Esta es Mi Vida

First day of school picture - as always!

Even after my first day of class, I'm realizing that getting into a schedule will really help me to feel like I have a life here, and I'm not just passing through! First day of school! First day of school! (Finding Nemo, anyone?) I got up and had breakfast with Patricia, I can't get enough of all this fresh fruit! Left home early to make sure I'd be able to get to school in time and chat with friends before class. It's official - after timing it a few times, on average it takes about 15 minutes to walk to the Central House. I walked there and back 3 times today, so that's a solid hour and a half of walking! While it could be easy to grumble about - I think I'll really enjoy it! I'm going to use it as a little 'me' time which can be hard to find here! Strolling down the street with my iPod, doing my thing, I'm beginning to think I may be getting the hang of all this!! I've also found that I can use my walks between home and school as a game and research project. As Emily spends more time in Merida, will the number of whistles and honks decrease, increase, or stay the same?? :) I really don't mind all the hub-bub over an American walking down the street - because in reality it's not creepy like it's many times viewed in the States. They'll get bored once they realize I'm going to be hiking down el Circuito every day at least twice!

First thing this morning I had Spanish, which today just consisted of an evaluation to determine where my class needs to begin in lessons, according to our skills. It was mostly written/multiple choice, and when we were finished we met with the two Spanish teachers for my level - Silvia and Ana - to do a short talking exercise to observe our confidence and accent. I think it went well! I had a break so I just hung around the Central House (in case it's gotten confusing, the Central House - or Casa de los Americanos as it's known by the locals - is where I lived during orientation, and where the other students stay who are not with home stays, but for me now it's just my school!). Then I had Understanding Contemporary Mexico which is taught by Val and mandatory for all students. It should be a fun and stimulating class - discussing current affairs/issues and cultural occurrences within the country. It will also coincide with our weekend excursions that we take.

My walk home for lunch was so warm... I was a sweaty mess as I greeted Patricia - I'm not sure she recognized me. Lunch was so tasty - breaded fish, beets, a soup, and salad!! Lunch is the main meal of the day here in Mexico. After spending time around the house and watching the news I went to Alta Brisa (a mall) with 3 other girls. It was a very nice mall, and fun to see another area of town. We had some chuckles as we walked through stores and all the 'summer' clothes were on sale, and the 'new collections' were out - which consisted of sweaters. How they people here do it, I don't know. I often smile to myself, I still can't get over that this is WINTER!

Today was Kaitlan's birthday (girl in our group) so before our culture class we had a party!! The cooks made a traditional birthday cake - SO delicious, with ice cream! Val was a little stressed, and with the first day of classes, it was a great treat! I'm realizing how much I talk and rave about what I eat... Get used to it :) Speaking of food... I don't know if I've touched enough on my love for Nutella. I've had it in the States, but man oh man, I've put it on so many things, and it only gets better every time. Mom, get ready to buy this when I'm home - and any mother reading this, do your kids a favor and get them a treat next time you're at the store :) Anywho, so for Kaitlan's birthday a group of us also went tonight to a restaurant to hang out - and it was great - we jammed to American music (as that's what most places play here... I don't know how many more times we can hear Firework by Katy Perry).

So yes, now that I'm getting used to life in my own house, and with classes, I'm loving it!!!! I have a greater sense of freedom, and I truly am beginning to feel more and more like a Yucateca, or local! I have the confidence to storm across El Paseo (a main street that runs through the city to downtown, with a massive round-a-bout) and can navigate pretty well!

Ooh and a few observations I've been making: 1) Lefty loosey, righty tighty doesn't quite work anymore. For my windows, I have to twist the handles right to open them and left to close them... so much trial and error has been happening! 2) Shower once... you're socially acceptable. Shower twice... you're clean. Showers are so refreshing, and I don't even need warm water anymore!

I took pictures of my house today, but I'll put them up tomorrow. Along with the others I've promised!
Tomorrow I'll visit Sol y Luna, where I plan to do my internship. I'll then be able to get my final schedule figured out! With so much free time during the day it provides opportunity to see and do so much more, we've been making plans for throughout the week. Lots to take in!

New homes away from home!

There is so much to update you all about! Here we go...

This morning I got to sleep in a bit again, then packed up my suitcase and bags to get ready to move to my host home. Emily S and I left to walk to Parasina (a fabric store) where Nicole would pick us up for church. We met her so it'd be closer and easier for her to bring us! Worked out well - Nicole has Giovani (2 year old son) and Nayeli (4 year old daughter) as well as her 12 year old sister-in-law who is living with them because the school system is better in Merida than where she's from. Nicole's husband Eliceo has a new job at the airport so he's working very long days. We all rode in their SUV to church (Nayeli sat on my lap - we were fast friends!) and took the kids to sunday school before entering for the service. The building is air conditioned (bingo), and a nice space! I'd say there were around 100 people there, and I'm not sure what the name of the church or denomination is. I think baptist or presbyterian maybe. I was SO happy and proud of myself... I understood most of the service! It's really nice because the worship leader and pastor use PowerPoint, and that helped me follow along a lot! It was great to worship with these people, and I learned wonderful things from the message. We sang 'Lord of All Creation' in Spanish of course, it was very cool! The people in the congregation are so incredibly friendly - I really felt that Mexican hospitality, as everyone came to greet Emily and I, give hugs and kisses, and welcome us to their church! The pastor asked in the beginning if anyone was new/visiting (I think it was obvious... two white girls...), but there was another lady so she introduced herself, and then it was our turn. Nicole stood up with us because she planned to introduce us, but I didn't realize that so I went ahead and started talking! I don't know where that confidence came from :) A few things that stuck out from the message:

• Psalm 8: Check it out, God has really taken care of us!
• Titus 2:11-14: When we rely upon the Lord, we are blessed
• We are sons of the King. We should seek ways we can serve Him. Not ways in which the King can serve us.
• The more pressure we put for our necessities to be our drive and motivation, the center of our life, the more necessities we will create to fill our lives.

After church, Nicole invited Emily and I back to their house to see their place and have lunch! It was so nice of her, and we got to play with Gio and Nayeli - which was really fun! They have a nice place. Nicole really welcomed both of us and offered to get together with us if we ever need it! God has really blessed me with the connection here in Merida! The Sanchez's home was my first home away from home that I was introduced to.

Got back to the Central House, finished packing, and sat around with everyone else getting nervous about moving in with our host families! At 5 they all arrived to pick us up. My mom's name is Patricia. And for the most part, it's just her and I that live in her beautiful home. It's about a 15 minute walk (we'll test it tomorrow for sure) from the Central House (which is now my school). Patricia picked me up in her car, quite possibly the cutest little white vintage beetle! My house is very nice and very big! I have my own big room, with lots of closet space, and my own bathroom! I don't really know what to do with all this room! What fills up part of my backyard you may ask (No... why would you ask? Maybe I'm just hoping you'll ask!), a POOL! But I'm not getting my hopes up. It's not filled now (because it's winter of course :)) and I don't know if she ever fills it. I'll ask Patricia soon - I'm ready for a dip already! I have 3 keys to keep track of here - good news is I'm very safe, bad news is I have to learn how to use them all!! After we moved my luggage in she took me to Mega for grocery shopping where I got to pick out whatever I wanted for lunches/snacks. As many of you know, I'm so indecisive, and not picky with food - so I spent most of the time asking '¿Qué sugieres?' or, what do you suggest? We got back, and I settled into my room. Felt so good to finally be able to take everything out of my suitcase and put it all in it's place! I went downstairs, chatted with Patricia, had a light supper, and watched part of the Parent Trap! Here's what I know about Patricia. She has four grown children; two live in the States (Texas and Tennessee), and two live in Mexico (both in Merida, I think). Three of them are married with kids, and then she has a 25 year old son who lives partially here at our house and partially somewhere else (didn't quite keep that all straight). I think he travels for work. Her son will be back on Saturday so he'll also be living here then! Patricia's dad is very elderly and lives a few blocks away from here. She also has sisters in the area, and doesn't currently have a fixed job due to the economy but has odds and ends (she seems to have a wide range of talents) and keeps busy with things in the community. So this is it! I'm now sitting on my bed (which is pretty firm!!) that will be mine for the next 3+ months! This is my second home away from home here in Merida!

I'll put up pictures of my house soon once I have a chance to take them! I'll also put some miscellaneous photos of the Central House and a few other things. 

First day of class tomorrow!! Spanish first thing in the morning at 8:30, and then I have 'Understanding Contemporary Mexico' a required class that we'll all take together, about culture, current affairs, etc. later in the morning! Prayers are continually appreciated for good health, safety, classes, language, relationships, and finding my place here in Merida!

Day at the Beach

Emily and I at Progreso

What a beautiful day!! Got up to around 85 and sunny, as we made our first trip to Progreso, the beach near Merida. To give the cooks and staff a break, there is only one meal served on Saturdays, and none on Sundays. We are responsible to cook our own things (food is in the kitchen), or go out. So we got to sleep in today, and had brunch at 10. A group of 8 of us decided to head to Progreso so left the house at 11:30, walked to the bus stop, and for only 15 pesos one way (about $1.25) we made our way to paradise! It's a 20-30 minute bus ride, in an air conditioned and very comfortable bus. The group today was Liberty, Emily S, Katelynn, Curtis, Kayla, Rachel, Austin, and myself. Not that these names mean much to those reading :) Progreso has a lot to offer tourists, with a newly added port for a cruise line, but since it's winter in the Yucatan (hard to believe...) it's very low key and not busy at all! Mostly locals were at the beach today. Speaking of it being winter here - everyone has their pools drained around Merida, which is funny to us - because it seems like a perfect time to take a dip! Anyways, we set up camp on the beach in front of Buddy's. If you want, restaurants offer full service to those on the beach - if you order with them, they'll 'take care of you' for the day, with food and drink, beach chairs, mini palapas (huts for shade), and the use of their bathroom. We all enjoyed soaking up the sun! We all brought some snacks with but in the late afternoon we decided to walk down to Eladio's (a restaurant chain here). We got to sit at a table right in the sand. Their greatest deal is when you order something to drink they bring you complimentary entradas, or appetizers. Essentially, I was able to pay for a Coca Light, but feast on delicious and fresh snacks! It was insane - they brought the plates out by the boatload. It turns out I think we got special treatment, because Roger (who seemed to be the manager) really loved us. He came out 3 or 4 times to chat, make sure we were treated well, and ask if we needed anything! So we got an additional round of appetizers. Katelynn ordered coconut ice cream, which I wasn't quite sure about - but it was SO good (I can't wait to go back to Progreso so I can treat myself!). It was even served in a half of a coconut! All in all a great experience - lots of laughter, lots of beach vendors, lots of saying 'no gracias', lots of sunshine, and surely lots of memories!

Katelynn and I on the street off the beach

Katelynn with her cute and delicious ice cream!

We got back and I GOT MY FIRST HOT SHOWER! Actually too hot, which was such a surprise and treat!! We all got ready to go to the Juanes concert which we had gotten tickets for earlier this week. It was a free, outdoor concert, at El Monumento (the Mayan structure I posted a picture of a few days ago).  We had a long walk to get there - but again, with every trip comes many memories - and there was a very long line! It was fun because all sorts of street vendors were lined up as we walked in. Once we got "in" to the concert it was incredible. I don't think I have ever seen so many people standing in one place. It was like the MN State Fair, but instead of people moving, just a standstill! Everyone had balloons and when Juanes came out, people let go of the balloons and they filled the air (probably killing hundreds of birds... oops!) We didn't know most of his music, but since he's such a popular Mexican artist, it was exciting to be there! We left before it finished, but overall enjoyed the experience

Planning to check out a church tomorrow. Nicole, a lady who used to work at my mom's school, moved to Merida with her husband and two kids under a year ago, and is connected with a church I decided I would try! Emily and I will walk to meet Nicole, where she will then drive us to church!

Moving out of the Central House and into my host home tomorrow at 5! Pray for that transition, initial interactions, and nerves! I'm really excited, it'll be great to begin a real schedule and be immersed even deeper into the culture!

See ya soon, Celestún

Let's go, Mexico. See ya soon, Celestún. We were busy rhyming today - hopefully it also helps you to see how to pronounce the beautiful city we visited today. Celestún (Sell-a-stoon) was our first excursion, and a gorgeous one at that! I hate to say, pictures really don't do it justice - so when you see the flamingos, mangroves, and water - it'll be nearly impossible for you to understand what we actually saw! We met our tour guide, Luis, today - who will be with us the entire semester. He's planning on speaking only Spanish with us - which will help us advance our language skills a lot - and I was pleased that I understood most of what he said! We have a very nice bus to do our touring in - air conditioned, comfy seats, 20 passenger bus. We first stopped a half hour out of Merida, in Uman - a small town with most mestizos, or mayans living there. It was interesting to see the real difference in the appearance of the people there, especially in the faces, compared to Mexicans around the city. We stopped mostly to experience the market. In small pueblos like Uman, the women will go to the market which is open from 5am to 12 or 1pm and buy only what they need for the day. Although most have electricity, and more recently refrigerators, the idea of refrigeration is new - so it's rarely used. Instead they visit the market each day. It was very colorful, and very fun! They were very welcoming - it was so cute, a man was playing piano and singing and as we walked through he asked us where were were from, we replied los estados unidos, so he made and announcement and welcomed us through his microphone to the market! Mostly fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Also passed through the meat market - clearly not FDA approved :) We also visited the cathedral there. Learned something so interesting. Most cathedrals and churches are in the shape of a cross, and the main entrance will always face the east to allow sunlight to enter during services. Who knew?

 

We finished driving another hour to Celestún. Got on little boats (3 with 6 people in each) and zoomed off to see the flamingos. As we got closer we began to see the pink blobs out in the distance. Crazy. They were so pretty. We learned the average lifespan is about 20-25 years, they get more pink as they get older, and Celestún is one of two places that flamingos reside in Mexico. However they go to the other location (farther east) to reproduce, then journey back. Unfortunately due to the shallow water, we weren't able to get close to all the flamingos, but we could see farther in the distance that there were hundreds upon hundreds more along the shoreline. Again, I wish the pictures could capture what I really saw (what the camera does capture, is how Mexico is throwing my hair for a loop!). Then we boated through the mangroves. So cool. We got off and walked around to explore the fresh water and ojos de agua (freshwater springs where the water bubbles up on the surface) - also saw tons of fish and some pretty birds! Then we went back to return our boats, and bused to our lunch spot! We ate at a gorgeous restaurant called La Palapa (we have a palapa here at Central too - they're huts with a roof made of palms). We got a few choices on what to eat - I had salad, breaded Groupie (I was proud of myself with this choice), rice, potatoes, and vegetables! VERY tasty, very fresh, seems to be the theme here :) We then voyaged out to the beach, but it was a little overcast and breezy by the water so we mainly just walked the shoreline, picked up shells, and took a nap on the beach chairs! It was so relaxing! Long and bumpy trip back - spending time around the house now!

Brrrrrrrrr...

A 'cold' day in Merida! Okay... so it was 73 degrees, but you wouldn't believe how fast our standards have shifted! Today was a bit cloudier, but still nice! Ready for some sun though! I refused to stay inside so I read outside on the terrace with my zip-up on, with a blanket over me. About 5 of us were all out there, and we all began reading our books, but soon we were all napping. I moved inside to finish my siesta.

Today was a very low key day. Most of the day was spent around the house. Yesterday we met with our language teachers, and today they returned to spend some more time with us. I believe Ana will be my teacher, she's such a cute lady (I think I say this about everyone I meet) and has a good sense of humor! We all had appointments with Val today to discuss our schedules/classes. I'm going to have lots of open time :) It'll be nice because then I'll have the opportunity to spend time at the various outside volunteer/internship opportunities that I wrote about yesterday. Val is excited for me to get involved in the community - I think it will be really wonderful for both my language and cultural adaptation!

A good day of hanging out with friends, lots of laughter, and ice cream with Nutella and peanut butter for dessert. Great life. We've decided to experiment with all the different things we can put Nutella on - today it was a tortilla, and it was great. We're debating opening up a Nutella quesadilla stand??

So Val had told us I think the first day, and we've quickly learned, that we will eat a lot of Jello here. So far we've had cherry, pineapple, grape, and lime. They always serve it in these little individual ice cream saucer/dishes and it's crazy firm. We tend to have competitions to see who can carve the coolest design in theirs, or get it out of the dish in the biggest chunk. Are we 5 years old? Quite possibly. The thing about the Jello is that there are always leftovers, and the cooks will leave them in our fridge for us to snack on whenever. Emily and I have made it our 'thing' to pull up a few stools around the island, grab some Jello, sit and snack. I don't think I even like Jello that much - but the mystery of finding out what flavor we'll get keeps things exciting!

Tomorrow we will go on our first excursion to Celestún. We're leaving at 8:30am and will return at 4pm. We will make one stop on the way there - the whole trip is about an hour and a half. Celestún is known for its flamingo reserve, beaches, and beautiful scenery. We'll take a boat ride to tour the area, go through mangroves, and hopefully see lots of flamingos. (Val said she went at the end of December and saw THOUSANDS, but one time she went and saw like 2... let's all hope for the best!)

Time to rest up for the busy day tomorrow - pictures to come I'm sure!!

The heart of the matter

One of the main reasons for my being in Mexico, and a source of my excitement, was of course improving my Spanish language skills, as well as creating meaningful interaction with native and locals of Merida. The way I'll achieve this is all coming together, and it is going to be so motivating and inspiring - along with hard work and busyness!

I knew coming down here I'd be doing an internship, around my concentration of developmental disabilities in psychology, but I didn't know details. Today people interested in doing an internship met with Val and we discussed logistics. There are two different places I could work with special needs. The one I'm leaning towards is called Sol y Luna and is a 'refuge' for severely disabled children. In Mexico, families are of utmost importance so when it comes to caring for family members, disabled, elderly, etc. most care is done in-home. Sol y Luna cares for the child and additionally incorporates the family in teaching how to assist their child. It's more of a physical therapy emphasis, but deals with children with life altering disabilities, and many times multiple for each child. Val explained a child may be blind, have cerebral palsy, and something additional as well. It would definitely be eye-opening and so interesting to compare my future work to. I'm excited to see how it all comes together, if Sol y Luna is where I end up!

Another opportunity presented itself, and I am crazy about it! It's called Academia Municipal de Ingles. Tonight 3 other students and I went with Val to visit the English Academy where some people are going to do service learning, and I am interested in just volunteering during the week. Working class individuals who are sacrificing to pay for these private classes, are at an advanced level where they get the reward of receiving the attention and time of a native English speaker (that's us :)) They are in their final semesters of the program, and are wishing to become proficient in reading and writing English so they can get a better job, receive a higher salary, etc. Like any American wanting to learn Spanish really. I'm excited. When visiting tonight I was almost in tears - we all were. Because the students were precious, so motivated, so welcoming, so great! The first class all went around and introduced themselves, told us where they worked or went to school, and a favorite thing of theirs. As we walked in they were listening to one of those cheesy audio tapes for language learning (I'm used to the Spanish ones - it was great to hear it in English!) They all seem very good at English, and it'll be great to help them out in a more personal context, especially since we as Spanish learners are in the same boat and can empathize with them. 


I also want to look into volunteering at a nursing home very close to the house. Val said more recently (as Mexican culture usually finds it necessary to care for your own family) people are starting private homes to care for the elderly. So many opportunities, and with less time being spent in classes, I should hopefully be able to cater to all my preferences and wishes! Prayers would be appreciated as we start to get more into the 'meat' of the program - starting classes on Monday and moving in to my house on Sunday! Relationships with the other students is going so great, we're a fun bunch!
Much love from Mexico!


Ps. Today we went out in groups of 4 to explore and gain familiarity with the bus system. Our group was sent downtown. I'm becoming a public transit master, just sayin' (Sarah - I'm quickly checking things off your assigned list of "must do's")

We're in MEXICO!?!?

The title of this blog is the tag line of almost every hour here! Katelynn started it, but now we all kind of joke with it. She just finds herself in disbelief that we are actually here, and this is our new life! A fun life at that!! So when we find ourself in peculiar Mexican situations - someone will announce, "We're in Mexicooo!!"

Today we got on the city bus, learned to navigate that system (learned an important tip: the red and white ones have air conditioning!!), and made our way downtown. Again, we flaunted our ethnicity, and received a host of whistles, honks, and waves! All friendly though. Once downtown Val showed us around a bit, as we passed some time before meeting our tour. We were greeted by an extremely vibrant, open-windowed bus. It was our group, 2 other American women, what seemed like a European lady, and a few Mexicans. Val wanted the tour to be dictated in Spanish only, but since we had tourists with us, Juan did both English and Spanish. I found myself understanding his Spanish better, because he didn't annunciate his English too well! Merida is so rich in history, and dates back to the 1500s when Francisco de Montejo founded the city. I learned that it was called Merida, because the conquistadores came by sea from Merida, Spain. Fancy that! I won't bore you with all we saw and learned, but many fancy houses, churches, and parks! What really interested me was learning about the center of downtown - El Gran Central - the park there is surrounded by many governmental buildings, the governor's home, her offices, a court and some other things. These places in the past were used much differently. One a slaughterhouse/butcher, one a jail, another a place to house African slaves brought over by the Spaniards. Crazy to think how much has changed in those buildings.

The Monument to Mayan Culture at the end of Paseo de Montejo (a main street)

Double-sided, very cool. This picture isn't mine, but I took some of both sides.

We came home and had lunch, delicious of course, and then siesta. When I woke up I was so discombobulated - it threw me off trying to figure out which day it was, etc! Our afternoon was filled with a hammock demonstration and learning about the Mayan village stay we'll be doing in early February. A man and woman, Schultze and Lisa, introduced information about how to know a good hammock, how to sleep in them, what our village stay will be like, etc. They offered hammocks for us to purchase, which were gorgeous, and they support women in the Mayan village. I didn't buy one, I'll look downtown. We need them when we stay in the village, and most natives here will sleep in them instead of beds when it gets outrageously warm, for better circulation.

I'll skip dinner details, but dessert must be mentioned. Our cute little cooks said it was banana bread, but I'd disagree :) It was warm out of the oven, chocolate something, but sort of banana bread - all topped with scoop of some high-quality ice cream!! We all cheered when it came! Haha

A little rain this afternoon (but it was pretty to listen to!) The heat is bearable, there's been a nice breeze, it's perfect in the shade, and la casa although no air conditioning, has fans and since it's all tile, stays cool.

This evening about 7 of us went around the town, first to Oxxo (gas station type store) to pick up snacks for the house, then explored, and made a pit stop at a little taco place. Again, humorous, because it was called Tacos Árabes. So we were Americans, eating Arabian food, in Mexico. But don't get me wrong - mine was delicious. As we walked back we commented how great it is, for 12 pesos I got a taco, which is like one dollar. So a dollar for a fun night with friends, chatting, and making all of those 'this world is so small' connections - I'd say it was a successful night. With many students from the Des Moines area, it's been fun comparing stories/making relations. My friend Emily S. was flipping through pictures and we realized that both of us went to the same corn maze/farm as students at Drake did!

A shower felt so good tonight! The water is usually cold, but no one seems to mind too much!

Calles, siestas y caminas

Today I was exhausted - the change in schedule, heat, adjustments, and heat will really take it out of you! This morning at breakfast I had to laugh... American students, eating French toast, in Mexico. We spent the day going over the more boring, but very important and useful, orientation type information. Mostly we talked about the neighborhood we're in, how to get around, how to give/get/read directions and follow street signs! Merida has a really great system with how they label and organize everything, so that will make it easier to use! We took a group 'tour' of the surrounding area around the Central House which quickly made us all embarrassed because we were a sight to see. 17 white Americans, with maps in hand, walking 2 x 2 down the sidewalk. Val continually reminded us this would be one of the last times we'd parade around like that! Thanks goodness! Val talked with us today about some of her past work - helping Latino workers in the US find assistance after they have sustained an injury due to their work conditions. It was sad and crazy to hear some of her stories. She explained that someone could lose their hand from working in a field, and they'd accept/settle for 2,500 dollars - which the insurance company would give them to close their case, instead of working with someone like Val to get money, start a new job, and invest - where they could make 60,000 dollars. She explained that this has a lot to do with the Mexican mentality of getting the cash in hand and not having to worry about if what was promised would actually come. It was interesting! Around 1:30, after lunch, we had siesta. Yes people, I know it sounds too good to be true, but the city does in fact honor the 2 hour nap time!! And it was glorious. I slept for about 2 hours and then got up to socialize. After siesta, we got into groups of 4 for an activity sort of like a scavenger hunt. To learn navigation we were given 4 different things to find around the neighborhood and then answer questions about them, provide the address/directions, etc. My group traveled to a dentist, a school, a house for sale, and a grocery store! We chatted with some locals for help (my favorites being two young boys on their way home from school... too cute!) Dinner was delicious, well dessert was more of the focus... hot chocolate with some spices, and churros :) Thee greatest. A group of us walked to Mega (a superstore - that's really nice and has a lot to offer) after dinner to buy mostly toiletries and stuff we couldn't fit in our suitcases. It was about a 15 minute walk - and a great way to see the busy streets of Merida. I felt adventurous as I searched through all the products finding the new and exciting Mexican versions/brands! We'll see how well everything works!! When we got back a few girls were making this soup/pasta thing in the kitchen, so I joined them. Lyndie had the recipe from someone, so she whipped it up - and the other 3 of us sat around chatting! Tasty stuff! Our doorman/"security" guy, Pancho (precious little man) paid us a visit to sweep up some ants and change our water jug. You all probably didn't need to know that - but it was a good way to introduce you to him :) Now I'm just sitting out on the balcony, and ready to head to bed! Touring downtown tomorrow! Buenos noches!

Ps. for all of you who know or have experienced my pink hair-towel wrap... The entire house has now been graced with its presence as I subconsciously (which I do often) walked downstairs still wearing it - right as everyone flooded the kitchen. We'll be together 3 1/2 months, they may as well find out! :)

ESTOY AQUI!

I am officially in Merida, Mexico :) It was a smooth day of traveling, but I’m glad to finally be in the desired location! My parents and brother Paul brought me to the airport and after weighing the suitcase (had to remove a few hair products to get it closer to 50 lbs) I left to go through security around 1pm. Everything went smoothly despite my worry about having too much packed in my carry on bags – school backpack along with a travel day-pack (Thank you, Johnsons!). I then took a seat at my gate and began to soak up all the people watching that airports offer. I was pleased to find out that the crying and screaming 2-year-old was not going to be on my flight!! I watched the beginning of the Packers-Bears football game (only because it was on the TV by the gate, not because I’m an avid football fan… Sorry Dad!) Then it was time for a cold press coffee from Caribou and I sat, listened to music, and waited!! Our flight was supposed to take-off at 2:45 but I think the plane we needed to take was late in coming in, because we didn’t board the plane until around 2:50-3:00, and we took-off at 3:30ish. When I boarded the plane I was a bit taken back as it was quite a small plane. Watching grown men try to squeeze down the aisle and into their seats was a real treat! I crammed one bag into overhead compartment and this is how I made fast friends with the man sitting next to me on the flight… he chuckled a little as I struggled, but it was in good faith! I must say, it felt good to say goodbye to the snow-covered earth as we flew up through the clouds (Mom and Dad: I said hi to the Richfield water tower, knowing you were close by!) During the flight I made an iMovie of pictures to show my host family when I meet them – should be a good ‘ice-breaker’ and a great opportunity to show them my American life!! Since my flight was later in leaving Minneapolis, it was late of course in getting to Houston - and I really had to hustle to get to the gate where I met my group of students!! Naturally, I got off at terminal B and had to shuffle/stumble to terminal E. Luckily there were two other adults traveling the same route so I stayed close with them. I was exhausted, sweaty, and sore after lugging everything around (not to mention the walking sidewalk was broken...) so I made a pit stop at the bathroom to wipe some sweat, regather myself, and meet the posse. They're awesome. I've had to stop myself multiple times to be like, 'I don't know these people well enough to be this close!' It's great. A fun group of outgoing, friendly people - looking forward to getting to know them more. Not to mention a girl after my own heart - Katelynn - made the whole group stop before going through customs to take a picture. Priceless. Everyone's luggage made it safely - PTL! We met Val (resident director), took two big vans (Myself, and 5 other girls were with Jose... He definitely has a story to tell his family when he goes home!) and got to La Casa de los Americanos (House of the Americans) which is where Central has its headquarters. We lugged our baggage up the open winding staircase (gorgeous), and settled into our rooms. As luck has it, I'm with Katelynn L - Who I've connected with through Facebook before this trip, so again - a huge blessing! Then we met down in the dining room to have 3 different type of fresh juices/beverages. One was delicious fresh squeezed lemonade, another was the juice of a hibiscus flower, and the last was horchata (rice milk). We ate taquitos (well, they called them something else - but someone announced they looked just like the frozen boxed ones from Sam's Club :)), some sort of tomato and feta cheese dish, as well as these cookie/donut things that looked sort of like Russian tea cakes (powdery cookie ha). The house is amazing - I'll only be here for orientation until I move in with my family on Sunday, but this is a great place to adjust! I'm writing this with 5 other fellow students out on the rooftop deck - listening to the sounds of Merida! This is the life :) Now time to go to bed (in the room with 3 huge windows to get that breeze), and wake up at 8am for breakfast!! 

So, just wanted to send a post letting everyone know I’m safe and sound in Merida – looking forward to getting adjusted and starting this adventure!

Sorry I'm very excited, so this is super long... Don't always expect this :) You're appreciated, diligent readers!

Adios todos!

(Most of) the group at the airport - Thanks Katelynn!

Not all who wonder are lost - a little inspiration from my new friend Emily! Who stole it from someone else's blog, who stole it from someone famous...

Address

Hello everyone!

Some of you have been asking for my address in Mexico. All of the students' mail gets sent to the Central House, and keep in mind it can take quite some time to receive mail. So if you do send some love from the United States, we'll all have to be patient :) As many of you know, I'm a big snail mail person, who loves sending little notes and letters to friends for birthdays, thank yous, or just because. I'll miss not being able to do this as much this semester - but I'll hopefully get the chance to send a few post cards!!

Emily Madsen
Central College in Yucatan
Calle 20 x 31, No. 112
Colonia Mexico
Merida, Yucatan, Mexico 97128


3 days and I'll be in the air!!! Prayers would be appreciated as I continue to prepare, pack, and force everything to fit in my bags. Prayers for safe travels, good health, safety in Mexico, and forming relationships with my family and new friends would be treasured!

I will not, in fact, be homeless!

Today I found out my host family!!! Sort of... Val sent all of the students a list of the housing assignments - but only the moms' names are given. I remember a similar thing happening when I went to Costa Rica, when only the mom's name was provided as well. So it's very reassuring to know that I do indeed have a place to rest my head in Merida! This is what I know: Sra. Patricia Geligzly Gonzalez Molina, the address of my home, and the phone number. Unfortunately no email to do further investigating - but it adds to the element of surprise, right?

So today my mom, brother Paul, and I trudged out to the Mall of America (keep in mind MLK Jr. Day... Everyone and their brother is off of work and school). We hit all of the Minnesota stores that MOA has to offer, picking out gifts for my host family. We did some generalizing, guessing, and overcompensating when buying things, to make sure every possible family member would be covered. If it turns out that all I have is Patricia... She's going to have lots of gifts :) Mom and I completed the to-do list for the day, and I like to think we're done swiping the Visa, but Target will probably get some more of our business before Sunday. As my mom and I scurried through the grey slush in our Keens (we started the day in cute boots and shoes, but too many hours of shopping lead to the Keen sandals), I was reassured that the next time I slipped these sandals on, I'll be in the 90 degree weather expected in Merida this week!

When traveling for a mission trip in Peru a few years ago, the group was told about the acronym FAT. This three-letter word took on a whole new meaning as we were reminded to be Flexible, Adaptable, and Teachable. These are three important practices when traveling and learning in a new country, and being a host to an unfamiliar culture. I'll probably be murmuring 'FAT' under my breath a few times over these months ahead. Looking forward to all of the adventures and learning that I know will take place.

This week will be full of packing, list-making, and final farewells!
So for now, watch out Mamá Patricia, here I come!

Waiting... and procrastinating!

I'm still waiting to hear on who my host family is... not really sure what the hold up has been, but Val (the resident director) has been very occupied, and I'm hoping by the end of this weekend I'll know! I'm really excited to see who I'll be living with for the semester!

I've been procrastinating packing like crazy... I think I'm going to get a lot done, but other things come up and they always seem more exciting! This weekend will be crunch time. I've already made a Target stop today, and I know it is just the first of many (I feel invigorated when I walk into the sea of red shirts and khaki pants, hear the beeping of products being sold, and see the Valentines section in full stock... At least someone isn't procrastinating!).

Tomorrow... or today I suppose (Saturday) I'm off to the bank to exchange for some Pesos and square away all of the leaving-the-country account jumble.

With all the snow and cold we've had in MN today (or let's be honest... since November), I can confidently say I'm ready for the 79 and sunny weather that is expected in Merida today. Especially since that's the "coolest" (VERY intentional quotations) day all week.

Let's Do This!

Hola a mi familia y mis amigos!

T-minus two weeks!! I will fly out of Minneapolis in 13 days, and I've been in a whirlwind procrastinating the packing process, buzzing around to store buying clothes (Mom says WAY too many, Grandma says not enough), and trying to visit as many friends and family to say goodbyes before I'm Mexico-bound! I'm so incredibly excited for my time in Merida, and look forward to sharing my experiences with you! The one thing I'm waiting anxiously for, is to hear from Val (the resident director through Central College who lives in Merida) about my host family placement. We were told we'd hear in January - and in reality knowing or not knowing doesn't make a huge difference, because the only thing I'll gain when I find out who I'll be living with is maybe seeing a picture, or at least knowing who makes up my family. Hoping for host sisters/brothers, and no cats :) Hoping my Spanish is sturdy enough to keep me afloat for three and a half months! I know I have the skills, just need the confidence to speak without thinking I'll get laughed at (time to face it, Emily, they will laugh... But my motto has always been - if it makes them feel better about themselves, I'll roll with it!) I've grown up around Spanish speaking, I've taken classes throughout high school and college, so now it's time to put it to the test! I keep telling friends that what I'm worried about is learning how to express my humor in a different language!! So as for now I'd say things are going swell! I need to dig into my Yucatan travel book that I got for Christmas, and the manual for my new camera that I got for my birthday. I just want to dive in and start the adventure, but I guess I should prepare too!!

I will fly from Minneapolis to Houston, Texas at 2:45pm on Sunday, January 23rd. In Houston I will meet up with a big portion of my travel group. There are 16 of us in total, most girls and mostly from Iowa or the Midwest. I've connected/talked a lot with one girl from Indiana who seems very similar to me and shared that she's a Christian so I look forward to getting to know her. From Houston we will all fly into Merida, Mexico and land around 9:30pm. It'll be nice to have a pretty short day of traveling, which I'm not used to (I've spent way too many hours in the Miami airport over the last few years!). In Mexico, Val will pick us up and from there I don't know much!! So I'll keep everyone updated, and until then, it's packing time!