http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from North America , Mexico , Morelos , Cuernavaca en-us Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:18:39 +0000 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:18:39 +0000 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 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 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 Those of you who know me realize that being on time is NOT exactly one of my strong points. The whole concept of operating under ldquoMexican timerdquo was pretty appealing to mehellip One thing I didnrsquot count on however was just how much time it takes to maneuver in a city that has little or no access for people with disabilities. One of the organizations I will be working with thr http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-319852.html Hola TodosBienvenidos a las viajes de Enchilada y Chimi aka. Steven's first week in MexicoOur story begins at Terminal 2 in Mexico City where our leading man a gringo on the outside but Mexican on the inside is surprisingly tapped on the shoulder by a girl who he thinks is a stranger...possibly another traveler. Yet little did he know that his love a recent Mexico resident had journeyed http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-318053.html From Chiapa De Corzo we dropped down from the hills into a vast and hot frying pan of a plain to an overnight stop in Cintalapa. A gentle climb out into the hills the next morning was topped off with a gorgeous downhill roll through protected forestland with glimpses of the Pacific Ocean far below. We emerged in Oaxaca state on a coastal plain and took a bus to avoid a stiffling slog along a f http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-306884.html Day at IxtapanHere are some pictures from our day at the water park in Ixtapan http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-306779.html I missed out on going to Las Estacas two times before and Ive always regretted it because everyone goes on and on about how beautiful it is. We took two small vans on our excursion just enough room for the fifteen or so people who signed up to go.Wary of the backseat I chose to sit in the middle of the van since last time we rode in one we got the heck knocked out of our heads as we cruise http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-305744.html Que tal todosYesterday I took a stroll around the city center after saying goodbye to the other volunteers who took the bus back to Miacatlan. I went to the Cathedral Jardin de Borda and two other churches near the center. Then I walked for an hour uphill thinking I could walk all the way home. On the bus it's a 30 min ride from the center to my house soooo walking made me realize just how far http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-305734.html Hola mi familia y mis amigosItrsquos quite depressing to write half of a blog entry and then have your computer shut down and poofhellipitrsquos gone.Sooohelliphere is my second attempt to give you all a RSVOARLLU Really Short Version of a Really Long Life Update however I'm giving a fair warning that there is a 99.9 chance that this is going to be a RLLU Really Long Life Update.O http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Morelos/Cuernavaca/blog-305401.html