Cuahnahuac

Today, Jan. 19, I woke up early at 7AM, eager for my first day at Cuahnahuac, the language institute. By 7:55, I left for the institute, which was right down the street. The traffic was very heavy, though, and it seemed like I would never get across. Finally, I just decided to make a run for it, and I had to stop traffic going in the opposite direction. When I got to institute, of course, I found at that there is a crossing guard that helps stop traffic for students. Would have been nice to know before my near death experience with oncoming traffic! Oh well. I went inside the institute, and didn't really have any idea where to go, so I just walked around until I found someone and asked them where I should go as a new student. He brought me to the main office, where I met some of the administration, including. Ms. Ocampo, whom I had been emailing previously. The office had me take a placement test that had an oral and written part, and it lasted about 2 hours in total.

Afterwards, David (from the office), gave me an orientation seminar in Spanish, and it lasted for another 2 hours. There was a lot of information in this, and I found out important info about the institute, classes, Cuernavaca, excursions, safety issues, communications issues, cultural issues, and Mexico in general. I thought to myself that some of this would have been good to know the day before when I went exploring, and I was glad that now I felt more oriented. David also told me some stuff about Rotary scholars, in that there is already a service project set up for us, some of the optional things like intercambio (exchange between spanish and english students) are mandatory, and many of the excursions are included with the scholarship and we don't have to pay extra for them (sweet). He also said, though, that Rotary (not Cuauhnahuac) is very strict about not being able to miss class and that if you do, you have to request through Rotary first, and usually your request is denied. I found this a little strange, since this is not the case for year and multi-year scholars, and it hinders your ability to meet people if they want to visit you for just a few days. We'll see what happens with this. The volunteer program is set up for students to visit a local orphanage and help them with English, and there is an additional project for only the Rotary Scholars that involves procuring funds and supplies (clothes, computers, chairs, desks, money) from universities and organizations in the US and Mexico for a poor Mexican Indian village in the mountains. I think that these are great projects, and I feel less pressure now that I don't have to find a project on my own or through the local Rotary club.

At 1pm, I had my first class, with Enrique (the teacher, 26) and two girls also studying Spanish. At first, we talked about music, but somehow we moved on to sexual terms in English in Spanish, then to our opinions about Obama, then to the wars in Iraq and Gaza, then to faith, then it was time to go. I wouldn't really call it a "class," but hey, I'm always up for an interesting conversation/debate.

After class, I went with two students, Jose and Nikkie, to the main market. What an interesting trip! First we went through the meat section, which is not for people with queasy stomachs. There were vendors selling pig heads, cow's tongues, intestines, chicken's feet, bugs for eating, and of course also the meats that we would find in the US. The rest of the market was more or less like any flea market in the US, replete with clothes, shoes, crafts, accessories, and produce, but there were many more exotic fruits and vegetables there (many of which i don't know the names). After, we went to a small bar, and we each ordered a Victoria (for cheap). It seems that this particular bar is a type of bar where men can go and talk to young women about their problems and dance with these women, but nothing more, and then they pay the women. Quite a new concept! The 3 of us didn't really notice much of this, and we just enjoyed the atmosphere and being in Mexico. I'm definitely glad that I have begun to meet more people and no longer feel isolated. I think I am really going to enjoy my time here.