Photos from my 1st week in Puebla!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53451713@N05/sets/72157624720781967/

Today I slept in once again until 10 or so. My mom and Lupita were gone to church, but she had left me some delicious French toast for breakfast. After breakfast, I did a little homework and then got ready to go to the arts and crafts market area with Margarita and Lupita. There were so many vendors and so much to look at! They were looking for a baptism dress and invitations for the baby’s baptism that will be in October. I didn’t get to look at the items I wanted to as much as I would like, but now that I know where this market is, I definitely plan on returning on my own at some point. Then, we returned home and I had a little down time before eating a lunch consisting of pasta, meet and onions, and delicious potatoes. After lunch, I took a little nap before finishing up some homework and Skyping with my parents for a while.

I am finally caught up on blog posts! Tomorrow I will be adding pictures from the first week. J I will not typically be posting every day, but I just felt like there was so much to write about and so many new experiences within the first week. So, check in every few days and there should be new posts and pics. Thanks for following along. Missing you all! 

Some Information & Observations…

Puebla is the capital city of the state of Puebla, and is located in Southern Mexico, about 70 miles Southeast of Mexico City. It is a very old, historical and colonial city, which makes it beautiful. It is surrounded by mountains, and has three volcanoes, one active and two dormant. The scenery is absolutely gorgeous and it so nice to wake up to every day. It is weird because sometimes you can see the mountains and volcanoes very clearly, and other times, there are clouds surrounding them, but taking their shape. Also, it is cool to watch storms come over and off the mountain ranges. It gets extremely dark and eerie. The weather here is almost perfect. The months of August and September are the rainy months, and it has rained everyday that I have been here between the hours of 4 and 6 pm. However, once the rain passes, it is usually quite nice again. The temperature has been great, between 70 and 80 all week. It is cool in the morning, similar to Michigan weather, and then warms throughout the week. The sun is intense, but feels good. In coming months the temperature will drop a little, between 60 and 70 most days, and the rain will not be as frequent. I think I could definitely get used to year round temperatures and climate like this!

Everyone is very friendly and helpful, and wants to get to know you. When I was in el Centro the last couple of days, I definitely turned some heads, and while some vendors and people just see me as an easy target as an American, others really are interested in talking to and interacting with you. So far, I have felt very safe and have not felt threatened. I would not go out at night by myself at this point, but during the day, I have no concerns. Also, Puebla the city is very modern and has many of the chain restaurants and stores that we have in the United States. As I already stated, I have eaten at McDonald’s and Burger King. But, I have also seen Subway, Starbucks, Dominos, KFC, Walmart, Costco, Sears, Snap Fitness, etc. I honestly had no idea what to expect as far as modern conveniences and availability, but I have been pleasantly surprised.

In Mexico, as in many other countries, lunch is the biggest meal of the day. So, I typically have a good sized breakfast between 8 and 9, a large lunch around 3, and then a small snack or smoothie for dinner between around 8:30. It took some getting used to, but now that I am used to this routine, I quite like it. 

Cholula

Yesterday I met Bryce, Lily, and Megan on campus at 10 in the morning. From there, we took a bus to just outside Cholula. Cholula is a small city outside of the city of Puebla, and is home to la Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de los Remedios (Church of Our Lady of Remedies) and the largest pyramid by volume, Tlachihualtepetl. The church was built on a hill, more like a mountain, in 1594 and still has services today. After hiking up a very steep path and climbing too many stairs, we made it to the church. The views of the city from the top were absolutely stunning and made the hike worthwhile. Once you get to the top, it is entertaining to watch people make the trek up the mountain. Most people have to stop several times to catch their breath. Why people would choose to attend this church is beyond me, but more power to them. We were there around noon, so 12 mass was going on, and it was interesting to listen to and see. After taking pictures and catching our breath, we made our way down to the Aztec ruins and the massive pyramid. It was all beautiful and interesting to read about the history. I am excited to visit Tenochtitlan in a couple of weeks! Then, we walked through the streets and markets of Cholula for a couple of hours. I bought a Mexican blanket, which I knew I wanted to buy at some point, so decided to buy it now and get some use out of it before taking it home. We had lunch at a restaurant in a market, and I had delicious, but different, quesadilla with ham.

After exploring for a little bit longer, we took a bus back to el Centro in Puebla, where we spent some more time walking through churches, markets, and finally eating churros. J It had been a long day with a lot of walking and exploring, so around 5:30 we decided to make our way to the busstop and catch a bus back to campus. I got home around 6 and was looking forward to a relaxing night. I was able to Skype with so many people-Er Bear, Barbara, Erin, Keely/Olivia, and Hanna-, and do a little homework before calling it a night. Great end to a fun, but long day!

A Night Out on the Town…

I met students from my group, as well as other exchange students on campus around 7. Lily, Bryce, Megan, and I wanted to make sure that we all stayed together for the night, so we all squeezed into a car of a friend of one of the exchange students. I would not normally just get in the car of someone I don’t know, but everything is so relaxed and just seems to work out down here, and so I felt comfortable doing so. We drove to a bar closer to downtown, where there was a reserved section waiting for all of. This bar was so elegant and chic and I was quite impressed. People started buying appetizers and drinks. Being the little mother that I am and being in a new, unknown city, I had decided not to drink. I was eventually talked into having one drink, which was good to take the edge off a bit, but not really affect me. It was fun to see everyone else loosen up a bit though. Finally, around 10, we sorted out the bill and tip and got in another random car to go the Prince, the nightclub where the party was being held.

When we arrived there were probably 200 people waiting outside of the club to get in. The guy that we were with just pushed his way to the front, and within 5 minutes, we were in. Prince is absolutely huge, about the size of a Target store. There are many areas to sit in groups and drinks, areas to dance, and bar areas. There was a large stage in the center and we had the opportunity to listen to a band featuring a cross-dresser. Quite a show, but they played both American and Spanish pop songs. The music alternated between the band and a DJ, and when the DJ was choosing songs, we had quite the range of music as well including some Backstreet Boys, Shania Twain, Snoop Dog, Katy Perry, Rihanna, etc. The four of us stuck together and danced the night away before finally leaving around 2:30. We took a taxi and for the four of us, it was 80 pesos, which is like $6.50. $1.60 for a cab ride across town, not bad. I arrived home around 2:45 and crashed. Quite a night and experience, but I am definitely glad I went and I look forward to future nights out, especially as my Spanish improves. 

I was able to sleep in until 10 or a little after on Friday morning, which was wonderful after a busy week of orientation and adjusting. Then, I went for a run in the park. I had only gone about ½ a kilometer and I had to stop and walk. Since we are so highly elevated, my body is definitely going to have to adjust. I continued to walk and run for 4 more kilometers. Hopefully, I will build up endurance while I am here and when I return home I’ll be able to run my ½ marathon without a problem. Every Friday morning, Margarita gets together with a group of her friends, and this week they were all at our house. So, when I returned from my run, I had breakfast and interacted with these women. Then, I went on a successful mission to buy a cell phone. Although I was able to buy the phone, I still have to register it, which is a lot more complicated than it sounds or need be, but something I will take care of this week. I also found the Wal-Mart, my bank, and a legit shopping mall that are only a 20 or so minute walk from my house. When I returned, Margarita and I had lunch, before I Skyped with my parents for a little bit. Then it was time to get ready to go out for the night. 

Thursday I had my conversation class bright and early. There are only 4 students in the course and I have a different professor than my other classes that I really like. Even though it will be early, I think that I will like the course and it will help to improve my Spanish. After conversation, I had my normal grammar and language course. Then, the foreign studies office was putting on a lunch for all exchange and foreign students. There are probably 30-40 other exchange students from all over the world at school, and it was really nice to get to know some of them and know that there are other students in similar situations. The majority of these students had bought tickets to a club the following night, and so we all did as well. We were all ready for a night out on the town, but wanted to make sure we would all be together. Then, I had some time to kill before my dance class at 5, so Bryce and I walked to a shopping area sort of near campus in hopes of buying cell phones. This mission failed, as the majority of stores were closed from 2-4 for lunch. But, we were able to buy shampoo, conditioner, etc. at Mega, Wal-Mart’s competitor. Then, we stopped at my house to drop off my purchases and so that I could change my clothes. We headed back to campus for our dance class, which was a blast. There were 6 of us from the USAC program and then 8-10 other students and adults from the campus. We started out learning some basic steps before learning specific steps from the Cumbia and Salsa. There is one more woman than men in the class, but for the instructor, a very cute Mexican man J, steps in and it all works out. So, we dance in partners and continuously rotate so we all get to dance with one another. None of us are particularly great dancers, so the class is very relaxed and no one feels embarrassed or pressured. The class went by too fast, and I look forward to next Tuesday night. I went home and had a delicious banana smoothie before watching Pretty Woman and calling it a night. 

1st Day of Classes…

Wednesday morning I was back on campus and received my schedule for the semester. Mondays through Thursday I have a grammar and Spanish language course from 9-11:10. On Mondays and Wednesdays I have a Survey of Latin American Literature course from 11:30-12:50. Tuesdays and Thursdays I have a conversation class from 8-8:50 in the morning and a dance class from 5-7 at night. It will make for a long day, but I’ll have time to relax and go home if I want between morning classes and my dance class. On seven Wednesday evenings throughout the semester, I will have a Mexican Cuisine class, which should be fun. So, I only have 16 credits, two of which are the dancing and cooking classes. With no Friday classes and technically only three classes to complete work for, this semester should be a breeze academically. :)

My classes went well Wednesday morning, and after class I went to the bookstore on campus to buy a couple of the books. In Mexico, they don’t really abide by copyright laws, so I also had to go to the copy room and have two large packets copied for two of my classes. Basically, the professor chooses what you need from a variety of books, puts it all together, and then you can make copies of it all. Even though it’s illegal, it’s a great concept and definitely easier on the wallet! After I took care of books, I walked home and had a little free time before lunch. So, I decided to grab a blanket, book, and iPod and go lay out on the porch upstairs. I laid out for almost an hour before coming in for a delicious lunch of rice, chicken, potatoes, and bread. After such an exhausting day, I decided I needed a nap, haha. I slept for a couple of hours before getting up to work on some homework and have a yummy banana smoothie for dinner. It is so nice to finally know my schedule and to be able to set a daily routine for the next 3.5 months. 

Tuesday I woke up, got ready, and had a delicious breakfast of papaya, banana, yogurt, and granola. Man, does Margarita know me and my health-nuttiness or what!? : ) After breakfast, we walked to the Universidad Iberoamericana, which will be my college while I am here. It is a beautiful campus, with a lot of fountains, areas to sit and relax, and beautifully landscaped scenery. From several points on campus, you can look over at the mountains, and then see the tip of one of the local volcanoes blowing off a little steam. Beautiful! The campus is not as big as I expected, which is great and shouldn’t be too big of an adjustment for this little Adrian College girl. We had our on-campus orientation with Ignacio today and covered many issues regarding daily life here. We took our placement tests, had a tour of campus and the library, and had a delicious, but mainly American, lunch.

Also, I have received a scholarship through the program that allows me complete some volunteer work while here. So, I, and two other students, will be volunteering at a non-profit orphanage type facility called Casa del Sol. We will be helping those who work there in anyway possible, but mostly interacting with the children, who will range in age from infants to 13 or 14 years old. We will meet with Ignacio and the director of Casa de Sol next week sometime once things are all settled. I can’t wait to spend a few hours a week with Mexican children!

After lunch, we took a small, campus bus back downtown to the Zocalo where as a group we went on the same bus tour I went on yesterday. I think I understood a little more this time, but still probably could have done without the bus tour round 2. Then, we went back to the Ibero (name for Universidad Iberamericana), where I was met by Margarita. We walked back to the house and had a relaxing evening. We talked for a while before I took the time to catch up on this and talk to my parents. 

My wonderful family and home…

Me and my sister, Lupita 

I am so blessed to be living with an amazing family in a great neighborhood and home. I truly believe that the home-stay aspect of this experience can make or break the semester, and in my case I believe it will make it. I am living with a woman named Margarita. She has three children, Alejandro, Paco, and Lupita. Her two sons are in their late 20’s and early 30’s and married with children. Paco and his wife just had a baby 6 days ago, so this has been exciting time for the family. I hope to meet the boys and this new little baby soon. Lupita is 19, lives here at the house with us, and works for the government downtown near the Zocalo. Last night, I was only able to talk to her for a few minutes, but she seems very nice and I look forward to spending time with her, and hopefully having someone to go out and do things with. My house is very nice! There is a large living room area, a kitchen, four bedrooms, and 2 bathrooms. Off of the second floor is a large balcony area where I can lay out, do homework, or read if I want. I have my own room with two twin-sized beds, a huge closet (way bigger than the one I have at home!) with lots of shelf space, a desk area, and a television. They have Wi-Fi here at the house, and once they figure out the password for me, I should have Internet access at all times. My house is in an excellent location, and is only an 8-10 minute walk from the school. Most of the other students have to take buses or have a 20+ minute walk from their homes, so I am lucky. Also, the walk is fairly simple, and while my Mom walked me to school today, I feel confident to make the walk by myself tomorrow. On the way, there is a park with a running path and area to relax. This will be perfect, and I plan to walk to this park a few days a week before school to run. 

Me and my Mom, Margarita 

Monday morning I had planned to get up, shower, and do some exploring before my checkout at noon. However, it was raining when I woke up, so I packed all of my stuff, planned my activities for the afternoon, and went back to bed for a couple of hours. : ) I finally checked out around 12:30, had the hotel store my luggage, and walked a block to the Zocalo. In Mexico, all cities will have a Zocalo, which is where the city first began. There is typically a church and government building on either side of the Zocalo. From this center point, the city begins to move outwards and all street numbers and directions originate here. The Zocalo in Puebla is a beautiful area with colorfully designed shops and restaurants surrounding a park area with fountains, pathways, and benches where you can sit and enjoy the day, which people seem to do… Mexican culture and lifestyles seem to be so much more relaxed and laidback than our quick paced and jam packed lifestyles in the States… To add to my American, touristy look, I grabbed chicken McNuggets from McDonalds for lunch. I took a little more time to explore the Cathedral and shops surrounding the Zocalo before taking a bus tour around the city. After the tour, I returned to the hotel for a little bit to read and rest. Then, I went back to the Zocalo for a chicken caesar salad from Burger King. I have every intention of trying every Mexican dish and treat while I am here, but not until I have full descriptions and tips from my home-stay family!

After dinner, I returned to the hotel and read a couple of chapters of my book before claiming my luggage from the front desk and calling a taxi. It was finally time to meet other students from my group and my home-stay family! : ) I was supposed to meet the rest of the group at 9:30 pm at the residence halls on campus. When I arrived at 9, there was nobody there and the student working the gate entrance did not know anything about our meeting. Luckily, another family pulled up behind us and said that they were also early and would wait with me. As we were talking and waiting in this parking lot, another home-stay mom came up. Once we asked her if she knew the name of the student she was picking up, she said Chelsea. This was such an exciting and reassuring moment for me! We took my bags to her car, and then went into the cafeteria to wait for the rest of the families and students to arrive. Finally, around 10:45, Ignacio, my Resident Director through my program, arrived with the other 7 students who are enrolled in my program. We all introduced ourselves, met our home-stay families and were told to meet back on campus in the morning at 8 am. 

And so my journey begins...

View from my hotel room. 

Sunday morning my parents and I left for the airport around 10:30. We stopped to grab a bite to eat and arrived at the airport around 1. We said our tearful goodbyes, but each knowing that this will be the experience of a lifetime for me. I took a flight from Detroit to Houston, where I had a two-hour layover and time to grab a sandwich. Then, I flew from Houston directly to Puebla. Puebla’s airport has a single runway, so good luck if you miss the landing. They do not have walkways to enter the airport, but rather you walk down the stairs of the plane and into the airport, all while looking at the three army men standing with large guns and serious faces to your right. Once inside the airport, I went through customs, had all three of my bags searched, and went on my way to find a taxi. I took a taxi to “El Centro” or the downtown area of Puebla, where my hotel, El Hotel Colonial, was located. The hotel was very old, but extremely nice, and in a great location. I had the chance to Skype with my parents and a few friends before organizing my stuff and calling it a night.