Futbol and Cumbia!

Nov. 7, 2014

It is a wonderful feeling when you have successfully accomplished all you panned to do in a day. On today's clock we had to cross the other side of the city for soccer tickets, buy a cake for a birthday lunch, help set up a dance, go to the soccer game and make it in time for the dance.

We started with the tickets. We grabbed the bus with an hour and a half to get to the stadium, buy a cake and be on time for lunch. Bus rides in Mexico are always an adventure. We squeezed into the sardine packed bus and slithered through the crowd the the back where we eventually found seats. The heat of the bus always knocks me out and I began to nod off. We were on the bus for about 45 min in traffic until we finally reached the stadium. After having purchased the tickets we crossed the highway and tried to grab what ever taxi was daring enough to stop for us on the busy freeway. One brave chofer took us back to the area around the TEC where we would eat. WE STILL NEEDED THE CAKE!

We asked people on the street where to find a cake store and they all gave us different directions. We followed on of them and after traversing the street hill, we found one on the other side of the hill. Walking hastily to the restaurant of Friday afternoon tradition, we actually beat our friends there! We were able to find a seat and have the cake and sing happy birthday. Our friend Karla is here in the city alone so she didn't get a cake, and everyone needs cake on their birthday.

I arrived to my last salsa class late but not too late. I entered the room to everyone sitting in a circle talking about what they loved about the class. I honestly was quite bummed that it has come to an end. Dancing was one of the best things to destress. It is one of my favorite exchanges of energy, a truly divine experience. It becomes a worship, a harmonic connection with the divinity of two souls. I love dancing. I'll miss that class, the students, and the teachers. Gaby and Charlie were the best, they new how show you just how fun dancing is. We danced and I went a little over and ran to the church to meet Grayson.

After realizing we didn't have much time to get there were got the next bus and for the next 45 minutes or so stood in the sardine container with wheels until we arrived to the stadium.

There were about 3000 people that night. We both got our Gallos jerseys ready to represent the team!

We waited for our dates and entered the stadium.

We sat right in front, you could smell the grass, also the beer from the guy next to you. The game had some pretty intense shots, but over all it wasn't the most intense game ever. We won. The most intense part was the fact that I finally saw a professional soccer game in a country where children are born kicking soccer balls.

We made it to the dance around 10.

I really don't like modern music I must say. I sat on the wall and wondered around a bit until they started playing banda, bachata, and cumbia! I love cumbia!

The night ended with salsa, I was dead tired.

It is a good feeling to hit your bed feeling like you got everything done that day.

Nationality and Secret Meetings

Nov. 6, 2014

Nationality

If there is one thing I hate more than satan, it is that being American gives you a bad name in many places abroad. In our Theories of International Relations class we spoke of the scenario that Mexico is part of the competitive international arena now but it does struggle with a lot of violence and corruption on a very high level. We proposed the idea of international "intervention," or aid more than anything, and if that would be a help or hurt. One side of the room had people who were more in favor of no because they think that Mexico knows what it needs. The other side said yes because it is apparent that the nation does not know how to fix the problem. And the middle was, well, in the middle. I proposed the idea for a political think tank, getting experts from all over to come together to figure out an idea of how Mexico can fix this problem. Then I was shot down by comments of how America's system was terrible and the representation was worse than Mexico, which is definitely not true, but the fact of the matter is that in Mexico there are countless deaths above that of counties like the EU and the US. No democracy is perfect but to counsel together and share with each other the ideas that are working, perhaps we can arrive to a more perfect idea of democracy and way to help put and end to corruption. But I am not America, I do not represent America on a political level, what I say is not in the name of America, it is in my own name, my own ideas. When in a debate we are trying to find the answer not surface our personal political judgements.

Secret Meetings

I was talking to my host mom about the current events in Mexico and we started talking about the massacre of Tlatelolco. She then told me that she lived there, where it all happened. She had a neighbor that always invited her over to eat. The sweetest and most beautiful señorita is how she described her. In her neighbor's home or nearby, the leaders of the movement would meet in secret to plan there protests and plans. She described what they wore and what they would talk about. After the massacre of Tlatelolco she spoke of how they would pile the bodies on trucks and take them away.

"I was a witness," She told me, "I saw and heard things that no one else knows about. There, where they had the secret meetings in the night."

Birthday wishes

Nov. 4, 2014

Today is our friend Karla's birthday. She is from  Michuacan, a different state in Mexico and her family is not here with her so we all went out to pizza to celebrate her birthday. She is turning 19. It is funny to me that almost all the friends I have made in Mexico are 18-20 year old girls, I often feel like their big brother, which honestly is a special experience. Often times you meet people on a very superficial acquaintance basis, but for me I feel like more often than not I am always making close friends, and that for the time I am with them, they feel like family. This could be the reason I don't get homesick hardly ever.

Karla and I's favorite book is The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. She lost it a while back after lending it to a friend who didn't even read it!.... or return it. So we thought it would be a good idea to get her a new copy for her birthday. I myself LOVE giving gifts, meaningful ones anyway. I had been excited to give her the book all week. We all signed the inside of it so it would be more special, not just a gift, but a memory that can be recalled every time it is opened. After we ate she got up to go somewhere and we figured it was a good time to give it to her, but we didn't have any wrapping paper. We were just gonna place it on her seat. Then we thought of the brilliant idea to wrap it in napkins! So we frantically wrapped it in our makeshift idea of wrapping paper and placed it on her seat. She came over and started talking to friends on the other side of the table. Sometimes when you are so excited for someone to open their gift these moments feel like eternity, she seemed to take forever to arrive at her seat again. But, as it always happens, she arrived. 

About to sit down, she looks down, curiously at this random odd collection of napkins on her seat. Reaching down, she picks it up and gives us a curious smile. Not quite anticipating what is inside, she unwraps our birthday offering. When she sees the book, she lets out a small yell, and covers her mouth. She starts laughing and looking around at everyone, but I soon realize she isn't laughing, but crying. She is smiling profusely, and her movements are those of a nervous little girl not knowing what to do with herself in the moment. Tears stream down her face as she is unable to speak. I look over to my friend and give a fist bump, "We did it."

Happiness is a great thing and all, but when you have been able to bring sheer joy to a person's life, even for just a moment, that, that is truly a good feeling.