Chicos Extremos

So, I've been neglecting my blogging duties a little bit (okay maybe a lot) but I've just been having such a good time I haven't had a chance to sit down and write about it. But it's a lazy, rainy, Saturday afternoon, so here I am.

Work has been crazy and I'm a little bit tired but my new motto is that I can sleep in the US. I don't have that much time left here and I'm planning to make the most of it!

Andy and I at the park at DIF

Caro, Rach, and I with our niñas!

Things at DIF are a little crazy as usual, but not in a bad way. Last Friday, one of the kids in the daycare downstairs had a birthday party, so all of the kids at Casa Camasc (the area where I work) got to go! These kids are not allowed to ever leave the building and the only time they go outside is two or three times a week to the park within the DIF complex. Basically, they don't get to go to birthday parties very often. You might think that as a result they went crazy on Friday--stuffing candy in their faces and misbehaving. So not the case. Most of them sat at the table with these wide eyes taking everything in. Compared to the daycare kids who were running around and bickering, the Casa Camasc kids were little angels. They aren't used to things like parties, cake, and prizes, so they didn't know how to react. I was happy that they got to go to a party, but it broke my heart too. Every kid deserves to have those little things in life.

Today is Aurely's quince, meaning she's turning 15. It's a really big deal in Mexican culture and most kids have huge parties, sort of similar to a Sweet Sixteen. DIF is having a party for her on Monday but today Rachel and I stopped by with some cake and a few little gifts. She was really happy, but I also think today is a sad day for her because she's spending her birthday in such a depressing place.

Anyway, I've been in a great mood since coming back from San Cris. I've just been feeling really content and enjoying every moment. It's super cheesy, but it's true. Anyway, I'm shaking things up this week on the blog.

Last weekend Rachel, Julia, Raquel, Daniel and I spent Sunday doing a guided tour of one of the coffee fincas outside Tapachula. We did an adventure tour so we ziplined, swam in a river, and at the end had a delicious meal complete with freshly made coffee!

Me, Julia, and Raquel on the way up the mountain!

Sweet candid in the jungle--thanks Rach!

Sweaty after ziplining--well worth it

Swimming in the river

Here's some of the stuff I've done in the past two weeks:

• Went to an "anthro" which is basically a nightclub. Almost had my eardrums blown out.
• Ate buffalo wings at this US army-themed bar that is a chain across Mexico
• Perfected the typical Mexican hand gesture that means "Si"
• Tried to learn all of the words to "Mi Niña Bonita" my new favorite song (it's by Chino y Nacho, youtube it)
• Watched the sunrise over a volcano and ate tacos at 7 AM
• Ziplined over a river
• Rode two hours up a mountain in this crazy truck thing to see a coffee plantation
• Learned that Tapachula has some special type of hotdog bun that is apparently much better than any American hotdog bun (it tasted the same to me...)
• Almost got attacked by a bat (twice!)
• Had my first Mexican chocolate milk--"Chocomilk"
• Crashed a prom and danced to the "YMCA" 
• Swam at the base of a waterfall
• Watched Mexico beat the US in a soccer game

Good morning Tapachula!

Post-prom crashing in the mariachi park

I only have two weeks left here in Tapachula and then I'm not sure if I'm heading home or will get a chance to do some traveling, but man, time is flying by. I feel like my time here is running out but I'm trying not to think about it!

A Visit to "Gringalandia"

I think that the only way to truly know that you love a place is if you miss it. This weekend I visited some friends in San Cristóbal de las Casas, about 7 hours away. It was amazing and I had a blast, but on the way home I kept thinking about the kids at DIF, my apartment, and the oppressive heat. When we passed through Huixtla, about 40 minutes outside of Tapachula, Rachel looked over at me and said, "Aren't you kind of excited to get back?" Yes, yes I was.

One of the girls, Rosita (3 years old)

Aremi and I (2 1/2 years old)

Before I start going on and on about San Cris and how great it is, I want to take a little bit of time to recap that past two weeks in Tapachula. Emotionally, it's been pretty up and down. Working at DIF can be tough, especially with the language barrier. I can tell the kids to stop hitting each other or not to climb on things (not surprisingly, this happens a lot) but when I have to explain why these things are wrong it's difficult to articulate and get the kids to listen to me. I know that it would be difficult in English, but it's Spanish it sometimes feels impossible. Over the past two weeks my Spanish has definitely started to improve, which makes me excited. Once, I even spoke in Spanish in my sleep (I'm sure Rachel loved that...)! 

Sometimes I get home from work exhausted, sweaty, and covered in refried beans. Sometimes the work day goes by insanely slow. But overall, it's worth it and I'm happy. I love helping the kids with puzzles, drawing with them, and just seeing them learn. There is a new woman in charge of Casa Camasc and she has worked wonders on the place. This past weekend, four of the girls were moved to a more permanent shelter where there is space to play outside, the girls go to school everyday, and there are opportunities like music or dance lessons. It was sad to see them go, but to know that someone at DIF is truly taking action and advocating for these girls made me happy and inspired.

Arelix (14 years old), Lupita (3 years old) and I

In addition to settling in at work, I'm getting used to living in Tapachula. I don't sweat as much (or maybe I just don't notice it). I learned how to light a gas stove. I'm getting good at ignoring the stares we get everywhere we go. I've perfected my accent on the phrase "Te vaya bien!" so I use it pretty much any time I'm saying goodbye to anyone. I have a sense of the city, so when I'm in a taxi I pretty much know where we're going. Yes, I'm still the gringa, but I've definitely adjusted to and embraced that label as well as Tapachula.

New friends!

Enjoying the sun at Playa Linda!

Last weekend, we had the opportunity to visit San Cristobal where 3 of my other friends are doing their social service. San Cris is one of the huge tourist centers of Chiapas and I can see why. It is absolutely stunning. Nestled in the mountains, surrounded by indigenous villages and inhabited by ex-pat hippies, the city is beautiful. As one of my new Tapachulan friends said, "Bienvenida a Gringalandia" or "Welcome to Gringa Land" It was the first time in a month I felt like I fit in, belonged in a place. Wandering around with my camera and North Face backpack I didn't feel stupid. It was a nice break, that's for sure. The cobblestone streets are lined with cute cafes and restaurants, serving all kinds of food. Seeing friends from DC was great and they showed us all around the city, from the Zocolo to the huge artist's market. We went salsa dancing, ate bagels and pizza, bargained for Mayan clothing and jewelry, and took touristy photos.

The Zocolo (main plaza)

Rachel and I strike a pose

One of the many gorgeous, cafe filled streets of San Cris

Trying on the best PJ pants ever at the market (don't worry, I bought them)

At the beginning of my experience in Tapachula I was reading the blogs of my friends in San Cris and laughed a little (sorry guys!) They were so taken in my this beautiful, romanticized city. I was having basically the opposite experience so I guess maybe I just didn't get it. San Cris is well-known for being a hub of Zapatista activity, specifically as the site of some of the rebellions after NAFTA in 1994. Since then, people from all over the world have flooded the city to be a part of the movement and aid the campesinos. Now I see why. The Zapatista struggle for the basic right of land and for someone to listen to their voices is inspiring. Not to mention Subcomandante Marcos is pretty cute. Sunday morning we ate at this little cafe called "Tierra Adentro" which is surrounded by stores selling products made by campesinos and organic food. My coffee, juice, and omelette were perfect. The placemats are filled with inspiring quotes from all over the world that embody the Zapatista movement. It reminded me of why I came here in the first place. Not just to learn about Mexico or improve my Spanish, but to get to know and understand a group of people and help create change.

Posing with my "Tres Chocolates" at a French bakery

Chorizo Omelette..best decision ever.

Ombeline and I on the streets of San Cris, convent roomies reunited!

On the long ride home through the mountains, I felt so content and lucky. Here I am, living in this hot city known as the armpit of Mexico doing what I love, speaking a language I hope to be fluent in someday, making new friends, eating delicious food, and doing good. Could it get any better than this?

Mamita, pues!

Today was back to work but the day actually went by pretty fast. Rachel and I bought some stuff for the kids at Wal-Mart yesterday so we were pretty excited to bring it in for them to use. The big hit today was the hula hoop. Check out one of the girls rocking my shades and hula-hooping! 

Also, by popular demand, here are some super exciting (note: this is sarcasm) pictures of our apartment. It's not super glamourous, but I like it!

Outside of the apartment

Kitchen!
  

Bedroom..check out my sweet mattress on the floor. Livin' the high life in Tapachula!

Friday night we went out with some of our new Mexican friends from Ibero, which was really fun! 

Now, the awful traveler that I am, I totally spaced and didn't take any pictures at the beach. This would be more upsetting except that I definitely plan to go back to Playa Linda again. And again and again. Mostly because it is a part of my quest to look like less of a "güera"(a white, blond person). It's a different kind of beach experience because the actual sand is kind of dirty and the waves are way too strong to swim in. Now, this sounds lame, but I promise it's not! We rented a palapa, which is like a cabana for only 90 pesos ($9!) which had waiter service (fish tacos! shrimp cocktail!) and a hammock! And, I managed not to get sunburnt! One of Julia's coworkers drove us, which was great because she also gave us a tour of Puerto Chiapas, where the cruise ships come in.

This week it's pretty much all work all day but hopefully I get a chance to hang around some cafes, drink horchata (one of my new obsessions) and eat esquites in the plaza (yet another obsession!)

Livin' la Vida Gringa

I've been in Tapachula about a week now and am settling into a routine, so I figured it was time for an update!

Let me start off by saying that the city itself really isn't very nice to look at. In fact, it's ugly. I've read this in guidebooks and it's been reiterated by most Mexicans (including native Tapachulans!) that I've talked to. It's sometimes known as the armpit of Chiapas. Despite this, I've totally fallen in love with this place. Seems weird, but I think the reason behind my endearment for this hot, sticky, not-so-aesthetically-pleasing city can be summed up in these two words: "buena gente" which for all you gringo readers means "good people." Now some of you (specifically my father, shout out to the one and only Daddy Cutts) may be going "What???? I told her not to let her guard down or trust people easily! What is she doing??" Do not worry, I am not wandering the streets at night or making friends with the various men who shout "Hello ladies!" or "I love you!" from their cars or windows. But, I have met a lot of people through work or just asking for directions who not only nice, but helpful and enthusiastic. Everyone is proud of their city and when they realize that they're talking to a foreigner (which is pretty much instantly) they want to share what they love about Tapachula. They want to know where we've been, what kind of food we've tried etc. and are always full of suggestions for things to do. It's nice to feel so welcomed.

Another thing about Tapachula that is impossible to ignore is the focus there is on the United States. Granted, our world is globalized and NAFTA, whatever your opinion on it, has brought all things U.S.A even here to the armpit of Chiapas which most Americans couldn't find on a map. (Please note: I had no idea that Tapachula or Chiapas existed before this so I'm aware that I'm a part of the problem) But the focus on the U.S. here is about more than the Wal-Mart, the Sam's Club, or the Domino's, all of which can be found along a lovely strip on the outskirts of the city that looks similar to something you'd find in suburban American. Every taxi driver, waiter, person I work with etc. has lived in the US, has family or friends there, or wants to go. One man told us that before moving to LA he had a vision that it was like Beverly Hills 90210 everywhere. I've heard about the illusive "American Dream" before but hearing about it firsthand really proved to me that the concept that emigrating to the US can solve all of your problems is so true for many people.

Anyway, I started work on Monday at the DIF Municipal, which is a government organization. I wasn't anticipating working for the government and at first the idea didn't totally sit well with me. Politics here are pretty corrupt and I felt conflicted that my time and energy would be wasted on an agency whose mission I couldn't support. I felt even more conflicted when, on the first day of work, all of the students doing social service work at DIF this summer were taken to a welcome breakfast at this gorgeous hotel high above the city to meet with the president of the organization. Breakfast was delicious, but it was awkward listening to these women explain that they have a hard time feeding the children they care for or finding enough funding to for their programs. I know that things like this happen in the US too and a lot of it is a public relations thing, like "Oh look at us as this organization, here's a flow chart and our mission statement, please support us." This was weird because we had already committed our time to them and didn't really need convincing. But despite this discomfort, I'm really enjoying my time at DIF (if someone had told me that on Monday evening when I came back to the apartment totally drained I would not have believed them but, it's true). And why? Buena gente. Not necessarily the people at the top, but I don't really interact with or see them. But everyone else? I'm moved by their dedication to the community. Let me explain.

So DIF does a lot of things, but it's basic mission is to offer support to the community in whatever ways possible. The office part of the building is really the smallest part, most of the space is dedicated to serving people. Downstairs are the administrative offices, a daycare (whose fees are on a sliding scale based on what families can afford), physical therapy, and a nursing home. The nursing home is pretty depressing because all of the old people have been abandoned by their families and have no one to care for them, but DIF does a lot of community building and activities with them. Upstairs is where I work, Casa Camas, which houses abandoned and abused children. There are also a bunch of rooms dedicated to teaching vocational skills.

Now, for more on Casa Camas. I work there with Rachel one of the other AU students and Caro, who is one of the Ibero students. About 15 children live there right now, ages ranging from 4 months to 14 years old. Each child has a sad story to tell, but most have been abandoned by their parents or abused and brought to DIF by a neighbor or other relative. The area is L-shaped, and one leg of the "L" is the girls side and the other leg is the boys side. Each side consists of a long hallway and then about 8 rooms which include a bathroom, kitchen and bedrooms. The kids are not allowed to leave unsupervised so there is a locked gate keeping them from the leaving and bars on the windows. It's definitely a depressing atmosphere. There is a group of women who come in in shifts to cook, clean, do laundry etc. Rachel, Caro and I have been talking to these women a lot and they've been helpful in giving us an understanding of how things work. Again, buena gente. They are all so busy cleaning and everything, they really don't have time to play with the kids or give them attention. It's really sad, but after being there for a week I can tell you that it is definitely the reality. At first I was worried that I would be basically babysitting all day, running around after the kids. And yes, part of what I'm doing is sort of like babysitting. At the same time, we've noticed that is a lot that can be done to give the kids a better experience, so Rachel, Caro, and I are working toward that. Casa Camas also has two psychologists who are there all day. One isn't around very much and just got a promotion so we'll actually be working with someone new on Monday but the other women is very helpful and cares so much about the kids.

One weird thing about DIF is that, as far as I understand, when the government changes party's or there's an election, many of the positions change and new people come in. As a result, a lot of the workers have only been there since January. To me, this seems totally inefficient. How can an organization function when the leadership is constantly changing?

And the kids. They are insane. Running, yelling, throwing things, fighting. But at the same time, they're great. It was sad to leave yesterday, which surprised me. I've been thinking a lot about what they're doing today and how their weekend's are going. On Thursday two kids came, I'm not sure if they're brother and sister, but anyway, it broke my heart. The little boy has the brightest smile ever. He is hilarious and cute and so so so kind to the other kids. He has these awful marks all over his neck because his mother used to tie him up so she could beat him. But here he is, hopeful, smiling, polite. And every kid has a story like this, something so awful that I can't even imagine and don't want to think about it. But that's the reality that these kids live every day. I really just hope that my time at DIF this summer can make their lives better and help them grow and survive.

Which reminds me of the cheesiest thing ever: the starfish song. Today we went to the Playa Linda on our day off (more about that in a later post--so amazing!) but I was thinking, "Wow, I'm on a beach in Mexico!" and I was reminded of this song we used to sing at closing campfire at Girl Scout camp. It starts off something like "On a beach there in Mexico.." (which is why I thought of it) and it goes on to tell the story of this little girl throwing starfish that are washed up on the beach back into the ocean. This old man comes along and asks her why she's doing that. He tells her that there are too many starfish washed up for her to ever make a dent and save them all. She replies that it doesn't matter if she only picks up one starfish because with that one action, she's made a difference in the one life. I'm pretty sure that the old man ends up helping her but I can't remember. Even though it's completely cheesy and I usually hate getting too touchy-feely about stuff, that song really rings true to me right now. Granted, maybe I'm just looking for something to make me feel better about the awful truth that is the situations so many people across the globe are in, but at the same time don't think that's it. If my time here results in making life better for these kids, then it's more than worth it. Well, cheers to Girl Scout camp for teaching me some great life lessons!

I'm off to bed since I had a long night last night and a long day in the sun today, but I'll try to update some tomorrow with pictures of the apartment and some less depressing stuff about the beach here and all of the great people I've met! Night!

It is hot, hot hot!

So, after a final day in Mexico City spent at orientation at Ibero and then visiting the UNAM, the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. UNAM is huge, like bigger than UMASS huge. It has over 200,000 students. It wasn't too busy because they're only in summer classes but there were still students everywhere. It's a good school just like Ibero, but very different. It's public and free to those who live in Mexico D.F.

Friday morning we headed to the airport to fly to Tapachula. After checking in, we went to the terminal and found that even though our flight was scheduled to leave in an hour we hadn't been assigned a gate yet. We waited with about a half hour for them to post our gate, but I was surprised that they didn't post it ahead of time. I could imagine that situation happening in the United States and people freaking out that there it was disorganized. I wouldn't call it disorganized though, more like mellow.

Deboarding the plane in Tapachula felt like hitting a wall of heat. Unlike Mexico City it's a sticky, punishing heat. I don't think I'm ever going to get used to it, but we'll see. It rains pretty much every afternoon and cools everything down which is nice.

Our apartment is really nice, with AC and wireless. It's got a lot of space and is in a nice, central area of town. Last night, we went out and explored the two main squares. It's very different here than Mexico City. It's much smaller and less urban. The most noticeable difference is that as a group we stick out more. Tapachula isn't exactly a tourist destination and it's pretty clear they aren't used to a group of blondes wandering around. We get a lot of stares, but I think it's mostly out of curiosity rather than animosity. The main plaza, Plaza Hidalgo is busy and filled with vendors from all different backgrounds. Last night Rachel and I ended up talking with this man selling painted coconuts who had lived all over the US: Boston, LA, and North Carolina. He had come back to be with his girlfriend (maybe?) and child. They don't have papers, so for now they're here in Tapachula. It made me think about what my experience at DIF will be like, working with migrant and displaced children. I'm sure I will hear a lot of depressing stories, but will hopefully see some good things too.

I start work on Monday morning and am very nervous and excited. I don't really know what I'll be responsible for so it will be reassuring to get a better idea. Tomorrow we're going to relax most of the day so that will be a nice change of pace!

Mexico City: Days 3,4, and 5

So I know you've all been on the edge of your seats wondering if my luggage ever came and yes, it did! I appreciate my own clothes so much but shout out to Ombeline for letting me borrow her clothes!

A great end to a great day? Arriving home to my suitcase!!

Monday we got up early and we to the university, Universidad Iberoamericana for our first day of orientation. It's about an hour away from the convent by taxi, but I didn't mind since I got to see so much of the city. The school is located in what's called the Silicon Valley of Mexico D.F. and the nickname makes sense. It's on top of a hill and all gated in, but the neighborhood is completely different than every other one I've been in since I arrived. It's home to the HP headquarters, Santander bank, Roche Brothers, etc. There is even a Chili's restaurant (I almost want to go and see if their food is the same...). Anyway, we got the university and ate breakfast in the cafeteria. And guess what they had? Only the best breakfast food in the universe: omelets. I was so pumped and it lived up to my TDR-level expectations--delicious! We took a tour of the university which is gorgeous, but also very big and confusing. All of the buildings are connected. Mexican students usually live at home until they get married so there are no dorms. Next, we had a two hour run-down of Mexican history from this awesome professor of communications named Juan Eduardo. He informed us that pretty much everyone in Mexico is named Juan and Maria. Another fun fact that I was unaware of: the Zocólo, the main plaza of the city with the palace and the cathedral is actually built on top of ruins. And not ruins like, oh there used to be something here and they tore it down. I mean legitimately built on top of a bunch of pyramids. Insane.

We spent the afternoon wandering around the city after discovering that basically all of the museums close on Mondays. We went back to the Zocólo and went in the cathedral and wandered around the main plaza. What I didn't notice Saturday night is the number of people camped out in the center of the plaza protesting a variety of mistreatments. Whether they were asking for workers rights, better education, or an end to the drug war, they were all living together in tents in the middle of the plaza outside the national palace. Fascinating. We ended up eating dinner at this sort of touristy place overlooking the plaza, but it was worth the tourist factor. The food was great, I had sopes which are sort of like a small tortilla with different toppings, mine had spicy shredded beef and some type of fruit on the top? It was delicious and I also got guacamole which was delicious. Not to mention, we were eating on a roof with an amazing view of the Zocólo and the surrounding neighborhood. After that, we went over to the Palacio de Bellas Artes and people-watched outside for a while before heading home on the metro.

View of the Catedral Nacional from my dinner table

On Tuesday, we got up early and headed with the group from Loyola Chicago to Teotihuacán to climb the pyramids of the sun and the moon. We had a chartered bus and tour guide, which was pretty interesting because on the way out of the city he detailed all of the things we were seeing. The mountains along the city limits are covered in small houses, all along the side. Our guide told us that when people get married, they build additions above their parents houses, so many of the houses are awkwardly high.

Teotihuacán itself was beautiful. It's crazy to imagine that at some point an entire civilization lived there. Hiking the pyramids was tough, but the view and the experience was worth it.

On top of the Piramide de la Luna

View of the Piramide de la Luna from Piramide del Sol

 

On our way out of Teotihuacán we stopped at this touristy restaurant just outside the park and the food was pretty gross. Even our bus driver (a big Mexican man named Alejandro) didn't feel so hot afterward. It made me grateful that I've been eating delicious, pretty authentic food so far. Then we stopped at this farm that uses cactus plants to make a number of things, many tequila and textiles. It was so cool to see how one plant can be turned into an actual product. Then we headed back to the city and took a guided tour of the Palacio Nacional. It was beautiful, but the most striking thing were Diego Rivera's murals which are all over the palace and are a visual representation of Mexican history.

One of Diego Rivera's murals in the national palace

We took the metro back, which was sort of a new experience because it was during rush hour. During rush hour they have a women's only section, which was different. All of a sudden we realized that we were the only women on the platform and there was a collective "OHHHH" from the group when we realized it was rush hour. The car was much calmer and less aggressive than before, definitely an interesting change. Also, if I do say so myself, we're becoming pros at the metro.

Today we went back to the university for orientation with all 300 Mexican students participating in our program. Definitely overwhelming. Not sure if I've said this yet, but I'm getting used to sticking out. With my blond hair and blue eyes it's pretty clear that I'm a gringa, but it's definitely weird to get stared at everywhere I go. Anyway, orientation went pretty smoothly and I got to meet the Mexican students I'll be working with, which was exciting. Everyone was really friendly and I'm excited to get to know them better.

We had lunch at the university which was pretty good. One of the things I had was rice with a egg (over easy) which was great and reminded me of Spain where I ate egg on everything. I tried to order something called a "Cape Cod" at the juice bar on campus but they were out of blood oranges, so I couldn't get it. This made no sense to me because I have never eaten a blood orange on Cape Cod.

We spent the afternoon at the Museo de Anthropología, which is HUGE. It showcases indigenous cultures that are extinct but also ones that are still around. The most interesting was the Chiapas section because that's where I'll be going, so it was good to put a visual to all of the reading I've been doing. We metroed back and decided to try some street fruit near the convent (and yes Mom and Dad, I know that it could possibly have bacteria but we watched it get peeled in front of us and the man was very clean and had bottled water not tap don't worry!) The mangoes looked so good we decided to risk maybe getting sick for the sake of the mango and building up our stomachs. It's been about 4 hours and so far so good.

Tomorrow is our last day of orientation and then we're off to Tapachula on Friday morning! Crazy! Rachel and I will be working at the same site and we found out yesterday that it is less of an office and more of a community center. We'll be working pretty closely with kids which will be great. Can't wait to see what Chiapas has in store for me!

Convent Living-Days 1 and 2

So I've currently been in Mexico for roughly 24 hours and I am still in shock. It's been kind of a whirlwind: I got a call 8 hours before my flight that it had been cancelled and was re-routed through Miami (which wasn't all bad, they have a Pizza Hut). I arrived in Mexico only to find that my bag hadn't made it onto the plane to Mexico. Perfect. But luckily, Lynn Cutts taught me to be prepared, so I had an extra outfit in my carry-on.

I met up with the group and we headed to the taxi stand and ended up in an SUV taxi to the convent where we are staying for the week. Mexico City is busy and loud, but surprisingly American. I've already seen a Wal-Mart, McDonalds, Dominos, Subway, Starbucks, and Burger King.

My room at the convent

The convent is actually the cutest place ever. It's run by a group of old nuns who are friendly, helpful and so sweet. It has this great center courtyard with a breeze! It's dorm style, with a bunch of rooms in a hallway and a communal bathroom. The bathroom and shower are nicer than I was expecting, but it's definitely an adjustment from what I'm used to. First of all, the plumbing is so old that you can't flush toilet paper at all, you have to throw it in the trash which a. grosses me out and b. I always forget to do, so I'm secretly worried that I am going break the pipes or something? So, I'll work on that. I didn't think it would be an issue that the water isn't safe here, I basically drink bottled water anyway. But, guess what you have to use water for? Brushing your teeth. Our hallway has this giant jug of bottled water so I can take a cup of that and use it at the sink but it's totally against my routine so I keep forgetting and turning on the water.  So, we'll see how that goes. 

After we settled in, the group headed out to the Zócolo in the heart of the city where the Palacio Nacional and the Catedral Metropolitana are located. We metroed there, which was an experience. It is crowded and hectic and sort of a free for all. In DC there are unwritten rules of the metro, like don't escalefting, wait for everyone to get off before you get on, etc. There are no rules in Mexico City. When you try to get off, there's a wave of people trying to get on. I've gotten used to it, but it's different. What's weird is that people are aggressive, but they are friendly about it, not like angry American commuters. The most interesting/strange thing: these two boys holding T-shirts full of glass. When there was an open space on the floor of the train, they lay down the shirts and somersault onto the glass. They both had scars all down their backs. No one on the train, even Mexicans, seemed to understand why.

We walked around a little and headed to dinner at the famous Cafe Tacuba, which was delicious and also a fun place to eat. It's been around since 1912 and is decorated in traditional Mexican style. We even got serenaded while we ate!

Enchiladas Especiales de Tacuba

This morning, we woke up bright and early to a delicious breakfast prepared by nuns: chocolate, croissants, fresh fruit and picalitos which are sort of small tortillas with beans, salsa, and cheese on them. We went on the metro to Coyoacán to see Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivero's house, Casa Azul, which is now a museum. It was beautiful and had a garden in the center. The museum was set up like the house was when she was alive and it was gorgeous. There was this amazing daybed looking out over the garden and all I could think was that if I lived there I would sit all day and read and sleep. 

After the museum we went to the Plaza Hidalgo and wandered around. Then we went to the Museo Nacional de Culturas Populares, which showcased a range of indigenous art from across Mexico. 

We also tried churros y chocolate!

Then time for lunch, my favorite part of the day. We decided to try a hole-in-the-wall taco place over a touristy restaurant, which was definitely the right choice. It specialized in Oaxacan food and they make everything, even the tortillas right in front of you. I ordered a sampling platter with an enchilada de mole, taco oaxaqueno, chorizo, and rice and beans. Delicious. 

Well, that's all for now. I'm off to sleep and little before dinner and hope that my luggage arrives! 

Hasta luego!