A Caribbean Weekend...

The beach and water where we snorkled and spent the day on Saturday.

The other part of the beach.

The fruit plate we got both mornings at breakfast! It was absolutely delicious! I think I am now in love with coconut-flavored yogurt!

The door to our hostel...nothing special! I forgot to take a picture of the inside..it only had two shelves, two fans, and two bunkbeds...like I said, very rustic!

A very small portion of the ruins. It at least shows how the ruins are on a cliff right on the water!

I had a much-needed weekend of relaxation after last week's days of struggle and sorrow. I and three other girls from the program made the trek to Tulum, a town on the Caribbean that is four hours southwest of Merida. The girls and I decided Friday morning at 8:30 that we needed to get out of Merida for the weekend because we were going to have another 3 day weekend ahead of us that would be filled with us staying around the house. So, we decided to go to the Caribbean to get away. We looked at bus schedules and saw that the earliest bus left at 12:40PM, so we went for it. We quickly packed, got things in line for the weekend, called our parents, and we were off in a taxi to go to downtown Merida to catch a freezing, cold, air-conditioned bus (or at least freezing to us since we haven't had air-conditioning since being down here) for four hours. Luckily, they showed August Rush and Bee's Life on the way there. However, they were in spanish, but we picked up on a lot of new words that we didn't know before! It was a great experience. Once we were in Tulum, we took a taxi to the hostel we had called ahead of time. Students from this program that have gone to Tulum before have always gone to this hostel, so they were excited to have another group of people from the same program this fall! The hostel area itself is very rustic, but it was very relaxing to say the least. They gave us bikes to take into town since the hostel was a little over a mile outside of town on the main highway. That was an unforgettable experience as well because I haven't ridden a bike since middle school! After getting supper in town, we headed back to the hostel to sit around and talk to other people staying there.

We had no idea so many people from different countries in Europe came to the Caribbean. We met people from the follow countries: Israel, South Africa, Germany, Switzerland, England, Australia, and India. We were the only Americans there! It was great to hear about their experiences, why they are here, and what their views of the United States are. Most of them said that the first thing they think of when they think of the US is that "we buy a lot of stuff". Haha....so true! The next morning we got up, had a wonderful breafast, and went to a free beach where there were sea turtles, sting rays, and beautiful fish. I got a little burned, but it was so worth seeing the see turtles, stingrays, and beautiful fish while snorkeling! Once we returned to the hostel, we rode our bikes into town....or at least I tried to. A little over halfway to downtown, a rock got in the back tire of my bike which made it flat. Thankfully, Angela, my roommate down here, was gracious to walk back to the hostel with me to get a different bike. Needless to say, I sweat more than all the other girls down here, and I was drenched in sweat by the time we got back into town during attempt #2. I had spaghetti with a sort of meat sauce that wasn't really meat.

I have been on a healthy food diet this whole summer and now through the fall (thank you Neal)...and I was so excited to see that my pasta was very healthy. It contained spaghetti noodles and the meat "sauce" was made up of: oil, sauteed onions, chopped tomatoes, and browned hamburger. I thought it was great and much less fatty than sauce from a can! After eating, we returned back to the hostel and were very tired, so we went to bed quite early. Sunday morning we woke up early, had breakfast, and headed for the ruins that are right on the ocean on a cliff before checking out of the hostel. The ruins were absolutely stunning but of course it was VERY hot! I hadn't sweated that much since being down here...it was really disgusting but worth it. I included pictures above. After the ruins, we went back, showered, checked out, had another meal at a restaurant in Tulum and got back on the bus headed to Merida. We arrived safely and I was very grateful to get away from everything for a weekend! I am going to miss having a place like the Caribbean only four hours away!!! I was also looking forward to getting back however, to talk to Neal and see how he was feeling and how his blood sugar had been throughout the weekend. He is starting to stabilize more, so thank you all for your prayers! I know he appreciates it!

Yesterday I also changed rooms at the Patronato and absolutely loved it! The kids were working on cutting on dotted lines and gluing the pictures they cut out onto paper. I was so proud of them! What patience and concentration! I remember having to practice doing that when I was younger and I hated it! I am very much looking forward to working them over the next couple weeks!

One of the hardest weeks of my life...

As you could tell from my last post, this week has been a tear-filled one. Like I said, Sunday was filled with missing Grandpa, feeling bad for Grandma and wishing I could spend time with her in person because she is one of my best friends in the whole world. We have a relationship that is unexplainable, but it is a very precious one to both of us. After seeing the dead dog too, I was just wanting my animals from home.. :(. Monday was a good day at the Patronato because I was able to speak lots of spanish with the teachers and students. However, when I got back from there I talked to Neal on skype and he told me he went to an opthamologist because he had been struggling with blurry vision that showed up all of a sudden. He had 20/20 vision Friday night and when he went to the opthamologist on Monday, his left eye was 70/20 (or vice versa) and his right eye was 20/200!! The opthamologist said he had never seen anything like that before. The doctor told him it could be because of dehydration or a sugar spike. Neal knew it wasn't dehydration because he had been so thirsty and been drinking water all weekend. So, he was then sent to a doctor to get blood work done and low and behold, he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. That came as a complete shock to him, his family, and me. He told me he was very scared about it and that his mom was concerned so that meant I was very scared because I knew nothing about diabetes and he and his mom had grown up around his older brother having diabetes since he was 3 years old. His mom ended up driving up that night to be with him during blood tests on Tuesday and Wednesday.

I was overwhelmed because I am thousands of miles away and the love of my life is going through a huge change and adjustment. I was afraid of being out of the loop and not knowing what his routine was, etc. But, he has been a trooper and has been answering all the questions I have for him as well as trying to do a lot of research myself since I knew nothing about Type 1 other than he now being insulin dependent. Neal and I love having skype especially now because we can see each other, talk, and cry together, which has been happening a lot this week. There are a lot of concerns about health risks in the future as well as the adjustments he will need to make for the rest of his life, but I am especially confident that he will get through this and become a natural thing sooner than later. I am so proud of him and I want nothing more than to support him through anything and everything. This is still an overwhelming time but we are relying on God's provision and strength to get through this.

So this week has been dealing with adjustments Neal is making by checking his blood sugar, eating the right amount of carbs at each meal, and taking insulin. It has been such a joy and relief to watch him check his blood sugar by pricking his finger and watching him give himself shots of insulin. I feel as if I am there with him as I watch him do it. I even asked him if I could give him a shot sometime just because I want to support him and learn how to do it (not that I will need to give it to him) but we'll see if I actually do it since I hate needles!

On top of all these changes Neal and I are going through and discussing, I found out Monday night that my bunny, Oreo, died of old age. I was very upset Monday night when I found out and haven't cried that hard since Grandpa Berg died. He was such a great bunny, I just wish I could have said goodbye to him...I am just so thankful Caryn was there to rock him and keep him warm as he was going. I have also had the most homework this week that I have had since I have been here, so I am so glad it is the weekend!

I know that Oreo is in a better place and not alone. Maybe he is up in heaven hopping around?? I don't know if its true but I'm going to believe it to give me peace of mind. I also know that Neal is adjusting well and that I am learning his routine along with him. Finally, all my homework got done on time! So, now I can just relax and move forward knowing that God truly answers prayers and is there for us when we are full of joy and when we are filled to the brim with sorrow and uncertainty. God is sooo good!

P.S. Sorry this is soooo long! I just want to keep everyone up to date! :)

Phenomena at Dzbichaltun

Sorry that these pictures came out backwards!!!
The phenomena is already over...it lasted about 2 minutes.

Here is is!!!! Yay! It was sooo beautiful!

The sun is starting to rise just a little bit...

Good morning! It was about 5:30-45 at this time.

This was probably at about 5:15 when it just started to become light enough out that a silhouette of the building could be seen

This has been one crazy, tear-filled week, so I'm sorry that I haven't caught you up on what has been going on the past few days. This week started with Sunday morning waking up after a dream that my Grandpa that I was very close to was alive and I got to talk to him. However, this is not reality and I woke up thinking it was and was super excited but then I knew it was Grandma and Grandpa's anniversary that day. It would have been 59 beautiful years together. So to begin with, the day was already not a great one and then I saw a dead dog on one of the sidewalks closest to the house which made me think of Barklee, my puppy (not so much a puppy in size but he sure acts like one!). So needless to say Sunday itself wasn't that great except for the fact that I got to talk to both of my aunts and uncles as well as my Grandma on Skype Sunday afternoon. What a blessing! I am becoming more and more thankful for Skype as time keeps ticking faster and faster down here. (Sunday also marked 4 weeks that I have been down here. It has gone by so fast already that it is crazy to believe I only have a little over 10 weeks left!) But finally, Sunday was over when I went to bed early because our whole group was getting up at 4:30AM, mind you (on Monday, the easiest day to get up early, right??). We weren't just getting up that early to get up. If any of you know college students really well, this is not our ideal situation!

We got up and were on the road by 4:30AM Monday morning to drive to some very old ruins called Dzbichaltun. Back in its day, which dates back to when Christ was on earth (crazy to think about, right?!) this city was a hopping metropolis with about 40,000 people! Over the years, archaeologists have uncovered ruins here and broke away layers of a temple/pyramid because the mayans used to believe that the world came to an end every 52 years, so they would build a bigger and better temple around the previous one. The building in the pictures above is called the House of the Seven Dolls which was named by the archaeologists that found 7 miniature figurines inside. The preciseness of the mayan mathematics and observations of the sun's movement are exemplified very clearly in this building.

Twice a year there is an equinox which means that the sun is directly over the equator. One of the days is in the fall and the other is in the spring. When the equinox occurs, the sun beams straight through the two doors of the House of the Seven Dolls which I said before demonstrates the preciseness of mayan mathematics and movements of the sun. It is quite a phenomena to see so I was not upset about getting up very early to see it! When we got to Dzbichaltun, the stars were brighter and bigger than I had ever seen them before. It was a great morning for lots of prayer and reflection on how great my God is and that I am one of His daughter's even though I do not deserve it. He created the universe and everything in it. I think most of us forget that or when we read it in Genesis we just skim over it because we have been told that our whole lives. However, it truly becomes a fact and something very meaningful in a situation like I was so happy to be in on Monday morning. Praise God! One last thing, I guess we waited for 2 1/2 hours to see the phenomena take place, but being so wrapped up in glorifying Him who created the stars and sun, I had no idea it was that long. It only felt like 30 minutes to me. Maybe it was also because I took 130ish pictures during that time frame!! Haha....I just didn't want to miss a thing!

3 cenote tour in Cuzama

The second cenote with cave-like features, tree roots almost in the water, and clear water below were absolutely stunning!

Me taking the plunge into the third cenote, down the ladder. I had no clue what I was going to see below! Sorry I couldn't put any more pictures of the third cenote in this blog...

The first cenote. Absolutely gorgeous! I loved the water in this one...

Our horse-drawn cart ride on the tracks. I was impressed by my accidental photography skills. Somehow I focused on the horse and the rest is unfocused...

What the bike-taxi looked like. Poor peddlers!! Quite an experience!

Yesterday our group went to Cuzama, Yucatan which is a little over an hour from Merida to see 3 different cenotes. We had no idea really how to get there except to take a bus to the town and figure it out from there. We also had no idea how many different forms of transportation we would be using either! We took a taxi to the bus station in downtown Merida where we waited a little over an hour for our bus to take off. Once we were on the bus, we traveled for about an hour to Cuzama and got off the bus when the bus driver told us to get off.. haha. The second we stepped out of the bus we were swarmed by 10 bike taxi peddlers who were telling us they could bike us over to the cenotes. That was quite an experience! One of the other girls in our group that was in a different taxi has a picture of Liz and I, so I just put a picture of the other girls so you could see what I'm talking about!

When we got off the bike taxis after over a mile of riding and feeling awful that these guys were tired (even though we aren't that heavy), we thought we only had to walk a little ways to get to the cenotes. However, that was not the case. We ended up having to take a cart-type thing pulled by a horse on little railroad tracks. It was quite an innovation since the tracks were already there from when the hacienda not far from it used to bring henequen in from the fields on those tracks. We all of course felt bad for the horse, but he seemed to be loving it. The horse was very gentle because I went up and petted him and he looked like he was enjoying the attention :).

The 3 cenotes were very different from each other and a little ways apart, so we were very thankful for the work of the horse :). The way it worked was, the driver directing the horse took us to the first cenote and let us swim in it for 30 min. and then would come and get us to tell us we needed to move on to the next cenote. Then we went to the third cenote did the same thing, then made our way back to the second cenote, so that the horse didn't have to work that hard for very long. We definitely got exercise by getting down into the cenotes, swimming in them, and then getting out of them. In order to get down into the first cenote, we had to go down VERY steep stairs for quite a ways, the third cenote was down a ladder in a hole that took us down to it, and then the second cenote was down another long set of stairs. Quite the exercise we got yesterday!

When the horse-drawn cart brought us back into the little village, our bike taxi drivers were waiting for us because they asked if we wanted them to come back after 3 hours and of course we said yes! That was very convenient and nice of them. I was riding in the taxi with Liz and I mentioned to her that these guys must have leg muscles of the Greeks back in the day! However, our ride from the cenotes was a little different from the ride to the cenotes because it started thundering and lightning above us. But, we made it back into Cuzama just fine and there was a bus going back to Merida that was waiting for us!!! The day was very eventful and tiring, but we all agreed that yesterday was and would be a highlight of our trip. I am convinced that those cenotes are one of God's greatest and most beautiful creations. I'm thinking of taking mom, dad, and Neal there when they come down in 65 days!

Izamal--class field trip

Our group once we all got up on top of the pyramid!

The long, high climb on awful stairs that we made to get to the top!

One of the outdoor hallways outside of the sanctuary of the cathedral that reminded me of Sound of Music for some reason, so I took the picture!

The incredible, jaw-dropping altar in the cathedral.

The climb we made to get up to the cathedral. I love the antique look!

On Thursday I went with my Mexican Civilization class to a little town called Izamal. We thought the drive to the town would be a piece of cake until we realized that our Civ. professor did not have directions to the town...haha. We stopped and talked to a couple different people and made a lot of turn arounds, so it took us about 1 1/2 hours to get there instead of 45 minutes which is what it would have taken us if she would have had directions! That part of the trip drove me nuts because again I like to know where I'm going and how I'm going to get there! Oh well, we got there safely and got to see the beautiful cathedral built on the base of a pyramid as well as old ruins/pyramid that are located there. The drive into the town was beautiful all the buildings were painted yellow just like the Vatican is, or so I hear :) so the longer drive was worth it!

It was so neat to see the old architecture in the cathedral and think of how long that building has been standing. After that us girls ate our sack lunches while our professor from Central and his wife along with our Civ. professor ate at a restaurant. They said they would be back in 45 min. but we knew that wasn't possible. After 1 1/2 hours of waiting for them to show up, our Civ. professor came and picked us up and told us that the Central professor and his wife would have to find their way to the ruins because they were taking way too long to eat at the restaurant.

The ruins/pyramid were amazing! It seemed so tall and I wasn't sure I would climb up them because of my fear of heights, but I told myself that this is probably the only time I would be there, so I climbed them and climbed back down without screaming or freaking out once. I was so glad I did climb it because I was able to see for miles! However, I don't think I had sweated so much since playing volleyball by the time we got down from the pyramid. It was nice and cool up there because of the breeze, but it was very hot when we got back down!

Dia de Independencia! Viva Mexico!!

The governor's palace after the proclamation was read and we were all yelling "VIVA!" The confetti was a lot of fun :) The palace was decorated so pretty with Mexico's colors of red, white, and green.

The governor's palace on the left, stage ahead, and the historical cathedral a little behind and to the right of the stage. You can get a little understanding of how closely we were packed in there around people through this picture!

Our group before heading downtown! I was told after I put my dress on that I looked festive, but Mom and I bought that dress because we thought it was cute, but not for Mexico's Independence day. (I didn't even know when it was before coming down here!) I didn't even think about it being festive until I had it on and all the girls were telling me! haha....

The traditional dish served yesterday or today for Independence Day! It was delicious! The cooks even made festive placemats, pins, and even bought us little Mexican flags! They are so creative!

The nicely decorated dining room for lunch!

Today is Mexico's Independence Day! Viva Mexico! Last night our whole group went downtown to the Gran Plaza which is across the street from the Governor's palace where her office is. We were told ahead of time that there would be thousands of people there, but I didn't truly comprehend that until we got there. We stood in the middle of a street with thousands of people around us. It was super hot but also hilarious because we saw other pockets of American students studying in Merida in different spots on the street we were on as well. We all stood out like sore thumbs, but thats ok! We talked to a group from Calvin College in Michigan so that was cool to hear about their experiences! I'm assuming the town their college is in is Dutch as well! Everyone (including us) was/were standing around on the streets to listen to a couple bands on a stage between the governor's palace and a historic cathedral. But we also were waiting to hear the governor read the proclamation of independence from Spain that was read so many years ago. However, it took her forever to get out onto the balcony of the governor's palace. The band would play trumpets and drums to call her out onto the balcony, but they would play, stop, wait, play, stop, wait, play, stop, wait and so we all waited awkwardly for about 20 minutes for her to come out onto the balcony. That reflected Mexico's understanding of time! If that was happening in America, everyone would be upset because everything wasn't flowing from one thing to the other. The other sad thing was that the governor didn't even end up reading the proclamation. Another guy read it and the governor herself just yelled "Viva Mexico!" "Viva Yucatan!" etc. and we all followed her chant with "VIVA!". We were going downtown just for that part (called "El Grito" or the cry) because that was one thing our director wanted us to witness. The neat thing was that I could really sense the passion to be independent from the people around me.

Backing up a bit, for lunch yesterday decorated the dining room and our place settings. We were even fortunate to have the traditional meal served the day before Independence Day or on Independence Day. The nice thing about having Independence Day in the middle of the week is that we don't have classes today! I hope you enjoy the photos from yesterday and last night! :)

Winning my heart with a smile and effort...

The bracelet made especially for me :)

On Monday when I went to the Patronato, I found out that there were only around 10 students at the facility because all the rain we had the night before made it hard for some parents to bring their children. In the adult room where I have been working there was only one student. He is the son of the lady that takes me home every Wednesday afternoon. It was fun to be in there with only one student because there were 5 other teachers from other rooms in that room since there is a stove and fridge so they were making a snack of hot dogs with pico de gallo on top. They don't have catsup around that area because it is so expensive so they make pico de gallo which consists of chilis, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and lemon. It was very refreshing and way more healthy than fatty catsup on top of the hot dog. After we all had something to eat, I got a lot of practicing speaking in and learned some mayan words that I will need to ask about again and write them down so I remember! It was such a great opportunity to get to know everyone much better. Once all the other teachers left, there was only one of the teachers I have been working with and the student. We decided to make crafts so I braided myself an anklet and the student made me a pretty bracelet!! :) It was so sweet of him and he gave me the biggest smile I had seen yet when he was done with it. I thought it was so sweet, and it melted my heart!

I was really glad to get to spend more time with the teacher one-on-one to get to know each other better because she befriended me right away. We talked about our boyfriends and when we think we will both get married as well as how important our families are to us. I felt bad the night before that I couldn't go with her to get Originial Yucatacan food with her because she invited me to go with her and a friend on Sunday night. Hopefully I will get to go with her soon! I am truly seeing how I am there for a reason and how the little things are coming together. God has been orchestrating this place for me the whole time!

Hacienda and Cenote

Ok so I accidentally deleted this at the bottom so it got moved to the top. This picture is just to show you how clear the water is. The dark blue water is where the cenote drops off...kind of scary!!!
The Courtyard of the living quarters. Absolutely beautiful!!

Me in the kitchen of the living quarters secretly wishing I was Julia Childs.... :)

Liz, Myself, and Danielle...it basically explains the relationship we have between the 3 of us... :)

The cenote. You can see how far underground we were and how clear the water is!

On Friday (yesterday) the whole group went on a little field trip to an Hacienda and Cenote about 45 min. from Merida. The Hacienda that we toured is called Yaxcopoil (Yah-x-coe-poe-eel). I did not know what an hacienda was before yesterday. An hacienda is pretty much equivalent to our southern plantations in the past. The hacienda holds the owners living quarters, a chapel area, living quarters for the 1500 laborers, the machine room that takes a plant called Heneken and makes its fibers into rope. The hacienda is no longer running but it still is open for tours. The grounds are kept up very well by workers and the buildings all have a beautiful charm and antique look. I absolutely loved the architecture of the buildings and house. There are pictures above. This hacienda was founded in the 17th Century and Yaxcopoil means "place of green poplars" or otherwise known as heneken.

After we toured the grounds, we moved onto a cenote which is basically an underground sink hole that holds fresh water from rain that flows through the ground and is deposited into underground rivers which are what feed into the cenote. There are beautiful pictures above as well that will maybe help explain what a cenote is. We were able to swim in it which was a lot of fun! The water is so clear that you can see to the very bottom of it which was about 15-18ft. deep (approximately). There was an area where we could stand on rocks and sand and then it dropped off. It was kind of scary for me swimming over the deep part because I was afraid something was going to come and get me. :) I am also very fearful of heights and I felt very high above the bottom of the cenote, so it was a mix of everything! But when we swam over the deep part, there were rocks that we jumped off and tree roots that the guys swung from. I only jumped off the rocks once (the ones closest to the water!!) which was a lot for me! The rest of the time I spent standing on the rocks and sand. The nice thing about the cenote was that it was so clear, cool, and out of the sun! It was great to get a long break from the hot, humid, makes-you-very-sweaty sun!

On the way home we all fell asleep in the van after climbing on rocks and such which made us tired! We are all hoping to make it to another cenote when family is here, but we probably won't make it to that cenote again because we followed an old beaten path for about 10-15min. We all had no clue how our tour guide got us there! I'm just so thankful for not being car sick or motion sick because it was not fun for those that are that way! Dramamine was not doing enough to keep them awake and feeling ok. Thanks for reading! I hope it wasn't too long or boring!! :)

A day full of blessings :)

Yesterday (8th) I had one of my busiest days yet. Tuesdays are my busy days with class in the morning from 8:30-11:50 and then a class at night but during the afternoon I needed to take a short nap which cut into the amount of time I had to work on homework which was probably a bad idea. I was doing homework in the afternoon, but two of my classes require a lot of reading which takes a long time when there is usually a lot of vocabulary words that I don't know, but it will get better in time! I talked to Neal last night on Skype and I don't think I had ever been that stressed out with him. I had a lot of homework to finish up for Thursday (me working ahead) and some other odds and ends like catching myself and everyone else up on whats been going on through my blog and sending emails, etc. I felt bad for him because he didn't really know how to react or what to do, but those moments are a blessing from God because we learn so much about each other even when we are thousands of miles apart. God is so good once again! Neal was such a trooper and said I will just sit here and watch you do stuff :). He said something along the lines of "we don't need to talk a lot, because I know you have a lot to do, but can I still see you when you are doing stuff??" so I thought that was a very kind gesture of him so that we could still spend time together even though we weren't talking.

Today, (9th) I went back to the Patronato and was unsure if I would get there without getting lost again, but it went just fine! I left the house at 9:30 like usual and went to where we normally get on the bus at and the bus pulled right up so I didn't have to wait in the sun. One of my professors (Fernando, the poet) got on the same bus so we sat next to each other on the way to downtown which helped calm my fears a bit. When I got downtown I was speed walking to the other bus stop 4-5 blocks away and knocked on the door as it was pulling away, so I got on just in time! The bus driver probably didn't like that I was practically running as he was taking off, but I did what I had to do to get on! Then, I stayed on the bus all the way until we got into the part of the Colony that I needed to be in to go to the Patronato, and low and behold, the bus drove right in front of the Patronato so I got off! God is soo good! I didn't have to worry about walking or finding my way because I was right there! Then I went to the same classroom and had a great time with the students helping them with physical therapy and then spending time practicing my spanish-speaking by them asking me questions and vice versa. I didn't even get his this time! As the Patronato closes at 1, all the parents come and get their kids and at that moment when everyone was in one area, the director introduced me to everyone so I felt like the center of attention, but it was very special for me! And 5 minutes later my day would get even better.

Usually I would have to ride two different buses back to the house but one of the mom's of a student that I have been working with the past two days was going to be driving three blocks from the Central House so she offered to drive me back and even said she would do it every Wednesday! That is such a blessing. It is even a smaller world because she ran into Val before Val even found the Patronato for me and she was the one that gave Val the information about the place! She is such a sweetheart and is correcting some of my Spanish and is encouraging me to speak as much as possible. God is definitely present here and is providing for my every need and worry.

Where are you at? How did you get lost??

The first day of the internship at the Patronato was on Monday (7th) starting at 10:30AM and finishing at 1-1:30PM. I left the house right after my morning class at 9:30 in order to get to my internship by 10:30. The visiting professor said it was fastest for he and his wife to go an opposite way to catch a bus that goes downtown than what I am used to. I waited at this spot for about 5 mins and began freaking out because I didnt know if this was the same street that we normally use to get on the bus going downtown. So, after 5 minutes, I start walking away from that spot and end up making a big loop to go back to the corner that we normally get on the bus at. So after 15 minutes of walking in the neighborhood just to grab a bus to go downtown, I was sweating like none other and I was only 2-3 blocks from the house! At this point I was very nervous and working myself up because I had just been wandering around aimlessly and feeling very lost and absolutely getting nowhere. And for those of you that know me really well, I hate not knowing where I am at and how to get to where I am going. Once I got on the bus 2-3 blocks away from the house, we drove by the place I was at but became impatient so I became even more mad at myself than I already was. Since this was my first day of going downtown and switching buses on my own, I was a little apprehensive. I looked even more like a tourist when I kept checking a piece of paper that I wrote the corner of what streets the next bus I needed to catch would be on. Oh well. I got on the bus I needed to be on that would take me to the Colony where the Patronato was at. However, I did not know that this colony was split up into 4 different sections. I got off the bus in the part of the colony I thought I was supposed to be in (and mind you, I was very nervous at this point--on the verge of crying) and when I got off the bus, I didnt recognize anything. After walking back and forth a single block a couple times to see if I recognized anything in site, I knew I was completely lost. This was not good for my mind or my emotions because I was literally freaking out at this point. I was about ready to start crying in the middle of nowhere. However, the doctor (my supervisor) gave me her cell phone number and I told her where I was at. She ended up sending her chofer (sp) to come and get me and take me to the Patronato. Thank goodness for the kind hearts of the Mexican people! Her chofer was super nice and he was very gracious to give me a ride and showed me where I would need to get off the bus if I would have kept riding it. Such a blessing!

So, I finally got to my internship site at about 11 since I stood around in the same spot (out in the middle of nowhere, mind you) for about 20-25 min in the hot sun. I bet the doctor's chofer was chuckling when he picked me up because I was drenched. But anyway, when I got to the Patronato about 30 min. late, the doctor felt horrible that I got lost and offered me crackers if I wanted them but I wasn't hungry after being stressed out for a couple hours. She gave me a big hug and told me it would be ok because I think she could obviously tell that I was worked up. God is so good! But after we got through that whole conversation of her feeling awful, she took me to the classroom I will be in for 3 weeks. This classroom works with adults about my age and older that have mental and physical disabilities. Since I was already worked up, I had a harder time focusing on what they were asking and telling me in Spanish, but I got through just fine. But, I couldn't leave without being hit really hard by one of the students.

I had no idea that that day would get worse by me getting hit by a girl a little older than me but much smaller than me. I later found out why she hit me randomly because all I said to her was "Hola, como estas?" (Hello, how are you?) in my sweetest voice and I got a hard hit to my back. So I later found out as the teachers took her out of the room and were making sure that I was ok, was that she has obsession with princesses and especially those that are blonde, have blue eyes, and have lighter skin. I wouldn't consider myself a princess, but I guess I fit the criteria! To calm her down, they started singing a song from Cinderella in Spanish and I told this girl that my favorite Disney princess was Cinderella because she has blonde hair. However, my talking to her didn't calm her down because the teachers asked her if she wanted to hit me again and she said yes. I think there was just a bit of jealousy going on there or something...I haven't quite figured it out yet. Oh well! You never know what you are getting yourself into when you are dealing with severe autism and mental disabilities. Luckily, it didn't hurt, and I didn't want to hurt the girls' feelings, so I just kept talking to her sweetly, but apparently that doesn't work for her! I'm quickly learning that patience is a virtue but is a much needed quality if I'm working with students with disabilities.

Once my day was over at the Patronato, I got on the bus going downtown and got to the other bus I needed to take to get back to the Central House just fine. Let's just say it made for a long morning! Later that night I ended up feeling very shaky, weak, and not hungry and I was afraid I was getting dehydrated like I had been before, but luckily the professor and his wife had drinks with very high electrolytes in them so that kept me from being dehydrated! God is so good in that too!

VIP Theatre and Mexico Soccer Experience

All of us girls in our leather recliners getting ready to watch a sappy, chick-flick

Last Friday (4th) after visiting the Patronato, the girls and I all went to a mall in Merida called the AltaBrisa and shopped a little and ended up going to The Time Traveler's Wife shown at the VIP theatre. I had never heard of a "VIP" Theatre and was curious as to what it was about, so Val told us exactly what we got to experience while at the movie on Friday night. For just under 9 US dollars, we got to watch a movie all to ourselves in recliners, menus, and a waiting staff that would come to us anytime throughout the movie and would get down on one knee when taking an order or bringing us what we ordered. We all felt like princesses! I know that we are all planning on going back to that theatre or another VIP theatre in the city. There is a picture above.

On Saturday (5th) all of us girls together went to Progreso where the closest beach is to Merida like we had done the previous Saturday and spent the late morning/early afternoon in the Gulf and laying out. This time we did not sweat because the water was cooler and there was a great breeze off the water, so of course I forgot to reapply sunscreen. Who would have thought that I would have forgotten that I am 10 degrees from the Equator! But all in all, I did not get burned that bad. I put 70+ SPF once again all over and put my face sunscreen on and brought it with me too, but I forgot to reapply on my face. So all in all, I left the beach with a face that looked like a fried tomato! I talked to Neal that night and he asked me if I had my friend Larry with me. (Bob the tomato and Larry the cucumber off of Veggie Tales). I wasn't offended by him though because I guess I was the one that told him I felt like a fried tomato :).

Later that night three of us girls went for pizza at a little pizzaria 3 blocks from the house and absolutely loved it! It tasted like regular American pizza, so it was definitely our American food fix for the week. But once we got back from eating, we went with Eduardo (a student who was at Central all last year that is from Merida) to a couple house parties that were watching the Mexico vs. Costa Rica soccer game. To experience the culture and love of the game of soccer shown by his friends was phenomenal. The three of us girls actually got in the game (even though I know absolutely nothing about soccer) because all the other mexicans were way into it. When Mexico scored all three of their goals and won the game, it was like experiencing America's Super Bowl all over again but with a different sport. The one thing that stood out to all of us girls is that the girls dressed up to go to these house parties even though there were only 8-10 people at each party. They were wearing skirts, dresses, the whole thing. I felt way under-dressed because I went in shorts and a tanktop after being in the sun all day. Oh well! They still loved meeting us and getting to know us a little bit! Mexico won 3-0 and were onto the World Cup!! Viva Mexico!

Visiting Patronato Peninsular

On Friday, September 4 the visiting professor from Central that is here and I went to visit el Patronato Peninsular where my internship would be. I had an interview with the doctor that is on-site and got a tour of the facility. I was forewarned ahead of time that the doctor talks very, very fast and that was definitely true when I met with her. But, I got the gist of all she said and my interview went really well. I was pleased and I know the professor and the doctor were pleased as well because I shared with her how my major does not follow my passion and gift with children with disabilities. She seemed impressed with my confidence but yet more impressed with my compassion for these students. The Patronato Peninsular is an extensive facility but they work with babies all the way up to 40 year olds. I cannot tell you how much I smiled while I was there because of how cute all of the students are! They were all saying, "Hola, Buenos Dias!" (Hello, Good Morning!) to me and they were so excited to meet me. I was wondering if they had ever really seen a white person before. But, of course they all have hearts of a child and have no presumptions or expectations. I knew this was the place for me when the kids were so full of smiles and joy and the doctor told me, "You are not only here to help us and get more experience, but we are here for you as well. We want you to be able to ask us any questions and create a great relationship over the next three months." She even gave me her cell phone number and told me to call her whenever I had a question about anything! Doctors in the states wouldn't normally do that...but I guess she is more or less my supervisor. I knew God was and is present in that facility because all the teachers and the doctor have hearts of gold. The doctor even walked the professor and I to our bus stop so I would know where to walk to get on a bus that goes to downtown Merida.

I think I have said this in a previous blog, but the bus system in Merida is a new experience for all of us here, but especially me, coming from a little town of less than 4,000 people. But like I said, I have to get on a bus at the Patronato Peninsular that goes downtown which is then followed by a 4-5 block walk to get on a different bus that goes close to the Central House. Once I am off the bus, I have to walk to the Central House for a couple blocks, so I definitely get a lot of walking in! It is the same when I go to the Patronato Peninsular but just in the opposite order. It takes me about an hour from when I step out of the house to when I step into the Patronato. My internship site is by far the farthest away from the house, so I will have to tell you about my experience on Monday, September 7th which was my first day going there.

First week of classes

So I have to apologize... I have been falling way behind on keeping everyone up-to-date on whats been going on. Last Monday, we started classes and had classes all last week but the only nice thing about studying abroad is that my weekend starts at 12PM on Thursday afternoons! As I was going from one class to another, I felt like I was living off the schedule of meals here at Casa Central. I have also felt like a baby in the fact that I sleep, eat, go to class, do homework, and do everything all over again when babies eat, sleep, and poop! :) Classes went well last week and it has been adjustment getting used to all of my classes being in Spanish but it has been a good adjustment! It has been a stretch in my brain but its good to have those once in a while :). The classes I am taking are Advanced Practical Spanish where we go over basic vocabulary that would be useful in everyday life but more concentrated like all different parts of a restaurant or cafe that we would need to know to ask questions or to understand the waiter/waitress. I am also taking Latin American Novel that is taught by a poet, Mexican Civilization that is taught by a professor of pre-law here in Merida, and Art & Architecture by an architect earning her PhD. (That is my only class taught in English and is one night a week, so it is a great break from everything in Spanish). Taking classes in a different country has been a great learning experience because the style of teaching is a little different and the homework load is less but again, everything that I would normally get taught in English are taught in Spanish. Hopefully when I get back my speaking skills will be a lot better than when I left!