Coming to a Close (Andy)

Well at this time one week from tomorrow I will be somwhere in the U.S. of A., maybe in Atlanta airport or some other place, who knows...it's very sad to think that this experience is coming to an end. Coming here, I only knew around four people out of about twenty, but now I feel like i've been hanging out with this group forever. The best part is that the majority of the people I've become friends with are people that, otherwise, I would have probably never met at Centre because of different social groups and greek (or non-greek) organizations and these types of things that sequester people within the campus. This is really has been one of the best things about the trip is becoming good friends with a wide array of folks. Since my last blog quite a bit has happened...we were able to go to the nature reserve at Celestun where I saw a couple of crocodiles and an uncountable number of flamingos which was neat. Also, a couple of hours ago today thirteen of us just got back home to Merida after Thanksgiving break, which we spent on Isla Mujeres, a small little island off the coast of Cancun. It was pretty touristy, but it was still a great time, all of us living in a house for four nights, cooking for ourselves and going to the beach (although food usually consisted of spaghetti, ramen noodles, baked beans, canned corn, etc. - food that was easy to cook). Tomorrow, final exams start which is a downer, but I suppose that since we ARE attending school down here, it's only just that we have tests...on one hand I'm looking forward to pushing through this week towards the going-away party on friday, and the final hooray on saturday and flying home on monday, but mirroring this is the fact that Merida has grown so much on me that I know that upon returning to Lexington, KY, it will only take a few days before I wish I was back in the heat of the Yucatan...Also, full-time english speaking will be a shocker. On Thanksgiving break, I was very confused when all of the locals on the island and the restaurant workers would only speak in english...they were talking in english and I was talking in spanish...very weird, but I'm sure that spanish phrases will slip out of my mouth back in the U.S. throughout winter break before I get truly comfortable again with full-time english. It's been a wild ride, but it's been amazing...incredible. Nos Vemos, Andres

The End Is Near: Lee Myers-White

So my experience is coming to a close and I can't decide whether or not I am ready for it to be over. At the moment I am ready for this last week to be over but that also might be because it is finals week. So I could be sitting in Frankfort Kentucky in a week or so wondering why I ever though I would want to return. We just returned from our Thanksgiving break on the island of Isla De Mujeres which was wonderful. It had the nicest beach we have seen on our whole trip and much of our day was spent there. It was a little strange just making myself spaghetti for Thanksgiving dinner. Also there was a downside to the island, it was very touristy, even more so than our previous trip to Cozumel. All of the activities on the island were completely directed at tourists, mostly American tourists, and more english was found than spanish both is writing and speaking. I was also very excited that I was able to watch my first Florida State football game, which was against Florida. We lost bad but I was still glad to watch. The end nearing has also brought about much conversation of what are going to be the first things we are going to do when we get back. Food has been the main topic of discussion, mine is going to be Thai Smile in Frankfort and for those who haven't been, do. Overall this has all been an experience which I am very glad to have done and don't regret at all.

Getting Ready to Leave...Sarah Swauger

It’s so hard to believe we only have 2 weeks left! It feels as though we have lived here for ages, but I can still remember stepping off the plane in Cancun like it was yesterday. What am I going to miss most…well, probably not the mosquitoes, the constant honks or the smell of burger king and the movie theatres. But I definitely will miss the playa, Gloria’s cooking and the latin music that I have recently become obsessed with. We’ve done so many amazing things, but some of my favorite memories are those that have happened in my home stay. At the beginning of the trip, I was nervous and intimidated to live with a family who speaks a completely different language from me. I wasn’t sure how I was going to fit into their daily routine and what we were going to talk about. But now, as I prepare to leave this family forever, I realize how great they have been. The grandchildren are adorable and as the weeks have passed, they have become less shy and more enthusiastic to play with us. Sarita is 5 and is at the house nearly every day. It’s amazing how I have learned so much from someone who is so young. She tells us jokes, jumps around on our beds and has dance parties with us. Any time she’s around we can’t help but smile and she never fails to keep us entertained. One Friday morning, she begged Gloria to let her come in and sleep with us and she succeeded in waking up Blair at 7:30 a.m. The other grandchildren, Kiki and Alexa, are also at the house often and love contributing to the madness. Alexa likes to pretend she’s a lobo and runs around trying to scare us while Kiki jumps from bed to bed, trying to avoid the girls. Once Kiki thought it would be a good idea to use the pool as his own personal bathroom from the top deck, which Gloria was not too happy about. When the niños aren’t around, the house is a bit calmer and we get the chance to have conversations with Gloria. She has really become like a second mom to us, asking us how our classes are going and offering us advice about what trips we should take. For Thanksgiving, she could see that we were in need of a little assistance in cooking, so she helped us set everything up and didn’t mind that I turned her kitchen into a war zone with all the flour and sugar I managed to spill. Thanksgiving dinner turned out to be amazing; since we all won’t be able to go home, it was nice to spend it with our “Mexico family.” All in all, it will be nice to return to normal life in the states but I will never forget the memories and people I have met here.

Namaste ~ Morgan

History's most relaxing travel experience, this is not. Despite the bright-eyed, smile for the camera appearance you see in the photographs, our lives here can get stressful. Last week I was drenched from head to toe in dirty street water by a passing bus as I was wandering around the streets of Merida in the rain. The Laundromat has lost half my wardrobe (which actually just means….more room in the suitcase for souvenirs!). I've lost count of how many times I've been whistled at, hissed at, or followed down the street by creepy Mexican men. (Isn't it enough that I've stopped combing my hair, ceased wearing makeup and pull out the ugliest clothes from my closet in efforts to deter them? I'm telling you...these guys can smell a foreign woman coming from miles away, even one who looks slightly like a refugee emerging from a war zone). And while we love all the tacos, empanadas and enchiladas, the truth is that sometimes you just really need a bacon cheeseburger. We're nearing the end of the term, and at the beginning of this week, I was in need of a serious dose of relaxation. Right on cue, along came Claudia Guerrero, Iyengar yoga extraordinaire. In reality, it was me who went to her. Phyllis has been taking classes with Claudia at Semilla Yoga for months, so I tagged along Tuesday night. Light on the hippy-dippy stuff and heavy on the physical aspects of yoga, Claudia teaches the art of letting go. With the moon shining through the screened window and the scent of night jasmine blossoms wafting in and mixing with the faint, crisp smell of chlorine from the tiled pool that borders the practice space, we saluted the sleeping sun. Claudia employed a series of props and constant personal attention to work her pupils into poses that give the brain a rest and push the mind completely into the moment. After closing with meditation in the dim, candlelit room, I finished the class focused, loose, and ready to take on the world.

Un noche extrano por Christine

Last monday night Sam and I were heading to the Fair in Xmatkuil with our Mexican friends. Sam and were in Ivan's car, we were jolly, blaring the music, windows down, dancing in our seats, bobbing our heads, ready for the fair. All of a sudden, BOOM!! BOOM!! Thank god I had my seat belt on. The guy in the car in front of us runs out screaming at Ivan. Through the windshield we see the car in front of us, a baby crying in its mother's arms.. aka, no baby seat. We're sitting the car with our seat belts still on, I didn't want to take it off. I never wear a seat belt too.. Never. Sam made a joke about Ivan being a bad driver.. IRONY.. and put her seat belt on, so I did too. After a good 10 minutes of trying to figure out what was going on in front of us we get out of the car to see the damage. The baby was okay, she stopped crying and was still in her mother's arms. However, something we didn't see.. another girl, probably 10 or 11, was laying on the floor next to the car.. she didn't fly out or anything but it was obvious that she was in the car and they laid her down next to the car. She wasn't bleeding or anything, she wasn't crying, she just looked like she was in shock. The cops made them move the cars out of traffic to take care of business. The girl was carried out in a strecher. But she was going to be okay. There were 3 cars in this crash. Ivan's car got a scratch, I repeat, a minor scratch on the hood. You couldn't even tell it was in an accident. The car in the middle was sandwitched and the car in front of that one got a new ass job. Just then a cow runs down the street followed by a mob of panicked Mexicans and a guy on a bike with a lasso. Oh Mexico. Poor Ic\van, the cops made him sit in the back of the cop car to make sure he doesn't "escape." We wait. An hour later the mob is walking back with the cow in their captivity. The cow is stubborn, poor animal, it is obvious it doesn't want to go back. Ever 5 steps and it stubbornly sits down. This results in the crowd going, "Ohhhhhhh!" This then follows by them pushing, pulling, lifting, pinching, and all those dreadful things to the cow to get it moving again. After a good 5 minutes it takes another 5 steps and sits back down. The fair where the cow came from is a good 2 KM away, it's going to be a long night for all of us. When the cow finally gets up the crowd goes "Yahhh!" But soon enough we hear, "Ohhhh!" At one point I look to my left and I see a mob of people crowded over a stubborn cow, in front of me is poor Ivan sunk in the backseat of a cop car, to my right is a random dog barking on a ledge at everyone. I can only say, "Oh Mexico precioso, I'm definately going to miss you."

With Three Weeks Left, What I'll Miss Most About Mexico

With only three weeks left in Merida, I have started to notice certain things that I will really miss about Mexico. Here is a list of things that I will dearly miss a few months from now while I am waiting in line for Cowan brunch after a night of frat parties... 5 pesos tacos Listening to Daddy Yankee and Pitbull for three hours straight Light up dance stages Local taco stands All inclusive discos for 7 or 8 bucks Liter and a half water for 80 cents Mexican guacamole Watching La Loba at four in the morning Wandering around Merida at three in the morning Cuban cigars Modelo Negro November weather in Merida 70's style VW bugs Progresso 9 year old dj's The Thuse The AC bus Hamacas 2 for 1 sushi and beer on Thursday BBQ House Pasha..... 31 pesos refreshments on Thursday with Keach Speed bumps The really big Mexican Oxxo The fact that I never got to see the Mexican that took my sandals, both pairs Cenotes The gallon jugs of hair gel Sur 13 tags All my roommates Late night walks with Keach Mexican Babies Cozumel My friend, Miguel Mendez Ruins Those long hours of Law and Order Watching Taylor open a 40 Thank you all for this fantastic experience, I wouldn't change a thing. Stay fresh, stay bold. Love you all. Kit

San Cristobel de Casas: Kara Beer

Alas our long awaited trip is over and we are back to the routine-filled days in Merida; however, we were each able to take home with us some pretty good memories and I find myself replaying through many of them throughout my day. One of my favorite parts of the trip was San Cristobel de Casas. Everything about this city was so enticing to me and I only wish we had more time to spend exploring. We stayed in a wonderful hotel, Na Bolom, which is a old hacienda that has been converted into a hotel. Na Bolom is also non-profit organization which strives to help the local Maya as well as create environmental awareness about the degradation of the rain forest. The weather in San Cristobel was rainy and cold; however, our rooms had big fireplaces and cozy beds, which always made for a perfect end to a perfect day. Na Bolom also had an excellent kitchen and served some of the most delicious food I have ever tasted. Among their declicacies was the chocolate caliente. (The Chiapian and Oaxacan people definately know how to make some delicious hot chocolate!)One of my favorite memories from San Cristobel was when we traveled to a small Maya village a little ways outside of the city, San Juan Chamula. This was such an incredible experience because we were able to witness the daily lives of the indigenous Tzotzil Maya. These Maya are very different from those in Yucatan and it was very interesting to see another group of Maya in a different setting. The men stood out due to their dress which typically included a thick, wool tunic (white or black), which was used for warmth due to the colder highland climate; the women wore the traditional huipil. While in this town we visited the church of San Juan Chamula, which was unlike any other thing I have ever seen. There were no pews in the church and the floor was carpeted in a bed of pine needles. There were small altars which lined the walls and many had mirrors, which were used in order to deflect the devil. People were scattered about the church, kneeling, often times with sacrifical items.Heavy drapes create a canopy, as they sweep across the expansive churhc ceiling and down the walls. The air is thick with incense, giving off a very strong aroma; they are using copan resin incense which the Maya have used for hundreds of years. Coca-Cola bottles lined the walls and were set on several of the altars as an offering, along with other bottles with unknown liquids. It was very obvious that the religion in Chamula was a blending of traditional Catholicism with pre-conquest Maya rituals. The relgious sycretism was so fascinating to me and I was in complete awe standing in that church. While inside the church we were lucky to witness a procession of musicians, as part of a ceremony for Day of the Dead. The procession was made up of wool tunic-wearing Maya men, all donning western-style cowboy hats, who were playing various instruments, inlcuding an accordian, guitar, flute, and drum. They were very solemn and I was told that these men were considered to be the "authorities" of Chamula, represented by their tunic and hat. (San Juan Chamula was granted autonomity and thus no outside military or police are allowed within the village, but instead Chamula has its own special "police force". This small town made up of indigenous Tzotzil is one of the most incredible places I have ever visited and I know I will never forget my experience there.