So it`s been more than five weeks since I`ve updated and I know you`re pretty sad about that, so I`ll do an update of what I`ve been doing the past month. I`ll start Oct. 15, the day my dad died. Then I`ll continue on until today, Nov. 22. I`ve forgotten some stuff because obviously I haven`t kept up to writing, but I`ll try to make it as thorough (and thoroughly enjoying) as possible. It`s going to be long (after all, it took me almost 3.5 hours to write all this) but I don`t care whether you read it. It`s good to get this stuff out of me, as it helps the pain and helps me to remember. Most people who know me know that I`m not a very emotional person; ie, I don`t really show my emotions in that in front of people I don`t cry or fret or get angry or even give good hard belly laughs unless I`m around friends. But this entry will be a little different, for obvious reasons. So, hopefully you`ve got nothing to do for the next hour so you can read this. Just kidding. But it`ll still be pretty long....
Sunday, 15 Oct. 2006
I woke up early that morning to study for the exams I would`ve had that week (a final in Intensive Spanish and a midterm in Translation). Weird for me to wake up so early on a Sunday, but I was feeling unusually motivated. The weather was balmy, nice enough for shorts and a T-shirt or pants and a light jacket. I studied hard all morning and at about 4 p.m. I asked Ahmed if he wanted to go downtown to get something good to eat -- as in gorge ourselves, as I hadn`t ate all day. And studying takes a lot of mental AND physical energy (you know, writing and reading and running downstairs to get water and then going to the bathroom and then fidgeting and getting some more water and then checking your e'mail and then getting some more water and sorting through your notes and trying to remember where you left off and then going to the bathroom yet again. Rinse, wash, repeat.)
Anyway, just as Ahmed and I were leaving, Mitchel (our other roomate) and his family we`re leaving the house as well to get something to eat. So they gave us a ride downtown (a savings of 30 minutes) and dropped us off by my school. Ahmed and I walked to several buffets -- all closed by 5 p.m. (Sidenote: the last thing I can remember that I thought of my dad before I heard the news was the way he pronounced ``buffet`` exactly how it`s written and not as ``buffay``. Mexicans pronounce it like ``buffet`` as well, and it always puzzled me that my dad said it that way. Now I know.) We then kicked around the idea of going to a comida corrida (but then thought that even that wouldn`t have satisfied our raging hunger) so our last resort (and guilty pleasure) was to go to Burger King.
By the time i got there and saw the hordes of people and screaming kids and felt the hot sticky air from all the grills my hunger eased a bit. Instead of ordering two king-sized whopper meals (as I thought i had wanted) I stuck with the promociòn, a whopper jr., fries and a drink for the delicious price of $29 pesos, or $3 USD.
After eating, and several refills to spite Burger King (the company that ripped me off a month prior, when they sneakishly gave me a two supersize meals that cost $13 instead of one (we were going to split one between the two of us. I`m not a fatty.)) we walked over to Blockbuster, which is right next door. I took a few pictures of Burger King to send to my friend Gregg, a disgruntled ex-employee of that hateful yet beautiful franchise. At Blockbuster we rented Natural Born Killers and a documentary and I bought a Rolling Stone, Mexican edition. Ahmed was talking to an employee he knows and just as I was pushing the door to leave I got a call.
Private number. I hesitated to answer because those kinds of calls are either expensive or expensive.
``Bueno?``
``Bronson, you have to call home right now.``
``Amanda? Why?``
``Bronson, just call home. Right now.``
``Why, what happened? Tell me!``
``Bronson, call home right now, alright?!?!``
I hung up and could feel my blood already turning ice cold. I started breathing rapidly and in the back of my mind it only took a few seconds to guess that someone had died. I told Ahmed that my friend called and that it sounded very urgent and that I needed to get to a payphone. Fast. I ran off, him trailing behind me.
``Tranquilo, tranquilo. Relajate,`` he told me.
I slowed down a bit, but walked faster than ever. I pointed to a store across the busy street and told him I needed a phone card. It seemed like ages that I waited for the traffic to slow, and when I got to the store my brain stalled.
``Necesito tarjeta. Phone card! Tel.....cel. Telcel tarjeta,`` I said, trying to remember what brand of phone card i needed. Instead I had said the name of the cell phone phone card. Ahmed clarified but the store had none.
Shit.
I ran out of the store, cursing the clerk in my head, and ran across the street, nearly getting hit by a car. I wasn`t thinking, just running. Finally I found a sidewalk vendor and she sold me a phone card. By then I was even more worried, my blood still icy and goosebumps all over. Shaking violently, I was positive that someone had died and that it was 80 percent likely my morbidly obese father.
I found a pay phone but couldn`t open the plastic casing to the card. SHIT! I screamed. When I did get it opened I stuck the card in the wrong way and tried dialing. Nothing. Then I did get it in right but I couldn`t remember which code to dial to get out of the country.
``Mom, WHAT HAPPENED?!?!?!`` I screamed.
She didn`t answer me at first.
``Hello?`` she asked, and I could tell that she had been crying.
``MOM, TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!!!!``
She said nothing for a few seconds.
``Daddy died.``
The tears came hard and fast. I bent over and sobbed and had one of those out-of-body moments, when it feels like you`re not really there, inhabiting your body, but rather looking at yourself as if you`re in a movie.
I don`t remember exactly what happened next, but my mom told me the details -- how it happened, where he was, that my little brother found him in the garage. Although her voice was shakey, she was calm about it. I told her I`d come back home and that I`d call once I got to the computer.
Had I been alone when I heard the news, I don`t know what I would`ve done. Especially in Mexico where I know very few people, I might`ve lost my nerve. Luckily though I was with a buddy and he comforted me and helped me get a taxi to get home. En route I was sobbing but trying to do it as quietly as possible so I wouldn`t freak out the taxi driver. That ride, the longest of my life, I thought of the last thing I said to my dad.....
****
I called home on my brother`s birthday, a week before my dad passed. Although I didn`t talk to my bro long, my dad, chatty as ever, kept the conversation going, even after I tried to awkwardly say, ``Well I should get going.`` I don`t remember what all we talked about, but we talked about my brother`s wedding and how it went pretty well. We talked about the weather at the moment (it had been monsoon-like in Xalapa that day), obviously. We talked about girls, and classes, and what my bros and sis and mom were up to. We talked about my plans to move houses, and the pets and camping. I don`t remember exactly what I said to him before i hung up (besides the obvious bye) but I didn`t tell him I loved him, not because I didn`t but because he knew and it wasn`t necessary. But I do remember very clearly the last time I ever saw him, alive:
At my brother`s wedding dance Sat., Sept. 30, we left pretty early (about 1 a.m.) compared to typical weddings. My brother told our dad to take care of himself, and that he loved him and that he wanted him to go see a doctor and to start losing some weight. It got pretty emotional, not because everyone was a little tipsy (except my dad who almost never did) but because it was such a happy day and the ocassion seemed like the thing that would really make the family closer. On the ride from the banquet hall to the campground (a good 30 minutes) my dad was yelling at me almost the whole ride home, swearing at me for having to chose such an early flight (``Cheapass! Couldn`t you spend some money and gotten a later flight, huh?? Goddamned Mexico, you don`t need to go there, save your money and buy a car.``) Back at the campground he was still yelling at me, but to make it fair I was yelling at him too (``maybe I`ll just move to Mexico so that I wouldn`t be an inconvenience to you, and you won`t ever have to wake up to take me to the airport again.``) I don`t regret what I said, because I didn`t mean it and neither did he and we both knew it.
We got to the airport after only 3 hours of sleep and the only people who stayed awake in the lobby were my sis and I. When it was time for my flight to go, my family walked me to the security gates. Always the hardest part is saying good bye. I hugged and kissed everyone. I hugged my dad last and told him that I loved him.
``I love you too,`` he said, something he hardly ever did, and at most usually just a fast, barely inteligble mutter, but this time it was solid and audible.
``Oh, I didn`t mean the things I said last night,`` he added. ``I was just mad but I didn`t mean to yell at you.``
``I know, dad, you never mean it,`` I said, laughing. I paused, and thought of all the things I wanted to say to him about his health but just couldn`t spit them out in the few minutes I had left. ``Dad, take care of yourself. I don`t want to have to come back for you.`` Deep down, i knew that he wouldn`t be around much longer, as he was very overweight and refused to do anything about it. I didn`t think though that I`d come back in only two weeks...I was thinking he`d live at least a few more years before he had, at most, a minor heart attack.
``Ok,`` he said.
The last image i have of him is him looking after me, waving, while I walked through the security gates. Whenever I say bye to someone I always like to get the last wave, but my dad was that kind of person too, so we always had a battle of waves. Finally, though, we were out of sight from each other, and I think he won that time. I remember him in his faded brown jacket, the one he died in, yet too small to zip completely and too short to go down to his waist. I remember him waving, and then, walking to the window to catch up with my mom and sis, who gave up the waving game long before my dad, so they could watch my plane take off. That was the last time I saw my dad himself, alive, was when he walked through the airport while I left him forever.
****
I got home (Xalapa house) and called back home immediately. My dad had been working on his car when he went into the garage to most likely get a tool. When my little brother found him he was sitting, sort of hunched over on a bike, face up. It was evident he had fallen backward and the bikes caught his fall. My bro screamed to mom, who rushed outside and she told him to call 911. She did CPR, but by that time it was too late. Although it had been, at most, 30 minutes since the last person saw him alive (and probably even much less, like 10 or 15 mins.), they say that it takes the brain only four minutes without oxygen for the body to die.
When the paramedics arrived they did what they could, but could is an iffy word that carries more doubt than truth. And within that could was possibly the worst few moments for my mom and brother, false hope, when they thought that the paramedics could still save my dad. But such is death.
That night I jumped around, between sobbing in disbelief, packing my suitcases, looking for the soonest yet cheapest flights, calling my mom, sending e`mails, arranging a ride from the airport to home and trying to keep myself together. I was lucky to have Ahmed, Carlo and Arianna with me, as well as Mitchel`s parents. I can`t imagine having been alone in that time.
16 Oct.
I left Xalapa at about 12:30 a.m. that same day, less than 7 hours after I heard the news. The first class luxury bus was the only option, the best one for sleeping, but I knew sleep was out of question, as it`s almost impossible for me to sleep in anything that moves. En route I heard a guy snoring who sounded dead-on like my father had snored: it was kind of comforting.
I got to Mexico City about 6 a.m. and from then until 10 a.m., when my flight left, I staggered around the airport and outside of it in search of food, too tired to rest or cry and too awake to forget that I needed to get an exit card and stamped passport (of which I`d be punished for upon my entrance back into Mexico).
My flight back was quick and easy but on American Airlines, a poorer quality company than United (of which I used for my last three one way trips). No movies, only one beverage serving and mediocre customer service. In Dallas, my layover, I met a girl who goes to MSU and also wrote at the Reporter. She was on the same flight as me. Things like that, freaky coincidences, make me think that the world is an overrated place and that it should stop pretending to be so big and just admit that it`s fairly small.
Riding the escalator down to get to my luggage in the Minneapolis airport the first person I saw was Eric and shortly after Amanda, who took me home. I`m thankful for friends like that, especially since it was a last minute deal where they came to get me. But they were big fans of my dad so you can`t blame them.
The ride back was sparse with conversation but I was fairly calm, I think to the extent that I freaked out Amanda and Eric. Before going directly home we stopped at Wendy`s in Austin because I was craving ice cream (my dad would have wanted that) and wasn`t sure if I`d have time later that night to get it.
I finally got home at about 7 p.m., 19 hours after leaving Xalapa and slightly more than 24 hours since my dad monkeyed with his last car. I opened the front door and saw all my 5 brothers and sisters, their spouses, the baby, siblings` friends and pets in the living room, watching TV, somber and mellow and reddish looks on their faces. Then I saw my mom and realized that reality hurts.
17 Oct. to 19 Oct.
The next few days were nothing but family and friends and food. Blessed I am to be Latino - large families and good conversation are the norm. All my aunts and uncles on my dad`s side came, cousins were everywhere, my brothers` friends deemed themselves honorary Pettitts and everyone felt it was necessary to bring huge dishes of lasagna, giant tins of cookies, 2 liters of soda and pizzas. But I think they might`ve forgotten that the biggest eater of the house had eaten himself out of life, and that all the food instead raised the blood sugar and sodium levels and blood pressure of the remaining. But no doubt it was appreciated immensely.
Before my dad died, I always wondered what it would be like when someone so close to me dies. I thought that it would be nonstop crying for several days or even weeks. But it wasn`t like that. Sure there were moments when we`d burst out in sobs, but more often we told good memories of our dad and imitated his constant yelling and screaming and outbursts (if you knew him you`d know what I mean). It really makes me think that family is not something to take for granted and that I`m extremely lucky that mine is not dysfunctional or crazy like so many out there. We fight, sure, but for the most part everyone gets along well and drama is not an issue.
Being home was very comforting. It reminded me even more of my dad, especially since I had been there less than three weeks prior for my brother`s wedding, but it helped chip away at my denial that he died. Even more helpful was seeing his body at the wake. They did a pretty good job embalming his body (I`m not sure what is ``good`` -- I didn`t see him just after he died and couldn`t make the comparison -- he looked himself though -- but seeing other bodies at wakes, compared to how they looked alive, my dad was probably the best). I can see why people refuse to cremate -- it definitely helped to confirm that he was gone forever and it really gave some closure.
For the wake we made a few posterboards with pictures of my dad and relived some good moments. The wake itself was ok -- a lot of people came, many of whom I had never met. And many came from faraway distances -- California, Germany, Illinois, Missouri. But even those who came from across town traveled a good distance (in terms of knowing my dad) -- my dad grew up there and spent his whole life there. But besides my mom, my grandparents probably have it the hardest -- they and my father were very close, as they never changed towns like their other kids had done. They were good buddies and my grandpa always came over Saturday mornings, knocking at the door at 9 a.m. when my dad was still sleeping and snoring heavily.
20 Oct.
His funeral was in the morning that Friday and I saw even more people I never knew my father knew. The hardest part of the funeral was not draping with my siblings a white sheet over the coffin during the service, or reading a poem in front of everyone, or not even loading him into the hearse, but seeing my mom and grandparents standing at his coffin, crying, right before it was closed. That was another heavy piece of reality right there, another bite off the denial phase, that my dad was definitely gone and that that was the last time anyone would ever see his physical form ever again.
The service was okay. I read a poem (below) and my older brother Jason told a few stories of our dad. The pastor read the ´´love is kind´´ bit from the Bible, an uncommon thing to read at a funeral I think, but it was what was read at his wedding 22 years prior. At the end of the service they played a loud, booming, joyful song (of which I forgot the title) that reflected my dad`s personality.
***
Our Dad
Our dad was the guy with the goofy grin
The man with the hairy chin
The one with the sprawling kin
Our father loved cars
Hated long hours
Brought mom flowers
A dad, a grandpa, a hsuband, a son, a brother
A friend, a teaser, a joker, a Latin Lover
Completely unlike any other
A welder, a camper, a relaxer
Whose favorite medicine was laughter
Good company and a few beers
Our dad was the guy with the thick mustache
The man with the secret tool stash
The one who had many a deer crash
Our father loved everyone
Hated to say it
But always though it
TVs and pets, cars and cookouts
Stubborn and strong, husky and gentle
Big-hearted, generous and outgoing
But most of all a family man
A dad, a grandpa, a husband, a son, a brother
You will be missed like no other
***
We buried my dad next to his grandparents in a very modest cemetery with few elaborate gravesites and instead flat, barebones headstones that give the names and birth and deathdates. After the burial (I took a few flowers from atop his casket and put them on an altar I made for Dìa de Muertos) we went back to the church and ate Chinese food from HyVee, my dad`s favorite. Yet another funeral oddity, but I think it was a pretty big hit.
Afterwards we took the truckload of flowers into our house, unsure of what to do with them all. Then we went to my grandparents, a stuffed-to-the-brim house of relatives, where we talked, ate, drank and reminisced until midnight or so.
21 Oct. to 24 Oct.
As each day after the funeral passed we got less food and fewer people came to our house but a lot of relatives remained. Nirish and Abid came down from Kato and we ate at a Mexican (authentic...I dunno?!?!) restaurant and I hung out with my Austin friends (Eric, Tuan, Feefs, Gregg, Val, Kellie, Jenna, Carissa) a few times. I went bowling with my siblings and mom and we saw a movie (Man of the Year, not that good, and my dad wouldn `t have liked it, even though Robin Williams was in it and it was advertised as a comedy but instead was a weak excuse for a satire). I left for Mexico on Tuesday, 8 days after I arrived, but I didn`t want to go back. I was leaving far too soon in the grieving process and it wouldn`t make things any easier. Also, that was the last time i`d see my family for 8 months and I felt like a bastard for going, but it would´ve been worse to quit everything, especially after 8 months of planning, and my dad would`ve wanted me to continue (``Goddammit! I told you it was a bad idea. Now stop wasting your money and go buy a car.``) But time passes fast and it`s already been 5 weeks. Eight months is nothing.
Bits and Pieces (stuff that is easier to write in bullet-point form rather than mend into a story):
* Going back I took with me a huge jar of peanut butter (it`s rare and spendy here), 3 bottles of astringent (acne medicine), powderized Gatorade, 2 sticks of Arrid deodorant, 6 bottles of contact solution (spendy as well -- $8 a bottle compared to $2.50) and a video iPod (hopefully to sell, but I might`ve gotten a little too ambitous...gulp).
* I also took one of my dad`s work shirts. He was a welder, and it`s obvious from all the holes and fading. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) it was washed (though having his scent, no matter how awful, is stronger than a photo).
* This time going back to the states I didn`t get sick like I did the month prior. I was thinking I would, especially since it was even colder and I think that`s what triggered it last time.
* I can do without Chinese food for a while.
* No matter how depressing Minnesota can be in Fall and winter, I realized that I definitely missed it, despite the barren cold and lack of anything to do. The air was cleaner too -- despite the fact that I`m living in the mountains right now.
* The day before he died he bought a widescreen TV. He always told me that he wanted to get a new TV (even weeks after buying a new TV) and I told him that he`d better get a widescreen TV because that`s how the DVDs are made and it`s natural for the eyes because their field of vision is more rectangular than square -- but he always told me, ``Goddammit, I`m not getting one of those! TVs shouldn`t be like that!``
* The traveling back to Xalapa wasn`t so bad -- I mean, given the conditions, the schedules were on time, the Burger King I ate in the Minneapolis airport was insanely delicious (I have my superstitions), the Rolling Stone (in English) was very good, and even the second class bus I took from Mexico City to Xalapa was decent. The only complaint I have is that the airport people were dicks -- I tried explaining that i forgot to get my exit card and passport stamped when leaving Mexico, but that wasn`t enough and I was told to go to the Migration office in Xalapa. Also...and this isn`t that big a deal, but the subway was closed, and instead of paying 20 cents to get to the bus terminal I paid $10 via taxi. It`s ok though, they played movies in the taxi.
25 Oct. to 1 Nov.
Going back wasn`t hard but it wasn`t easy. I missed family and friends but I had enough distractions in Xalapa to keep myself busy. Going back to school was difficult. Missing three tests and 6 days of classes was a dogfight, but I got excused from one test and the other two I got extra time to study. It was the most awkward when people asked why I was gone so long.
``Oh, i had to go back home.``
``Back to the US? But didn`t you go home just a few weeks ago?``
``Yeah...``
``Well?``
``Well, my dad died.``
Pause, and then a look of horror.
```Jeez, I`m sorry. I had no idea.``
``It`s ok, thanks.``
Returning back to the house that`s a 35 minute walk to school didn`t really help, but we moved the first day of November. I couldn`t wait for that day because the faraway house was still fresh with the emotions I left in it the day my dad died. And if I stayed in that house I think it would`ve made things worse. Going out for the simplest things -- bread, laundry, tortillas, food -- is a chore in and of itself, as the nearest places are a 10 minute walk, and in Mexico that`s a lot since the people rely less on super centralized super markets and more on individual shops to buy their things (or so it seems).
We moved, without problems, and the house we`re at now is about 1,000 times better. Not only is it in the center and five minutes from my school and we now have gas and hot water, but from the terrace you can see Pico de Orizaba (Mexico`s highest, almost-perfect looking mountain) and Cofre de Perote (another mountain that`s kind of a big deal). Besides the small terrace roof collapsing and the water leak and the difficulty the toilets have in flushing, the house is a dream. Ugly and outdating styling and cockroaches aside, of course.
2 Nov. to 22 Nov.
The past three weeks have flown by. What I`ve done in them isn`t nearly as important in my life as what happened mid`October, but at least worthy of mentioning.
* I started getting back into my routine again, and I got hardcore for about a week studying -- I put in about 3 to four hours each day. Especially helpful is buying a newspaper and underlining the words I don`t know. It helps a lot to build vocabulary.
* I went to Veracruz, a tropical port city an hour and a half from Xalapa. Whereas Xalapa can be in the 40s -- hella cold right now -- Veracruz enjoys temps in the 80s and beyond. The seafood is delicious and the zocalo is lively, but overall I wasn`t a huge fan of the city. It`s a lot more expensive than Xalapa, the climate is too humid, and the people seem more fresa (stuck up) than those of Xalapa. I might`ve caught all the wrong ones at the wrong time, but nearly everyone I encountered offered little help and didn`t really care about anyone except themself. They may be jaded by all the tourists there (another good reason Xalapa is better) or pissy about the weather as well. But who knows.
* Guitar classes going well and are getting more interesting.
* I`ve been having a toothache lately and have many cankersores. I`ve been brushing though....hmm...
* We`re getting a refrigerator soon. Maybe even today.
* There`s nothing greater than hot showers.
* Dog puke seems to be everywhere these days.
* I went to Santiago Tuxtla (tiny city five hours south of Xalapa) this past weekend with Carlo and Daniel (England and S. Carolina) to visit with Ahmed his parents and family. We originally had plans to go to all these tourist spots, like the museums, the beach, an island with monkeys, the country side and a lake with good boat rides. Instead we stayed at his house all weekend and watched about 7 movies, ate constantly (eggs, refried beans, tortillas, Coke, fried bananas, tamales, chicken and pork) courtesy of his mom (thanks Señora Avendaño) and climbed halfway up a small mountain, where we found a black kitten and named him Santiago. We intended to bring him back to Xalapa but decided against it because it would`ve incurred a lot of typical kitten costs (shots, deworming, neutering, Tuny tuna) and, more importantly, they don`t allow pets of ANY KIND in the house we`re renting. I think maybe I should`ve told Carlo that before he moved in.
* Mexico`s new president gets sworn in Dec. 1. It`s gonna be interesting because the loser is saying he`s the legitamate president of Mexico. I agree with him, but I`ll save politics for when I`m not sick of writing.
* Scarlett Johansson`s birthday was today (Nov. 22) -- happy birthday!!! and Nirish`s birthday is today (Nov. 23) -- happy birthday buddy!!! and Fernanda`s birthday is today as well (Nov. 23), a Mexican lady friend (who resembles Scarlett Johansson) -- ¡Feliz cumpleaños!
Alright, I`m tired of writing, and it`s been 3 and a half hours, and i`m starting to remember what it was like last year as news editor when 3.5 hours of writing and anything related to it were cakewalks and instead 15 hours seemed a bit much. Anyway, thanks for reading this far down, (but my thank you is not extended to those who just scrolled down to see if I`d wish them a Happy Thanksgiving (which I do, just wait) and if you want a sincere thank you then go back and read this thoroughly and take note of what i did, as the way in which I`ve arranged these 5,338 words is unique and quite important to your well being).
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!
FATTEN YOURSELF AND LET THAT TURKEY WORK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DOZE OFF WHILE WATCHING FOOTBALL AND EAT SOME PUMPKIN PIE FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
--bronson.
23 November 2006
15 October 2006
Triste
I´ve got some bad news....
Not long after I sent out a mass e´mail today, my father passed away. I´m coming back home for a week. Not sure if I´ll be able to make it to Mankato, but Austin isn´t too far.
Bronson.
Not long after I sent out a mass e´mail today, my father passed away. I´m coming back home for a week. Not sure if I´ll be able to make it to Mankato, but Austin isn´t too far.
Bronson.
10 October 2006
Comments Mandatory - Part I
So I´ve been in México 40 days, 10 hours, 53 minutes and 42 seconds. I think that officially qualifies me as a Mexican Expert, or Mexipert. Your job is to ask me some questions you may have about México or any aspect concerning how it´s going for me. I´m lonely. Well...lonely when I´m by myself for about 20 minutes a day (Mexicans are social beings).
Possible questions:
* How do Mexicans drink Coke?
* What´s your (Bronson) favorite way to drink tequila?
* What happens if you don´t kiss your lady friend (or lady friend of a friend...as in, lady-friend-in-law) upon greeting?
* What does Xalapa smell like?
* What would you like to do to the roosters and donkeys who wake you up every morning?
* Besides skin and hair color, how do you know if someone is a gringo just by looking at them?
* Will you show me some photos of hot Mexican party girls?
* Are you actually there to study, or to party, or to gorge on delicious Mexican food?
etc., etc.
***
After I get a significant amount of questions (that could be months), I will research your quandries and post a definitive blog entry that will overwhelm you with informative information. Until then, think hard, my eager readers.
Possible questions:
* How do Mexicans drink Coke?
* What´s your (Bronson) favorite way to drink tequila?
* What happens if you don´t kiss your lady friend (or lady friend of a friend...as in, lady-friend-in-law) upon greeting?
* What does Xalapa smell like?
* What would you like to do to the roosters and donkeys who wake you up every morning?
* Besides skin and hair color, how do you know if someone is a gringo just by looking at them?
* Will you show me some photos of hot Mexican party girls?
* Are you actually there to study, or to party, or to gorge on delicious Mexican food?
etc., etc.
***
After I get a significant amount of questions (that could be months), I will research your quandries and post a definitive blog entry that will overwhelm you with informative information. Until then, think hard, my eager readers.
06 October 2006
Recap of Gringolándia
I just about peed my pants when I found I could do this -- make a photo slideshow instead of posting pictures individually and making you wait 20 minutes for the site to load.
The pictures advance automatically, but if you really hate the one you´re looking at you can press the arrow keys. And to see captions, just click on the photo and it will sort of minimize. Go ahead, try it.
BTW....if anyone has pictures of Jason and Carrie´s wedding, you should e´mail them to me....thanks...
Shoutout to Fifi -- Happy Birthday!!!! And Isaac and Ashley happy birthday tomorrow!!!!
***
I´m getting seriously lazy with these blog posts. It´d be better if I wrote a little bit each day instead of putting it all off, telling myself I´ll make a massive post, but then forget everything. *Sigh.*
***
Thursday, 21 Sept. 2006
The night before I came back to the US I went to a lucha libre, or Mexican wrestling. A unique combination of American wrestling, gymnastics, martial arts, The Three Stooges and of course theatrics. In one match, two sumo-like wrestlers were on the same team and one rolled of the ring, landing flat on his back. It sounded like a watermelon being dropped. A kind of wet thud. He just layed there for a few minutes, specators crowding around him. Even the paramedics came with the stretcher, and everyone thought he had broken something major. But then his partner came up and kicked him the stomach. He got up as if nothing had happened and the began luchando for more time. In another instance, a wrestler was pushed into the audience, sending people running in all directions because the ring was so close. Then the wrestler stood up, grabbed a seat, and smashed over his opponent´s head. Seeing shards of wood and plastic, a bloody eye, and wrestlers flying through the air like gymnasts is an entertaining way to pass a night.
Friday, 22 Sept. 2006
There´s something about the number 22 and I. I arrived in Mexico the 22 of August, left the 22 of September. During the five-hour bus ride from Xalapa to Mexico City I sat in seat 22. Going from Mexico City to Chicago I sat in seat 22F. From Chicago to Minneapolis I had seat 11A (half of 22), and it took me 22 hours to get from Xalapa to Minneapolis. No joke! I´m guessing something major will happen to me at 10:22:22 on March 30, 2008, my 22nd birthday. Or maybe I just might realize that my fascination with numbers is a waste of time.
***
When I got to Chicago´s airport, I didn´t know until passing through customs that nearly every flight to and from the city had been delayed due to bad weather. That meant chaos: angry passengers everywhere, yelling and crying and sleeping. I waited in line about an hour just to check my luggage, but in the meantime I met a Dutchman going to Minneapolis to do work for his hearing aid company, a grad student from Chicago going to Las Vegas on holiday with her family and a 45-year-old grandmother returning to Las Vegas who is a card dealer in a very fancy casino (it has some Italian name, I forgot). What formed was a strange, breif friendship, which reminded me of The Terminal, that airport movie with Tom Hanks. I think it may have been a combination of excessive caffeine, no sleep, a return from extremely high altitude, jet lag and reverse culture shock that left me so...oddly happy? ...I don´t know, it´s like one of those dreams you have when you wake up the next morning and just ask yourself, ¨What the hell was I smoking last night? Did I really dream that? I must´ve....but it was a pretty good dream.´´
***
I didn´t know how I was getting from Minneapolis airport to Mankato until I was in Chicago, at about 11 p.m. I put off until the last minute looking for a ride, but Nirish and Abid went through more hell than I did that day to find a car...shoutout to you guys.
***
By the way...I know that I saw a lot of people in only a week , but if I didn´t get to hang out with you that doesn´t mean I hate you. I actually would´ve liked to hang out with you, but I was a limited edition Gringo on a short visit. But if you want some Mexican fun, you know how to get a hold of me ; }
***
I read in nearly all the travel and study abroad books that one of the most difficult phases, surpringly, is reverse culture shock (that is, when you return to your home country after some time and find the way of life shocking). For me, that phase came in the form of
THE FOLLOWING OBSCENITIES HAVE BEEN WRI TTEN IN SMALL TYPE, SO IF YOU WANT TO READ THEN INCREASE THE TEXT SIZE BY GOING TO VIEW > TEXT SIZE > INCREASE. OTHERWISE, IT IS STRONGLY URGED THAT YOU SKIP TO THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH AND/OR YOU HAVE JUST EATEN.
explosive diarrhea that lasted the whole week, excessive vomiting, stomach cramps, bloating, overactive flatulance, and hypersensitivy to the cold weather.. It may be a result of what I ate -- I had a slimy tamale right before I left Xalapa, and I had some suspiciously delicious tacos in Mexico....but I also returned to the US, where preservatives and additives are everything. I may have possibly contracted intesinal worms or gotten food poisoning, but yes, I did take pepto bismal, and no, it didn´t work. Neither did Tums.
But I still don´t understand why I got so sick then and there...it should ´ve been during my month in Mexico...sharing drinks and food with acquaintances, not washing my hands frequently enough due to a lack of public bathrooms, and eating from street vendors almost daily. The sickness lasted even until Sunday, the day I left, when I had some of the worst five hours of my life....if you want to know why, see the above details and multiply them by the altitude (about 10, 000 feet) and the number of bathrooms on the airplane (2) and the number of passengers (about 100). Times infinity.
Saturday, 23 Sept.
I hung with my Mankatoan friends: Nepalis, fellow Reporter editors and A-4 homeys. And a few things I realized: Domino´s Pizza still doesn´t taste any better after a month. And don´t mix too many alcoholic beverages. EVER. And September in Minnesota can be warm enough to go to the beach or freezing cold enough that you need a sweater and a jacket (for me, it was the latter when I returned).
Sunday, 24 Sept.
The fam came to pick me up and we, along with Nirish, went to Tonn´s, the best restaurant in Mankato and possibly Minnesota. Mmmmm, Thai food. Then it was time to say goodbye to the Mankatoans for possibly up to 8 months. :(
***
Later that day I saw the grandparents and hung out with my Austin Homeys, Tuan and Eric and Jenna (for two minutes).
Monday, 25 Sept. - Wednesday, 26 Sept.
Those very few days I was home I chilled, cast my absentee ballot (you better win, DFL, or I´m starting my own party), took care of some financial business, spent time with the g´pas and siblings, bought a coffee pot to take back to Mexico, hung out with Baxter the tailless wonder, went to a movie (IN ENGLISH!), killed ladybugs (I haven´t seen any in Mexico yet) and ate some delicious steak and mashed potatoes.
Thursday, 27 Sept. - Saturday, 29 Sept.
We left for Wisconsin Wednesday morning. It took about 6 hours to get to Appleton, but then we got lost. Wisconsin, listen to me: you seriously need to get your road architecture right. How do you people get around without getting lost? And please, consider using numbers to label your highway instead of letters. What is that crap, huh, cheeseheads?
***
Coming back for the wedding was completely worth it, despite 24 hours of transit, a week of sickness and $500. I played paintball and realized that I´m never joining the army; I legally entered a bar and legally drank (see above photo of my little brother nursing a cool one); hung out with family and friends, whom I realized I missed much more than I had thought; and was king shit at the wedding, when I got my own table (along with the other bridesmen and groomsmaids).
***
I´m waiting to get more photos of the wedding, when I´ll make a more detailed post. Plus, I´m starving right now and am sick of writing.
The pictures advance automatically, but if you really hate the one you´re looking at you can press the arrow keys. And to see captions, just click on the photo and it will sort of minimize. Go ahead, try it.
BTW....if anyone has pictures of Jason and Carrie´s wedding, you should e´mail them to me....thanks...
Shoutout to Fifi -- Happy Birthday!!!! And Isaac and Ashley happy birthday tomorrow!!!!
***
I´m getting seriously lazy with these blog posts. It´d be better if I wrote a little bit each day instead of putting it all off, telling myself I´ll make a massive post, but then forget everything. *Sigh.*
***
Thursday, 21 Sept. 2006
The night before I came back to the US I went to a lucha libre, or Mexican wrestling. A unique combination of American wrestling, gymnastics, martial arts, The Three Stooges and of course theatrics. In one match, two sumo-like wrestlers were on the same team and one rolled of the ring, landing flat on his back. It sounded like a watermelon being dropped. A kind of wet thud. He just layed there for a few minutes, specators crowding around him. Even the paramedics came with the stretcher, and everyone thought he had broken something major. But then his partner came up and kicked him the stomach. He got up as if nothing had happened and the began luchando for more time. In another instance, a wrestler was pushed into the audience, sending people running in all directions because the ring was so close. Then the wrestler stood up, grabbed a seat, and smashed over his opponent´s head. Seeing shards of wood and plastic, a bloody eye, and wrestlers flying through the air like gymnasts is an entertaining way to pass a night.
Friday, 22 Sept. 2006
There´s something about the number 22 and I. I arrived in Mexico the 22 of August, left the 22 of September. During the five-hour bus ride from Xalapa to Mexico City I sat in seat 22. Going from Mexico City to Chicago I sat in seat 22F. From Chicago to Minneapolis I had seat 11A (half of 22), and it took me 22 hours to get from Xalapa to Minneapolis. No joke! I´m guessing something major will happen to me at 10:22:22 on March 30, 2008, my 22nd birthday. Or maybe I just might realize that my fascination with numbers is a waste of time.
***
When I got to Chicago´s airport, I didn´t know until passing through customs that nearly every flight to and from the city had been delayed due to bad weather. That meant chaos: angry passengers everywhere, yelling and crying and sleeping. I waited in line about an hour just to check my luggage, but in the meantime I met a Dutchman going to Minneapolis to do work for his hearing aid company, a grad student from Chicago going to Las Vegas on holiday with her family and a 45-year-old grandmother returning to Las Vegas who is a card dealer in a very fancy casino (it has some Italian name, I forgot). What formed was a strange, breif friendship, which reminded me of The Terminal, that airport movie with Tom Hanks. I think it may have been a combination of excessive caffeine, no sleep, a return from extremely high altitude, jet lag and reverse culture shock that left me so...oddly happy? ...I don´t know, it´s like one of those dreams you have when you wake up the next morning and just ask yourself, ¨What the hell was I smoking last night? Did I really dream that? I must´ve....but it was a pretty good dream.´´
***
I didn´t know how I was getting from Minneapolis airport to Mankato until I was in Chicago, at about 11 p.m. I put off until the last minute looking for a ride, but Nirish and Abid went through more hell than I did that day to find a car...shoutout to you guys.
***
By the way...I know that I saw a lot of people in only a week , but if I didn´t get to hang out with you that doesn´t mean I hate you. I actually would´ve liked to hang out with you, but I was a limited edition Gringo on a short visit. But if you want some Mexican fun, you know how to get a hold of me ; }
***
I read in nearly all the travel and study abroad books that one of the most difficult phases, surpringly, is reverse culture shock (that is, when you return to your home country after some time and find the way of life shocking). For me, that phase came in the form of
THE FOLLOWING OBSCENITIES HAVE BEEN WRI TTEN IN SMALL TYPE, SO IF YOU WANT TO READ THEN INCREASE THE TEXT SIZE BY GOING TO VIEW > TEXT SIZE > INCREASE. OTHERWISE, IT IS STRONGLY URGED THAT YOU SKIP TO THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH AND/OR YOU HAVE JUST EATEN.
explosive diarrhea that lasted the whole week, excessive vomiting, stomach cramps, bloating, overactive flatulance, and hypersensitivy to the cold weather.. It may be a result of what I ate -- I had a slimy tamale right before I left Xalapa, and I had some suspiciously delicious tacos in Mexico....but I also returned to the US, where preservatives and additives are everything. I may have possibly contracted intesinal worms or gotten food poisoning, but yes, I did take pepto bismal, and no, it didn´t work. Neither did Tums.
But I still don´t understand why I got so sick then and there...it should ´ve been during my month in Mexico...sharing drinks and food with acquaintances, not washing my hands frequently enough due to a lack of public bathrooms, and eating from street vendors almost daily. The sickness lasted even until Sunday, the day I left, when I had some of the worst five hours of my life....if you want to know why, see the above details and multiply them by the altitude (about 10, 000 feet) and the number of bathrooms on the airplane (2) and the number of passengers (about 100). Times infinity.
Saturday, 23 Sept.
I hung with my Mankatoan friends: Nepalis, fellow Reporter editors and A-4 homeys. And a few things I realized: Domino´s Pizza still doesn´t taste any better after a month. And don´t mix too many alcoholic beverages. EVER. And September in Minnesota can be warm enough to go to the beach or freezing cold enough that you need a sweater and a jacket (for me, it was the latter when I returned).
Sunday, 24 Sept.
The fam came to pick me up and we, along with Nirish, went to Tonn´s, the best restaurant in Mankato and possibly Minnesota. Mmmmm, Thai food. Then it was time to say goodbye to the Mankatoans for possibly up to 8 months. :(
***
Later that day I saw the grandparents and hung out with my Austin Homeys, Tuan and Eric and Jenna (for two minutes).
Monday, 25 Sept. - Wednesday, 26 Sept.
Those very few days I was home I chilled, cast my absentee ballot (you better win, DFL, or I´m starting my own party), took care of some financial business, spent time with the g´pas and siblings, bought a coffee pot to take back to Mexico, hung out with Baxter the tailless wonder, went to a movie (IN ENGLISH!), killed ladybugs (I haven´t seen any in Mexico yet) and ate some delicious steak and mashed potatoes.
Thursday, 27 Sept. - Saturday, 29 Sept.
We left for Wisconsin Wednesday morning. It took about 6 hours to get to Appleton, but then we got lost. Wisconsin, listen to me: you seriously need to get your road architecture right. How do you people get around without getting lost? And please, consider using numbers to label your highway instead of letters. What is that crap, huh, cheeseheads?
***
Coming back for the wedding was completely worth it, despite 24 hours of transit, a week of sickness and $500. I played paintball and realized that I´m never joining the army; I legally entered a bar and legally drank (see above photo of my little brother nursing a cool one); hung out with family and friends, whom I realized I missed much more than I had thought; and was king shit at the wedding, when I got my own table (along with the other bridesmen and groomsmaids).
***
I´m waiting to get more photos of the wedding, when I´ll make a more detailed post. Plus, I´m starving right now and am sick of writing.
New Skin
There, I made a sexy (amatuerishly) new layout. I was getting tired of my other layout, and it just didn´t seem that attractive. Tell me what you think, especially if it´s bothersome.
***
I was going to make a super long, photo´tastic (this time just the Aluminum edition instead of Silver) entry, but I was working on the new design too long. Sorry, I´m not very good at html. Neither are you.
In the meantime, go ahead and bookmark this site if you haven´t already and check back later this weekend, because you ´ll be blown away.
***
I was going to make a super long, photo´tastic (this time just the Aluminum edition instead of Silver) entry, but I was working on the new design too long. Sorry, I´m not very good at html. Neither are you.
In the meantime, go ahead and bookmark this site if you haven´t already and check back later this weekend, because you ´ll be blown away.
21 September 2006
Hello, USA
I`m coming back to the US tomorrow for my bro`s wedding, and I`ll be in Austin Sunday, so if anybody wants to hang out let me know...my time is limited, obviously, so you`ll probably only receive a (delicious) morsel of me. Figuratively speaking. Because if it was literal, you might burn your mouth. I`ve had lots of salsa.
12 September 2006
Super Mega Ultra Picture Post (Silver Edition)
Since you`ve gone about two weeks without any delicious ¡photos!, I`ve decided to dedicate this post to nothing but pictures. A LOT of pictures (And a few words about the pictures). In fact, there`ll be so many pictures that you`ll decide to read the Entire Works of Shakespeare, sans graphics.
If you are visually crippled, click the image to enlarge. But then again, if you were visually crippled, or VC as I like to say, you wouldn`t be able to read this print, would you?
Oh yeah, one other thing...the addv3tzr5 R ylling at me coz 2 menee clix have been made...some 1`s clkking lots...i gt n e`mail tllng me thr getting sspcious...plz h0ld off 0n tha clkkeeng 4 uh wiile.......thx
Mi casa es su casa. But only if you bring drinks.
...Three of us live in this newer, bigger (compared to the last) house: Me, Ahmed and Mitchell. Take La Carretera, turn onto Rebsamen, go for about 2 miles, and turn right when you get to Funerales San Francisco, near the Retorno de Psicologia, onto Desiderion Pavon.
This is the sala de espera, or the living room. Pretty exciting, huh? That`s what you get when you rent a house without furnishings.
Here is my room. Clean, right? It`s really more of the size of a rich person`s closet, but it suffices. The benefit: I have a balcony (below)
My view, directly across the street. Look a little to the right....
...Where the neighbors live. They have a donkey, about three dogs, and some chickens. Along with the traffic, they like to make their respective songs in chorus. But I read somewhere that if you are able to concentrate in a lot of noise, you become smarter.
Another view from the balcony, looking to the right.
The cable man installing some cable. Little did he know, a herd of cattle practicing their rain dance was coming down the hill.
Go down the hallway.... (sorry, I couldn`t figure out how to rotate this, so just turn your head)
...To patio 1. See the clotheslines? A spider was hanging from them, doing his own business. Last week, I walked outside, and I bumped into the spider. He was like,
¿Què pasa, bitch? ¿Por què estàs ruiñando mi casa, eh homey? Sufreczan las consequencìas, amigo!
Then, he proceded to bite my neck, which hurt pretty badly. I didn`t know which Spanish cuss word to spit back at the spider, so I just killed him.
From Patio 1, looking to the other neighbors, you see this (above)...and this (below)
Even more neighbors.
Water...use sparingly. And drink with caution. Not because it`s dirty, but because it`s too clean...that is, with too many chemicals.
From Patio 1 you can see Patio 2...which is pretty much useless, except to bring light into the living room. When I was taking these photos, I accidentally locked myself out of the house, and didn`t have my key with me. So I had to climb through Mitchell`s window, which is directly above the red thing in the photo. I was pretty much Spiderman for thirty seconds.
****
It`s time for a little walk up the street....
The neighbors on our left side. They asked me why I kept taking pictures of their house, and I told them that I was a lawyer and that the neighbors on the other side were going to sue because the offenders kept sic`ing their dogs on the others` chickens.
Looking up the hill.
Another angle, looking up.
A chicken who is a member of Al`Qaeda. In respect of secrecy, I promised not to disclose his name, but he promised an attack on KFC more perilous than those on 9.11.
Beetle. Year? 1938. It could just as well be a 2000. Seat belts not included in this Mexican staple.
Barbed wire fences hate you.
Me, bitch`slapping a leaf.
By the time I made it up this hill, I was huffing and puffing, and realizing that I was, indeed, an American.
Looking to the left is Rebsamen, a major road in Xalapa. That is, a major road for exhaust and mud.
Shoutout to Isaac, Nick and Vanessa: Nacho Libre? These things are everywhere. They`re used, especially, to transport water jugs.
Interesting story behind this photo. This dog, like always, was drunk off his arse. For the past week I`ve been telling him: Find a job, find a job. All you do is lay around and torture your liver. You`re not going to get anywhere in life. And, as always, when I was taking this walk, the dog was passed out in front of a house where he did not live. So, I took a bucket of cold water and threw it on him. He started chasing me down the hill, yelling that he`s going to chew up my visa and passport and that I`ll never be able to return to the US. I then told him, If I am unable to return, then I`m going to bother you 24`7 about your alcoholism and your laziness. To that, he told me, Alright, alright, I`ll get a job. But on one condition: I`m going to work in a liquor store.
If you are visually crippled, click the image to enlarge. But then again, if you were visually crippled, or VC as I like to say, you wouldn`t be able to read this print, would you?
Oh yeah, one other thing...the addv3tzr5 R ylling at me coz 2 menee clix have been made...some 1`s clkking lots...i gt n e`mail tllng me thr getting sspcious...plz h0ld off 0n tha clkkeeng 4 uh wiile.......thx
Mi casa es su casa. But only if you bring drinks.
...Three of us live in this newer, bigger (compared to the last) house: Me, Ahmed and Mitchell. Take La Carretera, turn onto Rebsamen, go for about 2 miles, and turn right when you get to Funerales San Francisco, near the Retorno de Psicologia, onto Desiderion Pavon.
This is the sala de espera, or the living room. Pretty exciting, huh? That`s what you get when you rent a house without furnishings.
Here is my room. Clean, right? It`s really more of the size of a rich person`s closet, but it suffices. The benefit: I have a balcony (below)
My view, directly across the street. Look a little to the right....
...Where the neighbors live. They have a donkey, about three dogs, and some chickens. Along with the traffic, they like to make their respective songs in chorus. But I read somewhere that if you are able to concentrate in a lot of noise, you become smarter.
Another view from the balcony, looking to the right.
The cable man installing some cable. Little did he know, a herd of cattle practicing their rain dance was coming down the hill.
Go down the hallway.... (sorry, I couldn`t figure out how to rotate this, so just turn your head)
...To patio 1. See the clotheslines? A spider was hanging from them, doing his own business. Last week, I walked outside, and I bumped into the spider. He was like,
¿Què pasa, bitch? ¿Por què estàs ruiñando mi casa, eh homey? Sufreczan las consequencìas, amigo!
Then, he proceded to bite my neck, which hurt pretty badly. I didn`t know which Spanish cuss word to spit back at the spider, so I just killed him.
From Patio 1, looking to the other neighbors, you see this (above)...and this (below)
Even more neighbors.
Water...use sparingly. And drink with caution. Not because it`s dirty, but because it`s too clean...that is, with too many chemicals.
From Patio 1 you can see Patio 2...which is pretty much useless, except to bring light into the living room. When I was taking these photos, I accidentally locked myself out of the house, and didn`t have my key with me. So I had to climb through Mitchell`s window, which is directly above the red thing in the photo. I was pretty much Spiderman for thirty seconds.
****
It`s time for a little walk up the street....
The neighbors on our left side. They asked me why I kept taking pictures of their house, and I told them that I was a lawyer and that the neighbors on the other side were going to sue because the offenders kept sic`ing their dogs on the others` chickens.
Looking up the hill.
Another angle, looking up.
A chicken who is a member of Al`Qaeda. In respect of secrecy, I promised not to disclose his name, but he promised an attack on KFC more perilous than those on 9.11.
Beetle. Year? 1938. It could just as well be a 2000. Seat belts not included in this Mexican staple.
Barbed wire fences hate you.
Me, bitch`slapping a leaf.
By the time I made it up this hill, I was huffing and puffing, and realizing that I was, indeed, an American.
Looking to the left is Rebsamen, a major road in Xalapa. That is, a major road for exhaust and mud.
Shoutout to Isaac, Nick and Vanessa: Nacho Libre? These things are everywhere. They`re used, especially, to transport water jugs.
Interesting story behind this photo. This dog, like always, was drunk off his arse. For the past week I`ve been telling him: Find a job, find a job. All you do is lay around and torture your liver. You`re not going to get anywhere in life. And, as always, when I was taking this walk, the dog was passed out in front of a house where he did not live. So, I took a bucket of cold water and threw it on him. He started chasing me down the hill, yelling that he`s going to chew up my visa and passport and that I`ll never be able to return to the US. I then told him, If I am unable to return, then I`m going to bother you 24`7 about your alcoholism and your laziness. To that, he told me, Alright, alright, I`ll get a job. But on one condition: I`m going to work in a liquor store.
05 September 2006
Back to the Basics
Even though four and half years of Spanish may seem like a lot - even enough to be fluent - it`s really not. Maybe it`s just that I`m extremely rusty, since my last Spanish class was a year and a half ago and I`ve practice little since then. As a result, I`m taking intermediate-basic level classes. It`s frustrating that they offer Level I and Level II but no Level I.5 for most of the classes. I think I`m more advanced than a basic but not an expert, which is sort of how these classes are set up. Either I or II. Pfft.
It`s hard to shed the habit of thinking in English. Think of a tub of crystal clear, cool water, purified and ready to be drank. Now, imagine a dirty dog who just rolled in dead fish and nuclear waste. The tub of water is Sparkling Spanish and the filthy fido is English. Fido wants to clean himself in Sparkling, but Sparkling doesn`t want to think in English, he wants to think in Spanish. Fido keeps bothering Sparkling and they go on for a while. Now, this fight is me. When I want to say something to someone (a bus driver, or vendor selling juice) I first think of the phrase in English. Then I translate to Spanish and then I say it aloud. But all this time I`m translating I`ve wasted valuable time and ignored my pronunciation. I`ve got a 133 mhz processor in a 900 mhz world, and I need to upgrade pronto.
***
Now I`m experiencing Xalapa`s real weather. The first week I got here it was sunny everyday, all day, and cool enough to wear pants or shorts and not really mind. But now it`s cloudy and rainy (on and off) all day, everday. It`s sort of depressing. And at night it gets cold. Not Minnesota cold, but May cold, you know when leaving the window open when you go to bed is fine but you wake up halfway through your sleep and realize the coldness has no business being in your room. Plus, there`s hardly any humidity, unlike Minnesotan summers.
***
We also moved on Saturday. I`ll post a picture comment later because your eyes are hungry.
It`s hard to shed the habit of thinking in English. Think of a tub of crystal clear, cool water, purified and ready to be drank. Now, imagine a dirty dog who just rolled in dead fish and nuclear waste. The tub of water is Sparkling Spanish and the filthy fido is English. Fido wants to clean himself in Sparkling, but Sparkling doesn`t want to think in English, he wants to think in Spanish. Fido keeps bothering Sparkling and they go on for a while. Now, this fight is me. When I want to say something to someone (a bus driver, or vendor selling juice) I first think of the phrase in English. Then I translate to Spanish and then I say it aloud. But all this time I`m translating I`ve wasted valuable time and ignored my pronunciation. I`ve got a 133 mhz processor in a 900 mhz world, and I need to upgrade pronto.
***
Now I`m experiencing Xalapa`s real weather. The first week I got here it was sunny everyday, all day, and cool enough to wear pants or shorts and not really mind. But now it`s cloudy and rainy (on and off) all day, everday. It`s sort of depressing. And at night it gets cold. Not Minnesota cold, but May cold, you know when leaving the window open when you go to bed is fine but you wake up halfway through your sleep and realize the coldness has no business being in your room. Plus, there`s hardly any humidity, unlike Minnesotan summers.
***
We also moved on Saturday. I`ll post a picture comment later because your eyes are hungry.
01 September 2006
Nothing is Predictable
Even though I despise this word, as it is vague, overused and weak, I´m going to say that Mexico is...
RANDOM. I can´t think of a better word.
Instances of randomness I´ve noticed in the past few days:
* A man coming up to our window and playing the soprano saxophone in hopes of money
* A woman selling lint rollers in a bank
* A popular bread company called Bimbo
* The electricity going out suddenly...then on again...then off again
* The structure of Xalapa...it seems to have no consistent style or design, but that´s what makes it appealing
I think I might have a new section in my postings detailing a bit of randomness I encounter. I don´t know what to call it, but you´d like it.
RANDOM. I can´t think of a better word.
Instances of randomness I´ve noticed in the past few days:
* A man coming up to our window and playing the soprano saxophone in hopes of money
* A woman selling lint rollers in a bank
* A popular bread company called Bimbo
* The electricity going out suddenly...then on again...then off again
* The structure of Xalapa...it seems to have no consistent style or design, but that´s what makes it appealing
I think I might have a new section in my postings detailing a bit of randomness I encounter. I don´t know what to call it, but you´d like it.
31 August 2006
Studious Start
My classes:
Intensive Spanish 3
Spanish Pronounciation (will probably get canceled since only three people came)
Spanish-English Translation
Written Expression 2
Oral Expression 1
Today was the first day of classes and I was expecting a, ¨Hola, me llamo Señor Gonzalez¨and then they hand out the syllabus and that´s it. That´s far from what happened. In each of the classes I had today we received the syllabus, followed by introductions from everyone and immediately we began working on homework. And all the classes went their full lenghts. Typically, in most of the classes I´ve had, we don´t get homework until the third or fourth session. But I was pretty impressed with the teachers. All of them spoke clearly, loudly, and confidently and made sure everyone understood what was being said. I´m kinda glad classes have started though, because I´m going to rapidly improve my Spanish. It has improved quite a bit in the past week I´ve been in Mexico, but I need some structured learning.
Another good thing about Mexican classes, or at least mine, are the lack of books I need to buy. Only one so far. Plus, in almost all my classes, the professors told us to write down what we want to talk about this semester. I can´t think of any classes I´ve had where that´s happened.
It´s annoying though that the school is so loud. It´s a good-sized building with a plaza in the middle (there´s no roof) but there´s always either traffic or other students talking. Plus, the echoes are pretty bad since the ceilings are so high.
This weekend we have to move :( away from the house with a terrace that overlooks the lakes to a house (though bigger and newer) about 20 minutes from here by foot.
Nos vemos.
Intensive Spanish 3
Spanish Pronounciation (will probably get canceled since only three people came)
Spanish-English Translation
Written Expression 2
Oral Expression 1
Today was the first day of classes and I was expecting a, ¨Hola, me llamo Señor Gonzalez¨and then they hand out the syllabus and that´s it. That´s far from what happened. In each of the classes I had today we received the syllabus, followed by introductions from everyone and immediately we began working on homework. And all the classes went their full lenghts. Typically, in most of the classes I´ve had, we don´t get homework until the third or fourth session. But I was pretty impressed with the teachers. All of them spoke clearly, loudly, and confidently and made sure everyone understood what was being said. I´m kinda glad classes have started though, because I´m going to rapidly improve my Spanish. It has improved quite a bit in the past week I´ve been in Mexico, but I need some structured learning.
Another good thing about Mexican classes, or at least mine, are the lack of books I need to buy. Only one so far. Plus, in almost all my classes, the professors told us to write down what we want to talk about this semester. I can´t think of any classes I´ve had where that´s happened.
It´s annoying though that the school is so loud. It´s a good-sized building with a plaza in the middle (there´s no roof) but there´s always either traffic or other students talking. Plus, the echoes are pretty bad since the ceilings are so high.
This weekend we have to move :( away from the house with a terrace that overlooks the lakes to a house (though bigger and newer) about 20 minutes from here by foot.
Nos vemos.
28 August 2006
Cuando estes en México, sé Mexicano
I keep putting off a long, detailed post of my first week in Mexico, but to save you the headache of having to read a lot, I´ll instead give you a picture post because each one is worth 1,000 words. That means that this post´ll be like a novella. (oh, sorry for the italics. I know they´re hard to read, but I have yet to master the Mexican computer)
22 August 2006 * Day 1
This is the airplane I rode. Originally, I had an aisle seat, but before the Chicago to Mexico City flight I asked for a window seat. That way, in case their were any snakes on board (in Mexico it´s called Serpientos a Bordo) it would be easier for me to escape. Plus, no one sat next to me and I saw Inside Man (though I disagree that it´s a good movie to play on an airplane).
When I was flying over Mexico City, the first thing I noticed was the color of the houses. They´re mostly primary colors. I also noticed that there is little buffer space between the airport and the city. My friend Ahmed was to meet me in the airport, but I had never seen nor talked to him (except on the internet). But it was my first time in an international airport, outside of US, and I was n´t sure how immigration or customs or any of that stuff worked. And, of course, I forgot all my Spanish when I arrived. And I wasn´t sur e where Ahmed would be, so I started getting a little worried. But eventually we met and I tried to withdraw money from an ATM. It didn´t work. We took the metro (subway) to his buddy´s apartment within the city. And lemme tell you: Mexico is frigging huge. Imagine Minnesota´s population, multiply by 5 and condense it into a sprawling megalopolis and you get MXC. Above is a cathedral in the Zocalo, Mexico City´s lively, smelly, beating heart. Right now, Mexico is experiencing Florida 2000: a recount is happening (voto por voto, casella por casella) after the conservative (or should I say Wrongpublican?) presidential candidate was suspected of fraud. Look for the photo below.
23 August 2006 * Day 2
This is Ahmed and I in Chapultepec, a massive park in Mexico City. In the background is a castle occupied at different points by Hernán Cortes, presidents and various other important people. Now, the castle is the Naitonal History Museum of Mexico.
Here´s the castle. I paid it $50 to give me this sexy pose.
I told you, Ancient Mexican Artifact: don´t drink the water!
Gringo wannabe.
(above, below) We also hung out with famous Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. She doesn´t say much anymore, since she´s been dead for about 50 years. But she was an amazing painter and lived a tragic life.
In Chapultepec´s Zoo, even the monkey´s knew I was a Gringo.
Taken from the castle, this is Mexico City´s Paseo de La Reformas. See the yellow things in the middle? Those are tents where people have been camping since at least mid-July to show their support for Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the leftist presidential candidate. Honestly, if Al Gore in 2000 would´ve had a backbone like Obrador´s, our country wouldn´t be as f#cked right now. A winner has yet to be declared but they´re almost dead even.
This clown thinks he owns the place. (Speaking of clowns, we went to a McDonald´s earlier that day (the prices are higher here than in the US, but they serve jalapeños) and Ahmed says: McDonald´s sucks. I like Burger King the best. Why eat with the clowns when you can eat with the king?). In the photo, notice how they´re little spots? That was from the rain, when all of a sudden it started to downpour when we were at a Starbucks (no, seriously, I´m in Mexico). Right now it´s the rainy season here.
24 August 2006
Our last day in Mexico City, we went to Teotihuacan, site of the world´s third largest pyramaid. We climbed it, but each step is about a foot high and it´s insanely steep. By the time we reached the top we were exhausted, but the view was fantastic. That day, however, I forgot to recharge my camera, so I had a gringo from Tenn. take our photo, and I´m still waiting for another photot a Spaniard took of us at the top of the pyramaid. Notice that many of the photos in this blog are with Ahmed. We have decided that he is my tourist guide / life coach (like an overpriced shrink who takes you places and gives you advice) / pimp (that´s right, I´m a cheap Gringo, and I cost only 50 pesos ). But seriously, if it weren´t for him or people like him, I´d be lost or dead on the Mexico City streets, stray dogs chewing on my rotting corpse, asking themselves, Why are gringos so fatty?
25 August 2006
After a five-hour bus ride from Mexico City and two mediocre movies in Spanish, we finally arrived in Xalapa, the prettiest city I´ve ever seen. It´s said to be cultured, sophisticated, fresh, laid'back, hilly, tropical and styled. It´s true. Above and below are photos of Los Lagos, a pedestrian walkway (think Mill Pond minus the ugliness) taken from Ahmed´s house. That´s right, this is my view, beyotches. But, sadly, we have to move next week because the owner wants to sell the house.
A walkway to the University of Veracruz´library, sans fake/imported flora.
Who says libraries aren´t sexy? MSU, take note.
Downtown Xalapa. Busy, bustling, traffic'laden. Ahh, capitol cities.
22 August 2006 * Day 1
This is the airplane I rode. Originally, I had an aisle seat, but before the Chicago to Mexico City flight I asked for a window seat. That way, in case their were any snakes on board (in Mexico it´s called Serpientos a Bordo) it would be easier for me to escape. Plus, no one sat next to me and I saw Inside Man (though I disagree that it´s a good movie to play on an airplane).
When I was flying over Mexico City, the first thing I noticed was the color of the houses. They´re mostly primary colors. I also noticed that there is little buffer space between the airport and the city. My friend Ahmed was to meet me in the airport, but I had never seen nor talked to him (except on the internet). But it was my first time in an international airport, outside of US, and I was n´t sure how immigration or customs or any of that stuff worked. And, of course, I forgot all my Spanish when I arrived. And I wasn´t sur e where Ahmed would be, so I started getting a little worried. But eventually we met and I tried to withdraw money from an ATM. It didn´t work. We took the metro (subway) to his buddy´s apartment within the city. And lemme tell you: Mexico is frigging huge. Imagine Minnesota´s population, multiply by 5 and condense it into a sprawling megalopolis and you get MXC. Above is a cathedral in the Zocalo, Mexico City´s lively, smelly, beating heart. Right now, Mexico is experiencing Florida 2000: a recount is happening (voto por voto, casella por casella) after the conservative (or should I say Wrongpublican?) presidential candidate was suspected of fraud. Look for the photo below.
23 August 2006 * Day 2
This is Ahmed and I in Chapultepec, a massive park in Mexico City. In the background is a castle occupied at different points by Hernán Cortes, presidents and various other important people. Now, the castle is the Naitonal History Museum of Mexico.
Here´s the castle. I paid it $50 to give me this sexy pose.
I told you, Ancient Mexican Artifact: don´t drink the water!
Gringo wannabe.
(above, below) We also hung out with famous Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. She doesn´t say much anymore, since she´s been dead for about 50 years. But she was an amazing painter and lived a tragic life.
In Chapultepec´s Zoo, even the monkey´s knew I was a Gringo.
Taken from the castle, this is Mexico City´s Paseo de La Reformas. See the yellow things in the middle? Those are tents where people have been camping since at least mid-July to show their support for Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the leftist presidential candidate. Honestly, if Al Gore in 2000 would´ve had a backbone like Obrador´s, our country wouldn´t be as f#cked right now. A winner has yet to be declared but they´re almost dead even.
This clown thinks he owns the place. (Speaking of clowns, we went to a McDonald´s earlier that day (the prices are higher here than in the US, but they serve jalapeños) and Ahmed says: McDonald´s sucks. I like Burger King the best. Why eat with the clowns when you can eat with the king?). In the photo, notice how they´re little spots? That was from the rain, when all of a sudden it started to downpour when we were at a Starbucks (no, seriously, I´m in Mexico). Right now it´s the rainy season here.
24 August 2006
Our last day in Mexico City, we went to Teotihuacan, site of the world´s third largest pyramaid. We climbed it, but each step is about a foot high and it´s insanely steep. By the time we reached the top we were exhausted, but the view was fantastic. That day, however, I forgot to recharge my camera, so I had a gringo from Tenn. take our photo, and I´m still waiting for another photot a Spaniard took of us at the top of the pyramaid. Notice that many of the photos in this blog are with Ahmed. We have decided that he is my tourist guide / life coach (like an overpriced shrink who takes you places and gives you advice) / pimp (that´s right, I´m a cheap Gringo, and I cost only 50 pesos ). But seriously, if it weren´t for him or people like him, I´d be lost or dead on the Mexico City streets, stray dogs chewing on my rotting corpse, asking themselves, Why are gringos so fatty?
25 August 2006
After a five-hour bus ride from Mexico City and two mediocre movies in Spanish, we finally arrived in Xalapa, the prettiest city I´ve ever seen. It´s said to be cultured, sophisticated, fresh, laid'back, hilly, tropical and styled. It´s true. Above and below are photos of Los Lagos, a pedestrian walkway (think Mill Pond minus the ugliness) taken from Ahmed´s house. That´s right, this is my view, beyotches. But, sadly, we have to move next week because the owner wants to sell the house.
A walkway to the University of Veracruz´library, sans fake/imported flora.
Who says libraries aren´t sexy? MSU, take note.
Downtown Xalapa. Busy, bustling, traffic'laden. Ahh, capitol cities.
23 August 2006
¡Que chaotico, Mexico!
Right now I´m sitting in a tiny internet cafe in Mexico City, the craziest, biggest, and smelliest place I´ve ever been. I don´t know how to describe it, and to write down all the things I´ve encountered in the 20 hours I´ve been here could fill an entire book. Plus, this keyboard is really hard to use, because where you normally find the shift button is a little < and you get all these weird symbols that would take you five minutes to usç çe on aº¿¡ a regular computer.
Here´s a list of things that I notice / like / dislike about the D. F. (later, I´ll make a longer post about my plane ride, my entrance to Mexico, and all that, complete with mind-bogglingly good pictures).
I´ve noticed....
* More PDAs (public displays of affection) Maybe it´s just a bigcity thing, but it seems like more people kiss and hug in public than the US. But even strangers passing on the street say, hola, buenos tardes, so it reflects on Mexico´s hospitality.
* Everyone drives small cars. Think 2 door Geo Metro, and get rid of every SUV and truck...that´s what you have in DF (DF = Distrito Federal, the capitol, aka Mexico City).
I like....
* The mass transit system. Even though traffic is horrendous, taxis and buses are everywhere, and they´re cheap. I took two taxis yesterday with my friend Ahmed, a Mexican student from Xalapa, and they both cost less than 20 pesos, about $2. One of them was a green VW bug, which sounded like a semi. And the subway is great too. It´s blazing fast and doesn´t brake.
Ok i´m gonna go now, there´s nothing i dislike about DF. Just kidding. I´ll post later, I gotta run now.
Here´s a list of things that I notice / like / dislike about the D. F. (later, I´ll make a longer post about my plane ride, my entrance to Mexico, and all that, complete with mind-bogglingly good pictures).
I´ve noticed....
* More PDAs (public displays of affection) Maybe it´s just a bigcity thing, but it seems like more people kiss and hug in public than the US. But even strangers passing on the street say, hola, buenos tardes, so it reflects on Mexico´s hospitality.
* Everyone drives small cars. Think 2 door Geo Metro, and get rid of every SUV and truck...that´s what you have in DF (DF = Distrito Federal, the capitol, aka Mexico City).
I like....
* The mass transit system. Even though traffic is horrendous, taxis and buses are everywhere, and they´re cheap. I took two taxis yesterday with my friend Ahmed, a Mexican student from Xalapa, and they both cost less than 20 pesos, about $2. One of them was a green VW bug, which sounded like a semi. And the subway is great too. It´s blazing fast and doesn´t brake.
Ok i´m gonna go now, there´s nothing i dislike about DF. Just kidding. I´ll post later, I gotta run now.
21 August 2006
Counting down the hours
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.
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.
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)
23 June 2006
Two months, and....I'm there.
Here's a brief run-down of what I've done/left to do:
Do:
*Get visa....this means waiting for a certificate of good health and a "letter of financial solvency." And a trip to the cities and a five-day waiting period.
*Buy luggage. I'm debating if I should buy the cheapie kind in case it gets lost or stolen (I might decide to ride Greyhound someday) or invest in a Samsonite or equally good quality brand. I'll likely make a compromise: buy used baggage that's of good quality.
* Get a new bank account or ensure mine will work in Mx.
* Cancel my cell phone, AOL, pay my library fines, etc.
* Get addresses, phone numbers of family/friends and store in an address book so I can send gifts/request monetary donations (if need be) :]
*Keep working...my goal: enough money to not have to work while I'm down there. I don't think I can, legally, anyway.
* CLEAN MY ROOM!!!! Dammit, I don't want to come back after a year to a pig sty! It still is a month after spring semester ended.
Done:
* Received my acceptance letter
* Bough plane ticket ($419 for round-trip...the cheapest I could find)
* Doctor check-up, eye exam
* Most of the documents for my visa
Countdown: two months, exactly....Well, technically not anymore, but had I posted two hours earlier, it would've been. I'll put it this way: in two months, I'll be in a foreign place, off American soil for the first time in my life (five minutes in Canada doesn't count), trying to string together bits and phrases of a foreign language and figuring out what I got myself into...a good thing, I hope. Fingers crossed.
Do:
*Get visa....this means waiting for a certificate of good health and a "letter of financial solvency." And a trip to the cities and a five-day waiting period.
*Buy luggage. I'm debating if I should buy the cheapie kind in case it gets lost or stolen (I might decide to ride Greyhound someday) or invest in a Samsonite or equally good quality brand. I'll likely make a compromise: buy used baggage that's of good quality.
* Get a new bank account or ensure mine will work in Mx.
* Cancel my cell phone, AOL, pay my library fines, etc.
* Get addresses, phone numbers of family/friends and store in an address book so I can send gifts/request monetary donations (if need be) :]
*Keep working...my goal: enough money to not have to work while I'm down there. I don't think I can, legally, anyway.
* CLEAN MY ROOM!!!! Dammit, I don't want to come back after a year to a pig sty! It still is a month after spring semester ended.
Done:
* Received my acceptance letter
* Bough plane ticket ($419 for round-trip...the cheapest I could find)
* Doctor check-up, eye exam
* Most of the documents for my visa
Countdown: two months, exactly....Well, technically not anymore, but had I posted two hours earlier, it would've been. I'll put it this way: in two months, I'll be in a foreign place, off American soil for the first time in my life (five minutes in Canada doesn't count), trying to string together bits and phrases of a foreign language and figuring out what I got myself into...a good thing, I hope. Fingers crossed.
02 June 2006
First Post
So I created this blog back in April but I keep putting off entries because I'm lazy like that. But I made it so I can detail my adventures in Mexico because I thought you'd like to know. I think Blogspot is more versatile and has a cleaner, more powerful layout than Xanga, which seems kind of amateurish, but it still fun to use.
Anyway, since I'm not really in Mexico yet, I thought I might share some stuff that I have yet to do, as well as what I've done so far to prepare.
To do:
- First and foremost, wait for my acceptance letter. Now, it's a bit late to still be speculating if I'm even accepted into the university, but I've talked to admissions and it sounds like they're accepting me. I sent my application fee ($75) about three weeks ago and they still haven't got it, but the check hasn't fallen into the wrong hands since it hasn't been cashed yet.
* Once I get the acceptance letter, I can:
~ Send a copy to my scholarship providers
~ Send a copy to MSU
~ Apply for my visa
- Buy my plane ticket. The cheapest I've found (Mpls. to Mex. City) is $413, round trip -- I'm leaving Aug. 22 and coming back Sept. 26. If I leave one day earlier it's about $50 more.
- Buy the essentials....more lenses for my camera, a new backpack, luggage, gifts for the host family/students.
- Get a doctor's check up and immunizations. Buy contacts and new glasses. Invest in a case of Pepto Bismal. Make that five.
What I've done:
- Applied. Still waiting to be officially accepted.
- Got my passport. I actually did that nearly three months ago.
- Taken the placement test (I scored at an intermediate level)
- Gotten the classes approved so I can transfer the credits
- Finished the FAFSA (one week ago !!!....but I'm not relying on grants 'cause I got hardly any last year.)
- Finished most of the financial info -- where to transfer the money, all that.
- Started this blog, just for you.
What I'm doing:
-Studying Spanish. Everyday I try to look for some way to practice my Spanish. Sometimes I study from a textbook. I listen to these Spanish lessons on my iPod. I watch Univision and Galavision (Mexicans are CRAZY fun and sometimes I think they use ecstasy by the way they dress/act on some of those talk/comedy shows.). I talk in Spanish on MSN to some Mexican friends. I switch the audio from English to Spanish -- it's funny to watch War of the Worlds like that, Dakota Fanning sounds like a mouse.
Anyway, since I'm not really in Mexico yet, I thought I might share some stuff that I have yet to do, as well as what I've done so far to prepare.
To do:
- First and foremost, wait for my acceptance letter. Now, it's a bit late to still be speculating if I'm even accepted into the university, but I've talked to admissions and it sounds like they're accepting me. I sent my application fee ($75) about three weeks ago and they still haven't got it, but the check hasn't fallen into the wrong hands since it hasn't been cashed yet.
* Once I get the acceptance letter, I can:
~ Send a copy to my scholarship providers
~ Send a copy to MSU
~ Apply for my visa
- Buy my plane ticket. The cheapest I've found (Mpls. to Mex. City) is $413, round trip -- I'm leaving Aug. 22 and coming back Sept. 26. If I leave one day earlier it's about $50 more.
- Buy the essentials....more lenses for my camera, a new backpack, luggage, gifts for the host family/students.
- Get a doctor's check up and immunizations. Buy contacts and new glasses. Invest in a case of Pepto Bismal. Make that five.
What I've done:
- Applied. Still waiting to be officially accepted.
- Got my passport. I actually did that nearly three months ago.
- Taken the placement test (I scored at an intermediate level)
- Gotten the classes approved so I can transfer the credits
- Finished the FAFSA (one week ago !!!....but I'm not relying on grants 'cause I got hardly any last year.)
- Finished most of the financial info -- where to transfer the money, all that.
- Started this blog, just for you.
What I'm doing:
-Studying Spanish. Everyday I try to look for some way to practice my Spanish. Sometimes I study from a textbook. I listen to these Spanish lessons on my iPod. I watch Univision and Galavision (Mexicans are CRAZY fun and sometimes I think they use ecstasy by the way they dress/act on some of those talk/comedy shows.). I talk in Spanish on MSN to some Mexican friends. I switch the audio from English to Spanish -- it's funny to watch War of the Worlds like that, Dakota Fanning sounds like a mouse.
- But the thing is, I need more face-to-face interaction. All of the above help in some ways, but it's still mostly just one-ended communication. So I'm trying to find some Hispanics who will help me with my Spanish. If only I knew as many Latinos as I did Nepalis. :|
- Waiting. Not knowing whether I'm accepted, if I'll get grants, if I'll have enough money...that's what kills me.
- Working. Like mad. I'm thinking I'll be working at least 30 hours weekly this summer (add another 15 for the internship), as well as the occasional freelancing. I might also sell my body on the corner...I hear that makes pretty good money. No old geezers though.
Stuff.
I'm not sure how often I'll update this blog during the summer...I s'pose whenever something big happens, like when I get the acceptance letter, or when I realize I've become so fluent in the language that I'll run for president of Mexico (the election is this year, and incumbency is not an option for presidents.)
But one thing I hope to do: update it regularly when I get down to the Mex. With pictures, maybe even short video clips. I don't know how to do that, but I should, right? And this blog will be available to not just you faithful followers (the Xanga crowd) but to family, professors, MSU friends, and your mom.
Anyway, if you think I should add some sort of feature (ie, "Mexican icon of the week" or "Cultural difference of the day" then you should tell me. Hey, there's two ideas right there.)
COUNTDOWN: 91 days
- Working. Like mad. I'm thinking I'll be working at least 30 hours weekly this summer (add another 15 for the internship), as well as the occasional freelancing. I might also sell my body on the corner...I hear that makes pretty good money. No old geezers though.
Stuff.
I'm not sure how often I'll update this blog during the summer...I s'pose whenever something big happens, like when I get the acceptance letter, or when I realize I've become so fluent in the language that I'll run for president of Mexico (the election is this year, and incumbency is not an option for presidents.)
But one thing I hope to do: update it regularly when I get down to the Mex. With pictures, maybe even short video clips. I don't know how to do that, but I should, right? And this blog will be available to not just you faithful followers (the Xanga crowd) but to family, professors, MSU friends, and your mom.
Anyway, if you think I should add some sort of feature (ie, "Mexican icon of the week" or "Cultural difference of the day" then you should tell me. Hey, there's two ideas right there.)
COUNTDOWN: 91 days
25 April 2006
Four months to go
Hello there, folks. I started this blog to detail my study-abroad trip to Xalapa (or Jalapa), Mexico. More postings later.
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