We had a traditional Yucatecan lunch - a sort of puchero, with a soup base, pork, spices, vegetables, and then rice and tortillas thrown in on top! Mmmm I'll miss this food!! My mom has been trying to squeeze in all of these last minute things before I leave! She knows me too well :) What a great cook I've had all semester, fortunately I have a great one to go home to as well - so that will make the transition easier!! All I know is there was flan baking on the stove tonight... tomorrow will be a good day :)
My mom and I got to sit and talk for a longggggg time this afternoon as we were both waiting for people. She was waiting for Montse to drop off the two kids, and I was waiting for Dulce. Dulce is the daughter of my uncle César's nephew. She's 22, and goes to the University of Anahuac-Mayab here. I haven't seen her since Nicole's quinceañera in 2008, but Dulce lives here in Mérida and we've been trying to get together all semester. Between different school schedules, weekdays were tricky - and on the weekends I was gone a lot on excursions, etc, and she has her own commitments. Needless to say, Dulce got a hold of me today and we finally decided we were both free! But she got held up at school and ended up not getting to my house until a few hours later than she expected (but totally normal in Mexico :)). So there Pati and I sat, in our little chairs, on the front patio, enjoying the Mexican breeze! It was nice to have that time to relax and be together for one of the last times! There are some stray dogs that like to call the empty lot next door their home, and there has been a new addition within the last week. Seriously the dogs in the street are nicer and do less harm than the ones who have owners - but they don't really get what they need, and that' where we come in. My mom brought the little one cookies (not sure why she picked this food...) and then got water! It's so funny when the dogs search the neighborhood for any bit of shade, sometimes the smallest sliver against the wall in our yard!
So getting Dulce to my house brought me a little pride. I had to give her directions, and I successfully did so in Spanish, and for a city I've only known for four months! Now if only I could do the same back in Minnesota!! Not going to lie, I even impressed myself!
Dulce picked me up and quickly gained major points as she handed me a piña con chile trole (an icy treat that is the essentially the consistency of a popsicle, but frozen in a cup and eaten with a spoon)!! I had warned her before she came that we may need to convert to English, because I wasn't sure of my Spanish skills. However we spoke Spanish the entire four hours we were together! We were just planning on going out for ice cream quick, but Dulce made it a much more exciting evening! Since the ice cream was taken care of, we went to her house so I could see her mom, Azucena! We sat out on their patio and caught up on each others' lives, families, my time in Mérida, etc! We shared some laughs as we reminisced on visit that Jose Luis (Dulce's dad) made to MN a few years back with César, and two brothers! It was hilarious to realize that the same stories we in Minnesota talk about, were the exact same that they continue to retell here in Mexico! After a tour of their new and beautiful home Dulce and I headed out! I had plans to meet up with a few friends who are staying in a hotel downtown tonight (I decided not to stay there, because I wanted to sleep at my house for the last night) so we went downtown together so I wouldn't need to take the bus! On the way we stopped at her church, which was gorgeous, and then a bakery so I could try a few "must eats"! We walked around by La Plaza Grande a while and then she wanted to take me to try one of her favorite treats! (Wait, isn't that what we had been doing for the last hour and a half...?) We stopped a cute little cafe that used to be an old home. We sat in the open-air part and ordered our nutella waffles to share! Oh and what would a chocolatey breakfast dessert be without ice cream in the middle?? It was so nice to talk with Dulce and learn about what she's been up to! Last summer she spent a month in Minneapolis doing a program at St. Thomas so she was eager to tell me about all of the places she went (which mostly consisted of all the places she ate... We both could relate that when talking with people from back home about our times abroad... food was a central topic). Dulce also began compiling quite a list of places we must go WHEN I return. Notice this is not an IF statement. I have had so many homes offered to me (I'm at 5, and counting), that it really would be rude for me not to come back... soon. Once we were done at the cafe I decided I'd just skip going to the hotel since it was getting later, I was getting tired, the rest of my things weren't going to pack themselves, and Dulce could drop me off at home rather than having to take a taxi or bus home after being with friends! Seriously, another memorable and wonderful evening here in Mexico! I was sad to say goodbye because we were just getting started with all of the fun - but I was so so so happy it worked out for us to finally get together, unfortunately just two days before I'm leaving! Dulce spoiled me tonight with such a great night!!
Once back at home, I threw some more things in my bags, and moped as I was reminded this is my final evening in my Yucatecan home :( Tomorrow night most of the students are staying at the Central House, since we are catching taxis at 4:30am on Sunday. This way it'll be easier, and nicer for the families! Tomorrow I was supposed to go to Silvana (my host niece)'s first birthday party, but my mom and I realized today it's next Saturday!! Bummed - I was looking forward to the final time with family, and hitting the butterfly piñata of course! Thursday night I did my last night in the hammock, now tonight is my final night in my bed! How did I get to this point? As my room is looking more and more empty, it reminds me of my first few days here. But back then I was working to fill it, now I've been slowly tearing things down. But my first week here seems like just yesterday (cliché, but never felt more true). Tomorrow I will drink my last glass of fresh orange juice, take my last shower in my doorless shower (which doesn't even seem odd anymore), go to the beach for the last time, walk out my front door for the last time, take my final ride in our white Volkswagen bug, and say a sad farewell to my Mamita Yucateca!
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