Mexico- The Magical City of Orizaba

Where do I start!! This has been an amazing first week, and an especially great time of growing and learning for me. Speaking Spanish comes more easily to me now, and I find it much easier to listen and comprehend what people say to me. Is it still hard? Yes, of course. But I am learning some slang, and understanding how to use different verb tenses better, and most of all, one of the hardest parts I think, I am learning a little bit about humor in Spanish. I am learning different phrases that don't necessarily translate into English, but that are funny and specific to Mexico.

I go to school about an hour earlier than I have to everyday because my family has to go to work, so usually I go to the gym at the school, or I just sit and do some work on my laptop, but on Thursday a group of students came up to me and asked me to sit with them. We talked about a lot of things, and I felt very included. I know it’s silly, but it really made me feel so happy. They helped me with my speaking, and talked slowly for me, and it just really helped me feel supported and has made my experience here all the better. I went out after school with my friends from the states to get tacos and walk around, and we went to the "Paseo del Rio". I had been there the day before with my family, but we explored the other part this time. Basically it is a huge zoo and mural/sculpture exhibit along the long river that runs through Orizaba. It is a big tourist attraction, and a very long river, with some pretty impressive murals and animals, but I wasn't convinced that the animals had the best living conditions. They looked very sad and hot, and their cages were not the biggest, but whatta ya gonna do... the art was cool and it was nice getting to know my classmates from Juniata a bit more, because I only really know a few of them.

*This is a slideshow, click the arrow to scroll through the pictures!*

This weekend was very laid back, on Friday I went out with my host siblings, their cousin, and my host brother's girlfriend. We went to a restaurant and we had a lot of fun talking and laughing. On Saturday, I helped around the house, ate great food, and did some laundry, and then Carmen and I went to a party for the students and their host siblings. I met a few new kids that go to the same school I do in Mexico, and saw some kids that I had met before at the school. I was a great time and after, we all went to a karaoke bar and danced and sang our hearts out. It was such a fun time, and they only played Spanish music... my dream come true! On Sunday, I went to church with my family, and it was all in Spanish. The good thing about Catholic mass is that it is the same everywhere, so even if I didn't understand everything, I was able to follow the structure of the mass and I knew when to say specific prayers and kneel, etc. It was interesting, but the best part was after, when all the women were cooking outside of the church and selling food. I ate very well that day, and my host grandparents went to church with us too. I have a hard time understanding them sometimes, but I found out that they are actually really funny. My grandmother is very small, but she is so active and always on the run, buying things and talking to people. She is so cute, but seriously, I will turn away for a second, and she's gone. And my grandfather, he jokes around a lot. He wanted to steal the plate from the church, and later at the big market we went to, he wanted us all to leave him alone so that he could eat oranges, which he is not supposed to eat because of health problems. They are very funny and loving people, and even though I don't understand them, I can just tell. At around five in the afternoon, I went with Carmen and her friend to see a show being presented in the local theatre. It was one of the strangest experiences of my life. A group called LogosHope came in and put on a show with songs and dances and magic tricks... to spread the word of the Lord. They are a Christian group that travels all over the world in a huge cruise ship, talking to people and supplying medical aid and books to them. There are around 400 members from all over the world, of all ages, and most people live on the boat for about 2 years. It seemed a bit "culty" to me, but I guess it seemed legit. The people of Orizaba seemed very engaged, so that's good, but the dances were strange and the magic tricks seemed unnecessary. I thought about it a lot after and decided that in a place like Mexico, where many people are already Christian/Catholic, a show like this will do no harm. But in a place where the main religion is not Christianity, it seems to me that the people could be considered colonizers, and possibly ruin cultures and traditions. That is the problem that I have with some missionary groups. It is one thing to help the less fortunate and do good unto others, but to take advantage of the poor and less educated, and promote your religion to them, a religion that has no place in their culture, and could potentially destroy their deeply rooted traditions, is problematic in my opinion. I have no idea if this group was like that, they seemed very kind and put on a great show, but I just got me thinking about things, that’s all.

Today I had no class, and my class and I took a ski-lift type thing called the "Teleférico" to the top of a mountain called "Borrego". It was fun, although I think I would've liked the long hike, and from the top we could see "Mount Pico", a dormant volcano with snow at the top! There was a museum too, but I didn't pay attention to the tour guide. He talked too fast and I couldn't understand him. After, we went to an old Franciscan Covenent called "Exconvento de San José de Gracia". It was very beautiful, but again, I didn't understand much because the guide talked very fast. But it was a great day none the less.

*This is a slideshow, click the arrow to scroll through the pictures!*

Now, I am eating tacos and cereal at the table with my family. The milk here is very odd. It is very sweet and I think it's actually water in a carton with vitamins and sugar. It tastes great, but it is definitely not real milk. I can't tell what it is. I feel very happy and sometimes while sitting in my house, or walking in the city, I just smile, because I am so content and happy and I am growing and learning and constantly being challenged. And that is all I can ask for. I am safe and happy and healthy. Oh yeah, and in Mexico :)

-ECM