It feels so good to be home again. Gray skies without a shred of sunlight to be seen. Temperatures below freezing. Walking outside feeling as if your lungs shrink from the sudden drop in temperatures. Driving through ice and snow praying you don't end up in the ditch.
Haha, what was I expecting!?!?! It feels as if I went from summer to winter in a matter of 4 hours. Still a bit hard to let it sink in. I've been looking forward to coming home for some time that it adds to the oddness that I am actually home. Can my first semester really be over with? Already?
It feels so good to be amongst my family and friends again though. I didn't realize I missed everyone as much as I did. I knew that it would be hard to be by myself, but the way it feels to be amongst individuals of like mind and faith make me think that it was harder than I realized.
I am happy to be home again for a month.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Yo estoy esperando.
Went to Ixtlan last weekend. Finally broke out my camera and took a few. Left over Thanksgiving was mighty tasty. I actually got home before it was dark too. That was nice.
I am moving today. Don't have a place as of yet, but a friend is letting me stay at her place and when I get back in January I'll find a place. I was hoping I wouldn't have to resort to this as I'll be in a position ripe for ripping off. I looked at number of places but the whole roommate thing was up in the air so no decisions could be made. I was so spoiled in undergrad with great roommates that I don't think twice about having roommates. I realize now that the whole thing when friends live together and end up never speaking again happens more than I thought and scares some. When I get back I'm not forseeing a problem finding a place; I've already got a phone and I'll have my car, God will provide the rest.
I'm finding that the end of my semester is not nearly as hectic as undergrad semesters are. That is mainly due to the fact that a very important technique I learned in undergrad is to do as much as possible as soon as you can. I had all my project done a few weeks ago. This past weekend all I had to do was study. Quite a few of my classmates had to sacrifice study time to meet project deadlines. I want to say thanks to all of those pointless classes at ISU that have everything due in the last three weeks of the semester. Life lesson learned.
I am moving today. Don't have a place as of yet, but a friend is letting me stay at her place and when I get back in January I'll find a place. I was hoping I wouldn't have to resort to this as I'll be in a position ripe for ripping off. I looked at number of places but the whole roommate thing was up in the air so no decisions could be made. I was so spoiled in undergrad with great roommates that I don't think twice about having roommates. I realize now that the whole thing when friends live together and end up never speaking again happens more than I thought and scares some. When I get back I'm not forseeing a problem finding a place; I've already got a phone and I'll have my car, God will provide the rest.
I'm finding that the end of my semester is not nearly as hectic as undergrad semesters are. That is mainly due to the fact that a very important technique I learned in undergrad is to do as much as possible as soon as you can. I had all my project done a few weeks ago. This past weekend all I had to do was study. Quite a few of my classmates had to sacrifice study time to meet project deadlines. I want to say thanks to all of those pointless classes at ISU that have everything due in the last three weeks of the semester. Life lesson learned.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Yo estoy agradecida por mis amigos.
BEHOLD! Our Thanksgiving dinner.
Okay, just kidding. This was the first coarse, but it was absolutely hilarious. Let me explain. Our tickets said 7:00. We got there about 7:30 and were the second party to arrive. As time passed more people arrived. I finally broke out the camera and enjoyed the holiday. Others spent the time going from hungry to starving. I can't lie...I was getting rather hungry myself. The meal finally commenced at 9:00 to a round of applause. The servers burst from the kitchen doors with trays ladden with.......what in the world was it? The bowls were set in front of us and everyone just kind of stared at it, then stared at each other, then stared back at the bowl again. Were we supposed to eat it, put it on bread, continue staring at it???? In the end, tureens of soup were brought out and ladeled into the bowls on top of the dollop. Unfortunately, the tureens appeared a tad late for some of those more hungry individuals.
Okay, just kidding. This was the first coarse, but it was absolutely hilarious. Let me explain. Our tickets said 7:00. We got there about 7:30 and were the second party to arrive. As time passed more people arrived. I finally broke out the camera and enjoyed the holiday. Others spent the time going from hungry to starving. I can't lie...I was getting rather hungry myself. The meal finally commenced at 9:00 to a round of applause. The servers burst from the kitchen doors with trays ladden with.......what in the world was it? The bowls were set in front of us and everyone just kind of stared at it, then stared at each other, then stared back at the bowl again. Were we supposed to eat it, put it on bread, continue staring at it???? In the end, tureens of soup were brought out and ladeled into the bowls on top of the dollop. Unfortunately, the tureens appeared a tad late for some of those more hungry individuals.
My table for Thanksgiving dinner
I sat with Triffinie and her five kids (L-R: Denise, Ranhae, Ronny, Jonny, Micheal) Anahi, and then Richard (who apparently didn't want to look at the camera).
The main course was in fact turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potates, the oddest mystery stuffing (at least that's what we decided it was supposed to be), and a fruit salad. DESSERT = PUMPKIN PIE!!!!! Nothing like home, but hey, it's Mexico, at least they tried.
Shhh, listen....buzz, bang, bang, buzz, buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, BANG. You hear that? Yeah I thought you would. That is the sound that has been coming from next door for the past 3 WEEKS!!!!. Now listen...... You hear that? That was the sound of steam starting to curl from ears. I am getting so stinky sick of studying to the sound of construction.
Thought I'd also share with you the product the man with the machete worked on the poor tree out front. It's flat!!! You can kind of make out the electrical wires that had previously been threaded through the center of the tree. I would have thought the man with the machete would have attempted to do some sort of shaping to the poor tree, but no, he just wacked the top off. pobrecito!
Side note about my certification last Wednesday! Woke up Wednesday morning to find my watch had died at 12:15am. Strike one! I arrived at my designated spot with two minutes to spare. Ball one! My order was all over the place. Strike two! I completely forgot a few steps. Strike three! Definitely OUT!
In other words, what was supposed to be the Moonlight Sonata came out sounding like chopsticks on a toy piano. Bummer! (Should have practiced conducting in front of someone instead of in my room!)
The main course was in fact turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potates, the oddest mystery stuffing (at least that's what we decided it was supposed to be), and a fruit salad. DESSERT = PUMPKIN PIE!!!!! Nothing like home, but hey, it's Mexico, at least they tried.
Shhh, listen....buzz, bang, bang, buzz, buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, BANG. You hear that? Yeah I thought you would. That is the sound that has been coming from next door for the past 3 WEEKS!!!!. Now listen...... You hear that? That was the sound of steam starting to curl from ears. I am getting so stinky sick of studying to the sound of construction.
Thought I'd also share with you the product the man with the machete worked on the poor tree out front. It's flat!!! You can kind of make out the electrical wires that had previously been threaded through the center of the tree. I would have thought the man with the machete would have attempted to do some sort of shaping to the poor tree, but no, he just wacked the top off. pobrecito!
Side note about my certification last Wednesday! Woke up Wednesday morning to find my watch had died at 12:15am. Strike one! I arrived at my designated spot with two minutes to spare. Ball one! My order was all over the place. Strike two! I completely forgot a few steps. Strike three! Definitely OUT!
In other words, what was supposed to be the Moonlight Sonata came out sounding like chopsticks on a toy piano. Bummer! (Should have practiced conducting in front of someone instead of in my room!)
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving
This is the first Thanksgiving ever in my life that I have attended class/gone to school. First time for everything I guess.
No class was actually scheduled for today being as the majority of the program is from the United States. However a request was made to move tomorrow's classes to today. Students at UAG are really big on petitioning. It was easily granted, and thus I found myself in class this morning thinking to myself 'this is weird'.
There is a formal Thanksgiving banquet for us international students this evening. Trouble is I don't know whether to expect beans and flan or turkey and pumpkin pie.
As I sit here at my desk writing there is a man outside my window with a machete. He's taking a whack (literally) at trying to cut back the horribly overgrown branches of the tree out there.
MAY GOD'S BLESSINGS BE YOURS THIS MARVELOUS THANKSGIVING!!!!
Hasta!
No class was actually scheduled for today being as the majority of the program is from the United States. However a request was made to move tomorrow's classes to today. Students at UAG are really big on petitioning. It was easily granted, and thus I found myself in class this morning thinking to myself 'this is weird'.
There is a formal Thanksgiving banquet for us international students this evening. Trouble is I don't know whether to expect beans and flan or turkey and pumpkin pie.
As I sit here at my desk writing there is a man outside my window with a machete. He's taking a whack (literally) at trying to cut back the horribly overgrown branches of the tree out there.
MAY GOD'S BLESSINGS BE YOURS THIS MARVELOUS THANKSGIVING!!!!
Hasta!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Yo estoy practicando.
My certification is tomorrow, and for some reason I'm more nervous about it than I am about exams. I'm practicing in my room and feel rather ridiculous, because i feel like I'm trying to conduct an invisible orchestra, and the music is not turning out so great.
When I first moved simply walking up the hill that is my road would render me out of breath. Earlier this evening I took a jog up the hill without losing my breath. High altitudes does wonders for the body. Take me back down to flat Illinois and I could probably finish a marathon no problems.....NOT! One problem I've found attempting to run the streets in Gdl is that the sidewalks are for the most part in rather poor shape demanding constant attention to keep from tripping. However, my height was definitely not made for Mexico. If I'm not looking up my head gets whacked by a branch. In other words, I must look up and down at the same time. If someone figures out a way to do this please let me know.
The other day I got home and thinking no one else was home I went into the kitchen and started warming up some food. Having my mp3 player in my ears I happily sang along, stomped my feet, did a twirl here and there. On one of those twirls I saw Delta standing in the doorway. Man, that was embarrassing. But she assured me that she had just gotten home and hadn't been listening. Oh well, she already knew I was weird before; I just cemented the fact.
When I first moved simply walking up the hill that is my road would render me out of breath. Earlier this evening I took a jog up the hill without losing my breath. High altitudes does wonders for the body. Take me back down to flat Illinois and I could probably finish a marathon no problems.....NOT! One problem I've found attempting to run the streets in Gdl is that the sidewalks are for the most part in rather poor shape demanding constant attention to keep from tripping. However, my height was definitely not made for Mexico. If I'm not looking up my head gets whacked by a branch. In other words, I must look up and down at the same time. If someone figures out a way to do this please let me know.
The other day I got home and thinking no one else was home I went into the kitchen and started warming up some food. Having my mp3 player in my ears I happily sang along, stomped my feet, did a twirl here and there. On one of those twirls I saw Delta standing in the doorway. Man, that was embarrassing. But she assured me that she had just gotten home and hadn't been listening. Oh well, she already knew I was weird before; I just cemented the fact.
Yo estoy una vaso de leche.
On Sunday I was with some friends for a worship service. Afterwards conversation turned to having a car in Guadalajara. One of my friends (the type that doesn't say much but when he does it's funny) mentioned how he's gotten pulled over by the police a few times. Upon being asked what he had done he replied, "Oh I was driving like I do in the States....using my turn signal."
Last night I was with some classmates and the conversation turned to gossip/rumors (both of which thrive here on the ICB campus). I ended up being compared to milk.......boring. Ouch! One friend tried to make me feel better by saying I wasn't boring....just not gossip worthy. I guess that's a compliment.
Hasta!
Last night I was with some classmates and the conversation turned to gossip/rumors (both of which thrive here on the ICB campus). I ended up being compared to milk.......boring. Ouch! One friend tried to make me feel better by saying I wasn't boring....just not gossip worthy. I guess that's a compliment.
Hasta!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Yo estoy...........me duele.
Went to my last clinical at the hospital last night. Was pretty laid back. For about the first hour I was running around doing stuff for the doctors, but after that not much happened. I enjoyed having clinical at the hospital this semester. I liked the doctors, nurses, and the other students that were there with me. I learned much about the Mexican health care system and what is going to be expected of me in the coming years. Let's pray I pass my certification next Wednesday now.
I played football again a few days ago, and now am feeling the scrapes and bruises that I received. It's supposed to be flag football, but once in awhile I guess that small tidbit is forgotten. Needless to say I was put on my back hard. I guess that's what happens when a big guy comes at you running full speed to "grab your flag."
The bugs are starting to poke their faces out here and there. I have a feeling that when I return next year it'll be prime bug season. A girl a few semesters ahead of me once told me that she walks in the road because during bug season the bugs populate the sidewalks. I haven't seen that yet, but I think I'm in for a treat come next year.
I played football again a few days ago, and now am feeling the scrapes and bruises that I received. It's supposed to be flag football, but once in awhile I guess that small tidbit is forgotten. Needless to say I was put on my back hard. I guess that's what happens when a big guy comes at you running full speed to "grab your flag."
The bugs are starting to poke their faces out here and there. I have a feeling that when I return next year it'll be prime bug season. A girl a few semesters ahead of me once told me that she walks in the road because during bug season the bugs populate the sidewalks. I haven't seen that yet, but I think I'm in for a treat come next year.
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