*Edit: San Antonio was awesome. If anyone ever wants to roadtrip there, invite me please!*
Ah yes - one of the many joys of living in Nuevo Laredo is getting to see just what it is that I take for granted when living in the States.
Take water pressure, for example. While I got the water temperature problem solved a couple weeks ago (namely, that it was one temperature: cold), last week I got a new lesson in water pressure: when you're living on the second floor of any building (let alone a building in a city where the last thing people are really worrying about is water pressure), it's gonna take more time for the water to get to you.
I learned last Wednesday afternoon that the water reservoir at the consulate had been completely drained for some reason, and so I was prepared for a day (Thursday) without running water. What I was not prepared for was 5 days without running water. Thursday afternoon the reservoir was drained again because something wasn't working right, and so I went Friday without showering as well (actually, I improvised and took an early-morning dip in the pool at the now-vacant Principal Officer's residence down the street...I think I like swimming in the morning). Thankfully I went to San Antonio this weekend and got to shower in a slightly-run-down-but-at-least-it-had-awesome-water-pressure shower in the San Antonio International Hostel (more stories from there later).
I got back Sunday night to discover that water pressure was still not up and running (much to my chagrin, as I now had 3 days worth of dishes stacked in the sink - and I think most of you know how I am with dirty dishes). As I tested the faucets, however, I failed to turn the ones in the bathroom back to the "off" position (I couldn't tell - there was no water coming out whatsoever). Unfortunately, this worked very much against me in that the water pressure came on full blast while I was at work this morning, and while you'd think that water would drain down the sink, the faucet in my bathroom is one of those ornery ones that kind of squirts some water to the side and onto the countertop. Imagine that this goes on for about 3 hours...at full water pressure. I came back at lunch time to discover a semi-flooded bathroom (fortunately someone had turned the sink off - and semi-flooded isn't as bad as it sounds...actually "an eighth-flooded" might be more like it). The worst part is, however, that I live right above the Principal Officer's office in the Consular building, and though people were nice enough not to say anything to me, I went down to check. Sure enough, a couple ceiling tiles had busted through due to flooding...they were already in the process of being cleaned up by the building managers, but it was my fault (well...mine and that ornery sink's fault...and since you can blame things on objects according to Spanish grammar (i.e. "the watch forgot itself to me"), I'm blaming the sink). I think the only reason that sink was turned off was that someone saw that the office was being flooded.
This could only happen to me (laugh, giggle, frown...sigh...ahem).
So, floods abound. Fortunately I only owe the State Department a couple of ceiling tiles.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Thursday, June 22, 2006
buses, el centro y Cereso II
You all would have thought I was crazy if you´d seen me come back from el otro lado (¨the other side¨- the Laredo, TX side) this past Sunday. My boss and her family were leaving for vacation in Houston after church on Sunday, so they were willing to drop me off in downtown Laredo, but not cross the bridge (trust me, crossing the bridge takes commitment - you can take up to 2 hours on bad days just waiting to get through the U.S. checkpoint - and don´t ever try waiting behind the Greyhounds that cross the bridge on Saturdays - you´re guaranteed to have to wait longer due to someone on the bus trying to enter illegally). So, I was at my leisure (somewhat) to find a way to get back to the consulate on the Nuevo Laredo side (note: when talking to most of the Mexican citizens here, they always refer to Laredo as ¨Laredo Tejas (Texas)¨, and I think I have yet to hear them refer to Nuevo Laredo as ¨Nuevo Laredo¨...I think it´s usually just ¨Laredo¨, but I could be wrong). Anyway, I spent a little time in downtown Laredo Tejas, visiting some cute (and ridiculously cheap) clothing shops, talking to Papà on the phone (Father´s Day), and then made my way across the bridge.
Forgetting that I was on the U.S. side, I read the sign indicating that the pedestrian bridge toll was 50 cents as 50 centavos (the equivalent of about 5 cents in U.S. proportions). The bridge guard looked at me like I was crazy - there was no way I was going to get away with paying 5 cents to cross this bridge. I was pleased, however, that he chose to explain this to me in Spanish and not English (most of the people who I encounter start using English right away, which I´m trying not to use unless I really can´t understand what people are saying).
I got to the Nuevo Laredo side and started walking toward the plaza where all the buses come by. Nuevo Laredo buses are old school buses painted green and white, without air conditioning, but are much cheaper than taxis (only 5 pesos, or about 50 US cents, in comparison with about $4 US for a taxi). They often have their destination painted in white on a corner of the windshield...but most people have told me that routes can change a little bit, so it´s best to get off just as soon as you notice that the bus is heading the opposite direction that you need to go. I asked 2 women, 1 store clerk and 5 bus drivers before I found one who said he was going right by the Consulate - hooray! I was ecstatic! The bus ride was really hot, but I really couldn´t have cared less.
I went on a second Cereso (prison) visit today, this time to meet with an American Citizen (AmCit) who had been arrested in Mexico (mostly I got to listen and learn as the consulate officer explained that the consulate is not there to be a lawyer or give money to the prisoner, but to make sure that they aren´t being treated any worse than their Mexican citizen counterparts). This cereso seemed more organized to me than the last one, but this was also the same one that 11 prisoners escaped from last week (with the help of a few top guards, who also, needless to say, escaped). Fortunately, today it was probably more secure than it´s ever been due to the addition of some state police...no worries, Mom.
Sorry it´s been a while - I really miss you all a lot! Please write emails - I will try and respond ASAP! P.S. I´ll be in San Antonio this weekend, which means constant cell phone signal, so call if you can! (unless it´s around 3pm - 5pm EST...I´ll be watching Mexico vs. Argentina in the World Cup).
Forgetting that I was on the U.S. side, I read the sign indicating that the pedestrian bridge toll was 50 cents as 50 centavos (the equivalent of about 5 cents in U.S. proportions). The bridge guard looked at me like I was crazy - there was no way I was going to get away with paying 5 cents to cross this bridge. I was pleased, however, that he chose to explain this to me in Spanish and not English (most of the people who I encounter start using English right away, which I´m trying not to use unless I really can´t understand what people are saying).
I got to the Nuevo Laredo side and started walking toward the plaza where all the buses come by. Nuevo Laredo buses are old school buses painted green and white, without air conditioning, but are much cheaper than taxis (only 5 pesos, or about 50 US cents, in comparison with about $4 US for a taxi). They often have their destination painted in white on a corner of the windshield...but most people have told me that routes can change a little bit, so it´s best to get off just as soon as you notice that the bus is heading the opposite direction that you need to go. I asked 2 women, 1 store clerk and 5 bus drivers before I found one who said he was going right by the Consulate - hooray! I was ecstatic! The bus ride was really hot, but I really couldn´t have cared less.
I went on a second Cereso (prison) visit today, this time to meet with an American Citizen (AmCit) who had been arrested in Mexico (mostly I got to listen and learn as the consulate officer explained that the consulate is not there to be a lawyer or give money to the prisoner, but to make sure that they aren´t being treated any worse than their Mexican citizen counterparts). This cereso seemed more organized to me than the last one, but this was also the same one that 11 prisoners escaped from last week (with the help of a few top guards, who also, needless to say, escaped). Fortunately, today it was probably more secure than it´s ever been due to the addition of some state police...no worries, Mom.
Sorry it´s been a while - I really miss you all a lot! Please write emails - I will try and respond ASAP! P.S. I´ll be in San Antonio this weekend, which means constant cell phone signal, so call if you can! (unless it´s around 3pm - 5pm EST...I´ll be watching Mexico vs. Argentina in the World Cup).
Saturday, June 10, 2006
sueños en español
I dreamt (sp?) in Spanish for the first time last night! It was something about getting a towel for someone, but I specifically remember asking ¿Necesita una toalla? instead of Do you need a towel? (sorry I´m not using quotation marks here by the way - once again the international keyboard has foiled my attempts at English grammar).
The World Cup is in full swing here (in fact, as I´m sitting here in the cybercafe Argentina is playing another country on a TV right behind me.) It´s too bad that soccer is the one sport in the States that people really don´t watch as much, while the rest of the world does - it can be a really fun game (Pistons basketball is still high on my list though...too bad they´ve been eliminated). One of my coworkers, Alejandra, brought in a little 5 inch b&w TV that we watch during lunch time - and I've learned the ¡Que vive Mexico! cheer from the commercials that are on TV. Mexican World Cup commercials are comparable to Superbowl commercials in the U.S. - they generate lots of money and are pretty hilarious to watch in and of themselves (even, I would say, if you don´t know Spanish).
There's this one where this kid climbs into bed between his parents while they're sleeping. The dad rolls over and tells the wife ^It happened again.^ He picks up the kid, but we soon discover that the kid is not his son - it's his neighbor's son, and he returns the kid in the middle of the night, telling his neigbor ^It happened again^. The kid looks wistfully back at the Pontiac car that sits in his neigbor's driveway...and then you hear the catchphrase ^Everyone's going to want to be a part of your family.^ Kinda cute...sorry you can´t see it and had to suffer through my explanation instead :)
We got to send off our Principal Officer (the Consulate head) on Thursday night as his tour of duty in Nuevo Laredo was over - he moves on to Hawaii next to work on something with international trade with East Asia. Way to suffer :) I got to see some traditional Mexican dances at the farewell party - some local high schoolers came dressed in some amazingly bright colors. The particular dances that I saw were from Jalisco (a city farther south I think), and there was a lot of footwork with tap/clog like shoes - kind of a mix between Irish dancing (without the high kicks) and tap dancing, but with couples instead of solo. It was great!
I´m trying to get connected with a college Christian group over at the Texas A&M branch over in Laredo - please pray for that, as I am really craving fellowship with people who are my age (although maybe this is a place where God is wanting to stretch me a little bit...hmmmm).
¡Que les vaya bien! Les extraño a todos... (I hope all´s well, and I miss you all)
The World Cup is in full swing here (in fact, as I´m sitting here in the cybercafe Argentina is playing another country on a TV right behind me.) It´s too bad that soccer is the one sport in the States that people really don´t watch as much, while the rest of the world does - it can be a really fun game (Pistons basketball is still high on my list though...too bad they´ve been eliminated). One of my coworkers, Alejandra, brought in a little 5 inch b&w TV that we watch during lunch time - and I've learned the ¡Que vive Mexico! cheer from the commercials that are on TV. Mexican World Cup commercials are comparable to Superbowl commercials in the U.S. - they generate lots of money and are pretty hilarious to watch in and of themselves (even, I would say, if you don´t know Spanish).
There's this one where this kid climbs into bed between his parents while they're sleeping. The dad rolls over and tells the wife ^It happened again.^ He picks up the kid, but we soon discover that the kid is not his son - it's his neighbor's son, and he returns the kid in the middle of the night, telling his neigbor ^It happened again^. The kid looks wistfully back at the Pontiac car that sits in his neigbor's driveway...and then you hear the catchphrase ^Everyone's going to want to be a part of your family.^ Kinda cute...sorry you can´t see it and had to suffer through my explanation instead :)
We got to send off our Principal Officer (the Consulate head) on Thursday night as his tour of duty in Nuevo Laredo was over - he moves on to Hawaii next to work on something with international trade with East Asia. Way to suffer :) I got to see some traditional Mexican dances at the farewell party - some local high schoolers came dressed in some amazingly bright colors. The particular dances that I saw were from Jalisco (a city farther south I think), and there was a lot of footwork with tap/clog like shoes - kind of a mix between Irish dancing (without the high kicks) and tap dancing, but with couples instead of solo. It was great!
I´m trying to get connected with a college Christian group over at the Texas A&M branch over in Laredo - please pray for that, as I am really craving fellowship with people who are my age (although maybe this is a place where God is wanting to stretch me a little bit...hmmmm).
¡Que les vaya bien! Les extraño a todos... (I hope all´s well, and I miss you all)
Friday, June 02, 2006
Cosas interesantes
Interesting things so far:
- in Mexico, I was told by a coworker, it's bad luck to leave your purse on the floor
- small car accidents can be settled with an exchange of 20 USD (United States Dollars) - imagine forgetting the whole insurance thing! :)
- I will never be able to go back to American-made "tacos" (sorry Stroud - I'm afraid this might mean no more Taco Bell). Or salsa for that matter.
- you never, ever want to get caught up in a Mexican prison (no no! I haven't gone to jail. I just went with a coworker to visit some Americans there). Just don't.
- in order to travel past 20-30 km into the Mexican border, you need to get a permit/visa. Many Americans don't know this, as the U.S. consulates along the border know all too well. Think "deportation".
- there are 66 different types of U.S. visas...I have learned to appreciate what some of my international friends have gone through to come to the U.S.
Good night,
Cat
- in Mexico, I was told by a coworker, it's bad luck to leave your purse on the floor
- small car accidents can be settled with an exchange of 20 USD (United States Dollars) - imagine forgetting the whole insurance thing! :)
- I will never be able to go back to American-made "tacos" (sorry Stroud - I'm afraid this might mean no more Taco Bell). Or salsa for that matter.
- you never, ever want to get caught up in a Mexican prison (no no! I haven't gone to jail. I just went with a coworker to visit some Americans there). Just don't.
- in order to travel past 20-30 km into the Mexican border, you need to get a permit/visa. Many Americans don't know this, as the U.S. consulates along the border know all too well. Think "deportation".
- there are 66 different types of U.S. visas...I have learned to appreciate what some of my international friends have gone through to come to the U.S.
Good night,
Cat
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
La Cucaracha
Does anybody remember that song that you used to sing in elementary school, La Cucaracha (aka "The Cockroach Song")? I don't know if anybody's ever thought about the realities of dedicating lyrical verse to a quick-moving, 1-2 inch long insect, but when I think about it now, I can't imagine that the writer was exactly sane. The one line that I remember is that the singer says "Te quiero yo" to the cockroach. "Te quiero yo" literally means "I love you". I hope I've made my point.
My first night here, I was visited by one of these little guys as I went to grab my toothbrush. In an odd sort of way, I thought it was cute...in fact, I kind of wanted to consider it my new little bathroom-mate (come on now, I was desperate. This bugger was no replacement for you Sassy girls, but hey). Of course, then he started moving. I nearly jumped out of my skin just watching that. But biologically, cockroaches have something going for them in relation to the human race: they are too big to squash. Yup. As much as I didn't want this little guy in my bathroom, I also gagged at the thought of the "crunch" that would echo across the tiled bathroom if my sandaled foot or paper-towel-covered hand got a hold of him.
What to do? Well of course, logically, I had to escort him outside. I ran to the kitchen, grabbed a glass and a piece of thinnish cardstock-like stuff from the trash, and bolted back to the bathroom with my cockroach-catcher. "Little Cuca" was gone. Great. It was obvious that he was going to head straight for my bed so that every time the sheet touched my leg it would actually be him...you know, that instinct that tells us that every "icky" creature that escapes (snakes, ants, mice, etc.) is gonna head straight for our beds at night? Yeah...Cuca belongs in that category too.
Fortunately for me, however, he decided to pop out of his little hiding place before quickly running under the sink, where I didn't dare reach (you know how when you go rock climbing in rattle-snake infested areas they tell you not to reach above your head in case there's a snake there? The same rule applies to reaching underneath sinks in cockroach-infested areas).
So of course the next logical thing for me to do was to make sure that Cuca stayed in the bathroom so I could sleep. I shut the door, and then for extra assurance, I stuffed a towel at the crack at the bottom of the door, you know, in case he was gonna try and slip under there to get to my bed. I slept pretty well that night.
I have since met about 7 or 8 of Cuca's brothers and sisters. 5 have been escorted outside the premises with the ever-handy cockroach catcher, which now has a permanent place in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, 3 or so have escaped without consequence, usually back down the bathtub drain from whence they came. I may be able to leave them alone someday at least...but love for a cockroach? I don't know if I can even really say that I'm trying :)
My first night here, I was visited by one of these little guys as I went to grab my toothbrush. In an odd sort of way, I thought it was cute...in fact, I kind of wanted to consider it my new little bathroom-mate (come on now, I was desperate. This bugger was no replacement for you Sassy girls, but hey). Of course, then he started moving. I nearly jumped out of my skin just watching that. But biologically, cockroaches have something going for them in relation to the human race: they are too big to squash. Yup. As much as I didn't want this little guy in my bathroom, I also gagged at the thought of the "crunch" that would echo across the tiled bathroom if my sandaled foot or paper-towel-covered hand got a hold of him.
What to do? Well of course, logically, I had to escort him outside. I ran to the kitchen, grabbed a glass and a piece of thinnish cardstock-like stuff from the trash, and bolted back to the bathroom with my cockroach-catcher. "Little Cuca" was gone. Great. It was obvious that he was going to head straight for my bed so that every time the sheet touched my leg it would actually be him...you know, that instinct that tells us that every "icky" creature that escapes (snakes, ants, mice, etc.) is gonna head straight for our beds at night? Yeah...Cuca belongs in that category too.
Fortunately for me, however, he decided to pop out of his little hiding place before quickly running under the sink, where I didn't dare reach (you know how when you go rock climbing in rattle-snake infested areas they tell you not to reach above your head in case there's a snake there? The same rule applies to reaching underneath sinks in cockroach-infested areas).
So of course the next logical thing for me to do was to make sure that Cuca stayed in the bathroom so I could sleep. I shut the door, and then for extra assurance, I stuffed a towel at the crack at the bottom of the door, you know, in case he was gonna try and slip under there to get to my bed. I slept pretty well that night.
I have since met about 7 or 8 of Cuca's brothers and sisters. 5 have been escorted outside the premises with the ever-handy cockroach catcher, which now has a permanent place in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, 3 or so have escaped without consequence, usually back down the bathtub drain from whence they came. I may be able to leave them alone someday at least...but love for a cockroach? I don't know if I can even really say that I'm trying :)
Friday, May 26, 2006
well, I´m sitting here once again in my cybercafe, trying to see if this computer will even upload my pictures which I want to show you all. But I don´t think it´s cooperating...shoot. I forgot to bring all the installation software (which I didn´t think I needed).
I can at least tell you a little about the place where I´m living. I live in the U.S. Consulate in Nuevo Laredo...it´s air conditioned, and one of my coworkers loaned me a little 13 inch TV so I don´t get too bored when I can´t go out after 10pm, ha ha (the city isn´t exactly the safest place...I make smart decisions about when and where and with whom I go out, but I´d still appreciate prayers for that).
There is a 24-hour guard service at the consulate, so I defintely feel pretty safe there, ha ha...plus, it´s like having instant friends, almost like hallmates (but not really, since they don´t actually live in the consulate...plus, I can´t rump them like Hattie, Pearl, Sarah, Laura and Ashley :) But I think I will probably learn the most Spanish from talking to the guards (except that I can´t talk to them for that long...we got a security briefing yesterday where we were pretty much told not to do anything that would keep the guards from doing their job...it makes sense, but it´s kind of sad for me).
I went to a pretty awesome church in Laredo on Sunday that my boss goes too (a blessing!). Friendly people and good preaching from the Bible - it was something that I´m not sure I´d even really asked for (Kat, I think you knew, though :) I hope to be able to spend some time in the Mexican church that´s kitty corner from the consulate one of these days too, but I think that´ll be saved for later, when I can begin to hear and comprehend a sermon in Spanish at the same time (as opposed to hearing, and then having to later comprehend :)
I do really miss you guys as I make new discoveries here in NL. There´s a lot here that can remind me of home. I´d love to hear from you too, so please feel free to send emails (steincat@umich.edu) or send regular mail (it´s a U.S. mailing address, so it´s not any more expensive!!):
Cat Steiner
U.S. Consulate Nuevo Laredo
P.O. Box 3089
Laredo, TX 78044
I can at least tell you a little about the place where I´m living. I live in the U.S. Consulate in Nuevo Laredo...it´s air conditioned, and one of my coworkers loaned me a little 13 inch TV so I don´t get too bored when I can´t go out after 10pm, ha ha (the city isn´t exactly the safest place...I make smart decisions about when and where and with whom I go out, but I´d still appreciate prayers for that).
There is a 24-hour guard service at the consulate, so I defintely feel pretty safe there, ha ha...plus, it´s like having instant friends, almost like hallmates (but not really, since they don´t actually live in the consulate...plus, I can´t rump them like Hattie, Pearl, Sarah, Laura and Ashley :) But I think I will probably learn the most Spanish from talking to the guards (except that I can´t talk to them for that long...we got a security briefing yesterday where we were pretty much told not to do anything that would keep the guards from doing their job...it makes sense, but it´s kind of sad for me).
I went to a pretty awesome church in Laredo on Sunday that my boss goes too (a blessing!). Friendly people and good preaching from the Bible - it was something that I´m not sure I´d even really asked for (Kat, I think you knew, though :) I hope to be able to spend some time in the Mexican church that´s kitty corner from the consulate one of these days too, but I think that´ll be saved for later, when I can begin to hear and comprehend a sermon in Spanish at the same time (as opposed to hearing, and then having to later comprehend :)
I do really miss you guys as I make new discoveries here in NL. There´s a lot here that can remind me of home. I´d love to hear from you too, so please feel free to send emails (steincat@umich.edu) or send regular mail (it´s a U.S. mailing address, so it´s not any more expensive!!):
Cat Steiner
U.S. Consulate Nuevo Laredo
P.O. Box 3089
Laredo, TX 78044
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
__________ in foreign lands...
*For those of you who don't know, my posts from now until August-ish will be reflective of my experiences as a U.S. Consulate summer intern, and as a temporary resident of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. :)
__________ (fill in the blank with a verb) in foreign places...
pretty much, i think, doing almost anything (eating, dancing, sleeping, relaxing, worshipping, worrying, etc.) in a foreign place is going to be a little bit different. Maybe that's why I really like being in different places - I get tired of "routine" (though I like familiarity - careful, there's a difference there), and so just being able to do things a little differently here excites me.
Take talking, for example. When I was standing in line to buy my fruit, deodorant and detergent today, I had to really think about how I was going to ask the cashier if his store would accept my American dollars (I had regrettably failed to exchange for enough pesos at the bank). I never would have given my words a second thought if I'd been standing in line at Kroger or Meijer back in Michigan - but simply by virtue of being here, everything seems a bit new (including, I have to say, the buying of deodorant. I can imagine that some of the Mexican customers in H.E.B., which is the Texas/Mexican border equivalent of Meijer, were laughing inside as I spent about 2-3 minutes really trying to comprehend what each deodorant brand really had going for it. In Michigan, I would have swiped up the most familiar brand, but here, once again, everything is new :)
I think I'm finally breaking it in with my co-workers too. One thing that was worrying me was that they might take my "quietness" the wrong way (you know, how sometimes shy people are thought to be proud? Pride and Prejudice, anyone?). In reality, it's because I just simply don't speak Spanish that well, so I can't respond as often as I'd like to. I'm hoping that time and practice will take care of the language barrier (sometimes it pangs me when they have to break into English because I don't understand something - I want to be able to respond in Spanish!). Of course, they are all very friendly, which is a language within itself, and really helps.
Ok, time to go chow down a bit. I'll try to tell more specific stories later. Love to all.
__________ (fill in the blank with a verb) in foreign places...
pretty much, i think, doing almost anything (eating, dancing, sleeping, relaxing, worshipping, worrying, etc.) in a foreign place is going to be a little bit different. Maybe that's why I really like being in different places - I get tired of "routine" (though I like familiarity - careful, there's a difference there), and so just being able to do things a little differently here excites me.
Take talking, for example. When I was standing in line to buy my fruit, deodorant and detergent today, I had to really think about how I was going to ask the cashier if his store would accept my American dollars (I had regrettably failed to exchange for enough pesos at the bank). I never would have given my words a second thought if I'd been standing in line at Kroger or Meijer back in Michigan - but simply by virtue of being here, everything seems a bit new (including, I have to say, the buying of deodorant. I can imagine that some of the Mexican customers in H.E.B., which is the Texas/Mexican border equivalent of Meijer, were laughing inside as I spent about 2-3 minutes really trying to comprehend what each deodorant brand really had going for it. In Michigan, I would have swiped up the most familiar brand, but here, once again, everything is new :)
I think I'm finally breaking it in with my co-workers too. One thing that was worrying me was that they might take my "quietness" the wrong way (you know, how sometimes shy people are thought to be proud? Pride and Prejudice, anyone?). In reality, it's because I just simply don't speak Spanish that well, so I can't respond as often as I'd like to. I'm hoping that time and practice will take care of the language barrier (sometimes it pangs me when they have to break into English because I don't understand something - I want to be able to respond in Spanish!). Of course, they are all very friendly, which is a language within itself, and really helps.
Ok, time to go chow down a bit. I'll try to tell more specific stories later. Love to all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
