So, I’m a little behind in my blogging because it’s been kind of hard to find internet down here. Nevertheless. My first week!
My first week was met with so much anticipation and excitement. After arriving in the country, it really started to sink in that I’ll have to speak Spanish everyday that I’m here. Boy, did my head hurt. The first week was all about learning new things. I learned about the bus system, the taxies, the schools, the culture and the language.
After arriving at my new house on Saturday, March 30, everything changed. It was really exciting, even though there were some problems even that first day. We all took taxies to our houses, but my family hadn’t arrived home yet. Only I didn’t know that until I got there =p and no, I didn’t have a cell phone on me…it was a little scary at first, but I live in a really nice neighborhood and so I just parked it under a tree and waited for them to come home about 30 minutes later. Being met by my new host mom and dad was something else. All in Spanish. My brain was fried.
I was pretty burned after that first day. now i wear sun screen everyday!
I couldn’t even concentrate on what they were saying. The sun had drained the life out of me and burned me to a crisp. But they fed me and gave me my bedroom. I slept so well that first night. I think about 15 hours. It was glorious. And I definitely needed it. This life is crazy!
The entire first week I spent just trying to get used to everything. The heat. The cars in the city. The crazy drivers. The food. And the language.
my first meal in Mexico. tacos with carne asada!
There are so many cars here. And busses, and taxies. But everyone drives like a maniac. It’s pretty crazy coming from Oregon where people always have the right of way. Here is not the case. I haven’t seen it, but I’m pretty positive that the cars won’t stop for you =p so the moral of the story is, walk as fast as you can across the street! I’ve been in the busses a few times. It costs a total of $.50 to ride it. Not bad. I should be riding everyday considering I live so far from the school. But the busses feel like they are held together with duct tape. haha Don’t get me wrong, I love it, but they scare me. So I walk about 30-40 minutes to school every morning with a friend.
there is a lot of traffic. everyday.
In the first week I went to school everyday, talked Spanish everyday, walked everyday, and did new things everyday. That’s a lot for just the first week. I was completely tuckered out. But there was a big trip planned for the weekend! Our group was going to Bernal. It’s a little town about an hour away from Queretaro with a monolith. Yes, we went hiking. In hundred degree weather. haha we all just about died. But it was fun. In Bernal we ate traditional food after the hike.
gorditas in Bernal!
agua de jamaica. (water flavored with hibiscus.) it’s soooooooooooo good!
The first week was a lot to take in. The hardest part was the language and just getting used to it. The teachers try to talk slower, but the families and normal people talk really fast. It’s hard to keep up sometimes. But that’s what the frist week was all about. New culture. New people. The people here are great. Most that I’ve met are really nice. But the culture is very different. This is a conservative city. So we stick out when we wear dresses, skirts or shorts. And because we stick out, we get cat-called…a lot. Everyday there are eyes always on us. Cars always honking. Men always yelling. At first it was startling. But I just ignore it. There is nothing I can do, and they are really harmless. It’s the machismo. It’s just the culture. It’s funny though, that this is a conservative city where they don’t wear “scandalous clothing” but there are always couples everywhere just going crazy and making out. haha it’s a little ironic. But it’s just the way it is I guess =p
I really enjoy it here so far. I have another week to post about. So stay tuned!