well, today is Thanksgiving
probably the first that I have ever been away from home and family
given that it is one of my favorite holidays, i am sad to be away however I will be eating two thanksgiving meals--one with the bball team and one with my group from the states and our host families!
but nothing compares to grandmas mashed potatoes!!!
in fact, I am the one who signed up to make the potatoes..
They are my favorite food so I hope I do them justice!
This past weekend I went back to Orizaba (where I spent one month last summer) with my old host sister. We stayed at my old home and saw many friends. Ate Don Filipe hot dogs...played with my little cousin...and impressed them all with my improvements in spanish. It was great to go back and re-live my experience. I hope to go back soon!!
Soon in my class on relations between the us and mexico, we are going to have an internet chat with a class of students from georgia, usa. Yesterday, the teacher from that school came here to talk with us. From his questions of the other students I found out that all except for maybe one of the students in my class has at least one relative that has traveled or is in the US without papers. aunts, uncles, and even one brother
I was very surprised given that they are all from the middle class, and I had a preconceived notion that the only illegal immigrants entering were from the lower class or workers in small towns elsewhere. It seems like everyone is affected by immigration. There stories were impactful--some more draumatic than others, but all very interesting.
Lastly, I want to give thanks for family and friends---you all. I have a wonderful support network back in the states and I am very greatful. I am also thankful that I have found friendship and family here in Mexico. AND for this wonderful amazing experience.
See you soon!
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Thursday, November 15, 2007
mas!
Hey all! It is comical to me that this blog is named ¨its all about the frijoles¨ given that I do not eat many frijoles in my house. Mostly meat--great for the cholesterol! I took my first spinning class last night which consists of middle eastern music and stationary bikes and an instructer telling us how fast to go... not the most fun,... but it is about time for some physical exertion and fitness, so I will continue
About my weekend trip:
On Sunday I woke to my alarm at about 7:30 after only 3 hours of sleep (after the birthday party of my host sister). I decided I was not going and made the call to my friend Yahana´s family. But after waking up a bit I decided why not and I met them at the bus station in 30 minutes. We hopped on a bus and took it 45 mins away towards the gulf. We arrived to a much hotter climate, got off the bus, and took a taxi across beautiful countryside to a small town named...jolopo? o algo asi
It was the day of their patron saint, which calls for major festivities. This is common in most all small towns in Mexico. We arrived at the house of the brother of the father of my friend. They were already cooking. We talked with their talking parrot and playng with the baby puppies. Then we carried on to the next house, where an old old friend lived. He was a bit poorer and I could barely understand him when he spoke. I am also fairly sure that he said his son had been working illegally in the US and was deported. But what I did understand was very interesting. He said that in his town, if someone dies, everyone chips in. He was complaining that 3 people died the day before, so he doesnt have much money at the moment.
And...we ate--OH did we eat! Chiles filled with goodness, homemade tortillas...AND seafood soup. However, the seafood soup was indeed straight from the sea--with all of the animals intact, eyes, tenticles and all. I fought the urge to throw up and ate almost all of it. We were STUFFED! WE continued on to his other brothers house--a house with lots of land and basically a jungle/garden---I ate at LEAST 8 different types of fruit growing in trees and on bushes. I have never heard of most of them. I helped them pick oranges and avocados from the trees...which was fun but much harder than I expected! We sat and chatted and ate mangos for about 3 hours--talked about immigration and my opinions on Bush.
Met a outspoken man on the street who said that if we named any song, he could tell us the artist and the recording date. And he fulfilled his promise
Went back to the uncles house and ate MORE, and walked through the center where there were games and rides and all of that
What was most interesting of all is that they told me that in any house, even if it wasnt a special day, you may knock and enter and they will make you a meal! On this day there were tables all over peoples lawns where tons of townspeople came and ate--family and strangers alike. It was special.
The people in this town were more formal, yet more hospitible at the same time--using couteous phrases and greeting you even if you were just passing by! It was very different than the city life.
To top the day off we hitched a ride from a random family on the way back to the larger town because we couldnt find a taxi...and rode on the back of their truck! (which happens to be in my top 10 favorite things to do)
From there (still VERY full) I found out we were stopping by a memorial service of a friend
it was in a regular house and we stood outside the patio during the ceremony
we stayed awhile to chat with the family and talked about the woman who had died, and other things too such as the friendliness of mexicans (which is something they always claim with pride)
another unique cultural experience
after all of the seafood, spicy chiles, and mounds of fruit that i ate, i was asking for tummy problems---there was nothing about the day that did not say ¨bathroom time¨...BUT nothing!
on the bus ride back i fell asleep in my own lap and woke with a neckache BUT with great fulfillment because of my wonderful, out of the norm day in the country
About my weekend trip:
On Sunday I woke to my alarm at about 7:30 after only 3 hours of sleep (after the birthday party of my host sister). I decided I was not going and made the call to my friend Yahana´s family. But after waking up a bit I decided why not and I met them at the bus station in 30 minutes. We hopped on a bus and took it 45 mins away towards the gulf. We arrived to a much hotter climate, got off the bus, and took a taxi across beautiful countryside to a small town named...jolopo? o algo asi
It was the day of their patron saint, which calls for major festivities. This is common in most all small towns in Mexico. We arrived at the house of the brother of the father of my friend. They were already cooking. We talked with their talking parrot and playng with the baby puppies. Then we carried on to the next house, where an old old friend lived. He was a bit poorer and I could barely understand him when he spoke. I am also fairly sure that he said his son had been working illegally in the US and was deported. But what I did understand was very interesting. He said that in his town, if someone dies, everyone chips in. He was complaining that 3 people died the day before, so he doesnt have much money at the moment.
And...we ate--OH did we eat! Chiles filled with goodness, homemade tortillas...AND seafood soup. However, the seafood soup was indeed straight from the sea--with all of the animals intact, eyes, tenticles and all. I fought the urge to throw up and ate almost all of it. We were STUFFED! WE continued on to his other brothers house--a house with lots of land and basically a jungle/garden---I ate at LEAST 8 different types of fruit growing in trees and on bushes. I have never heard of most of them. I helped them pick oranges and avocados from the trees...which was fun but much harder than I expected! We sat and chatted and ate mangos for about 3 hours--talked about immigration and my opinions on Bush.
Met a outspoken man on the street who said that if we named any song, he could tell us the artist and the recording date. And he fulfilled his promise
Went back to the uncles house and ate MORE, and walked through the center where there were games and rides and all of that
What was most interesting of all is that they told me that in any house, even if it wasnt a special day, you may knock and enter and they will make you a meal! On this day there were tables all over peoples lawns where tons of townspeople came and ate--family and strangers alike. It was special.
The people in this town were more formal, yet more hospitible at the same time--using couteous phrases and greeting you even if you were just passing by! It was very different than the city life.
To top the day off we hitched a ride from a random family on the way back to the larger town because we couldnt find a taxi...and rode on the back of their truck! (which happens to be in my top 10 favorite things to do)
From there (still VERY full) I found out we were stopping by a memorial service of a friend
it was in a regular house and we stood outside the patio during the ceremony
we stayed awhile to chat with the family and talked about the woman who had died, and other things too such as the friendliness of mexicans (which is something they always claim with pride)
another unique cultural experience
after all of the seafood, spicy chiles, and mounds of fruit that i ate, i was asking for tummy problems---there was nothing about the day that did not say ¨bathroom time¨...BUT nothing!
on the bus ride back i fell asleep in my own lap and woke with a neckache BUT with great fulfillment because of my wonderful, out of the norm day in the country
Monday, November 12, 2007
more
Hey all! Only a bit more than a month and I´m back with you all! Very excited
but still happy to be here
have you all heard about what happened/is going on in tabasco? well there was major flooding and basically they are calling it the new new orleans although I have heard that more people will die or be affected by the damage--apparently tabasco is important for oil and the government was not very prepared even though there is much water on both sides of Tabasco (located in the lower part of Mexico) People are helping out by sending food and supplies
this weekend I stayed home from the trip with the US group (which i did hear was amazing) BUT it was my sisters 21st birthday here and they had a HUGE halloween bash with friends and most importantly, family
I will be staying with this family for a year so I want to become apart of it--and it was a great chance to speak lots of spanish
I will write more later about the celebrations PLUS an amazing day trip to a small town festival in the country! (AMAZING)
off to bed!
ciao!
but still happy to be here
have you all heard about what happened/is going on in tabasco? well there was major flooding and basically they are calling it the new new orleans although I have heard that more people will die or be affected by the damage--apparently tabasco is important for oil and the government was not very prepared even though there is much water on both sides of Tabasco (located in the lower part of Mexico) People are helping out by sending food and supplies
this weekend I stayed home from the trip with the US group (which i did hear was amazing) BUT it was my sisters 21st birthday here and they had a HUGE halloween bash with friends and most importantly, family
I will be staying with this family for a year so I want to become apart of it--and it was a great chance to speak lots of spanish
I will write more later about the celebrations PLUS an amazing day trip to a small town festival in the country! (AMAZING)
off to bed!
ciao!
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
more
Hi all! This past weekend was day of the dead! Traveled to Oaxaca with two of my good friends-stayed in a cheap yet lovely hotel--traveled to see the enormous tree in a town called Tule, visited churches and markets--and overall just enjoyed the charming city. Oaxaca has more celebration of the day of the dead than here in xalapa--we went to the graveyard and it was decorated and filled with people visiting their loved ones graves...and also tons of tourists
there was a day of the dead play in the street, and also a parade with fireworks
we also got to play with a bunch of little kids hanging out in the street which was great spanish practice and great fun!
it gave me much pride to have planned the 10 hour bus trip with just two friends--and we pulled it off! mexico is bringing much needed independence and responsibility
my family in xalapa put up an alter celebrating the life of their daughter that died in her 20´s--
the family had never been much on the day of the dead but because she was a a theatre major and always celebrated it herself, they now honor her in this way
today when i asked for the (in my opinion overused) creme with my spicy breakfast food, i realized that i have adapted a lot to the mexican way of eating! it made me smile
this weekend we have another excursion with my group from the states, but it is also the weekend of my host sisters birthday extravaganza--a costume party of more than 200?
decisions decisions
off to more class, lunch (la comida), work at matraca, and then a basketball game in the evening!
love,
sara
there was a day of the dead play in the street, and also a parade with fireworks
we also got to play with a bunch of little kids hanging out in the street which was great spanish practice and great fun!
it gave me much pride to have planned the 10 hour bus trip with just two friends--and we pulled it off! mexico is bringing much needed independence and responsibility
my family in xalapa put up an alter celebrating the life of their daughter that died in her 20´s--
the family had never been much on the day of the dead but because she was a a theatre major and always celebrated it herself, they now honor her in this way
today when i asked for the (in my opinion overused) creme with my spicy breakfast food, i realized that i have adapted a lot to the mexican way of eating! it made me smile
this weekend we have another excursion with my group from the states, but it is also the weekend of my host sisters birthday extravaganza--a costume party of more than 200?
decisions decisions
off to more class, lunch (la comida), work at matraca, and then a basketball game in the evening!
love,
sara
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