http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from North America , Mexico , Morelos en-us Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:27:13 +0000 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:27:13 +0000 Tepic Nayarit a 30 de noviembre del 2009. Saludos a toda la family otra vez. Ah les van fotos de otro sitio arqueolgico prehispnico y tambin Patrimonio de la Humanidad de la UNESCO Xochicalco localizado al sur de Cuernavaca Morelos. Se ubica sobre un cerro en el cual cortaron terrazas sobre las cuales se construyeron las pirmides templos y edificios. Xochicalco significa casa de las http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Xochicalco/blog-463826.html El viernes 6 de noviembre apenas regresados de Miami nos fuimos a Tepoztln para la boda de Csar y Karla. Nos hospedamos en el hotel Nican Mo Calli el cual realmente est muy bien para su precio. No tiene spa ni temazcal ni nada del estilo pero fue de los pocos hoteles decentes que encontramos a precio razonable. Adems tiene una super vista al Tepozteco.A la boda asistimos como invitados http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Tepoztl-n/blog-457489.html What a fabulous little town I loved it here loved the vibe even loved the hike The hike to the ruins was was hot it was arduous and at the very top the very first thing we saw a stand selling taquila I thought yeah right I don't want to be wobbly on my way back down At the very bottom I saw a toilet more primitive than I could imagine. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Tepoztl-n/blog-430014.html Immersion Spanish in CuernavacaWith the typical disorientation of a traveler I knew I wasnrsquot in my own bed from the moment I awakened. The birds outside my roomrsquos open window were welcoming the day with songs different from those of the birds back home in Texas mdash their voices were richer clearer more tropical. I felt a light breeze waft over me and then I opened my eyes recal http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-427387.html The other day for the first time that I can remember I found myself instantly without it.I felt as if I was in a dark room without walls ceiling or floorhellip Searching. Grasping for anything anything at all but without knowing where to look. The first glimpse I found I thought ldquoThatrsquos stupid. It doesnrsquot mean anything. Itrsquos too insignificant.rdquo But at http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-397818.html Estuve recorriendo en Semana Santa Cuernavaca. Fuimos con mi amiga Claudia a Tepoztln y subimos al cerro Tepozteco.Un fin de semana que conservo entre mis mejores recuerdos. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-389088.html These past three months have been wonderful yet quite an emotional struggle for me here in Mexico. In February the other volunteers and I went on a week long immersion trip to the USMexico border. The emotional impact of that trip was the main reason why I havenrsquot been able to bring myself to write you all for so long. How do I share the reality the pain and suffering and somehow eve http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-383724.html OK so these are pics from summer a year and a half ago that I just wanted to get out there. And fyi I was in better shape then... CHECK IT http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-383154.html Well a welcomed break came in the middle of February and I took the chance to flee the grey weather in the city for sunny and colorful Mexico Mama has taken a month over the last three years to go to Mexico in order to learn Spanish and experience the culture. For many reasons it seemed that now would be a great time to learn Spanish not that I needed any excuse to travel or learn a something http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-378643.html I started my trip in Mexico city on the 25th of January. I went to all the popular spots in the city. The Zocalo is the huge city square with the presidential palace and National Cathedral. I stayed with a very nice family while I was there. They live in Xochimilco which is in the southern part of the city near the University of Mexico. In this part of the city there are canals tha http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-369319.html Weve added photos to our previous blogs if you want a peek.Day 4 was a travel day to Cuernavaca. We had a great bus no chickens allowed. It was air conditioned and we watched 2 movies. Although it cost 60.00 CDN we were glad we didnt drive because it would have cost us 50.00 in tolls. We settled into Hotel Colonial then headed out to hang out at the zocalo. We thought we found great se http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-359749.html Okay so I admithellip I havenrsquot written in a while mainly because Irsquove been in a bit of a funk and didnrsquot feel like passing it on to you all. But the cannedsoup version includes things like my country coordinator Heidi leaving for a new job people I care about struggling with alcohol feeling like an enabler rather than an empowering figure and other more selfish things li http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-355465.html Alright friends and family I have created a new blog with the help of a fellow volunteer. The address is httpcrystal.nphdojang.com and it's still in the design phase but I have updated it. I'll be putting all of you on automatic email updates once again so you won't have to worry about checking it yourselves. I also have a new online photo album that I put some pictures up on. You'll find http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Miacatlan/blog-352853.html Hey EveryoneSo now that I'm finally back in the states for the holidays I have some time to catch you all up on the past three months of life at NPH.Here are a few random pictures from the month of October. Here is a list of things that went down1. Going to Houston for a LIFE TEEN Youth Minister Training Conference AND staying with the KEANE's2. Baking cakes with some of the girls for our http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-348337.html Monday was yet another reason for Mexcians not to go to work. It was Revolution Day. Actually Thursday was the real holiday but everyone celebrates on Monday. Basically itrsquos a big sports day similar to the US field day and no one works or goes to school. Donrsquot ask me why because I have no idea. Basically what we did was split the whole house into 12 different teams that each had http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Miacatlan/blog-348204.html Well well well I could throw out a million excuses and reasons for not updating this. Letrsquos just say it was a combo of many things. Things have been really busy and exciting around here. Irsquove been doing some traveling and diving into the culture. This past weekend we had Halloween and Dia de Los Muertos and Dia de los Santos. Obviously Mexicans donrsquot celebrate Halloween bu http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Miacatlan/blog-344793.html My dear familyThough I was hoping to sit down at my computer and add more funfilled entries with crazy pictures of my energetic teens I instead am writing this as a request for your prayers.This past weekend I was informed that one of our boys who lived in the house but had left the orphanage about a month ago took his own life. Gydgray known among all the kids as Rubio he was the only on http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-335279.html So apparently all of us gringos out there think that Cinco de Mayo is a big holiday for Mexicans however it is actually not that big of deal. So apparently for us Americans who go out to eat on the 5th of May at the closest establishment with colorful lights multicolored tapestries on the wall and chimichangas on the menu which they don't even eat here and think we are toasting margaritas t http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-332430.html When I was student teaching in Germany Papa Burcham always reminded me that EVERYONE has a storyhellip. But itrsquos not enough to simply know that a story exists. We have to make a deliberate effort to understand and appreciate each personrsquos unique history because in doing so we will inevitably love them as well. When I worried about ldquoHow do I be a good and effective teacher http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-326416.html Sooo the great Ryan Hyland rolled into town on Wednesday as he will about 6 times a year. Just to explain you can all blame him for me being here. He was a CORE member in my LifeTeen program and then came down here to volunteer. He was here for about 4 years and he is such a Mexican only in his heart as he is such a gringo on the outside that he's lived in Mexico ever since. He was the one http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Miacatlan/blog-325993.html