Wednesday #4

Hmm...... I don't think I'll post a lot cause there aren't happy feelings about what's going on. I have a feeling the teachers here, have been yelled at for their students inability to get to classes on time. It's Mexico - no one has watches, and no one does anything consistently, so why am I getting reamed for being a few minutes late to class? All it is is lamesauce.

TOnight: Hancock at the mall, subtitled in Mexican
Tomorrow: Lucha Libre - finally! ugh
Friday - Viaje to Acapulco for the weekend. - I am having second thoughts about this because of who is accompanying us. Hopefully my worries are for not. We stay there saturday, come back sunday. Nada mas.

Tomorrow/Friday is hump day(s) for being here. Hopefully the last half will be better than the first?

Tuesday #4

I am in a down right ornery mood today. My teacher wasn't kind to me, told me that she hated her situational class yesterday- that the students were HORRIBLE (which just so happened to be Drew's class)- she said that he was being extremely rude to Juliana, but I talked to her and she said, uh, no, we were joking with each other. So I think my teacher took it out on me. I'm getting some wishy washy responses from 2 people about Acapulco, so Drew cancelled the 2nd room and now I have to creatively tell them that they're welcome to come, but they have to pay for their own rooms, etc. ugh. I hate being rude like that. I don't mind being RUDE but when I have to continually be cordial with them, it's difficult to not hurt their feelings.

I have extremely strong feelings against one of the girls that is coming with us. I hope and pray it goes ok. Anyway, that's about it. I should probably stop since I got scolded for being late to my conversation class yesterday, so I think I'll just be 5 minutes late instead of 10 or 15. That class is like pure torture.

Monday #4

I didn’t get a chance to blog today while at school, so I’m doing it tonight to post in the morning. So here’s the rundown of the day: Class again. I have Vanessa for grammar, Federico for conversation and Margerita for situational Spanish. I have thoughts about the first two teachers, but I won’t go into detail here. We spent all our free time, as well as Michele’s trying to find a hotel in Acapulco that wasn’t a dump, and close to the beach. Thank you Michele for the help!!!! We went with her top choice and booked 2 rooms. Now we just have to attempt to find 2 more people to go to make it relatively cheap. Tickets to and from total are $60, so we’re hoping to get the rooms down to $25 a night per person. Otherwise it’ll be about 33, which isn’t bad either. After comida, I did my homework and started walking to Gold Star – the bus station to price things out. Halfway up the Virreyes street that the Fragoso’s live on, Lydia came rollin by in her pimp car, and told us she’d give us a ride to the station since she just works around the corner and that’s where she was headed. We found out there are 2 stations the bus goes to, so we need to talk with others and decide if we want to go earlier but arrive further away from the hotel, OR leave around 2pm, and be about 15 mins from the hotel. So we didn’t buy tickets because of this little dilemma.

After the bus station, we walked the rest of the way up to the Zocalo. Someone told us that the black market was up near there. We found the “black” market, but I think it was really the white market – it wasn’t shady enough and there weren’t any ipods or nintento ds’ or anything sketchy. They didn’t even have any knock off purses. I wasn’t impressed. So then we walked back down toward the Zocalo and bought some ice cream at mcdonalds again and found the vendor that sold churros with chocolate, or cajeta, or what looked like white chocolate. We bought one churro with chocolate and one with cajeta. They were delicious, but I think I prefer my churros solo. That was WAY too much sugar for me for that time frame.

While we were eating our diabetic inducing coma treats, a bunch of boys were setting up for their break dancing spree in the zocalo. We stayed to watch for a little while. Some of them are extremely good – I was impressed. They even had a teeny bopper there doing it, along with 2 girls. That impressed me too.

Then we walked back home. Once again, halfway back on Virreyes – the fragoso’s street, Lydia saw us and told us to get in. hahaha Oh, the reason she has a pimp mobile is because it’s some fancy shmancy Honda, BUT the windows are so flippin dark, they’d be illegal times 2 in the states. And the way she just darts out into the street to turn left scares the CRAP out of me every time. These cars DO NOT stop for anyone or anything. It’s horrible. She sits and swears the whole time. I think that in and of itself would give me a heart attack.

I think that’s about it for today.

Sunday #4

On Thursday or so, Drew had told me that he wanted to go to all of church this week. I told him that I didn’t want to go to relief society because I didn’t want to have to introduce myself and feel all weird and uncomfortable when people came to talk to me and I couldn’t understand anything they said. Thankfully he compromised with me today, and we just went to Sunday school. He asked that when we get back from Acapulco, that we go to all of church that day. I told him ok. I’m hoping I’ll be able to understand a bit more then. My problem is that they just talk to fast, and if it isn’t basic words, I have no idea what they’re saying.

So anyway, today was a pretty “normal” Sunday. We got up, ate breakfast, hung out for about an hour (I listened to my books), and then walked over to church. Walked back, hung out again, ate dinner, and came back down to our room and chilled. Drew went back upstairs after playing Sim City for a little while to watch TV. I think he’s been up there 2 hours or so. I took a shower and have been listening to New Moon. I’m at a good point, and I really don’t want to turn it off – and truthfully feel a bit guilty for not going up and watching lamesauce tv and socializing and such. But at the same time, this makes me happy, and that is the number one important thing right now – is to keep me from dumping into severe depression again.

I considered today, that when we get back to Oregon and I get a gym membership, that I might try and keep to the same sleeping schedule so that I’m able to wake up at 4:30am so I can go exercise from 5am-6am before work in the mornings. I think it would be most beneficial that way. So that’s what I’m hoping for. It makes for very early nights, but really, I don’t do much socializing during the week anyway, so it shouldn’t be that big of a deal. It made me sad to realize that I’m going to have to get rid of my treadmill though since my house just isn’t big enough for it and potential additional people in the house in the future. I guess I can hold onto it until that’s a for sure thing though? I miss the gym too though. I miss the selection and all the machines. I’m ready for a change, and I feel I deserve it with my upcoming raise.

Uhm, for those of you that know I have OCD issues sometimes, I have my days counted down on my phone, and I’m always excited to see the days get smaller and smaller til we go home. I also like telling people that the Sun pyramid at Teotihuacan (hey I spelled it correctly the first try!) – anyway, I like telling them that it has 238 steps, most of which are over a foot high each. The ~12 steps that aren’t over a foot high are so tiny and steep that they’re almost worse the throwing out your thigh muscles on all the other stairs. Anyway, back to my phone story. I sit and think about all the good stuff at home I will be happy to have. These include first and foremost- my bed. I love it. As you all know, these beds such. I might come home with severe back issues, but it’s ok, cause I have a wonderful bed at home. I will also give praises to my shower faucet. That was the best $20 ever spent. It is better than ANY faucet I have come in contact with in MANY years. I will also be excited for my electric toothbrush, lysterine (I didn’t bring ours cause our suitcases were too heavy, and the junk is about twice as expensive here….no wonder the rest of the world has crappy teeth!). Oh, speaking of teeth, the Tuesday after I get back, I will be very thankful to have my teeth cleaned. I’m also very thankful that I get paid as much as I do….I’ll talk more about that in a minute. I’m also very thankful that I can talk to my family and friends as much and whenever the crap I feel like it. As well as chat on the internet for as long as I want. I will also be glad to be able to read the PostSecrets the day they post rather than a day or two later. I’ll be excited to get back on my blogstalking game as well. I’m excited to go back and drive where people are kind and considerate. I’m excited to go back and cook.- I’m not allowed to touch anything in the kitchen… Uhm, I’ll be excited to sit on the couch and put my feet wherever the crap I want them. I’ll be excited to not wear shoes if I don’t feel like it. I’ll be excited to see my family, friends, and even coworkers! – I miss you all so very much. I’m excited to be somewhere where I feel I belong and am appreciated for who I am. I’m excited to hang out with LexyCat. I’m excited to use my beautiful kitchen again. And second to my bed, I am excited to see my ocean again. We get back (august 16) Saturday night – like around 11:30pm- so we won’t get back to our house until at least 1am – which makes for a pretty bad 8:00am church Sunday the next day. I’m thinking I might bug Drew to head out to the coast with me that day – just to say hello. I am just that lame. I should probably let Drew in on this now so he can warm up to the idea. Hah!

Ok, so now the story about money. Lydia was saying – and unless her English and ability to translate is incorrect – the minimum wage here is $50 pesos a WEEK for an 8 hour work day. For any of you that are not already gawking at the $50 part, keep in mind that this is equivalent to $5 USD. That’s right, FIVE BUCKS A WEEK. Granted, not everyone makes this kind of money – but the fact that many factory workers do is despicable. Lydia was also saying that about 35% of her earnings is pulled out in taxes. Most of the money just goes into the politicians pockets. She was saying that the “social security” here was $1500 pesos a month ($150 USD). And they expect people to live on that. No wonder there are these bungalow things just engulfing the mountain. These people don’t have electricity, water, refrigeration, a toilet, nothing except 4 walls. It made me feel absolutely terrible. I know that Horacio is 79 and from what I understand, he still works. Lydia was saying that almost everyone works until they die – otherwise you just don’t have the money. What a horrible thought that there is so much corruption and power in their politicians that they can actually go to bed at night knowing that their country is so impoverished. It made me feel very lucky for what I had. It made me feel horrible to realize these people make in a week for what I make in 10 minutes. That’s sick. Lydia said that she pays her maids and Pablo $7 an hour (USD) – she was saying it was $560 pesos for an 8 hour work day. That’s pretty decent I may say…especially for here! Anyway, Mexico is messed up economically, and I am sure glad I don’t have to live here permanently.

Alright, I’ve typed long enough, I’m going to go back to day dreaming as I listen to my stories.

Saturday #4

Today was a decent day. We had a gigantic group (~37 students + 5 teachers) going to Xochicalco. It was only about a half an hour drive, but we had one of those huge ole tour buses for the journey. About halfway through the plane ride, someone at the back of the bus threw a paper airplane toward the front. I happily flew it back, and it went back and forth until this girl in front of us flipped out. She screamed that if any of those hit her, someone is going to die! She grabbed the plane and crumbled it. So I said to her, what are you going to do? Beat them up? She didn’t say anything. Drew told me to be quiet.

So a couple minutes went by, another plane flew by, she grabbed it with her foot, scooted it along the ground, ruining it. I think by the 4^th one, she screamed toward me to stop it. I said, I didn’t do anything. So she proceeds to tell her Spanish teacher from Colorado that there are people throwing planes, while using the F word about 154 times, and how rude it is. It took EVERYTHING I have inside of me to not say that her words were offensive to me, and that every vulgar word that came out of her mouth made her that much stupider. I didn’t though. I understand being upset, but seriously? At someone flying paper airplanes? Come on. She pissed me off pretty badly.

So then once we got to the ruins site, there was a museum. I took lots of pictures. My favorite thing there was what looked like a bracelet of skull head carvings. I want one now…how morbid. After that, we headed over to the actual ruins. There is a part there that has been set up just right that it reverberates any sound that is made in the middle of an area type area. It was pretty cool – kind of like olden day microphones. Apparently, these pyramids were called the stars……which is fun since the Teotihuacan pyramids feature the sun and the moon. Apparently, the Teotihuacan, the pyramids of Xochicalco, and one more that the teachers couldn’t remember a bit more south were in a direct line of one another. Xochicalco was a very good destination for trading since it was between the two of them. I have to hand it to the native Americans that established these pyramids. They chose some prime real estate. When you’re on top of these structures, you can see miles and miles away. Definitely good strategy for trade/war/whatever.

We came back home- got here right before 5pm, and we had told Lydia we didn’t need dinner, but she was here anyway, making us the random spaghetti of noodles, cheese and onions. Today is Horacio Jr.’s birthday and everyone was over there. We told her she should have just gone, and she said no. I don’t know why she does this. She was also late to her class this morning because of breakfast. I really wish that she wouldn’t cater to us so minutely…it’s a bit extreme.

Drew said that he wanted to go out dancing tonight, but kind of didn’t as well. He wanted me to make the decision. I told him I only wanted to go 20 out of 100 percent, since he was 50/50. I feel bad, and sometimes like a wet blanket, but seriously? I don’t dance at home, I’m not out there trying to hook up with anyone, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke….I don’t have clothes for it, I already have sleeping issues….how fun could it really be? I thin I’d rather go to bed. I feel bad, but not bad enough I guess. Hah. I guess if he really wanted to go, he’d say he did. People also mention going to the black market, but I have no idea where it is, and Drew is extremely against going. I kind of just want to see what it’s like, but honestly, I don’t think we’ll go. Oh well.

So now, we spent about an hour watching some new tv show on E! about some job agency that gets people into jobs. One of the guys wants to be a butler, which to me, is extremely odd. I got sick of it a lot faster than I thought I would, so I came and uploaded the pics onto my computer, and typed this up. I think I might shower and relax the rest of the night. I’m feeling extremely anti social and don’t really feel like trying to put forth the extra effort to be unrealistically happy with 19 year olds. I’m done for the week.

Tomorrow, Drew wants to go to ALL of church. I’m not so sure how I feel about that. I don’t think I’d mind Sunday school so much, but I definitely don’t want to go to Relief Society by myself. I’m freaked out about that. Drew suggested that I could walk home, but really, that to me, sounds like I’m a big ole baby. Ugh. I just don’t know what to do.

One interesting thing happened today for myself though, was when I was taking pictures of all the vegetation on the mountains circling the pyramids, it made me miss home. I miss the Oregon coast line like I’ve never missed a piece of land before in my life. I don’t care that it’s freezing cold, I don’t care that it rains almost every day. It is what it is, and I love it. I loved seeing the green covered hills here because it reminded me of Oregon. I felt a bit sad because I seem to have grown to love Oregon more than I ever thought possible. I love Utah too, but I think I love Utah for my family that lives there, not for the weather there. I need to remember this when February rolls around and it rains for 2-3 weeks straight. Hah!