El Museo de Antropología de Xalapa

Here in Mexico -- or at least, at my university here -- we don't have classes on Friday.  So what's a girl to do with a long weekend ahead of her?  Well, I didn't make plans for the whole weekend, but some of my classmates and I decided to meet up this morning and take a trip to Xalapa's Anthropology Museum!

We met at the school and shared a taxi to the museum.  As we got close, we drove past an enormous garden, and I soon realized that this garden was a part of the museum!  I didn't get to explore the garden today, but I'm planning to go back to the museum at some point and take more time with all of the exhibits.  Inside the building, we bought our tickets and waited a few minutes for the guided tour.  It was, of course, in Spanish, and though I certainly didn't catch everything, I am pleased to say that I got the gist of it!  More reasons to make a return trip -- to catch some of the finer points and maybe ask a few questions.

The museum holds beautiful (and somewhat strange) relics from pre-Cortesian Mesoamerican cultures, like the Olmeca people who lived in what is today southern Veracruz.    You can see in the above picture a bit of the scale of these relics!  Not all of them were this big, but it was certainly inspiring to think of the work it took to move these stones and carve them.

If there is one thing I have gained from my first week in Xalapa, it's an intense desire to learn more about indigenous Latin American cultures, and more about Mexico in general.  I am realizing more and more how pathetically little I know about this huge, beautiful, complicated nation -- a nation which is arguably the most important neighbor the United States has!  Many of my friends have heard me say this before, but I am continually frustrated by the one-sided-ness of American education.  In the past few years, I have taken two "World" Civilizations classes at my college, and of course I covered world history in high school... But none of these classes addressed Latin America AT ALL  (two sentences referring to Haiti's successful slave revolt do not count as "covering" this enormous part of the world).  Yet the part of the world we are neglecting has huge significance today, and I think exploring non-European cultures would be extremely beneficial to Americans.  End of rant (for the moment).

After the trip to the museum, I went back to my house and enjoyed lunch and a bit of a break.  Then I went out with a friend to hunt for a local park which is supposed to be a great place to run (she runs, I'm only interested in walking haha!).  We eventually found the park, which is pretty big and kind of fun; there are a lot of carnival-esque rides set up (I'm guessing they are for the evenings or the weekend proper) and a LOT of churros.  I didn't take many pictures because it was really cloudy, but I'm sure I will go back to the park another day and will be able to show you the gorgeous trees rimming the little lake.  For your enjoyment, may I instead present a picture of Mateo, my host family's dog!  He's a big sweetie and very obedient. :)

I think that's it for now!  Next week I will try to elaborate a bit on my classes as I settle in, and maybe we can explore some of my favorite Mexican dishes thus far (side note: OH MY GOSH I LOVE AUTHENTIC MEXICAN FOOD (even more than I thought I did!!)).  If there is a part of life here in Xalapa I haven't covered that you'd like to know about, ask away!

Llegadas

I am in Xalapa!

After a very long day of travel, I arrived last night around 9pm (local time) at my host family's home.  It's a lovely house, and I have my own room and bathroom on the top floor - with a stunning view of Xalapa and the mountains!

Despite being absolutely exhausted last night, I woke up early this morning.  The sounds of the city -- the strange birds, passing cars, and barking dogs -- enveloped me, and I enjoyed listening for a few minutes from the comfort of my bed.  After a delicious breakfast, Guille (my host) walked with me to the school.  It took about five minutes, and I enjoyed seeing the city in daylight.

Today I had two classes: one this morning in gramática (grammar) and one this afternoon in literatura (literature).  My first class has five other students, but so far it's just me and one other student in the literature class!  I'm excited but a bit intimidated -- I haven't read much Spanish literature before, and now we're going to read a short novel or long essay each week!

Mexico is a different world.  For starters, I can't use the water to brush my teeth or wash my hands, so I always have one or two water bottles hanging around.  Fortunately, water is pretty cheap: 11 pesos (about $0.75) will get you 1.5L!  Also, everyone here seems to think it is rather cold.  I am enjoying the relative warmth -- it's much warmer here than at home!  Everything is very relaxed here, which I enjoy.  Technically, there's a schedule... But if you're late, it's no big deal.  And since my first class isn't until 9, I can sleep in most mornings.  Also, their mealtimes are different.  Breakfast is still whenever you wake up, but lunch is served closer to 2:30.  As I write, I can smell Guille's cooking and I can hardly wait to eat!

Do you have any questions for me?  If so, feel free to leave a comment!  I am going to explore Xalapa more this afternoon and tomorrow morning, and probably snag a siesta at some point.

¡Hasta luego!

T-7 Days

Welcome to my blog, Llévame lejos!  For those of you who don't know me or need a recap, I'm Meg.  This spring semester, I am traveling to Xalapa, México, to study Spanish.  It will be my seventh trip to México, but my first trip on my own and my first reaching beyond the US-Mexican border.  Words cannot describe how excited I am for this adventure!

This is also my first real attempt at blogging... So here's the plan: I'll post every week or so, and if you have any questions for me or suggestions of new things to explore and enjoy in Veracruz, comment away!  I know blogging is typically one-sided, but I'm hoping this can be a bit more interactive.

Now, for the "meat" of this first post.  If you, like me, are interested in studying abroad in order to improve your language skills or to explore a new culture, here are some tips I have learned as I anticipate my trip.

1) The internet is your friend!  There are tons of other blogs and websites offering advice for when to buy plane tickets (think early morning), what to pack to save space, and to answer just about any question you can think of.  Also, if you are buying gear or trying a budget airline, reviews can help you pick the best option for you.
2) Don't underestimate the power of persistence and a smile.  As I have worked with my college's business and financial aid offices, I have learned that politeness - even cultivating a real friendship - can save you a lot of stress.  Don't get me wrong - this hasn't been the easiest process!  But things run much smoother and quicker if the people you are asking for help actually like you.
3) Don't procrastinate!  Find out months in advance if you will need a visa, or if you need to apply for a US passport.  Expediting these things gets very expensive, so save yourself the trouble by starting the process early.  This doesn't necessarily apply to airfare: for some destinations, waiting until 5-6 weeks out will net you the best deal.
4) Details are important, but so is flexibility.  Finding out where you will stay and how you will get there is important, and not something you want to find out last-minute!  However, leaving yourself some space in your budget and schedule to explore places and things your new friends discover is great.  Also, this kind of attitude (hopefully!) makes it easier to cope with unexpected changes if and when they occur.

I think that's it for now!  As I begin this adventure, expect fewer posts with my bizarre excuse for advice and more stories and pictures :)