Como Navidad en Septiembre!

Hello all!

Guess what? Yesterday my host mom asked me how many books I've read while I've been here. I told her (maybe 8-10) and she was shocked! She asked me if I like to read and I was like, "YES!" However, I've been worried about running out of English books....I know I should read in Spanish. But I do! All the time. For classes. And I bought the Alchemist in Spanish....I just miss the easyness of English before I go to bed. So she says, "We have tons of English books here that we can't read that students leave behind because they don't want to weigh down their suitcases when they go back home." (That's an approximate translation). And she proceeded to open this HUGE drawer FULL of books!!!!!!! OMG!!!! Navidad!!!! Then I got really excited and they were all laughing at me. But they are books! Good books! Like The Historian and some from Oprah's Book Club (gotta be good right? haha). Yes. It was wonderful (=. I'm stocked up!

Also. Today I was talking to my aunt here about my mom and how she likes to pull teeth of her students haha. So she asked me if we put our teeth under our pillows so that in the night a "raton" can come and leave money behind. FYI....raton=mouse. I said yes but for us it's a fairy, not a mouse! How different isn't it? I think if I thought a mouse was going to come get things from under my pillow at night then I would've never earned anything off my baby teeth. I'd be too scared! Maybe that's the point....haha.

Finally. On a more serious note. Today in Anthropology, which I should probably just called Indigenous studies, we learned about a movement that took place here in the 70s to reduce population growth. Get this: in 1910 the population of Mexico was 10 million. Today the population of Mexico is 57 million. WOW. Talk about an exponential growth spurt. So this movement involved encouraging all the people in Mexico to cut back on the number of kids they have by advertising smaller families, the benefits of having smaller families, and distributing contraceptives in public places like restaurants, etc. BUT because the Indigenous people were "cut off" from these things, the government tried another method to reduce their population....the sterilization of women in clinics, etc without their permission or even their knowledge! It's horrible. Yes....one goal was to reduce deaths of children of malnutrition, etc. But I wonder...and my professor implies...that there was an alternate motive as well. I know that when they did this in the United States a lot of it had to do with "promoting a superior race." And I wonder if the same idea applies here. It's horrible. And if I can find enough information/articles about the topic, then I've definitely found the theme for my 20 page final essay. I just hope I can find articles....

Anyway. I'm sorry if that was boring. But it was shocking and really interesting to me. So I thought I'd share. Since usually I just write about what I'm thinking. (=

Love to all!

Oh...and Lee....so far I've tried Mole Negro, Mole Amarillo, Mole Rojo, and Mole Estufado. And tamales con mole. 4 out of the 7 moles that Oaxaca is famous for! My favorite is Mole Amarillo, and I've discovered that Mole Negro is only good if the right person makes it....(=. However, I've also discovered that I love Chiles Llenos. Have you tried them? UMMM!!!!!

Un Fin de Semana Perezoso

Hello all (=

So this weekend was fairly lazy. Most people in my group went to Puerto Escondido. I decided to hold out because I wanted to go to a smaller, more tranquil beach with a somewhat smaller group and the plans were so last minute. ALSO...my host mom's sister owns an apartment in Hualtulco that she offered to me. It holds up to 8 people (much better number), I could stay for free, and she would give a really cheap rate to my friends. It's en la Bahia Tangolunda (because Hualtulco is also known the 9 Bays of Hualtulco). I'm really excited!!!!! Actually...I regretted it at first, because this weekend started out rather lonely, but people returned yesterday and this morning. Apparently a group of them (8) were walking at 4 am Sunday morning and were robbed at knifepoint. Everyone is OK physically, but oh my gosh I can't imagine. Then there were one or two people that were so sick they were vomiting the whole time. So maybe there was a real reason I didn't go. It's kind of crazy and scary and I'm worried about them. But Gracias a Dios that nothing worse happened. Hualtulco is much less populated/more tranquil and more safe.

Yesterday I spent some time planning. I like planning lol....and I was surprised to see that I only have three free weekends before my classes end and I start my internship! This Saturday we are going to hot springs/a petrified waterfall. Next weekend we are going with Witness For Peace to La Mixteca. We'll see campesinos and Indigenas and some extreme poverty. The weekend after will be Hualtulco. Then I have a free weekend. Then Day of the Dead. Then a free weekend. Then our classes are over and the group leaves for our last Witness for Peace trip to Chiapas for a week. Then it will be November 23rd and my internship will start. I can't believe it. I don't have all the time in the world.

So this is the plan....one free weekend I want to go on a camping trip in the Sierra Norte. My intercambio is bringing me a book tomorrow and I've been doing some research. But the other weekend I'd really like to try to get to Cofradia. It would be a LONG bus ride. But I'm in Mexico. I'd like to make it work.

I'm excited for Hualtulco. But I can't stop thinking about what happened in Escondido. We'll be fine. We won't be out that late (another reason I wanted to go a different weekend) and it's much less developed/much safer. I just really really hope they will all be OK....in every sense of the word.

I got some pictures randomly to work! I just can't organize them....lol

Pictures from....my house, my room, some chapulines (grasshopppers), independence day, Teotihuacan...ruins, and La Basilica

Bananas, Platanos, Plantains......

Hola mis amores.

So ok...I love to eat bananas. You all know that. But this is going a little too far....

My host mom is also aware of the fact that I love bananas. Thus....every morning I eat two bananas with my yogurt. I can also take one for a snack. Or I can have platanos fritos...which I kind of like banana chips but more natural. When I go to cafe's I like to order banana smoothies. When I get ice cream I like to mix a scoop of banana with whatever other flavor I feel like trying (Pistachio, rum, Beso de Oaxaca, Mamey...). For postre/dessert my host mom gives me platanos dulces. One time I even had Platanos con tequila (a weird dessert thing) at a restaurant. Oh, and I musn't forget Agua de Platanos. Ay Dios!

BUT NOW....today my host mom informed me that for comida she is making Platanos Llenos (filled bananas). Chiles llenos here are quite common. But platanos? Filled with cheese and chicken and then cooked. Probably fried. I"ll let you know how it goes....hahaha. Either Mexico will cure my love of bananas or "feed" it into an obsession!

PS....Allie just informed me that bananas might go extinct. WHAT??????

PPS....Mom....your mission for when I return is to PLEASE buy all the bananas you can and freeze them in order to preserve them. I'm talking I'll need a lifetime supply! Oh....and like...a trunk full of banana chips! Andwhatever other form of banana you can think of!

Hehe. Love to all!

My Internship!

Ok. So I'm really really really really really really really really really excited today.

A) I went to the gym in the morning before it got hot cause I have class in the afternoon instead.

B) Yesterday I found a health food store thing that sells AWESOME granola and get this....BANANA CHIPS!

C) Tonight is the first night of Greys Anatomy and however lame, I can't wait. Especially since Erin is coming over and we are going to watch it with my host mom and her sister and her friends and have Pina Coladas. Yes!

D) I got to skype with Nate for an hour yesterday. And I'll get to skype with lots of people soon. Internet....October 5th. Different company etc. But its going to work this time. And I'm not just saying that!

E) My host mom's sister (Marta) owns cabin/house/hotel things at Hualtulco (9 bays) and she said that I could go for FREE and about 7 other friends for CHEAP!!!! SOOOOOO excited! More my kind of beach than Puerto Escondido anyway. I'm thinking mid-October. I'll keep you guys posted.

F) Best of all....this morning I met with my sociology professor (also in charge of our internships) and now I know where I'm going to work! Almost everyone is being assigned to different organizations in pairs because of how many of us there are and how many organizations are cutting back because of lack of funding. But not me. I'm on my own. Apparantly my professor was talking with Kristen Labs and Tamara Williams and the nursing people and I get to actually do "health stuff." I"m working with Manos de Vida (www.manosdevida.org You should really look it up). It's a program to promote health in Oaxaca, specifically working with children. Apparently its also a little further away/further out than the other organizations, but it sounds amazing. I have to go be trained ahead of time but I'm so glad that I get to do actual work (a lot of people end up just doing data entry and cleaning). I'm sooooooo excited. And it has a Christian basis. And I think I get to be a "Che." And And And.....haha.

Oh...PS...Internships are the last month I'm here. November 23rd until December 18th I think. 9-5 every day of the work week.

Anyway. It's a good day. I send smiles to all. Can they be contagious if they have to travel that many miles? I hope so!

Love!

A blog of Questions....

Why hello my lovely people. I have a plethora of things to talk about today. Horray!

My gecko whom I have dubbed PEDRO visited me again last night. I love him! He eats all the mosquitos and ants in my room and he makes kissing noises at me! Nate....he's your biggest threat while I'm here in Mexico. Hehe.

Needless to say, I DID finish my anthropology HW and the class was a lot of interesting today. We actually discussed and such...and I discovered that what our professor really wants from the questions that we have to answer is discussion points and thoughts. So as long as I don't obsess over the fact that there's NO way I will be able to understand the finest points of the readings for a little while, I'll be OK. Today we talked about how you define someone who is Indigenous....the methods they've used in the past are SO interesting, and if you look at the differences in the Indigenous population in the censuses for the past 50 years, you see HUGE fluctuations in the number simply because of the criteria of someone indigenous. It sounds dumb here, but it was really interesting. The one thing that I need help with is my essay. For the end of the class I have to write a 20 page essay in spanish. (scream). I've never even written that much in English! About Indigenous people in Mexico...anyone have topic ideas?

Also....fyi.....I just finished reading Eat, Pray, Love. And I HIGHLY recommend it. It's so inspiring. And it mentions Oaxaca! Isn't that ironic? I really want to learn how to meditate now. But for real....I recommend it to all. Now I'm reading Jurassic Park. Hehe. And Allie...I love Molo'kai (about the leper community off Hawaii in the 1920s'ish). Also...the 19th Wife is interesting, but I would classify it as OK. Oh...and the Wally Lamb book, "The Hour I First Believed," made me cry multiple times. It's about Columbine. Can you guys tell that I've had a lot of time to read here? The things you have time to do when you can't "surf" the Internet.

Another question.....does anyone have gift requests? I was thinking about Christmas the other day....(=. No really....but seriously....(=

What else? Oh yeah! I saw "LAS VAGINAS" last night. It was good. I really want to see the Vagina Monologues in English now as well. Let's just say that I learned a lot of doble sentidos for the word in Spanish (including conejita, tarantula, palomito, and papaya among others...hehe). But it's a really good play because it combines humorous sections with sections about rape and manipulation of women....which makes it educational and like, eyeopening as well. About half way through, while laughing, I realized that I was viewing a play in Spanish. A whole play! That lasted like 2 hours! And I understood casi total! It was very exciting (=

Hasta luego amigos (=

I am spending all of my money on books. Textbooks! Copies of thousands of readings nonetheless! AND....I love sociology, but anthropology was a bad idea. You should see my notes from the first day. They have arrow all over and make no sense! I have like, 100 pages of dense, academic Spanish to read for tomorrow and questions to answer. It depresses me. A lot. Our professor assigned us the book he wrote to read (of which he couldn't remember the title lol). BUT....we have to read it all....for tomorrow. Death. Death I say!

On a lighter note....I'm going to see the Vagina monologues tonight in Spanish at a theatre. 50 pesos and we're talking a NICE theatre. I'm excited! The play is entitled...."Las Vaginas" I definitely embarrassed myself when I told my host mom where I was going to be....hahahaha.

Hasta manana!

I Can't Think of Anything Clever....

Today I'm randomly going to write about two things: color and words.

One of the things I love the most here are all of the colors. Especially when you are walking down some of the older and less used streets (that still have cobblestones!), all the houses are different colors. Different BRIGHT colors. Yesterday I even walked by a rainbow painted door! It was amazing (= I was also thinking about colors because well, I washed my clothes yesterday. Lets just say that I'm going to need to replace them when I get back lol, especially the white ones. It depressed me. Oh well!

Words. I've been learning new vocab the whole time I've been here obviously, but I've just started to make a point out of writing down the words that I learn. There's so much to learn! I love words. I think I got that from you Mom (=. My intercambio and I were talking today about how it's funny how, for example, someone who has learned English as a second language will know it in a more proper form than someone who has spoken it all of their life because only "proper" language is taught in schools. Ok....story.....All my Spanish years I've used the word Chaqueta to say coat or jacket. That's what Mr. Hance gave us on our 200 word vocab test! I studied the flashcards! Apparently this word has a double meaning....(it references masturbation). We are supposed to say Chamarra (?) instead. BUT...did I know that? No lol. However, the police who had to pat us down to get into the Zocolo in Mexico City did. And laughed their heads off. Awkward..... Yeah. Anyway. The point of that is that I need to learn more street Spanish! haha.

Love to all. Hope your first day of school went well Nate (=

I'm still here! It's been awhile!

Hola mis amigos!!!!

It’s been awhile. And I miss you all! I’m excited to get back into message sending more often, because right now writing this one seems rather daunting. I shall commence in an orderly fashion….

Last FRIDAY after classes I left for Mexico City. LOOOOOONG bus ride involving drowsy Dromamine pills, a frightening bathroom on a moving vehicle, and, after 7 hours, a 2 hour traffic jam in the streets of MC that were currently flooded by the torrents of rain, thunder, and lightning that made at least one appearance everyday.

SATURDAY we talked a lot. Yep. Lol. The focus of our trip….with the organization Witness for Peace….was to learn about how NAFTA has affected economy in Mexico, in terms of the city, the people in poverty, the campesinos, the consumers, the maquiladora women, etc. We listened to speakers, etc. Oh….and we stayed in a hostel “La Casa de los Amigos.” It was run by Quaker volunteers. Cool huh? Only they are activist Quakers. It was nice to have a break from rich food when we ate at the house. I’ve missed salad and granola!

SUNDAY we had free time in the morning and went to el Museo de Anthropologia. Interesting journey on the Metro to get there…..(Side note: It costs 2 pesos to ride the metro. Very cheap. City of 20 MILLION people. Thus…..MILLIONS of people on the Metro. Crazy. End of trip totals=2 stolen cell phones and 1 stolen wallet and 2 butt grabs and 1 chest swipe. I got away without any. But lets just say….ADVENTURE!) When we finally found the museum we discovered that on Sundays Mexican citizens can see the museum for free. MILLIONS of people. But all in all in was really impressive and very fascinating. Especially since I’m starting Anthro this week. Some of the other peeps went to La Casa de Frida Caldo. Y mas saw a parade that was being held for Independence Day.

MONDAY…the 14^th yes? Um…I think that day was mostly learning and discussion. Oh! A woman named Valerie came from the Organization ProDESC which was really interesting to hear about. Google it! That night we went to the Zocolo...(city center) and it was packed. It was the pre-celebration for the Independence day ceremonies. TONS of people selling things. We went kind of crazy with the gear haha (=

The NEXT day was el Dia de Independencia en Mexico City, the country's capital, one of the BIGGEST cities in the WORLD. And we were there! A friend and I went to la Palacia de Bellas Artes in the morning. It was wonderful and beautiful. One of Diego Rivera's murals is called "Man who Control the Universe" or something like that, is absolutely amazing and I could study it for hours and not get bored. After the museum I was pooped on by a bird. Yes. It's true. Our group went to a restaurant to eat Pozole, which is delicious and a tradition on Independence day, and then we were free! So....we went to the Zocolo again. In Mexico on Independence Day they have a thing called "El Grito" where the President comes out to look over the center area from his Palace (it's really called a palace) and yell at 11pm. "Vive (all sorts of people) , Viva Mexico, VIVA MEXICO!" And then there are fireworks and music and such. Now remember....we are OBVIOUS gringos. This is a city of 20 MILLION people. (that don't necessarily hold much respect for their president). With that in mind....IT WAS AWESOME! Such a cool and crazy experience. I'm glad I was there and that I went, because I was kind of afraid to go. The bad part that was difficult to get out of my head (so I stopped trying) was the insane juxtaposition between the fireworks and the decorations and obvious wealth and the numerous beggers and indigenous people selling things and the little girl that came up to me to sell me a piece of candy. It's sad and horrible and wrong. Anyway, it was a day of contradictions and emotions and it was fun, but it wasn't just surface fun either. There was a lot of think about.

WEDNESDAY was our tourist day. We went to the pyramids of Teotihuacan and it was so beautiful and awe-inspiring. The pyramida de la luna is the 3rd largest in the world. We climbed that one and la pyramida del sol. Lets just say I didn't feel like running afterward (=. It was gorgeous. I took lots of pictures and I tried to post then but it isn't working. I'm sorry! I'll keep trying. They're on facebook..... We also went to la Basilica de Nuestra Virgen Guadalupe, which was also beautiful and interesting, but felt awkward. I felt uncomfortable "sightseeing" in a place where people were praying and witnessing something they obviously believe in very strongly. But it was fun. That night we all watched a 10 peso pirated movie in Spanish (=. Horray for El Rey LEON!!!! (It still makes me cry in Spanish hehe)

THURSDAY we left in our giant bus and went to Puebla to listen to another professor and have lunch in that city's Zocolo, then we continued on to Oaxaca, finally returning around 930 PM. It was a great trip. I don't know if I want to return to MC, but I'm glad I got to go.

Since then, I began my class of Sociologia at the ICO (so excited, really interesting, tons of reading), discovered that there's a gecko living in my room and named him Pedro, planned a Greys Anatomy premiere party involving margharitas with my host mom haha, tried a Step class at the gym where I was the only gringa lol, and OH! AFTER A MONTH OF COLD SHOWERS I FIGURED OUT THAT I WAS JUST USING THE WRONG KNOB!!!!! Heaven! And I don't even really have to worry about water because my family (illegally) has a well (illegal cause the government control the water system and wants all the money).

Yep. That's about it. I apologize for the randomness and choppiness of this blog. It's been awhile. I'm excited to be updated cause now I can try to write every day again. It's easier and more fun. More news....Lauren has swine flu? WHAT? Is this true? Brady got stitches???? Seriously? Oh...and we might be going to Puerto Escondido next weekend for one of the guys' 21st birthday!

PS....I miss you guys. I wish for you all the best.

PPS. I love you.

Dos Poemas para Mientras que Estoy Ausente

Do you CARROT all for me?

My heart BEETS for you.

With your RADISH face,

and your TURNIP nose....

If we CANTELOPE

then LETTUCE marry!

WEED make a swell PEAR!!!!

(hehehehehe)

and uno en Espanol...

TE AMO

TE QUIERO

TE ADORO

MI TESORO!!!!!!!

Adios (=

Adios for a while....

My esteemed friends and colleagues....

This is it....the end...sit if you are not already sitting which you probably are cause you are on a computer reading about how it is the end and how you need to sit even though you are probably already sitting because you are on the computer.

ANYWAY. MOVING ON.....I'll be out of touch (probably) for 7 days. I'm leaving tomorrow with mi grupo to go to Mexico City. La Capital. It's a 7 hour bus ride from here and I'm planning on knocking myself out with my anti-nausea meds. Good plan huh? Entonces.....I will be there. Not here. WIthout my computer. So I will prolly be able to check in via internet cafe a few times. But no worries if I don't. We are going with the organization Witness for Peace. It's an organization that fights for human rights and especially those of the Indigenous people. Their first project was in Honduras(?) and besides here they also have a base in Colombia and their main fort in WA DC. I'm excited. We will be VERY busy. We are staying in a hostel and are doing some touristy things (the important ones to see in that region) but are also going to hear a lot of speeches and visit a lot of places that have to do with or work with human rights. We are also going to visit the American Embassy. We were told to dress nice. Sarah....what do you think about my long, tie-dye hippie dress? hehehe. Sorry Dad. Solo un chiste!

It's also supposed to thunder and lightning every day there and be ten degrees cooler than here. I might have to wear pants! (long pants that is....haha)

Also....tomorrow is my last day of my first session of classes (I was taking pure, intensive spanish and 2 hrs of salsa every day). When we get back I'll be taking Sociologia and Anthropologia (about this region and taught in Spanish of course). And the best part is, besides it sounding way more interesting, that I'll only have class until 1130! And only Monday thru Thursday! Woot woot! I'll have so much more free time! Yesterday I discovered that The Vagina Monologues is going to be at the theatre here on the 22nd. We are SO going! What a way to learn the important parts of the Spanish language eh? hehe. Just kidding. But we are going..... (=

Besides this well....I suppose I'll just have to write a long message when I get back. For those of you in school. Best of wishes and love. For those others.....it's getting closer whahahaha.

I love you all. Take care and talk to you soon (=

Smile peace and love (=

Estoy....Sudando....Mucho....

It's sooooo hot today!

OK....lol. Today is the 2 month anniversary of the death of my host mom's mom. So I have to get back and don't have much time to write. I feel bad. She's really sad today. We've talked some about it....she talks about her Mom a lot, but it's hard )=.

Anyhew....today is all good and happy and jolly haha. I got a package today, a postcard yesterday, and a postcard the day before yesterday. I feel so loved! haha

Tonight there is a futbal game entre Mexico and Honduras. Viva Mexico!

Ok...I wanted to check in. Much love to all!

EL VIENTO Y LA LLUVIA Y UN TRERREMOTO

DUDE!

So last night the skies opened up.....actually the rain started at the end of our salsa class. We definitely regressed in years as we began dancing in the rain, sliding (like you would in a slipinslide) across the tile, and stomping in the puddles. And the boys had races doing the moonwalk. Seriously haha.

Anyway, after finishing my drawing for our class's current project while watching Tarzan in espanol with my friend Erin. (fun (= ...) I went to bed and the skies opened! It rained SOSOSOSO hard! I thought water would start pouring through my window! I was reading at the time....I finished "The Hour I First Believed" by Wally Lamb and it's really good.....and at midnight there was an earthquake! I totally felt it! The internet says it was like a 5.2. Exciting huh?

Anyway....gotta go but I love you all ! (=

No title...

So no internet....3 days more....my host mom called this time. I'm sorry. I'm upset and angry. Its dumb....everytime I get so excited and everytime it no functiona! erg....

I'm leaving Friday afternoon for a week in Mexico city. YAY! I'm really excited about that at least (=. Although that means I won't be able to even use the internet.

Crying solves nothing right? I can still use the school's internet for like a half hour of free time everyday. So I won't be out of touch.

Gotta go salsa....talk to you tomorrow.

(smile...smile....smile....smile)

When in Mexico....

Lo Siento a todos. So um....I don't know what to say except....I'm in Mexico? I'm sorry...the Internet still doesn't work. It is supposed to on Monday. Actually....when I called Thurs it was supposed to work on Friday. When I called Friday it was supposed to work and Saturday. And when I called Saturday they said Monday! Ay! But its GONNA WORK! I swear! So I'm sorry my blogs have laxed. Let me update you all.....(=

Thursday night I went to La Candela with my salsa class. 10pm=bar empty except for 20 gringos. 11 pm=bar empty except for 20 gringos and several older couples making out in the corners. (Have I mentioned how much PDA there is here???) 12pm=Party! I didn't drink, but the dancing was awesome. Mexican men know how to dance and it doens't really matter if you suck cause you just spin all over the place! I wore my new Oaxacan authentic dress (kind of out of place) and was promptly told that I looked like, "una latina pina!" I wasn't exactly flattered to be called a pineapple lol.

Friday was fairly normal. We went to a market and I bought 5 movies for 100 pesos=less than 10 dollars. Sweet! Then we watched The Proposal in Spanish. I especially loved the arms stretching out of nowhere, the sounds of people eating popcorn, and the laughs during the funny parts haha. But it was a cute movie (=.

Saturday we had an excursion....we went to Mitla to see some more ruinas that were cool but much less extensive than those at Monte Alban. We went into a tomb! Then we went to an artisan market were I succeeded in not buying anything (I'm trying to save my money til closer to the end), but let me tell you....it was painful. We then had lunch (thank you PLU) at an awesome restaurant where we were served a multiple course "comida" that started with shots of Mezcal all around. Seriously! But I couldn't handle it lol. The sip made my eyes burn! That stuff is intense! Then we visited Teotitlan de Valle, famous for their handmade wool tapestries. It was amazing to learn about the process and see the tapestries and the works in progress.....some of them can take up to 6 MONTHS!!!! to complete. And evrything is by hand....from the woolmaking to the dying of the wool to just....everything! It's incredible! Absolutely incredible. Then we went to see a giant, really really old tree....El Arbol Tule.

Finally....last night we went to a bar where there were some intense celebraciones going on...we watched the game between Mexico and Costa Rica. We won 3 to 0. WOOOOOO!!!!!! Mexico is in the World Cup! Talk about insane spirit. I even participated in a chant. Mexico! Mexico! Mexico! And today everyone is wearing red, green, and white. I love unity!

I hope that everything is going well at home. I heard its raining )=. Pobrecitos!!!! hahaha. We did have a thunderstorm and downpour last night. But it wasn't cold at all! I know lots of people started school this week. Good luck and I hope that it's going well!

I miss you....love peace and smiles to all!

Yo Quiero Bailar....

SALSA!

HOlA mis amigos. This message is going to be short, because I need to return to my house and attempt to set up my Internet!

But I just had to tell you....tonight our class is going a bar called La Candela where admission is free on Thursdays. Entonces.....vamos a ir y bailar and I'm excited! Other people have already done the whole "go out and dance" thing, but this will be my first time. And because our teacher knows about it, she postponed our HW to Monday. Ah...the good life lol.

Hasta luego.....I love you (=

EXCITING NEWS!!!!!

An internet modem for Wifi in my house here costs me $22.something a month....300 pesos. So I'm doing it!

By Thursday I will have Internet! Boo yah! Bring on the messages...here's my starter off question thingy.....

Do you think worms and grasshoppers count as red meat?

What a Monday!

Ok....I have two stories to tell you all lol....

1) I don't know if I will be living tomorrow to write. You should probably wait nervously by your computers......because I've been attacked by a dangerous beast!

Except....it wasn't exactly an "attack" per se. And well....I dunno if you could use the description..."beast." Ok.....so I'm totally overexaggerating lol.

What actually happened is that um...my family here has a illegal parrot. Its name is Roberto and its green and it talks all the time! (which I made add scares the crap out of me lol). I was being really stupid yesterday and I was trying to play with it through its cage, so it wrapped it's talon thing around my finger and reached his beak through and bit me! So yes....I have been bitten by a parrot. How cool/pathetic is that!?! haha

Don't worry though....I doused my finger in hand sanitizer and put on a couple band aids. Esta bien.

2) Then......my host mom invited me to go with her to her friends house and I didn't have homework so I though....why the heck not! O.M.G. It was sooooo funny. There were three women in their 50s drinking mezcal and smoking and gossiping about everyone in Oaxaca and their children. Seriously! And they spoke so fast that I probably only took in about a third of what they were saying!

Here's comes the good part....once they were done gossiping we went upstairs (where this woman has 2 illegal parrots and an illegal toucan lol) and they began talking about how much they looooooove food and their favorite recipes and stores. We ate cookies dipped in coffee and then chocolate and then I found out that here they have dessert before dinner, so after that we had quesidillas with spices and quesilla (oaxacan cheese) and this salsa that they keep saying was sooooo soooo rich and delicious. It was! And really hot. They said it was made of gusanitos and it wasn't until I had finished my final bite that they told me what that was. I thought....oh a type of veggie right? Nope. It's a type of worm. This woman made salsa with 150 LIVING worms by sticking them in a blender with other ingredients and....well.....you get the picture. I almost cried of shock! I can't believe I ate worms!

Then.....still recovering....I turn around in my chair while getting up and am face-to-face with a really fat, dead, STUFFED CAT! Apparantly it was this woman's favorite pet so now they keep it in their dining room.

Oh. My. Gosh.

All I can say......WHAT a Monday.