same "maestros" either. Adios Adrian...jaja! The school has excursions that you can go on each weekend and Katie and I had talked about going to El Tulle which is from what I understand a very large old tree. The school had one planned for Sunday so we decided to sign up and go with a group. We will also visit a market there and eat lunch. I am excited to see some new sights. I am really getting to know my way around the city now. I remember easily where the door to my host family is....it is mixed in with some shop windows that look super similar and Katie and I talked about how we both walked by it a couple times our first few days here. I was going to visit Lalo at his job after school but was surprised when he came to my house. I wasn´t sure who it was when Susi came and told me there was a guy waiting for me outside. My host mother, Eva, was returning home around the same time and looked worried when I told her he was my friend (again, pìercings are totally strange here) I explained we are just friends and he is very nice...she seemed much more at ease after that. I also explained to her that it is much more common in the U.S. and didn´t seem strange to me as I used to have my eyebrow pierced and also have a tattoo. I was happy to see that she was looking out for me but glad to know she wasn´t angry about me going out with him. Unfortunely Lalo brought his friend Hugo again..."el es un boracho!" They had all skipped work and spent the morning drinking "chelas". The work environment here is so much more laid back. They all come home from 2-4 (approximately) for "la comida" and rarely work an 8 hour day. Also, calling in sick or going in late to work is extremely common. Funny that the Mexicans I know in the U.S. all work super hard, more than 8 hours...we went to a bar and had "ron con agua y jugo de manzanas". Later we went to a coffee shop, drank tea and played pool. I tought Lalo how to play because he had never played before. I feel lucky to have had so many experiences and opportunities at home. Possessions and clothing are so much less important here than at home. Not one person has commented on my clothing or noticed my "Coach" purse. It is super refreshing and I know I will feel much more grounded when I return. I do have an appreciation for so many more things that we have in the U.S. that are considered luxuries here! Adios....Besos....Hasta Pronto!

Dia Numero 6 Jueves

Hola! ¿Que Tal?
Today is Thursday and I am pretty tired this morning after "Cafe Social". It feels totally nomal for me to be back in school again. We even have homework! Just a few exercises to do in our workbook but it is homework nonetheless. I really enjoy being in this environment again...I feel like I am back in college again where I have so much more free time and I can do many more things for myself! After class today I came home and took a nap. After that Lalo and I had decided to meet up again around 7 at "los helados" or the ice cream shops...Katie came too! Katie informed me that it is quite common in Latino culture for people to be late...I was not surprised when Lalo met Katie and I around 7:45. She decided to leave early because she was feeling a little tired. Lalo and I went to a bar for a "chela". There was a band that was playing American rock like Black Sabbath. It was quite comical to hear them try to sing the words correctly...they make the same sound but they have no idea what the real word is. Lalo´s cousin and friend met us here and we went to another bar called "Casa del Mezcal". It was really busy and I´m pretty sure I was the only American there...I felt strangely comfortable nonethelss. Unfortunately the only uncomfortable situation I have had so far occured with Lalo´s friend Hugo. "A el me molesta mucho" or he bothered me alot! He absolutely would not leave me alone! He was very drunk and altough he never touched me he made me feel very uncomfortable. He kept telling me how beautiful I was...although it´s nice to hear, after about the 105th time it is overkill. I tried to explain this to him but they just don´t understand that here. They will tell you 10 times in one sentence and don´t understand why that is weird. Lalo was a good friend and tried to explain it to him but he just didn´t quite get it. Unfortunate that my first bad experience was with a friend of a friend...at least I had someone there I felt midly comfortable with. It is strange when you cannot communicate something to someone not only verbally but via body language too. I am learning that cultural differences don´t end with not having a common language! Adios....Besos....Hasta Pronto!

Dia Numero 5 Miercoles

Hola Amigos!
Today was my third day of classes. We are all starting to get comfortable with one another. Uwe, Andreas, and Steven Spielberg and I have really been enjoying our classes so far. I talked with one of the head ladies today about my classes because they have been a little easy for me. She is an American who has lived in Mexico for 12 years...seven in Oaxaca. Her husband is Mexican and she has a baby Gabriel that she brings to work with her everyday....maybe I should move here and find a Mexican husband?! We had a funny discussion in my conversation class today...we mix mostly Spanish with a little bit of German and English. We have been teaching eachother bad words in our languages. My conversation teacher Adrian, cracked me up when he thought the U-Haul company was called OO-Ha-OOL..which is phonetically correct in Spanish. We have been saying Ooo-Ha-OOL ever since. Also, Uwe thought that another American guy whose name is Greg, was Crack like the drug. I asked Uwe what the guys name was and he responded Crack...you know like the drug that you smoke. I was so confused! It can be really funny how things can get lost in translation or mean something completely different when it is slang. For instance who knew that in Spanish "planchar su ropa" means to iron your clothes but "planchar" alone is slang for having sex. If I do need to iron my clothes I will be sure to say what I am going to iron. I went out after lunch and a rest today to look for a bookshop. I have already read 2.5 of the 3 books that I brought. I ran into one of the guys that I had met at La Embajada on Monday...his name is Lalo or Eduardo. He is quite interesting with several facial piercings (which here in conservative Mexico is extremely strange) but he is extremely friendly nonetheless. We had a "nieve" or "helado" (ice cream) and he showed me where there was a bookstore that sold English books and then decided to come with me the the¨"Cafe Social" at a bar called Tamarido. Every Wednesday the school organizes a group outing at Tamarindo so students can chat and make friends. It was really fun! Uwe, Andreas, and Crack were there too along with many other students whom I didn´t know! We had a nice time! It is amazing how quickly you familiarize yourself with people when you go somewhere alone. They become your "amigos" so quickly...they are safe..."Que raro!" I showed everyone pictures I had on my camera of friends and family and everyone thought I had such a fabulous life! It is fun to have a Oaxaqueñan friend to converse with because I am forced to speak only spanish. He speaks so little English! I am having such a great time and am excited to make such fast friends. I have extreme confidence in my ability to function outside of my normal box. How cool to be doing something like this "sola" or by myself! Adios...Besos....Hasta Pronto!

Dia Numero 4 Martes!

!El mejor dia aqui hasta ahora!
Today is a holiday...Dia de los Reyes. The culture here is amazing. Dia de los Reyes is almost like Christmas morning for American children. Kids here get presents from the Reyes (the 3 kings). Dani got a new bike and Vero got a play kitchen. They were super excited. This morning for breakfast we had fruit and scrambled eggs. Tried a new fruit called altuna...its sort of like melon with huge seeds...pretty good. Classes were fun again today! I really enjoy them as well as the laid back atmosphere of the school. After classes we of course had ¨la comida" which again was delicious. !Que sabrosa! We had soup with chicken and potatoes and rice. !Buen Provecho! Also, again there were tortillas with amazing white cheese and my most favorite condiment....salsa! I think I am going to steal some and bring it home! Maybe I can ask Eva for the recipe. After comida I went for a rest. The Tobon family was kind enough to invite Katie and I to their Dia de los Reyes celebration. Here "Rosca de Reyes" is the traditional bread eaten on this day. It is a large circle with candied fruit and honey. Inside of the rosca is a "muñequita" or little doll....baby Jesus. It is bad luck to get the piece with the muñequita because whoever does has to buy tamales for another holiday on February 2nd. Mostly it is a fun way to tease eachother about who has to buy tamales. "La Rosca fue muy bien." After dinner, students from my school were gathering to go to a parade. The maestros didn´t tell us that we would be part of the parade. They gave us small bags of candy to throw to the crowd. There were huge puppets with people inside dancing, a band, and women in traditional dress with baskets of flowers on their heads. IT WAS AMAZING! I have some great pictures but can´t download them in the internet cafe. I feel so lucky to be able to be a part of another culture if only for 1 month. Although we gather for the holidays...i have seen nothing like this in the states. It truly is another culture! Katie suggested we take a trip this weekend to do some sight-seeing...can´t wait! I´ve heard riding the buses here can be quite an experience! Adios...besos....Hasta pronto!

Dia Numero 3

!Mi primer dia de clases!

!Hola amigos! The keyboards here are much different than the ones at home so it is taking me a while to write my entries! Today was my first day of classes. I had to arrive at the school a little early to take my placement exam. It was super laid back and I´m not sure that they even looked at my test before they placed me in a class with 3 other men. Hugo is my teacher and he seems very nice although "un poco raro". In my class are Uwe (OOVAY), Andreas, and Esteban (Steven or Steven Spielberg as the Germans call him because he looks like him). So far the class has been SUPER easy for me but good at the same time. I feel like the smart student in the class because everyone else is struggling while I am breezing through the material. I think having studied spanish for over 6 years has really helped...I am hoping to learn "la lengua de la gente" or the language of the people. This will not come from the classroom but rather from my discussion class as well as communicating with my family and friends. My spanish has been coming back quite fast although I am sure to that I am making many mistakes. Eva (my mother) is kind enough to politely correct us when we make a mistake. After 2.5 hours of grammar class we have a 30 minute break for lunch and then 2 hours of conversation class. I may have a small crush on my conversation professor (Adrian) :) He is cute and he speaks spanish which is a plus...plus the accent is not much of a deterrant either. After finishing with classes at 2 I walked home and sat out on my patio to read a book and catch some sun. We ate "la comida" which was chicken, rice, soup, and vegetable. !Que Rico! My mother is a very good cook and I LOVE the salsa! It has avocado, cilatro, etc. and tastes like heaven. I´m pretty sure I´ll end up putting it on everything! After "la comida" Katie and I decided to get lost in the city. We walked aimlessly for over an hour ending up in the Zocalo. We had the most delicious "paleta" which is a popsicle. Mine was piña. We took a few pictures of the amazing nativity scene they have in the zocalo and then went back to the house. We later went to meet up with some friends from school at a bar called "la embajada" which means The Embassy. The music was loud and obnoxious but we got a beer and they also serve mescal gratis on Mondays. According to Adrian it is "shit" mescal but I thought it was good nonetheless. We also met some interesting Mexicans who spied my tattoo. They were covering in piercings and tattoos and were very interested in us. They had traveled all over Mexico but never to the US. It is a shame that it is so hard for Mexicans to travel legally to the US as many of them would simply like to visit. We left around 11:30 and went to bed. I am really enjoying meeting new people, seeing new sites, and tasting new flavors! I´m already sad for my last day here! Adios, Besos...Hasta Pronto!

Dia Numbero 2

Buenos Dias!

I woke up late today...around 11am. I was exhausted from my trip! I decided to ask the woman at the front desk where I could get something to eat. She recommended a few places and then told me that the "zocalo" was not far. The Zocalo was what I had read about in my Oaxaca guide book and was excited to hear that it was only a few blocks from my hotel. I got dressed (in short black dress) and started walking. I can not tell you how many looks I got from people...not looks of wow look at that hot chick in a dress...looks of what is that gringo wearing. When I arrived at the Zocalo, I was stunned to see how beautiful it was. It reminded me of Europe with a central area surrounded by shops and small cafes. There was a band playing music and so many people were walking about and listening to music. I decided to get myself some breakfast at one of the cafes and listen to the music. I chose a place, sat down and ordered the only thing on the menu that looked familiar to me besides "agua" and "jugo de naranja". I had "huevos rancheros"! Good choice because it was delicious. When I finished my waitress brought me my tab and then returned the incorrect change. This was the first time I had used pesos to pay for something and I was too unsure about the money to say anything. It was only 5 pesos which amounts to less than .50. If it had been more I probably would have said something...but I was feeling shy. When I left the Zocalo I went back to my hotel and Arturo (my dad) picked me up. He was very nice, but a little shy. He took me back to his house where I learned there was an enormous staircase to climb with my 2 suitcases. My room is on the roof of their apartment which sounds crummy but it is great! I have sunshine surrounding me and I have a view of the city. I have my own room with my own bathroom and a key that locks my door. Also, there is a table and chairs outside of my room that are perfect for catching some sun and reading a book! I met Eva (my mother) and Susie (the oldest daughter, 14) and Dani (Daniela, 5) and Vero (Veronica, 3). Eva informed me it was time to eat. She then asked me if I had met the other student...I was shocked to find out that another student was living with them...but relieved when I met Katie. She is a student from Oregon staying for 3 months and working for an organization called "Casa de las Mujeres" a shelter for Indigenous women. She is a whiz with spanish, having spent 5 months in Puerto Rico and a boyfriend which whom she only speaks spanish. It was relieving to know that I would have someone else to communicate with day-to-day that understood my "gringa-ness". After dinner Susie took us for a walk around the streets and the Zocalo. We had a nice time and I was starting to learn my way around the city a bit more. After that we came home to read and go to bed. I was excited for my first day of classes. I was super excited that everything seems to be working out and I am feeling more and more confident with my spanish! I can't wait to see how good I will be when I come home....Besos Amigos...Hasta Pronto!

Dia Numbero 1

Hola Amigos!

I arrived in Mexico late Saturday night. My flight was long and exhausting and upon arriving in Mexico City I made the very poor decision to switch my flight. Within 2 seconds the airline representative had printed me a new boarding pass before I could even ask about my bags. I was quickly informed that although I may be able to get on an earlier flight...my bags would not follow me. The airport in Mexico city is super confusing and daunting to someone unfamiliar with the language (I was still feeling shy). I arrived in Oaxaca, via a very small airplane, without my bags. I decided to wait in the airport to see if my bags would arrive on my original flight. After a tough spanish conversation with the Mexicana airine attendant (who i later learned spoke perfect English) I was able to collect my bags and head to my hotel. While waiting for my bags there were many Mexican families holding signs waiting for their "guests" to arrive. I learned how common it is for travelers to come for stays in Oaxaca. I was slightly regretting my decision to have my family pick me up from my hotel the following day. One woman saw that I was anxious about my bags and offered to take me home with her. She was so inviting I truly considered going! I could tell that everyone was excited to meet their new guests and this put me at ease about meeting my family. After retrieving my bags I grabbed a taxi from the airport. This taxi was so typically "Mexican" it was not even funny. They crammed about 15 of us in a van including all our luggage and went jaunting down the unevenly paved Mexican streets. No joke--people were staring at the van filled to the brim with "gringos". I made it to my hotel and found it to be a literal paradise with flowers and trees growing everywhere. My room was small but quaint, and I would be sure to return if I came back to Oaxaca. It was a unique experience traveling somewhere where you feel so unsure of yourself...however, I know I can do it now! My next adventure is sure to be far less frightening!