I arrived back home last night around 9:30, with excited puppies eager to see me! I'm glad to have the traveling part of my adventure over, but I'm already missing Mexico. Let's just say that Iowa is COLD! It's going to take a while to get used to the cold, and I can't wait for the warm weather of summer.
It's very interesting to see what's happening in the US media with Mexico and the Swine Flu. I haven't seen a news program since January, so that alone has been a change. It's different to see it than to read it online. You can hear and see the concern and emotion, while reading it just leaves you with the facts.
It's also fascinating how quickly things are changing. Yesterday, while I was traveling, the CDC raised the alert level to 5. However, in the airport in customs, we were never asked if we were sick, and nobody seemed concerned about a plane that came from Mexico. It was anticlimactic, but I was happy with that. The less stress in travel, the happier I am!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Good Bye Mexico
This morning Central College canceled the Merida, Mexico program. I fly out of Mexico tomorrow morning at 9am.
I never expected my study abroad experience to end like this, and it's hard to take in. Everyone in the house is having a hard time accepting the fact that in 24 hours (for most of us) we'll be back in the US. Yesterday we had 2 weeks left to enjoy Mexico, shop around, and accomplish those last few things we wanted to do...and now we're packed and verifying flights and preparing for our last night in Mexico.
I'm upset, even though I'm relieved to be heading home. I just feel like I haven't had time to say good bye to Mexico. I suppose I'll just have to come back someday!
I never expected my study abroad experience to end like this, and it's hard to take in. Everyone in the house is having a hard time accepting the fact that in 24 hours (for most of us) we'll be back in the US. Yesterday we had 2 weeks left to enjoy Mexico, shop around, and accomplish those last few things we wanted to do...and now we're packed and verifying flights and preparing for our last night in Mexico.
I'm upset, even though I'm relieved to be heading home. I just feel like I haven't had time to say good bye to Mexico. I suppose I'll just have to come back someday!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Plans They Are A-Changin'
Well, due to the current events related to the swine flu, I'm headed home earlier than expected. Tomorrow I'm headed downtown tomorrow to change my flight at the Continental office, and I'll either be leaving Wednesday or Thursday morning.
It's purely a preventative measure to leave early. Our classes are basically over, so it's feasible and easy to leave a week and a half early. Other than not having a chance to say good-bye to Mexico, it doesn't change many plans.
I'll update when I know more details!
It's purely a preventative measure to leave early. Our classes are basically over, so it's feasible and easy to leave a week and a half early. Other than not having a chance to say good-bye to Mexico, it doesn't change many plans.
I'll update when I know more details!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
From Henequen to String in Photos
A glimpse into how a plant becomes string
Henequen leaves waiting to be defibered.
Men prepping the leaves to go into the defibering machine.
A man gathering the fibers. It's a messy job- check out the green goo on the floor!
Since my blog page won't let me write in between the last few pictures, here is what you're looking at: The fibers have to be dried in the sun before they are made into rope. Then they are fed into big machines which spin really fast and make the string, which you see directly above!2 Haciendas
It has been an interesting last few days! On Friday we took our last group excursion (Sad!) to 2 haciendas outside of Merida. They were pretty neat! Haciendas were forced by the Spanish government to given land control to the Spanish who were in Nueva Espana (soon to be Mexico) at that time. The systems of haciendas was officially ended with the Constitution of 1857. However, some are still operating, but they don't treat their workers as forced laborers or slaves anymore.
The first hacienda we stopped at grew and harvested Hennequin, a plant that looks like a really big aloe vera plant. From that, the hacienda processes it and takes the fibers from the leaf-things. This fiber, sisel fiber, is made into rope or string. The hacienda started with plants of Hennequin and ended up with string-the whole process was done at the hacienda. It was pretty neat to watch! And when they are deriving the fiber from the Hennequin, it smelled like sweet corn being shucked. Yum! I could've stood there for a while just smelling it, but we moved on.
The second hacienda was absolutely beautiful! The whole lawn was green and lush, which is REALLY rare in the Yucatan during this time of the year. We saw grass! Amazing! And there were all sorts of beautiful flowers, trees, and other plants. This hacienda raised horses, and really nice horses at that. One of them actually ran in the Kentucky Derby. It was a really pretty horse! The owners even had a bullring in the backyard. They had to have been loaded!
It was a nice last trip, calm and quick. But knowing it was the last trip was sad because my time here in Mexico is almost over. I'm happy and sad at the same time. I want to go home and see my friends and family, but I know I'll miss Mexico.
The first hacienda we stopped at grew and harvested Hennequin, a plant that looks like a really big aloe vera plant. From that, the hacienda processes it and takes the fibers from the leaf-things. This fiber, sisel fiber, is made into rope or string. The hacienda started with plants of Hennequin and ended up with string-the whole process was done at the hacienda. It was pretty neat to watch! And when they are deriving the fiber from the Hennequin, it smelled like sweet corn being shucked. Yum! I could've stood there for a while just smelling it, but we moved on.
The second hacienda was absolutely beautiful! The whole lawn was green and lush, which is REALLY rare in the Yucatan during this time of the year. We saw grass! Amazing! And there were all sorts of beautiful flowers, trees, and other plants. This hacienda raised horses, and really nice horses at that. One of them actually ran in the Kentucky Derby. It was a really pretty horse! The owners even had a bullring in the backyard. They had to have been loaded!
It was a nice last trip, calm and quick. But knowing it was the last trip was sad because my time here in Mexico is almost over. I'm happy and sad at the same time. I want to go home and see my friends and family, but I know I'll miss Mexico.
Friday, April 24, 2009
San Cristobal Photos
One of the pedestrian streets in San Cristobal. They made walking around the town very easy!
The courtyard outside one of the beautiful churches in town.
Two women sitting outside the church.
Another pedestrian street full of locals.
Two women looking through their goods. They walk around town, especially the main square, and sell lots of things. As you can see, they carry their kids around in a sling on their backs.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Misol Ha and Agua Azul Pictures
This was the beautiful waterfall at Misol Ha.
There was a path that lead behind the waterfall, which is where this picture was taken.
Part of the waterfall at Agua Azul. This is near the bottom of the waterfall.
More of Agua Azul.
The picture from near the top of Agua Azul. This shows how big the fall really was. The first picture I took was way down there, hardly visible. It was a long walk to get up here, but so worth it!
San Juan Chamula
On Saturday morning, we left San Cristobal de las Casas (I was sad because I have fallen in love with the city). We headed up a mountain, fog surrounding the van, to 2 smaller towns. The first stop was San Juan Chamula. It had a population of about 40,000 people, but it truly felt smaller than Pella. The downtown area was packed full because it was Sunday market time, which is the biggest market of the week. We had a little problem getting through the crowds because everyone seemed to know what they were doing, and where they were going- except us!
We wanted to check out the church, which was amazing. It was a colonial era Catholic cathedral. However, because the people are Mayan, they mix ancient Mayan beliefs and traditions with the Catholic faith. We walked inside the church to find the floor covered in pine needles- it made it slippery so I had to be careful! People were seated all over the floor (there were no pews). They were lighting small candles and setting them in rows all over the floor, then letting them burn down into piles of wax. They also had bottles of coke or other pop alongside them. Part of their belief involves burping, so they drink pop to make themselves burp a lot. I would fit in quite well here! :)
We wandered slowly and quietly to the front of the church, where more people were little candles. Apparently they were sacrificing chickens, or preparing too, but I didn't see this- thankfully.
On our way out of the church, near the back, several women with babies were gathered. They were dressing their babies in white clothes. They were preparing to baptize their children, we think. A priest or someone was wandering around, watching the children, so we assume that the baptism was happening soon. We left quickly because another large tourist group was coming in.
We weren't allowed to take pictures in the town of San Juan Chamula. In previous years, people's cameras have been taken away, not to be given back, if they took pictures anywhere in town. So we didn't risk it. However, other tourists were, but the townfolks didn't look too happy about it.
We had about an hour to explore the town, so Caleb and I set off to find some nice souvenirs for people. I found some nice souvenirs for a good price, which always makes me happy! Then we headed back up the big hill to get to the van. There were lots of little kids hanging around the van, ready to sell us stuff. That nearly breaks my heart to see young kids selling goods on the street. But man they are good sellers! It's pretty hard to refuse them.
We wanted to check out the church, which was amazing. It was a colonial era Catholic cathedral. However, because the people are Mayan, they mix ancient Mayan beliefs and traditions with the Catholic faith. We walked inside the church to find the floor covered in pine needles- it made it slippery so I had to be careful! People were seated all over the floor (there were no pews). They were lighting small candles and setting them in rows all over the floor, then letting them burn down into piles of wax. They also had bottles of coke or other pop alongside them. Part of their belief involves burping, so they drink pop to make themselves burp a lot. I would fit in quite well here! :)
We wandered slowly and quietly to the front of the church, where more people were little candles. Apparently they were sacrificing chickens, or preparing too, but I didn't see this- thankfully.
On our way out of the church, near the back, several women with babies were gathered. They were dressing their babies in white clothes. They were preparing to baptize their children, we think. A priest or someone was wandering around, watching the children, so we assume that the baptism was happening soon. We left quickly because another large tourist group was coming in.
We weren't allowed to take pictures in the town of San Juan Chamula. In previous years, people's cameras have been taken away, not to be given back, if they took pictures anywhere in town. So we didn't risk it. However, other tourists were, but the townfolks didn't look too happy about it.
We had about an hour to explore the town, so Caleb and I set off to find some nice souvenirs for people. I found some nice souvenirs for a good price, which always makes me happy! Then we headed back up the big hill to get to the van. There were lots of little kids hanging around the van, ready to sell us stuff. That nearly breaks my heart to see young kids selling goods on the street. But man they are good sellers! It's pretty hard to refuse them.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Palenque Pictures
The waterfall inside the site of Palenque. It was pretty small compared to some of the waterfalls we saw, but still peaceful and pretty!
A view of the main city of Palenque from atop the huge Temple of the Crosses. Awesome view!
Great scenery from the Temple of the Crosses.
A saw this dark stairway leading into the dark unknown in a small, forgotten temple at the top of a hill. So I decided I would go inside. Luckily there were no body snatchers or jaguars inside! there were no lights either...creepy...
The enormous Temple of the Inscriptions, where Pakal's tomb is located...and the even more enormous mountain behind!
San Cristobal de Las Casas
Our next stop on the Chiapas trip was the town of San Cristobal de las Casas- pretty neat name if you ask me. The town had a population of about 60,000, but it really had the feel of a small town. The Maya culture was VERY strong. In fact, we heard very little Spanish being spoken. Amongst themselves, the natives spoke Mayan. I had no prayer of understanding! Spanish and Maya aren't remotely close to being the same language. Luckily, most people spoke Spanish, even if they weren't perfect or fluent.
San Cristobal is surrounded by mountains, and the outskirts of town start to climb upwards! :) I didn't walk to the edge of town because I didn't really want to climb huge hills. I was content to strolled around and check out the downtown.
The town has 3 main markets, 2 artisan markets and one outdoor food market. My oh my were they fascinating! Robin and I first checked out the outdoor artisan market. Lots of clothes, toys, fabrics, shawls, scarves, souvenirs, etc could be found. Much of the stuff is woven in beautiful and intricate patterns. After checking that out, we headed to the Market of Sweets and Artisans. It was inside, and very nice. I bought a nice woven pancho-sweater thing for 60 pesos, which is like $4.50. Caleb bought one on the coast earlier in the semester for 250 pesos! Needless to say he wasn't so happy when we heard the price of mine! The sweater came in handy because San Cristobal gets chilly at night and in the morning, and a sweater was necessary! Gotta love the cool weather!
Finally, Robin and I headed to the food market. It was amazing. I felt absolutely ignorant when I couldn't identify 1/2 the fruits and veggies available! Inside could be found all sorts of things! Fruits, veggies, flowers, chickens (chopped up and live), and any other food you could imagine. Near one of the entrances were a bunch of chickens, alive and clucking, with feet tied up with ribbon- so they couldn't run away of course. And when someone bought one they would just sling it over their forearm and keep walking through the market, live chicken hanging at the side. Way different from Walmart and Hy-Vee. I bought some little finger bananas, which were delicious! They were only a few inches long and had an apple-banana flavor. Yummy! I want more now, but I'm not sure how available they are in Merida. I may have to check that out...
San Cristobal is surrounded by mountains, and the outskirts of town start to climb upwards! :) I didn't walk to the edge of town because I didn't really want to climb huge hills. I was content to strolled around and check out the downtown.
The town has 3 main markets, 2 artisan markets and one outdoor food market. My oh my were they fascinating! Robin and I first checked out the outdoor artisan market. Lots of clothes, toys, fabrics, shawls, scarves, souvenirs, etc could be found. Much of the stuff is woven in beautiful and intricate patterns. After checking that out, we headed to the Market of Sweets and Artisans. It was inside, and very nice. I bought a nice woven pancho-sweater thing for 60 pesos, which is like $4.50. Caleb bought one on the coast earlier in the semester for 250 pesos! Needless to say he wasn't so happy when we heard the price of mine! The sweater came in handy because San Cristobal gets chilly at night and in the morning, and a sweater was necessary! Gotta love the cool weather!
Finally, Robin and I headed to the food market. It was amazing. I felt absolutely ignorant when I couldn't identify 1/2 the fruits and veggies available! Inside could be found all sorts of things! Fruits, veggies, flowers, chickens (chopped up and live), and any other food you could imagine. Near one of the entrances were a bunch of chickens, alive and clucking, with feet tied up with ribbon- so they couldn't run away of course. And when someone bought one they would just sling it over their forearm and keep walking through the market, live chicken hanging at the side. Way different from Walmart and Hy-Vee. I bought some little finger bananas, which were delicious! They were only a few inches long and had an apple-banana flavor. Yummy! I want more now, but I'm not sure how available they are in Merida. I may have to check that out...
Palenque
The first stop on the Chiapas trip was the archeological site Palenque. After 7 hours of riding on a bumpy bus, we stumbled out of the van into Palenque. It was a very beautiful place! The ruins are nestled in a valley at the start of the mountains, surrounded by lush, beautiful forest. The ruins were very unique. Part of this is likely due to the isolation and inaccesibility because it is in the mountains. And it's quite a ways away from the Puuc region near Merida!
Some of the temples and buildings had tunnels inside, which is pretty rare for Mayan architecture. Most temples, etc are facades surrounding large piles of rubble- basically. So internal rooms and tunnels just aren't found in the ancient Maya world. I had fun exploring around inside the Temple of the Inscriptions, where Ahua Pakal's tomb is. We couldn't go to his tomb, but we saw one which is thought to be his wife's tomb.
It was quite hot outside, and because of the terrain there were lots of steps to climb. We found some nice shadey areas and rested for a while. We had plenty of time at the site, so we could sit and people watch, or iguana watch, as the case was. We climbed the HUGE Temple of the Crosses, and definitely had to rest after that. It as several stories worth of oversized, rough steps-with no railings! But the view was spectacular!
We wandered around a lot of the site of Palenque, and even saw a pretty little waterfall. Cole and I checked out the museum, which was really nice. Then we all headed for the hotel down the road for a relaxing night. We were all hot and tuckered out, so the air-conditioned rooms were a welcome relief!
Some of the temples and buildings had tunnels inside, which is pretty rare for Mayan architecture. Most temples, etc are facades surrounding large piles of rubble- basically. So internal rooms and tunnels just aren't found in the ancient Maya world. I had fun exploring around inside the Temple of the Inscriptions, where Ahua Pakal's tomb is. We couldn't go to his tomb, but we saw one which is thought to be his wife's tomb.
It was quite hot outside, and because of the terrain there were lots of steps to climb. We found some nice shadey areas and rested for a while. We had plenty of time at the site, so we could sit and people watch, or iguana watch, as the case was. We climbed the HUGE Temple of the Crosses, and definitely had to rest after that. It as several stories worth of oversized, rough steps-with no railings! But the view was spectacular!
We wandered around a lot of the site of Palenque, and even saw a pretty little waterfall. Cole and I checked out the museum, which was really nice. Then we all headed for the hotel down the road for a relaxing night. We were all hot and tuckered out, so the air-conditioned rooms were a welcome relief!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Wanna be Chiapaneco
I'm back from the beautiful state of Chiapas, and I want to go back already! Like the title of this entry says, I want to be a citizen of Chiapas, a Chiapaneco. I forgot how beautiful the mountains are. It's definitely a lot different than the Yucatan. Gone was the hard, dry fields of bushes and stubby trees. Chiapas is full of lush forest, complete with banana trees and conifers. And odd combination, but it makes for a wonderful views.
The weather in Chiapas is quite different from Merida. We had a few days of cool, crisp weather, like Iowa in fall. The mornings and evenings definitely required a warm sweater, but during the day it was hot enough for short sleeves and shorts. It was a very nice change to see fog and shiver in Mexico!
I'll write more about what we did in Chiapas, but the 8 hour van ride from Palenque today just made me tired, even though I slept through most of it. Hasta luego!
The weather in Chiapas is quite different from Merida. We had a few days of cool, crisp weather, like Iowa in fall. The mornings and evenings definitely required a warm sweater, but during the day it was hot enough for short sleeves and shorts. It was a very nice change to see fog and shiver in Mexico!
I'll write more about what we did in Chiapas, but the 8 hour van ride from Palenque today just made me tired, even though I slept through most of it. Hasta luego!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Off to Chiapas!
The long-awaited Chiapas trip is finally upon us! We leave from Casa Central tomorrow at 5am, for an 8-9 hour drive to Palenque. Although the traveling won't exactly be fun, we're all pretty excited to go on this trip. In past groups it has been the best excursion by far!
Chiapas is the southern most state of Mexico. It's pretty high up though, in the mountain area. Within a day we'll be rising about 9,000 feet in altitude, from sea level to the mountains. We're really hoping nobody gets altitude sickness!
We're all looking forward to beautiful sites, cooler weather, and different culture that's found in Chiapas. Chiapas is a very indigenous state, with a large Maya population. It's also home to the Zapatista movement, which was a strong movement in the 1990s and early 2000s. Recently the Zapatistas haven't been credited with much activity, but they're still a strong organization- one which fights against the Mexican government for the rights of indigenous people. Don't worry- I'm not in any danger! We're actually going into a Zapatista community, so it's safe to be there.
Other than the Zapatistas, we have the chance to see some beautiful waterfalls and other scenery. I'm not 100% sure what to expect, but I'm excited! Adios for 5 days! I'll be away from the computer, so don't look for updates for awhile.
Chiapas is the southern most state of Mexico. It's pretty high up though, in the mountain area. Within a day we'll be rising about 9,000 feet in altitude, from sea level to the mountains. We're really hoping nobody gets altitude sickness!
We're all looking forward to beautiful sites, cooler weather, and different culture that's found in Chiapas. Chiapas is a very indigenous state, with a large Maya population. It's also home to the Zapatista movement, which was a strong movement in the 1990s and early 2000s. Recently the Zapatistas haven't been credited with much activity, but they're still a strong organization- one which fights against the Mexican government for the rights of indigenous people. Don't worry- I'm not in any danger! We're actually going into a Zapatista community, so it's safe to be there.
Other than the Zapatistas, we have the chance to see some beautiful waterfalls and other scenery. I'm not 100% sure what to expect, but I'm excited! Adios for 5 days! I'll be away from the computer, so don't look for updates for awhile.
Monday, April 13, 2009
A Peaceful Week
The past week has been a week of vacation, which I always love! I spent it just working on things in the Central House and doing stuff around the city of Merida. It was really nice not to have to worry about traveling. During Semana Santa, many of the people here take vacation and head to the coast for the week. I could notice the difference in the city! There was a lot less traffic, fewer people were around, smaller businesses and schools were closed, restaurants were nearly empty, etc. It was a very calm and peaceful time to be in Merida. I'll miss the quietness- now the traffic has picked back up outside the house, and it seems like the city is returning to normal. However, some schools and places are still closed for Semana Pascua- Easter Week. Unfortunately, we still have class. :( But on Thursday morning ta 5am (!) we're leaving on a five day field trip to the southern Mexican state of Chiapas. So it's a short week for us, and we definitely have something to look forward to!
I'll have to write more about Easter and our wonderful Easter dinner later. I have to go prepare for Civ class now though. :(
I'll have to write more about Easter and our wonderful Easter dinner later. I have to go prepare for Civ class now though. :(
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Thinking About Back Home
I have about a month left in Merida, and I've had some mixed feelings. I can't wait to go home and see all my friends and family, but I just don't want to leave Merida. I love living here- in a big city, in Mexico, surrounded by vibrant life and culture. I can't wait to go but never want to leave.
But I have been thinking about some of the things I miss most, and what I plan to do when I get home. Here goes:
1. In the Houston airport I'm finding Cherry Pepsi or Coke. Oddly enough, I really miss it. I haven't found it at all anywhere in Mexico, not even in the touristy areas. I'm looking forward to enjoying a nice cool cherry Pepsi, as crazy as that may sound.
2. Pet my puppies! I always miss my dogs when I'm away from home for a while, and 3 1/2 months is a very long time to go without a little dog laying on your lap. We're going to have some quality time when I get home.
3. Drive. Although I love public transportation, I'm looking forward to being able to go where I want, when I want, without a creepy bus story. :) Watch out though, people here drive FAST, and I may just be used to that.
4. Watch some Gilmore Girls. To do this one right I have to wait until I visit my sister. We'll get french fries and cherry coke and have a Gilmore Girl marathon into the wee hours of the morning!
5. Eat at a Mexican restaurant. Yes, I know I've spent 3 1/2 months eating Mexican food, but I've been craving some good ole TexMex, which is completely different from Yucatecan food. And I can confuse someone when I accidentally start speaking Spanish.
6. Ride my bike. I love my bike, and I obviously don't have many chances to ride here. A nice ride through the park in Otown sounds peaceful.
7. Have a Mommy-Daughter day! I can't wait to spend some time shopping or something with my Mom. We've been deprived of our Mom-Daughter time together, and we're going to have to make it up.
8. Eat the ultimate All-American Daugherty style meal: Roast beef, mashed potatoes and brown gravy, green bean casserole, scalloped corn, and hot rolls, with something nice and chocolately for dessert. Yum!
9. Visit my Central friends- I've gotta do this before they all leave for the summer. FYI I'll be up there on the 12th of May aka first day of finals! :)
10. Hang my hammock and take a siesta. This may prove to be tricky, but I'm bound and determined to figure out where and how I can hang my hammock. How else can I take naps?
Finalmente: 11. Hug all my friends!! I miss you all!
I love Merida, but after 3 months, I'm really missing some stuff from home. There's a lot more things that I'm looking forward to doing, but this is the short list. I know when it's time to head home, I may not want to leave Merida. But for now I'll look forward to doing these things!
But I have been thinking about some of the things I miss most, and what I plan to do when I get home. Here goes:
1. In the Houston airport I'm finding Cherry Pepsi or Coke. Oddly enough, I really miss it. I haven't found it at all anywhere in Mexico, not even in the touristy areas. I'm looking forward to enjoying a nice cool cherry Pepsi, as crazy as that may sound.
2. Pet my puppies! I always miss my dogs when I'm away from home for a while, and 3 1/2 months is a very long time to go without a little dog laying on your lap. We're going to have some quality time when I get home.
3. Drive. Although I love public transportation, I'm looking forward to being able to go where I want, when I want, without a creepy bus story. :) Watch out though, people here drive FAST, and I may just be used to that.
4. Watch some Gilmore Girls. To do this one right I have to wait until I visit my sister. We'll get french fries and cherry coke and have a Gilmore Girl marathon into the wee hours of the morning!
5. Eat at a Mexican restaurant. Yes, I know I've spent 3 1/2 months eating Mexican food, but I've been craving some good ole TexMex, which is completely different from Yucatecan food. And I can confuse someone when I accidentally start speaking Spanish.
6. Ride my bike. I love my bike, and I obviously don't have many chances to ride here. A nice ride through the park in Otown sounds peaceful.
7. Have a Mommy-Daughter day! I can't wait to spend some time shopping or something with my Mom. We've been deprived of our Mom-Daughter time together, and we're going to have to make it up.
8. Eat the ultimate All-American Daugherty style meal: Roast beef, mashed potatoes and brown gravy, green bean casserole, scalloped corn, and hot rolls, with something nice and chocolately for dessert. Yum!
9. Visit my Central friends- I've gotta do this before they all leave for the summer. FYI I'll be up there on the 12th of May aka first day of finals! :)
10. Hang my hammock and take a siesta. This may prove to be tricky, but I'm bound and determined to figure out where and how I can hang my hammock. How else can I take naps?
Finalmente: 11. Hug all my friends!! I miss you all!
I love Merida, but after 3 months, I'm really missing some stuff from home. There's a lot more things that I'm looking forward to doing, but this is the short list. I know when it's time to head home, I may not want to leave Merida. But for now I'll look forward to doing these things!
A Relaxing Week
Not much has been happening during Semana Santa- sorry for the boringness! I'm a little stressed about my research paper for this semester, and I'm trying to work on it now. With this week and our 5 day trip to Chiapas, I feel like the due date will just sneak up on me. So my goal this week is to work on it- a lot. Tomorrow is H-day: homework day.
Some interesting news, at least to me: it's been chilly and even cold today! Wonders of wonders! Oddly enough, I checked the weather online, and it was in the 80s. I was wrapped up in a fleece blanket thinking it was freezing. It's amazing that 80 is chilly to me, and 70 is just downright cold! I'm getting used to the hot weather!
This evening, Robin, Sara, Erin, and I dressed up nicely and went out to eat. After our meal we decided to head down the Paseo de Montejo to an ice cream shop. It was a little farther away than Robin thought, but the ice cream was yummy. I was thoroughly chilled after eating it though, considering the cold weather and all. :) We had an enjoyable walk- or adventure! We had the potential to get lost on the way back, since we took some back streets. Luckily we could see Chapur (a huge department store), which guided us to the house. Chapur is a very important landmark for us. It's about a 1/2 block from the house, and basically everyone in the city knows where it is. So we just tell the taxi drivers to take us to Chapur, and they get us there quickly. It makes things easier for us!
Some interesting news, at least to me: it's been chilly and even cold today! Wonders of wonders! Oddly enough, I checked the weather online, and it was in the 80s. I was wrapped up in a fleece blanket thinking it was freezing. It's amazing that 80 is chilly to me, and 70 is just downright cold! I'm getting used to the hot weather!
This evening, Robin, Sara, Erin, and I dressed up nicely and went out to eat. After our meal we decided to head down the Paseo de Montejo to an ice cream shop. It was a little farther away than Robin thought, but the ice cream was yummy. I was thoroughly chilled after eating it though, considering the cold weather and all. :) We had an enjoyable walk- or adventure! We had the potential to get lost on the way back, since we took some back streets. Luckily we could see Chapur (a huge department store), which guided us to the house. Chapur is a very important landmark for us. It's about a 1/2 block from the house, and basically everyone in the city knows where it is. So we just tell the taxi drivers to take us to Chapur, and they get us there quickly. It makes things easier for us!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Semana Santa
This weekend marked the start of Semana Santa, or Holy Week. This means that I have another whole week off of classes- nice. I didn't have any big travel plans because I just wanted a nice relaxing week. And I have a big research paper due in another couple of weeks that I need to work on. :( Yes, I know. So exciting!
However, on Friday Sara, Erin, and I went back to Chichen Itza. We went once before on a program excursion, but we had a huge homework assignment to do, so we really didn't get to enjoy it much. So we decided to go back. It was a very hot day, and Chichen doesn't have much shade. But it was nice to walk around, look at things and enjoy the experience of being there. I also managed to do a little souvenir shopping, although I still have a lot left to do. :)
We decided that we would stay a night in Valladolid, a city near Chichen. We had a nice hotel with AC and a pool. We enjoyed the chance to cool down after a long, hot day. The AC wouldn't work unless we put our 1 and only room ket into the slot in the wall. I thought that was neat since it wouldn't run if we weren't in the room. Pretty ecofriendly!
The following day we went to a nice, cool, beautiful cenote near Valladolid. It was fun to swim in the underground water well, and watch the fishies. They nibbled on my toes a bit, which felt odd. After that we headed back to Merida. On the way there our bus had to turn around and head back to Valladolid for some reason. Apparently the road wasn't open to buses and such. That made our trip take about 2 extra hours. Good thing the bus was comfortable!
However, on Friday Sara, Erin, and I went back to Chichen Itza. We went once before on a program excursion, but we had a huge homework assignment to do, so we really didn't get to enjoy it much. So we decided to go back. It was a very hot day, and Chichen doesn't have much shade. But it was nice to walk around, look at things and enjoy the experience of being there. I also managed to do a little souvenir shopping, although I still have a lot left to do. :)
We decided that we would stay a night in Valladolid, a city near Chichen. We had a nice hotel with AC and a pool. We enjoyed the chance to cool down after a long, hot day. The AC wouldn't work unless we put our 1 and only room ket into the slot in the wall. I thought that was neat since it wouldn't run if we weren't in the room. Pretty ecofriendly!
The following day we went to a nice, cool, beautiful cenote near Valladolid. It was fun to swim in the underground water well, and watch the fishies. They nibbled on my toes a bit, which felt odd. After that we headed back to Merida. On the way there our bus had to turn around and head back to Valladolid for some reason. Apparently the road wasn't open to buses and such. That made our trip take about 2 extra hours. Good thing the bus was comfortable!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Lack of Writing...
Sorry for the lack of writing lately. I've been struggling a lot with homesickness. My Grandpa died last week, and I wasn't able to go back to Ottumwa. Being in another country in pretty hard when stuff like this happens. Thus, I haven't felt like writing much.
And there hasn't been a whole lot to write about, other than the unrelenting heat. Everyone said that April would be a hot month, and were they right! We're enjoying a couple of cool days now- just in the 90s. But then it looks like it will be back up above 100! Unfortunately, the Central house doesn't have AC, so we're stuck with fans and open windows. Luckily, my room gets a nice breeze. And I think I might be getting used to the weather. Maybe...
And there hasn't been a whole lot to write about, other than the unrelenting heat. Everyone said that April would be a hot month, and were they right! We're enjoying a couple of cool days now- just in the 90s. But then it looks like it will be back up above 100! Unfortunately, the Central house doesn't have AC, so we're stuck with fans and open windows. Luckily, my room gets a nice breeze. And I think I might be getting used to the weather. Maybe...
Friday, March 27, 2009
Architecture in Merida
This semester, I've been taking an Art and Architecture course. This Thursday we went on a field trip to see colonial architecture in Merida. We first headed to an old cathedral. By old, I mean 1600s. So it was pretty neat to see!
The stones of the church were taken from the Mayan city that existed before Merida was built. Merida actually built the city to utilize the roads and platforms that the Maya built. The buildings and temples were destroyed to make the buildings on Merida. Not a very nice thing to do...
Anyways, after we checked out the church, we went to a school that used to be an old fort. The fort wall was still up and visible, and the old buildings were also still standing. Part of the area was only about 100 years old, but the center area was from the 1600s. The buildings were beautiful!
We also checked out one of the arches of the city. The arches were built back in the beginning years of the city, to separate the different neighborhoods. At that time, if you lived in one neighborhood, you may not be allowed to go into other sections of the city. There were clear divisions of classes, based on family origens. The Maya and other indigenous peoples were oppressed, and the Spanish had all the power.
Finally, we saw the convent of the church, which is now an architectural school. We explored a bit and saw some old painting on the walls. It was a really neat place to go to school!
On our way home, we stopped for ice cream. It was still pretty hot outside, so the ice cream tasted really good, even if was a little melted. And then our teacher accidentally hit a car...and drove off. That's what happens in Mexico! :)
The stones of the church were taken from the Mayan city that existed before Merida was built. Merida actually built the city to utilize the roads and platforms that the Maya built. The buildings and temples were destroyed to make the buildings on Merida. Not a very nice thing to do...
Anyways, after we checked out the church, we went to a school that used to be an old fort. The fort wall was still up and visible, and the old buildings were also still standing. Part of the area was only about 100 years old, but the center area was from the 1600s. The buildings were beautiful!
We also checked out one of the arches of the city. The arches were built back in the beginning years of the city, to separate the different neighborhoods. At that time, if you lived in one neighborhood, you may not be allowed to go into other sections of the city. There were clear divisions of classes, based on family origens. The Maya and other indigenous peoples were oppressed, and the Spanish had all the power.
Finally, we saw the convent of the church, which is now an architectural school. We explored a bit and saw some old painting on the walls. It was a really neat place to go to school!
On our way home, we stopped for ice cream. It was still pretty hot outside, so the ice cream tasted really good, even if was a little melted. And then our teacher accidentally hit a car...and drove off. That's what happens in Mexico! :)
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
End of Break
The rest of my spring break was pretty uneventful. I really didn't do anything worth noting- just rested and worked on homework. I'm glad I was able to sleep in for a few days at the end of break. While I'm traveling, I never seem to be able to sleep in very late- especially not in hostels.
Classes this week have been pretty easy. It's just after midterms, so I guese the profs are giving us a break. Although I have an outline due for a paper on Friday, and lots of internship stuff to do. So I'm finding things to keep me busy!
The weather here is starting to get HOT! It's supposed to be above 100F starting today, and who knows when/if that will end. One forecast mentioned 107F for 2 days this week! It's still hard to fathom that because it's only March. Luckily the humidity isn't too high, so it really doesn't feel that warm, especially if I stay in the shade or in the house. However, the moment you step into the sun it's a different story!
Classes this week have been pretty easy. It's just after midterms, so I guese the profs are giving us a break. Although I have an outline due for a paper on Friday, and lots of internship stuff to do. So I'm finding things to keep me busy!
The weather here is starting to get HOT! It's supposed to be above 100F starting today, and who knows when/if that will end. One forecast mentioned 107F for 2 days this week! It's still hard to fathom that because it's only March. Luckily the humidity isn't too high, so it really doesn't feel that warm, especially if I stay in the shade or in the house. However, the moment you step into the sun it's a different story!
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