Week 1

Week one complete! Wow, it has felt like I have been here for A LOT longer than a week. Yesterday I went into downtown Guadalajara and looked around "el centro historico" (the historic center). I am working on uploading some pictures. It was absolutely gorgeous! I walked around a cathedral that was built in 1716, incredible! And I was actually able to attend the last part of mass. Downtown Guadalajara is so full of history is very colonial in appearance.

After admiring some of the buildings, my friends and I decided to go the mercado libertad, which is the biggest outside market in town...words cannot express. To say that I was overwhelmed while I was there...would be an understatement. There were thousands and thousands of vendors constantly asking what you were looking for, showing you their merchandise and trying to give you a bargain. What I thought was really funny were the dvds that were being sold. I could have bought Shrek 3 (which isn't even out in the theaters!). Lets just say that there was a lot being sold in the markets that you just shouldn't ask where it came from :) I think more than anything it was fun just to people watch!

Like I said earlier, it feels like I have been here for so much longer than a week. I have learned SO much...it seems surreal. The people here in Guadalajara are so nice. I have had to ask directions so many different times and people have gladly stopped to help. I don't know if this is true of all Mexico, but at least here Guadalajara appearance is VERY important (I am in a pretty rich part of town). Almost everywhere you go, people are dressed to impress. My senora was telling me that people pretty much assume that you bathe at least once a day. It is very common for people to take 2 showers a day. And never before in my life have I seen so many nice cars! I asked Courtney (our APU coordinator who has lived here for 3 years) about it and she said that because appearance is so important, people poor the majority of their money into their cars...because thats what you see more so than houses. It is so strange to walk down the street and see an average looking house...and then a mercedes or a hummer in the drive way. Like I said, I live in a nice area of town...it even applies to my school! To get on to the university campus you have to have a UAG photo id...otherwise you won't be let in!

I am exhausted from all that I have learned and experienced in such a short amount of time. This is mental exhaustion like I have never experienced before. Please keep me in your prayers!

PS: I just have to share one of the funniest terms that I have learned so far; "un taco de ojo" which literally translates into "a taco of the eye". One could equate the saying with our English phrase "eye candy" haha! Everyday Senora asks me if I have seen any :)