at home in Guanajuato

Having slept all the day away yesterday, I am actually sore from not getting my daily walk up the monstrous hill to the student housing (though I myself chose not to live in the student apartment, I visit friends up there). Interestingly, the daily walk up the very very VERY steep and cruel hill above the city somewho keeps my body happy; after the grueling walk I actually feel more alive. However, one lazy day in bed and my legs feel achey and tired. I guess it is like skipping a day at the gym while one is still getting used to the the exercise. I shall be sure to make that walk a daily occurance!

But I feel so at home here. This morning a stop at Cafe Tal during the break between classes, and saying hello to familiar folks who already feel like longtime aquaintances. Friends are made fierce and fast here, as many folks come and go. After class, a time on a park bench with a dear friend was like comfort food for the soul, and home to a lunch made by Valentina, a friend of the family (my host family is in VeraCruz for a small vacation). What a lovely day.

Tonight the plan is salsa class, then dinner with my sweet friend. Me gusta la vida en Guanajuato.

Christmas Eve, central Mexico style

Wow, Christmas eve was a fabulous family affair. After a full day of classes, I returned to the house at 5pm for a nap, having been told we were having a fiesta at 6. I awoke to the cheerful sounds of greetings and quickly headed downstairs. The house was full of happy people, some I had met at the ranch days before. Everyone was so nice and sincerely happy to see each other, and the feeling was infectious. In moments, I felt like I was adopted into this extended family, and my heart swelled. Rea (my housemate, a student from Japan) and I sat together, and tried to keep up our spanish with others at the table. The most common question was "aren`t you cold?" Because I apparently surprise everyone by not wearing a coat everywhere- it is chilly here but nothing like Colorado, so I am quite comfortable here. Dinner was very traditional for Christmas in Mexico: Tamales (carne and mole, and also cheese with salsa verde) and for a beverage, Champurrado (a hot chocolate drink with corn meal)... I did not have champurrado, it will surprise nobody who knows me that I had tequila instead. Wonderful! I had had this meal at a Mexican Christmas party just before leaving Colorado, and was thrilled to have it again. After dinner, we all gathered in the living room to swing the baby..... This was a tradition I had never witnessed: a doll of the baby Jesus was put in a lace cloth and swung gently between two people while the household sang many verses of the misterio- at least half an hour of singing these verses. Meanwhile we were all to hold lit candles which occasionally were used to light sparklers! After a while the kids in the house began to throw confetti, at the baby and at all of us. It was in good fun, and we were all covered in confetti by the end. Immediately upon ending the celebration/ceremony, people began to leave, as it was time for them to head to other houses to do the same thing. Quite an event, and I feel lucky to have been a part of it!

feliz navidad

Each day here I fel more alive and rejuvinated. It helps to have met someone really special who makes me feel like a princess. Lucky.

Here in Mexico the big celebration is tonight, on Christmas Eve. Tonight is a big night for fiesta!

I have spent the last few nights out till all hours, dancing the night away. ¡Bailar salsa! At the bar I hear all my favorite songs, be them bachata, salsa or raggaeton. I dance all night and feel more alive, all is well.

Too tired to write more at this time....

Guanajuato nights

Saturday night found me dancing at Cubamia, a salsa club - ahhh yes, worth the fuss.
By the end of the night, I was hooked on this place for sure. The morning brought the search of huevos rancheros since I have never had them before, and true to the small town that Guanajuato is, we were a table of 5 before long, having run into classmates by the time our coffee was served. The huevos rancheros were delicious. Que rico!

the weekend is here

I can`t believe I have only been here one week. I feel so at home here - I have made great friends, have learned the basic lay of the town, and feel comfortable with my host family. I actually had a very vivid dream last night outlining how I can manage to stay here 5 more months and not lose what I have at home... I am thinking very seriously. My visa will allow me to stay here 6 months.

Last night I went to the family`s house in the country, an hour drive out of Guanajuato. The long drive took us from paved road to gravel, to a dirt road with rocks and fissures that we navigated with caution considering the mammoth sized cake we carried in the back. The pastel, or cake, was a special tres leches con cafe cake for Karla who was having her 7th birthday party. Her grandmother greeted us with a large smile and a kiss for each of us on our right cheek and we had some small talk as we were handed cold beers. More and more people arrived and soon it was a fiesta to beat all others. There were kids and dogs and food and laughter; this amazing large family was full of so much joy. As each new group arrived, the pile of presents for her grew, and it was wonderful to watch.At nightfall the men strung the piñata - one side from the sturdy window frame and the other side held by a man on the roof. As the kids went to hit it, he raised, lowered, and swung it to and fro to everyone`s amusement. When the piñata broke, a swarm of folks rushed to the goods, with a chorus of screams and cheers. As the kids got more worn out and the night went on, the men brought out tequila mmmm! Great party, and how cool to be welcomed in like that.

over my head

Wow. Today´s lesson was quite a bit over my head. Yesterday I was sure I had been placed in the correct level, "low intermediate intensive", and I did well understanding, speaking, and doing the exercises. It was still challenging, but great. Then today - in the morning class I did well, had to ask some vocabulary questions but felt I was being challenged just enough. Then came the second class of the day.... verb conjugation in different times and tenses. Oh my brain hurt! Things like : "when speaking about an event that happened in the past but is ongoing we use the Present Perfect tense rather than using the Past Indefinite." Ohhhh boy. I never learned these terms like "Present Indicative" and "Pluperfect" and "Imperfect Subjunctive" and such. My head was swimming as I tried to write my exercises saying "Have Antonio and Antonia reserved the church? No not yet but they have been speaking with their parents". Seems simple, but once you try and conjugate irregular verbs etcetera, whoa! After class I sat for an hour redoing my work, which had been a mess. The professor said not to worry, that I will get it, but today was a workout on my brain, that´s for sure!

After class I went for a walk and noticed the men who want to say hi all say "Adios" instead of "Hola". I remember learning something about this in my medical spanish course, that because you are not expecting to stay and talk, you go ahead and say bye as your way of saying hello. Interesting!

A wonderful lunch en Centro de Ciudad - mmmm so yummy, que rico. And the best of it was that it was with new friends. This travel alone thing is brilliant, why I didn´t do this before is beyond me. I was surrounded by languages as we each lapsed into our mother tongues searching for translations - Dutch, German, English, French... all the while giggling as we searched in our dictionaries and verb books and giving study tips. And as I sat with these 20-something year olds who were already world travelers, I wondered what I have been doing with my life.

I think about my furnished apartment and wonder why I renewed my lease. I could stay here. Is it possible to fall in love with a place? The city of Guanajuato is so small that I continue to run into people I have met randomly. The beauty of the place is not only in the architecture and vibe, but in the people too. The university is in the center of town and hanging out there feels revitalizing, though I am saying this after only having been down there one day, haha.

I visited the large flea market and got myself a watch - I actually came here without one, forgetting it, but it was easy to get a modest timepiece for only $65pesos which is about $6.50dollars. (In Mexico the $ sign is also used to denote money, you just say pesos to deliniate between those and dollars). There were many other things to look at there but nothing I wanted to buy, though it was fun to look.

I mentioned to Tamara that I love dancing (me gusta mucho bailar!) and turns out she does too, so tonight we are gonna hit the club for some Salsa we hope. Anyway that is the plan. Whoo hoo! Problem is I have nothing to wear; everything I brought is cargo pants and hiking boots. Well, I suppose it will have to do....

My host mom has told me that she worries about me because I am never home. I had considered getting an apartment when I made my plans but had wanted to be further immersed in the culture by living with a family. Funny, because she is right, I am never home! This morning she said to me "you are my kids here, and you don´t eat with me" and I felt guilty. Tomorrow I will have to be sure to dine with her for lunch, the most important meal of the day - set from 1:30 - 3pm. Today I gave her the gifts I brought from Colorado and she was so sweetly moved, I was glad I did that. She hugged me and thanked me so much I sort of was embarassed all I got them were Colorado t-shirts!

Tonight we have round two of the cultural class, and I am so very tired, I am not sure how I can keep my eyes open for it and then also go dancing. I will, though, as last night proved, as soon as Javier starts talking I will be thoroughly entertained. Last night´s lesson was on the Posada, the procession re-enacting Mary and Joseph (Maria y Jose)´s search for an Inn... Interesting to learn how the Spanish brought Roman Catholocism here to Mexico in the "second conquest" of the indiginous peoples and why the religion is different here than elsewhere - because of the influence of the indiginous people on the development of a new religion. Also very nice to get a focused explanation of the significance of the things done, sung, eaten, and seen during the Posada, since I participated in the service of Posada prior to leaving (thanks Angel!) and watched the Posada on the street here my first night here. I don´t know tonight´s topic but it may be the same since this is a big festivo from Dec 16-24.

So, my homework awaits, and then there is class, and oh my I haven´t left any time for getting myself prettied up for dancing!!! Better run.... Ciao!

the first day here

Mexico me encanta!

I arrived yesterday after not sleeping a wink the night before, and having not rested only made the experience more surreal. One layover in Dallas, and then it was onto a small jet to cross into my new reality. I slept a bit on the flight, and woke to turbulence over the mountains surrounding Leon. As we approached, I finally felt the excitement that had eluded me for these last weeks. The fear was gone.

At first my impression was one of familiarity - the palm trees and balmy weather made me think of my trips to Africa. Customs was quick and polite and my first Spanish in country was to the officer.¨Buenas tardes." when he responded with a polite "buenas tardes" back and looked over my paperwork and passport, it hit me - I was really doing this.

Liz was waiting for me with a sign that had my name and the name of my school (don Quijote) and introductions included meeting Eric, who had flown in just before me. We rode together for the half hour drive from Leon to Guanajuato, chatting about the weather in our hometowns, our families, and about our professions. Along the way I was struck by the signs beside the road reminding us to make good choices; they were not such that we have in the States like "pull accidents away from traffic" - rather, they say things like "work for the good of your family", and "stay healthy".

Much of the motor traffic in Guanajuato travels through the city in tunnels, and pedestrians are above, winding along labyrinth like roads twisting this way and that. Eric and I were pretty sure we knew where we were going as we traversed the town on foot, only to realize we were completely lost. However, after a full day of exploring we had gotten our bearings enough to realize that we really were never totally lost. Walking up the steep incline to his rented apartment high above the center of town proved a test for my cardiovascular status; I was embarassed that my Denver conditioned self was out of breath when we reached the top. But, to my amazement, within a 15 minute period of reaching the top and exploring, my breath felt as if it drew real life into me and I felt better than I have in as long as I can remember.

My host family is so very nice, and they greeted me with love and welcome. My room is a double but I have it to myself, and the space is comfortable. The house is only minutes away from the school and very convenient. I didnt spend much time in there this day, as Eric and I were both so excited about discovering our new home. We got some photos from the rooftop of his place and then headed to find a cantina! In the Cantina Cubano, a local dive bar, we met some interesting folk and tried our hand at conversational spanish while enjoying some cold cervesas. After meeting his roommate and popping in to see my host family again, we headed out for dinner and drinks and to see more of downtown. At BarFly we went to the roof where there appeared to be a private party of some sort, were greeted with hollers from the patrons "Ai! Aqui los americanos!" so I guess we were pretty obvious.... The bartender asked, "De donde eres?" and when I replied with "Denver" everyone got excited and yelled "Broncos!" - we were instantly told to make ourselves at home.

A fine introduction to Guanajuato, I felt myself thinking as I fell asleep in my new home. I wonder why I decided against staying for the 6 months I originally threatened. I am so wishing I could indeed do that, but I cannot begin to cover payments for rent at home should I do that. This was the best idea I ever had, only the disappointment is that it is only for 4 weeks. Who knows, my visa is good for 6 months, I will continue to dream about the possibilities.

So, my flight to Leon/Guanajuato leaves in about 6 hours, and I am feeling a mixture of excitement, nerves, and uncertainty. I know this will be the best experience, and I have been talking about doing this for years, so why the jitters? I have never traveled alone... although I have seen a lot of the world, it was always with my family or a close friend. I am ready, though, to be immersed in the language and to have a new experience. Having been a slave to my graduate school program for the last 5 years, stepping outside of my comfort zone and my reality for 4 weeks is just what I need. I have been listening to Mexican radio daily and have been urging my Mexican friends to speak spanish with me - still this departure doesn't seem quite real. In 12 hours I will be arriving in Mexico to meet my host family and have a whole new experience. My bag is (mostly) packed, I wonder if I overpacked. At this point, there is no turning back, and that sentiment in itself makes for an exciting evening as I await the departure hour! Today was about running around: buying batteries, alarm clock, a notebook, toiletries.... saying goodbye and giving out holiday wishes to friends, making calls. I am now thinking about little things, like were the gifts I bought for my host family enough, and will they like them? I got little things that say "Colorado" on them so I can show them where I am from, and hope they like the sentiment. It is the first time I will spend the holidays away from my family, and I am a little nervous about barging in on another family for their holidays, but I know in my heart it will be a wonderful time. It is 12:08 am. My ride will be here in 3 hours. I am ready.

the home stretch

This is no longer a trip to meet the parents, I tell myself. This is for me. This is for me. This is for me. (my mantra, I am starting to believe it). Though the energy behind the trip has changed, I can thank the Cosmos for bringing him into my life, which connected me with so many other Mexican families who I have been able to help and grow to love, and I can see that his influence brought me to realize my next Great Adventure. So it's Christmas on my own - sans The Boy - and a New Year single rather than the anticipated buzzing nerves that come with "meeting the folks".... I can do this... Amerispan is great, they were open to having me add in that week of additional classes that was left free for a week in Jural with his family.

I am off to Guanajuato, which is central Mexico, north of Mexico City. Photos have prepared me for the Spanish Colonial architecture with cobblestone streets and beautiful churches; I am sure to take too many pictures to post and beg everyone to see.

I started with a Medical Spanish course this summer, and since then have been practicing my conversational skills as I am able... This method of immersion should prove to solidify and allow me to make greater strides in a shorter time. I will be living with a family that has a small child, and that will be fun (and maybe a good help for my speaking level!)

So - passport (check!), hiking boots (check!), camera (check!), ticket (check!)

I am ready - I can do this on my own.

Luego!

it's a start....

So, a blog that will chronicle my many adventures.. should I find them - or do they find me?

The next great journey as it unfolds - is it the trip to Mexico? Is it simply getting through final exams.... errrg....

We shall see together!