Oh the nausea!

Soo, (Mr. Dan Fry I hope you're reading this because you were definitely right!) while I have not experienced "diarrhea days" like some people do when traveling to other countries, I have already experienced my "puking days." Ironically, right after writing the last blog where I proudly declared having not gotten sick yet, immediately after leaving the internet place my stomach began to feel ... different. It didn't hurt but it was definitely doing some sort of somersault. So I got home and started to complete my readings when my stomach slowly but surely started hurting SO bad! It was the weirdest pain I've ever felt, like someone had reached their hands inside me and was literally squeezing me stomach as hard as they could. So, with a little less than half of my reading left, I decided to go to bed early because the pain was too distracting to read. No more than an hour later I woke up in even more pain not realizing it could be possible. I didn't feel any nausea and I continued to try sleeping in a fetal position hoping this piercing dagger would go away. Finally, with no hope of sleeping I thought, well maybe I should try going to the bathroom. No nausea still. But then, right when I stood up out of bed, it was most definitely apparent. I ran to the bathroom and to summarize the rest, I was puking every hour on the dot the whole night long until I was dry-heaving in the early morning hours. Oh. my. gosh. Fortunately, I was able to keep down tea and a little papaya for breakfast, and after taking some good ol' pepto bismol, I haven't puked since (although the nausea was incredibly intense for the rest of the day and I didn't feel completely normal until two days later). Don't know what exactly I ate or drank and perhaps it was the climate change but man! Hopefully that's all I have to endure for the rest of my time here, and I was lucky enough to have a somewhat immediate recovery.

Besides that, I've been really enjoying my time here so far. Yesterday my classmates and I went to three places, two of which were ruins called Mitla and Yagul, and the third was a town called Teotitlan in which we were able to see how a family of Zapotecos (an indigenous group here) makes their traditional tapestry. It was very cool, and I will definitely be trying to post those pictures up soon with more descriptions!

Also, as I think I've mentioned before, I'm taking a salsa dancing class Monday through Thursday for two hours. It's been sooo fun! The teacher is absolutely hilarious. He only knows Spanish and he's this short, really BUFF man with a teeny, little waist. And he definitely loves dancing with all of us girls (which is good practice for us!) but really funny/awkward we he does "EL FINAL!" and whips us around with much force to the final pose where he then looks deeply into our eyes. Haha! Unfortunately there's no word in Spanish for "awkward" when there most definitely should be one!

And as of right now I'm enjoying myself in a cafe that looks out at this beautiful cathedral called Santo Domingo. My computer's wireless is finally working, and after buying some coffee, I'm able to use the wireless network here. Aaand, I'm supposed to be doing my homework, so I better get on it! Hope everyone is doing well!

Muchos besos y abrazos!

Things to get used to!

¡Hola a todos! Well, I made it! And I´m loving Oaxaca! After getting here at 10:30 Saturday night, I was surprised at how fast my Spanish came back to me. Exhausted as I was, I was actually able to carry a full on conversation with my new host sister. But ahhh ... the third day has arrived and today I my head was soo jumbled with spanish words to remember and verbs to conjugate, but nonetheless I still very excited. For some reason, I feel so comfortable here in Mexico. So where to begin, where to begin? I guess first I´ll describe the things I need to become more accustomed to. THE SUN! It is so hot here! I walk 10 minutes from my house to my school and I am just sweating like crazy! I´ve heard that a stereotype for Americans is that they sweat a lot... welp, I´m definitely confirming that one. So I´m hoping that after a few weeks that maybe it´ll get better. Second is the altitude ... it´s about 5,000 feet here. I haven´t gotten sick just yet but quite tired and I think I´ll wait a week before I attempt to go running here. Then of course my family. I live with a mother (Guelilia), a sister (Ana who is 31 years old), her husband (Luis), and then their two year old daughter, Camila (who is absolutely adorable ... but is going through a tantrum phase apparently). They are all very very nice, but as I was coming to Oaxaca I had this view that I´d be accepted into the family, help with the cooking and chores, and be considered an equal. So far that has shown not true ... I am completely treated as a guest. There´s a cleaning lady that comes to the house to clean, and Guelilia does all the cooking and cleaning in the kitchen. Also, since I am to have breakfast and lunch at the house, I am always eating alone. Guelilia serves me (never can I help no matter how much I insist) and then she sits and watches me eat! It´s kinda odd for me but my professors say it´s a custom here. I´m not even really allowed in the kitchen. She has to retrieve everything for me. But she is reeeally really nice and I definitely enjoy our conversations (not to mention the food!!) that we have during those times. And I´m really looking forward to getting to know Ana because she is so easy to talk with. Well, one last thing to talk about so I don´t write a novel... I met my "intercambio" today. It´s another student from a Oaxacan University who is learning English. She is really nice although I felt a little shy. We will get together every day for an hour and talk a half an hour in Spanish and a half an hour in English. It was actually really weird because as much as I have been struggling with speaking correct grammar and remembering Spanish words, I realized that I truly have only been speaking in Spanish since I´ve gotten here. It was so weird to speak in English!

Ok ok... so I think I´ll write more later. While I have free wireless on campus, my computer is apparently too old me and wireless card doesn´t work. Luckily internet is really cheap here ($1 per hour) but I´m not sure how I´m going to upload my pics, but I´ll try to get some up soon. oh and sorry for any mispellings or weird signs ... this keyboard is a little different. Hope everyone´s well, and I will write more interesting things next time!

P.S. We have to take a test on the very first day of class.... good news? I almost got a hundred percent! bad news (although I suppose goods news as well)? my class is soooooo hard! I´m learning about Chomsky´s theories about linguistics in Spanish and while I love my professor, I don´t think I´ve ever had someone speak so fast!!! Wish me luck!

Testing...

So, I'm testing out this blog business... I have about a week before I leave and already I'm incredibly nervous but also SO excited! I'm nervous because, wow, I haven't really spoken Spanish in three months, all I know of my host family is their name and address, and (oh man) have not even started to pack yet. But as an experienced procrastinator, I'm sure everything will work out. :)

Ok, for those of you who don't really know what I'm doing or why I'm going to Mexico. Well, basically and obviously, I wanted to study abroad for a whole semester in order to become somewhat closer to being fluent in Spanish. While at first I was all planned and ready to travel to Spain, I spoke to my professor and director and had a change of heart. So, I'm going to Oaxaca, Mexico for four months! I leave the 23rd of August and will be starting an intensive grammar class that following Monday. (I'm also taking two hrs of salsa dancing every day!) Then, about three weeks later, I will start two other classes: a literature class and (I think) a sociology class of some sort. And for the final month I'm there, I'm hoping to be working at an internship. I applied but won't know if I got it until I'm there.

Overall, I will be finishing up my Spanish minor as well as experiencing the culture of Mexico; traveling to Mexico City, Chiapas, and other places; and learning about the economy and so much more. But what I'm excited about most are the friendships I will be making. One thing that makes me happiest in life is meeting different hearts and different faces.

Wish me luck! :)