For eight months, saying "Tomorrow I'm leaving for Mexico" seemed like an unattainable statement...except until now. I'm feeling nervous (my to-do list taunts me as I have lots to do yet) but also excited. I can't really explain it, but I'll try to describe it: a) the feeling you get after drinking 3 cups of strong coffee plus b) the feeling you got as a kid right before Christmas (specifically, the presents-opening part; you were excited that you'd get toys but also a little on edge because little brother Billy might get a better present, and yours might not be what you asked for).
Everyone tells me to pack light. It's amazingly hard though. I'm going for 10 months and I'm not sure if I should bring a windbreaker or a hoodie, two pairs of jeans or three. If we had feathers and/or fur it'd be so much easier. All's we would need is a comb and a tweezers to pick out the bugs.
I don't know what else to write now. I just know that today and tomorrow are going to be some of the two biggest days of my life and that I'll have a whole lot more to blog about than I do right now.
21 August 2006
11 August 2006
10 Days
This is what "The Rough Guide to Mexico" (2001, 5th ed.; pg. 529) has to say about Jalapa:
"Although it's a slower route, a number of buses go from Mexico City ot Veracruz via JALAPA (or Xalapa, as locals and bus companies frequently spell it). The state capital, Jalapa is remarkably attractive despite its relative modernity and traffic-laden streets, and is set in countryside of sometimes breathtaking beauty. The city sprawls across a tumbling hillside below the volcanic peak of the Cofre de Perote (4282 m), and enjoys a richness of of vegetation almost the equal of Fortin's (with which it allso shares a warm, damp climate). In addition to these natural advantages, Jalapa has been promoted by its civic leaders as a cultural centre, and frequent music festivals, or other events, amy well add to your stay. Home of te University of Veracruz, it's a lively place, enjoyable even if you do nothing more than hang out and watch life pass by."
***
And although the recent foiled terror plot to blow up British airlines to American cities boosted security a few notches, I'm not anymore scared than I was. It looks like I won't be able to bring any food or drinks on the plane, but I'll just gorge beforehand. And the new rules don't say I can't bring my snakes on the plane.*
*Note to FBI/CIA/other anti-terrorist organizations: I actually have no intentions of bringing snakes on a plane. I just added that comment in for a bit of dark humor as well as to remind everyone that this blogger anxiously awaits another opportunity to see Sam Jackson kick some *@#$%!!!@*&%& snake ass!
"Although it's a slower route, a number of buses go from Mexico City ot Veracruz via JALAPA (or Xalapa, as locals and bus companies frequently spell it). The state capital, Jalapa is remarkably attractive despite its relative modernity and traffic-laden streets, and is set in countryside of sometimes breathtaking beauty. The city sprawls across a tumbling hillside below the volcanic peak of the Cofre de Perote (4282 m), and enjoys a richness of of vegetation almost the equal of Fortin's (with which it allso shares a warm, damp climate). In addition to these natural advantages, Jalapa has been promoted by its civic leaders as a cultural centre, and frequent music festivals, or other events, amy well add to your stay. Home of te University of Veracruz, it's a lively place, enjoyable even if you do nothing more than hang out and watch life pass by."
***
And although the recent foiled terror plot to blow up British airlines to American cities boosted security a few notches, I'm not anymore scared than I was. It looks like I won't be able to bring any food or drinks on the plane, but I'll just gorge beforehand. And the new rules don't say I can't bring my snakes on the plane.*
*Note to FBI/CIA/other anti-terrorist organizations: I actually have no intentions of bringing snakes on a plane. I just added that comment in for a bit of dark humor as well as to remind everyone that this blogger anxiously awaits another opportunity to see Sam Jackson kick some *@#$%!!!@*&%& snake ass!
06 August 2006
Bronson + Xalapa = Bralapa
A long time in ago, in a galaxy far, far away....
Or, actually, eight months ago and 80 miles from here, I decided that I'd study in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. But the study abroad decision came to life long before that...I don't exactly know the moment when the mental mathematic formula computed itself { (a [study] + b [abroad] + c [me] + d [$!] + e [the derivative of a steaming pile of breakfast sausage] = far away from home) }, but it's been sort of percolating for a long time....I knew I wanted to study abroad, at least since last last (05) spring, and that I would study in a Latin American country (since summer 2005) and that I would study in South America (a few months during fall 2005). I really knew for sure, however, that I would study in Xalapa, Mexico during fall finals week. I was planning to go through La Crosse University's exchange program but the more I researched, the more i realized it would be so, so much cheaper to do it solo.
Benefits:
*It's cheaper (by...hmm...at least $4,000)
* I should also mention that I could've gone through MSU's exchange program to Guadalajara or Guanajuato at a meager cost of ~$5,500 (MSU's tuition) plus an additional ~ $4,000 (for living expenses and more tuition). See, MSU's exchange programs charge you MSU tution plus tuition at the Mexican school you attend...so you're paying that $5,500 for nothing. Supposedly, it makes up for the money they lost if you hadn't gone to their school. I'm not bashing MSU; it's a pretty good school, but charging students who want to study abroad an extra 5 grand of tuition isn't a bargain.
* I won't be going with any MSU students (that I know of).
* No MSU professors will be teaching me there (unlike MSU's study abroad program, where MSU professors teach you abroad. Again, I'm not bashing MSU, nor it's professors; nearly every one I've had has been excellent. But the best thing about studying abroad is (like I know, I haven't even left yet) that you're independent of every norm you've known and grown accustomed to and thrusted into an unpredictable situation that takes you by surprise. Classmates and familiar professors excluded.
I've done almost all the planning, research and paperwork myself. Of course, it's a lot more work, but a lot less costly. I chose which school to attend. I convinced the department chair to approve my classes and to grant me permission to choose my own program. I got the passport and visa myself. I worked 60-hour weeks and 17-hour days this summer. I saved and scrounged. I found my own room and board rather than having the school do it. But all this work and preparation -- no matter how stressful or how impatient it got -- was half the fun. Maybe I'm going in the wrong direction, maybe I'm doing all the wrong things...
But what could go wrong?
Or, actually, eight months ago and 80 miles from here, I decided that I'd study in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. But the study abroad decision came to life long before that...I don't exactly know the moment when the mental mathematic formula computed itself { (a [study] + b [abroad] + c [me] + d [$!] + e [the derivative of a steaming pile of breakfast sausage] = far away from home) }, but it's been sort of percolating for a long time....I knew I wanted to study abroad, at least since last last (05) spring, and that I would study in a Latin American country (since summer 2005) and that I would study in South America (a few months during fall 2005). I really knew for sure, however, that I would study in Xalapa, Mexico during fall finals week. I was planning to go through La Crosse University's exchange program but the more I researched, the more i realized it would be so, so much cheaper to do it solo.
Benefits:
*It's cheaper (by...hmm...at least $4,000)
* I should also mention that I could've gone through MSU's exchange program to Guadalajara or Guanajuato at a meager cost of ~$5,500 (MSU's tuition) plus an additional ~ $4,000 (for living expenses and more tuition). See, MSU's exchange programs charge you MSU tution plus tuition at the Mexican school you attend...so you're paying that $5,500 for nothing. Supposedly, it makes up for the money they lost if you hadn't gone to their school. I'm not bashing MSU; it's a pretty good school, but charging students who want to study abroad an extra 5 grand of tuition isn't a bargain.
* I won't be going with any MSU students (that I know of).
* No MSU professors will be teaching me there (unlike MSU's study abroad program, where MSU professors teach you abroad. Again, I'm not bashing MSU, nor it's professors; nearly every one I've had has been excellent. But the best thing about studying abroad is (like I know, I haven't even left yet) that you're independent of every norm you've known and grown accustomed to and thrusted into an unpredictable situation that takes you by surprise. Classmates and familiar professors excluded.
I've done almost all the planning, research and paperwork myself. Of course, it's a lot more work, but a lot less costly. I chose which school to attend. I convinced the department chair to approve my classes and to grant me permission to choose my own program. I got the passport and visa myself. I worked 60-hour weeks and 17-hour days this summer. I saved and scrounged. I found my own room and board rather than having the school do it. But all this work and preparation -- no matter how stressful or how impatient it got -- was half the fun. Maybe I'm going in the wrong direction, maybe I'm doing all the wrong things...
But what could go wrong?
31 July 2006
Butterflies en el estomago
This Mexico thing is becoming more of a reality each day. Tomorrow is sort of a turning point; it will be only three weeks until I leave, and I will (more than likely) have my visa. Right now, as I'm typing this, I have yet to get visa approval, but I'm going up to St. Paul tomorrow, or rather, today, to get my visa/get interviewed. I don't know what that entails, but I can rule out intense mental and emotional testing, the stuff that astronauts experience, because I think it'll be pretty easy-going. We'll see.
I just got back from vacation. We went to Kenosha, Wis., to visit my sister and her family. The last time I was there was New Year's Eve, a week after my first nephew, Collin, was born. He's grown up fast, and I'll more than likely be blown away as to how much he'll grow while I'm away. He'll be able to talk and walk and hypothesize complex algorithms by the time I get back, that's how much he'll grow.
The whole trip there and back (about 12 hours total) I read nothing but travel guides (Rough Guide's Mexico and Lonely Planet's Central America on a Shoestring). See, it's easy to plan things, to structure my whole trip from the comfort of the car, with only a few books, but when i get down there, things are going to be completely different than I imagine. They always are. Take, for example, my plan two weeks ago to go to the cities to apply for my visa: I printed out directions to the consulate, then to a restaurant. But when we went up there it wasn't so simple; we got lost everytime we wanted to go to a different spot. That's just how things are; theory and practice. That's why I think it's important to study theory, to imagine, to think of the concepts, but more important to actually do things. Like going to Mexico: I could learn Spanish here, just fine and dandy, but how much would I really learn? Is four hours a week enough to really soak in a language? Would I get enough cultural immersion to fully understand it, enough so that I feel as if Spanish is as much a first language as English? I think not. That's my main justification in going to Mexico. Everyone's got their opinions about it ("That's great!" or "Lucky you" or "Can't you just learn Spanish here?" or "You'll get killed down there!") but what really matters is that I'm trying it out. I'm young, unattached, ahead of my career, education-wise; why not? I've never been out of the U.S. (save for a 5-minute bug-spray run to Canada) and my first time on a plane was only five months ago. But I'm going to do it. If I die, or get malaria, or meet a hot Latina woman, or all of the above, it'll all be in the name of practice (rather than theory).
I just got back from vacation. We went to Kenosha, Wis., to visit my sister and her family. The last time I was there was New Year's Eve, a week after my first nephew, Collin, was born. He's grown up fast, and I'll more than likely be blown away as to how much he'll grow while I'm away. He'll be able to talk and walk and hypothesize complex algorithms by the time I get back, that's how much he'll grow.
The whole trip there and back (about 12 hours total) I read nothing but travel guides (Rough Guide's Mexico and Lonely Planet's Central America on a Shoestring). See, it's easy to plan things, to structure my whole trip from the comfort of the car, with only a few books, but when i get down there, things are going to be completely different than I imagine. They always are. Take, for example, my plan two weeks ago to go to the cities to apply for my visa: I printed out directions to the consulate, then to a restaurant. But when we went up there it wasn't so simple; we got lost everytime we wanted to go to a different spot. That's just how things are; theory and practice. That's why I think it's important to study theory, to imagine, to think of the concepts, but more important to actually do things. Like going to Mexico: I could learn Spanish here, just fine and dandy, but how much would I really learn? Is four hours a week enough to really soak in a language? Would I get enough cultural immersion to fully understand it, enough so that I feel as if Spanish is as much a first language as English? I think not. That's my main justification in going to Mexico. Everyone's got their opinions about it ("That's great!" or "Lucky you" or "Can't you just learn Spanish here?" or "You'll get killed down there!") but what really matters is that I'm trying it out. I'm young, unattached, ahead of my career, education-wise; why not? I've never been out of the U.S. (save for a 5-minute bug-spray run to Canada) and my first time on a plane was only five months ago. But I'm going to do it. If I die, or get malaria, or meet a hot Latina woman, or all of the above, it'll all be in the name of practice (rather than theory).
21 July 2006
One Month
Most all my paperwork is done now; here's the rundown of what I've done in the past month...
* Applied for my visa yesterday (I'll have to wait about two weeks for that)
--This was the hardest part so far, because I had to get so many documents and deal with quite a bit of run around, especially with the financial solvency part.
* Started taking my typhoid fever vaccine a week ago; done with that now, as well as $40 (for four pills. Yikes.)
I still have a lot to do, however:
* Get names/phones/e-mails of people I'll contact
* Cancel my cell phone, Internet, credit cards, and pay library (gasp) fines
* Check about health insurance coverage
* Buy another plane ticket for the way back
* Convert money to traveler's checks
I can't believe I only have ~9 days more of work. CRAZY! And EXCITING!
Countdown: 32 days (or, 761 hours)
* Applied for my visa yesterday (I'll have to wait about two weeks for that)
--This was the hardest part so far, because I had to get so many documents and deal with quite a bit of run around, especially with the financial solvency part.
* Started taking my typhoid fever vaccine a week ago; done with that now, as well as $40 (for four pills. Yikes.)
I still have a lot to do, however:
* Get names/phones/e-mails of people I'll contact
* Cancel my cell phone, Internet, credit cards, and pay library (gasp) fines
* Check about health insurance coverage
* Buy another plane ticket for the way back
* Convert money to traveler's checks
I can't believe I only have ~9 days more of work. CRAZY! And EXCITING!
Countdown: 32 days (or, 761 hours)
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