extranjera!!!

Today, was the day of placement tests and host parents.  

We started the day off healthy with breakfast.  Dona Lupita made us fruit, yogurt, and bagels.  (I don't think I ever eat such balanced meals, as I have when Dona Lupita has made meals.)  I then headed to the palapa (our outdoor classroom) to take the placement test--which was easy for the most part.  I tested into the advanced class with Chris and Katie.  Our teacher's name is Silvia and she is only 28, but she could easily pass for one of us.  We read a newspaper from the Yucatan, and talked about the articles.  Sounds like all Spanish teachers give out the same assignments.  Our homework assignment for Thursday is to visit the monumento (which I already visited) and another place.  Since we're the advanced class we have to do our "field trip" type assignments on our own time.  Joy, being good at Spanish means I'm also good at time management.  ; )

For lunch Dona Lupita made us chicken, guacamole, and BEAN SOUP.  See that Dad??  I tried bean soup, finally!!  After lunch was our assigned siesta time.  Whoops!  A bunch of Central College friends and I hung out in the library and bought bus tickets to Cancun for Friday at 18:00.  We’re going to Celestun with the program on Friday, and then we wanted to check out Cancun on our own.  It’ll take almost 4 hours to get there by bus and we plan on picking out a hostel for all of us to stay overnight in.

Well there went siesta time.  Who knew buying bus tickets could be so difficult??  Finding the website, picking the times, using our cards, filling out the information.  It’s a whole new world in Mexico.

After “siesta” host parents began picking us up. One by one.  It was like a reality show, wondering who was going to pack their bags and be the next one to leave the house.  Dona Patricia picked me up relatively early and I was one of the first few to leave.  We rode in her white punch buggy (the vehicle of choice here in Mexico) to her casa.  These punch buggies are nothing like those in the states.  They’re smaller, no seat belts, very simplistic, no radio, roll-down windows, etc.  I told Dona Patricia she had the most popular car in Mexico, and she said it was because it was the cheapest.  

I settled into my room (which I’m pretty sure is the master suite and Dona Patricia moved to one of the other bedrooms).  It’s huge!  King size bed?!  There is another room next door to it.  Carla lives there.  She is 29 and staying with Dona Patricia until she is able to move into her new apartment.  I think that was how the story went.  Also, a boxer named Brandi lives here to protect the house.  She likes to kill iguanas and eat people food.

I’m not quite sure what happened next.  I THOUGHT that Dona Patricia came into my room and told me that the husband of one of her friends died and that she was going to go to the funeral.  She told me there was a park across the street and that I could go there while she was at the funeral if I wanted.  She said that she was going to stop in to see her and then we would leave.  Sounded kind of weird, but I figured I’d check out a park.  Well guess what.  I was wrong about that entire conversation which makes me wonder how many other things I’m misinterpreting.  Dona Patricia walked around the park with me.  There were street vendors, a carousel, a train, several exercise machines, and a “track” around the whole thing to exercise on.   There were also benches and wireless internet.  The dude in camo pants next to us on the bench was googling something.  We went into the grocery store and Dona Patricia showed me all of the tropical fruits.  Then we went to mass.  Her friend whose husband died was not there.  It was not a funeral.  Just a regular mass from what I could tell except it was a Tuesday.   And the Eucharistic minister gave me a funny look when I didn’t stick my tongue out to receive communion.  Then again, I’m sure I got plenty of odd looks at mass.  Anyways, apparently she was hoping to see her friend there; but she saw different friends instead.  One pointed directly at me and said “extranjera.”  (Foreigner).  Lovely.

We came back to the casa for dinner.  Dona Patricia gave me like half a cantaloupe to start off with.  Then she asked if I wanted 2 or 3 hotdogs.  I told her one and she told me I was crazy.  And I drank some warmish, soy, lactase free milk stuff.  She tried to make me eat a second hot dog.  I convinced her she needed to eat the 3^rd one she fried.  : )  She asked if I wanted to talk to my parents on the internet or watch TV because she was going to go to her room.  But it was nearly 10:00 my parents time, so I just told her I was going to go to my room too.

I feel like I’m doing more listening than talking.  I do not know what to say.  I feel awkward.  I don’t want her to think I’m a weirdo, or that I am rude.  I accidentally used "tu" instead of the formal "Ud." a few times.  : /  But I suppose I’ll get used to this.  I’ll learn to talk more and figure out the things we are supposed to talk about.