Or rather, life's 10 simplest pleasures which I enjoy - hats off to Kat for the tag.
1. warm apple cider with cinnamon sticks on a cold-ish day
2. finding pants that fit perfectly, especially if they're of the Salvation Army variety
3. hearing the beginning of a song I know all the words to on the radio, accentuated if I'm surrounded by people who happen to know the same song and are in a mood to belt it out loud
4. bonfires and the people that are at them
5. the Johnson-girl laugh (as demonstrated by my mom & aunts)
6. playing some intense Ultimate frisbee and then going for Bubble Tea (or other Ann Arbor commodities)
7. Receiving a letter in the mail from a friend/family member (and being impatient enough to rip it open as I stand at the mailbox)
8. getting a baby to smile
9. catching myself poring over old family photo albums/letters/memoirs/documents when I'm supposed to be doing something else
10. reading an old favorite book
I tag galiatovi, smore_parfait, artiststaresback, Ellieeeeeeeeee, jooohnn, amyshep, lil_tig_babi, sashafoot, anna_carlyon, emm43/emilie : make a list of 10 of your own, and then tag 10 others...and I will be checking up on you all to make sure it's done, so no slackin!
Monday, September 25, 2006
Monday, August 07, 2006
readjusting + random things
so, I'm back stateside. Sorry for all of you I have not contacted since I got back...as I wrote in an email to a friend, it's been a little bit of a shocker this past weekend with a wedding, church and a family get-together, to get used to being around large groups of people that I know fairly well (and who know me fairly well) and who don't speak solely Spanish...but I am glad to see them all again, and I hope to catch up with each of you all soon :)
I might nearly be driving my family nuts with the Latin pop CD's that I'm listening to almost 24/7 (though Becky says she likes them).
Has anyone else been inside the new Biomedical Research Building lately (the new building with one side that's all glass, next to Couzens?) Wow!! So beautiful! It's almost comforting to know that with as much money as I'm paying to go here, that this University can actually use it to construct buildings that are aesthetically pleasing (at least, from the inside...the auditorium part still looks like it contains Pringles from the outside, ha ha).
This is a really hilarious link of videos that my sister sent me - it shows people doing crazy stuff around UM's campus...enjoy! I think that more stuff like this needs to be done...this year, even. It is, after all, senior year, eh?
I might nearly be driving my family nuts with the Latin pop CD's that I'm listening to almost 24/7 (though Becky says she likes them).
Has anyone else been inside the new Biomedical Research Building lately (the new building with one side that's all glass, next to Couzens?) Wow!! So beautiful! It's almost comforting to know that with as much money as I'm paying to go here, that this University can actually use it to construct buildings that are aesthetically pleasing (at least, from the inside...the auditorium part still looks like it contains Pringles from the outside, ha ha).
This is a really hilarious link of videos that my sister sent me - it shows people doing crazy stuff around UM's campus...enjoy! I think that more stuff like this needs to be done...this year, even. It is, after all, senior year, eh?
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
on coming home
This will probably be the last post I write from this side of the border - 10 weeks can go by much faster than one expects. I think the closer I get to leaving, the more I really miss you all...but there will be much here that I will miss as well. And there will be some re-adjusting that I'm going to have to go through, especially as the summer winds down.
Here's what you might be able to expect:
1. While here, I've gotten used to listening to radio stations that only play Mexican pop...I'm gonna miss that when I come back, so if I pop in a CD that's only in Spanish (and of which the only artists you might have possibly heard of are Shakira and Mana) every once in a while and sing along, please just bear with me - and if you dare, ask me to translate it for you :)
2. I may begin using public transportation a lot more than I used to (which I know some people will be happy about). While here, I've gotten used to riding in large buses with people I don't know, and to be quite honest, I find it a lot more interesting (and relaxing) than driving myself around and getting stressed out about the bad driver in front of me. (Plus, I haven't driven in 2.5 months, so I'm kinda feeling like I'll have to get used to that again anyway).
3. I may wear sweaters when it's 80 degrees outside (trust me...110+ degree heat can really change the way you think about the definition of the word "hot").
4. If you speak Spanish (fluently or otherwise), I might often try and have a conversation with you to keep up my language skills. Conversely, if you don't speak Spanish, I may absent-mindedly speak Spanish in front of you with people who do...please do me the favor of interrupting me and reminding me not to be rude.
5. If you are a U.S. visa-holder, I may (if I feel comfortable) ask you questions about your visa, purely for curiosity's sake...I don't know what they all look like, and now that I am more familiar with how difficult it can be to get one, I am much more curious about your own story about what kind of visa you have and what you had to do to get yours. If you feel at all uncomfortable talking about it, please just tell me so.
6. I may find it difficult to get used to not having a place to buy real taquitos, carne asada, enchiladas or really good salsa on almost every block.
7. I will probably, at some point, begin planning a return trip to the southwest Texas/Mexico area, to visit Nuevo Laredo again, and to go further south to places like Monterrey, Veracruz, Mexico City, Guanajuato...maybe even further into Central America, etc. If you have any interest in joining me for even just a part of that, let me know - it's always better to travel with people.
8. Finally, I have gotten a little used to being "on my own", in a place of my own, and being able to make plans pretty much at the last minute, which has probably only served to increase my independent streak. I might have to go through a little adjusting in terms of planning things out a bit more, as well as getting used to actually having people at home when I get back from the "end" of my day again. It's not that I won't like having people at home (trust me, loneliness has been one of the biggest battles I've had to face while here)...it's really just more that I'll have to get used to it again. In fact, I've been craving having my family there when I walk through the door, and eating dinner together - going through lonely times has taught me a lot about what lonely people appreciate most!
So, there you go. These are just the things I can think of right now that I know will be changes - there will probably be more. I really do miss you all very, very much, and as much as I have truly enjoyed my time here, I am anxious to get home! Thank you to everyone who prayed for me, sent emails, letters, packages, phoned, read the blog, commented on the blog, thought of me when spotting a Mexican consulate in Pennsylvania (ha ha S.W.), etc. God really blessed me through hearing from each one of you!
Much love ~ Cat
Here's what you might be able to expect:
1. While here, I've gotten used to listening to radio stations that only play Mexican pop...I'm gonna miss that when I come back, so if I pop in a CD that's only in Spanish (and of which the only artists you might have possibly heard of are Shakira and Mana) every once in a while and sing along, please just bear with me - and if you dare, ask me to translate it for you :)
2. I may begin using public transportation a lot more than I used to (which I know some people will be happy about). While here, I've gotten used to riding in large buses with people I don't know, and to be quite honest, I find it a lot more interesting (and relaxing) than driving myself around and getting stressed out about the bad driver in front of me. (Plus, I haven't driven in 2.5 months, so I'm kinda feeling like I'll have to get used to that again anyway).
3. I may wear sweaters when it's 80 degrees outside (trust me...110+ degree heat can really change the way you think about the definition of the word "hot").
4. If you speak Spanish (fluently or otherwise), I might often try and have a conversation with you to keep up my language skills. Conversely, if you don't speak Spanish, I may absent-mindedly speak Spanish in front of you with people who do...please do me the favor of interrupting me and reminding me not to be rude.
5. If you are a U.S. visa-holder, I may (if I feel comfortable) ask you questions about your visa, purely for curiosity's sake...I don't know what they all look like, and now that I am more familiar with how difficult it can be to get one, I am much more curious about your own story about what kind of visa you have and what you had to do to get yours. If you feel at all uncomfortable talking about it, please just tell me so.
6. I may find it difficult to get used to not having a place to buy real taquitos, carne asada, enchiladas or really good salsa on almost every block.
7. I will probably, at some point, begin planning a return trip to the southwest Texas/Mexico area, to visit Nuevo Laredo again, and to go further south to places like Monterrey, Veracruz, Mexico City, Guanajuato...maybe even further into Central America, etc. If you have any interest in joining me for even just a part of that, let me know - it's always better to travel with people.
8. Finally, I have gotten a little used to being "on my own", in a place of my own, and being able to make plans pretty much at the last minute, which has probably only served to increase my independent streak. I might have to go through a little adjusting in terms of planning things out a bit more, as well as getting used to actually having people at home when I get back from the "end" of my day again. It's not that I won't like having people at home (trust me, loneliness has been one of the biggest battles I've had to face while here)...it's really just more that I'll have to get used to it again. In fact, I've been craving having my family there when I walk through the door, and eating dinner together - going through lonely times has taught me a lot about what lonely people appreciate most!
So, there you go. These are just the things I can think of right now that I know will be changes - there will probably be more. I really do miss you all very, very much, and as much as I have truly enjoyed my time here, I am anxious to get home! Thank you to everyone who prayed for me, sent emails, letters, packages, phoned, read the blog, commented on the blog, thought of me when spotting a Mexican consulate in Pennsylvania (ha ha S.W.), etc. God really blessed me through hearing from each one of you!
Much love ~ Cat
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
"what a difference a bridge makes"
...is what my boss' dad said one time. It's really quite true. While Nuevo Laredo doesn't exactly seem to be "hurting" financially, especially in comparison to other Mexican cities (being on the border helps economically - lots of trading to be donw), there's a lot that changes once you cross that bridge. Think of it as something like "8 mile", but a bit more noticeable (and that`s saying something). Clean streets vs. dirty streets, quasi-accessible sidewalks vs. sidewalks certainly not meant for anyone who can´t walk, 1 or 2 farmacias in the downtown (pharmacies) vs. 1 or 2 farmacias on every block.
Actually, semi-funny story about pharmacies. My boss was telling me that Laredo, in some magazine a couple years ago, got voted as one of the top places to live. One of the factors in determining the best place to live was the percentage of anti-depressant drugs purchased anually within the city (because, of course, a city purchasing less anti-depressants must be happier, right?). What they didn´t take into account, however, is that everyone in Laredo can easily cross the border, stop in at the nearest farmacia, and purchase said anti-depressants over the counter, since Mexican law doesn´t hold them under the prescription-drug category. A nice bit o' money for the farmacia owners too.
I think the most noticeable difference when you cross over to the U.S. side, however, is how spread out things are. Whereas in Mexico (and most of the world I think) houses are really compacted together, with little yard space, you really get to see just how much space Americans use when you cross over. Large plots of land, huge backyards, shopping mall parking lots covering miles and miles of turf, distances that require the use of a car (unless you're savvy about the bus system). There are parts of Nuevo Laredo that are like that too, but they're not exactly part of the city, ya know?
Alrighty, time for a sign off...
Actually, semi-funny story about pharmacies. My boss was telling me that Laredo, in some magazine a couple years ago, got voted as one of the top places to live. One of the factors in determining the best place to live was the percentage of anti-depressant drugs purchased anually within the city (because, of course, a city purchasing less anti-depressants must be happier, right?). What they didn´t take into account, however, is that everyone in Laredo can easily cross the border, stop in at the nearest farmacia, and purchase said anti-depressants over the counter, since Mexican law doesn´t hold them under the prescription-drug category. A nice bit o' money for the farmacia owners too.
I think the most noticeable difference when you cross over to the U.S. side, however, is how spread out things are. Whereas in Mexico (and most of the world I think) houses are really compacted together, with little yard space, you really get to see just how much space Americans use when you cross over. Large plots of land, huge backyards, shopping mall parking lots covering miles and miles of turf, distances that require the use of a car (unless you're savvy about the bus system). There are parts of Nuevo Laredo that are like that too, but they're not exactly part of the city, ya know?
Alrighty, time for a sign off...
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
flooding in Houston, D.C. and the U.S. Consulate in Nuevo Laredo
*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.
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.
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)
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