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Published: August 21st 2006
Bambi
We have deer on our campus. This is one of the two.Hola everyone! I hope all is well in Chicago, Green Bay, De Pere, Virginia, Texas, or from wherever else you might be catching up. I myself have been a busy lass down here in Mexico but you're in luck because I have some time to update!!
Since the last time I've written, I have waited in many, many lines, endured much confusion over seemingly easy processes (for example, who knew I'd have to go to 6 different places on campus to enroll in a salsa dancing class with some friends... or how difficult it would be to get the university to take my tuition money). It seems that some processes are complicated by some very unnecessary bureaucracy, but hey, when in Mexico, I guess.
I started my internship at
Museo de Historia Mexicana (Museum of Mexican History). Right now as the guides are just getting hired and we don't have many visitors, life at the Museo is slow, but when our awesome mummies get here from Guanajuato (our temporary exhibit for September and October), apparently the place will be bumpin'. This is what I have been told. Wondering what I'm going to be doing at the museum? I'm going
Cerro de la Silla
Took these pics from up in the CEDES building where the Int'l Programs Office is located. to accompany English speaking tours and give them feedback helping to ultimately create a better museum experience for our English-speaking patrons. Plus, I get to meet a ton of Mexicans and speak a lot of Spanish.
Also, rest assured that body wash does exist in Mexico.
The roommates arrived. Apparently what I understood would arrive were two
chavas (girls) turns out to be a
chavo and a
chava. Rodrigo, 21, civil engineering major, is from Zacatecas, Mexico and Alejandra, 22, a master's student, is from Colombia. Rodrigo cooks more than Alejandra and I combined,
muy muy raro... we all have very different schedules, but this past Friday night we managed to gather round our huge table with some friends, some tunes (80s rock, techno, and Natalie Imbruglia compliments of Rodrigo), and a little bit of cerveza...
This past weekend, I went on a trip offered by the university to a place called Cuatrociénegas. Amazing! Cuatrociénegas is located in the Mexican state of Coahuila, about a 5 hour bus ride west and a little bit north of Monterrey. Cuatrociénegas is located in a desert region of Mexico. Wikipedia says that Cuatrociénegas is Spanish for "four marshes": the name
Cerro de la Silla
Just can't get enough of these mountains! was chosen by the first settlers because of the natural springs in the vicinity that create extensive areas of wetland and lakes. We first headed to the city/municipality of Cuatrociénegas to the house (and now museum) of Venustiano Carranza, President of Mexico from 1915 to 1920. There we learned about his family, the Mexican revolution, and local history. The current director of the museum is the great niece of Venustiano Carranza-- she gave us the tour. We had lunch in town, checked into our hotels, and got on the bus to head to the biological reserve in the desert.
Cuatrociénegas is one of the only two biological reserves in Mexico (along with Laguna de Términos, in Campeche). The biological reserves are small ecosystems with unique fauna and flora that are highly protected by local authorities. Recently, NASA stated that the biological reserve of Cuatrociénegas could have strong links to discovering life in Mars, since the adaptability of bioforms in the region was unique in the world.
We spent most of Saturday at the reserve, headed back to town for a barbecue, and then spent Sunday back in the desert region checking out the protected pools, some turtles, the
blue pond, white sand dunes, and swimming in another pool (some pools you can swim in and some you can't).
All in all, it was an amazing two days, and it was great to be away from the city and to get to know a different sort of Mexico than the one I've grown accustomed to this past month. The pictures will explain a lot more of what I saw, and I hope you enjoy!
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Patti
non-member comment
Hola!
Hola chica! Me gustan los fotos!! Especialmente, me gusta el foto de los zapatos en la ventana. Eres un gran fotografa! Tambien, me gustaria a conocer el "cool Aussie" ;) Gracias por el post~!!