Second Week

Yesterday marked the beginning of my third week here in Mexico. It´s been a wild ride thus far (and I´m not just talking about the bus rides). Little by little I´m getting to know my family better through talks with Mama Celena over lunch, Josie at night when we both happen to be home, and with Papa Oscar in front of the TV. The search for a place to spend my extra time continues. I made a long trek to an area I had never been to before in 100 degree heat in order to meet with a guy on Thursday for what ended up being like two seconds. But basically he told me their organization didn´t really do anything in Guadalajara, only on the coast, but he did know of one sister organization that might have something for me. He is supposed to call me to let me know. So my fingers are crossed.

Some Highlights

• About a week ago I met the brother in law of my good friend and neighbor in the Azusa, Yesena. Yesena, her husband Juan, and their daughter Nyzeth, live in the apartment right across from us, about five feet away. So about a week ago, only six days after I had gotten here, I got a surprise phone call from a man wanting to come by and pick up the mochila, suitcase, that I had brought to Mexico for my neighbor, to give to her family here (Deja vou…right??). So I had about two hours to agonize and worry about my Spanish abilities before he arrived and the conversation was kind of painful…but really great too…he showed me pictures on his telephone of his newly born son and I think they are going to invite me over to dinner sometime so I can meet the rest of the family.

• Watching the Miss Universe Pageant with my host mom and sister and thinking about attitudes about beauty around the world. It suddenly seemed really strange to me that all these American judges were awarding prizes to people around the world, based on “beauty”—whatever that is. I learned some phrases like “¡Que bàrbaro!” which literally is “How barbaric!” and can either mean “How great/amazing!” or “How awful!”

• Painting some cacti in Parque Metropolitano.

• Going to Zapopan at night last week. Zapopan is a city right next to Guadalajara, practically inside, it´s so close. I had wanted to go because I had heard that an event called “Las Noches Blancas” was to take place there all during last week. “White Nights” is a concept that started in Paris, but basically involves an exhibition of artsy events every night of the week. So I got una compañera, a classmate, to go with me after school one day last week. This was the day I decided, I love nighttime in Mexico. Everything comes to life at night, like at 8:30, when it gets dark here. People, families, come out to walk around and dine. The temperature is cooler and buildings are lit up. People are a little friendlier, perhaps because they got their afternoon siesta or because they´ve already had their after- siesta drink.

• Waiting for the artsy event to start in Zapopan. This was a highlight because 1) it was one of the many moments that have been teaching me the different view of time here 2) we met a beautiful stranger that chatted and encouraged us in our Spanish. We probably talked for two hours, the longest I think I´ve ever spoken in Spanish at one time in all my years of studying and even in my time here in Guadalajara!