Happy New Year's Eve!

Holiday post, coming soon!

Happy New Year!!

Rotary Trip: RUTA MAYA

Hello everyone! This is the long awaited blog post about my giant rotary trip! I really don't know what to say about the trip- it was probably the fastest 2 weeks of my life, filled with silly exchange student antics, incredible sights, and lots of time on a bus. So, get excited for cool pictures of interesting things!

Monte Alban! WOO RUINS

Barro Negro- passed down through generations! Literal translation: Black Mud

WOW DREAM BIG!

Giant Tree

Because I am on exchange in Mexico, we visited a Mezcal factory with Rotarians.

                                                            (Mezcal, basically tequila)

Sumidero Canyon

Cascadas de Aguas Azules (Blue Water Waterfalls) in Chiapas

My German friend Jula and I! Thanks Grandma for the flag :)

Palenque: Ruins

Tulum

After Tulum, we went to Xel- Ha, one of the many parks around Cancun. You can snorkel, swim with dolphins, and eat. It's really big so it's hard to do everything if you don't really know what there is, so it's a good idea to check out the park map beforehand! Since we are exchange students, we took pictures with the lifeguards! There are a lot more embarrassing pictures, but we'll just leave you with this..

Photo credit goes to Cleo Rogers from Nebraska!
Me, Cleo, Our Lifeguard Miguel, Jula, and Kira

We also went to Xplor, which was awesome! It was all zip-lining and tunnels and cool stuff. If you go to Cancun, go there! There are no pictures though :( We also went to X- Caret, but no one really had that much enthusiasm so there aren't really cool pictures.. sorry!

Next: Coco Bongo! Coco Bongo is one of the biggest/ best/ most famous clubs in all of Latin America. There is a show, a bar meant for dancing, and an open bar. If you like that sort of thing, it's definitely worth going. It is, however, made for tourists, and expensive. 

Photo Credit to Cleo Rogers! 

Last day in Playa del Carmen:

One of the 7 wonders of the world! Chichen- Itza!! WOO!

The last part of my trip was a quick stop (as in a hour) in Villahermosa. My friend from Watertown, Elaine Anderson, lives there! When you're in your hometown, it's not really that big of a deal to run into someone you know. But when you're in another country and you get the chance to chat with someone from YOUR town, going through the same things, it's really cool. Anyways, here we are eating Dairy Queen outside of my bus! P.S. Her blog is awesome- elenavaamexico.blogspot.com

That's all! I know it was sort of brief and not real detailed, but I hope you all enjoyed it! If you have any questions, please ask! Hasta Luego!

Mexico City!

Hi everyone!

On November 16th,  I got back from a trip to the Federal District of Mexico , the equivalent of Washington D.C, also known as Mexico City. Some fun facts:  

Mexico City is at an altitude of 2,240 meters (7,350 feet). I'm at sea level in Veracruz.

The Mexico City Metropolitan Area Population is 21.2 million people. Watertown has 30,000.

Mexico City is the 8th richest city in the world. 

Alright, that doesn't really tell you a whole lot about what it's actually like, but it does give you some interesting facts to whip out from time to time. I also can't give you a perfect look into the average day of someone living in Mexico City because I don't live there and I went as a tourist. I was speaking Spanish with my class from a town in Mexico, but we are still tourists. 

We went to Mexico City with our art teacher to see, well, art. It was my first trip to Mexico City and I was basically amazed at everything. It is an enormous city and there is so much to see. Instead of going through everything we did, I'll just share the things I found really interesting or important.

First, the Torre Latinoamericano, or Latinamerican Tower. There were elevators, but lucky us- one was broken. We had to walk up around 5 sets of stairs, which wouldn't have been a big deal except for the change from sea level in Veracruz to really high in Mexico City. Anyways, the view from the top of the tower was incredible. Mexico City is enormous, and we could see roads going in every direction off into the very distant distance.

One of the museums we went to had a really cool exhibit by Ron Mueck. We walked into one of the rooms, and we found this:

Yes, it's a sculpture of a woman lying in her bed. Pretty normal, except for the fact that it is enormous and extremely lifelike! Other sculptures included a woman carrying sticks, a huge head, a man in a boat, a giant chicken hanging from the ceiling, and a young man pulling up his shirt to check out a cut on his ribs. It all looks just this real too!

This next picture doesn't really have that much to do with Mexico City. I have made it a side goal of my exchange year to take as many pictures with soldiers/ marines as possible. So: In the National Palace, I decided to take advantage of being an American tourist and asked to take a picture with these guys!

Another cool part about the National Palace are the murals by Diego Rivera. There is one mural that supposedly covers the complete history of Mexico. Here's part of it:

Also, I was able to pass through the rooms used by the president! I have never been to the White House, so this was my first time in any such building. Unfortunately, pictures are not allowed, so you'll just have to believe me when I say it's really very cool. There's even a picture of George Washington!

I had the opportunity to go to a ballet in the Beautiful Arts Palace during my trip. The ballet was "Taming of the Shrew" by Shakespeare, and it was incredible! It was a great experience.

One of my favorite stops was the Monument of the Revolution. It's basically a giant arch to remember, well, the Revolution. I enjoyed seeing the city from so high up again. I managed to grab a picture with some cadets while we were there.

The last stop we made, and probably my favorite, was in Coyoacan outside of Mexico City in Frida Kahlo's museum. The museum is her old house, and it's amazing to say you've walked through a famous artist's home. There is tons of original artwork, and you aren't allowed to take pictures, but I promise it's cool. If you remember Diego Rivera (from the National Palace murals), he was Frida Kahlo's husband. He later cheated on her with her own sister, but that's another story!

So, that's my trip to Mexico City in a nutshell! It was nice to be able to see another part of Mexico, learn something about history and art, and spend time with my classmates. Hope you liked it!

WOOO Mail :)

I know I'm supposed to be writing about my trip to Mexico City and my Rotary trip, buuuut I'll get to that. Today I'm going to write about the pleasant surprise I got in the mail! As you've probably seen in my previous posts, mail from the U.S. to Mexico is not exactly reliable or prompt. With this in mind, everytime I get mail is like Christmas morning, I hum, I dance, etc. Okay, all joking aside, it's a pretty big deal. It's even cooler when you get a package from a really good friend out of the blue.
The point of this post is to say that I like packages, and I have the best friends in the world.
Thank you to Taylor and her family :)

Your gifts and notes made my day!

Blogs- in 2 weeks!

I have lots of exciting things to talk about, because I just got back from Mexico City and I'm leaving Monday for a 2 week trip with other exchange students, but I don't have time right now! I barely had time to get back, unpack, and pack a new suitcase! I promise, though, that in December there will be at least 2 blog posts regarding my adventures in Mexico!

P.S. If you want to comment, but don't know how, just e-mail me at wagner.tay@gmail.com
P.P.S. I don't know how to comment on other blogs, so I won't judge you :)

Dia de Muertos

This year I celebrated my very first “Día de Muertos”, or “Day of the Dead”. I had heard of Day of the Dead festivities throughout my four years of Spanish, but never having taken part in the celebration, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Let’s start with a little history: Day of the Dead is actually TWO days, November 1^st and November 2^nd, which for all the Catholics happens to be All Saints Day and All Souls Day. The first day is dedicated to children, the second to everyone else. This is of course not coincidental.  Day of the Dead originated in Mexico way before the Spanish arrived. The exact date is unknown but it has been speculated that the idea originated with the Olmecs, possibly as long as 3000 years ago. This concept was passed to other cultures such as the Toltecs, Maya, Zapotec, Mixtec and Aztecs. Zapotec and Mixtec influence are strong in Oaxaca. The Aztec celebration was held during the Aztec month of Miccailhuitontli, presided over by the goddess Mictecacihuatl Lady of the Dead, and dedicated to children and the dead. Following the Spanish conquest of Mexico during the 16th century, there was a strong effort to convert the native population to Catholicism. There was a good deal of reluctance on the part of the indigenous people which resulted in a blending of old customs with the new religion.

                One of the traditions is setting up altars in homes in honor of their deceased relatives and loved ones. A Day of the Dead altar includes fruit, candles, flowers, water, and favorite beverages and foods of the deceased. I helped with my family’s altar, which we decorated with colored papers, before adding the offerings. Our altar had fruit, flowers, coffee, tequila, a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, and candles. I personally am a big fan of decorating for any holiday, so I really enjoyed it. I also had the opportunity to decorate an altar with the women Rotarians in another Rotarians house. This altar was much bigger with three levels. My very creative cousin, Tony, came with and was immediately chosen to be in charge of the decorating. This altar included bread and sugar skulls, along with all the other typical elements.

My altar!

Rotary's Altar

On November 1^st, our Rotary club had a dinner to celebrate. We were told to dress up, so I dressed up as a “catrina” or skeleton, wearing traditional clothes. This ensemble is frequently seen on TV in the days leading up to Day of the Dead. What do you think? We ate tamales, Rotarians sang Karaoke and told jokes, and I ended up falling asleep in the car. With my face painted as a skeleton, my parents said my sleeping face was quite frightening at 3 in the morning, when we finally left the party.

  

                On November 2^nd, my family took me with them to visit the cemeteries where their relatives are buried. The cemeteries were very different from any I’ve ever seen, and really full. We left flowers on the graves, and continued on to two more cemeteries to do the same. Although my family didn’t, there were many people eating lunch on their relatives’ graves. This is not seen as disrespectful at all, in fact it’s a way to remember and share the celebration with their loved ones.

                The traditions of Day of the Dead create an entirely different outlook on death for those who partake in the holiday. Death is not seen as something scary and unknown, it is just a part of life. Although I spent the day walking through cemeteries, I did not really feel sad. It was nice to honor the graves, even if it is just one day a year. This was a very important part of my exchange experience because I actually took part in an important cultural holiday. I was able to integrate into their traditions as well as share some of my own culture.

"We're thinking of getting another dog..."

Before going to Mexico, I understood that life would go on in Wisconsin without me. The seasons would go from summer to fall to winter to spring, just like they always do. My siblings would get taller. My family would go on trips and make memories without me. The highway construction project would continue. They would finish repairing the steeple of a church in town. It all made sense, I mean we all know that time doesn’t just stop.

                Now that I’m in Mexico, I like to think that time has actually stopped in Wisconsin. That it’s still summer, my siblings have not changed at all, all construction and advancement in general has been postponed, and everything would stay exactly as it was. I realized today when my family decided to get a puppy, that this is not the case. Just a couple days ago my mom happened to mention that she was thinking of MAYBE getting a dog. Today I get an e-mail from my little cousin that clarifies; my mom knew she was going to get a dog in the next day or so. It’s one thing to be with your family when they tell you there’s a new pet in the house and there in front of your face is a real, live dog. But it’s very different to be in another country, see a picture of a dog, and be able to grasp the whole concept. So here I am, saying, “Oh, what a cute dog! Puppies are so cute,” but it hasn’t sunk in that when I get back to my house sometime next summer, there will actually be a real dog there. This is not really that big of a change. My parents could decide to move to another country, or do something truly drastic. Buying a dog is not traumatic in any way, shape, or form. I like to imagine going on walks with this new family pet, being good friends. I also have a fear it will hate me and refuse to let me enter the house. Anyways, my point is:

It is really easy to go and do and accept that you personally will change from all the new experiences in your host country. It is not quite as simple to believe that your family will also change, they will have new experiences because of your absence, and that life goes on. I will have to accept it, though, because it’s happening. Life won’t stop because I’m not there, and that’s a good thing. Youth exchange isn’t really just a year of transition for the students; it is a transition for the entire family. At least my family got a puppy instead of moving and forgetting to tell me.

Mail!

2 Months in Mexico!!!

Before I left for exchange, we had an assignment from Rotary to read "The Exchange Student's Survival Guide", which at the time was almost painful. I literally fell asleep everytime I opened the book. Now, though, it has become a prized possesion, and I can read chapters as if they were the most interesting thing ever written. According to this sacred book, from the end of the first month until the fourth month students experience culture fatigue. Also known as spontaneously bursting into tears, getting angry for no reason, falling asleep at any time, etc. Let's just say that book somehow managed to exactly pinpoint how I feel now, at the milestone of 2 months in Mexico. Before anyone gets the wrong idea, I am very, very happy in Mexico. I have an awesome host family and I have lots of fun here. I do not want to come home, so no one try to tell my parents they need to come get me. I would tell them thanks for visiting, but I'm not leaving. SO, everyone understands I'm happy and don't want to leave? Alright, I'm glad we are all on the same page. But, being an exchange student can be tiring, and sometimes you just miss your home- it's all you have ever known, after all. In fact, besides my family, I miss things like going to the grocery store or renting movies on TV.

Luckily though, the mail has a way of arriving just when you need it. Today I received a package from home! I am now the proud owner of 2 beautiful ball point pens, a brand new book, a book borrowed from a friend, and some awesome ties for my eco friendly, closet's best friend shoes. Mohops, look them up, they are amazing. Anyways, whenever I receive anything from home I make a scene. For instance, when the mail man walked to our door today and asked for Taylor, I hurdled over furniture and nearly tripped on my computer cord to get there, I guess I thought if I didn't hurry he would leave. Anyways, I had to sign for it, and it took me like 3 tries to understand where. (I do understand Spanish, I promise, I was just so excited!) In my excitement I forgot to notice that he said my name right. 10 points to the mail man! ALSO, I got a card from my mom! She sent it the same day as the package, so it makes sense right? Coming from the US perspective of mail gets to its destination on time, and if you send a letter and a package the same day, they get there the same day, you would think it's normal. Apparantly not though, because the letters I sent on the same day -three of which are to the same town- somehow got separated and are arriving one by one. Seeing as I have been in Mexico for 2 months now, I was shocked to discover I got not only a package, but a letter too! So, in conclusion, getting mail is awesome.

 I love it. If you're bored one day, write me a letter, and I will be forever grateful. I would take a picture of my gifts and letter, but I can just imagine the stereotypes I would create on both ends, "Did you see how excited that white girl got about mail? Americans are so crazy, no one loves mail that much." or, "Why did they send her books? No books in Mexico? Don't they have pens in Mexico? Oh, they write on stones, don't they?" But, to be honest I love mail, books, and pens. Yes there are pens and books in Mexico, but that's beside the point: I love mail!

(Just in case someone actually is interested in sending me mail:

Francisco Villa 6-A Col. Flores Magon

Boca del Rio, Veracruz, Mexico 94290)
And last but not least,

Happy, happy, happy birthday to my mom in Wisconsin!

Questions, Thoughts, Pictures

A couple weeks ago, I had my mom ask around to see what people wanted to know about my life in Mexico. One of the topics that came up was "What do you see on your way to school?" So here is the answer:
My school is about 10 minutes away from my house. Classes start at 7 in the morning, so we try to leave the house by 6:40. We barely ever actually leave at that time, but hey, at least we have goals. This time in the morning it is usually still a little cool and it is dark. Leaving the house we pass by other houses, most of which are painted bright colors. All the houses have gates over their windows and doors. Some have small lawns, most don't. We also pass by little stores, such as a papeleria, or stationary store, which has everything from pens to gum to photocopies. There are restaurants selling picadas for around 6 pesos, about 50 cents in the U.S. My mom swerves to avoid potholes and abruptly slows, slamming the breaks to go over a speed bump, several times on every street. When we get on the boulevard, I see the ocean out of my window. The sun is starting to come up, and there are barges coming and going from the port. There is a lighthouse on an island that is restricted to the public.The sky is purple, pink, orange, and blue. It's something I never see at home, and it's amazing every day. We go under an overpass, passing by the plaza. I have no idea what the speed limit is, btu I'm pretty sure it's just a suggestion that no one abides by. We go really fast, and cars switch lanes whenever they want, only using the directionals when they can't find a spot to squeeze into. Stop lights are taken as a dare. When the green light starts to flash, it's about to turn yellow and almost immediately after red, so there's a mess of slowing down and speeding up. When there are 3 lanes, it's really more like 5, so people drive wherever they please. When I get to my school, the sun is halfway up, and I rush into my classroom. It's only 7:10, and already my day has been full of rushing around and crazy traffic.

Another question from my family was "Why are there so many women around all the time, and very few men?" Well here you go:
It has more to do with my family specifically than general Mexican culture. My host mom was an only child. My host dad only has one sister. They only had two daughters, and my aunt only had 2 daughters. My aunt is divorced, and my two cousins don't have boyfriends right now. It was really just by chance that there are so many women and basically no men. When the whole big extended family gets together, there are more men, but in general it's just my dad. My mom has 2 good friends who come to the house fairly often, so then even more women are around! If I had a different host family, I may have been around guys all the time. For example, my mom's friend Gina has 3 brothers, and 3 sons. In her family, she is almost always the only woman. Who knows what my next host family will be like! Obviously in any culture, women and men are both significant. There are different roles in every culture for men and women, and although sometimes it seems that one is subordinate, I think that is quite misleading. In Mexico, the women typically do the laundry, clean the house, make the food, and take care of the kids. That's not to say the men don't do anything, nor is it to say the women do everything. I think the women are actually in quite a powerful situation. They manage the household, they have a lot of responsibility. The women are an incredibly significant part of culture. All the history of a place can be found in the stories of the women- how they are treated, the food they make, how they raise their children. So anyways, it was just by chance that there are so many women around all the time, but I think it has provided me with a very interesting and unique experience.

Next, this wasn't a question, but I felt like talking about it. Part of being a Rotary Youth Exchange student is being a "cultural ambassador". It's kind of an ambiguous term, I mean, what exactly does a "cultural ambassador" do? As I spend more and more time in Mexico around Mexicans, I start to realize what the job of a "cultural ambassador" entails and how important it is. It's about correcting stereotypes and misconceptions, and showing a different side of your culture to people. I'm often asked, "What do Americans think of Mexicans? That we ride around on donkeys and drink tequila?" Well, responding for an entire country is a bit of a responsibility. I don't want to completely confirm the stereotype, but sometimes it is true. In this situation, I usually respond with something like, "Most people do not think that, although there are some. Many people know that Mexicans do not ride around on donkeys all the time and drink tequila." It's sort of an answer, right? Unfortunately, I do know people who think that, so I can't honestly say that no one does. Thanks to movies like Mean Girls, I usually am asked if girls are really like that in high schools. Now, this is not the time when I break out the stories about girls pulling hair and beating up each other in the hallways. I try to save that for another more appropriate time, which is well, never. I explain that most of the time, high schools are not at all like the movies. "Are cheerleaders skanky?" is another good question. Seeing as I was a cheerleader, it gets kind of personal. I'm quick to say it is not like that at all, but again, it's hard to define an entire group of people who are different in every school throughout the country. "Are there lots of pregnant girls?" Well, thank you MTV for spreading that wonderful stereotype throughout the world. This is another loaded question. How do I answer honestly, saying "Yes, it happens" while not confirming the misconception that all American girls are pregnant all the time? I try my best to explain that it happens, and it's relatively common, but it's not like every single girl in the high school has 3 kids. "Why are girls in the US so forward with boys?" Again, movies have really contributed to this idea of American women being really easy, and it's definitely a very negative stereotype. I usually just try to say it's not like that, although there are some, the majority are not the way they seem in movies. One of my proud exchange student moments is when people tell me, "I always thought Americans were very disconnected from their families and never spend time with them, but when I hear you talk, I can see that it is not like that for all families." Maybe I just got lucky having a family that spends time together and lives relatively close to each other, but it's a really cool thing to tell people that we do stay close to our families, we do care about our grandparents, and we don't just move away from our families and never talk to each other. It is a very different way of life in the United States, but it has been really cool to be able to tell people that it's not always like that. There are a lot of questions I am asked that I can't answer. It's impossible to respond for an entire country. I hope I am helping to correct misconceptions and being succesful in my job as a "cultural ambassador". Also, please keep in mind all the stereotypes there are of your own culture and how generally incorrect they are, when you hear or see a stereotype about another culture. Stereotypes are not a good way of judging a different culture- culture is made up of people who are each incredibly unique, and it cannot be defined by one simple observation that is generally not true. Before we judge another culture, it's important to remember all the misconceptions that can be made about our own culture, and how wrong they can be.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, some completely unrelated pictures!

Me with some soldiers!

Delicious food! It's a Gorda Dulce (Sweet Gorda, aka Fat) covered with cream and cheese. It's got a sort of black licorice flavor, and it's so good. Mexico has awesome food.



View of Veracruz from the top floor of a hotel! This is looking towards the port, and the tall building is the Pemex Tower. This view was incredible. There is someone in the background, but I don't know who!



RYE Event in Veracruz!

On Wednesday, September 14, all the exchange students in my district, 4190, came to Veracruz for our first event! Our event was from the 14th until Sunday, the 18th. I could go on and on about what we did, but that's not as exciting as the camaraderie and memories made. (If you want to see pictures, there are 200 of them at this link, I hope! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150299599079779.338009.540949778)

Quick overview:

Wednesday was a welcome party at a hotel in the center of Veracruz. Thursday was a tour of the Baluarte of Santiago, a couple museums throughout the city, the aquarium, and free nieve (kind of like ice cream). Friday was a pool party at a Rotarian’s house. Saturday was the naval museum and later the pool. Sunday was goodbye to the Inbounds from other cities who were visiting.

There are around 45 students in my district, from all over the world. Highest in numbers is Brasil, closely followed by Germany, and then it's a tie for the rest of the countries. We have students from Finland, Taiwan, US, Australia, Turkey, and Hungary to name a few. I went to a few Rotary events at home, and Grand Rapids is definitely one of the most amazing things ever, but it's quite different from being in a smaller group of students from all over, while in another country. All languages could be heard, some students switching between 2 or 3, if not more. We exchanged pins and business cards, took millions of pictures, and somehow we were all able to talk to each other, using Spanish, English, charades, whatever it takes. There is something that brings exchange students together so quickly. It's knowing they understand what you are going through, and that they are also taking part in the same amazing experience at the same time. I know this brief overview doesn't begin to explain what it's like, but it's kind of indescribable. If you comment and ask specific questions about this post, I'll be sure to answer them!

September 11th, 2011

I remember September 11th, 2001. I was 8 years old. I heard something bad had happened, and I remember that a classmate drew his understanding of the events on the chalkboard. I really did not know much about it until I was older, and although I will never understand, I know what happened.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the day that changed the United States forever. Every year in school, we have a moment of silence. After that short minute or so, life goes on. Maybe we talk about it in class, maybe everyone is a little quieter for a while. By lunch, everyone is back to normal, laughing and joking about whatever was on TV the night before. 

This year, September 11th means more to me than it ever has. This is the first year I have ever thought about how significant the day is, not just to Americans, but to the whole world. Hearing my host dad say, "I remember where I was when I heard the news," forever changed my perspective. An entire country was grieving, but what's more, the entire world was. When those Twin Towers were attacked, people everywhere were devastated. It was an attack on freedom, reaching farther than the borders of one country. As I watched movies and news reels depicting the events, I was so struck with emotion for the first time. The day changed everyone and everything everywhere.

A Little Bit of Rambling, A Little Bit of Life

So my family has been telling me that they want a blog post. I wasn't sure what to write about, because there is just so much! I would write on one topic, but then I get carried away and a post on food turns into a post on seatbelts. Better to just have a general update. I decided to just talk about everything that comes to mind, and I can't promise that all of it will be interesting to everyone. Feel free to read what you like, skip what you don't, and share what you love.

First, I'm going to talk about weather. I'll start by saying that it is hot, all the time. I'm not too great with celsius, so I don't know exactly how hot. The one day I checked the weather channel online, it was 90 degrees fahrenheit, but "felt like 100". That is not the sort of thing you want to ever read. Feels like 100? I thought it was a joke, or a typo, but unfortunately it was not. In my house, and most houses, we have air conditioning, but only in the bedrooms. Fans help, and if you're lucky there is a breeze, but really, I never could have imagined living somewhere where it is so hot we take at least two showers a day. Aunt Kathy, if you're reading this, I think I found an entire country who bathes as much as you do!

Second, there are bugs here, and lots of them. Itty bitty ants are always crawling around, but those are the least of my worries. I still hate spiders with a passion, but I managed to let a daddy long leg cross my path without freaking out. This is big stuff for me! The little salamanders still garner a little (okay a lot) of fear, but I do my best to just turn around and walk/ run somewhere else. I just try to ignore all of those little creatures. I have bug bites all over my legs, and I can only hope that they are from mosquitoes.

Next, time. This may not seem like the most fascinating aspect of my exchange, but it is definitely prevalent in my daily life. For comparison sake, let’s just say that arriving to an event between 10 minutes early and 10 minutes late is pretty typical. When it gets to be an hour in either direction, it starts to be a little rude.  In the U.S., I am pretty typical as far as timeliness goes. Although my mom may disagree, I tend to be on time. How many of you have heard, “To be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late, and to be late is unacceptable.”? Well, I’m pretty sure no one in Mexico has heard this. It may be the opposite, in fact. Being early is almost unheard of, and being on time is extremely rare. “Late” practically does not exist in this society.  At first this was really difficult for me, as I would be ready to go somewhere, only to wait another hour or two. However, this concept is really kind of beautiful. We don't rush here, and quality time is a must. There is no agenda set in stone, and nothing is so important that it takes you away from your family. Now, I find myself enjoying this. Instead of checking my watch and rushing to the next activity, one of many on a never ending list, I spend lots of time with people who really matter.

Now I should probably talk about school. I'm technically studying "Communication and Publicity". My schedule :

Monday is Methods of Investigation, Social Psychology, Written and Oral Expression, and Computer class. Tuesday is Methods of Investigation, Drawing Techniques, and Written and Oral Expression. Wednesday is Written and Oral Expression, Social Psychology, Theory of Communication, and Computer class. Thursday is Written and Oral Expression, Drawing Techniques, and Theory of Communication. Friday is English. So, everyday is different, and every class is in a block of 2 hours, except Written and Oral Expression, which is only an hour. We have tons of breaks, at least between every class and sometimes the teachers just leave early. Monday and Wednesday I end around 2, and Tuesday and Thursday are around 12. I'm not really sure about Friday because I haven't gone to school on a Friday yet. I start everyday at 7 (which is so early in relation to when we go to sleep). My experience with the teachers has been pretty good. Some are really nice, and none have been standoffish or unfriendly. All in all, they treat me like all the other students, although I really don't have to do homework or pay attention in class. They know that my primary reason for being there is to learn more Spanish, and the content of the classes isn't as important. One thing that still confuses me is the conflict between the name of the class and the actual material. It seems like all my classes are really the same class with different names. This could just be my complete confusion as an exchange student, but I'm pretty sure I understand enough to know my teachers are all saying the same thing. I guess it's more about the application of the material than the material in my school, whereas I had a lot of classes in the US that had a lot to do with memorization. That is not to say my education in the US was worthless, quite the contrary. I have had many wonderful classes with incredible teachers- the kind who make you think, and challenge you to find meaning and application in what you learn in the classroom. The teachers and classes I loved were the ones that mattered outside the school building, that challenged my way of thinking or showed me how to use the information in my life. I did however also have classes where I had to memorize facts and figures for a test, knowing it would have absolutely no significance in four days, let alone four years. What I have experienced more in my school in Mexico is direct use for the information I am learning. This may be unique to my individual school, and these particular teachers, I really can't generalize for the entire country, or even just the entire city. I promise I will talk more about this as the year continues and I better understand what is going on!

Next, in my last post I said I would talk about nieves. A nieve is ice cream, but it is made with water and real fruit, instead of milk. Kind of like a sherbet. Flavors include guanabana, mango, tropicolada, limon (lime, not lemon), cacahuate (peanut), cappucino, chamoy, nanche, mamey, coco (coconut), chocolate, vainilla (vanilla), fresa (strawberry), and the list goes on. Nieves are sold everywhere, from a shop called Guerro Guerro, to carts that pass by on the street. This "food on a cart" aspect of the culture is really endearing, besides being very convenient! My personal favorite is guanabana. Wikipedia tells me that guanabana is called "soursop" in english. Never in my life have I seen or heard this word, but trust me when I say it's delicious! It evidently can only be grown in warm climates, any temperatures below 37 Fahrenheit will kill the plant, explaining why no one in Watertown even knows it exists. Nanche is also really good and completely new to me. The fruit is a small yellow ball, with a seed in the middle. More or less like a cherry in size, although not as soft, and tastes nothing like it. So, maybe not so much like a cherry. Also from the ever reliable Wikipedia, the nanche tree/ shrub only exists in tropical and subtropical climates. Next, mamey. I'm going to take this from WIkipedia too so there is a chance that none of this is true, but we're going to live on the wild side and use it anyways. Evidently it tastes like a combination of pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and maraschino cherries, with the texture of an avocado. Maybe it's just better if we say it tastes good, and it has the taste and texture of mamey. No surprise, it's also grown in Mexico, Central America, etc. However, Wikipedia does add that it can be grown in Southern Florida. Chamoy "refers to a variety of savory sauces and condiments in Mexican cousine made from pickled fruit". If that's not a little confusing, it is also described as having a flavor of salty, sweet, sour, and chile at the same time. The best way to explain the confusing combination of flavors is that it's just a part of Mexican food. Somehow every food has a million different flavors, none of which are exactly recognizable. It's really different than American food, but I am really lucky to have this firsthand experience with such a unique culture of which food is a huge part. If you wikipedia these fruits, there are pictures of each one, and tons more information!

My conclusion: Tomorrow I will have lived here 1 month (going from August 5th to September 5th) and that in itself is crazy. I am still adjusting to life, but missing my family has become more commonplace, and daily routines are starting to become "routine". Sometimes I'm a little overwhelmed, but that is not to say I'm not enjoying every moment. This is truly the experience of a lifetime, and I am so lucky to have this opportunity. I have been blessed with wonderful parents at home who support me in this, and an incredible family here in Mexico. If you ever get the chance to travel and live in someone's home, if even for just a week, please take that chance. You will learn so much about the culture, things that cannot be told. Besides that, you will see that this world is full of wonderful people. No matter where they come from, or what language they speak, they have a lot to share and they are more than willing. To every exchange student and their parents,  to every host family, to every kindhearted Rotarian- you are all amazing and I'm so proud to be a part of this. So, comment, tell me what you want to hear about, let me know how you are doing. Or just read, you don't have to take my word, in fact I hope you don't. I hope you are inspired, and instead of accepting what I say, you decide to go somewhere and find out for yourself exactly what possibilities the world holds.

School!

I was supposed to start school August 15. After a week of postponed classes, I thought I would be starting school on Monday, August 22. Much to my surprise, schools throughout the area were called off Sunday night  for Monday because of storms caused by a nearby tropical depression. So, finally, on Tuesday, August 23, I went to school.
Tuesday was one of those days where you step out of the car and can't believe they are really leaving you here, a lot like Kindergarten. I honestly did not want to get out of the car. But I did, only to walk inside at 7 and have an employee tell me that I didn't have to be there till 9. I called my mom, she picked me up, and I was able to relax for a little while longer. Then it came time for me to get out of the car again. And again, it took all I had to actually step out of the car, and walk into the school. Here I was, alone at my school, somewhere completely foreign and knowing everyone knows I'm foreign, and not knowing a single person. Luckily, the first person I saw was an exchange student from Australia. She and another student showed me where to go, and then I took a deep breath and walked into a classroom. I asked someone if I could sit at their desk, and started to breathe again when she said yes. Teachers and school directors introduced themselves and talked about their classes, the school, why Centro Universitario Hispano Mexicano is awesome. After what seemed like years of this, we were given a recess to eat breakfast, walk around, whatever. And then: the cafeteria. I thought walking into the school was hard. I have probably never eaten lunch alone at school. I was not about to start now! I asked a girl if I could sit by her, which could not have been more awkward, and then we sat in more or less silence. Finally that broadened into a group of four, still pretty silent. When we returned to the classroom, we were separated into Engineering and Communications/ Publicity classes. More talking followed, and then we were told we were going to "have some fun". Part of my Communications/ Publicity class involves photography, so we had to take pictures in teams of an older student wearing shiny wrapping paper. I'm not sure what the point of this was, and it mostly was just awkward. I guess it was meant to break the ice, but it's really hard to be creative in another language. Class was dismissed, I called my host mom, and in 10 minutes my host dad came to pick me up. He dropped me off with my mom to wait for my sister at her school. Her school was crazy! There were so many kids and so much traffic and they all wear uniforms, it was just unreal! My host sister's friends came and said hi to me, I guess they have been "dying to meet" the white, blond girl living with their friend. We came home, and I slept. After a while, I woke up, ate some cereal, and just chilled in my room with the air conditioning on for a while. School in another country is a whole lot to process.

Wednesday we left my house at 6:40, because I really did have to go to school at 7 this time. I'm used to getting up and getting ready around that time at home during the school year, but I also go to bed at 10 at the latest. One of the perks of getting up this early is seeing the sun begin to rise over the ocean. The majority of my drive to school is along the ocean, and I look out the window to see gigantic barges, smalll boats, and the sun rising with the most beautiful background. I could get used to this. My mom dropped me off at school, and I walked into my classroom. I sat next to the same girl I sat next to the day before, and just like all first days of school, we had to introduce ourselves to our new teacher. The big difference is we did this every time a new teacher entered, and the entire class was exactly the same, so we had to do the same thing with the same people. The students don't change rooms here, the teachers do. That means I am in the same classes with the same people everyday. Everyone was a lot more social today, and it was jsut generally less awkward. My classes were Expresion Oral y Escrito, Psicologia Social, Teorias de la Comunicacion, and Sistemas de Computo 1. They all went pretty well, and although I don't understand everything, I get probably 70 % of what the teachers say, when I'm not staring at the wall zoning out. My mom came to get me, I got a nieve (more on this later, it's delicious), and we went to pick up my sister, Nora, from her school. The rest of the day was really good and we went to a Zumba class in the middle of a plaza. That was one of the most amazing things ever, seeing around 75 people dancing all together! We had some dinner, and went to bed to relax before Day 3 of school.

Live and Learn

Next Monday, I start school. I feel like I’m entering Kindergarten again. I don’t know anyone, I can’t speak the language perfectly, and I have no idea what I will be learning. More than anything, though, I’m excited because I love to learn. Also, I’m so happy for once to not have to worry about how this class will look on my college application, or that I had better join another club to get more involved. For the first time since I was little, it’s not about getting 100 % on a spelling test, or staying up late to make a paper “A” material; the only thing I have to do is make an effort. I just have to learn. It’s something we all know how to do, it comes naturally. Just observe: look and listen. At home, I was so sick of hearing people tell incoming freshmen (and younger) how this class or that activity will really impress admissions officer. That they might not like what they were involved in, but at least then they would look good to colleges. I wish that stuff had never mattered, but it doesn’t have to anymore. I think YOU are what looks good to colleges. If you go after what you want, and study things that interest you, then you are impressive. Being yourself is what will look “good” beyond college applications. I didn’t go to Mexico for a year because it will look good to colleges, or because I will be a more impressive job candidate.  I came here to learn- about another culture, about different people, about myself. And honestly, when you get down to it, that’s what life is about.

Food and Despedidas

I have only been here a few days, but I have already learned so much, met sooo many people, and tried so many different foods. I already had it in my mind to try everything that was offered to me, and I'm going to stick to that. I mean, really, what's the worst that could happen? Actually, I won't get into what's the worst that could happen... Anyways, I try everything. Some of the things I have tried include: picadas, gordas, tejuinos, dulce de leche, tacos al pastor, horchata, empanadas, squite, and so much more! Squite is corn kernels in a cup with a whole bunch of stuff like mayonnaise, chili, and I don't know what. It's really good! A lot of it looks strange, but you have to try it, because it's more than likely going to be one of the best things you have ever tasted. The one thing I'm not used to is how spicy food is, and I try it, but I have to be a little careful! Clueless, I dunked a chip into some salsa, put it in my mouth, and just about jumped from how spicy it was, and had to drink something real quickly. There really should be a sign when you enter Mexico that warns about the food! It's delicious, but it is spicy when you least expect it. I like almost everything that I eat, though, so I definitely won't go hungry! One thing I absolutely love is the water my mom makes. She puts fruit in a blender and then combines it with water. It is sooo good! I can't even describe how much I love this!
My host sister, Liz, is leaving for Germany tomorrow, so we have been super busy with packing her suitcases, and saying goodbye to everyone. Las despedidas, or goodbyes, are so hard to watch, because I just did the same exact thing. In all honesty, it's so difficult to leave everything you have ever known, all the people that matter to you, anything with a trace of familiarity and know you aren't coming back for a year. However, it is worth it. I can't tell you how the rest of the year will go, but being "lost" is a good thing. Your comfort zone broadens and all of a sudden, you just get comfortable being uncomfortable, and that feeling is beautiful.

I'm Here!

Today is my second day in Veracruz, and it's more than I ever could have expected. I don't know how to describe it. I love it all: the food, the people, the heat. It is different than anywhere I have ever been, and so perfect just because of that. It is complete sensory overload, and I honestly don't understand everything people say to me. I know I took 4 years of Spanish, but it's hard! I feel like I have a good start though, because I am able to understand a little bit of everything. Culture shock is amazing, such a crazy feeling. I feel so out of my element, but I looove it! I don't have a cell phone yet, I don't know anybody. I don't even have any local currency yet, but it doesn't matter. I have a wonderful family, I couldn't have asked for better. My sister, Nora, is soo sweet. My parents are awesome, my cousins are so nice. And Liz is great too! I honestly have no words other than awesome, wonderful, amazing. There are no words to describe it, and there is no way I will ever do justice to this place, or the feeling of culture shock. It's like free falling- you have no control over it, and it is incredibly exhilerating. I have entered a new, different, crazy world, and it only took me around 6 hours to get here. You think that somewhere so close cannot possibly be so different, but it is. People are different, customs are different. The way I greet people is different, the climate is different. I am literally sweating all the time, but so is everyone else. I will have to get used to the spicy food, but hey, I'm going to try everything. This is going to be one crazy year, and I truly can't wait to see what is in store!

Leaving in 10 Days

After I got my visa-d passport back from the Mexican Consulate in Chicago, I was able to actually book my flight. I will be leaving from Milwaukee on August 5th at like 6 in the morning, changing planes in Houston, and then flying into Veracruz at about 11:15 :)

I have been packing, which is really hard for a girl who loves lots of choices in her wardrobe. I am going to take one bag under the plane, one carry- on, and a "personal item" aka backpack. You used to be able to take 2 bags under the plane on international flights, but now you are charged for the extra bag, so I will have to limit myself on my packing!

Today I had a goodbye dinner with my aunt, uncle, and cousins, which really reminds me that I am leaving really soon! I have a really big family and it's really hard to say goodbye to them for a year, but it's just part of going away.

So I have 10 days to prepare mentally for an entire year in Mexico. That is ten days to say goodbye, to finish packing, to brush up on essential spanish, to buy any last minute gifts/ supplies, and to really get ready to leave.

It's going to be one great adventure!

Visa Visa Visa

Nope, I'm not talking about an unlimited credit card, but rather that longgg application to stay in a foreign country for a whole year. I only thought I was done with paperwork for my exchange! Just when I was finally relaxing, they sent me a huge list of requirements. So I have been working on my visa, working at our local pool, creating marvelous ideas for pins to share with other exchange students, and designing a perfect business card.

In my spare time, I also managed to graduate high school! Woooo!

I also received my host guarantee form; telling me about my host family, my host Rotary club, and my school.

In general, I'm busy, but I've got plenty of time for everything.... I think!

So visa packet has been sent to our travel agent, and our visa interview appointment is on July 7th in Chicago, my 18th birthday!

Life is awesome, I'm so excited, and I've got lots to do. Can't wait to get to know beautiful Mexico :)

I'm going to be living in BOCA DEL RIO, VERACRUZ, MEXICO next year!!!
It's a beautiful port city with tons of history and culture.
My host sister e-mailed me and she seems super nice, so I can't wait to get to know them.
Next year will be  a-m-a-z-i-n-g !

RYE Event #1

This weekend I will have my first real 'event' as a Rotary Outbound student... Ah! I'm super excited to meet the other outbounds, as well as the inbounds. We are hosting an inbound student, and he has already been telling me about the awesome people he knows, so I'm sure it will be a great time.

Anyways, life is definitely moving right along, and before I know it I will graduate, spend my summer in Watertown, and I'll be on a flight to somewhere in Mexico!!
I just talked to my amazing Spanish teacher about Mexico and she is just so excited, right along with me!
Here I come Rotary :)

MEXICOOO

I'm going to Mexico next year! Can't wait! I won't find out where exactly for a while though. SO EXCITED!