Monday, February 25, 2008
Veracruz
Since Liz and her boyfriend were visiting, Kate and I decided to take them to Veracruz for Saturday and Sunday. It is only 3 hours away so it wasn't too bad. The beaches there are not as nice as other beaches but they still are very nice and the weather is really hot. I believe it was about 90 degrees when we were there. We ate some really good food and Saturday night while we were having dinner at an outdoor resturant there was music playing everywhere. Veracruz is such a lively city. There are also people in the streets and music playing so I really enjoyed it. I just want to take a moment and say Congrats to all my friends who were involved in THON this past weekend at Penn State...I was sooo happy when I saw the total ($6 MILLION)!!!! I can't wait to be a part of it next year. I still have the chills thinking about how amazing it must have been. I am so proud of all of you!!! Well I have to go do more homework. Liz is here until Thursday so we are going to show her around a little after class tomorrow and Wednesday. I miss everyone. Stay warm!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
La Ciudad de Mexico
Yesterday I went on a day trip to Mexico City with my Estetica class to visit 3 different art museums. The first one we went to is a temporary exhibit in the Zocalo by Gregory Colbert called "Ashes and Snow". It was by far one of my favorites, I definitely recommend it to everyone if you ever get the chance to go see it. I have some pictures below of some of his work and I got some postcards to put up on my wall. He basically photographs children and wild animals together in the wild. It was only a Tuesday but there were so many people there all day. Afterwards, we went to another museum to see the photography of a man by the name of Henry Peabody and Frida Kahlo's dad. I didn't enjoy that as much even though photography is my favorite type of art. We also saw the exhibition "Viajes por Latinoamerica" by Anni and Josef Albers, a German couple that traveled to Latinamerica. The third museum we went to was Munal where we saw more religious paintings and about the life of Mexican Artist Diego Rivera. I hope to one day soon go to Frida Kahlo's house and see her work.
After about 6 hours of visiting museums, my teacher let us walk around for about two hours. That is when I basically chased two policemen to take a picture with me but I don't think they minded too much since they stopped haha. I also noticed a lot of tourists there, especially English speaking ones. Mexico City is absolutely beautiful. There are sooo many people on the streets at all times but the city is more spread out, unlike in Philadelphia where all the streets are narrow.
I am definitely glad I am taking the art classes because I feel that I am seeing Mexico through a whole different perspective. My teacher who took us yesterday is so nice and so wonderful. She is always asking me if I'm alright and is always willing to help. I really enjoyed spending time with my classmates and actually talking to a few. My German friend Jill was also with us so I spent most of the day with her and Nicole from Penn State. I will definitely go back to Mexico City atleast for a weekend because it is absolutely huge and there is much more to see.
My friend Liz is coming this weekend so I don't think we will be doing any traveling away from Puebla. I am trying to plan a volcano climbing trip for a day. We can't go up the famous and biggest volcano in Puebla obviously because it's still active but the other one is open. I am also looking forward to a weekend trip to Guadalajara and I think we are going to Vera Cruz in April with the International Club because that is also included in my tuition. Well keep looking out for the postcards. I am trying to get a couple everywhere I go so everyone doesn't get the same ones!! Miss you all!!!
After about 6 hours of visiting museums, my teacher let us walk around for about two hours. That is when I basically chased two policemen to take a picture with me but I don't think they minded too much since they stopped haha. I also noticed a lot of tourists there, especially English speaking ones. Mexico City is absolutely beautiful. There are sooo many people on the streets at all times but the city is more spread out, unlike in Philadelphia where all the streets are narrow.
I am definitely glad I am taking the art classes because I feel that I am seeing Mexico through a whole different perspective. My teacher who took us yesterday is so nice and so wonderful. She is always asking me if I'm alright and is always willing to help. I really enjoyed spending time with my classmates and actually talking to a few. My German friend Jill was also with us so I spent most of the day with her and Nicole from Penn State. I will definitely go back to Mexico City atleast for a weekend because it is absolutely huge and there is much more to see.
My friend Liz is coming this weekend so I don't think we will be doing any traveling away from Puebla. I am trying to plan a volcano climbing trip for a day. We can't go up the famous and biggest volcano in Puebla obviously because it's still active but the other one is open. I am also looking forward to a weekend trip to Guadalajara and I think we are going to Vera Cruz in April with the International Club because that is also included in my tuition. Well keep looking out for the postcards. I am trying to get a couple everywhere I go so everyone doesn't get the same ones!! Miss you all!!!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
My Weekend Trip to Cuetzalan!
So this past weekend I went to Cuetzalan with other exchange students. There were about 28 of us in 2 vans and it was about 4 hours away. It's a really small, beautiful town with many waterfalls, 2 of which we visitied. On Friday when we arrived, we walked around a little and took some pictures of al center (the center) and then had a late lunch at a resturant that overlooked the town. After we ate, we all got up and starting dancing with all the people from Cuetzalan who were also eating in the resturant. There were about 30 of us in a huge circle and at one point this Mexican woman pulled me into the middle of the circle and we danced together. It was a lot of fun.
On Saturday we hiked through a huge cave and afterward we went to one of the waterfalls and I had the chance to repel down the side. It was unlike anything I have ever done before (pictures below). We went to eat all together at another resturant which was delicious and really cheap ($3) for a meal of soup, potatoes and chicken. At around 8 we went to watch the voldadores (flyers) which is a traditional dance in which 5 voldadores climb up a really high pole and swing in a circle by their legs until they reach the ground. I suggest you look it up online because it was dark and I could not take good pictures but it was absolutely amazing. It's very similar to that swing ride at an amusement park except its only 4 people and they are swinging around by their legs.
On Sunday, we went to another waterfall which was very different from the one we saw on Saturday because it was much bigger and there were no rocks behind it so we could stand behind it and watch it. We also had a chance to go swimming in the pool there. In the morning, I went to the market where there were people selling everything from shoes and clothes to food and jewelry. But I didn't eat anything off the streets our of precaution.
Tomorrow, I am going to Mexico City with my Estetica class to see what I hear is an amazing art exhibition so I will take pictures and put them up for everyone to see. I am feeling much much better and am able to eat again. I think it just took some time for me to get used to the food here.
I am meeting soo many new people and almost everyone I meet here is just so welcoming. They kiss you on the cheek to greet you, unlike in the United States where it is a simple handshake. I am making a lot of friends not only from Mexico but from all over the world. This past weekend I roomed with a girl named Jill who is in one of my classes and is from Germany. She studies in England and it is mandatory that all the students there go abroad for a year. There are also people in our group from Sweden, Argentina, Germany, Holland, and of course the United States and it is so interesting to hear all the languages being spoken. Even though Spanish and English are the common languages, sometimes I catch the two Swedish girls speaking amongst themselves in their language or the German students speaking German to eachother. I think it's a shame that the United States doesn't starting teaching other languages until high school which is so late to start learning a language. In Europe, they start learning other languages from kindergarten. But other than that, I really miss everyone. I am trying to send out postcards to everyone at some point so look out for them. Be safe and stay warm. I love you!!!!
On Saturday we hiked through a huge cave and afterward we went to one of the waterfalls and I had the chance to repel down the side. It was unlike anything I have ever done before (pictures below). We went to eat all together at another resturant which was delicious and really cheap ($3) for a meal of soup, potatoes and chicken. At around 8 we went to watch the voldadores (flyers) which is a traditional dance in which 5 voldadores climb up a really high pole and swing in a circle by their legs until they reach the ground. I suggest you look it up online because it was dark and I could not take good pictures but it was absolutely amazing. It's very similar to that swing ride at an amusement park except its only 4 people and they are swinging around by their legs.
On Sunday, we went to another waterfall which was very different from the one we saw on Saturday because it was much bigger and there were no rocks behind it so we could stand behind it and watch it. We also had a chance to go swimming in the pool there. In the morning, I went to the market where there were people selling everything from shoes and clothes to food and jewelry. But I didn't eat anything off the streets our of precaution.
Tomorrow, I am going to Mexico City with my Estetica class to see what I hear is an amazing art exhibition so I will take pictures and put them up for everyone to see. I am feeling much much better and am able to eat again. I think it just took some time for me to get used to the food here.
I am meeting soo many new people and almost everyone I meet here is just so welcoming. They kiss you on the cheek to greet you, unlike in the United States where it is a simple handshake. I am making a lot of friends not only from Mexico but from all over the world. This past weekend I roomed with a girl named Jill who is in one of my classes and is from Germany. She studies in England and it is mandatory that all the students there go abroad for a year. There are also people in our group from Sweden, Argentina, Germany, Holland, and of course the United States and it is so interesting to hear all the languages being spoken. Even though Spanish and English are the common languages, sometimes I catch the two Swedish girls speaking amongst themselves in their language or the German students speaking German to eachother. I think it's a shame that the United States doesn't starting teaching other languages until high school which is so late to start learning a language. In Europe, they start learning other languages from kindergarten. But other than that, I really miss everyone. I am trying to send out postcards to everyone at some point so look out for them. Be safe and stay warm. I love you!!!!
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