Thursday, July 9, 2009

Short timer

I have 2 more class days togo. I´ll be at the bus station bound for the airport at Mexico City Saturday morning. I´m very ready to be home.

This has been a worthwhile experience, I´ve learned alot. At times, I am thinking in Spanish, so that´s cool--and very surreal when you realize it. I am really tired though---and really glad I´m not staying for the whole course (4 weeks).

It is quiet here this week, 5 students left last weekend and we only got 2 new. There has also been alot of people sick---I blame the street food. Martin, from Denmark got samonella, and had to get an antibiotic shot.

I´ve been on 4 excursions, Chulula, Tlaxcala, Teutihucan/Mexico City, Cacaxatl. The words you can´t pronounce are in Naguatl, the Aztec language. The places are all very interesting. Similar, yet different. The famous one, atTehutihacan is actually a complex of 3 pyramids and several altars. It was not only a center for the religion, but commerce and military too. The original buildings date before Christ, the Aztecs occupied from about 200 - 700 ad. Their remodels are what you actually see and climb.
I´ve been to several museums and churches, of course. I´ve begun to get a general idea of Mexico´s History. Our Guia for each tour uses Spanish only---so you listen really hard and hope you´re understanding correctly.

Last Sunday, our guia, Carlos, failed to wear distinctive clothing. I lost sight of him a couple of times in El Bosque de Ciudad de Mexico (equivalent to Central Park). He is hard to pick out wearing a plain beige shirt in a sea of morenos (dark haired/skinned) people. Then, at El Castillo, 3 of us got separated while we were taking photos----the man walks way fast. Poyon, Malcolm and I had no idea where they went, and he hadn´t really given us an itinerary or timeline. So we sat by the exit gate for a little while. Then Poyon asked the guard if he´d seen our group leave, and he insisted they had. Anyway, the dilemma---
stay together and head down the hill?--or stay put like mama always told you to.

I opted to stay with them. They both appear Mexican, and Malcolm is a big guy. We walked the only path down the hill. At the bottom, still no sign of our group, so we bought water, and sat on the steps near the walkway for 20 minutes or so. Poyon decided to jog back up hill and double check. While she was gone, Malcolm and I discussed the ¨what if´s¨. Between us we had 20 pesos (less than $20), no credit cards, no phone, 2 cameras---Carlos had told us to leave everything nonessential on the bus. Mexico City is 3 hours from Puebla. Not the best of scenarios. We agreed not to get worried for at least 2 hours, and Malcolm said he thought he had friends in the city we could stay with.

It wasn´t long though that Poyon came running back with thumbs up. We didn´t miss much. The group was herded through the Museo at walking pace, no time to read any of the postings next to the artwork, so I don´t feel too bad. We did tell Carlos though, he really needs to dress more conspicuously, and tell people where he expected to go, and for how long. And we should done what mama always said.


Mexico City is a big city. Very crowded on a Sunday. The Zocolo is very European looking ( it was built by Spaniards) We only had 2 hours there, we weren´t interested in shopping, so we quickly took a peek in the Cathedral, then headed across the Zocolo to a rooftop restaurant for cervezas and cenar (beer and an evening meal/snack) The view was beautiful. It was election Sunday. All alcohol sales were stopped on Friday at midnite until after the polls were closed at 6pm on Sunday. We ordered at 5:15 pm and were finally served at 5:55 pm. I wonder if this custom really helps people to be soberminded as they vote?

Please pray for smooth transitions and travels on Saturday. I´ll take the bus at 10 am, should be at the airport about noon, my flight leaves at 2:55pm, layover and customs in LA., in Medford at 9:55 pm, Lord willing.


I will post my pictures when I get home.

Love and thanks to everyone



A funny: many times during class, Irma (the teacher) will sort of laugh at things said (incorrectly) and say ¨chistoso¨ and often it is Malcolm who has last spoken. So, yesterday he asked her, why are you always saying ¨cheese toast?¨ Irma laughed until tears ran down her face. Chistoso means funny, or you´re teasing! We giggled about it for quite awhile. It was good to laugh hard.

1 comment:

  1. I'm ready for you to be home! Miss you, friend. Praying for smooth travels. xo

    ReplyDelete