Week 2

Week 2- Adjustments

I am finally settling into a routine and feeling more comfortable
about what I am doing here. My classes are going well. I really enjoy
my cinema and seminar of Spanish classes. Both relate directly back to
my communication degree that I earned back in the day at Chico. Cinema
is watching movies made by various Latin American (all countries)
directors, generally about social issues. Which I am learning is the
trade mark of a Latin film- documentary form about some social or
political issue.
Seminar is about using the language to communicate in advertising,
writings in books, newspapers, magazines etc. We are going to be going
to visit a newspaper office in the next couple of weeks.
My days are now set. Monday is school till 1 pm than off to the
internship till 5pm. Tues, early day, out at 2p, Wed. long day, out at
5 pm, Thur. early, 2p and finally Friday. No school, just internship
all day 9-5.

Over the past weekend I spent a good deal of time learning the various
bus numbers in my area so that I could use them more comfortably. (I
know Linda….TAXIs!!!). I walked around a lot too. Writing down bus
numbers and watching where they went. I finally figured out.. any bus
that has "Zalvaleta" on it will be on my main cross road and will get
me close enough if not exactly at my cross street. I finally figured
out…if I get on the wrong bus, don't panic, just get off and find
another!! I haven't used any taxis here as they are considerably more
expensive here than Cuernavaca. I hear it is pretty much $5.00 or more
to go any where and apparently there is a big issue with overcharging
foreigners. I am sure I will use them eventually, but not sure why, I
am just a walking/bus kind of gal!! I like the exercise and the
challenge of the buses, maybe I am just strange! So far, I am never in
a hurry, so I have the time for exploring.

In my walking/bus adventures, I found 3 large shopping malls and
Walmart! They have the nicest malls here and on the weekends they are
packed. Also, as part of my work out (walking) I take my computer
everywhere with me! So I am always packing a 8lb or more backpack. I
gotta burn those calories somehow! I digress…I take my computer so I
can surf the internet or use it to call home on my Skype phone.
Mexican businesses seem to be ahead of the internet game than the US,
wireless is everywhere. In the mall when I check for wireless signal
there are so many to choose from. Some, like Starbucks (my old
Starbucks in Cuernavaca was free) want to charge but many others are
free. Italian Coffee Company, the largest coffee chain in Mexico is
free internet at all locations. Fast and efficient too. They are my
main source and the university as well. Many restaurants here have
wireless but only for customers, meaning they provide a password. So
when I am in the mall, I can't use those, only the free connections.

Home life is also settling down. Now that I am adjusting to Esmeralda
ways of doing things, I am starting to feel more comfortable and
visiting with her and her family more and more. She different runs a
different kind of household than my last family and that was kind of a
culture shock in itself. I was so used to being the honored guest and
here I am a guest but I wash my own dishes. My last family kind of
dotted on me, so I felt more of a obligation to go home a lot. My new
situation allows me to come and go more freely, which is a nice
change. Having the grandkids around all the time is okay now too. Time
really does help the adjustment process!! The last few evenings I
have had the nicest long conversations with Esmeralda or her
daughters. It is nice to get to her/them and her/them me, but to also
practice my Spanish. Some days I think "wow, I can really speak
Spanish", others, I think what I am doing here!! I will never get the
hang of this. Today is a good language day!!!

Now lets hope the my adjustment at the Internship takes a turn to the
positive. Monday I was there 2-5p. I was assigned to this lady, named
Mericarmen. She took me to her office, on outside of the building,
somewhat removed from the main part of the school. Had a nice 20-30
min. visit with her. Then she showed me some papers that she wanted
typed into a word document then left. So I typed for 3 hours in a very
cold room, ALONE. Tuesday I went to my program director and told him I
wasn't comfortable about being alone all my time there. Of course, he
said "give it time" and he will talk to them. What is hard is that all
the other students doing internships in my program here are in a
orphanage teaching English to kids, and they are frustrated as they
don't know how to go about it since they are told to just do it. I
could really get into developing a mini program to teach English. That
would be so fun!! Darn it….. Being a teaching major, it is difficult
that I can't be in place working with kids and teaching. Oh well, I
will give it more time and if I continue to be the lone typist I will
rethink things. Hopefully next week or so things will be much more
interactive and enjoyable. Oh, and the lattes aren't free after all.
Not sure why that one was free but the rest are a $1.20. Still can't
complain and they are tasty!!

Overall, a successful week of adjusting…

Spanish tidbit: You know what puzzles are called in Spanish?
Rompecabezas….which means "broken head". I thought, how appropriate..
puzzles always made me head hurt which is why I don't like them!!