Let`s talk about buses for a moment. I have recently said that I could be content being a bus driver and just talking to people and having a good time. This would not be true in Merida!
I take the bus four times a day here in Merida, once in the morning to get to the centro, then from the centro to la universidad modelo. then after class back to the centro and to my house. So four buses costing 20 pesos total. This would be fine if the buses were like the rapid. However my bus is a van, its like a gutted out conversion van with seats stuck around the edges. Once again, not a big deal until you see how many people can fit in this van! (part of the stereotype seems to be true in my bus...). If i can barely be a passenger here, i woudl never be a driver. The traffic is loca! I think we almost get in 5 accidents every time i ride the bus, not much different than the DR i hear. However, whenever I ride the bus i feel like my father. I want to shut my eyes so I will not lose all my cookies all over the bus! However i cannot shut my eyes or I will totally get lost! I wish that you all could experience the buses here becuase they are totally crazy and a bit scary!
Anyways, things are going well here. It is very overwhelming at times when I do not understand my professors, or my mama or brothers! But i get through it. I have my own room in my house where I have hammock to sleep in as well as a bed! For the past 3 nights i have started in the hammock and ended up in the bed. It is hard to get used to hammock sleeping but hammocks are much more comfortable than i could have ever imagined!
Carnaval is this weekend in Merida and it is like Mardi Gras! I am not sure if we are going or not as it is tan peligroso ( a bit dangerous). Today we were talking a student in the University, Jamie and he told us, that on monday, they throw eggs at houses! However, tonight, I went to the birthday party of my cousin who is turning 13 and met another cousin who is 22 and she told me it was all a lie! Intersante. I believe that my friend Chelsey and I will go for a little while just to see what it is like. We are not allowed to bring purses or wear jewelry, just to be safe, everything needs to be under the clothes! One wonderful thing about Carnaval is the whole city shuts down for 4 days, so I do not have class on monday or tuesday! We also nover have class on fridays so this weekend I have a five day weekend!
Tomorrow we are going to a mayan ruin, to swim in en cenote (sink hole, that isn`t sinking, but filled with water!) and then to the beach! I am very excited for the beach as I hear there is tons of snow in Michigan right now!
So things are good here, it is very overwhelming, but I am starting to speak more and understand more! my family has internet in the house and it is wonderful for communication, so keep those e-mails coming!
Te quiero
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Address and Buses
Lo siento, I put two addresses on the blog and I am very certain that the first address is the one to send mail to if you so desire! Here it is again!
Jill Gort
C/O Jan Van Ee
Calle 14 #176 14 X 23
Frac. Jardines de Miraflores
Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
Mail usually takes 4-6 weeks to arrive but it is much appreciated!
I am currently at the University using their computers which are available to all students. I will be able to communicate but we are encouraged not to do too much, so we shall see how often!(I will do as much as I can).
Today was my first encounter with the buses alone! There are many buses that run down my street and most of them are full when I stick my hand out to show I need one seat! However all of the buses run to el centro so I finally found a larger bus with lots of seats! I met my professor and compañeros in front of the cathedral and we made it to the university with no problems! The buses were one of my biggest fears, especially since a great friend of mine told me stories of how she got lost on the buses!
That is all for now, it is very difficult for me to write in English,crazy as that many seem, but I start to revert to spanish and then have to start all over again!
Les quiero y Les extraño mucho!
Jill
Jill Gort
C/O Jan Van Ee
Calle 14 #176 14 X 23
Frac. Jardines de Miraflores
Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
Mail usually takes 4-6 weeks to arrive but it is much appreciated!
I am currently at the University using their computers which are available to all students. I will be able to communicate but we are encouraged not to do too much, so we shall see how often!(I will do as much as I can).
Today was my first encounter with the buses alone! There are many buses that run down my street and most of them are full when I stick my hand out to show I need one seat! However all of the buses run to el centro so I finally found a larger bus with lots of seats! I met my professor and compañeros in front of the cathedral and we made it to the university with no problems! The buses were one of my biggest fears, especially since a great friend of mine told me stories of how she got lost on the buses!
That is all for now, it is very difficult for me to write in English,crazy as that many seem, but I start to revert to spanish and then have to start all over again!
Les quiero y Les extraño mucho!
Jill
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Finally Arrived
Hola de Mexico,
I would write all in Spanish but I only know a few people who would appreciate that!
I am happy to report that we did not have 62 hours of travel. We had a couple of delays to de ice the plane and also in Cancun we had to wait for our gate! So we arrived one or two hours late. Then we went straight to a four hour bus trip to Merida. Our first meal in Mexico was at Burger King, a great Mexican meal!
After the four hour bus trip I met my family. My mama is very helpful! She helped heat the water for the shower and showed me how to use the buses and is very helpful with my spanish which is grammatically horrible! I am very thankful for her! I have three siblings here. Benji is 15 but is turning 16 next week. Arturo is 12, (sorry I completely lied in an email and earlier in this blog! And Valeria is 4. This is a new experience for me having younger siblings especially brothers! They are very nice and kind of shy, but as am I at this point in time. I listen much more than I speak, but it is amazing how quickly the spanish comes back.
It will probably take a long time for me to become completely comfortable speaking spanish. I say a lot of Si and No and no entiendo! But i have had some good conversations with my Mama and am currently talking with valeria. She is doing the hiding trick where I have to go sit on her in order to find her. It is very similar to what I do with Sam!
The food here so far has been wonderful I would not recommend it to picky eaters (Dave)!
That is all for now!
Te quiero
I would write all in Spanish but I only know a few people who would appreciate that!
I am happy to report that we did not have 62 hours of travel. We had a couple of delays to de ice the plane and also in Cancun we had to wait for our gate! So we arrived one or two hours late. Then we went straight to a four hour bus trip to Merida. Our first meal in Mexico was at Burger King, a great Mexican meal!
After the four hour bus trip I met my family. My mama is very helpful! She helped heat the water for the shower and showed me how to use the buses and is very helpful with my spanish which is grammatically horrible! I am very thankful for her! I have three siblings here. Benji is 15 but is turning 16 next week. Arturo is 12, (sorry I completely lied in an email and earlier in this blog! And Valeria is 4. This is a new experience for me having younger siblings especially brothers! They are very nice and kind of shy, but as am I at this point in time. I listen much more than I speak, but it is amazing how quickly the spanish comes back.
It will probably take a long time for me to become completely comfortable speaking spanish. I say a lot of Si and No and no entiendo! But i have had some good conversations with my Mama and am currently talking with valeria. She is doing the hiding trick where I have to go sit on her in order to find her. It is very similar to what I do with Sam!
The food here so far has been wonderful I would not recommend it to picky eaters (Dave)!
That is all for now!
Te quiero
Friday, January 25, 2008
If you want to send mail
My professor finally e-mailed us the information about our family and I am very excited to meet them! I have a mom and three siblings! It will be a different experience for me being the oldest in a family and having a brother, after all I am used to is being the youngest sister. My brother is 15 years old, and my two sisters are age 9 and 3. I cannot wait to meet them, this has been a great anxiety of mine not knowing who I will be living with, but it sounds like they are a wonderful and helpful family! So here is address where I will actually be living!
Jill Gort
Calle 35
No. 275 x 28 y 34
Jardines de Pensiones
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
4 Days
Just a quick update, I am leaving this Saturday at 8:30 in the morning and should arrive in Mexico at 1:00ish Mexico Time, I have no idea what time that is here, some confusion on the time difference, so you all can figure it out yourselves! But here is a mailing address if anyone gets in the letter mood! it is not my actual house number, but that is what I was told to give out!
Jill Gort
C/O Jan Van Ee
Calle 14 #176 14 X 23
Frac. Jardines de Miraflores
Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
So, I am off to the land of the Spanish Speaking and will let you know soon if anything exciting happens!
Jill Gort
C/O Jan Van Ee
Calle 14 #176 14 X 23
Frac. Jardines de Miraflores
Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
So, I am off to the land of the Spanish Speaking and will let you know soon if anything exciting happens!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Soon To Be Leaving
Although the title of the blog is Life in Mexico I have yet to leave. I decided to set this up so everyone can see instead of sending out e-mail updates. I will be able to post photos and let you know what is going on well I am living in Mexico for a semester. I do not know how often I will be able to post but from what I understand there are cyber cafes all over the place that you can get the internet at for pretty cheap.
So on January 26 I am leaving for a new experience away living in Mexico. The only details I know right now is the date I am leaving and that we are studying at the Universidad Modelo. I will be taking classes in Spanish mainly with the Calvin professor that is traveling with us, but also one class with Mexican students at the University. I will also be living with a host family, although I have no idea who they are yet!
One thing I am very excited for is the ethnographic study that I have signed up for. It an observation in the field of study of my choice. I do not really know what this is going to entail quite yet, but I will be able to see the field of social work in a different culture than my own and hopefully better learn how to assist people of different cultures when I in turn become a social worker.
Well, until I arrive in Mexico and become acclamated, this is it for now. I will keep you posted on life in Mexico!
So on January 26 I am leaving for a new experience away living in Mexico. The only details I know right now is the date I am leaving and that we are studying at the Universidad Modelo. I will be taking classes in Spanish mainly with the Calvin professor that is traveling with us, but also one class with Mexican students at the University. I will also be living with a host family, although I have no idea who they are yet!
One thing I am very excited for is the ethnographic study that I have signed up for. It an observation in the field of study of my choice. I do not really know what this is going to entail quite yet, but I will be able to see the field of social work in a different culture than my own and hopefully better learn how to assist people of different cultures when I in turn become a social worker.
Well, until I arrive in Mexico and become acclamated, this is it for now. I will keep you posted on life in Mexico!
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