A little update.....

On Monday night Kristine and I attended an aerobics class. #1 I have never done aerobics in my life. #2 We were the only first timers and so everyone was trying to help us by telling us how to do the exercises correctly. So imagine this......... about 15 Mexicans doing exercises the right way and two white girls doing everything they can to keep up and follow the instructions of those trying to help. I think it would have been an amusing sight. I was always a couple of beats behind and I never looked as graceful as the instructor or other participants. In addition, I had sweat pouring off my face. I sweat in places I never knew one could. It was so gross but yet at the same time refreshing! I wish you had been there...... ha!
Besides doing Aerobics in the evening, we have been occupied with school and spending time with our families. My host mom likes to argue with me about the color of my eyes. She insists that they are green like olives and I insist that they are brown. But I think after my time in Mexico I will need to start calling them hazel. We still go back and forth on where I should put my shoes, how I should make my bed, how I should have the shades, and where I should place my toothpaste in the bathroom. There are some things I give in to, but others that I don't. Every afternoon I discover that she has rearranged something. Today she remade my bed, rearranged my shoes and put a pair of shorts I had hand washed the night before outside on a bush to dry.
Anyhow, yesterday Kristine and I visited a museum in Cuernavaca with a group of other students. It had some history about Cuernavaca itself. But the coolest part was a mural that had been painted by Diego Rivera. One of our teachers explained the mural to us and that was the most helpful thing in understanding the history. I think that we will probably go back after we've learned a little more history about Mexico. I know that this sounds really vague, and it is........... but I really don't know what to say. I want to get all the facts straight!
Tonight we're going to attend a service at church and Friday I'm going to exercise with my host mom in the morning, and wash my clothing at the Lavanderia. Anyways....... I'll write when I have more to say. Until then, blessings!

Home sweet home.....

I live in an apartment above my family. I have a living room area where my desk is located and I have my own bedroom and bathroom. I definitely have plenty of space. Leanne....... I´m really sad because I didn´t get to bring my blanket you made me. There wasn´t room in the suitecase. :(
The walls of my room were very boring and white so I did a little decorating. I lined my walls with pictures. As you can see in the mirror I also brought my teddy bear, Benji along. To the right is my closet. My host mom is kind of funny because she changes things around in my room. She always takes out my garbage, cleans, and brings fresh water but she also does a little rearranging. The first day she changed where I placed my name sign and remade my bed for me because I didn´t do it right. Then another day she closed the shades to the way she wanted and hung up my purses for me. Today, I came back to discover that she found my tacs and pinned my schedule up in my room and she placed everything that was on my bed neatly on my dresser/closet. She´s funny........ there is always something she changes. Oh, one day it was where I put my shoes. She moved them for me, but I moved them back. hehehe :) Oh, and today it was my toothpaste, too! I don´t think I´ll be able to keep track of all of this. And.... she insits on doing all my cleaning despite my protest.
Here is my small but cute bathroom sink. I love the whales. It fascinates me!
I found this kind of interesting. This is my shower. It is on the wall next to the sink. Soooo......... my whole bathroom is the shower. I wish I could describe it better but I found it kind of different and fun. Anyways......... this is my home sweet home for the next fifteen weeks!

Safe and happy....

Hello! I´m writing to inform you that I arrived safely to Mexico City and made it through the airport without too much trouble on Friday. The reason I say not too much trouble was because when I was turning in my paperwork and asking questions the man working was more interested in flirting! Kristine and I were greeted by Rafael, the school chef and were transported to our families. I must say that Mexican driving in CRAZY!!!! Much crazier than Ensendada, too. Anyhow, Rafael dumped us off, and I mean literally. He dropped off our suitcases and said goodbye. But my family was waiting my arrival which made the situation a bit more comforting.
Kristine and I have only been here a few days but we have already done so much. On Friday we spent the remainder of the evening with our families and on Saturday we had an orientation at Universal. We took our initial tests and spoke with the director. Then we got a tour of Cuernavaca by foot. That afternoon Kristine and I attended a bible study for young adults and watched the story of Joseph in Spaish. We were then put on the spot to share something with the group. Yesterday, we were picked up by our new friends and attended one of the local Christian churches. After church we walked around el centro de Cuernavaca in search of a good bank. Last night I was so exhausted and I just wanted to go to bed but when I went down to dinner at 8 my family was not about to let me leave. We chatted for a couple of hours and I helped Arantza with her English homework. Today was our first day of school. I absolutely loved our Spanish class and I´m looking forward to the rest of the week. As for the culture and civilization class, it was a lot of information and I had a bit of trouble focusing. Sadly, I have this class two hours a day for seven weeks so I need to get adjusted quickly. Tonight Kristine and I are going to an exercise class with my family. It´s aerobics......... it should be interesting!
Hmmmm......... what more can I say. Well, I´m really enjoying it here. It´s been a struggle the last few days because I feel like I understand so much and yet cannot communicate all that I want to say. But I have had a lot of practice with my family. My family is kinda Catholic, but despite this I have had some long encouraging discussion about God with my host mom. I´m really looking forward to the rest of my time here with this family.


This is a picture of the street that I live on. I live on the same street as the school and it only takes me about a minute to walk there. I am one of the first young students my family has had because usually the older students get placed there.







This is what my house looks like from the street. All of the homes have locked gates.

This is what my house looks like from inside of the gate. There is a patio like room that has three chairs for sitting. There is the dining room table and then there is the TV. Behind this room is the Kitchen and I haven´t quite discovered how much bigger the home is.


This is my host mom, Mirna and her ll year old daughter, Arantza. I also live with Felipa, Mirna´s mother. She´s 80 years old and refused to be in the picture because she says she is not photogenic. Mirna´s sister lives behind us in there own house, I think. She is married to a European, but right now I´m drawing a blank with the country. There names are Irma and Peter and they have two teenage boys. My family is amazing and they challenge me to practice Spanish all of the time. I usually spend a couple hours at every meal just hanging out with them. Meal times are at 8:30/2:30/8:00. Breakfast is a good size, lunch is their biggest meal and dinner is very light. I´m starting to get used to the meal times. The most difficult time is making it to luch. I´m always soooooo hungry. Mirna always tries to get me to drink something other than water. She has something new at every meal for me to try and she is baffled when I still ask for water in addition. :)