Sunday, August 06, 2006
The catch-up: Update #3 - 6 August 2006
I have been slow to provide an update in the past few weeks, but I have many good excuses. If you are keeping up with the local news, you will know that Mexico City is drowning in Obrador supporters who are flooding the city with protests and calls for a new election. Yeah, that's not my excuse, I've seen none of that and felt none of its effects. This city is so big that the protests in the historical center have not affected me in my sanctuary here at Casa del Colibri, thank goodness. That said, I have been going nonstop in this crazy busy city with so much to see and do. I'll offer a few stories here, and then I'll be sharing some photos soon that provide a bit more of "the scoop" on my adventures south of the border.
As I write, I am recovering from the excitement of an absolutely fantastic long weekend at home for the wedding of two dear friends, Kristen and Ryan (Hoff). I was honored to be included in the bridal party, and agreed to come to Mexico City in July only on the condition that I could return home for the wedding. Needless to say they agreed, and I think I won for the most miles traveled to get to the event! We bridesmaids dressed in a luscious, long, pale yellow gown that looked great on "swimmer bodies" with the broad shoulders, and they were so appropriately complimented by the groomsmen's black tuxes with just the slightest hint of yellow accents. Kristen looked stunning, and Hoffy so grown up! The ceremony was lovely, the bride was beautiful, the cake DElicious, and the groom an utter wreck! It was my first wedding, so very exciting, and it lived up to all of my expectations. That, and it was like a SPY Swimming reunion, although there were certainly a few key figures missing.
During my time at home, however, I realized just how scarred by the machismo I now am from just three weeks in Mexico. We were sitting at the rehearsal dinner at several tables, and I was sitting next to a couple of the groomsmen and across from the other bridesmaids. The next thing I knew, I saw the groomsmen to my right (who shall remain nameless!) purse his lips as though he was going to whistle as a woman in our party walked past our table. Well, I felt my entire being become tense in anticipation for his degrading catcall, when I realized that he was doing absolutely nothing of the sort, but was so at peace that he just began whistling a happy little tune. I guess I never should have gone running in my lacrosse shorts (although I thought they were certainly long enough and appropriate for the first and last run that I will ever make here in the city). Clearly, I have some issues to work on... Yeah, so the wedding was definitely worth the trip home!
As for the past two weekends in Mexico that I have neglected to recap... I spent the first on an adventure to the mountains in the state of Hidalgo, where I traveled with Marie (Ross' cousin) and Juan (her boyfriend), Daniel (his best friend), Cesar (Daniel's brother), and Leomagna (Cesar's girlfriend) to a former silver mining town. Now abandoned, the mine is opened to visitors for tours, but is not a working mine to my knowledge. We traveled for about 2 hours by bus to this tiny town that relies on nothing but tourism, so all that is there are quaint housing accommodations, restaurants, and a small artisan market. The region is known for its fruity wine, which we tasted, and a food called "pastes," which are nothing more than glorified empanadas, stuffed traditionally with potatoes and meat, but also with pineapple, sweet rice, chicken and chiles, and ham. So we tried the local dishes, stayed in an adorable cabaña, and walked through and enjoyed the nature and mountain air. The cabañas were funny because there were only three beds for the six of us, making things interesting. As it turned out, I slept in two of the smaller beds that we pushed together with three of the others! Ahh, the adventures in travel. But it made for an interesting night! Our nature hikes were incredible and we got to see many natural waterfalls and there was just so much green. My lungs thanked me for the rest from the city's pollution.
So then the second weekend was full of excitement, as well! That Thursday, Sarah's (Princeton grad student living with me) boyfriend and another Princeton grad student, Randall, came into the city. Sarah's boyfriend was just visiting, but Randall is now here for the next month or so working with a government agency on a child nutrition program. Again, he's sooo ridiculously well-traveled and brilliant. Where does the Wilson School find these people???!!! Anyhow, it was fun to have a few fiestas with them, and I am really enjoying their company.
Then, that Saturday, I went with Marie, Juan, and Daniel on another adventure to some Aztec ruins in the state of Morelos. The ruins were located on the top of a mountain in a quaint artisan town, complete with a 16th century cathedral and incredible scenery. Well, this certainly was our most trecherous task to date. We hiked 2km literally straight up a mountain to reach these ruins, among throngs of people in absolutely no condition to be hiking on the slippery rocks with no guard or hand rails or safety measures of any kind. There were people, old, young (babies!), obese, in heels, all attempting to get to the top. There were soooo many people, and on top of it they were going up and coming down simultaneously, all using the same path. My biggest fear was that someone would slip, and the dominoe effect would throw us all to our doom. You can be assured that it was most definitely a "we're all going to die moment!"
But somehow we made it to the top, sweat-soaked and tired from the combination of the thinning air and challenging climb. It was too funny because we finally made it after about an hour and a half of hiking, and they told us that we had to pay to see the pyramid!!!! Talk about the sneakiest of tourist traps! That, and you can only imagine the monopoly that they had on drinks and snacks at the top! I can't imagine what I'd have done if I hadn't had dinero! So we payed our 30 pesos, and went to the pyramid! This is an awesome ruins site because it is mostly only visited by Mexican tourists (although I did see more gringos at this location than at any of the others that we have visited to date), so it is largely untouched. The beauty in this is that you can scale the pyramid, and sit on it and hang out, whereas I'm told you can't do anything of the sort with the more popular ruins elsewhere in the Mexico.
A bit of humor: so I was relaxing on the pyramid edge, sitting, thinking, and dreading the climb down (I always HATE the descending climb....I get sooo scared!), when a woman asked me in English with a thick Mexican accent if I speak English. Looking like I do, I could hardly deny it, and I thought for sure she'd ask me for money or something of the sort. So I answered yes, and she said to me, "my friend thinks you're cute and he would like to take a picture with you. would you please take a photo?" At that point, I could see my face pinned on another body posted on the internet for the world to see, but I was in such shock and thrown off, that all I could do was agree so as not to be rude. Well, you can imagine my surprise when I stand up and there is this large and in charge Mexican man, who towers over me in height and is about three of me width-wise! So I smiled sheepishly, and I'm sure I'll add some red to that photo... I could hardly look him in the eye! I only regret not charging a fee! If it happens again, you can be sure that I will have that covered! From that point on in the trip, though, Marie, Juan, and Daniel teased me relentlessly, and the joke of the day became: "can I take a photo with you?" Something tells me that it's not going to get old... I am most definitely the "huerita" (blondie) spectacle here in Mexico.
Ok, so one more item before I end this embarassingly long email (my apologies). So I've officially begun the rest of my life: I joined a masters swimming team here in Mexico City! It shouldn't surprise most of you, I don't think... But, yes, I am swimming with the Acuatica Nelson Vargas swim team every morning for an hour. The lovely thing is is that we max out after swimming 3000m, so it's easy, and they all think I'm an olympian because of the hours that we used to train at Princeton! I'm just happy to be making friends, exercising, and staying healthy. I am set to swim in a meet at the end of this month....pray that I don't drown and/or embarass myself!
I should mention work, I suppose, since it is the reason I'm here. I've completed a grant for a breast cancer prevention program for Eli Lilly, and I will soon begin one for Kelloggs, although for what I'm not yet sure. I also translated a 25 page document in a crunch just before leaving for the wedding in a record 2 days! Talk about tedium. I will be happy to never do a translation again, but something tells me there will be more... Oh well, it's important, and hopefully my Spanish will only improve as a result. My director leaves after this week, so I'm really hoping to have a new boss...otherwise I may have a lot more responsibility than I bargained for and some very fast learning to do! Regardless, I have faith that it will work out!
ok, thank you for reading if you've made it to this point! I will try to provide a more focused talk next time!
