The night before

Tomorrow morning at 5am we wash up, pack up and make our way to the airport. It has been a fun and eventful experience and I hope someday to do something similar.

Palenque was impressive. An ancient mayan city that was only 1/4 excavated took most of the morning to crawl and climb through. It really felt like a piece of my long term goals in life was met as I stood among those ancient temples and saw a larger part of the world I was exposed to as a teenager. It really is difficult to put to words what ran like a cyclone through my brain, but if anyone ever has a slight inkling to see something along these lines, do it...don't waste time hemming or hawing about it...just act and don't be afraid. It's worth it.

Saturday morning and home soon

It's early morning Saturday, I am all packed up and will be leaving to go meet the others for the bus to Palenque very soon. Our last day here is Sunday and on Monday we take a bus to the airport and catch the long flights back. It has been a long and educational month, and I know I will be coming back to San Cristobal someday. Well, the morning awaits.
Adios companeros.

5 days late but with reason

Hola! It is Wednesday the 16th of July, and I survived the weekend. This topic is often chuckled at, snickered about and laughed over but unfortunately is no laughing matter: Montezuma's revenge. Yes, that's right....the squatting splatters, the runs, the squirts, the only party in your pants you will never send out invitations for,and my favorite...el rio de mi culo. I am finally over having a bad case of the runs off and on for the past 5 days and I thank whatever powers that be for the invention of Immodium, as nothing else worked. Montezuma conquered the herbal remedies, he bested bananas, he even defeated home-grown herbal tea. The fingernails scraping down the bathroom walls in anguish aside, it has been a good weekend. The family invited me a second time to the graveyard, which I very reluctantly declined as I needed to finish an inordinate amount of homework. In 3 days we head to Palenque, and I am very much looking forward to exploring the ruins. In 5 days I will be back in the good ol' USA. I must admit having mixed feelings about returning, I love this town, the people, and the family I have been staying with, but I also miss my friends and my life stateside and look forward to returning to KSU.

Slacker: someone who waits five days to publish any new blog entries on a month long trip

Hola! It's Friday and I am finally getting around to publishing a blog entry. Sunday July 6th we went to Tonina, Mayan ruins Southwest of San Cristobal. The ruins were impressive, I did get alot of photos...due to technical difficulties I cannot post them right now, but I will. You never really learn to appreciate physics until you climb about 8 stories of stairs at a 45 degree angle and stand atop this gigantic structure realizing exactly the kind of impact gravity would have on your descent.
There were not many carvings or glyphs due to weathering and looting, but I did manage to get shots of the few I saw. The tour guide was very informative, ie. boring, so I managed to slip away for some nice scenic landscape shots. We finally arrived back in San Cristobal around 6pm, and I must say after a hot sweaty romp in the jungle over some Mayan ruins....beer tastes very good.

The rest of the week passed with essentially school, sleep, more school, and a very nasty fever from Tuesday night through Thursday. Maria was very kind and made sure I took plenty of meds and rested. This weekend we are being left to our own devices for entertainment by the program director, so my teacher seized the opportunity to assign us to go watch a play. It's entitled "Palenque rojo" or Red Palenque, which infers some sort of blood based production regarding the ruins, people, culture of some mix of the above. Off to shove some more delightful dialectical delicacies into my cerebrum. Adios Companeros!

By the dawn's early light

Friday's test went well, even went out for a little celebration after. I tried this local distilled alcohol called "posh" not completely unlike vodka with a hint of corn flavor. Saturday passed swiftly with the meal and everyone loved the chicken. Today, it is 7:30am and I prepare to venture forth to Tonina, a set of Mayan ruins about 4 hours away. Not thrilled with the travel time but I plan on getting some great pictures. Until later.

Pre-test jitters

Tomorrow is the day of the midterm (midmonth) exams. I admit, I am a little nervous...strange surroundings, different teachers, different format....but I am hopeful I'll do very well on this test. If not, I have two weeks to do better. The life, the food and the culture here are just so vastly different and in some ways similar to home that trying to translate ideas from them is not easy to do. I have been asked what I am cooking for the family Saturday, so perhaps I should elaborate a bit.
The recipe is called "Poulet Paysan" or Chicken Peasant-style. It was the first big recipe I ever learned and it has remained as a favorite of mine for years. You take chicken, sear it in bacon grease, add spices, veggies, red wine, chicken stock and let it cook covered for about 2 hours. It turns out very tender and delicious. Since they don't cook with wine very often down here, I am hoping it's a hit. We shall see. Adios companeros.

La vida

I have been writing about specific occasions, so today is going to be about the daily routine. Every morning we have breakfast or desayuno at 7:30ish-8:30ish, time in Mexico is a relative thing. This consists of either eggs and chorizo/spicy sausage, eggs and green beans, eggs and ham, or eggs all served with refried black beans, tortillas, spicy chili verde sauce, and super sweet coffee fresh from the slopes of Mount Whosiewatsits. This lasts until lunch or almuerzo at 11-12ish, which is a light snack. Maybe a grain bar, banana, orange, apple or some such. Then the big meal happens at 2:30ish-4ish....comida..or meal. This varies quite a bit, but it is always a very big meal and everyone in the family gathers for it and talks and sits and eats and laughs and have a good time for about 2 hours. It is during this time that ciesta happens all over town and everything is closed. Family is important and this is the time when the family can gather and talk. This lasts a good while, until about 8:30ish-9ish when dinner, or cena is served. This is ALWAYS a small meal here, maybe coffee and some sweet bread, maybe just a little hot meal smaller than breakfast, but never really anything big. This is the time everyone gets home from work, and the family gathers once again to go over the day and prepare for the next one.

I want to also point out the amount of effort this all takes. The mother and often the grandmother as well make all these meals from scratch. We're looking at an hour prep and cooktime for breakfast and dinner, and about 2-3 hours on average for comida. Lunch ya gotta go git yerself. I have noticed also that the men do not get up from the table for ANYTHING, more water, food, etc...nothing.

In the middle of this I am going to school 3 hours a day Monday thru Friday, studying and working on schoolwork for two, and exploring the city whenever possible for conversation and some interesting sights. Every Sunday, I have something different as a mandatory field trip. This past Sunday I was allowed to pass on it as my experience at the Cemetery was equivalent to a school outing in cultural experience. Next Sunday, we go to the Mayan ruins of Tonina.

Bugers...hamburguesas.....french fries..papas fritas

Sunday night.
It was 7:45 and I was hungry for a hamburger. I know, I know. Why would anyone in their right mind in Mexico run off looking for American food. I craved one, nuff said.
I went to this place called "El Mirabor" and sat down. I ordered what I was expecting to be a burger, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, and a bun with fries. What I got was a delightful difference.
Take your usual homemade hamburger bun, add some avocado, slap on there some mild cheddar cheese, lettuce and onion...take some hamburger, add some spices, green onion and slap some ham on it...then throw it all together on a plate with french fries and you have my dinner. It was served with salsa verde (made fresh) because I didnt want ketchup. It was a good burger, worth the $5 I paid for it and a beer.

A day with the family

Sunday evening.

How do I go about telling you everything I experienced at the cemetery? The kids took me on a tour of the graves and we exchanged ideas about how people are buried in San Christobal and how they are buried in various cemeteries around the US. The kids were very interested in the fact that many of the tombs in the US are similar to those of antiquity in Mexico. I did get a few shots of some of the older tombs and even one of “la Incenda” the place where the ashes of a Brujah that was burned at the stake were interred. It was interesting to note how many of the very old graves had been renovated by the families and maintained. The kids told me that any grave that did not have fresh flowers was abandoned by their family. A stark difference from how we bury and often forget the dead. We went back to where everyone else had gathered and this event was far from what I expected.

A few days ago, Sylvia told me it was to pay respects to her father on his birthday. I expected something akin to a somber walk up to the grave, dropping flowers then perhaps talking about the life of the person. The difference was astounding. First, everyone was in a good mood. Food was served and as everyone ate a mariachi band arrived and sang the songs that the father used to love. First, everyone was smiling and laughing and having a good time. After a few songs, Sylvia, Manuel, Maria, and Juanita were crying and felt the loss of this man. I understood that this was indeed a celebration of his life but also a sadness at his departure. Only a year had passed, but at this moment during the music it was fresh and new. After the music ended, the laughter and smiles resumed. Manuel asked me if I wanted pictures with the family and I very quickly agreed. Nonetheless it was an experience that no one should ever miss, I feel much closer to this family and am glad they shared something this intimate with me. I know that when I return to San Cristobal I will visit them again.

Sunday Morning

Last night had its ups and downs. I was a little sick from the courtesies of Montexuma and being in another country. My "mother" Maria got some herbs for a tea to help the stomach and that did the trick as I feel right as rain today. Last night I hung out with Carlos, Iban, Juan Luiz, Freddy and a few others just talking and joking around. I learned alot about the similarities between cultures as guys with spend alot of time making fun of each other as friends in both the US and Mexico. My vocabulary for bad words has not changed thanks to my time in restaurants, and they were suprised that a gringo could dish it out as well as take it. I had breakfast at a nice little place nearby the school and they were very nice. The food was good and what they call marmelade is made from strawberries instead of oranges, definitely an improvement. The manager Jorge and the server Manuel were cutting it up during breakfast and I thanked them for the service and the food, even prodded Jorge about the jokes and he laughed. Another day begins well. Adios compañeros.

Sabado...Saturday.....the day after Friday...the day before Sunday

It´s Saturday morning and I have just finished a nice piece of very rich strawberry cheesecake or Postre Queso de Fresa. I have been thinking about the past week and wanted to share something I have been doing almost daily since Monday:

INTERCAMBIOS (that´s interchange for all you Engrish speakers)
An intercambio is a set appointment for one hour with another student. The idea behind it is that a student of English and a student of Spanish spend an hour learning from one another. Half of the time is to be spent in Inglés and the other half in Español. I have had a great deal of fun and learned quite a bit from these other students.

The first Intercambio was with Corina, a student at the local university. She is studying english to become a teacher in primary education. At first it was a little odd and uncomfortable, but after we found a common subject the conversation took off. If you hadn´t guessed yet, we talked about cooking. We discussed the uses of different vegetables, spices, and some recipes. I think we spent at least 10 minutes discussing how to make Molé sauce (a sauce made from chilis, chocolate, veggies and beans).

The second intercambio was with Elisio. Elisio works as a Barista at a local coffee shop but intends to finish school and move to Canada. We discussed the differences in culture and about relationships. He expressed how hard it is to have a girlfriend from ther US, given the language barrier and the different cultural values. He isn´t fond of his job and seems to have problems with his boss. The cultural values men place on their own authority seem to argue with the growing trend in Mexico for equal status between men and women. Elisio´s boss is a woman and he argue with her alot over his job. I reserved judgement and humored the conversation rather than terrify him with what he could expect in Canada or the US. {insert evil grin here} He´ll find out soon enough.

The third intercambio was with Nedira. Nedira is a student of what is called "humanidades" which isn´t quite what it may sound like. That program is to learn a trade or vocation that doesn´t quite fall into a technical or scientific category. She is learning how to administrate, finance and manage a publisher. We talked alot about the idea of "machismo" in the Mexican culture. I pointed out how there are aspects of different American cultures that mimic the sexist practices inherent within "machismo."

I have another intercambio today with Corina, but I won´t bore you with details. The above examples are to give an idea of the type of learning that occurs within this immersion program.
I walked to the "Templo de Guadalupe" and hiked up the long stairs to see some impressive religious art. It´s amazing how much detail and craftsmanship goes into the presentation of the various icons in the churches here. Some of the art I have seen rivals that of the older churches in Savannah.
This morning I also went with María and Manuel to see their daughter´s graduation ceremony at the "Templo de Santa Lucia." It was an emotional moment for all the parents to see their children dressed in finery, being blessed by the priest at this graduation ceremony. Their daughter finished primary school and is on her way to secondary school. As they all entered the church, María asked me if I wanted to go in. I declined as I did not feel it proper for a guy in sandals, a t-shirt and blue jeans to enter a church during a service where everyone else was in formal clothing. I did get some pictures and I look forward to posting them when I get home. Well, I am off to enjoy the day. Adios Compañeros.

Tuesday happenings

Tuesday afternoon. Today, something happened which helped me to appreciate the importance of some of the many milestones in my life. At about 2-3pm, the people of Mexico traditionally have an early dinner together to talk and socialize as a family. I really cannot stress how important the idea of a tightly woven family is to these people. Today, we were all gathered about the tale discussing various elements of culture and food that differed between our countries and out of the blue they asked me if I was busy Sunday and if I would like to go with the family to a colonial cemetery to check it out. Of course I agreed, it is an honor to be included in a family outing.
The second thing that happened at lunch occurred during our discussion of foods and different vegetables and what they are called in both languages. They had known I like to cook and asked if I would like to cook for them a week from Sunday. Once again, I was honored and I look forward to sharing that with them.
Truly a good day.

Monday come and gone

Monday has come and gone. My classes began at 9am and lasted until 12pm. The first class, taught by a very energetic and helpful Lawyer named Dario, is a lot of fun. We review elements of grammar and usage then practice the concepts in class. The second class is a more practical application of the same concepts. It is taught by Laura, a very direct and very concise instructor with quite a bit of teaching experience, who welcomes questions and is very quick to interject with corrections to help us understand the language. The second class is very fast paced and I may not get everything Laura says, I do get the gist of what she means.
I took another long stroll around town today, had a couple of drinks and came back to complete the homework from classes. It wasn’t a large amount but the work is intense and requires a lot of attention. I can see how these classes will truly deepen my understanding of Spanish

Sunday Night

It’s a long walk across town, but worth every step. Yesterday I visited the Templo de Santa Lucia, Templo de Santa Domingo and the Templo de San Cristobal in the morning. It really was a lot of ground to cover, but I saw many interesting shops and even had a $2 Cappucino with Crème de Cocoa in it. Though you should mind the restaurants, unless you see a cappuccino machine or coffee maker, steer clear of the coffee…usually instant will be served.

In the afternoon, some of us met for lunch at a restaurant I think it was called La Planchilla. Me and my friend Vicky shared this $20 monster plate of meat. It had pork chops, ham, beef, shishkabob, sausage, chorizo and a baked potato on it. More food than two people can eat. When describing how much food the waiter says things like, “Dos hombres, dos mujeres (two men, two women) as a way of saying men eat more women less etc. For dessert we had Dulce de Limon y Manzana which turned out to be an apple and lime meringue pie that blew any key lime pie I ever had out of the water. After lunch I sauntered off to the Catedral de San Cristobal. It is in the main plaza of the town, which is the central social hub. There were street vendors with candy, others with various foods, and even more with clothes and various crafts. I checked out the cathedral interior and it was beautiful. I didn’t get any interior pictures because it felt like one of those places that doing so would just be way off base with everyone there.

Before leaving the plaza, I had dinner at this restaurant just upstairs from the central archive. I ordered Enchiladas Verde at the price of $5, which is very reasonable for a dinner. They almost were worth it, but then for $5 you may expect an extra value meal at Wendy’s or something. It was a nice day overall, and I had a pleasant evening.

The Long Walk

I have walked through this place crossing streets, traffic and genrous piles of puppy fun. I have walked through the market near el templo de santa domingo, and found a few things to bring back. The architechture here is gorgeous, and the weather has been perfect.
If you could have seen the interior of the temple, it was incredible. Gorgeous gold inlaid relief with masterwork paintings of various saints.

Well, off for more walking. Adios compañeros.

The Journey

Saturday is here. The journey was long and very tiring, but San Cristobal has one more visiting nutcase. There is a one hour difference between San Cristobal de las casas and Atlanta, so people are still up and bouncy while I am dragging my ass on 3 hours of sleep and about 9 hours of travel.

The Journey:

I arrived at Atlanta International Airport at 5am thinking it would be wise to be there a few hours before the flight. I was wrong. Check in and security took 40 min total, so I had 3 hours of sleep I missed for nothing. Deedeedee.

The plane left ATL at 9:45am (yeah lotsa sleep missed), and we arrived in Mexico City at 2:30pm Central Time. The in-flight meal was a delicious combination of rice and chicken and peppers and unidentifiable flavors best left unknown to the world. The roll was great for sopping up the last bits of that delicious sauce, not to mention throwing at someone to cause permanent injury. BUT it came with a free beer. Lunkendortz or some such wheat beer from Wisconsin, wasn’t bad. It reminded me of Sweetwater Blue. I love Delta.

While waiting in Mexico City airport, I discovered that they had beer too. Cheap good beer. Bohemia Oscura, an unassuming dark flavorful beer that required a second one to wash down the coming connecting flight and busride. At $2.50 a bottle, I was a happy camper. I slept through the flight to Tuxla/Guitterez and was more awake for the bus ride.

The bus ride was amazing. The layout of the town of Tuxla was reminiscent of some of the small towns in the Bahamas or Jamaica. We whipped through it like a bat out of hell, bus driver just wanted to get to San Cristobal. As soon as we got past Tuxla’s limits the scenery changed dramatically. Envision rolling hills covered in jungle with river breaking the trees in stark contrast to the green. Imagine for a moment driving up the slopes of a mountain with canyons, rivers, jungle, farmlands and ruins sprawled out in a panorama. It was a stark and beautiful view to behold. Until…

As we climbed the slopes to the peak on this winding treacherous road that snaked amid the rocks, we broke the cloud line and entered a foggy dreamlike world where the clouds shrouded parts of this lush scenery making the whole of it seem like some surreal border between worlds.

We finally arrived in San Cristobal, and let me tell you this town is gorgeous. The buildings are painted in a wide variety of colors giving the place an ALMOST theme park feel, but the cars whipping through the streets at insane speeds dispel that quickly. Traffic reminds me of downtown ATL during rush hour around construction while a festival is going on. I met Maria Natividad Cruz Mendez at the school, and she walked me back to the house describing points of interest and I took them in with what little broken Spanish I could muster. (being exhausted and having a headache does not help ones’ vocabulary) I met the family, very large and friendly group, but I could not give all their names right now for the life of me. It will take time. More to come…

What is this place "San Cristobal"?

In the mountains of Chiapas, a state in Mexico close to the Guatemalan border, lies a small community of Mexicans, indigenous Mayans, and folks from all over. The pictures of the town are scenic and even gorgeous. The picture above shows a sort of top down view from the stairs of a cathedral in the middle of town. I am not there yet, but I snatched this one online to give a sense of place.
I have been told that June and July are part of the rainy season down there. I expect to be drenched every afternoon as the sun starts to dip in the horizon. It should make for an interesting if not damp trip. I have been to Mexico a few times before and found the people of Cancun and Cozumel (off the beaten track), to be the some of the warmest and most hospitable people.
If you want to find out more information about San Cristobal try out these links:

For some general info and history
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/mexico/san-cristobal-de-las-casas/

For some pictures of the area (including the one from above):
http://www.ease.com/~randyj/crisfoto.htm

For more pictures and a travel guide:
http://www.mexperience.com/guide/mexicophotos/sancristobaldelascasas.htm

Now the region of Chiapas has been the location of some strife for Mexico in the past few decades. One group, known as the Zapatistas, has received a great deal of global attention for their efforts in Chiapas. I would rather just post a link to information about them than trying to paraphrase a very complicated issue. Here tis:
http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/zapatista.html

A link to CASA, an organization dedicated to informing the public regarding the issues of the region:
http://www.chiapaspeacehouse.org/en

Anyways, enjoy the information...there will be more to come from within Mexico.
Adios Companeros!

Pre-flight jitters

It is quickly closing in on the time to leave for Mexico and a month is a long time. I must admit some nervousness on my part. This is a strange place, where I'll be surrounded by a language I am beginning to learn and understand, immersed in a different culture, with 25 other strangers from KSU. I think a little on the people I will miss and be leaving behind, so I created this blog to share with you my experiences in Mexico. (That, and I don't want to write 12-14 emails a day regurgitating the same stuff, when this record can be created and kept)