Dancing with God

Links:

*God is Everywhere* New music video that I made with my friend, Shon!

*FB album: Valentine’s Day*

*ITESG ECC FB page*

February 8 (Day 173)

I found out that I was accepted in to Webster University’s Global Masters of Arts in International Relations. Although Webster University is based in St. Louis, MO, that is not where I would be located. This program would allow me to complete a Masters degree in 11 months and travel to five different countries: the Netherlands, Austria, English, Switzerland, and China. I have not decided if that is what I am going to do, but it was a huge blessing! Thank you to Mary Tolar and Anita Cortez for writing the letters of recommendation. For more information about this program, click here.

February 9 (Day 174)

Today was the first day of English Classes at Trigo y Miel this year!

February 12 (Day 177)

I am not going to lie. I have missed baked goods tremendously! Due to this, I decided to make Chocolate Chip cookies and brownies for the ITESG Conversation Club. It was my first time making desserts without a professional baker standing right next to me! 

February 13 (Day 178)

After a dessert amount of hours next to an oven, I finally was able to have the students test the desserts. It was a huge hit! As a matter of fact, brownies and chocolate chip cookies were demolished in less than 20 minutes. News really traveled fast!

February 14 (Day 179)

-School: So, in Mexico, Valentine’s Day is known as the Day of Love and Friendship. I enjoyed telling the students about how Valentine’s Day in the States is better known as Singles Awareness Day. Although I am single, I absolutely love this day! I delivered little Valentine’s made by the Conversation Club exec to its members. It was fun J

-Singles Celebration: Notice the irony in the following statement. Every year, I have a singles’dinner with my friends back home. I did not want this tradition to die. So, I call my friend Raquel and we planned a little gathering of friends mostly from church (I also invited some of my students). I was surprised when about 15 people showed up! We ate sandwiches and played games. I tried to teach them signs, but they hated it! It was quite sad. :-/

-Karaoke/Dancing: It was not in my original plan, but I decided to go to the Centro with my students in the evening. I taught one of them what I knew about Salsa and we all had a blast! We got back at about 4 in the morning and two of the ladies crashed at my house because they lived pretty far from the town center.  

February 18 (Day 183)

-So, due to a complicated payment system that I do not feel obligated to explain…I found myself living for six months off of three months’ pay. As you may recall, I also took a pretty extravagant Winter Break trips. Since my funds were depleted, I had a somewhat “Forced” Sabbath. It ended up being a huge blessing in disguise. I stayed home all day, reading Redeeming Love. It was very good for my soul to lose myself in a book.

February 19 (Day 184)

-Got paid! Having limited funds really gave me an opportunity to see a new perspective. However, it was not very enjoyable at all!

My buddy from Chicago, Amanda, sent me a text saying that there is a free Salsa class in town. I was so excited! When we got there, the instructor gave us a huge schpeel about committing. He told us he was sick of starting at the basics because of the new people. I was so discouraged because when I did something wrong, he keeps yelling, “NO!” But halfway through the class, he stopped. He told me, “You have rhythm and dance very well. Once I teach you more complicated steps, you will be great.” Now, I just need to hunt for a good male dancer to travel with me wherever I go!

February 21 (Day 186)

The same day that I got paid, my friend Mabel, sent me a text saying that the price of airfare to go to Costa Rica went down! I hustled to the travel agency and bought it before I changed my mind. I am so excited to see missionaries that I met in Kansas City as well as my former Mission Adelante boss’ family (they are on Sabbatical). On top of that, I will be reunited with a girl named Laura, who was in my house church last year.

While in the centro, I got a call from one of my first friends here in Guanajuato. We went out for coffee and she told me why I have not heard from her in a long time. She has been have family problems and I was excited hear that she was looking for the Lord. We then had a very long spiritual conversation and I left interested to see how the Lord was going to impact her life.

Guanajuato has had a mini fair over the last couple of weeks. I say “mini” because I was surprised to learn that there was NO food. I decided to go with my new friend, Paco. When we got there, he notified me that he is afraid of the rides. I couldn’t help but laugh…a lot. He pointed out a ride that was the equivalent to Cyclone Sam at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City. I must admit that I judged him, until I got on it. About one minute in, it clicked that I was in México on an ANCIENT ride. Let’s be honest, I don’t even go on fair rides in the States. His fear was completed validated because I will not be doing that again…EVER.

Update:

**Conversation Club**

The last few weeks have not gone by too well. I need to figure out a way to spark a fire under the butts of the leaders as well as the students in the school. I can’t believe I have had more students at tutoring sessions than Conversation Club!

**Church**

I have been spending a lot of time at church recently. Finally, I have built a strong community (unfortunately, I only have 3 months left). This week we will start a Conversation Table on Thursdays and I am interested to see who shows up.

**My Birthday**

Originally, my goal was to get out of Guanajuato for my birthday. I had a fear that I would be stuck at home, with nothing to do. However, I have decided to have a little faith. So, on Friday, March 1^st, I will be here. However, just in case it is a bust, I already have plans to leave on Saturday!

Love you all lots,

Sirenita

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Life is a dance toward God, I begin to think. And the dance is not so graceful as we might want. While we glide and swing our practiced sway, God crowds our feet, bumps our toes, and scuffs our shoes. So we learn to dance with the One who made us. And it is difficult dance to learn, because its steps are foreign." -Donald Miller 

Better Late Than Never

It has been a very looong time since I last updated my blog. As I am sure you would have guessed, I have been ridiculously busy. Nonetheless, I have neglected my duty as a representative of the United States. It is my role to update you all on what exactly is going on with me, here in México. That will be my last crazy-long hiatus. I will warn you, this post is either going to be too short without enough details OR a novel. Good luck :-P

November 28-December 13 (Days 101-116)

*Light Party* Instead of Halloween, the churches in Guanajuato had something called a Light Party. It pretty much was an opportunity to share the Gospel with young people in the city. They showed the famous Lighthouse skit along with the presentation of the message. I finally got to break out the Halloween costume and went as a Hip Hop Angel. It was great.

*Guadalajara* I needed a bit of a break, so I took a trip to Guadalajara by myself. It was cool because being alone allowed me to make friends with people from Mexico City that were staying in the same hostel. The best part of this trip was getting to see my ahijada Ana Saraí. I have been sponsoring her since high school. She is ten years old now, and so awesome! She loves to sing karaoke and dance, so we are pretty much a match made in heaven. She is one of five, each sibling has a sponsor. They kept telling me that I was the first to come and see her. I almost cried when I first got there and her three-year-old brother cried out, “Tia! (aunt).” All in all, I will be going back to visit for sure!

*Juguetón* Before closing out the school year, the tecnológico put on an event for kids from a nearby elementary school. Each of the professors/students brought a toy that we gave away to the kids at the end. In addition, one of my coworkers put on a weird spin of the Nativity Story with his drama club. Let’s just say Beyonce’s song Single Ladies was a part of the skit. I absolutely loved it!

*San Miguel de Allende* When my dad was in town, I met a girl from Chicago named Amanda. Well, for her birthday, I took her to a nearby city in the state of Guanajuato and surprised her with Horseback riding! She is a Midwest girl at heart and she loved every minute of it. We ended the day eating delicious Indian food. Even though it was her birthday gift, the day of relaxation was something we both needed.

*Training/Teacher Party* So, at first I was kind of upset when I found out I would have to stay in town longer to go to a two-day teacher training. However, the first night I had a three-course meal, won an iPod shuffle, and danced the night away with my coworkers. The second day consisted of get to know you/team-building activities. It was very interesting for me to see leadership from the other side. It was hard trying to do challenge courses as the only non-native Spanish speaker. It was a good lesson for me to learn for sure.

December 14-January 11 (Days 117-145)

So, the truth is there is no way that I could describe all the wonderful things that occurred during Christmas Break. Check out the pictures and this video that Shon and I made. Here are the highlights:

• Went to: Acapulco, Hidalgo, Puebla, Mexico City, La Preciosita, Oaxaca, and Chiapas.
• Christmas: My friend Carlos was in Hidalgo, so Amanda and I went to spend Christmas with him and his wonderful family!
• New Year’s: We brought in New Years in my favorite spot, Mazunte Beach, located on the Oaxacan coast. The people are amazing and who doesn’t love the beach?

January 19 (Day 153)

Saturday morning, bright and early, I went to a place in Guanajuato called Los Picachos with friends from church, Raquel and Abraham. We climbed this crazy mountain in order to pray by a cross. The view was unbelievable and you can see all of Guanajuato (including the suburbs). The bad part was…when we got to the bottom, I realized that I had left my camera at the top! My friend, Abraham went back up, but he could not find it. I went up, but it was no use. The miracle happened when a family called down to me and said that they found my camera!

January 21-26 (Days 155-160)

Due to the scholarship program that I am a part of, I got to go to Mexico City and Cuernavaca, all expenses paid. On top of that, they put all of up in a master suites, not to mention buffets galore! It was really nice. Additionally, I got to reunite with the ABSOLUTELY amazing México ETAs. Who knew I would bond so much with people that I have only seen two or three separate occasions? We also got to meet the ETAs that were serving in the Dominican Republic and Ecuador. While in Cuernavaca, we all presented about our progress. Most of us had many cultural shock moments and it ended up being more like a therapy session. But everyone needs to complain every once in a while, right?

Getting back from my trip, I called my Pastor. I remember that the church talked about a conference that would take place in Celaya, GTO. Well, she told me to hop in a taxi and I could meet her. One thing I should probably mention is that I had not eaten for hours and had acquired a bit of a cold from the previous trip. Arriving to the conference center, I learned that we would actually be spending the night. I had nothing with me and I was incredibly moody. Looking back, I feel terrible for my bad attitude. I am still adjusting to the lax nature of the people here.

January 27-February 6-today (Days 161-171)

*Convo Club* It is a new year, and I was so pumped to see that we had members show up to our first meeting! We are so official now because we have a Facebook page! Please take the time to like it…if you have made it this far in the post. Currently, we are the process of planning for the Valentine’s Day party we going to have here at the Tec.

*Church* I have been attending Trigo y Miel and loving it. I am excited because the youth group is starting to form a deeper bond. Right now, we are reading the Making of a Leader which is intense! On a side note, I am preparing a sermon to share on a Sunday about discipleship and I am quite nervous about it. However, God is faithful!

*Social Life* This Saturday, I have planned a dancing/singing Karaoke extravaganza. It will be good because I have not done anything since vacation. I have realized through the planning that I have actually made friends here in Guanajuato. Which means that…I am going to miss people. A LOT.

*Travel* Unfortunately, I do not think I will be able to go to the Yucatan like I originally had planned. I, first of all, do not have the money. AND, I really want to go to Dallas and Costa Rica during our Two Week Spring Break (Holy Week is awesome).

All in all, I am blessed and continue learning more about God and his character. I will write again soon! I fly home May 24^th and have been in the process of deciding the next step. I am applying to jobs as well as grad schools and will keep you all updated as soon as I know what is in store in the near future.

Much love,

Sirenita

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Let me have too deep a sense of humor to ever be proud. Let me know my absurdity before I act absurdly. Let me realize that when I am humble I am most human, most truthful, and most worthy of your consideration. Amen."

- A prayer by Daniel Lord, S.J.

Exceling in Equilibrium

My recently posted videos:

 Teaching English in Guanajuato

A talk about purity that I wrote...

November 1-4 (Days 74-77)

*Leon and Queretaro*

So my friend from Quebec (Karine) and I decided to take the weekend to travel to Leon and Queretaro. Leon is a city in the state of Guanajuato with about 2 million people. It is huge in comparison to the city of Guanajuato where I live. It is also known for having quality (yet cheap) shoes. Well since I have been wearing the same worn-out flats for almost four months, I decided it was time to invest in some new leather boots. We get there and I realize that all the boots I saw were either really cheap material, expensive, or not in my size. I finally settled for decently priced pleather boots that looked like they would last (I was desperate, ok?)!

That night in our hostel, we ended up sharing a room with three Architecture students getting their Master’s degree. They were so cool and we ended up having a deep conversation about Machismo, politics, and religion. It was crazy, but so much fun.

The next day, Karine and I headed to Queretaro. There, we met up with another ETA who lives there, Kayla. Queretaro was absolutely beautiful, but it rained so much! Instead of seeing more of the city, Kayla invited her friends over. I ended up meeting a guy who is trying to get an Engineering job in Wichita, KS named Wolfgang. I am not even kidding. He was so nice…and completely decked out in leather (jacket and pants). All in all, it was a good time…but Karine and I have decided that we must go back!

November 16-19 (Days 89-92)

*Monterrey*

There is no way I can be in México without visiting my beloved Monterrey! After all, I do have family there. ;-) So, I took an overnight bus to get there, but later found out that I could’ve flown Aerobus at a cheaper price. Well...next time I suppose.

The highlight of my trip was eating Little Caesar’s pizza, a donut from 711, and iHop! Mmmm…did I mention that I cannot do my 10k because there is not more space? I probably have gained 5 pounds since finding out! Haha!

It was also great getting to see my friends married after almost a decade of dating! They truly took good care of me and I plan on going back next semester sometime.

November 20-23 (Days 93-96)

*After months of waiting, my dad finally came to visit for his Thanksgiving break! Unfortunately his plan arrived to Mexico City at 10:30PM, so he spent the night with my friend Roberto. The night before I had written him a letter with every detail he would need to make it to Guanajuato. He finally arrived the next day, extremely tired. Being tired is not a good thing for a city like Guanajuato. My house was not exactly in the best location for a sleep-deprived 57 year old man. So, after eating Mediterranean food, we pretty much called it a night.

*The next day was awesome! I took my dad to work with me and he give a talk to the professors about psychometrics. What I thought was originally boring as all get out, actually proved to be quite the opposite. My coworkers were asking questions and interested in learning more which made my day. That evening, we went to karaoke. It was so great to see about 15 people that I had met during my time here in México. And what an eclectic group it was: fellow professors, people from the States, friends I had made at Cervantino, etc.

*Unfortunately my daddy had to leave bright and early the next morning. Even if we only got to hang out for 1.5 days…it was so worth it!

November 26-27 (Days 99-100)

*Big Move*

So my dad helped me realize that I wanted my own kitchen and I HATED climbing up that hill. So, I told my friend from church, Yis, that I was looking for a place. In less than three days, I found a new place, paid my first month of rent in advance and moved in. It was one of the best decisions I have made while in México. I will upload a video of the new digs later this week.

The family that lives here is nice! There is a high schooler that I have started to run with (even though he kicks my butt every time) and teach English to. Additionally, I have made a new friend with my neighbor who works with the government. The only down side about where I live is the fact that I have to wait 15-30 minutes for the bus, which I can definitely handle!

What’s New?

*School

Now that we have our exec board for the English Conversation Club, I have been using our meetings to teach leadership. I am so excited because this week, my students are coming over to show me how to make chicken tacos! After eating, we will plan a schedule for next semester’s conversation club.

*Church

This Sunday, we will have a Light Party. It will be an opportunity for people to hear about Jesus. But we get to dress up. I will be starring as a hip hop angel!

Additionally, I am looking into starting a women’s Bible study next semester which should be a blast.

*Social Life

I have finally finding people to hang out with outside of karaoke. Moving to a new place where I can cook for people has been awesome! I am so excited to see which of these friends that I have made will be life-long.

Coming up

*Sunday, I leave for Guadalajara! There I will finally meet the Ana Saraí who have I been sponsoring for four years. I am a little nervous, but EXTREMELY excited!

*Winter break for me officially begins the second week of December. Then I will travel almost all of southern México. With my new friend Amanda, we will go to Acapulco, Pachuca, and Puebla for Christmas. Then my friends from K-State (Mary and Shon) will join us in visiting La Preciosita (where I was in 2010), Oaxaca, and we will spend New Year’s in Chiapas! Finally, we will head back to Guanajuato and prepare to start the next semester!

Keep me in your prayers because I know God has been taking care of me!

LeondeDios--Ariel

Living in Abundance

Remember me talking about CRAZY the Cervantino festival was? Well, check out the video that I made, and see if you agree!


Thursday, October 18 (Day 60)
So, those of you who have kept close contact with me know that I have been searching for people my age who love Jesus. Well, we had a "youth conference" for three days. Here, youth means anywhere from age 13 to 25, which is like four different walks of life. Nonetheless, I met some cool young people in their 20s from churches all over Guanajuato. It truly was an answer to prayer. Some of them just really took me under their wing and for the first time I felt like people in Mexico knew my real personality. 

Friday, October 19 (Day 61)
So I was in the bus station waiting for some Fulbrighters to get into town when I saw a very sad scene. 
There was this little girl trying to get her father's attention multiple times. He constantly tells her to hush, or outright ignores her. His son on the other hand, he turns to and asks to come sit right by him. He fondly puts his arm around him and gives him a kiss on the cheek. Then all of a sudden, I see the daughter stand up and go to her father. It looks as if he had invited her over...or so I thought. Much to my dismay, she just had to go to the bathroom. With a flick of the wrist, he dismisses her. 
What message do you think that sends to each child? Praise God, that I was given an earthly father who reflects His character. I never had to ask for approval nor attention. My dad just gave it to me, automatically. Even now, at age 21, he manages to show me that he loves me as much as my little brother. Can't wait to see you in November dad!

Sunday, October 21 (Day 63)
So a couple Fulbrighters wanted to join me at Trigo y Miel for the Sunday service. It was so great worshipping alongside two brothers from the US. They loved it as much as I always do. The only downside is that we had guest speaker from Colombia that talked REALLY fast. The funny part was when we acted out the parable of the Good Samaritan and they selected me to play the role of the Good Samaritan. Oh the irony!
Additionally, Cervantino finally ended! PRAISE GOD!!!

Friday, October 26 (Day 68)
So my church, Trigo y Miel, had a Tabernacle Party (roughly translated). Essentially, this consists of worship all night and camping out. Although someone had to pick me up on the road because I couldn't originally find it...it was a blast! It was so great getting to know more people in the congregation. The only craziness was when Lupita (the pastor's wife) made me sing How He Loves on Karaoke. It was very intense and downright terrifying. 

Sunday, October 28 (Day 70)
I went with some people (from Comunidad Cristiana) that I met from the Youth Conference to play at a local sports center. Here are my discoveries: I am a decent defender in soccer; in Mexico, I am comparable to Michael Jordan in basketball; and I barely got enough time to play volleyball, but the random dudes I joined invited me back next Sunday. On the downside, I broke four finger nails! gah...

Tuesday, October 30 (Day 72)
My biggest highlight was seeing a guy wearing a KC hat and another guy in a Cardinals jacket. I have been waiting to see people wearing sports memorabilia from home and I almost jumped out of the bus when I saw it!!!

TODAY...Wednesday, October 31 (Day 73)
It's Halloween! There are a lot of people here that are anti-Halloween. It is just another example of how the US invades apparently. But on the other hand, I have also seen a ridiculous amount of people dressed up (especially being so far from the border). I myself plan on being an angel.

It is crazy to think that I have officially been out of the country longer than I have ever have before. Can you believe I am already almost 1/3 through my time in México?

What's New?
*New Students: I have been teaching an average of 40-50 students a week now. Why? Because 50% of the students fail their English tests and they must get me to sign off saying that they got extra help. Nominations for English Conversation Club (ECC) are this week and voting for officers is next week! It is fun to see some students get excited to take a leadership role.

*New Friends: Aside from the gang from the conference, I have made a few random friends around Guanajuato. Mayra works at the gym that I go to and we hang out on Mondays and Wednesdays during her break. Iri is my new church buddy at Comunidad Cristiana and I absolutely love her family! We will be dressing up as angels together. 

*New Hobbies: I have learned how to knit, training for a 10k, and trying to learn french. Why? Because I can! 

*New Fervor: As you can see...I have just been really blessed. I have learned to love Guanajuato and the people I have come into contact with. When I first got here, I was bored out of my mind and just downright lonely. But once I realized that God is to be my source, he poured more blessings than I could ever ask for. Ephesians 3:20-21 says, "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." I encourage you all to learn how to live in abundance. Abundant living has nothing to do with how much you have or even how much you know. It can only be achieved through a relationship with Jesus Christ in whom all were redeemed. 
~Check out this random relationship spoken word poem I wrote!

THIS Weekend: I am headed to Leon, Guanajuato and Queretaro for Dia de los Muertos! 

Keep me lifted up in your prayers...he truly is faithful :-D

LionofGod

Faithfulness Revealed

Update!!!

Check out my recent vid from my experience celebrating Mexican Independence Day. 

Saturday, September 22 (Day 34)

So, you remember Karinne from Canada? We met in San Miguel de Allende, GTO when we were both getting our visas. We saw each other a little bit later in the bus station and exchanged information. What a blessing it was when she came to Guanajuato to visit!

Sunday, September 23 (Day 35)

It was announced to the church that I will be offering English classes to those that are interested. 

Karinne and I went to Cristo Rey. It is this huge statue of Jesus on a mountain that you pass to get to Guanajuato. Little did we know, it took an three hours round trip.

Wednesday, September 26 (Day 38)

One student named Julia. I found out she is very interested in working in a juvenile correctional facility. Ironically, she is a Computer Systems major. I took her out for a late lunch at Casa Ofelia and had a delicious chile relleno!

Thursday, September 27 (Day 39)

Went to Dolores Hidalgo in the afternoon. Talk about my ride to the bus station. Learned that tacos al pastor=beef which is why I got sick in Mexico City.

Saturday, September 29 (Day 41)

Got back from Dolores Hidalgo and left for Celaya with Mabel, my neighbor/coworker. Got to meet her awesome family and watch a ton of music videos they had on DVD.

Sunday, September 30 (Day 42)

Spent the morning watching Step up 3 with Mabel’s two brothers. Her 19 year old brother, loves hip hop and break dancing and had the movie memorized! We went out on the town and Mabel showed me the Centro Historico. I got stopped by a woman named Josefina who told me she loved black people. I ended up buying the sunflower seeds she was selling (shoutout to Kansas!).

Wednesday, October 3 through Sunday, October 14 (Days 45-56)

There have been a ton of recent changes and developments as of my last blog post! So  many that I have probably forgotten half of them…

School—So, school ITESG has been great. However, I moved the English Conversation Club to once a week. I have realized that there are practically no student organizations! Having been a student who was vigorously involved in the student life at K-State, I have decided to form the first. We will have elections in two weeks, so hopefully people keep showing up!

Additionally, I have been helping some students practice their English at another school since their teacher is deathly ill with hypothermia.

Lastly, I have finally started my community classes at the church. I never knew it would be so much fun! I have about 10-15 students and although we do not always have a classroom…we ALWAYS do work. One of my students brings me a bag of fruit every week and a couple has decided to adopt me! They want to feed me dinner every Wednesday. Sounds like a good deal, don’t ya think?

Social Life—Lord have mercy, who knew Cervantino would save me from dying of boredom. Every weekend I have had fellow Fulbright ETAs visit me. It is great being able to finally navigate the bus system enough to show them my pueblo. On top of that, the influx of foreigners has increased the confidence of the locals. Now, instead of just staring at me, people have actually been saying hi!

On top of that, I have become the Karoake Queen of Guanajuato. No, I am not saying I am good, I am just saying that I have been so many times that I have befriended ALL of the workers.

Stay tuned for a Cervantino YouTube vid!

Despite the busyness...I still miss KC and the Little Apple. Much love from México!

Sirenita

Look Ma! I’m Working!

Can you believe I have been in México for a month? It is absolute craziness. It has been hard for me to just sit down and blog, but I finally just made myself do it. I did it for you J
Here are the two vids I made in my blogging absence:
Kick Off Video
My Housing Situation

First Day of Class—Day 22

I arrived to work pretty early to make sure that I could print off all my worksheets and have everything ready before my class began. You see, in order to print, all the teachers have to send their files to ONE lady named Alice. Then Alice has to go make copies. So, you can imagine how long it takes to get anything printed. After getting everything together, I headed down to the classroom they gave me for my workshop. It was in U10 aaaaaaall the way in the back, with no windows. Lucky me, I had two girls! But you know, two is better than nothing!

Finding a classroom for the workshop has been the bane of my existence. You see, there are too many students for the space my school has, so I have to fight to get a room. They have been saying this other building is going to be finished for the past three weeks, and it is starting to remind me of the K-State parking garage!

San Miguel Mishap—Day 24

So, remember that visa that I was supposed to pick up. Well, I decided instead of going with Ramón on Thursday and missing my workshop, I should go by myself on Wednesday. So, I walked to the bus stop down the street at Mercado Hidalgo and took the bus from there to the Central de Autobuses. From there, I bought a cheap ticket to San Miguel on the Flecha Amarilla. There is a reason why this bus was so cheap. It stops for pedestrians, so an hour long ride became two! When I finally arrived in San Miguel, I picked up my number and was prepared to wait. It was crowded, but I noticed something interesting. The Latinos there were chillin’ and conversing, but those from the United States were pacing, tapping their feet, and doing everything to signify IMPATIENCE. Come on people! You know there is a such thing as bureaucracy in the United States, so calm down.

So when it was finally my turn, I go up to the window, excited and ready to sign. And all of a sudden, my world was rocked. The poor girl tells me, “My boss that needs to sign this paper is not here. Can you please come back in an hour?” It took everything in my power not to pull the whole attitude for being inconvenienced, haha! But I just considered it an adventure and took a little stroll around the area. Upon getting back to the visa place, I was able to get my “easily replicated” visa card and was on my way.

AND THEN CAME THE CURVE BALL. If I took the bus that I came on, I would have to go back to the central de autobuses and then back home, get on another bus and head by in the direction of San Miguel to get to my school. As I am contemplating a shortcut, I see a bus that says Cereso. I think to myself, that is the same thing that is on the bus that I take in the mornings! So, I get on, pay my 5 pesos. I am so proud of myself for being able to navigate myself in a new city. Until the bus driver stops and says we are in Cereso, but I don’t recognize anything. I tell him that I work at the school. So we get on our way, and he stops again saying we have arrived. I look and it says Universidad de San Miguel de Allende. I nicely smile and say, I work at the tecnológico. We head off again and now I am starting to wonder if I was in the wrong. One last stop tells me that I am when we arrive to the Universidad Tecnológica de San Miguel de Allende. After delaying the route three times, I just get off the bus. I caught the bus to the Central de Autobuses de San Miguel, buy my ticket on Primera Plus (no extra stops) to Guanajuato. I was able to cut my trip a little shorter by walking to catch a bus headed to my school from the Central in Guanajuato, but I was a little tired and frustrated.

I arrived to the school at 3PM; one hour after my workshop was to begin. Although I had called to cancel it, the news did not make it to the students because three were waiting for me! So I had a short class and thanked God that I made it to Guanajuato in one piece.

Cultural Slap in the Face—Day 25

So, I am going to make this shorter than I want to for the sake of my sanity. I learned a cultural lesson in a very annoying way. Here, small talk is a high value. If you want something down, you cannot just walk in and ask even if you have said hello five million times. It is polite to ask about their day and engage in meaningless jabber and then ease in what you need done. Well, this little tidbit was mentioned to me in the culture session during orientation, but I forgot! So, after having asked for something twenty times from a coworker, I walked in and mentioned it. I was quickly confronted by her office partner who said, “You can’t say hi?” (All in Spanish of course). I then noticed my folly, apologized, and asked how her day was going. She glared and me and was clearly not having it. So, I ask again how she was, and she responds with, “Fea.” For those of you who did not take Spanish 101, fea means ugly. However, I was thinking she was saying that her day was bad, so I asked if she was sick. She rolls her eyes and says, “No, tu.” That little bug-a-boo was calling me ugly for not saying hi when I had business with another coworker! Realization dawned and I quickly said, “Gracias” and made my exit before we had WWE smackdown—International edition.

So, I know what you are thinking, oh no she didn’t! That was in my mind too, but on my STOMP back to the bus station, I had a nice little “talk” with God. Out loud (don’t judge). After fussing about how culture and disrespect were two different things, God quickly cleared the fog. I had to look back on past conversations with this coworker. I could pinpoint that she had been hurt in her life and did not hold even the same moral values. My anger quickly diffused and a teacher (in that very moment) drove by and offered me a ride to the bus stop in a taxi. Additionally, being able to forgive that coworker without her asking was empowering and so worth it. That very same person is the one who set me up with a semi-permanent place to give my workshop for the next five weeks. It is so worth it to love the unloveable.

A weekend in DF (Día de Independencia)—Day 26-28

I am going to keep this section short because I would rather explain my independence week in video format. Unfortunately I left my camera in México City and cannot get it until my friend Savi comes to visit me October 5^th, so enjoy the wait!

Long story short, Friday, Montezuma bit me in the butt—literally. Saturday, it poured down rain on us for four hours and I got a sour throat and was overall feeling quite weak from no sleep. But through it all, I can still say...Viva México!

An all-time high—Day 30

My high was realizing that I had 30 students attend two weeks of English Conversation Club (that is the new name because workshop is so drab). Additionally, this day, I had 11 students come! I really hope they come back J

Coming up:

-This weekend: Looks like my social life is picking up…finally. Haha, I was invited to my students’ soccer game today, but unfortunately it was cancelled. So, we just hung out and ate some pizza. Saturday, my new friend Karine from Canada will be coming to visit. She is teaching French in a little town not too far called Dolores Hidalgo. I cannot wait to show her my city; hopefully we will not get lost this time!

-Festival Cervantino: This next month is going to be absolutely insane. Cervantino is a huge festival where people from all over the world poor in to experience Guanajuato. There are loads of bands, dancers, etc. One of the main event venues is the Alhóndiga which is a sneeze away from my house. So there goes my sleep for the next one month. Oh well, no pasa nada. YOLO J

-Videos: Día de Independencia and a Day in the Life of Ariel Anib—ETA 

Feel free to leave a comment :-) I love hearing from y'all!

Sirenita

Thorns and Roses

Day 14

           If any of you that read my blog stalk me on facebook, you already know I found the church of my dreams on Sunday. The church is called Trigo y Miel (Wheat and Honey). I found out about it from Julieta (my landlord’s daughter). Julieta and her husband picked me up and took me. From the outside, the church does not necessarily look like a church, but when you walk in, the floors are beautifully tiled. I must confess…I had heard from a coworker that the church was Baptist and I was a little nervous that it would be Southern Baptist aka no dancing. But when I walked in I looked at the front and there were praise dancers (ribbons, tambourines, and all). Why did I love this church so much? Well in the United States, churches are so segregated. I love contemporary worship and reliance on the Scriptures in Anglo-nondenominational churches, the value of community/transparency in worship and heartfelt preaching in black churches. This church truly was the best of both worlds.

           I spent the afternoon in the café where I am now a regular! It was quite the lazy day, but so worth it. This day also began the tradition of tea and bread with Doña (my landlord). We have nice little conversations and she is a wonderful substitute for a grandmother. Not only that, but she calls me Ari (which I normally don’t like), but from her it is precious and makes me feel accepted. J

Day 15

           So this week at the Tecnológico it was exam week. While, the English teachers were conducting oral exams two students at a time, I was supposed to prepare the remaining students by conducting a review session. Well, I had to be at work at 7AM and a coworker offered to give me a ride because she lived in the Centro. It was still dark when I went down to meet her. And after 40 minutes and two frustrating calls, we realized that we were looking for each other in two very different places.

           Once I arrived to work, I found Regina—the teacher I was to help out. She is from Germany and is somewhat of a polyglot. We quickly learned that rain made the trek to her classroom in the trailer terribly difficult. And after getting our shoes caked with mud, we discovered that there was neither light nor internet in most of the school. It was then that I decided that I was done coming in at 7AM! The students did not arrive until about 8AM. When the oral exams began, I finally got student interaction. And I loved it! The students were so much fun and teaching them made me excited for the weeks to come.

           After finding out that I got lost for a while last week, Julieta took me on a tour of the bus system. We got on and off buses all over Guanajuato and I think I get it…for the most part. Juliata is like my mother in the faith and has definitely taken me under her wing. She also told me that I could go to Colombia in November for a conference with them! WAHOOO!!! I can check that off my bucket list.

Day 16

           Tuesday, was an all-time low. There was no internet at school. I did nothing all day. And on top of that, I got VERY homesick. I think it was the first time that has happened in my life! I didn’t even know what it was at first. It started when I looked at old pictures from the summer in my camera and before you know it I was completely depressed and looking forward to when I could go back home (I know you’re smiling mom). I realized that I am missing my house church and the community of friends that I have had over the last couple of years. You see, I have no one my age here to bond with…No one that just calls me up or comes over to visit. So that is my current prayer request J

           So to remedy this sickness, I prayed and wrote a poem. I realized that even when I am not surrounded by people, I am not alone. For in the silence, I can hear the small movements that the Lord is doing in my heart and in Guanajuato.

Day 17

           So the day that I had dreaded finally arrived. It was time to go to San Miguel de Allende to get my visa. You see, I went through a headache to get a visa at the Mexican Consulate in Kansas City, only to find out that they only last six months. On top of that, you can only enter the country once. Then when I got to customs in Mexico City, they said I had 30 days to get my new visa. So you can imagine my heart toward the visa process. Well, I was blessed enough to be able to go San Miguel’s office (about an hour away) with two coworkers Martha and Ramón who is from Nicaragua. Fígense…it was so easy! I was in and out in a couple hours (Ramón wasn’t so lucky). They said my visa would be ready on Friday, although I cannot go back until next week with Ramón. Martha and I had time to even walk around the city and grab a late breakfast (compliments of the school budget). In San Miguel, I saw a ridiculous amount of people from the States. The most interesting sight was the JoCo-looking mom with Starbucks in her hand. Ah…there really is no place like home!

           I went to visit a church with my coworker, Ramón, but it did not compare with the church I went to on Sunday. So it was double confirmation that Trigo y Miel is where it’s at.

Day 18

           From start to finish this was one of my favorite days in Guanajuato. I went to work at the Tecnológico at about nine. For some reason, the university has a little bit of a high school feel. When I walk in, it feels like I just stepped into the scene of Mean Girls when they are walking down the hallway and everyone stops all conversation and stares. Then all of sudden you hear safari animals because all time practically stops. That is what it is like for me. But it is less animalistic and more amazement at my skin and my hair. However, after getting to know another class of students, I got less stares and more Hhhhellos. One of the highlights was when this precious and EXTREMELY shy girl came up to me in the library and told me that she desperately wants my help in learning English. I don’t know who told her about me, but I passed her my information and let her know the workshops will begin next week. So this is what being famous is like…

           In the afternoon, I got to hang out with Julieta again. She took me to the Pipila which is this statue of a Man holding a torch and it represents liberation. From the high altitude, you can see all of Guanajuato. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera! We then went out on the town and walked through the theater district. On the steps of Teatro Juarez there was an audience watching with awe the antics of a payaso (clown). Julieta asked me if I wanted to stop and I warned her that I was sure to be the brunt of a joke. Not even five minutes in, he easily spotted me and pulled me to the “stage”. There, he mimed a whole scene of us getting married—bridal veil and all. To think that was not enough, he mimed me getting pregnant and asks how many to which I (without thinking) put up the number three. So apparently you were all right. I got married in Mexico and am now pregnant with triplets who will grow up to be street performers like dad. Lucky me!

Day 19 (today)—Friday

           Went to work and finally was able to get a schedule for the rest of the semester. I will be giving weekly workshops to both teachers and students at the school. I am so excited for what is in store and how God is going to teach me through this experience.

           Tonight I will be going to a Messianic Jew workshop at the church and will be spending the night at Julieta’s!

Cultural Lesson Learned:

To get someone to come, Mexicans make a gesture that looks like they are patting a dog. To me, it looks like either go away or bend down. Well if you do the one finger come here motion that we do in the States it is supposedly flirty and should be accompanied with a wink. So I mistakenly hit on a few male students when asking them to come to the front. The ooooooooos and whistles from the class were enough to teach me the error of my ways. My bad!

Alright I’m out.

Sirenita