Week 14,15, & 16: "Parangaricutirimicuaro"

This blog dates all the way back to November 10th just about 3 weeks ago, I have found that two-three week intervals work better for my schedule. Now on with the show!

In school we had an Exchange Student Interview and we got video taped speaking spanish, which I am sure everyone will enjoy later on when our spanish has improved immensely (which I am counting on).  After school I had basketball practice and then I went with Isaura and Isa to get Isa's dress fitted for a friend's 15th birthday party.  

The next day Fran, Caro, and I went to Tec (a local high school/college) with my best Mexican friend Kike (Enrique is his name but Kike is the nickname and it is pronounced Key Kay).  We went to all of his classes and even got to check out some of the University classes.  It was really neat to see a different school that has more of an open mind perspective, and we got to meet some people that are my age-which was nice.  After Kike told us we wanted to take us to "picnic"; I asked what it was and he said it was the MOST beautiful view in Morelia.   So after school we bought sushi and went to "picnic".  He wasn't joking it was SO beautiful, but to get there you had to go out on this backroad.  Turns out Kike's mom was looking to buy come land out there but changed her mind, so when we went this time we looked at the house she wanted to buy and then some guys were working on a mansion type house near there and they let us go inside and look!  They had a cantina (outside bar) all set up with old movie posters and everything!  They had a walk out as well and you could look down the cliff side-it was a really cool house!  After we went back because I had my first Basketball game, which we lost but we played well.  After I went home and packed for the Basketball tournament in Aguascalientes.  Then at 9:40 I went to Caro's house to sleep over (it was easier to go with her parents then to make Isaura drive me all the way down).  

The next day we left Morelia will all the basketball, volleyball, and soccer (boys and girls) teams.  We got to Aguascalientes checked in then met our "host families".  I was with the Captain of our basketball team, Laura, and we went with a girl who was named Karina.  She has two brothers, one is 18 the other is 12, and her parents were in a nearby town on a business trip but her brother is 18 and the maid took care of all the food and stuff.  After we got settled in Karina and her brother (Roberto I think was his name) took us to the mall to get some lunch.  After we showered and got ready for the opening ceremony.  The opening ceremony consisted of different cheerleading dances and even an Olympic torch lighting ceremony type thing.  After Karina took us to a friends house were all the athletes were meeting, but it was really cold so we didn't stay long.  The next day we had a game at 9am so we went to school at 8:30.  We lost the game again but only by two points!  The rest of the day we had off so we cheered the other teams on, then that night we went to a huge concert/party!  It was in a garden and when we got there they had shut the door and weren't letting people in, so I held up the ticket we had to get in and said I was from NY, and they let me and my friends in (my friends consisted of my basketball team, Karina and her friends, and some girls that we met while waiting at the door).  After that people keep asking me if I was the girl from NY, and they asked me my name.  Then I met up with Caro and lots of people from Valla.  Then Mariana (a friend of ours), Caro, and I walked around and we saw Karina in the VIP part; she told me she had a bracelet for me to get in, but one of her friends had it and she didn't know where they went.  So instead Caro, Mariana, and I just jumped the VIP fence(But don't get too excited they didn't even care-it was more for looks than anything).  Then we decided we wanted to go up on the stage with the DJs so we went backstage and after explaining that we are exchange students the security guard let us through!  It was so fun we danced and took tons of pictures, people were even slapping our hands!  Eventually we left the party and got some sleep.  This wasn't the case for everyone, one exchange student actually arrived to the party drunk and ended up puking and passing out; and she left her host family from Aguascalientes to deal with her, then on the way home proceeded to puke in there car.  Luckily she isn't a friend of mine, and I made sure to tell her the next day that she was extremely disrespectful and she gave a bad name to everyone from Morelia (especially the exchange students).  

The next day we had another game at 9 then again at 2.  After the games we didn't make it to the finals but I played the whole time during both games and scored baskets.  After we went back to the house and ended up having to shower at a friends house because we didn't have gas to heat the water.  Karina had some friends over but Laura and I were beat so we went to sleep.  

The final day in Aguascalientes we watched the championship games and then had the closing ceremony.  During the ceremony Tepic were being extremely rude to Tepa ( the team they had lost to, AFTER they tried to cheat).  So after quite the closing ceremony which consisted of some nasty words we all left.  We stopped at a food court type thing to eat and Tepa and Tepic both showed up, and as we were leaving they starting fighting!  We had to leave but no one really knew what happened after that.  We got home at 9:30 then Favio picked me up and after numerous stops we finally went home.

The next day I slept in forever and did almost nothing all day.  At 6:30 I went to Starbucks and hung out with all of my friends, but they were all studying so when Kike came we left to go get some dinner and after we went back to Kike's and I just talked with him and his mom.  Then I took a cab home.  The next day we had school then Caro and I went shopping at the center then we went home.

The next day I had a basketball game after school.  So I went down to the other school that Valla owns and we won our game!  Isaura couldn't get me until 7pm, so I went to a friend's store and then I went home.  Regina went to see New Moon at 12!

The next day Caro and I went with a whole bunch of people from the school to see New Moon, and we went in the VIP theater!  It is crazy!  They have recliners and people to wait on you-I didn't think I could go to the regular movies again.

But it turns out the next day I went with Kike and Pedro to see 2012 in the regular theater.  After we went to a cool club restaurant type thing called the Martina.  We ate dinner there then went back to Kike's house where Isaura picked me up.  The next day I got a call at 10am, and it was Caroline from my district in NY.  She is living in Puebla, at town about 7 hours away from Morelia.  We planned to meet up in Morelia because her district was there visiting.  So I met Fran at starbucks and then we took a cab to the center and met up with the other Rotary group.  It was really funny because Caroline and I spoke Spanish to each other almost the entire time!  When I got home I talked to Derek for over an hour, it was really nice to talk to him again!

The next day was the typical slow Sunday, I went for a run, then we had sushi for lunch.  At 6:30 Isaura and I left to go see a concert and we brought Caro along too.  It was 3 guys from Scotland that sing Opera, but it was a HILARIOUS show!  The spoke some spanish but mostly English, and they kept everyone laughing.  On Monday I skyped with Spanish classes at my school in NY.  It is strange because most of the time it has become easier to speak Spanish than English!  It is really cool this feeling of become bi-lingual!  Right now I believe that my English and my Spanish are equal, I might not know as many words in spanish as I do in English but it is just as easy to speak Spanish as it is to speak English!    After I went to school for the second half of the day and the we had a Cultural night and we sang a traditional Mexican song then enjoyed the rest f the show, before going home.  

The next day during school ibe if the directors of the school asked Fran, and I if we wanted to change schools, because we have already finished High School and they could imagine that we are getting bored with the same classes.  Fran and I want to change, and I explained to them that it is the same classes as last year and even two years before that and for the first semester it was perfect becasue I didn't understand everything, but now I want a challenge so Tec is a better schoice.  Tec is a high school/college so I can take both regular high school classes and college classes.  Unfortuntely I don't think Rotary in Mexico will let me switch, however I am going to do my best to change school because I know it will be for my benefit!  After school Regina and I were the only ones home, my other host sister Isa has been having trouble with her head and they have started doing tests on her brain.  And as of right now she is ok, and it is nothing serious.  After I went with Caro to the center and then we had really awful pizza for dinner.

In school we had a "Life after Valla" day, all of the local colleges came and even a group about an Au Pair in USA!  After school I went home, ate, then went to Elsa's singing school.  She has singing lessons for one hour, piano for the next, then two hours of INTENSE music theory!  After I went to her house for 2 hours and we just talked, then Isaura and Favio picked me up and we went home.  Oh and today it was made official, I am Mexican.  There is a word that all Mexicans can say and only a couple of foreigners, well I can say it, so I am Mexican now!  The word is my title of this blog, good luck pronouncing it!

It was Thanksgiving, and although I didn't get to watch the parade, or eat turkey until I couldn't button my pants, or smell the best apple pie; I was happy.  I called my family and got to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and then I spent the day explaining Thanksgiving to all of my friends here!  After school I went to Caro's house and then we went to a Pastorela (Nativity type play) that was put on by my school.  

We had secret santa with my class today, and I gave some coffee from NY to one of the girls in my class. I got a gift basket from Elsa, and everyone had a good time.  It was my last day of school until January!  I plan to take cooking classes, and to travel with Kike and his family, and also with my host family!  At 8:30 I went with Caro, Kike (from my school not my best friend), Fedee, and some of their friends to the Martina where we had dinner then we went to Kike and Fedee's cousin's birthday party.  

My grandma emailed me and she got me thinking about how much of an influence we have on Mexico and other countries.  She was asking about holidays and when they started decorating for Christmas.  I explained that their Christmas season is significantly longer than ours and much more religious based.  Then I mentioned how I have witnessed it first hand living for just three months in Mexico our effect on their culture, and even though they don't celebrate Halloween all of the stores had their Halloween decorations side by side with there Christmas ones.  Sometimes I get a little frustrated with American customs that they have recently adopted here, and I want to experience another culture for one year without mine, but at the same time I am happy to see that our countries recognize each other and acknowledge the other's different cultures.  

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Miss you all!

Week 12 & 13 "Viva Hoy Viva tu vida!" "Jesus had long hair so why can't we?"

It has been a while- can't think of a better excuse for my absence in my blog other that I was extremely busy here in good old Mexico.  Well let's get down to business.

Week 12:  "Viva Hoy Viva tu vida!"

Mariana,Simon, and I were on our way to school, we were on the main road and all of a sudden all of the cars stopped suddenly in front of us- Mariana slammed on the breaks and we stopped 2 feet from the car in front, but then we heard screaching behind us and I said no and grabbed my head!  Right as I said no there was a crash and then the middle car hit our car!  We got out and the back of Mariana's car only had a dent in it, the second car was only smashed up in the back, and the third car was completely smashed in the front.  We made sure everyone was ok and talked with the third car driver (he is from the same school).  Then we went to school with Patti (my second host mom) and Mariana went to get a neck brace because her neck was bothering her.  We call the neck braces the Valladolid fashion because so many people have them!  After school we went to a Rotary meeting and Justine asked if we could stay in our second host family through Christmas-we still aren't sure what is happening.

After school the next day Fran and I went to the center of town, we ate salads for lunch then went to the "Candy Market" and I got some candy to send to my family.  The next day after school we had to help set up for Vallafest at my school.  so Fran and I went and got salads then we met Simon and a bunch of people from my class and we set up our lottery which consisted of prizes like peanuts, pins, and kisses (on the cheek) from all of us!  This was a big hit!  They had tons of games and african music, it turned out being really fun.  Kike one of my best Mexican friends was there and asked us if we wanted to go with him to his house, then it would be easier for our parents to come get us.  Favio and Isaura jr picked me up and after we dropped off Caro, Isaura jr began to cry (she is having boy trouble).  So then Favio began a lecture about living your life that lasted the whole way home and 45 minutes sitting in the driveway!  He kept saying "Viva la Vida Vive TU Vida!"  

The next day I woke up late and got ready in 10 minutes because I was really late and Mariana had a test.  That night I went to Bienvenido's house with Kike and we listened to music and just talked-it was really nice.  Then fran came and we went to Velvet, but there wasn't anyone there so we decided to leave.  As we were leaving we met 2 exchange students one from Germany and one from Slovakia (and their Mexican host brother).  Eventually we went home.  The next day Isaura, Favio, Regina, and I went out for sushi.  We had the chef that cooks at the table and I tried fish eggs!  Surprisingly I liked everything.  After we went back to the house and watched some of my dance recitals-they really enjoyed them.  After we watched Favio jr's ski diving video!

On Sunday Regina had her second half of her tennis tournament, it started at 8 in the morning and I promised I would go so I was up at 7:45 and ready by 8.  I went downstairs and that is when Favio told me we had turned the clocks back one hour (a week before the US, and which I was completely oblivious of) so I had really gotten up at 6:45!  (for those of you that know me this is a big step for a Sunday or any day really).  Then we arrived at 8am at the club and climbed the ridiculous amount of stair to the tennis courts only to find out that Regina didn't start until 9am!  After the tournament ended Isaura and I went to the gym and ran for 30 minutes then stretched.  Caro and Rox (her host sister) came to my house and we watched "The Hangover" for the 4th time!  Then we watched some of my dance videos and Caro's vaulting videos.  The next day nothing interesting happened, besides the fact that 3 of Regina's friends came to the house and one speaks REALLY fast so Isaura would quiz me on what she was saying-its was entertaining to say the least.

Week 13:  "Jesus had long hair so why can't we?"

After school I went to futbol practice with Caro, and it was pretty funny.  They are not strict and we just had fun the whole time.  After we ate at Caro's house and went to Simon's house to watch a movie.  After school the next day Caro and I went with a friend from my class and we ate "ahombajadas" (i'm not sure how to write it) but they translate to "drowned tortas" so it is like a sandwich but with a lot of salsa!  They were really good and the guy who owns the restaurant was really nice.  After we went to the mall just to walk around then I went home.  I was talking to Fran and she told me that rotary in Brasil wanted to send her home, right now we still aren't sure what is going on, but she is keeping me posted.  

The next day when we got to school Edith,our English/Spanish teacher, told us that a school bus had gotten into an accident and it turns out that Fran was in it!  We asked around and at first no one knew anything about it, but later on we found out it was REALLY bad!  It was a school van and another big van had slammed into them then they slammed into a house; one girl flew out of the door of the car and Fran's head was bleeding.  Caro, Simon, and I were really upset and we wanted to leave school to talk to Fran.  She didn't remember anything about who she was when she first was asked, so they were really worried.  I had called her host dad because the school didn't have the number, but she doesn't get along with her host family very well so we wanted to be there to help calm her down.  The teachers kept telling us that everyone was ok but then saying how horrible the crash was and that everyone was in the hospital, but we couldn't leave.  So after school Caro came to my house we ate lunch then headed to the hospital (meanwhile Fran had called me and let me know that she was ok but was staying the night in the hospital).  We headed to the hospital and Luis and Elsa were there, so we talked for a while and then Fran told me that her host dad had left and didn't say anything about coming back, and her host mom had only been there for ten minutes and then just left!  So Caro and I went out to "Muertec" (a Day of the Dead) celebration at a nearby school with Kike.  We walked around for a while taking some Day of the dead bread, then we went with Kike to Starbucks to get Fran some coffee too.  We went back to the hospital and we saw the other girls in the accident they were worse but everyone luckily was ok.  So Fran's dad said he wasn't spending the night in the hospital so Caro and I did.  We woke up at 5:30 and showered for school and then walked almost all the way up the hill to school (its a LONG walk).  We eventually got picked up by Gasca- and friend from Caro's class.  I wasn't going home again because Regina was going to a Jonas Brother's concert in Guadalajara and my whole family was going, so I was spending the night in my second host families house.  So Mariana brought me to her house we ate and did lots of running around, I even went to her dad's office to help her wiht her English to apply for Rotary exchange next year.  We picked up Simon and then went back to the house.  We changed for the Halloween party and left at 10:30-it wasn't a very god party because it was FREEZING outside so everyone had a hard time enjoying themselves but we made it fun.  

The next morning I had breakfast with Patti (second host mom) and we talked a lot-she is really funny and we get along really well.  Isaura came and we went home, I packed my bag and we went to Tzinztuntzan.  Caro and Rox came too as my friends (every time each of the kids are allowed to invite friends to come with us).  The neighbors were having a party so we stopped by, it was all really young kids so we didn't stay long but I talked with a boy from California and he was really nice, and it turns out he goes to Isaura jr's school so I'm sure I will get to talk to him again.

The next day we went out in the boat and in the dougnut (raft pulled behind the boat!) then we went back had lunch and changed to go see the Day of the Dead graves!  There were SO many people there and tons of beautiful graves set up!  They are very important to Mexicans, I won't kill you with the long history but just a brief summary.  There are two nights the first is November 1 it is special for the kids that died (but adults too) the second day recognizes adults more than kids.  They start setting up and some stay all night.  The traditional belief is that you put their favorite foods and things at their "altar" and they come back for that night and be with the family and enjoy their favorite foods!  It is really interesting all they way to set up and altar, but mainly you need special colors that represent different things and there are special flowers as well.  After we went to "Los Yacatas", which are ruins that over look Tzintzuntzan, it was really cool we watched some of the local dancing, listened to Mariachis, and got to see the cemetary all lit up (from all of the candles on the graves).  The next day we went out in the boat again along with the doughnut, and then we went waterskiing!  Eventually we went home to get ready for school.

The next day was the beginning of my 4th month!  I went to school and then after school went home to eat lunch with my family.  After I went out with Caro, Fran ,and Juan (a friend of Rotary members).  We talked and just hung out.  The next day at school was the same, then after I went to the mall with Fran and Caro and we got salads and talked for a really long time about our different cultures and the different sterotypes everyone gives us.  Then Caro and I had to go to a Rotary meeting, Simon's grandma said we needed to dress up but of course I was in my gym clothes from school and we didn't have time to change.  Luckily it turned out that we didn't need anything, we went to the "Expoval".  It was promoting local businesses and good from Morelia and Michoacan.  After we went out fro tacos then I went home.  

In school I got really upset with the teacher.  He had been bothering me lately, because he would walk around the school and telling boys they had to cut their hair (when it wasn't even long).  I don't understand why they can' have long hair in the first place, as long as it is kept neat what is the problem?  So one of my friends came in this day to school (he has beautiful curly hair that wasn't barely even long) and it turns out the teacher had told him to cut it.  I say this a flipped I asked my friends why he was making people cut their hair?  No one seemed to know, then Caro and I asked one of the directors of school and he couldn't give us a straight answer either.  He kept saying that it was more of a man thing, and so Caro said well then girls can't have short hair (she had shorter hair).  I am sure he was a little put off by the questioning but Caro and I had been discussing this for a while now, and here we have found that they like to take a lot of individuality a way from people.  So after I was talking with my friend and I said to him "Jesus had long hair, so why can't you?"- He laughed and all of my friends got a kick out of it too!  Then the next day I told him I had come to the conclusion that he wasn't allowed to a grow a beard either because Jesus had that too!  He loved that as well, and although it was a joke I can't seem to figure out why they can't just let them have some individuality.  Mexico right now doesn't have a lot of different types of people.  Most everyone wears Abercrombie and Fitch and hardly anyone acts crazy in public- I just can't see why they would possible want to put out one of the only flames of individuality that Mexico's teenagers are holding onto.  However I am trying to stay open and not judge, but there is this part of my that wants to go into school one day with a completely shaved head, just so see how this teacher and the school in general would react (but don't worry mom I won't I love my hair too much haha).  

After school I went home and found out that Isaura jr had stayed home from school sick, I went to her room and said "Why didn't you tell me?" and she said "What do you mean?" "I mean that you were going to stay home sick...we are always sick on the same days and now you have one more day than me!"  We laughed and then talked about her upcoming Killers concert.  Then I went to a new Dance aerobics class with my pilates teacher, it was really fun.  Then after to pilates.  After school the next day I went to Caro's house to eat lunch, then we went back to the school because Caro was going to be the goalie for the soccer team, she played the whole first half and NO ONE scored on her!  Then later that night we went to Karaoke with Maria,Liz, Max, Memo, Miguel, Maria's friend, Patti, Daniela, Shantal, and Caro; then we went to Velvet for a while.  The next day I slept in really late, got up made myself breakfast and then headed to Caro's grandma's house for lunch.  Then we went to Shantal's halloween party, it was really calm, but fun.  

Fran stayed the night at my house, the next day we watched movies and lounged around then eventually went to Caro's grandma's house again for lunch.  Then we went with her cousins to a local park, which has a BMX track, skateboarding area, actual carnival rides, and tons of candies!  And finally today I payed for my upcoming trip to Aguascalientes.  I am going with the basketball team, we leave on Thursday and play every morning and afternoon and then we go to parties with all of the teams that we are playing against in the night.  It is really neat because we stay with families there, so I will also be getting a little taste of culture in another state!  

Once again apologies for the ever so late blog post, as I am sure you have figured out I have been EXTREMELY busy lately!