A Donde Fuiste, Tiempo?

So, I've come to the obvious conclusion that I am god-awful at keeping up with this blog. BUT before you all sigh and give a collective nod in agreement, hear me out: You should be HAPPY that I haven't had time to be on my computer, right? Because I've been so busy doing awesome things, right?

Classes and community service is done, and thank the lord because I don't think I could handle any more. It was an amazing experience and it helped my Spanish mucho, but damn, I had a 9-5 job in Mexico. Writing 4-page papers in Spanish once a week is not how I want to spend my time, really.

My kids at DIF Capullos turned out to be the most wonderful kids I could ask for. There was a serious language barrier at first, but luckily I can whip out some good physical humor to get them laughing. I was working with 12-15 year olds teaching Salsa with my friend Kristin and my new amigo Republica Dominicana, Ismael. At first they pulled the whole, I'm a teenager and am not going to dance thing, but at the end it was awesome to see how into it they all were. We taught them a 2:30 routine and they had to perform it the last week for everyone. I was proud of those juvenillos.

The amazing thing is the lively character of each one of the kids. None of them have families, or families that they get to see more than a few times a year, but just being around them and soaking in their youth, you would never guess how absent that part of their life is. It didn't even really hit me until the last week. Bero's four aunts came to see her and as soon as she saw them walking down the path, she started crying and so did they. I couldn't imagine not being able to see my family whenever I wanted, but right then I could and it was terrible. Later, she was so elated the rest of class. It was heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. Unfortunately, I couldn't take a camera in or anything because of how protective the institution is. I hope I never forget their faces, or that of Jose that asked me over and over again to be a coballo (horse) until I couldn't stand up straight any more. Or Aurora and her tiny pig tails, who called me her madrina (godmother) and read me books in Spanish. Or the way Giselle insisted on calling me kely-kely. They had nothing but each other, but they were some of the happiest kids I have ever seen.

I went canyoning in Matacanes a few weeks ago. It was easily one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I could probably write 4 pages on how beautiful it was, but it's one of those things I can't do justice to through words. You must go. I can tell you a few things I did do though: I rode in the back of a pick up truck for 3 hours up a mountain at 5 a.m. on non-existent roads with crazy Mexicans watching the sun rise. repelled down 2 waterfalls, one 100 foot one, the other one into a dark cave. Then i did a jump into a pitch black cave, which was terrifying. THEN it started thunderstorming. I jumped off a 40 ft cliff into ice cold water in Mexico in a thunderstorm. I think that sums it up. I'm going to have to write in more detail about this later. I hope i never forget how beautiful it was. The 11 hours i was swimming, diving, spelunking, falling hurt like hell, but DAMN it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.

Yikes, I have to cut this entry short. I'm due for a quick beer with some amigos at the Luv Pub. More later. For now, enjoy these.

La Cucaracha

A few nights ago I was sittin outside my residence hall enjoying the most perfect weather you could imagine enjoying, and to my right sat a tiny little cucaracha. Actually, this is inaccurate. It was a mammoth cockroach (it's true, there are roaches everywhere in Mexico). My point is, that I didn't care at all, because I couldn't get over how incredibly pretty the Sierra Madre's were; silhouetted and surrounding me and my beautiful city. Me, a cockroach, the Sierras, a soft wind, and an undiscovered country. It was youth euphoria.

Speaking of euphoria, check out how last weekend went:Christie and me with our baby goat leg (pierna). It was delicious, btw. Three hours later, we were singing karaoke...in Spanish. Life goal #78 checked off.

We take a rusty long red van every weekend with our tour guide Chacho. He is a biker who motorcycles to Wisconsin once a year from Mexico...he also likes to Salsa. We dog pile into a van (12 of us or so) and listen to mariachi Latina music through a stations of static as we speed through tiny streets, busy streets, streets that shouldn't be streets. We stopped at this little village (I'm mad I can't remember the name) on on the way to Cola de Coballo. Lots of churches. Chacho said that in Mexico many catholics call themselves Catolica lite, haha.El Cola de Coballo (Horsetail) Cascadas. They were beautiful, and naturally, there were horses jaunting around. But THEN we took a little trip next door and saw bungee jumping. If you're curious, of course I did it, I'm in Mexico. No, I did not pee my pants, but I did ask the lady if my strap was tight enough about 43 times.
Woooosh.

It was incredible. I jumped backwards so for seconds all i could see was the sky sky sky skyyyy and then BAM trees rose into my vision and got close and closer to my face and then just like that, I was snapped back up. Incredible incredible incredible. I highly recommend it.

Yesterday we went to Las Grutas de García. Really cool caves, you would have liked them mom. We had to take a sketchy sky ride up to the top in a tiny car with about 60 people. It was definitely the sixth time I've almost died in Mexico, if I count the rusty carnival ride. The view from the top was beautiful though, and so were the caves. Of course the tour was the usual "See that rock over there? That's a giant gorilla, and over here...the rock that looks ridiculously similar, that's Mary and Joseph having a cookout." Nonetheless, I appreciated it (thanks for instilling some earthy appreciation, Ma).

I really need to write more about classes and my service learning project, but that is going to be done later this week. I have to post a debate about some issue I feel strongly about...in Spanish...mmm sounds broad. So yes, in a few days you will have the information that matters haha like culture, what I'm learning, and the like. Before I go, I'd like to add that I am now friends with the entire Football (American) team on campus. Damn it! So much for leaving the United States. Oh yea, They all have massive heads.

Ok, Hasta Luego,

K

El Primero Día de Clases

MEXICAN MEISTROS HAVE NO MERCY ON ENGLISH SPEAKING GRINGOS.

Well I have a 2 page paper to write in Spanish, so adios.



EFF

Wait. While I suffer, enjoy these from the carnival:

Thanks for letting me borrow your shorts, KirbsterAnd...

El Sonidito (The Little Sound)

Bienvenidos a mi blog!

This is everything I'm seeing, everything I'm doing, who I'm meeting, and the thoughts in between. Since this is a family friendly (ish) blog, I will be leaving some details out. You're welcome Mom and Dad! For those not of the faint hearted, you can ask me to tell the other side of my stories, or any question you like. Like, why is this the first picture I took in Mexico?
What a shame, I know. Anyways...Let's being with the city of Monterrey and campus! Monterrey is the third largest city in Mexico. It's unfortunately very Americanized, but with the help of some locals and a will to find some underground places, you can escape it easily. Monterrey is always moving, always grooving. Restaurants and antros (bars) seem to devour the streets, and there is a taco stand (if not two) on every corner. I'm waiting to build up my digestive system until I try one though. As most of you know, I don't eat meat from pigs and cows but it looks like I just might have to give that one up here. There is no chicken or turkey and the cabrito (baby goat looks delicious). It's Monterrey's trademark food. I fear for my life each time I cross a street or get in a cab, but I suppose they know what they are doing when they speed up to 50 mph to cross into oncoming traffic.

Campus is beautiful and is home to deer and ducks and peacocks that I guess they imported and keep there? I had to ask a peacock to move today when I opened a door. It's nice. Architecture is beautiful. This is the servillatero (napkin holder)
And these are Los Ángeles. I start classes tomorrow; an advanced Spanish class and a service learning class to learn more about my service learning site! Everyone I have met here has been really nice, we are all different which is nice. Enough of the boring stuff, now on to activities.

Oh wait! I forgot to say that I'm living better here than I do at home (not that I love home) but in my dorm I have AC, my own bathroom and kitchen (which VT did not offer), a stadium style movie theater and a gym downstairs. And did I mention I have a maid? Ok, now on to the better stuff.
We've gone out every night thus far. Cuando en México, I guess. It's been a blast. Every night I secretly giggle to myself because I have outsmarted the law. Querías una cerveza con cena(dinner)? Why yes, yes I would. How kind of you to ask. Our RA's are very different than the US. Here it is there job to take us out and show us a good time, and they have done amazing at that. Everyone in Mexico dresses up very nicely, which is refreshing to see. They also love to dance, not nasty pent up teen age sexuality dancing, but real dancing like the Salsa and the Meringue. Meghan and I with some of our RA's, Ivan y Alfonzo at Dubai. Many Mexicans love when American s come in. They turn on American music, which can get really really annoying sometimes. I thought I was escaping terrible pop music when I left the states aaaaahh. But our group has discovered a new favorite song, El Sonidito, and thus the title of this post. It is the most god awful annoying song you will most likely ever hear in your life, but it's so bad that we love it and the music is catchy. Because I like you so much, I'm going to present you with the link, here. But I digress. What I was saying was Mexicans (some of them) love Americans and want to practice their English on you, especially if you are a pretty girl. Poor Ingrid and me. We got sucked into their trap 2 nights ago. One guy just kept on saying " WHAT DA F***" I guess that's the only thing he knew...

Moving on! We hiked el Cerro de Silla (horse saddle) as as you can see, is aptly named. It's the landmark of Monterrey even though it is in the adjacent Guadalupe. It's a 3.3 mile hike to that pointy point you see, and although all of us except two, stopped at the halfway point, for our namesakes, we actually did go to the top. Shh. Oh how we were under prepared. I guess that Mexican's are all fit enough for the French Foreign Legion because they all told us it was a moderate hike. FALSE. It's supposed to take three and a half hours to get to the top and it took us three to get half way. It didn't help that it was a constant 40 degree angle on a path of jagged rock. Nonetheless, I had a great time and it was beautiful and rewarding at the "top" where we basked in the Mexican sun for an hour, with sun burns to prove it.
Ok, there is more to come like bungee jumping and cave diving and camping on beaches, so I'll keep in touch.

Nos Vemos!