Acclimation, a Mexican Sunday, and a Fond Farewell to Summer!

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Acclimation and a Mexican Sunday

I have spent the past couple days walking around “el centro” or center city with my host mom Yolie. My days have been less than eventful, most of them consisting of long waits while she runs errands in stores and talks to people on her phone, but I’m seeing lots of the city by spending time with her. From what I’ve experienced with my host family, it appears no one in this place can simply undergo a money transaction without heavy debate and discussion. I tagged along as the family went to Costco to buy a few things that are cheaper in bulk (not always the case in Xalapa) and every item selected from the shelves underwent harsh scrutiny before being awarded a place in the shopping cart. I looked on in amazement, very funny as the ignorant foreigner! I must remember to go out with my host family is never a quick errand. What are they always talking about? Ha. None-the-less, everywhere I go Yolie helps me immensely with learning new words and applicable phrases. There are times when I just can’t get it and I feel like everyone in the room is having fun at my disposal, but even Teenie, the grandmother whom frequently speaks very quick and gets frustrated with me, said I am learning quickly. I feel she is my biggest critic and I am glad to have heard that from her.

I suppose I set the bar pretty high for myself, or at least over estimated how much I knew, because the past couple days have been pretty frustrating, but today while waiting outside another school supplies store, I found myself thinking to myself in basic Spanish. I thought that pretty cool. It’s easy to get lost in dialogue when you spend all your time doing quick translations in your head, and to skip that step, as basic as a thought it may have been, was very exciting for me. Granted, I can only talk to the three people I see a lot and who know to try and speak slowly, but I’m starting to finally enjoy my presence here in Xalapa!

I don’t know about the rest of Mexico, but in Xalapa people drink very good coffee that I’ve been enjoying thoroughly, all of which is grown in-state. Today Yolie took me to their favorite café where she bought a two-kilo bag of coffee beans and I was glad to receive free coffee with the purchase (made me think of Boro Bean). Hey, I for-warned my life here has been pretty uneventful, but I’m enjoying the new environment and all it has to offer. Yolie has also been proposing numerous trips she wants to take me on for long weekends. For instance, she loves Mexico City and wants to show me the best parts so I don’t believe all the negative news about it, which I’ll be glad to do with a good guide. Also, for 20 pesos ($2 USD!!) and five hours aboard a train one can catch a train to Oaxaca, another state in Mexico bordering the Pacific Ocean and Teenie’s favorite region in Mexico. I told them that was an incredible fare and didn’t believe it to be true, so they promised to prove it to me. Lots to look forward to and grateful to have such enthusiastic Mexicans who want to show me their country!

Yesterday was Sunday, an important day for Mexicans from what I’ve gathered. From the moment I woke until darkness the smells of “street food” (which much to my dismay I was strongly discouraged against eating) wafted in my bedroom window. Everyone comes out and cooks on enormous stove grates and enjoys the day off. Hundreds of chicken legs and breasts, whoa. After a small evening meal we drove to Coatepec, a smaller city about a 20-minute drive outside Xalapa. What a cool city. None of the crazy bustle of Xalapa and a much older looking city which I thought was really neat. Coatepec’s cobblestone streets are lined with awesome little shops, restaurants and cafes that are all brightly colored and quite picturesque. The Sunday evening party in the main city square was underway by the time we arrived. Everyone in the city comes out to enjoy music, food and dancing. We enjoyed the nice weather and atmosphere for a couple hours and then headed home to Xalapa. Sunday evenings in Xalapa are just as lively. One of the many attractions famous to Xalapa is its man-made lakes just outside the city center and a five minute walk from the house. On Sunday evenings close to 100 flower and plant vendors line the path around the lake and everything is lit up. It’s quite a site! Teenie, Yolie and I spent another hour walking around the lake, buying some flowers for the house.

Today is September 1st and my last day of summer vacation. I was told there was no orientation today by the staff at the school and that we would all be meeting tomorrow down the street for our first meet and greet. It’s been a wonderful summer but I’m ready to start learning some Spanish with a bit of structure (my afternoon sessions with Yolie are a bit odd, the content of which is random vocabulary and much confusion). All is well and spirits are high, but I’m starting to miss real communication with another human being!

Love to all at home and abroad.
Barry

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