The Flip Side

I am over the halfway bump of my time here in Mexico. I know I haven't been the best at keeping up with a blog hence why today I hope to share some interesting pieces of news and pictures to catch everyone up...whether it involves Mexico or not. I know I could split everything up into seperate posts, but I feel it's important to keep everything together. Hopefully this will hold your interest until the end.

I still remind myself everyday that I'm in Mexico. Things are pretty much the same: I still go to an uninspiring school that doesn´t understand the essence of true learning, I eat a lot of tacos, and I hang out with some very lovely people that I feel are starting to become not only good friends, but also family. However, with being here for so long I finally am starting to realize and appreciate all of the lessons I have learned--counsiously and unconsciously. Each day brings new things:

Some of these pictures are a bit old, but here's another view of Lake Chapala with Michelle and Katie


From walking the beach in Sayulita to helping Alfredo sell balloons on Valentine's day (well maybe not Jess ha) I am so lucky to have my "mexican family"...




...espeically because we all take one thing very seriously...eating tacos!

after a graffetti birthday party:



Waiting for tacos in Tlaquepaque:


Before I came, several people said "whatever you do, don't go to Mexico City"! They didn't need to tell me this, as I had no desire to visit a place that is known for being dirty, dangerous for Americans, etc. However, as more time passed in Guadalajara I kept hearing about all the historic and interesting things to do and see in D.F./the surrounding area. So we decided to go last minute with Tec, and I am so glad I went. I was very impressed with everything I saw, and I really liked the city!!! Of course we went with a group, were doing touristy things, and were only there for a long weekend...but overall I felt the downtown was very beautiful and many things have such an interesting history it's hard to not be amazed.

In front of the Cathedral and Opera House



On the moon pyramid in Teotihuacan


More pictures are on facebook.

Quickly: I am posting some articles that I have found very interesting. One is about the corruption amoungst the police in Mexico. Just to ensure everyone that I have felt safe here (Guadalajara is more south, most of the problems are up north near the border), the ridiculousness of the police here makes the cops in the U.S. seem perfect. I have heard of other internationals having to pay off the cops to keep from getting a ticket due to some obscure made up law. I know Hillary (yes we are on a first name basis) was here recently to steer the effort against drug cartels in a new direction that is meant to work on civil/police forces, not government groups or more weapons. I hope this effort is taken seriously, as many times a surprising concept of fixing things at the root (working on building strong communities) and not up at the top (government throwing money around for weapons or more military force) makes things go away! Imagine that.
Police Corruption: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/03/25/world/AP-LT-Mexico-Corruption.html?ref=americas

Also an interesting article on salsa "the soul of mexico":http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/dining/17salsa.html?scp=1&sq=salsa%20mexico&st=cse

I quickly want to reference some things from back home that are on my mind:
The Healthcare Bill: I am glad that we are taking a step to bring healthcare to everyone. However, I realize I do not understand the complete system, the loopholes, and the actual bill. I have done some reading and research, but no where near the amount I would need to do in order to completley comprehend the situation our country is in. I doubt the people who worked so hard on it, or the people who voted on it comprehend everything completely either. With this, I am pretty positive that the rest of the nation does not understand the current system or bill as well. If this were the case, then we would already have a system that everyone was content with. Consequently, I am a little confused as to why everyone is so mouthy on something they know hardly anything about. I guess it is the same for most hot topics, but don't people want to understand what they're angry or happy about? Don't people want to acknowledge the other side and look at other facts if not to make their own opinion stronger? And that is all I will say about that.

Sports: It's good I didn't do a NCAA bracket this year because it would have been garbage after the first day. I hope Duke or West Virginia can pull it out. I still don't know about Tiger...we'll see how he does at the masters. I want people to yell at him midswing so he feels bad/learns his lesson, but I still hope he does well.

If you made it this far, then thanks for sticking with me! I plan on enjoying the precious time I have left here, while at the same time looking forward to a trip to Europe this summer to visit friends, and ending back up in my beloved state of North Carolina. Miss all of you!

The Sound of Settling

Time for an update I guess....
Hollaz I've made it a month. Sometimes it feels like I have been here forever, and other times I have to remind myself that I'm in Mexico. Tec (my school) is very different than ASU, and it reminds me of all the things I didn't like about Enloe: a lot of work and a lot of "rules". The subjects of my classes are so interesting, I just wish I could actually learn and not jump through hoops of silly homeworks. Tec is the best school in Mexico though, so I am grateful for getting the best that's out there. I do miss watauga/asu though.

I've been fortunate enough to do several things including go to a Chivas game, visit an archeological zone, camp on the beach in Sayulita, visit Lake Chapala:


etc.

I also commenced my stay here by finally getting sick. One of the best meals I've had here was fresh cantaloupe, ritz crackers, and gatorade the day after. This was followed by getting sick again four days later. I think I'm set for a while now, or at least I hope so. I'm still loving the food here. In fact, there is a monumental shift occurring with favorite foods. French fries have long held the spot for 13 years but tacos (the tacos here, NOT from back home) are taking the lead! Tacos had a small setback with the whole "sickness" thing, but still are slowly inching up already past #3 bagel and #2 chicken parm. I'm also already dreading the day where there isn't lime and chile sauce at my disposal to put on everything! I've been in Mexico for over a month and decide to mainly talk about the food--sounds about right I'd say.

I would post more pictures, but looking through them it just doesn't seem like they do the real life image justice. One of my favorite things is driving by and glimpsing over the huge city--especially at night when there are a million lights. The things I actually have enjoyed the most are the most simple: the lady who always yells out "PENS" like a goat at la plaza federal, riding the bus (even when it's crowded and smells like fish), walking past street vendors, waving to the security guards, seeing one of several rainbows...the things that feel like Guadalajara.

Markets, sunshine (mwahaha it was 21 degrees Fahrenheit in Boone today 23 degrees Celsius here (75)...it's warmer in celsius here than in Fen. there!) and tacos for all of you back home.....missing all of you and I am trying to stay up to date with nc happenings: (john edwards lamesauce, musics/bonnarroo lineup, canes/acc, snow etc.) Drink a cup of coffee and eat any green veggie for me!

Behind Already

Okkkkk for all the millions of people out there crying because I haven't posted anything recently (and by millions I mean the three people that are following me haha) I will do a quick update.

I certainly have done a lot of things including a bus trip down to some place/and the town of tequila for a factory tour, eat some street food, OH celebrate the day of the three kings by cutting the sweet bread and getting the baby jesus even though there were 5 baby jesus' in that thing, listen to mariachi (that actually was the first day during orientation), etc.







School started on Monday. I am going to have to switch around my schedule, and it's really frustrating trying to match up classes here to classes back home to get credit. Also, so many people speak english that it is hard to speak spanish all day...but at the same time one day of spanish classes yesterday left me so tired!

I signed up for a Mexican cooking class, and the first class is today. So yes.

Love to everyone back home, and I hope all of you Boone people are staying warm!

Here

I am here.
Things:
-the Tec de Monterrey is so pretty with trees and fountains and huge modern buildings everywhere
-I can finally attest that it is easier in other countries to find/have transportation than in the States.
-Still adjusting to the food....this is going to be hard. I never thought that the first food I would miss from back home is a bagle, but it is!
-I have a very nice host family (a very young and easy going couple) no kids but the woman is 2 months pregsauce.
-Guadalajara is like the tec campus...very modern and definitely a city, but also very green with a beautiful mix of old and new. This old and new blends more together though than Prague did. We've already gone out some and walked all over downtown Guadalajara today (and by all over I mean 4 hours worth


Everyone here is really nice, and it's a lot easier to understand people than I thought which is good I guess. Wellllll that is it for now I really don't like writing blogs so I don't know how long this will last ha. Love to everyone back home!

Leaving Soon

I feel a little silly doing a travel blog, but it seems to be the easiest way to keep everyone updated back home! I'm leaving January 3rd for Guadalajara, Mexico where I will be studying through Tec de Monterrey as a student on the Guadalajara Campus. Until then--espero que tengan un gran Año Nuevo! I hope everyone has a great New Year!