Sorry....I forgot...

PS.....I found out this weekend (I've been spending a lot more time with my host family) that my host mom loves to watch TV shows with doctors. Especially Greys Anatomy. And she wants to watch it with me. And I'm going to have her watch Private Practice. And she likes House. I'm SOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!

Besides now I have a academic reason to watch it....it will improve my Spanish!

(=

Liones y Tigres y Oros....Ay Dios!

Hey y'all. Sorry it's been a couple days. I'm better now. Sunday I got to talk to my mommy and my daddy. Then I skyped with Nathaniel. And typed a bit con Allie so I know she lives.....And I spied on my loved ones on Facebook....todo esta bien!

Today I begin my second week of Intensivo and Salsa (out of 3). After that we go on like a 6 day trip to Mexico City with Witness for Peace. And then begins our second session of classes which I'm very excited for. I'm taking Sociology tues and thurs and Anthropology mon and wed, so I will only have class until noon every day. I'll have much more time and all will be splendid! The classes sound amazingly interesting....taught in Spanish of course....(=

I can upload pics one at a time of Facebook, so there are a few. Check them out! Saturday we visited Monte Alban (ruins). They were incredibly gorgeous and AMAZING! It makes you realize how small we are in this world when you see the remnants of civilizations like that. Then we went to Arrajola (i think lol), a small ciudad where they are famous for their Figures de Maderna....wood figures. They are soooooo cool. They are painted amazing colors. I will try to upload a pic of these as well. THEN we went to a restaurant where we were served giant meat platters....ewwww. There were pigs feet! Lets just say I had quesillo, frijoles negros, and tortillas lol. I'm not gonna eat anything that I can't identify.

Yesterday in the evening 6 of us took one Taxi to the circus that was in town. OMG what an experience. The circus was in a tiny tent with billions of people. I swear. It was dark and loud and really hot and we were the ONLY white people. I felt so bad for the animales )=. But I loooove elefantes! There was a Tarzan man too in a tiny loincloth flying through the air. It was awkward lol. But even MORE awkward were the clowns. I HATE clowns. At one point they were playing Rocky music and the clowns dressed up as fighters. One in American flag clothes from head to toe, and the shorter fatter one in farmers clothes like he was from Oaxaca. Then they fought and everyone booed the American one and cheered the other. It was soooooooo awkward. Lol. Definitely an experience.

THEN we took an even smaller taxi (like smart-car size) back to the main part of the city. Six people. $4 for the trip! Hehehe. We then proceeded to go to a restaurant were we all ordered wine and talked about religion until 1130 at night. No joke. I felt sooooo sophisticated! But I don't like wine. Lame!

Sorry this post is so rushed....I have a ton to do today. Lo siento!

Tonight Patti (host mom) invited me to go with her to her friends house to have margharitas and play rummy. I'm kinda scared lol....but I'm gonna go! She reminds me of Shelly Whan (in a good way). She really nice and outwardly welcoming and loud (sorry Shelly) and I love her (=.

Anyway....gotta go.

Love to all!

Hitting a Wall....

Hola a mis amigos.

I miss you. All of you. Finally....I am extremely homesick. Not that I haven't been homesick before, but I'm finally realizing how long I'm going to be gone. And I'm having so much fun when I'm with other people, but when I'm alone its horrible. Especially because I can't use internet to chat or skype when I need to. I can't believe I'm one of the only people without internet. I had a semi-breakdown during salsa today. And I'm supposed to be able to use the stupid cellphone I got by now and STILL it WON'T WORK! I don't understand. But FYI....it's free (for me but not for you) if you call me. 011 521 951 2239. If you guys have calling cards. I had plans to talk to Nate and my parents today, but obviously that isnt happening.

I'm sorry. I just really really miss people. But....tomorrow we are going to Monte Alban (ruins) and Arubilla (a village) and then we will return at 3 and there's a circus parade thing somewhere at 630 haha. Bueno! I'll try to get pics to upload again.

I love you all. Sorry for being a downer. I just miss you.

Adios.

Mi familia americana!

I've decided that women in America who are depressed and self-conscious should come to Mexico!

"Guapa, Guapa, Guapa!"

That's what gringas hear from the boys and men here. It's quite flattering lol...despite our directions to ignore the whistles and clicking noises lol. It's not bad, just commonplace for them to give open compliments lol.

Along the same line...my awkwardness and stupid accidental comments continue here...and they are much easier to make in another language lol. Yesterday during salsa we were talking about what to tell the Mexican boys in the street and I idiotically said, "Pasa afuera de mi!" This directly translates to "Stay outside of me." O.M.G. Lets just say that we all laughed for like, 10 minutes about how utterly awkward THAT would be lol. Then in class today I responded to Cathi's story about bananas with pulling out the banana I had brought for a snack and saying, "Tengo una platano grande!" I'm pretty sure you guys can translate that one for yourselves.

Will the mistaken sexual innuendos never end! I'm such a dork! haha

PS....Nate....I love you much much more than any Mexican boy and your compliments and much much better and more flattering. (= No worries.

Gracias a Dios!

Today...I almost died! (don't worry Mom and Dad I'm exaggerated)

The traffic here is crazy! Pedestrians DO NOT have ANY SORT of rightaway. In my taxi ride from the airport to my house, the driver was swerving to find any opening to pass people, honking to demand room, accelerating and having to slam on the brakes.....ES LOCO!

I kinda love it. There are cars everywhere. And today while crossing the street to get to school I stepped in the street just when the light turned green lol....bad idea. No worries...I was laughed at as a stupid gringa and Lucy was like..."no!" But now....I run across every street. Screw the laughs!

Maybe I'll lose some of my gringaness eventually.....(=

Love to all!

Gracias a Dios!

Hola a Todos!

I am SOOOOOOO overwhelmed! In many, many good ways. And some bad )=.

First I'll complain lol. Cause I've been deprived of that right (=. I am so so so jealous of the other people in my group that have Wifi in their homestays. My family can't afford it. I miss people a lot. My family, my friends. MY Nate (=. You have to buy a different kind of card to use the public phones outside the international phone card that I already have. So it's really hard for me to contact you guys )=. And I can't believe I'm not going to see anyone until December )=. And I'll admit....so far I've cried myself to sleep both nights here. It's only light here from 730 am til 8pm. My feet hurt like HELL...I've been walking like no other lol. It's hot and I sweat a lot. I HATE mosquito bites. And....I dunno.

Ok...now I'm done lol. Other than that.....this is AWESOME! The city....especially the smaller streets...is beautiful. I love all the different colors everywhere. There is an amazing mix of people here....las indigenas y the people who are obviously more influenced by the big city...it's really neat. Today everyone went on a 3 hr scavenger hunt around the city. Our group got lost lol. Go figure! Story of my life!

My host family is really nice. It's Patti and Omero and they have 2 daughters over 20 in another city at the universidad and one son who is 15 and doesn't talk much. He's an artist (=. I have my own room. And kinda sorta my own bathroom. Here's my bedroom! With my bear that Allie said to bring lol...

School is fun...and there is free coffee! It's necessary para vivir! I have intensivo (only Spanish) from 9 until 1. Then break...go home for HUGE comida meal. Then intercambio with a Oaxacan student studying English from 3 til 4, and then from 4 til 6 = SALSA! I don't mean to brag....but I'm going to be a salsa STUD when I return (=. And Wednesdays are apparantly really good days to get deals at the clubs. So tomorrow....hehe. Oh...and the next picture=me eating a thing very common in Oaxaca. Chapulines=grasshoppers. Seriously! I did it! Ew! haha. They don't taste bad. Basically like lime. But the whole idea of it....they still have legs, and on the bigger ones you can see their eyes....it took me like 10 minutes of bringing my hand closer to and further away from my mouth before I could eat it lol. My host family thinks I'm crazy.

Aaargh. I gotta go. I'm sorry. It's getting dark. But now I know how to work the internet. So that's good. I love you all. I feel like I may cry again tonight.....but I'm glad I got to update. I love you. Message me! On facebook or email or whatever.

Oh...the pictures didn't work. Crap.

I love you guys.

Why aren't I going to Antarctica?!

As we speak (well...more like as I type) I am sitting in the Business VIP Alaska Airlines lounge in the San Francisco airport. WHAT THE HELL? (excuse my French) Today has been madness!

Yesterday I went out to dinner with my family and Allie came over to help me get my suitcase under 50 lbs lol. I still maintain that it's just a heavy suitcase. Then Nate came over to say goodbye one last time after he got off of work, which means he didn't get here til 10. My Dad and I left for the airport at 3 am....neeedless to say, I don't remember sleeping lol.

Then I got all settled and on my flight and such....but it's all gone most hilariously downhill since then. The flight to San Jose, CA was pretty empty, so they delayed it trying to fill the flight. Effect: I missed my flight to Guadalajara. F. Guess what? They only fly there once a day. F.

So....after walking between international terminals and domestic terminals and terminals with Alaska vs terminals with Mexicana....I'm pretty sure I've like walked a half marathon today. No joke.

Now I'm flying out of San Francisco (I was shuttled here from San Jose) on a redeye flight that leaves at 1030 pm and arrives in Mexico City at 5 am. Then...hopefully I'll get through customs and visa things soon enough to catch the hour-long flight to Oaxaca at 650. If not, then I have to wait until 1040.

TALK ABOUT ADVENTURE!

Oh...and the lounge thing....my dad is, of course, milking the huge mistake that Alaska made. But hey! I don't mind....free Wi-fi AND coffee....like....latte caffee (this I desperately need).

The one sad/bad thing=my host family )=. I have to call them and say I won't be here til tomorrow and that makes me sad. Plus....I feel like wearing the same clothes for 36 hours and not having a toothbrush (Shit! I forgot about that) , hairbrush, makeup, or even deoderant....that doesn't make the best first impression.

But hey. As Sarah says....1)I am now an experienced travelor lol

2) I get to use my American cellphone for a little while longer!

3) It can only get better from here!

Love to all!

Hola amigos y amigas. It's been awhile (= I'm am going to update you briefly on my current status: AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!! (that most accurately describes how I feel right now lol)

It is Wednesday night. I will be on a plane in something like 60 hours! madness! I'm so excited/nervous/scared/sad/uberuberexcited! It's a mix of emotions lol. I've been trying to spend lots of time with friends and family this week. However, since I actually started packing I have discovered that fitting 4.5 months into one suitcase is NOT going to be easy lol. I'm trying to stretch the carry-on rules....haha.

I contacted my host family! I was very encouraged after speaking with them and actually being able to communicate! (she spoke very slowly lol) It's a big family: Mom, Dad, A

unt, 3 kids: 12, 13, and 15. The Grandma passed aw

ay two months ago )=. But they sound incredibly nice, have had students before, a

nd um....sound incredibly nice! I'm excited. The Mom (her name is Patti...what?) told me that she would be my Oaxacan mother and she was, "Muy contenta"

Here's some pics of this final weeks goings ons with friends and Nate and such. Love!

OK....so these photos are more like a summary of my summer. And I suck at uploading and organizing them. Will work on that. Peace!