Operation: Tons of Fun

This title is in English for a darn good reason. We decided it was time to start having fun, living life, enjoying the smallest of things, sometimes making other people feel awkward, etc....a little hard to explain. My friends Jack and Matt know the inside scoop.

So we went to Mexico City for our last excursion of the semester. First stop was Teotihuacan to visit the pyramids.

Pyramid on top of a pyramid next to pyramids

 

Great group!

 

We stayed right in the heart of the Zócalo, visited churches, the Palacio Nacional, saw Diego Rivera's murals, watched a giant military parade celebrating the Revolution....too many fun things!

 

The fun did not stop there.....the next day, we decided to abandon the itinerary and make our own plans to go to the Zoo. THEY HAVE PANDAS! I mean why not....so we hopped on the metro, went to Chapultepec park, and went to the zoo. Jack, Matt and I decided to get our faces painted. Our intention was to keep the face paint on for the formal dinner and folklorico ballet we would be going to later that night at the Belles Artes. It happened.

Tigre Blanco, Tigre, y OSO PANDA! FTW

Other adventures included going to the Chapultepec Castle (Maximiliano's house) the Museo de Antropologia, we went to Carlos Slim's new museum, visited Plaza de las tres culturas where the Tlateloclo massacre took place, and did a handful of other things. On our last day we visited Xochimilco to see the chinampas. These are basically floating gardens that are still used for agriculture. Let's not forget that the whole city (back in the day Tenochtitlan) was built on a lake. Therefore, it is now a lake bed....everything is sinking...slowly but surely

the church is sinking

We brought food to picnic with on the boat, putted around, and paid for mariachis to subir and tocar! So much fun. Great trip besides the 8 hours it took us to get home....terrible semi-truck accident on the freeway and we were stuck forever.

Regardless.....operation: Tons of Fun....COMPLETED

Yo puedo, yo puedo

For our communications class we went to a kindergarten to tell stories. We had to memorize the story, make it fun, and present it to the class.

I worked with Zach and we translated the story The Little Engine That Could. También conocido como La pequeña locomotora que si pude! School in Mexico is too much fun!

Joyful

Puebla

After 5 days in Oaxaca, we headed closer to home and spent two days in Puebla. We saw the churches there, found a giant festival, had cuban cigars, visited another cemetery still alive with Día de los Muertos celebrations, chilled on the roof of our hotel.....Good times in Puebla.

Check yourself

"Guero...ven aquí..." So I made friends here too!

Church in Puebla...and big party

Inside the church

On the roof of the Hotel....Wouldn't fly in America

Día de los Muertos....¡Días de las fiestas!

Death is dealt with very differently in Mexican culture. It is not such a hidden, unspoken, scary phenomenon. It has been present in almost every piece of Mexican literature I have read, it comes up easily in conversations....it is just different.

Basically, Mexicans know how to celebrate dead people. Being in Oaxaca for Día de los Muertos was an incredible experience. We went to the Panteon and had the chance to talk with families at gravesites. And by talk I mean party. And by party I mean Mexican style! Food, mariachis, tequila, cerveza, jokes...Just an all around good time. We spent about an hour getting to know one lady who had lost her son. Urriel was 24 and died in a tragic car accident. The car he was riding in on a long road trip collided with a cow that ended up coming through the windshield. Such a tragic event did not put even the slightest damper on the party. We joined in, became a part of the family, and CELEBRATED...well...a life given by God even though it was short. Here are some photos from the Panteon that night.

Quesillo, Mole,Tlayudas, Chocolate....Comida Riquísima!

So we got in a bus aiming for Oaxaca. Roughly 9 hours away. What a haul that was. But lets just say it was worth it. We would be spending time there during the days that Dia de los Muertos is celebrated. (Wait for it!) Oaxaca still has very many traditional celebrations since there is such a high percentage of Indigenous people. First up we visited Monte Alban. A giant ancient city on a hill that was once occupied by the Zapotecs.

Another epic adventure was in store as we took a short trip out to Mitla. We stopped on the side of the road, unloaded our bus, and piled into a fleet of rickety pick up trucks. Riding in the back was more than an experience as we embarked on a 45 minute drive up and over a mountain on all dirt roads. 




On the other side of the mountain we found the Cascadas Petrificadas....Petrified waterfalls. Super legit and a beautiful day to hike around and explore.

 We learned a lot about how everything is made. Visited a Mezcal factory (kinda like tequila...but mas fuerte!) We went to a pottery shop where the famous barro negro was invented (black clay pottery). Saw rugs and clothing being made. Went to a chocolate factory (Oaxaca is famous for Chocolate)...not to mention ate plenty of mole and hot chocolate!

In front of an Alter

Lo siento

Well....here is my apology. It has been far too long since I posted last....Up to bat should be our Oaxaca trip, on deck should be Puebla, and in the hole is Mexico City from this last weekend. (Maybe some other fun random ones in there...)

But "Here's the deal"....I have 12 more days left in Mexico, I am currently fighting a nasty sickness, and have a relatively good amount of work to do between various final projects and essays....all this while trying to enjoy my last bit of time here and having to come to grips with leaving this place.

I am sorry if we are "supposed to skype soon!" or something of that nature....just know I love you all and will have a whole month before next semester starts to catch up/hang out etc.

In the meantime, here is a picture of me, my host mom and sister.




P.S. Happy Thanksgiving! Not like we get school off or anything down here....I think I just might take a "sick day." : )

Guanajuato....¡Otra Vez!

Tim and I in front of my house

Sometime around 12 years ago, this guy started teaching my Sunday School class and would continue on to be my small group leader through the end of high school. About 5 years ago he told each guy in our small group that if we studied abroad in college he would come visit us wherever we were. This guy obviously takes commitment seriously....great leader, role model, and friend. So Tim showed up at my house a few weeks ago with a rental car and plans to get away for the weekend. I became a tourist just for the weekend as I went on a much needed "vacation."

After Tim met my family and dropped off some goodies sent from the fam back home, we headed out and spent our Friday around Querétaro. I got to be a tour guide and test my own knowledge of the city I have been in for the last 3 months! Saw lots of important places, visited some museums, but most importantly I took him to my favorite places and we indulged in many tasty treats!