Well I am stuck in the school library due to a thunderstorm…so I thought it would be a good time to update my blog. They say that you learn a lot about yourself when you study/travel abroad, which I have found to be very true. Something that I found out about myself is that I would much rather go to coffee with all ya’ll individually and describe my trip rather than try and explain it through this blog I just can’t explain how hard it is to try and capture my experiences in a few words via the internet. Anyways, since the last time I updated…

Rainy season has started which has been a welcomed change. The rain has brought cooler temperatures…80s instead of the 100s. You can pretty much bet that there will be a thunder and lightening storm at least once a day now. I absolutely love falling asleep at night to the sound of rain on the roof and thunder in the distance.

The past two weeks have been really interesting because all the groups (from various US universities) that were here when my group got here are now gone. About a week and a half ago a bunch of new students arrived. The way that the university program is set up here is that there are 8 (I think) levels of Spanish that you can take, each level takes a month. So every four weeks some students leave and some new ones arrive. (APU’s program down here is different and specifically tailored to us…so we have something all together different). I now have a new housemate from Kansas. She is super sweet and I have absolutely loved getting to know her. Its just weird, because now I am the one who knows what is fun to do around here and which bus you take for which area and what not. It feels like just yesterday I was here having no idea how to get around or where I would want to get around to. It’s amazing what a matter of a few weeks will do!

I have probably said this in past posts…but I feel like I have been here for years. It’s only been six weeks but the amount that I have learned in such a short amount of time is insane…it totally blows my head. I literally feel like I am learning year’s worth in a matter of weeks! Yet, I still have so so much more to learn. I was very naïve in thinking that ten weeks in Mexico would leave me almost fluent in the language. Now I know to a further extent just how much there is to learn to become bilingual.

Hmm…what else…oh! I went to the zoo on Sunday! It was so much fun. I spent about $6.50 for an all day pass with a safari ride included! Such a good deal! Three other girls from my group and I spent about seven hours wandering around…I posted some pictures from our adventure. On the safari ride we got to feed giraffes from our very own hands!!! And then there was this special area in the zoo where you got to feed monkeys and have them climb up on your shoulders! What a great day.

Although I am learning and experiencing so many new things…there is a lot that remains the same. People are still people. I know that sounds trivial/simple and I guess I can’t even really explain what I mean exactly. I have seen people laugh, cry, mourn and rejoice. It has been confirmed to me even more by being down here that we all were created by the same God. It has been so amazing to see how the truths of God span all differences.

Alright, that’s all that comes to mind immediately. I apologize for my writing capabilities (or lack there of). At times, I feel like the pursuit of becoming bilingual has caused me to speak/use two languages poorly. I am sure that I have thrown in some Spanish grammar rules with my English…sorry!

PS: I updated the past posted link with pictures and created a new album as well…here is the url:

http://apu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2034364&l=8e61b&id=56902051

more pictures

Here is another album full of pictures! The last album url I posted is full...so this is the new one! check this link often because I update it frequently!

http://apu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2033135&l=169a5&id=56902051

Its been awhile...

Alright, so I just about finished a blog and it got erased...so I am not quite sure if this will be exact...but its a quick attempt at posting something. Sorry that I haven't updated in a couple weeks. I have been experiencing so many things here and the thought of trying to communicate all those things to you guys is overwhelming. I just got back from Puerto Vallarta...which was amazing! We stayed at a resort where our rooms were as close to the beach as you can get! And...we had an all inclusive package which meant we wore these braceletes around and pretty much got whatever food and drinks that we wanted. Alright, well I think I will just write some random facts/experiences.



-They don't flush toilet paper here...yeah...they have trash cans right beside the toilets. I'll just leave it at that.
-Everyday I walk past about five different guys with huge rifles! There are security guards posted outside of every bank or expensive store. They always are holding rifles literally about 2-3 feet long...it still freaks me out to walk by them.
-Bus rides are here are like cheap disney roller coaster rides.
-Mexican men will call you all sorts of different names as you walk by but will almost always let you onto the bus first.
-Everyone greets each other with a kiss on the cheek.
-Papayas here are bigger than my head.
-Baking is pretty much unheard of. If you want cookies, you buy them premade. I wanted to make cookies for my family here... so I went to this huge grocery store only to find three bags of chocolate chips which were six dollars each!
-Pedestrian right away means nothing.
-Starbucks might be more popular here than in the US (just maybe).
-They have a completely different concept of food sanitation...at the grocery store all the eggs and milk are unrefrigerated. Weird.
-In Mexican Spanish phrases using the word "padre" (dad) always mean something cool and good and phrases using the word "padre" (mom) are almost aways bad and/or crass. A lot of my friends here say "que padre" which means "how cool" if the something similar were said using madre...it would be highly offensive. Interesting.

That is all that comes to mind immediately. I will try to do a better job of updating! Hope everyone is doing well!