Week One "Tampones"

Since I have been here in Mexico I have beeing writing in my journal of sorts. Everyone should know I have the worst memory. It is very hard to keep up my writing when I am doing so much. But it is much easier to remember what I did when I have my journal. This is how it's going to work... to all who care. I am just going to write what happened each day in brief most likely.

Day 1: Monday August 9th, 2010
When I woke up this morning I was so confused. I woke up when my host sister did to go to the university. But only to say "Buenas dias" I then proceeded to oversleep until my hsot mom woke me up. I took a shower, ate breakfast... the normal proceedings of a morning. I learned my first day here don't ask what you're eating. I don't, I eat everything. Then I went to my school with my hsot mom to sign up for classes. I love my school. I will take spanish classes with 5 other rotary students, a art class, a language (hopefully italian), and then I asked to be in the humanities. Here school is more like pre-college. Since I will be studying the humanities and languages when I go to college I thought this was best. And I get to take one of classes in english to meet people and make friends. I got to spend some time with my host brothers Paco and Beto. Until my host sister had all here friends over for lunch. I was very imtimidated because let's just say when I arrived here my spanish was not up to par. I didn't remember any of the names of her friends. Later I watched my host brothers play soccer until I was invited to play. The rest of the day we ran errands for Paco who is leaving for Brasil on Friday. I taught Beto how to play hacky sack, so by the end of the here I won't be rusty and Beto will be a pro. I still haven't asked my first night questions... but in time I think you kinda just figure things out or are told... that's my theory.

Day 2: Tuesday August 10th, 2010
This morning I think i woke up before anyone else in the house... so I just waited. I should mention I don't have a watch. I never know the time. It is sometimes a problem. When I went downstairs my host parents were going somewhere. So us kids: Paco, Beto and me ate breakfast which my host mom put on the table. I really like frosted flakes which here are called Zucaritas. Every day is surprise I never know what I'm going to do or where I am going. I watched Monsters vs. Aliens with Beto then ran more errands. But today it was extra amusing. We ended up in the center of the city. Paco apparently needed boots. This is not a abnormal or amusing thought until you find yourself in a store solely dedicated to cowboy fashion. And that wasn't enough becuase when we couldn't find the right boot in one store there was almost 10 more on the same street. :) Beto and I played some more hacky sack. When we arrived back home I soon left. I went with Paco to a friends house. It was just me and 5 boys. It was very interesting to say in the least... my first few days I don't talk... at all. I know it's hard to believe.

Day 3: Wednesday August 11th, 2010
Today I didn't leave the house at all. I spent the majority of the day with Beto who I understand. For part of day it was jsut me and Beto. Until Emma got home from the university early for the big futbol (soccer) match between Spain and Mexico. I was asked if I wanted to go the market for 3 hours or less. I said no for the first time. Which turned out to be a good choice, becuase Paco and his mom were out more that 3 hours... for the entire day. When Emma got home we made lunch and ate. After we all watched the game... Mexico was first to score. I fell asleep a little bit after half time. It ended 1-1. Here in Mexico I am very tired, all the time. After the futbol match /i watched Spongebob the movie and iCarly the movie with Beto. There was a very intense thunder and hail storm. It was very loud. I thought the stained glass skylight in the dining room would break. Beto and I explored outside after the storm, there was 5 inches maybe of standing water. I think this was the day I started to feel less out of place in my house. I ejoy spending time with Bto and I talk a lot with my host sister Emma (who is my best friend :) I hope you are reading this Emma)

Day 4: Thurday August 12th, 2010
Today was a very busy day becuase Paco was leaving for Brasil in one day. We went again shopping. At one point Beto and I were looking at soccer jerseys and next thing we know the rest of the family was no where in sight. We kinda just wndered around. Beto is only 7 years old and I don't speak a lor of spanish. We were quite a pair. Don't worry we were found... all in good time. When we were in the car again we picked up Emma from the universtiy and just ran more and more errands. I understand the hetic process of getting ready for rotary. Paco kinda made me feel a little better because he still wasn't done packing the night before he was leaving for Brasil. I kinda just smiled and the hetic process of packing for rotary. This morning at breakfast I asked Paco what were his favorite colors and I made him a bracelet which I fiinished after dinner. He seemed to like it. Everyday I play futbol (soccer) with Beto I just forget to add that in.... the finer details are usually lost.

Day 5: Friday August 13th, 2010
Today we woke up very early because today was the big day for Paco. Emma and I got ready and I think we were the first ones awake and ready. We had a quick breakfast of instant oatmeal with strawberries which made me very happy. It is a wierd thing to miss but I love oatmeal with bron sugar and bananas and I miss it very much. Then we just passed the time until everyone was ready. Again I feel less bad for packing at 2 am the morning of my departure because Paco still had to pack a few things. This day was very long. Without breaking much down. We stopped at a bank before we drove to Mexico City. Paco and I switched money. There was a lot of traffic. I have this problem. Where I fall asleep in the car. It happens all the time. I woke up to take some pictures of the city. Paco's flight wasn't until 5:30 pm so we ran more and more errands. We stopped at maybe the embassy and then went to a hug shopping center. Which was very cool becuase it was maybe 4 stories high but open. I don't know how to describe it. All the stores were sheltered but in the middle this area was open to the elements. After we re-crammed all of us youngsters into the car. I forgot to mention until now that the back seat was very crowded today. I thought we were on our way to the airport when we were apparently looking for pins and a flag. Yes, again I'm not the only one who did everything last minute. We were unsuccessful in finding these things and ended up just going to the airport. We went through the steps of course. While my host dad and Paco were checking his bags. We made a sketchy "pin deal," very similar to a drug deal. We exchanged pins for money in a very public place in case the deal went bad. While we were waiting for this man with the pins I spotted a rotary student. He looked very lost and confused. He passed us several times. I concluded he was from the United States from a patch on his jacket. My host mom and Emma encourages me to go talk to him. I started to but I pulled back. I felt bad later and my host dad asked me why I didn't. My host mom told him the boy was a a very fast walker. Next we shopped in the airport stores, where we then bought a flag. See everything works out in the end. I still felt bad for that rotary boy so I was determined to find him. I did after maybe an hour and I approached him. I asked first in spanish "Do you speak spanish?" His face told me no. I switched to english turned out he was waiting for his next flight and he knew no spanish. We talked for a little while... he didn't need my help. After that encounter Paco's flight was delayed until 6:05 pm. So again we waited. We went into this Mexican muesum thing in the airport and my host dad hijacked my camera and took my picture with everything. After we waited some more. Until Paco had to go through security. Rotary goodbyes I must say are the worst. All airport goodbyes are the worst. It is uncomfortble and sad and horrible. But these things you trade off for a year of another culture. After we made the sad trip home. Which I slept through the majoirty. On the way home we stopped at a cookie bread shop. My host dad saaid I had to chose soemthing. I chose what he and my host sister recommended. Which turned out to be very good when we returned home. After Emma and I got ready to go out. We went to a restraunt with some of here friends and then to a popular club. Yes I went clubbing :) Which was very fun and I enjoyed the music. After we returned home at around 2 am and we just passed out from exhaustion. It was a very long day.

Day 6: Saturday August 14th, 2010
Emma and I slept very late this morning since we got in so late. We ate breakfast and then played some tennis and futbol. Emma and I also did some chores around the house cleaning here and there. After we got ready yet again to go out. This time we were going to a birthday party of two of Emma's friends. We went at 2pm and stayed there for 6 hours or so. It was very awkward for me at first. I kinda tend to just....listen. But in time I talked to some people. I knew a few of the people from the day when my host sister had her friends over for lunch. I had a very long conversation with the dad of one of the girl's who's birthday it was. (wow that was hard to write) He was very interested and interesting. We even talked about American politics and Obama. I can speak spanish when people give me the time. I understand most of what people are saying and talking about. I just need some credit. I really enjoyed the dogs at the party. I miss my dogs (Yes even Finn Mom). I enjoyed my time out. You just have to go and eventually things work and you assimilate. At one point every time I go out I wonder what I am doing and how wierd I feel. But thus far every time it gets better and I am happy later that I went. I don't really remember what we did when we got back home. This large blanks in time happen a lot.

Day 7: Sunday August 15th, 2010
This day marks one week that i have been in Mexico. I kinda slept in late today becuase Emma slept in the other room with Beto who usually sleeps with Paco and was feeling lonely. Beto woke me up for breakfast which was especially good this morning. We had mexican eggs which are eggs with tomatos and onions and such. After the family got ready to go to a movie. We saw Despicable Me which is spanish translates to my favorite villian. It was easy for me to uderstand becuase I saw it before I came to Mexico... in english. After we went out to lunch for cemitas which is a very tasty sandwhich with meat and onions and something green. Then we went to the center of the city and walked around. I had to get my picture taken for a form for my school. Then we walked around. We went to some really big church which was really beautiful and then to a political building. I was very happy to learn they have bubble guns in Mexico becuase mine just didn't fit in my suitcase. After time in the center of the city we talked back to the car. We had to pick up my photos but it was disappointing to see the store closed. We knocked, no reply. We then went homeand in time... I am writing this blog. You are now offically updated.

And the title is Tampones which in english is tampons becuase Emma and I were talking and I don't know enough spanish. One time I was saying pantalones and Emma ws confused becuase she thought I said tampones. Then another time I was attempting to say sheets which is not sabones. And again "Tampones?" There's the word, the word, the word, the word of the bird.