Well, well, well! The time has come where it is the last and final week. I can safely say that I am ready to go home, although dreading my 14 hour travel plans back home. I know it will all be worth it in the end. Well lets start off on Monday we were all dreading our final essays, presentations, and test which I had the pleasure of having all three. The only thing that kept me moving forward has been the fact that I will be back home by saturday night. My Señora has also been meaning to make some tamales with me since she didn’t know how to make them and I told her that I knew from my mom. So she asked me to write her a list of the things she needed to get and she would get them for me. Well monday she went and got all the things I needed and we made them on tuesday.

She also invited her sister and her brother in law and their 3 adult kids who are my señoras nephews who also brought their wifes and kids over to eat. They loved them! They turned out to be very good and I don’t think there were any left after the 100 plus that we made. They ate most of them and what was left where taken home to enjoy. I felt great being able to teach my señora how to make mexican food. Then I basically had to write two 5 pages essays 1 10 min speech and 1 final exam that I did pretty good at. Here in Mexico they have to show their students their final grade and if the student doesn’t agree with that grade then they can petition the grade. So today friday I had to go to all my classes and get my grades. I am happy to announce that I received two A’s and a B. I feel like I did a solid job this term and I am happy at my over all grades. Its been a great time but I am sure ready to go home. I only have a few more house here and I sure will miss it.

Well this week went by so fast. I think it had to do with the fact that we were all looking forward to the weekend. We were going to Mexico City and had a lot of things planned. The only problem was that we had to meet at the bus stop at 8am and people went out the night before so I knew people would have issues with that schedule. On the plus side was the the streets are pretty empty at that time and taxis are cheaper. I didn’t know that but I guess the taxi prices go and down depending on the time off day and if its raining or not. Well I got to the bus at 8 exactly and there were probably a good 7 our of 17 missing. So we waited and left at around 8:35am which wasn’t too bad. The best thing was that we had a tour bus for 20 or so people.
Well, it took us about 3 hours to get to our first stop which was the pyramids of Teotihuacan which was a Mesoamerican civilization that had vanished before the conquista which explains why it still stands today. Simply because the Spanish had the tendency of tearing apart pyramids and using the rocks to build their own temples or cathedrals. Which is what you will see in a few more paragraphs. Teotihuacan was amazing! I had no clue the size of these pyramids and also the work done on the stones. It was an impressive sight to see. Teotihuacan had 3 main pyramids being Quezalcoalt, the moon and the sun. Quezalcoalt had figures on it that protected the village and it was the first one we saw.
Then we climbed the sun pyramid which is massive. Also the steps i don’t think were meant to be climbed because they are steep and also very high. It made for a very hard climb. But we all made it and it had an awesome view.
Then we went to eat and there they gave us free samples of some pulque which is an alcoholic drink that was the drink of choice by the mesoamericans. Pulque is made from the maguey plant the same as tequila. Its a milky white drink that taste almost like vinegar most of the people didn’t like it but I thought it was ok. I don’t think I’ll drink it again but I at least tried it.
After eating we all went to El palacio de Bellas Artes were we saw some awesome painting from Diego Rivera, Siqueros, and others.
After that we went to our hotel and we called it a night after sitting and chatting in our rooms. Awesome first day or so I thought. At around 4:30 am I hear a man screaming I look out my window and there is an Ambulance, and 3 police cars. The man had blood down his chest and back and pants and bandages with blood coming from his chest. He had been stabbed by I don’t know who, but was giving them a piece of his mind. I said to myself. “That’s why I don’t go out in Mexico City.” I went back to bed and the next day was just as awesome. We walked to the Templo Mayor which is the main pyramid of Tenotiichlan which is where the Aztecs were and were the Spanish took over, and this was a prime example of what the Spanish would do with the pyramids. I guess the pyramid was a good size but what was left was basically nothing.
That church you see in the background was smaller than what the pyramid once was as well as that was what they made after taking apart the pyramid. There was an awesome pyramid there as well that was awesome.
Then we went off to the best place in the world in my opinion. The National Museum of Anthropology. We saw some of the things I’ve only dreamed about. A few were the great heads of the olmecas
The actual Aztec calendar
there we must have spent 3 hours and I don’t think it was enough. It was just awesome. I stayed with the out teacher/tour guide so I could learn as much as I could. There was so much to see and I had so much fun. After that we went to eat and then we went to El Castillo de Champultepec which is where passed presidents of Mexico lived and also the last battle of the Mexican-American war and also the last battle of where the Aztec lost against the Spanish. Very nice big mansion.
After that we went back to our hotel and another great day in the books. We literally went to go eat and I came back and went to bed. I must have walked about 10 miles that day. We woke up packed up and went to La Plaza de las 3 culturas. This is in Tlatelolco where people were killed on October 2nd 1968 10 days before Mexico Hosted the olympics.
After that we went to Frida Kahlo’s blue house which was very awesome to see. we were not allowed to take pictures inside her house so I don’t have any for you but after that we went to El Museo Soumaya which is Carlos Slims the richest man in the world’s museum named after his wife who passed away in 1999. Its a gorgeous building designed by his son in law who is a very successful architect. that was our last stop and we were all ready to go home. It was the best 3 day weekend of my life so far and I’m glad I had to opportunity to see those things in real life. Great time. Until next week you all. Adios

Well week two sure flew by! I can’t believe that I only have 4 more weeks to go! It’s been a blast although I miss my family and friends I still am having a ton of fun. Lets see Sunday we went to eat at this little tiny place on the edge of the road. Which I was very nervous about since there have been a lot of people that have been getting sick and I thought well I haven’t been sick yet and I hope this doesn’t get me sick. Well they didn’t and I’m glad I ate there! They had corn on the cob and the way they eat them over here is by putting Mayonnaise, cheese, and chile powder which is awesome!!! They also had some awesome gorditas which is why they took me to eat there in the first place because they are so good!
Monday we had school and found out that I had a midterm in my Mexican Civ class next week and I thought What?? I don’t know what our test would be about since its so early then I thought wait next week is week 3! I’m almost have way done! Well after class we all went to get some awesome milkshakes and I had a Chocolate Strawberry milkshake which I asked the group why you never see such a mix in the USA! It’s alway vanilla strawberries!
Tuesday we had to go to a soccer game! I had told myself that I wouldn’t miss a home game the entire time I was going to be here! So I looked up the Gallos Schedule and have been true to my word. We played again San Luis and I went with my Host sister and Brother in-law. They bought me my tickets and paid to sit closer than the 300 level! We were right behind the benches! The Gallos won 2-0 So, we had a lot off fun.
The rest of the week flew by and we all went to another soccer game which was a little of an upset! Gallos were winning 1-0 but within the last 10 minutes there was a handball in the Box against the Gallos and the other team got to shoot a penalty so they ended the game tied 1-1! It was upsetting but it was a great game as well! Saturday morning we get a group van and they took us to Guenajuato! Which let me tell you, if you haven’t been then please go! It is an awesome place to be! There we went to the Mines, and learned that at one point in time Guenajuato produced 2/3 of all the worlds silver, so we had to go to the mines which was fun and scary! I have never been 60 meters below the earth in my life so it was an experience!
There we went to a torture chamber where people where taken to be tortured or I guess the word is violently interrogated until they confessed to sometimes things they really didn’t do. That was a creepy place but again worth seeing!
After the torture chamber we had to go see the world famous mummies from Guenajuato! That was also creepy mostly because they had baby mummies and these mummies look too real! They also have the worlds smallest mummy every which was never born. The mother passed away 20 weeks pregnant and like her mother the baby was also mummified. It was a sight to see. I had to take a picture of it!
We stayed the night in a Hostel and came home sunday afternoon! This was a great week and I keep learning so much about Queretaro its unreal! I’m enjoying my time here but hope it goes by quick so I can get home to good ol’ Oregon!

Well arriving in Mexico was smooth and all but getting around was the part that I was worried about. I know that bus drivers are crazy and full and I knew that it wasn’t going to be a easy drive. My senora took me to school the first day as if it was my first day of kindergarten. I was glad she did. I told her to tell me what bus to take home and that I would find my way home. She showed me where my bus would pick me up at and where to get off at. That’s all I needed. I made it home. Then we went to our arrival dinner. It was pretty good but I know what it’s like to be sick in Mexico and so I didn’t want to eat crazy so I limited myself. The next day my Senora asked me if I wanted her to take me to school again and I said No. I could do it. She said ok. I made it to school with time to spare. Just like I thought bus drivers are nuts and don’t use Blinkers or yield for pedestrians (which is something you have got to look out for). Roads are not the best either and well there are cars that all drive nuts. The good thing about the bus ride is that I drive up Ave. Saragosa which is completely down the Arcos. Which is something special about Queretaro.
These Arches or Arcos are about 400 years old and was created as an aqueduct to bring water to the City of Queretaro. Well like I had said I made it to school and back and after that I think my senora knew that she could relax about me. She was also thankful that I already knew spanish it made it easier for her. She had said that the student before me was a little difficult.
On Wedendsay Me and a few friends decided to go to a soccer game and we fell in love. We have made a packed to say that we are going to go to every game thats at home and that we are her for. So that was game one and they Los Gallos blancos de Queretaro tied Monterey 3-3! So we got to see 6 goals that night which was awesome!!!!!!
First weekend we went to Bernal which a very small city about 40 minutes from Queretaro and it is home to “La peña de Bernal” which is the 3rd highest monolith in the world, and I had to opportunity to clime it, not all the way to the top and also night rock climbing but hiked to about 3/4 of the way up. I’m glad I had that opportunity.
Like I said I’m glad that I’m here safe and with no problems and I hope that It continues this way for the next 5 weeks!

Buenas Noches!

Mario