Lenguas, Estomago, and Piramidres

Here I am sitting in the library, thinking what I should write for myblog. Did you know that this campus here in Mèxico is 1000 square acres. Last Thursday we went dancing, and before we ate hotdogs. Here one can put tons of toppings on their hot dogs, I think I put cheese, guac, chips, beans, cream, and mayo. Dancing was way way crowded, but fun.

This last weekend we went to see a circular piramide called Guancanmontes, I think that s how it is spelled. They are very old. Even B.C. There were like rocks in a circle forming up into a piramide. These ancient people were actually quite intelligent, this pyramid representated the sun and the equinoic and 52 weeks in the year. Then afterwards we went to go eat at a restaurante called El Sol. I was full enough for two meals worth of food. I ate ham, I ate chicken, I ate beans, I ate guac, carne asada, lemonada, tortillas, shrimp soup, chips.
Cultural Tip of the Day: Be aware if the busses are super crowded you may get closer to people than you would like to be.
Real quick Friday: On friday we went to our friend Nidia`s house. She is our friend here from the church. She lived way across town and we got to eat the most wonderful tasteful thing in the world. I will be adding this to one of my other listing of interesting but quite good things to eat. We ate Guac, beans, tortillas, and Tongue and Stomach ( of a cow) I have to admit not have bad, much better than pig skin, and I have something new to add to my list of things I have tried that are extremely unusal. Then once again we had churros. It will probably be better if I leave out the numer of how many. After wards we went to this place called Teatro de Degaydo to see an opera. It was beautiful people of all ages. We had to dress up formal so our frien did our hair for us after dinner, my hair was straight. Back to the opera. My favorite part was when these three young girls climbed and hung off of these strips of curtain hanging from the cealing.
Real Quick Sunday: Probably one of the most beautiful days of my life so far. We had a wonderful missionary program. We went to this plaza called Plaza de Fundadores, right behind the place where the opera was located. The government gave the missionaries permission to have this spot for three hours. So our group presented a presentation the living Christ, it was all in Spanish, and during it the missionaries were able to go out and proselyate. It was cool to sing songs of the love of Christ and bear our testimonies of him and look out in the backround and see missionary proclaiming the gospel. I got a feeling that this gospel work is about building others help and helping others find Christ and loosing our lives for the sake of others having this beautiful message.
This is from my friend Anita`s blog. She is a girl on our trip. I have official decided that others can write more creative and interesting blogs than I can and por eso I am copying some of their perfect descriptions. So this is Anita`s description of Lucha Libre, which happened almost three weeks ago. She has it pretty right on the dot. I will not be going there ever again.

Dia 25: Lucha Libre

Well... I went to a Lucha Libre and all I can say is once is good enough. It was hilarious and disturbing all at the same time. Lucha libres are essentially like WWE. There are massive men wearing spandex and masks wrestling in a ring in the middle of the room. It's obviously planned and dramatized.They were smacking each other, doing flips, begging for mercy then attacking their opponents as they turn at the right moment. Super stupid. Anyways, as a group we went to one of the lucha libres for the weekly cultural activity. The beginning of the event I laughed and was pretty entertained. I made up nicknames for the wrestlers and they did silly little tricks around the ring. But then it got weird. They started t-bagging each other, ripping off pants, girls in little clothing came out with "round two" signs and jumped around for the crowd. Everyone started yelling SUPER interesting things at each other and to the wrestlers. Let's just say I learned a lot of colorful swear words. I was laughing the whole time but it was just awkward after an hour or so. Some things just should NOT be seen. And I felt bad for the poor skinny guy who got jumped on by a 350 lb monster! Oh and everyone who sat in the front row will have bruises tomorrow from the men falling out of the ring. Pretty insane night.

Los Churros son mi amor

Seriously, I think I have fallen in love with churros. Just for a fair warning, no one be surprised when I come back and I am much 15 pounds heavier. Although that is not going to happen, en serio, the churros were amazing. I got them filled them with Cajeta ( a type of carmel) and I filled them with chocolate also. Muy rica. Muy delisiosa. After wards we went out to dinner and I thought that it would be a good idea if I toned down on the meet a bit and for this reason I got a salad with tomatoes, green peppers, onions, cucumbers, and avocados. Otra Vez. Muy rica. Muy delisiosa. At school we just finished up watching a movie called El estudiante. I would recommended it to anyone. Great great message. Just real quick I wanted to tell you some important things that my friend from the Mormon church here taught me.
First, four important qualities in a young lady. First, Love God. Second. Love others. Third. Be a loving person, and a very kind and caring person. Fourth, smile at the simplest things. And all the rest will come and fall into place.
And to close up, I have to go off of my friend Natalie´s blog. I like here how they have three distict ways to say I like slash I love someone, so this way you do not have to explain, the word itself will tell you. First me gusta, is if you have a crush on someone. Te quiero is between family members and good friends or a group of friends. And Te amo is only for your sweetheart or spouse, much more romatic. Well over and out. Te quiero.

Te Extraño

This is for the few people that I hope read my blog. I will try my best to keep everyone updated. México and the United States are very different, for sure. There are things that I will miss and some things that I will not miss. Let me tell you of a typical day.
Our school starts at 9 a.m. in the morning. Does not seem early right? Well Melissa and I usually do not get in till about mid night, cause we are out with the church kids, which means we usually do not get to bed around 1 in the morning. We have to start taking showers at night because we can not get up early enough. Our goal ( originally might I add) was to get up around 6 and run then come home, shower, and eat break feast and leave by 8.20. I think that we have done that 2 times this whole trip so far. So we are bad goal setters. Now we usually wake up around 7:50. Get ready in aout 30 minutes and go eat break feast. For us break feast usually motivates us to get out of bed. Then we start on the 30 minute walk to school. We usually talk in English, although Melissa is really good at talking in Spanish. We usually talk about how much we are going to miss it here, or funny memories from friends back home, or how we got along that morning and currently better understand each other. Then we arrive at school about 1 minute late.
I sit in class, and I love our teacher, but school is school, and it is summer, although I am very grateful to be here, about after the first hour of class it is time for a break, but we do not get a break until after 2 hours. Then the last hour is a conversation class.
After class we go and check our email, usually, the time varies on how long we stay. Then we walk home again, exhausted and tired for some reason. Then we take a little siesta. Probably about 3 hours, we are always so tired. Then we eat lunch, which is always very tasteful. And next we have options, Either service at the elderly care home, soccer, movies, eat, church choir program practice, dance, or eat, or eat. I seem to love to eat here. There are so many little tacos resaurants, super cheep, and very good. In fast yesterday we went to two. The first one we were at I got a light taco. With lettuce and meat in the inside. The waitress paid for my second one on the house!
So a little bit about our trip last weekend. We went to Zacatecas. It reminds you of a very European town. Cobble stone streets, skinny streets. Colorful sqaure houses sit in on the mountain house, typical image of México. But if was nice getting out of the city. My favorite part was the fresh air and the night time sky, beautiful beautiful view. We went on a Gandala across part of the city, like a sky lift type thing, and through a mine. A beautiful mine, the most beautiful I have ever seen. Deep creveses( I know I spelt that wrong). On Friday night we went and saw a little presentation about the Legends of the town. The town had some beautiful churches and cathedrals. Then after the legends thing we went to an out door concert. Really pretty, layed back, not loud, It was older men singing, and playing the guitar and harp, very very typical romatic Méxican music.
México runs on polycramatic time, where as in the U.S. we run on monocramtic time. It certainly is taking time to get used to. For U.S. every minute in the day counts. If we have a meeting or a party to be to we be there right on time. Fine minutes after is considered a little bit late. But here 30 minutes after is considered maybe right on time. People are really important and schedules have less of an influence. Both are good. And I know that relationships in the U.S. are really important too.
I will miss every one calling there spouses, and even their kids too, mi amor, mi vida, my life, my love. It is really cool to see parents calling that to their kids. Well I need to work on homework. Over and Out. Buenas Tardes.

Por Fin

Okay, so I know it has been a while since I have written on my blog, so I will update it. I will try to go as far back as I can remember.
Last Wednesday night we went to a professional fútbol game. Atlas v Americas. We were rooting for Atlas.
First of, last weekend we went to Tonala and Tlaquepaque. We probably ate at the best Méxican restaurant in the whole entire world, seriously. We had fejitas and guacamole. MMmmhhh... At Tonala, there are a whole bunch of street vendors. I bought two Méxican looking cups and two beautiful painted bowls, of which the two bowls I accidently dropped the bag, and now they are in the trash. I was so close to home too! They were very cheap though so hopefully I can go back. Melissa and I bought some cds of a really popular Méxican artists. I love canciones de amor, always asking for them.
On Monday, I turned 19 years old!! I want to thank you for everyone who made my birthday very special and said happy birthday. It was a wonderful day. For my birthday my house mom made me Chile Rellenos. MUYYY RICO. After family home evening we went to Chapala. This lake about an hour away from where we are staying. Once we got there we walked around along side the lake. It was beautiful. Kinda reminds you of San Fransisco. They had palm trees along the water with lights wrapped around them. After wards we were going to go out for the best burritos in town, however, one of the cars broke down, hence, we needed to go home to the person driving the car could drive back and pick up more people.
Tuesday morning, Melissa and I had to do a presentation about a Méxican comida. We choose ate de membrillo with manchego cheese. It is like thick fruit leather ( more flavorfuly, and juicey) with cheese. We pretended we were on a cooking show and we were the host. It went over very very well.
Yesterday, we had quite the cultural experience. We went to a lucha libre. Anyone seen Nacho libre? well yea....I will probably one go once, and just said I have been to one in México, solely only for the experience. A bit of a unique environment. After wards, me and some friends in our group and one of our Méxican friends from the church went out for tacos. I got three tacos. My friend asked if I wanted to try some of his food. It looked appetizing, so I did. Turned out it was tongue, from a cow. Also turns out, tongue is not half bad very saboroso, very flavorful. But I of course provided the entertainment for the night at dinner table. I made a bet that if I ate three Chiles, then they would have to pay for my dinner, if I didnt I would have to pay for all of theres. So I cut up one chile in four slices, ate the first slice, already my lip and tongue burnt, end of bet. Good thing I did not shake on it. I ended up paying for only my dinner ( thanks goodness).
So a quick wrap up. I am beginning to appreciate this world more and the gospel. And the knowledge that I am a child of God. I would be lost. I of course miss my family and friends back home, a little bit in that home sick stage, but I know I also have a home here. The people here really give you all they have. I am sure my roomate and I will cry when we leave, but I am grateful to be going back. Here are just a few things that I have learned. The minimum salary here is 50 pesos a day, which translates to 5 dollars a day, not an hour, but per day. Also of about the 103 million people that live in México about half of that so about 50 million live below the poverty line. My heart goes out to those who stand on the streets just selling packets of gum, or belts, or umbrellas. But the people here are amazing and giving people.
School is going well. This weekend we are going to Zacatecas, and it is an over night trip! Which should be fun. Cant wait to see everyone soon. Love you all. Hasta mañana.
Aqui es su casa.

Mi Testimonio

So just a real quick this last weekend. On Friday, we went to moñtar a caballos. (ride horses) When I was younger I had fear of horses, but it is better now I think. I rode the horse all by my self. On Saturday we went to the Zoo. It was beautiful!! They had this recreatement of a Safari in Africa. Then on Sunday we had church. I bore my testiomony in Spanish yesterday during sacrament meetings. Before church I asked God to give me the gift of tongues, so I could understand all the testimonies being born there, and it was beautiful, I was able to understand everyones testimony including my own. I apologize this entry is soo short. Tonight for FHE ( family home eveing) el noche de hogar, we are going to go swimming and eat Pizza. oh and real quick Happy Fourth of July Everyone! More Tomorrow. Nos vemos.