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 impo
rted 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!
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 impo
rted 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!
Awesome KK!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update and I'm so glad you're having a blast. Do try the baby goat, it's beyond.
Oh, and thanks for the song link. Man, what a smokin video...