Hola de Morelia!

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Hey everyone...the first week here felt like it took a long time because there was so much new input from every direction, but I really feel like I am settling in and pretty content, learning the city and already have some pretty good friends with the other students. No Mexican friends yet, but tonight I might go out with my host sister, so we´ll see. We went to el Centro the other day for a tour, and saw all these neat churches and old buildings that are now schools. One of the coolest parts, though, was afterwards when the girls and I went to this bar on the roof of a hotel overlooking the biggest cathedral in Morelia. It was nice to be out of the pollution, and at night the cathedral lit up and was beautiful. Super expensive though, and I didn´t get anything. No one else was there besides our group, so I thought it was alright that I just drank my water and took pictures.
Totally cultural experience yesterday...after la comida (the big meal in the middle of the day, which I am beginning to adore), I went with the older sister (who doesn´t live at the house) to pick up her kids from las guaderias. The first one we picked up was the three year old, Raulio, the waited til it was time to go get Mariano, the six month old baby. When Beati, the sister, came out with Mariano, he was his normal happy self, but when she passed him through the window of the white VW bug, he instantly started to cry for his mom, which made Raulio cry also. There was nothing we could do though, because Beati had to drive and I definitely was in a much better condition to hold a crying kid than to drive around the streets of Morelia. At a certain intersection, about fifteen baby-bawling minutes later, we waited for a car to pass and then tried to climb the small hill at the intersection, but couldn´t go anywhere. When we finally got going, Beati couldn´t shift into second, only first and reverse. So, we´re sitting on the side of the road with the kids crying waiting for Beati´s husband, who rolls up in their other car, a small two-door chevy. After a quick visit to the house which they are moving out of to move back with the husband´s parents because he can´t find work and the rent is too high, we jump in the Chevy, with no passenger seat and cruise over to where Beati has a mechanic friend. Raulio keeps trying to kick me out of the back seat, where Mariano is also sitting in the car seat. He is a super stubborn and smart kid, so my attempts in broken Spanish to keep him in line when his mother leaves are in vain. I don´t think Beati even tries very hard. (Mexican parents are super loving and baby their children, especially the boys.) Then back to the house, and finally, I get home around 8:00, where Beati, the most stressed out mother in the world, insists on making me la cena (I am never able to make my own food as of now, I think it will get better when the mom gets home and everyone stops feeling so responsible for me.) At this point, Beati turns on the TV and starts dancing around the kitchen to Banda music (a group of Mexican guys in suits dancing and singing and playing saxophones and clarinets in the middle of some field). I was completely impressed by her ability to keep a smile most of the time and sing to her stressed out kids. Even though, she told me that she does not reccomend motherhood😊 All in all, the day made me feel even more at home, like something that would happen with my father, where I have no control over the circumstances, and have to just ride along and deal with what is happening. I think those days are good for me😊 I was sick of taking for granted all the conveniences of the US, where it seems like organization is a word that has meaning.
Classes here are good. I´m only taking two, but it´s still 16 credits. My cultural teacher is a loose cannon, full of opinions and ideas and super radical. She´s great. She´s been working with an orphanage that is pretty destitute. We´re going to go there next week and check out the scene. We don´t know right now exactly what we´re going to do, but they need anything and everything, so I´ll mention now that we might be setting up a paypal account and asking friends and family for any small donation that they can give...don´t worry, I´ll bother you all more about it later when we know for sure, but keep it in the back of your minds😊 Hope all is well in your lives. Much love.

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Photos

Catedral de Morelia
Looking up the god walk.

Catedral de Morelia
The roof here is about 20 meters tall, to place emphasis on the significance of the walk of god.

Catedral de Morelia
The side of the building.

Mural
Symbolic mural of a Mexican independence hero. Morelos? I´m not sure:)

Library.
Library of the Jesuit priests.

Otra catedral
I think this was the Cathedral de las Rosas, a cathedral dedicated to female monks, even though most of the symbolism still emphasizes male dominance.

Hotel Morelia
Stained glass ceiling of the hotel.

Catedral de Las Rosas
Everything is coated in gold.

Rooftop bar.
The view from the bar at the top of the hotel

Catedral Morelia
The cathedral at night.

Comments

[Ruth]

GORGEOUS! I love old churches. If there is one things the catholics got right it was pretty buildings and art. What is the other class you are taking?

[mamacita]

Hey darlin'...I finally figured out how to get into the travel blog! Tyson and Sara's just comes as an email, so I didn't even realize that you had written, as I was waiting for the message! Anyway, it was fun to read and the pictures are cool....churches are always so magnificent, no matter which country you visit, it seems. Can't wait for more! Love and miss you mucho!!