La Playa

Classes ended for me last week, but I still had several days before my program ended, so I decided to spend my free time at the beach. My friend Jessica and I went to Zihuatanejo which is on the west coast of Mexico and is close to Ixtapa, a resort town. Our trip had a rocky start. We missed our first bus, so we had to buy a second set of tickets and then when we changed buses, we discovered that our second set of tickets was for a 1:00 am departure. We thought they were for 1:00 pm, so we had to buy new tickets again. It was a hassle, but we made it safely and we are already able to laugh about it. I guess we were due at least one bad travel experience.

The first thing we noticed when we arrived was how hot it was in Zihuatanejo. It was so hot in fact, that it was not a problem to have only cold water at our hotel. I got sunburnt every day even though I put on way more sunscreen that I would have thought I needed.


Those few days were so wonderful! We spent so much time relaxing. We slept for so long every night and then spent all day laying on the beach. We tried several different beaches: Las Gatas, La Ropa, and one on Isla Ixtapa. Our favorite by a long shot was La Ropa. The water was so clear and beautiful. It was perfect for swimming because it got deep gradually and there were no strange creatures. The sand was clean and there were beach chairs to relax in all along the beaches. The waves were a lot of fun too. Jessica and I tried to get out far enough in the ocean that they weren't crashing over our heads, but once this huge wave crashed right on top of us and threw us into the ocean. It was crazy! I was scraped along the bottom for a minute before I was able to regain my footing, but we were okay.


On our second day there we went on a city tour with an awesome taxi driver named Carlos. He took us all around Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa and showed us all the really expensive, exclusive hotels. There is one resort that costs $1000 USD per night! He also took us to a nature reserve and we fed the aligators raw chicken and the iguanas radish leaves. It was really neat to see twenty some iguanas come walking out of the trees.


We ate really well while we were at the beach. The food in Zihuatanejo was cheap and delicious! The last night we were there we ate at a nicer restaurant on the beach. I had grilled shrimp, rice and salad. It was so good, but kind of weird because the shrimp were still intact, heads and all. They were two-tailed shrimp also. It was delicious, but required some maneuvering to avoid eating the heads.


It was a great way to end my time in Mexico. I've had so many experiences and they are all so different. I can't believe that I'm coming home tomorrow. At least I'll be nice and tan. :)

The Homestretch

I can hardly believe it - I have seven more days in Mexico. I have one more whole day in Guanajuato and five days at the beach and then I come home. It's amazing how quickly the time has gone by. It's had its ups and downs, but I am so glad that I was able to have this experience. I've learned so much and had so much fun.



This week has been a little odd. Classes and exams ended on Tuesday, so I've been able to bum around and start thinking about packing up my stuff. Wednesday I went up to El Buen Pastor and had so much fun with the girls there. I can't believe I have to say good-bye to them next week. Speaking of good-byes, I said good-bye to my church this past Sunday. It was really special because they prayed for us and then all the youth kids gave us big hugs. Today I started packing. Partly because I love packing (it's like organizing!) and partly because if I don't then I have to do it all next Wednesday morning when I could be out enjoying my last few hours in Guanajuato. I have so much stuff too. I kinda went crazy on the gift-buying so I might have to get creative to get it all packed.



People keep asking me if I'm ready to leave. I am ready. I've loved my time in Guanajuato, but that time is up. I'm ready to see my family and friends and take up my life again in South Carolina. Someday I hope to be able to bring my own family to Guanajuato and to show them the sights and to eat again at my favorite restaurants and plazas. But for now, it's time to go home.

Christmas in Guanajuato

When Christmas decorations began to appear in Guanajuato the week after Halloween and Dia de los Muertos, it seemed strange to me. However, when you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, I supposed you are allowed to jump straight to Christmas. Over the last few weeks, Guanajuato has been putting up Christmas trees and poinsettias (Nochebuenas) in the plazas and along all the staircase railings. The markets are overflowing with ornaments, Christmas lights, wreaths and fake Christmas trees for sale. Starbucks has switched to Christmas themed drinks and cups. My church started singing Christmas carols a couple weeks ago.





Since I love Christmas, I've enjoyed watching Guanajuato make the transformation. The weather has gotten a little colder and people are bundling up with scarves and warm coats. Kids are getting excited about presents and parents are preparing for the traditional fiesta of welcome for the baby Jesus. I guess that no matter where you go, the holiday season is everyone's favorite time of year.

Another Side of Guanajuato: Los Callejones

Los callejones (alleyways) are what make Guanajuato famous, and the city is full of them. The majority of the people who live in the city live in this vast network of callejones. This living situation negates any hope of privacy because the houses are crammed together and practically piled on top of each other. Not to mention some of the callejones are so narrow, you can practically step out of your house right into your neighbor's door. They are also incredibly steep and winding. Carrying anything up or down is a test of endurance. Some callejones are nice, with brightly colored houses and newly paved roads. Others are older and you have to watch your step so you don't trip on the cracked and uneven sidewalk.

I took the following photos on an exploratory adventure up one of the callejones. Once I left the main road, I felt like I was in a different world. The streets were much quieter and there was an obvious sense of the domestic side of Guanajuato.

El Buen Pastor

Ever since I spent January at Casa Para Ninos Aleluya (children's home in Guatemala), I had hoped that I would be able to find an orphanage or children's home to volunteer at while I was in Mexico. So I talked with one of the CIEE directors, Lalo, and he helped me get involved at El Buen Pastor.

El Buen Pastor is a children's home run by some nuns at a local church. Some 20-25 girls between the ages of 3 and 16 live there. I am almost positive that none of the girls are orphans; however, they all come from home environments of extreme poverty and/or abuse. The girls live at El Buen Pastor Monday through Friday and return to their houses for the weekends. During the week, they attend school, receive solid meals and are provided with clothes, school supplies and comfortable beds. The girls all have chores every afternoon and when I arrive on Wednesdays, they are all sweeping and mopping up a storm.



My role in all this is to help with homework. Since the majority of the girls are in elementary school, I assumed that this would be a breeze. Until I tried to explain long division and Roman numerals in Spanish...talk about a challenge. In the end, both the girls and I are learning new things. Having patience is crucial to this arrangement. Some of the girls really try to understand the concepts and just like having someone nearby telling them that they are doing their work correctly. And of course, some want me to do their homework for them. Sometimes I think that they pretend like they don't know how to do something so I will help them and pay attention to them.



Even though I'm technically a homework helper, I have been able to spend time talking and listening to the girls. They all are so special and have interesting stories. Some of these stories are heartbreaking. Once I helped Estefania (8) write a note to her mom telling her how much she missed her and wanted to see her and to stay with her for forever. Diana (6) has a million brothers and sisters and last week her brother Marco Polo (no kidding) was staying at the hogar (home) because their father didn't have work and couldn't afford to take care of the two of them. Every few weeks new little girls show up and are absorbed into the group. The most recent are two pairs of sisters Citlali and Perlita and Gabriela and Alejandra. Alejandra is three years old and is one of the most precious little girls ever. It's so precious to watch the older girls help take care of her, play with her and teach her how to sweep and write the alphabet.



When I first started going to El Buen Pastor, it was tough. Nobody gave me any instructions so I had to figure things out as I went. I was super hesitant about my Spanish, and while the girls were friendly, it was a little discouraging to not be greeted with excitement and hugs when I arrived. I stuck with it though, and gradually I've gained a place in the hearts of the girls. I think it all started when I saw Estefania, Carmen and Brenda in the Centro while they were on a field trip. We recognized each other, and I went over to say hi. When I saw them later at El Buen Pastor, they were excited to remind me that we had seen each other, and I got more hugs from them. Since then, they have been my friends and are always excited to see me and sad to see me go. I love the fact that I am a regular at the hogar. I'm so glad that I stuck with it in spite of the challenges. I know that my Spanish has improved, that I've gotten a glimpse of what real life is like for these girls, and that I've made some special friends. I'll never forget the time I spent at El Buen Pastor.

No Me Soltaras

This is one of the songs we sing at my church in Guanajuato. It's one of my favorites, and I love the idea of knowing it in Spanish and English.

Initiation

Last night I felt as Mexican as I think I ever will. There was a street fiesta for the Virgin Mary, and if there was ever an initiation for being Mexican, that party was it. First of all, I ate street tacos. Delicious as always, especially since a full meal and a drink cost about $40 pesos...about $3.10 USD. Then we ate these fried tortilla things called buñuelos that you eat with syrup...it was a huge mess, but it was also delicious...and cost us $12 pesos for three tortillas (less than $1 dollar). These are basically the Mexican version of funnel cakes. We sat and watched a Mass for the Virgin finish up which was followed by a street performance involving dancers dressed as the Devil, Death, a cowboy, a woman and a bull to name a few. It was quite entertaining because the woman dancer was actually a very large man dressed in an incredibly tight skirt, hose, and heels. The two guys dressed as the Devil had whips that they kept cracking over the crowd. It was loud, children were laughing and everyone was having a generally good time. A kind woman gave us free Ponche which is like hot cider, and it kept us warm while we watched the performance.

The most insane part of the night was when we tried to walk away from the performance. The crowd was so dense, that I couldn't control when I moved or what direction I moved in. At one point, I'm pretty sure I could have picked up both my feet and kept moving forward. I was completely wedged between the people beside, behind and in front of me. Half the time I was elbowing the person beside me in the back and the other half, I was being elbowed. Trying to maneuver this was hysterical. At one point, Jessica got stuck between people going in two different directions and literally got turned around so she was walking backwards. Of course, no was disturbed by this at all. People kept walking, pushing, shoving without an appearance of being crushed, uncomfortable or even impatient. The whole idea of personal space was completely destroyed for me last night, and it was kinda fun.

Of course, my participation in all these very Mexican activities did not prevent my standing out as a gringa. Jessica and I had three guys come up to us specifically to talk to me. Three times it was offered to buy me a drink, once to buy me food, and twice to dance. One of the guys was about my age and he came out of nowhere to stand incredibly close to me and ask me if I wanted to go get a beer. I don't like it when people stand three inches away from me to talk to me when there is plenty of space available. The guy who asked me to dance was drunk and wouldn't take no for an answer. He kept coming back to me and asking for "just one dance." We finally just walked away to avoid him. I guess my blond hair will forever prevent me from being truly Mexican.