Catch up!!!

Hey Friends and Fam!
Just wanted to give you an update! I feel like there is a lot to say….so if this is a little long hang with me. I am happy to report that I am mostly feeling 100% now. This trip is taking lots of adjustment on many different levels; adjustment to culture, food, climate, altitude, and being away from Family. One of the hardest things to get used to since coming to Mexico has been the food and just overall not feeling too hot! Since I got ill the first week most of the food that our host mom serves has not been looking too good to me after having an upset tummy. CULTURAL DIFFERENCE….. in the states people generally eat clear broth like in soup……. In Mexico people eat lime flavored Jello, tomato based soup and boiled apples with honey So not a happy thing for my already upset tummy! Because of this experience I fear that I have become a very picky eater or as I would say here “Soy Melindrosa”.

But aside from that James and I are making some amazing friends with the other people that came here with us from Fox as well as with the people that we are meeting here at the school. Everyday we try to speak in Spanish together (Spanglish for me) Sometimes it can get super Chistoso (Funny)….. like today I was trying to say that I needed to pay (Pagar) someone and instead I accidently said that I need to hit them. OOPS!

This last weekend was super fun….. Friday we spent the afternoon playing around in the pool ….. I am happy to report that I have yet to get a sun burn ( knock on wood), but one of the other girls on the trip Erin got seriously Crispy! That night we went to our favorite taco stand and then watched the Office! Sabado we had an excursion to D.F or Mexico City which was amazing. We got to go to the “templo Mejor” (Sp?), the main cathedral, the national palace and the Museum of anthropology! At the national palace there were paintings done by Diego Rivera which were amazing!!! A little scary though, One of the girls in our group blacked out during our tour there, we are thinking it was probably due to altitude, low blood sugar, and low iron ( as she forgot to take that supplement that morning) Still a little scary one minute she was ok the next her face was ash with white lips. Thankfully, we were able to go to China town in Mexico City where we were able to get some broccoli beef… lots of iron! I am glad to report that she felt better the rest of the day, but we still have two excursions left in Mexico City so if you could keep this person in your prayers that she would not get sick again that would be much appreciated.

All of the places that we went to I got to visit on Jr. Abroad and it was so amazing to be able to share these experiences with James. The Museum was constructed in honor of the 1968 Olympic Games that were held in Mexico City. The layout is such that there are different rooms for the different regions of Mexico and the people group that live there. My personal favorite were the Maya….. they had such a beautiful culture …..human sacrifice aside… but hey at least they were quick about it. The Maya would cut off the head of the human being sacrificed whereas the Aztecs would cut out the heart.

One of the things that I love the most about being here is learning so much about the pre-Hispanic cultures of the Maya, Olmecas and Aztecs. Crazy thing is that there is a theory that the Aztecs could have possibly originated from Utah and that the leader had a vision that he was supposed to lead his people to the land where they saw the eagle eating he snake which is how they came to Mexico. There have been several huge thunder storms here… the first being the loudest as it was right overhead. James and I both commented that it is no wonder the ancient civilizations thought that thunder and lightening where different Gods. The storm was so powerful, more so than anything I have ever witnessed in Oregon or California. The thunder shook the entire house and it was so load it hurt to not have a pillow over your head. The lightening was amazing light up the entire sky. (Note to self unplug and turn off all electronics during such storms. James and I blew out the ceiling light in our room…oops!

That’s about all for now…. But there will be more to come! Love you all lots!!!