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Published: August 6th 2006
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Bombera!
Waiting at the airport. Bueno todos!
I´ve had a very busy first week. Right away I was swept off to and international students´dinner at a local delicious buffet. I had a confrontation with a bartender because after ordering a beer- I just walked away. I was later hunted down. Apparently, the buffet fee didn´t include liquids. Then I got lost at night on my way back because first I was trying to get back to Tec (the nickname for my school). I needed to pick up my bags and get cash from the ATM at the 711 by school. I left my bags at school just before all 600 of us international students went to dinner. It was probably my subconscious saving me, but I jumped into a taxi and risked being short on change. It was my first time alone
in the city, my first time out in the dark, and my first time in a Monterrey cab. It was great... the driver was friendly and helpful.
There are only two women focused classes (zero gender classes) in the entire school. Just think about it, I am going to the school that has been rated number one in all of Latin America
Peacock! (2)
This peacock is just sitting in a bush cleaning itself, if you can't make out the image. for the past 3 years and they don't have gender classes! When I told the woman who was helping me finally select my classes that I was disappointed she said she didn´t even know that we had one woman's studies class. She was surprised and said that the culture is very machista. Honestly, other than the classes, I don´t think that anything here is any more machista than what I already know. I think the same expectations exist here and
in the United States of America, and Spain, I think that it is just that here- people are more up front with it. And thinking about it, I don´t know which is worse. But I still need to get to know this place better.
Here, I am Latin American to mostly everyone. It is just the country that they can't figure out. A school security guard thought I was Spanish. Remember how in Spain they thought I was a gypsy? At least here I won't get sworn at.
Sadly, I have class 5 days a week. I was hoping for at least 3 day weekends to travel longer. All my classes are in Spanish. 4 classes are regular
view
The view from international students' office. You can see some of the campus, some of the city, and the whole bright reflection of my teagan and sara shirt. I swear I took another photo without flash but it didn't show up. ITESM classes with Mexican students. The Mexican culture class is with other international students but still in Spanish. The classes I ended up with after revisions are (translated*):
Contemporary Latin American Literature
Culture of Mexico
Professional Competitive Woman of Latin America
International Business Environment
Strategies of International Commercialization
*and the Internship at the Consulate General which begins Wednesday.
After turning down a few international students to share apartments with and after all the schedule business Mom and I went in search of an apartment. After calling a list of previously put together numbers and after calling many numbers that were hanging in windows advertising a room... we found a place.
I live about two blocks from the back entrance of my school's gated and
guarded grounds. My apartment may be small but I have air conditioning, a refrigerator, my own bathroom, and wireless internet. No kitchen, which is fine with me because I would rather be eating real Mexican food anyway and not the spaghetti I would make everyday. A guadalajaran student is my nearest neighbor and I think the rest are Mexican students. It came out to be $2,800 a month ... that's in pesos. So
Entrance
This was taking while on an island crossing the street to the main entrance of school. about $280 a month.
For those of you who want to visit... we may have to make a bed for you (or me) or we´ll have to cuddle on mine. But at least I have a place where you know you´ll be welcomed and you don´t have to worry about roommates being weird.
Yes, I do have an address but I would rather you sent any letters or packages to the international students office. Please let me know if I should expect something because they won't email us if something comes. I know that eliminates the elements of surprise but I won't get it otherwise.
The address is:
Alexandra Orozco
attn Marcello Bravo
Technologico de Monterrey
Programas Internacionales
Av. Eugenio Garza Sada No. 2501 Sur
Col. Technologico
Monterrey, N.L. Mexico
C.P. 64849
The campus here is beautiful. They have the most modern-cool architecture I have ever seen and lots of greenery. There's also a stream that runs through campus. Plus, there are peacocks walking around like the squirrels do at U of I!
Yesterday, I went to Barrio Antiguo (old town) which is Monterrey's very cool downtown. The architecture was great and the atmosphere was
bush on campus
The school landscapers must have had some fun with this one. buzzing. It was also interesting to see how close the poor people and the rich are here. You know, 40% (really) of this country is under Mexico's poverty line. Sure Monterrey has all this modern architecture but there are still kids selling suckers on the street and kids working as baggers for food at even the major grocery stores. Sorry, I don't mean to be a downer but that's the reality here.
I went out last night to a near campus bar called Bar Antiguo with 3 Mexican guys and some international women (an American, Australian, and Spaniard). Afterwards we went to a roof party with a fantastic view of the city in San Pedro, which is the richest neighborhood in all of Latin America. Then, we went salsa dancing at a club called Escandal. I skipped out on the 5 AM tacos and decided to come home instead.
Today I just started preparing items for my student Visa, explored my
neighborhood a bit, and then did some cleaning. Just to give you an idea of how affordable being in Mexico is: The most expensive taxi ride I have had is $4 and that was all the way
to downtown about 10-15 mins. For lunch, I walked around the neighborhood and found a restaurant that was being run out of someone's "garage". I ordered 3 potato filled tacos, that were cooked in some sort of sauce that made them orange and hence even more delicious and an orange pop to match (in a glass bottle of course) = $2.00. Tonight, I walked down the block for dinner in the other direction. I ordered Tacos de Bistick (came with lime, grilled onions and cilantro) and a Sprite. Cost= $3,500, aka $3.50. Several Mexican guys have warned me to "be careful" not because of any 'disease' or anything but because I'm "going to get fat". They don't seem to realize that I don't care. And besides the food is worth it! There'll just be more
of me for you to hug! : )
Sorry that I don't have pictures of everything I talked about. I have my camera but still no charger. So these photos were from when I had my mom's camera.
I am very excited for my classes to start on Monday! For now, I'm trying to stay hydrated and I'm just beginning to learn how
My first lunch
Sorry I started to demolish it before I took the photo. I was simple but delicious, like everything here. MMM fresh avocado! to live in this city.
Hasta Luego y Besos!
alex
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Alejandro
non-member comment
Dear Alex, Thanks for sharing your wonderful experiences this past week. I knew you would love it. As the famous folklore song titles my beautiful country, "MEXICO LINDO Y QUERIDO"!!! Yeah!! i am glad you are getting to go to the neighborhood restaurants (they are cheap and the food is good and homestyle, right??!). Last time in Monterrey, I had forgotten how much aguacate they serve you!!! YUM! Let me know if you try any sopes, flautas, huaraches or machaca... I am pretty sure you will love it... oh... and try pozole if you can find it, it is awesome! Do you have any pix on the "Cerro de la Silla"? Thanks also for posting those interesting insights into machista norms and poverty. Kids learn from a young age the difficulties that life has in store for them, so at least it is better to see them working at Gigante or Comercial Mexicana than falling into the traps of crime that still grips Mexico. Regarding machismo, you will learn that in public spheres, women are still relegated to oblivion, but you will discover that Mexico is a country built by women and supported by them, even if men still prescribe to their antiquated notions of their supposed superiority over the "sexo bello". As Sandra Cisneros wrote in her book "Caramelo", "la mujer mexicana es puro coraje y pasion"!! Keep enjoying your time there, I am sure you will continue to discover wonderful things there as well. Please keep posting these fascinating tales, since I will not be heading down until December!! Un abrazo, Alejandro