Home is whenever I'm with you

The plethora of songs out there about California, California girls, and California thuggin' that I usually listen to when I'm getting pumped up on my way home stayed off this time. Instead, I just kind of sat and thought about what had just happened. Did it happen? This blog tells me yes, so I suppose it is good I kept one lest it all be believed a dream. And I supposed I felt different, so that was pretty telling. Yes, that was it. Even though it seemed like no time had past between this flight and my flight into Mexico City, I was different and I was taking some different things back with me as luggage.

First, squatting muscles. Rarely did my cheeks touch los baños mexicanos. Speaking of which, next, I bring my "taco ass" as it has been lovingly called by a certain family member. Really, it's not that bad, despite my Mexpandable Waistline adventures. I've also got a few more spanish speaking skills (I promise, Dad). I love that I could probably carry on a conversation with a native spanish speaker. It wouldn't be perfect, and they would be given several opportunities to laugh and correct, but I could most likely get a point across. I think what I am most glad to be taking home is the confidence and desire to live abroad. I feel as though I could go back to Mexico anytime, rock the crazy bus system, ask for directions, find food, ask for a receipt, inquire as to who built the ruins, etc. I would not have considered this as much of a possibility before this semester. I've learned how to integrate into a culture and appreciate vast differences as well as striking similarities. I feel as though I have tapped into a tiny piece of what is beyond our borders, been shown the immeasurable amount of knowledge I do not know, and been giving the desire and confidence to pursue it. These may seem like big statements, but I promise you, I only claim to have scratched the surface. Well, I guess you have to start somewhere! So who knows what this will look like in the future. I would love to go back to live for a bit at some point in my life; soon, not soon, with family, as an elderly abuelita...quien sabe...

Anyways, home. Call me cheesy, but the title of this blog is more than just a line from one of my favorite songs. With all of the happenings of the last couple weeks, the end of the semester and the returning home, I've been amazed by how true it is that the people make the home. This may have been the obvious conclusion of my reflection and joy at being home, but it also made me realize something about my semester. Our group, in a way, made a sort of home in Puebla. We were constantly with each other, doing everything from cooking a meal, to talking about how said meal affected our bowel movements, from driving hours on end to rejoicing in our arrivals, from learning what makes each other pissed to learning what makes each other laugh. We became somewhat of a family and I feel incredibly blessed to have had a home in Mexico with them.

Now, I am back in my own bed, with my parents sleeping down the hall, and my coughing nephew and sister next door. The window above my head lets the cool and sweet-smelling air waft over my face just as it always has, and my Legolas stand up in the corner glances down at me with love, having waited motionless and with baited breath for my return. Sitting around the kitchen with my entire family tonight brought so much joy that I physically felt happy shivers in my stomach and heart. It is wonderful to be home.

Thank you for your loyalty, dear readers. It has been a pleasure sharing my journey with you. Have a very Merry Christmas!!!

Playa del Puebla

Here we are, in paradise for the last week. Through the generosity of a group member’s mother, who is a saint, we have been able to stay in a five star resort for what we paid per night at most of the hostels we stayed in. It is beautiful here, but very different. I think I experienced the greatest culture shock of the semester when we arrived. The Riviera Maya, which extends from Cancun down the Caribbean side of the Yucatan peninsula, is heavily speckled with resorts and seemingly run entirely on tourism. All of a sudden, we were thrown into an environment populated by Americans and Canadians, where everyone speaks English, and about 95% of the only Mexicans around are the workers. They were all super nice, and appreciated us speaking Spanish to them, but it was still very different.

That being said, it has been an incredible week. Here are some highlights:

-One of the biggest, if not the biggest, pool in Mexico at our disposal.

-Sun, lots of sun. We had a few days of clouds and wind, but got creative and kept ourselves occupied.

-Some of the best beach volleyball I’ve ever played (by best, I mean most fun. This is not a comment on my personal skills or lack thereof). The week culminated in the assembling of a Puebla team which dominated in laughter and testosterone.

-A visit to Tulum, an archeological site located on the shore of the ocean. By that time, we had seen plenty of ruins, all of which have started to blend together, but having the rock structures near the ocean gave it a distinguishing magnificence.

Good location, eh?

-Snorkeling!

-Beaches with white sand and turquoise water.

-Dying Regan’s hair. Between that experience and some haircuts I have given in the recent past, I might just drop out of college and go to beauty school (JK Mom and Dad).

-Resourcefulness. Inspired by the ancient civilizations that populated these parts in the past, who used every part of the boar they slaughtered with their flint knives and poisonous darts, we took every opportunity to use what resources we had. The week started with a grocery run in order to avoid paying for any resort meals. Oh, and who needs to buy water when you can melt down the ice a few times a day from the ice machine on the stove? Also, I began to run low on t-shirts and underwear, and the eight-dollar laundry fee was unacceptable and unnecessary. Therefore, I spent an hour in the bathroom with my clothes. I threw them in the tub, filled it with water and a liberal amount of hotel shampoo, stomped on it as if I were crushing grapes into wine, wrung out the water with my man shoulders, and hung them out to dry. All over the room. We won’t mention that it ended up being unnecessary because none of them dried in time to actually use…Also, while packing, the worst smelling clothes were the ones I had washed. 

-One of the best Christmas parties I have ever been to. We turned our hotel room into a home for the holidays with crafty decorations and creative drinks and food. There was a carol-off (which I believe ended in a tie, but I was quite impressed on how long it went and just how many Christmas songs exist). We also went caroling at the balcony of one of our rooms in an attempt to spread some cheer to one of our crew who was stuck in the room with illness. This led to caroling to strangers who came out to their balcony as well. The Christmas cheer cannot be contained.

Each of the stockings had one of our names on it. 

Dressing the part is easy when Mexico colors are the same as Christmas ones. 

-Being with (almost) the entire Puebla group the whole time. I could have stayed in a shack on the beach with these folks and loved it. We had one last chance to bond, get to know each other, cook together, live together, and most of all laugh together. Our group is so diverse (and really, every single one of these people are pretty weird) but we just click. I’m so grateful for each and every one of them!

As I write this, it is the night before my flight home. I don’t think anyone is really sure how to feel. We are all excited and ready to go home but also sad this is coming to an end. I guess we’ll see. Next post will be written from California!!!

Rafting, Riding, and Ruins

Well, it has been awhile, and I apologize for the delay. Much has happened since the last entry but I think I may skip over it for now. Brief update though: Classes and finals (of which I had none) ended for me on Thanksgiving. Lisette put on a huge fancy dinner for Thanksgiving at a restaurant for our group, our host families, and a ton of other important people somehow connected to us that we didn’t know. The dinner included staples such as turkey, cranberries, and sweet potatoes, but in strange and beautiful arrangements; the kinds of dishes that include garnishes with questionable edibility. But it was wonderful, we had fun, sang Be Our Guest to all present and it was all paid for by Notre Dame. Score.

All the roomies together for one last bash. 

The next day we headed to Oaxaca (which was incredible and will hopefully show up on this blog in the near future) and then I pretty much hung out for a week. I slowly packed, unpacked, explored Cholula more, and had a wonderful “Roomie Comida” with all of my suitemates before leaving. By the end, I was ready to go, the only thing I was sad about was not visiting Tacos Isreal one last time and leaving my roommate, Nalleli.  After much tears and *te quiero mucho*’s I set off with the group for our last big hurrah trip. And that is where I shall begin my tale…

On a night bus, we headed down to the great state of Chiapas, Mexico to the town of San Cristobal de las Casas. It was a cute little town with cobblestone roads and colorful houses and shops. After arriving in the morning, dropping our baggage at the hostel (of which everyone has at least two rolling massive suitcases because we are carrying all of our stuff from the semester and acquired Mexico treasures)  and being a group of hungry grumpy gills, we ate some bagels and set off for our first adventure: Canyon de Sumadera. Our group of 13 took a colectivo to a loading dock bought some tour tickets (lifejackets included) and set off into the crocodile infested river. It was unbelievable. It was liken unto the scene in Fellowship of the Ring after the fellowship leave Lothlorian and takes boats to the scene of the last battle of the movie (right before Sam and Frodo having their oh so touching moment of loyalty and lack of swimming skills…I made a promise, Mr. Frodo!...regresando al punto…). I kept looking for massive statues of elder kings holding out their palms, beckoning us forward or warning us to stay away. The river flowed through this canyon that towered over us on either side we stopped a couple times for crocodile and spider monkey watching. There were moments in which everyone was exclaiming about the miraculous view as well as moments in which the entire boat was silent and reflective.  The pictures do not do it justice but hopefully can give you a little taste of what we saw. It was, without a doubt, one of the coolest natural wonders I’ve ever seen. We landed safely, considered hitchhiking back, concluded that was a bad idea, and passed out in our hostel of pure exhaustion.

The Crew

One of many crocodiles

I found my retirement home...

Our fearless tour guide. This was an attempt at a foto familiar but his son sat down too quickly. 

Chastity, my loyal steed. 

San Cristobal Day 2: Horses! We mysteriously ran into the same woman advertising her horse services on the first day and decided to take her up on it. The large group of us trod, cantered, galloped, and groaned in pain a bit through the beautiful countryside. I dubbed my horse with the name of Chastity, due to its white and pure hair and mane. We rode in a group and sometimes the horses competed on their own accord for the lead, but Chastity was patient, serene, and enduring. Claro. Not to mention majestic. However, I was left with a few bruises…

Maggie and I at Misol Ha

Our next Chiapas stop was in the town of Palenque. There really wasn’t much going on there besides the few tourist spots and hotels for visitors looking to explore them. First we had a waterfall day and went to Misol Ha and Aguas Azules. Misol Ha was a big waterfall that we could climb in and around, including a cave we waded through with flashlights. Aguas Azules was this series of waterfalls that cascaded into pools. Some parts were all raging white water and some were calm enough to swim in. A mysterious rope hanging from a tree over the water led to some great tarzaning into the water. And by tarzaning, on my part, I mean swinging and bellyflopping, though others were more graceful.

Under the Misol Ha waterfall

Aguas Azules...not quite blue, but cool nonetheless

I spy a creepy rock water monster...

 

Climbing trees

The next day we visited the Palenque ruins, which to me, were the most impressive we’ve seen. We were able to climb all over them, exploring houselike structures as well as places which inevitably were sites of human sacrifices. I took a sitting break with a couple others at the top of the tallest pyramid to soak in the incredible view it offered. I looked down at an ancient city with a background of jungle-covered mountains that seemed to stretch infinitely. I wondered what it was like when it was populated by it’s original Mayan builders and their ancestors and what it would have been like to be a part of that civilization (although, we just finished watching Apocalypto today and for those of you who have seen it, I think you’ll understand that I’m pretty okay with having missed out on that one…).

View of an ancient civilization enjoyed during a picnic on a pyramid.

And then, finally, we headed to Playa del Carmen (a bit south of Cancun). I had been waiting for this part of the trip with anticipation, mostly because (did I mention?...) we were all traveling across Mexico with all of our luggage. This was a slight desmadre, but with patience and biceps, ended up being alright.

Mexpandable Waistlines- I know I haven’t written this section of the blog in quite sometime but right now, it’s almost hard to remember the taste of Mexican food. Along with most of the group, I’ve been working with a pretty limited budget in this last trip and we have had the great pleasure of thoroughly exploring every town’s supermarket for the cheapest eats. A couple days were spent on fruit and crackers. In Palenque, the Super Che market put out free samples in their panaderia section which served as breakfast a couple of days.  I was excited for home cooking before this last trip, but now, I take at least 20 minutes out of my day to fully contemplate Mama V’s cooking and Papa V’s grilling and let my mouth water. Ohhh and Grandma Olga’s peas and Grandma Pam’s ambrosia. I could keep going…VEGETABLES! (this semester, Veggietales music not only brought me joy and smiles, but the new phenomenon of cravings as well.) I’ll cut myself off here. But I have to say, I’m excited to cook a Mexican meal for my family with some goodies I am bringing home and the knowledge I gained en las concinas mexicanas.