Holiday Scenes in Hermosillo, Sonora

Merry Christmas all! Thank you for support you have given me through reading and checking this blog. I wish you a very merry holiday season.

Here are just a few pictures of what Christmas looks like in Hermosillo. There are many pictures I did not include: last minute crowds shopping in the "Centro," down town area of shops and markets, red Nochebuena plants (Poinsetta as known in the US) lining store windows and churches, or a bowl of warm Menudo or Posole soup accompanied by tamales, both traditional holiday meals.
However, here are just a few pics of what I saw for Christmas (very much through US Christmas eyes).

Posada shared with friends:

Pre-Christmas holidday get together or party, includes a piñata

A Pastorela with my classmate Lulu as the Archangel Michael:

(A pastorela is a teatric presentation in which the devil attempts to thwart the shepherds journey to Bethleham to see the baby Jesus. It is incorporates an element of comedy in that it includes humor (local and/or present day political and other jokes) not relates to the Nativity story.)

Lighted Nativity near my house

Another Nativity scene done by the city
The Christmas tree in my house...it made me think of a palm tree. I thougth it was pretty funny...a cross between a palm and pine. Perfect for here! However, it was soon fixed and we had a very nice full Christmas tree in the house.
In front of the main plaza and Cathedral

"Please don't make noise. Santa Claus is sleeping." (Accompanied by him snoring!) Santa's House display on Christmas day.

Update on life here, aka End of the Fall Semester and Goodbyes

1) Post-last weekend: Buying a plane ticket to go home was a good choice and effective solution to my depressed state last weekend. Not only did it mean that I was back to my cheerful positive self, it also meant that that it was easier saying goodbye to some relationships from Intercambio knowing I wouldn’t be alone over the holidays.

2) This week and end of the semester:
This week I officially finished my semester and with better-than-hoped-for results. Those results included excellent grades and a tranquil and non-stressful finish to academic work. However, I still went to school almost every day. One reason is that I have 10 papers to do for Bowling Green next semester in addition to classes: (A reminder that I really am a grad student). Therefore I tried to determine which classes would best correspond to these classes by talking with various professors. I also attempted to start reading for one of the essays. However all that I accomplished was running into Intercambio friends and hanging out with them instead of studying. It was nice to spend some one on one time with several of them before they left.

3) Goodbyes
This weekend was all fiesta y goodbyes for my friends from the Intercambio Exchange program that are only here for a semester. The people I will miss most is my old housemate Andrés; my traveling companions-social group Allan, Javier, and Zulma; and my classmate and very temporary Spain housemate Maria.

Andrés, from Puebla, was my first peer in Hermosillo and was one of the threesome. The threesome included he, myself, and Veronique, because we lived together in the Pitic house and got to know Hermosillo together. Throughout the semester, the three of us routinely got together for lunch despite developing different friend groups. He is someone who is playful and joyful child at heart, a fellow Christian, and a loyal intentional friend.

Andres, Vero y yo (Vero is staying full year)

Allan, Javier, and Zulma were part of the faithful five that went to EVERY exchange group activity that Alberto planned (Alberto and I being the other two of the five). From the Hermosillo trolley bus tour, to Kino, to the Ecological Center, to the baseball game, to the Rio Sonora salty trip, we have had many laughs together and many more memories. I will miss having a group where I feel comfortable and developing friendship of our individual relationships.

(Side story to accompany pictures: During our Rio Sonora trip, we were talking about hand gestures and the differences that occur in various countries and cultures. One of the examples that came up was how to count to four. In France, you start with the thumb as number one, thumb and index as two, and continue adding fingers for the following numbers. So four is made with all fingers up except for the pinky. We had many laughs as I cannot make a four like that. The resulting pictures are of the creative fours the rest of them made.)

Javier, with his double jointed pinky

Zulma imitading Javier

Allan, uhh...are you sure that´s a four?

Alberto (not leaving), successfully demonstrating 4

I return to the primary account of this post and saying goodbye to my favorite Intercambio friends.

The Spanish Maria (with her challenging Cadiz Spain accent) was also one of my housemates in Pitic, although very temporarily. She and I also shared a class together. In some ways we are very alike: she has a million friends and acquaintances on campus, especially in the Lit and Linguistics school. In other ways she is the opposite than me: she is not a perfectionist and knows how to skip, slack and still do decent in her school work. Despite our differences and even though we would only hang out at school, I knew I would always consider her a friend when she listened and encouraged me when I broke down one day at the beginning of the semester. I will miss her smiling face and carefree accepting attitude.

Maria and I

4) Looking forward:
Not that life here is a perfect picture, or even those relationships listed above. They are not the people I am have been the most vulnerable with. However, they are some of the people that I got a chance to go beyond the immediate surface acquaintance stage. I don’t know how long these relationships will continue, but I am thankful for them. I still feel the same as last week (and months) that most relationships here are acquaintances. Most of the time that is ok. However, the good news is that I get to be with my family over Christmas (parents come tonight!), that I get to experience a Christmas in Mexico, that I have had a great 1st semester in all regards, and that I am very glad that I have many more months here to do what I came to do: improve my Spanish, know the people (deepen the relationships I do have and probably make many more acquaintances), and learn much more about Mexico.

Hard: 2nd round

So, there have been many more times than two that life here has been really hard, but it’s the second journal entry with this name.

Life has been really hard this weekend. On Thursday, I was on Cloud 9, since my work was primarily done and I was on the home stretch. On Friday, I was depressed. I went out in the afternoon and evening and had a good time, but at the end of the night I was still sad. Saturday was the same story. Today, Sunday, I was sad again.

What’s the deal? I should be happy now that I’m on vacation. However, vacation is exactly what’s to blame.

Triggers and Consequential Thoughts: No schedule. No more classes. Not getting the random social interactions at school with the thousands of acquaintances I have. It’s the Christmas season. Too much time to think and reflect. Not having got as much exercise lately. Not having gone to church recently and missing the renewal that brings. Not having a church I really like. Being tired after a semester of hard work. An “expectations communications cultural” conflict with the family the other weekend; (it was resolved and it’s ok, but it was still a no win situation and uncomfortable.) Being reminded that I am a foreigner first of all. Communicating and interacting in a language I still haven’t mastered and in which there are still many things I don’t understand or miss. Knowing I have essays to turn into Bowling Green in August. Wanting to work ahead, but relax, hang out with people, help out in the house, travel, watch lots of movies, and wanting to do nothing, and yet something. Having too much free time. Not having people to travel with. Not being with my brothers and sister in laws during the holidays. Debating again and again about if I made the right decision to stay, or if I should change the plan, and then what I’ll miss out on if I go home. Not having Christmas as I know it and all that entails. Being reminded that I have primarily lots of fun social acquaintances, but not many close friends. Knowing that my social group of Intercambio are leaving. (At least there will be a few who will still be here.) Feeling like I should be in a better spot than I am and shouldn’t feel this way, but knowing that this moment would come. Knowing that it’s part of the process of living abroad, but that it sucks none the less.

Result: I’ve been a wreck. Crying. Trying to remedy the situation and still being down and at the point of tears. Feeling sad, lonely, sad… lonely, lonely, lonely….sad.

Ways I’ve tried to remedy the situation: Exercising, going out with people, crying, calling home to the US, thinking of how to use my time before and after my parents are here (i.e. Read Harry Potter #7 and other books in English to take my brain off things when everyone else is with their family), be intentional about initiating hanging out with classmates that I’d like to get to know more, debating about flying home after my parents are here and the pros and cons of that, and in the end buying a plane ticket (and I'll still have a little over two weeks here in Hermosillo while not in classes).

The good news: Although I will continue to struggle on and off with not having close friends here, I feel much better knowing that I’ll be with my brothers and family over the holiday during the part of vacation which would have been the hardest (post family through New Year’s). Sunday evening and Monday have gone MUCH better!

Pass the salt please…Un viaje salada (a salty trip)

Part 1:

Sal (Spanish for salt, secondary definition): Bad luck or misfortune (Who knew!)

During the long weekend in honor of Revolution Day on November 20^th, I went to on a trip in the lower mountains along the Sonoran River with friends from the Intercambio exchange program. Our plan was to go from Hermosillo north to Cananea, stay overnight in Aconchi y visit the towns of Ures and Arizpe along the way. We achieved our goals, more or less, but not at all according to plan.

First of all we had transportation issues. One, we had the departure time wrong for the bus, so we had to wait an extra hour in Hermosillo which would change our plans for the rest of the day. Furthermore, once in route, the buses were overfilled. That meant that we had to either stand or sit on the floor. Two: We didn’t have transportation to the hot springs in Aconchi. We eventually got a ride in the back of a police truck. However, we didn’t have way back. We talked with the owner of the place, who said he’d arrange transportation for us, but that ride never showed up. Three: The following day, the bus that passes through Aconchi at 11:00 for Arizpe didn’t come, so we had to take the 1:00 bus and go directly to Cananea instead of stopping in Arizpe. Four, the following day we though that the return trip from Cananea to Hermosillo was only four hours, when it was actually almost seven hours.

Sitting in the aisle on the bus (Pauline in front, me in back)...ahh the joys!

Another problem we had was regarding the activities we hoped to do. In Cananea, we had hoped to go to the Copper Mine, but the workers were on strike. Thankfully we also were planning to go the museum in town. Just kidding, it’s closed on Monday. Another difficulty with the activities was our bus difficulties. We didn’t have enough time in Ures o in Arizpe. In Ures, we did go to the museum, but we only had ten minutes inside. In Arizpe, we only had five minutes to change buses and take a few pictures of the plaza.

Me in front of Museum window which says "Closed, Monday and Tuesday"
I am not imitating a pirate here, I am practicing a gesture which here means more or less: "Seriously? Really? You've got to be kidding!"

We also had housing difficulties in Aconchi. We had called a hotel to make a reservation, but were informed that it wasn’t necessary. However, upon arrival, they informed us that not only were they full (with reservations), but that the other hotels in town wouldn’t have vacancies either because of the town festival. Thankfully, that wasn’t entirely true. We found a hotel with two rooms with two single beds in each room. We took them, even though there were seven of us!

Our trip didn’t go according to plan. We had plenty of bad luck; it was a salty trip, un viaje salado!

Alberto with make due sign that says "Lodging Needed, One Night"

Part 2:

Sal (Primary definition): extraordinarily white crystallized substance with its own unique flavor…used to flavor and season food…

The salt we add to our food serves various purposes. Salt, like other spices, adds its own unique flavor to the food. However, unlike other spices, it also accents and brings out the natural pre-existing flavors making the food more flavorful (obviously only with an appropriate amount of salt).

The “saltiness” of how things didn’t go according to plan also served a similar purpose to table salt. For example, our salty events added a distinct flavor to our trip: It made it unforgettable due to all the bad luck we had.

Another similarity to table salt was that accented or brought out the good parts of the trip. We were thankful when things actually went well and according to plan, even back things, like having seats on the bus, having double beds in Cananea to sleep in, when we finally got a return ride from the hot springs, or getting to see the beginning of the parade even though we arrived an hour after it was supposed to start.

Revolution Day Parade in Cananea

Another way it accented the good of the trip was that we took advantage of what we had. For example, we had a lot of time. While we were waiting for the bus, we played the mini slot machine and also learned various card games (Of course, I taught them Tick! Thanks Kathy…I am on the way to making it an international game. Well, at least, known among my friends!) While waiting for a way back to Aconchi from the hot springs, we had hours of relaxation in spa like waters, and when we had finished, we made a campfire to eliminate some of the evening mountain cool air.

In summary, we had a “salty” trip AND we had a great time. I will remember the beauty of the sierra and the joy of being in the mountains again, the millions of bright stars against a black night, the cold temperatures (for real!), the warmth of my hooded sweatshirt and stocking cap as well as several shots of Tequila, the celebratory carnival like atmosphere of the festival in Aconchi, playing cards, running into three people I knew from Hermosillo that weren’t a part of the trip (I definitely know too many people, right Ang?),the many, many times we posed for group pictures, the Revolution Day parade in Cananea, the smiles and laugher of my fellow exchange friends, and the blessing of fellowship.

The Exchange Gang

front center: Pauliune (France)

center row: Allan (Pachuca, Mex.), Zulma and Javier (The Baja, Mex), and Celine (Sweden)

Behind Zulma: Alberto (Hermosillo, Mex)

Thanksgiving Day

It´s Thanksgiving Day, but not here. The good news is that I´m not lonely and don´t anticipate being sad. I think that my lack of homesickness today is 1) each of my couples of my family are in different states, 2) there´s been lots of activites (Flor´s birthday party yesterday and heading to the sierra last weekend), 3) it´s the end of the semester and so there is a lot of work to be done, and 4) it´s been a really good positive experience living and studying here. So, today I´m thankful that I´m not lonely, homesick, or sad and that I am surrounded by great people here. I´m also thankful knowing that I have many dear friends and family back in the US that love me and have given me much support this year. Thank you to all of you for being who you are. You honor me with your love and friendship and I am blessed to know you!

November 16, 2006

Intercambio. Heading out of town tomorrow (Saturday). I´m heading to the mountains here in Sonora with some friends from Intercambio. Monday is a holiday here so it´s a long weekend and therefore I may not write until next week.
Hasta pronto.
Michelle
PS My favorite moment of the week was Monday morning. It was overcast and cool and it felt like fall. All I wanted to do was enjoy a cup of coffee outside and skip my classes. Of course, I didn´t, but it was simly delightful while it lasted.

Campechana

Campechana...a coctel of mariscos, a mixture of various seafood in a lime-tomato liquid served in a large margarita glass with chips... (My favorite way to eat seafood here)....relationship to this post...the random mixture

1. Culture shock...What hit me most this week was my lack of good girlfriends here. Again, probably partly in response to having Karen here, party due to the fact of lots of acquaintences, party due to the fact that guy relationships are more complicated by nature.

2. Time to work...I was able to work a lot last week due to two strikes and a literature conference that canceled two of my classes for three days! That helped me make some progress on my end of semester projects and neither did it imply having too much time on my hands to think. Super nice!

3. Church...I decided to try out some different churches as the one I´m been attending isn´t a place where I feel like I grow. I do get challenged there because of some of our differences, and I really like the people, but there is enough discomfort and unsatisfaction to check out others. Sunday I went to one close to my house and liked it enough that I will try it again.

4. My spot of nature...I think I´ve finally identified where I my green fix. The hour or so before the sun sets either in the University plaza with the sun´s warm light interspersed with shadows with all the green palms, leaves or walking the "Kilometer", a dirt path around the baseball fields that includes some decent views of the city and enough trees and palms.

5. Christmas...So I guess it´s almost Christmas. I saw the first advertisements on tv and there are Christmas trees and decorations in the stores. I guess in the US that shopping Christmas season starts before Thanksgiving despite our complaints. However, what did me in was that some of my neighbors already have trees up, lights hung, and decorations out. Ahhh....and it´s just starting to feel like US fall here in terms of temperature. (Thankfully they did tell me that it is quite early to be doing Christmas decorations already.)

6. That´s all for now...They are kicking me off of the computer. Later!

Karen’s visit…spending a week with a friend here in Mexico

1) Vacation/Visitors

I had been worried about trying to do school and have a visitor. Attending classes helps me understand the topics more, and I also spend a lot of time studying. However, this week was a great week to have a visitor. First, I ended up having a lighter week of classes the two weeks previously due to several canceled classes. This meant I was able to work ahead on school work. Second, we had Friday off for Day of the Dead. I decided that I could afford to take two days off of classes and do a trip with Karen out of town. As a result of all of the above, it was a week of vacation even with two days of attending classes, and it was absolutely fabulous to not have to worry about school work for one week!

2) Jam-packed:

I don’t think I could repeat this week if I tried in terms of the amount of the amount of varied activities that we did. It was fun to have Karen see so many different parts of life here in addition to see various aspects of Mexico.

So here’s a list of what she/we did:

· Experience the heat of Hermosillo (it’s still hot in comparison to the US, but it’s nothing compared to what it was)

· dinner out with my Intercambio (Exchange student) friends

· church

· lunch out with the women of the family

· stay at my house

· visit my classes and the University

· do a mini-self tour of the town and see the Cathedral (that’s about as touristy as Hermosillo gets)

· go to Hermosillo’s Naranjeros baseball game

· take a trip to La Barranca de Cobre/Copper Canyon

· go to the beach (Maviri Beach near Los Mochis/Topolobampo)

· get Mexican hospitality with staying a family in Los Mochis that are friends of Luz Belia instead of staying in a hotel

· try some good Sonoran and Coastal Mexico food: Carne Asada, Tortillas Gorditas “Fatty” style, the pastry Coyota, fresh fish from the sea, and coconut

· try out all types of transportation (train, bus, plane, taxi, feet)

· interact with the people with her Spanish (she has a similar undergrad degree as I do).

3) Barranca de Cobre/Copper Canyon: One of the places I wanted to make sure I got to see this year was Copper Canyon. It is comparable to the Grand Canyon and it is actually deeper in parts. The canyon is located in Chihuahua state between the city of Chihuahua and Los Mochis ( Sinaloa state)and primarily accessible to visitor’s via train. Although it’s just in the next state over, it took us a seven hour bus ride to get to Los Mochis and another 8 hours on train just to get to a town in the middle of the Canyon/train route. We only spent 24 hours at a town (Posada Barranca)in the Canyon, however it was great to be in the mountains, see another part of the country, learn a little about the Tarahumara Indigenous population that live in the Canyon, and be in the cold!

4) Reflection: Karen did a great job of asking a lot of questions about life here. It helped as she had spent a semester in Honduras. She can relate to living abroad in a Spanish speaking country. This brought up many cultural thoughts and questions.

5) Culture Shock: Due to a variety of factors (including the reflections with Karen), I experienced a lot of culture shock this week. This seemed odd, because I have been here for three months. However, here’s why I think I had culture shock: 1) Karen was my first visitor to Hermosillo. She also got one of the best glimpses into my world since she also knows Spanish. I felt many times that I also suddenly was suddenly looking at my own life from an outside perspective (albeit mine). It was like I was a tourist of my own life. So weird. 2) Due to all the reflection, I became more self-conscious about my adaption here. Where am I in the process of adapting to the people and culture? Do I see it the same as Karen? Have I been so not self-conscious here both in embracing the experience but also been comfortable with various differences that I have been oblivious to some cultural differences that I should be paying closer attention to? What areas do I wish we better? 3) Karen is not only a dear friend, but also someone whose presence reminded me constantly of my life in Denver/US and the friends I left behind. Obviously that causes some grief and stress due to that loss. Furthermore, in being in new places and new situations while traveling, there were new situations that caused us to examine what potential cultural differences were going on and I think I became overly sensitive to trying to avoid miscommunication because of those differences. Today, I feel fine. We’ll see how this week goes. I think parts will be extra hard. However, as I have much to do for school in the next month with 3 big projects due, studying will help keep my mind from over-thinking and get me back into the groove of life here.

6) Final comments…

It was a great week. Tomorrow’s Monday and it’s back to Sola in Sonora. Even though it might be hard, what a lucky woman I am that I get to do all this!

Photos from Copper Canyon/La Barranca de Cobre

Karen and I

The train

Copper Canyon/La Barranca de Cobre

Pic for my dad of a "Bonsai" tree.

Tarahumara woman weaving with the basket I bought from her in foreground

Foreigner's Perspective on a Foreigner's Life in a Foreign Country

Karen and I at Naranjero's Baseball game with Beto, the Coyote, mascot

Karen, Andres, and I

Michelle’s Visitor

This past week, I had the opportunity to come to Hermosillo and visit Michelle. “Who am I?” You must be thinking. I am a friend of Michelle’s from Denver. I first got to know Michelle when I moved to Denver just over four years ago. Anyway, I am a middle school math teacher who had a week off and was excited to use my Spanish and get a chance to see Michelle in Mexico. I studied Spanish in college as well as spent a semester in Honduras, so coming to Mexico was something that immediately excited me and what better excuse than to come and visit a friend!

So, why am I writing on her blog? Well, we thought it would be interesting for me to write in her blog as a foreigner’s perspective on a foreigner’s life in foreign country! So, I am going to try and give you some insights and share things that I have appreciated seeing and learning that Michelle might not think of. It has been extremely fun to see her life here and meet the people she comes in contact with every day, so with that, there are three things that I have to share with you.

1. Michelle knows a lot of people here in Hermosillo! Every where we went I was introduced to somebody new. It was crazy to me how many people she knows from class, church, her family, and just random friends! She is well connected! She had people she would just run into, call, or send text messages to. What was even more impressive to me was that most of the people she interacts with are Mexican, not other people from the U.S. She is embracing the culture, people, and way of life here in Mexico. She hasn’t been afraid to make friends, fit in, and be part of life here. It has been so fun to me to come to a country and meet locals and be a part of their everyday life; going to classes, parties, eating dinner, getting rides, and having conversations.
2. Michelle SIEMPRE esta usando su español. Michelle is always using her Spanish! This became apparent when all of her friends would give her a hard time about talking in English with me this week. Seriously, all of her friends asked her if she was going to speak English with me! I realized that I should be extremely thankful that she was willing to take a break from Spanish despite the fact that I was able to speak and understand Spanish. Apparently it is common knowledge here that Michelle won’t speak, write, or listen to things in English, even with other people from the United States! It’s her rule! She is here to learn, study, and practice Spanish, and that is what she is doing, hard core! Very Impressive! (Although she did admit that it was nice to have a break from Spanish this week and not have to think about every word she said.)
3. I have been blown away by Michelle’s courage and confidence. After seeing Michelle’s life here and talking with her about many things, I was constantly blown away by what she is doing. I have thought to myself over and over, wow! Some of the things I had heard about and read on her blog, but they struck me strongly while here. Here are some of those wow moments..

- She came and is here by herself, not knowing anyone! Everyone she knows she has met in the last three months.

- Michelle had to find a place to live all by herself! Yes, look in the newspaper, make phone calls, visit houses, meet strangers, all in Spanish! I speak Spanish and this freaks me out!

- Michelle doesn’t have a network of people who speak English. In fact she doesn’t even know or want to know if people speak English. She is disciplined enough to not use English even when should could!

- Things are different and can be uncomfortable and it doesn’t phase her.

- Michelle is confident. She doesn’t let the fact that she is a gringa in Mexico change who she is or what she does. Yet, people are comfortable with her, accepting, and welcoming

Although, I miss Michelle in Denver, it is great and amazing to see what she is doing here in Mexico. I don't feel as if she is so far away now that I know what an amazing new world she is a part of.

Ocotber 21, 2007

I am taking a week off from this blog. However, I did post on my other blog.
Check again next week.

Lists 1:

My classes:

1. Mexican Literature II...
   My most difficult class, but best homework (reading short novels!)
2. Español II…
   Easiest class /Most success in this class, Class in which the teacher loves me
   
3. Taller de Redacción I / Writing Workshop I…
   Most directly helpful class (since I have to write a text weekly)
4. History of Mexico/US Relations ...
   My favorite class in terms of content.

Things I miss:

1) Colorado in the fall

2) Chocolate, especially dark chocolate

3) Self – sufficient return transportation at night

4) Comprehension, comprehension, comprehension. (In case it hasn’t been obvious from my other emails!)

5) Friends and family

6) The mountains, of course! In general, just having easily accessible spots to be in nature.

Things I am thankful for…

1. My Chaco sandals

2. Internet (Even though I do a great job of checking, sending emails is a different story.)

3. My scholarship…not having to worry about money.

4. Cell phone

5. My backpack with its Nalgene pockets to hold water bottles!

6. A good place to live.

7. Not having to cook or clean. I am utterly spoiled in this area.

Pet peeves…

1. English television and music

2. People trying to talk to me in English

3. Some of the fatalism I have encountered here (both positive and negative)

This week (October 8-14, 2007): Highlights and low points

Highlight #1: Going to the Hermosillo’s baseball team’s, The Naranjeros, opening game. (Baseball is pretty big here in Hermosillo, probably due to the proximity to the border and the US influence). It was fun to see participate in this cultural event, compare it the US, and just enjoy the social event of going to a game along and drinking a few Tecate (beer made in Sonora). To top off the night, the Naranjeros won!

Highlight #2: Thursday was one of those days that I was reminded why I wanted to study abroad, why I am in graduate school, and how lucky I am to live out this desire. It wasn’t anything earth shaking, just several conversations with professors, but I felt blessed none the less.

Highlight #3: Saw two Burrowing Owls when walking home from school at 9:00 p.m.

Low point: I had a class Saturday and Sunday to learn Movie Maker (also next weekend). The reason for learning Movie Maker is that I need to use it for my final project for my History course. However, the focus this weekend of the class was more advanced than I need to know. As a result, I was frustrated and upset to the point of tears, both yesterday and today. I ended up leaving early today as a result, but the good news is that I know that the both the professor of the Movie Maker class as well as my History class will be understanding.

Left to right: Leti and Ceci (students who work in the Exchange office), myself, and Marisol (primary Unison contact who has arranged many many details and has made it an easy adjustment for me)

At the opening game of the Naranjeros

View of Hermosillo from the Top of the "Cerro of the Campana", see Pictures of Hermosillo post last week. The bigger building in the center is the main cathedral.

October 7 Postings

This week I added several pictures to several old posts (of family, Kino beach, time with Jon, Manchitas the dog during the Hurricane). I also added two new posts, one explaining more about the Grito (Mexico's Independence Celebration) and a post with Hermosillo pics. Enjoy!

Pic of me at the Ecological Center (aka the zoo!)

Went with fellow exchange students

A picture a long time in coming...The Threesome!

(Andres, myself and

Veronique, aka Vero)

Edgar, my "brother," celebrated his 16th birthday this week!

Hermosillo pictures

View of landscape from zoo (See the giraffe?)

Hermosillo's cathedral

El Cerro de la Campana (Hermosillo's main "foothill"/hill mountain)

Dusk

The Grito de la Independencia (The Independence Shout)

*Although Mexican Independence Day was a few weeks ago, I didn't really explain it. So here it is!

The date is September 1810. It’s 5:00 in the morning and you are tired. However, the toll of the bell announces that right now a town meeting for the city of Dolores is being held in the cathedral. You arrive late, and although you don’t know what the meeting is about, you realize that it is something important seeing the excited agitated faces of your neighbors and hearing the strong charismatic voice of the Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. You listen: he is talking about the injustice of the foreign occupation of New Spain (Mexico). Soon, you share the rage of the other parishioners and their desire to change the situation. When the Father shouts “Viva the Virgin of Guadalupe” (Long live the Virgin of Guadalupe!), you applaud in agreement. Upon hearing “Viva the homeland!” you recognize for the first time that the land where you live and the laws that govern it belong to you and your neighbors, your fellow countrymen, and not to a foreign country. When the Father Hidalgo invites the townsmen to reconvene at eleven o clock this night armed and ready to fight, you accept with “Viva the Virgin of Guadalupe! Viva the homeland!” Yes, you will join him, and although you are a mere farmhand, you will arrive with your machete and your courage to combat this injustice in order to gain your country’s independence.

The date is September 15, 2007, Mexico’s National Independence Day. You are in the plaza in front of the main cathedral. Although it is dark, the world is alive in anticipation, like a child waiting to open their first present Christmas Eve. Banners of red, white, and green (the flag’s colors) hang from the plaza bandstand floating in the breeze and the cathedral is bathed in yellow light in the background. The notes of trumpets joyfully reach your ear. You are surrounded by hundreds of people, snow cones, heat, and sweat. The air is filled with anticipation. Finally, the moment arrives. It is eleven ‘o clock and the president begins the speech. He proclaims, “Viva Father Hidalgo! Viva the heroes of our independence! Viva the Virgin of Guadalupe!” and you respond, “Viva! Viva! Viva!” He shouts “Viva Mexico!” and everyone shouts back in agreement and in unison, “Viva Mexico!” With this final shout, the plaza bursts forth in celebration: released white doves fly upward into the sky, confetti of the flags colors rain down on the crowd, and fireworks light up the night resounding against the cathedral’s walls. And in all of this, you witness the citizens’ hearts and minds gratefully honoring their heroes, who almost 200 years earlier, fought for their independence.

September 29, 2007 Part 1: Good news!

The awesome news of this week is that I got to drop a class! All along, I have been anxious about my course load. I had asked about my credit requirement for at the beginning of the semester, since the credits are calculated differently here. I kept all my classes as I would be a little under if I were to drop a class. However, going to Mazatlán two weeks ago made me realize how stressed I have been and how little time I had for anything else. So, I re-evaluated the situation. Upon realizing how many strategies and adjustments I have made regarding my classes and the homework, I decided that it would be better to have the heavier course load next semester when I’ll know what to expect and have a stronger level of Spanish. I wrote my Bowling Green advisor a very lengthy email explaining the situation and requesting his permission to drop a class. He responded saying he needed to know the numbers of hours I spend in class, in addition to my number of credits. Based on the number of hours I was spending in class, he responded my saying that I could and should drop a class! Needless to say, I am thrilled!

(I know I will continue to put many, many hours of work, but I also believe this change will help me be able to narrow my focus giving me more success in the classes I do have. Above all else, I can study much more calmly.)

September 29, 2007 Part 2: Advice if you’re sick….

This past week, I have been sick with a sore throat and a good deep cough. Autumn has started to here, and with the change of seasons, the fall cold /flu has come. Many classmates have been ill, as well as most of my host family. So, it was no surprise that, with my lowered immune system due to stress, I got sick. However, I have learned some things about the autumn cold season here in Hermosillo. First of all, it is common knowledge as well as common medical advice from doctors, that you shouldn’t eat or drink cold foods when you are sick. At first, this seemed very strange. However, in the US we are conscious about the external temperature of our bodies. For example, in the winter, we make sure the outside of our bodies warm by dressing appropriately and how that can play into our health. So, I guess there is some truth in not eating cold foods, especially considering that with the tea in my body I am extra warm. However, the weird part here is that during the day we still have temperatures in the mid 90s and so when I am told not to have cold food/drink, my immediate response is “That’s crazy!” The second thing I’ve noticed is that everyone says, “It’s because of the weather change and your body coming in and out of the air conditioning*.” I took this to mean that the reason I got sick was the drastic change between the two. However, I thought it was much worse in August when it was 110 degrees temps outside. In an attempt not to be too critical, I thought I should maybe ask about why people said “Be careful of the air conditioning!” in the “fall” and not the summer. Based on my conversation with Luz Belia, it’s not the cause, but a trigger for the virus, which makes sense to me. However, I still have to make sure I don’t roll my eyes when I hear… “It’s because of the change”. Ahhh, the things you learn when you sick!

*Air conditioning tends to be very, very cold here (70-75 degrees Fahrenheit) based on that they are charged based on time instead of energy used.

Overdue post

It´s been two weeks since I entered a post, so here´s a very quick one. Sorry if it´s a little scatter brained.

Highlights:
1) Still love living with my family. They are amazing and it continues to be a great place for me.

2) Took a break and went to Mazatlan to see brother Jon and sister in law Toni. They were spending a week doing medical missions, and I got to hang out with them over the weekend. It was great to be with family and take a break. Furthermore, I got to play in the ocean!

My brother the doctor in action!

Jon, Antonia (his translator), and Toni

3) Mexican Independence Day, September 15: In Mazatlán, we went the the Grito, or the shout. Every Independence Day in every town, there is a shout at the end of the day in the plaza in front of the cathedral, when everyone shouts "Viva Mexico" or Long live Mexico. In Mazatlan, accompanying the shout, were fireworks, confetti, lots and lots of people, a program, etc. It was a really neat cultural experience and I´m really glad I got to experience it (plus with Jon and Toni!)

The Grito...See posting on October 7th

4) Went to Kino Saturday with some of the other exchange students. Bahía de Kino (Kino Bay) is the nearest beach to Hermosillo and I´m glad I got the opportunity to go.

Kino Bay Beach

Vero, my French friend, who speaks like a Mexican!

Hard parts:
I feel like I spend all my time studying. I have implemented various strategies and still I struggle. I am also hoping to drop a class if I get the ok. However, that won´t change the amount I study, but it will hopefully give me more time to dedicate to the classes I do have.
The hard part in this is that despite the amount I study there is no much I don´t achieve and I feel like I achieve a basic level of understanding and completion of the work. Furthermore, I also don´t feel like I have time to play, make friends, dive into the culture, relax and just chill, or even respond to people´s emails or write to friends. Taking a break and going to Mazatlan made me realize how much I needed a break, but it´s still hard to make it happen. I know that all this is part of the process, but I´m tired and sick (change of seasons and stress), and I´d like to feel a little more balanced.