Update

Well it is already the middle of the week. I haven´t done too much since I last wrote. Yesterday Emely, Amanda, and I went down to the historical center. We didn´t get lost either so we were pretty excited. It is really pretty down there with a huge market and lots of people. Even though there are a ton of people it is actually really peaceful and I could just walk around all day down there. We then bought a map of the bus routes so now we have a lot of confidence in ourselves. Haven´t decided yet if that was the best thing to do or not :) We were planning on going to Puerta Vallarta this weekend but they didn´t have enough people sign up so instead we will try to find more buses to get lost on! Well hope everyone is having a blast wherever you are and I love hearing from everyone!

Adventures!!

Well I guess I should tell you about my weekend huh? Friday after school I went over to Emiley and Amanda´s house ( they are the other two girls from Manakato). I was over there until about three and then I went back for lunch at my house. After that the senora and I walked vallarta street and she showed me where things were close to the house so that was nice. Of course it started raining but it wasn´t hard or anything. We were gone for a couple of hours and then we came back and had supper. After that we just watched a movie and then I went to bed around ten thirty. I got up on Saturday morning and said bye to Sen. I really miss her. She was such a sweet girl. Hopefully my next roommate is from Japan. She gave me all her contact info and told me that if I come to Japan she will show me her country so I guess that is where I will go next :) I was suppose to leave the house around nine twenty to meet the girls, Amanda and Emiley, at CEPE, well Carlos insisted that he made chiquitos for me so I left a little late but luckily the girls were running late too. We then had bus directions from Phillip, who lives with the girls on how to get to the zoo. We didn´t have a hard time getting there. We got on one bus for about twenty minutes and then we got off, a block later than what we were suppose to but a block isn´t bad for us, and then some guy helped us get on the next bus that took us to the zoo. The zoo is really nice and huge. We will definately go there when you guys come and I didn´t do everything so it will be new for me too! It only costs about $4.00 to get in so it is really cheap! Then around four we decided to head back. We got on the first bus fine, but missed our stop by five blocks so walked back. Then we didn´t know what bus to get on because we had came on a one way street. Well Phillip told us that the busses ran in circles so we figured we would just get on the bus we came on and eventually it would turn around. HA will not do that again. About an hour and half later we were in Tonala which is a realy poor part of town completely in the wrong direction of our house. We really weren´t worried until the bus shut off in Tonala. Our faces I think all went white. We didn´t see a taxi in Tonala so we knew that wasn´t an option and we didn´t know what to do. I talked to the bus driver, by the way the drivers are not helpful, and he told me to sit down and that we would return sometime. Well he sat there and ate his sandwhich while we sat there wondering when we would get back. Thankfully it wasn´t long until we left. Then it started to rain really hard and it eventually started to hail! It got really bad so now we aren´t only in Tonala, a very very poor part of Guadalajara but the streets are flooded. At one point we saw only the top of cars and the driver kept on looking to make sure the water wasn´t coming through the door. I have never in my life seen rain like this. There were times when I thought for sure we wouldn´t be able to move. Well we continued on and we started seeing things that were familiar. We had thought that the driver would tell us when to get off since we told him exactly the intersection we needed but no. We stood up to get off and pressed the button but he continued until about six blocks past our interection before letting us off. This is about two and half hours later and this bus ride was only suppose to be around twenty minutes! Just remember that it is pouring outside and I have a t-shirt and short skirt on and sandles. Well we ran into a 7-11 and bought some candy because we thought it would let up shortly. Well it didn´t so we took off walking. Five seconds in the rain and I was soaked. Also my watch got too much water in it and broke! Well we were about a block from Amanda and Emeley´s house when we came to a huge interestion that had like a river flowing through it. I tried to cross but it was too strong so we had to hop on a bus to go through the interesection. We finally made it to the house and all of us were in good moods even though we were soaked! It was an adventure and we will never ever forget it. Well I then had about five blocks to walk to my house. Well I got about three blocks away and had to cross a big intersection and there was no way. Cars were stalled in the street, the water had waves in it, all the sidewalks were flooded and by now it was dark and I was alone. It was pretty creepy and there are many OLD creepy men here. The young ones aren´t the problem it is the old ones. Well i basically went running back to Emiley and Amanda´s house and there senora took me in, made me take a shower, gave me new clothes, fed me, and then drove me back home. I had called my family telling them that I would be home late. So I was basically chilled the rest of the evening and really tired. Once I got home Veronica was having a party for her friend´s birthday so of course I had to have cake. Well on Sunday I went to Vallarta street to walk around. I was actually looking for a book store because I needed to buy a book for one of my classes. It was really calm because they shut down the street, which is normally really busy with traffic, and only allow rollarbladers, bikers, walkers, or runners. I also found a gym not to far from my street so I am thinking about buying membership today. Then I went home and did homework for a little bit and then we went to the market to buy food for the week. We were gone for quite a few hours. It was nice because I got to see quite a bit more of the town. Now it is back to classes!________________________________

Switch of Classes

Well today I changed my classes. I was in level five and six and I moved up to seven and eight. Carlos was giving me such a hard time yesterday because he said that I should be higher than five and six so I took another test today and got excepted in seven and eight. It will be a lot more work but I guess that is what I am down here to do :) I am really nervous though but I will just have to see. Not much has happened since yesterday. Last night my family and I played a pretty intense game of Uno and we have to continue it tonight because I¨m winning and the rest don´t like that idea I guess. I think I am going to go have a little ciesta and then I don´t know what maybe review for tomorrow!

Finally Mexico!!

Well sorry this took so long to post but I didn´t have internet access for awhile. I now bought it for a week so I will probably be on everyday for a week now and then off for a week because I guess I am cheap!Well ok Saturday I worked at the Badger Steam and Gas show scooping ice cream and then we got all packed up and went to Chicago to find an airport. Mom was a little nervous when we got into the bad side of town and think she was relieved when we found a hotel that wasn´t trashy. I flew out on Sunday morning at nine. We got to the airport at seven got checked in, they even let my suicase that was over by four pounds pass, and then they gave my family passes to come to the gate with me so that was nice. My flight was good. It only takes four hours from Chicago to get down here! I´m pretty sure I was the only American on the flight! When we arrived I was shocked because 1. it didn´t look like I was in a big city and 2. the airport was tiny. We got off the plane onto a bus that took us to customs. I got through customs fine and then I had to pick up my luggage which was a mess. There were people all over and I had to guess which thing my luggage would be coming out of and it took me 25 minutes to find my luggage. Crazy! I then got a taxi and left the airport. My driver really didn´t know where we going so we had to make a couple of stops but we got to my house within forty minutes. Guadalajara has a population of six million people and is not the cleanest but hey that is why I love it. The weather is nice. It is cool in the mornings, hot in the afternoon, and cool in the evenings. Average temperature is about 80. So when we arrived at my house I was just a little shocked. I was thinking that it would be a little house with like a gate, kind of like Ann´s in Peru, but it was just a brick building. The inside though is nice. It probably is a litte worse than the dorms but close to it. Everything is tiled and old but there is nothing wrong with that. I have a huge room to myself right now because I don´t have a roommate. There is a girl from Japan living there, her name is Sen, but she leaves this weekend because her course will be done. When she leaves I can have her room or keep mine as the senora said it is up to me. I like with the senora, her daughter Veronica, Veronica´s son Bruno, who is 9, Carlos who is the senora´s son, and then another guy who pays rent to live there as he works. They say that students will be coming and going throughout the time I am here. My family is very nice! The rest of sunday I basically unpacked, hung out with my family, and then went to bed as I was shot.Monday I had to be at school by 8:45. The school is only three blocks away and actually it is just one building which is for international students. The university is spread out through the entire city. The staff here are awesome. Sorry but they definatley are more understanding and helpful than those at Mankato! I had orientation, took a placement test, and then went home around 11:30. Then Sen and I went to the shopping mall that is close by. It is HUGE! Sen is so funny because she is so scared of the traffic that when we cross the streets she is already on the other side before I have stepped of the sidewalk. We hung out down there for awhile and then came back and I took a nap. The rest of my family gets done with work and school around two. The senora is a music teacher, Veronica is an English teacher, Carlos works at the school as an assistant, and Bruno is in 4th grade. Although they know english they are not allowed to speak to us in English unless we are in a pickle. We just hung out until lunch which is at four. After lunch Sen taught Carlos, Bruno, and I japanesse and oragami. We tell Sen that everything in Japan is hard and I am pretty sure it is! Then we ate at nine thirty and then went to bed.This morning I got up, which is really hard to do when it is pitch dark until seven thirty, took a shower which is pretty cold, and was at school by eight. I had classes today and really like them. I have ten kids in my class and we are already pretty close. My professors are funny and nice. I should probably now finish this up so I can get back home. Carlos says I should be able to make it from the house to school in three minutes but I am pretty sure that it takes longer than that. The sidewalks are very uneven so I haven´t even tried running outside but some of the girls and I are going to get a membership at the club that isn´t too far away. I will be on now probably every day for the next week and then I will see what I will do. I having fun and every minute is an adventure. Sometimes I have no idea what is going on but I smile and go with the crowd.

Leaving for Mexico

Well this use to be my English Composition blog but I changed it a bit and now it is my Mexico blog. Sorry but I guess you won't be able to read all my interesting English positings that I had! So if you are interested in what I am doing in Mexico I will try to post on here regularly to keep you updated but I am not making any promises! I have one week left here in the states and am really busy. I am really excited and a little nervous but I know that it will be a ton of fun and will go really fast. I would love to hear from everyone when I am down there too so either post a comment on here or email me at danelle.parsons@mnsu.edu!