really old column, not that relevant anymore, but still enjoyable

Really old (six months) student column that puts a Mexico '06 election spin on "'Twas the Night Before Christmas"

"And then one evening, I heard on the news,
That candidate Obrador was going to lose;"

LINK

video de méxico

Though this was sent via e-mail to many and is already on Facebook, here is a link to my Mexican video of photos and more taken during the past three months:



It's more than 18 minutes long and may take a while to load, but if you have anything better than dialup, don't fear. If you don't, my heart goes out to you.

last chapter

Just 26 hours until I climb aboard my flight back to reality. Most of the others have left and it's already different. It's time.

Goodbyes are always hard. We tell our new friends that we'll keep in touch and meet in the future, but deep down, it's clear that our paths probably won't cross again, as they randomly have already. It's better than not realizing it and not saying anything at all.

It's not all bad, though. Memories have been made and new contacts have been spread around the globe -- with new glimpses into how we can be different, but more of how we are the same. I never knew I could have such a love-hate relationship with a place so different, yet not really much at all. I'll make my way back down here, someday, knowing that the set will always be available, but the cast will never be the same.

It's been fun, it's been real, it's been everything you'd think it would be and a few things you wouldn't. Nobody really knows why any of us made the trip here beyond the usual regurgitated reasons, or the lessons we may have learned. That comes with time.

One thing is clear: Enjoy the time you do have -- however you may desire -- because you never know when the moment will have passed.

dia de accion de gracias

Though the school didn't give us the day off, it would be a travesty to have a year without Thanksgiving dinner. So, Mexicans, Britons and Americans alike gathered under the sun with a bounty of food and wine for a truly unique experience.

It showed that you don't always have to be with family to make a good Thanksgiving, and thank you to the Grubmans for welcoming all of us with open arms, as well as renting a house with a hot tub.

tepotzlan II

I visited Tepotzlan for the second time on Sunday -- this time to do a bit more shopping, but mainly to climb the mountain and the pyramid located at the top. I knew I was out of shape, but had no idea until I first attacked the jagged path. Still, after struggling for about an hour, I reached the top, though it was a bit behind the others.

At the top, a local operated a small counter with water and snacks, all of which had to be carried by hand. The tourists were greeted by 'kawalis' (spelling unchecked) that bombarded us looking for a snack. I'd relate them to grown-up versions of Richard's animal friends in Stone City, mainly because their paws were identical to those of his young raccoons.

pie de la puesta

We returned yesterday from Pie de la Puesta, a secluded and turbulent beach about 15 km north of Acapulco. After arriving Friday evening and staying in a dumpy hotel room, we found a perfect set of beachside bungalows. Though they had no air conditioning, limited hot water and only a stovetop for cooking inside, they were just what we were looking for.

For some reason, the 20th of November is a holiday here…I think it has something to do with independence, but is not the official Independence Day, which happens on Sept. 15.

Though I slept most of the long weekend – via hammock or bed – the break was timed perfectly. The waves in the ocean were consistently larger than any I’d seen on the Pacific before, though unlike Zihuatanejo and Acapulco, Pie de la Puesta isn’t a lagoon. When we ate, most plates at the family-operated restaurants cost only 20 pesos each – a welcomed surprise for this price-weary student traveler.

Our only trip into Acapulco occurred on Sunday night, when we caught the last show of the famed cliff divers around 10:30. Amazingly, they climbed the cliffs and leapt hundreds of feet into the ocean below.

Sometime into the show, toward the end, an electrical fire broke in a shelter seated atop the cliff. I only knew it was electrical thanks to the unique stench. One of the divers was so startled it looked as though he was going to fall over the cliff. Nonetheless, the show ended as planned, when the diver leapt with torches in each hand.

Though the sun didn’t show up for most of the weekend, Pie de la Puesta provided a welcomed break and one last chance to bond at the beach with the friends I’ve met here who I already miss.

lucha libre

Last Thursday, I went to "Lucha Libre," the local Mexican professional wrestling matches that happen every Thursday night. The arena, which felt more like a converted roller rink, was only about half full and entirely filthy.

It got rowdy at times. A few times, wrestlers flew into the crowd and continued to 'fight.' The crowd tossed boiled chicken feet - which have a snotty texture - at the wrestlers whenever something dirty happened.

Sorry, again, to the guy leaning against the rail at the bottom of the balcony. I'll try to aim better next time.

puebla

We went to Puebla last weekend, the fourth-largest city in Mexico, which is located about two hours down the road from Cuernavaca Our trip took about three, thanks to the traffic.


Home to extensive colonial architecture and supposedly 365 churches (one for each day of the year), Puebla was one of the most unique Mexican cities I've visited, mainly because the streets followed a square grid and there were fewer dogs and pieces of garbage in the streets.



Puebla is also home to Chotula, which is the "largest pyramid of the Ancient World." Honestly, it looks like a hill, and most people must have thought the same, because it was discovered there are more than five miles of underground tunnels inside. Because of the church on top, it hasn't been restored to the same extent as those at Teothuiacan. It was one of the coolest things I've ever seen, figuratively and literally, as it was hot outside that day.

tepoztlan

Yesterday, I visited Tepoztlan, a small town about 25 minutes down the road from Cuernavaca. Home to a vibrant market, many visitors, and apparantly pigs in the streets, and a pyramid up the mountain, though we weren't up for it yesterday. I bought many gifts and tried a locally-made alcohol. Though I cannot remember the name, its flavor wasn't one that would draw me back.

When the round-trip bus ride costs all of 22 pesos, I have a feeling I'll have to go back at least once more to climb the mountain. On the ride back, we were serenaded by Bolivian pan flutes and guitar...made me think of Mak Dervo's work.

el estadio azteca y futból real

Went to Ciudad México on a sprinkling Saturday afternoon to catch my first football (what the rest of the world considers football) game in the second largest stadium in the world. It seemed like hardly anybody was there, but there probably was more people there than at any given Iowa State (U.S.)football game. The clubs, America and Atlante, tied 0-0. How exciting was that? Not very.

The primary concessions included beer (Victoria or Corona), cup of soup instant lunch (Maruchan), pizza (cheese, pepperoni or hawaiian from Domino's), chicken (fried), Cheetos, plus some others that I didn't recognize or try. Riding the metro in D.F. costs only 2 pesos -- truly the chariot of the people, well, that and the ruta.

el día de los muertos

This week has been the week of "Día de los Muertos," or "Day of the Dead." Families welcome members of the community to view their offerings for family members who died in the past year. Common items include flowers, tissue paper, salt, water, pan de muertos (bread), tequila, beer, and anything else that the deceased person enjoyed during their lives.

It's a national holiday here, and despite it's somewhat morbid theme, it is hardly considered sad. People believe the offerings allow the deceased to return for the night to be with their families. Visitors bring candles in exchange for pan de muertos, tamales, tea, cigarettes and other refreshments.

int'l correspondent?

Just filed my first story from Mexico. It felt as hard as the first story I ever wrote -- interviewing in Spanish is tougher than I thought it'd be. Here it is, though, and check out Friday's Daily to see it in print:

LINK

Mexican students oppose border fence construction
By Jared Taylor
Daily Staff Writer

CUERNAVACA, Mexico – As President Bush signed new fencing construction along the U.S.-Mexico border into law, Mexican students here said barriers would do little to deter further illegal immigration.

The Secure Fence Act of 2006 will create 700 miles of new barriers along the 2,100-mile southern border. Bush signed the law Thursday morning in Washington before his visit to Des Moines for a Republican fundraiser in the afternoon.

“Unfortunately the United States has not been in complete control of its borders for decades and therefore illegal immigration has been on the rise,” Bush said at a signing ceremony.

The project’s cost is unknown, though Bush approved an initial $1.2 billion for border security earlier this month. The money can also be used for access roads, lighting and security equipment.

Agustin Bahena, a 20-year-old business management student at Universidad Internacional, said a fence wouldn’t deter Mexicans who want to cross into the United States illegally.

“I think it is a waste of money,” Bahena said. “They are Mexicans, man. They are going to find a way to get into the U.S.”

While there are an estimated 11 to 12 million illegal immigrants currently living in the United States, the U.S. economy still needs immigrant labor to prosper, Bahena said.

“The [U.S.] government doesn’t say it, but they need the Mexicans to be there to do their jobs,” he said.

Evelyn Hernandez, a 24-year-old communications student, said most Latinos migrate to the United States for better employment opportunities, even if they lack advanced skills.

“In Mexico, there is not much equal work and the poor go away,” she said. “[Immigration] is important because Mexicans work and your economy grows.”

Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, a longtime proponent of border fencing, said the building more walls would deter illegal entries into the country. In July, King pitched a border wall that he designed to Congress that would cost about $1.3 million per mile.

“We are likely to see another terrorist attack in this country,” King said in a statement. “If so, the attacking terrorists are most likely to be smuggled into the U.S. across our Mexican border. We can dramatically reduce the risk by building a wall.”

Miguel Angel Rico Romero, a 21-year-old geography student, said there is no simple solution to the immigration problem for the United States or Mexico.

“I believe the wall will serve nobody,” he said. “With the wall, people will pass.”

– The Associated Press contributed to this story.

zihuatanejo

I returned from spending the week in Zihuatanejo (ZEE WA ten eh HO). Most of the time was spent on the beach -- sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling. It's the dream location of Andy DuFrain in The Shawshank Redemption, though the end scene of that movie was filmed in the US Virgin Islands.

Cool animals of note include a stingray, a sea turtle, geckos, an iguana, and at least one cucaracha in our hotel room every day.

The environment in Zihua was similar to Acapulco, though it is much more laid-back there. If you go in October, rain is possible, but know that it is incredibly inexpensive. With a beachside room, food and drinks, I spent under $500 US.

I'd like to go back.

the weather is better

it is funny how a crappy vacation can turn around so quickly. it is beautiful here now, so i am going to leave this effing computer and snorkel or something. bye

check the forecast

When you embark on a seven-day vacation to the beach, you expect the weather to cooperate. But, when it doesn't, that really stinks. Especially when you forget your umbrella.

Swimming in the rain isn't so bad, though. The ocean makes it feel like you are taking a salty bath. The lack of suntannage is kind of a bummer, though.

ccr

You know a society is more laid back about most things when you're sitting in the outdoor courtyard of the library and the librarian is blasting Creedence Clearwater Revival for some reason.

parasailing

Here are some still shots from when I took my video camera up while parasailing in Acapulco.

If you ever get the chance, give it a try...it's the closest thing to being a bird that is tethered to a parachute while getting dragged by a boat with a manic driver.

enjoy it while it lasts

Coming to Mexico has been good for me, because I'm seeing how another part of the world does things and manages to survive. It just shows that there's more than one thing to get the job done and society rolls on.

I've made some good friends here, which is funny, because they are the type of friends you make when you're a kid...geographically and linguistically convenient, and you don't necessarily have much in common with them. Nonetheless, knowing people like that helps to look at things differently, whether you realize it or not.

The one gripe I have with the friending situation, though, is that most people (other than those in my IA group) are here for only a short period and then they're gone, and you probably won't see them again. It just shows that you have to enjoy the moment while you have it, because it'll never be here again.

el duké

My Mexican family found a puppy in the street last week and decided to adopt it, for now, at least. (They had a dog that ran away before I arrived and found another puppy, but it was a howler at night, so it's gone now, too) His name is Él Duké and he is cute as heck. I think he's a black Lab.

acapulco

Last weekend, I finally made it to the beach. Actually, a better description would be the rip tide. Nonetheless, we had a fabulous time in Acapulco with plenty of eating, drinking and dancing while the druglords took care of their dirty laundry on Friday.

Honestly, I didn't see any violence, but I did get to go parasailing, jetskiing and receive a five dollar massage from a Mexican girl on the beach. The hotel was on the ocean and cost only about $25/person/night. Oh yeah, I did meet an ex-patriot Texan with a fresh bullet hole in his gut. That guy was nuts.

una noche en la balet

I must admit that my first ballet experience was pretty cool. Yeah, the dudes wore tites, as did the mujeres, but it was still pretty cool to see the guy go at it with his lasso. That, and the ladies were pretty in their cultural garb. I wouldn't have gone if I had to pay for it outright... At $80 per boleto, it's a bit pricey, but I'm glad I made it.

It's really not that different

Mexico is more like the US than Americans would probably like to admit. Corporate America's presence is ridiculous here.

People buy their groceries from Wal Mart, or Superama, which is also owned by Wal Mart. There's another grocery chain with a pelican logo, but I don't know if Wally World has an interest there.

The Mexican college students dress like Americans and I have yet to see someone wearing a sombrero or a poncho outside of Independence Day.

I've yet to see a Mexican auto company, though I'm pretty sure most of their cars are made here, primarily Fords, Chevy, Nissan or Volkswagen.

You see a lot of Coke being drunk and Marlboros being smoked. A fair share of the TV shows are from the US, either dubbed or subtitled, though most of them are on different channels that are also from the US.

The only real difference is the beer. I've yet to see anyone drinking a Bud or a Miller Lite here, or any lite beer all together. That makes sense, though, because their beer is better and cheaper than any of the domestic macrobrews.

Las Estacas y Ciudad México

We visited Las Estacas, a water park, and Mexico City last weekend.

The water was awfully cold, but it felt good during a hot, sunny day. The water's clarity reminded me of the Mediterranian Sea. It is funny, because the public bus runs along the countryside to the smaller communities and costs around 80 cents US, though the vehicles are actually converted VW microbuses.

Mexico City was interesting enough, though we were pulled around as a tour group, which allowed little time for exploring on our own. I'll have to return later. We saw Diego Rivera's murals, the cathedral and the national museum. After spending the summer in Washington and all of its museums, however, the museum lacked some appeal, though it was filled with plenty of Mexico's culture. It was sunny yesterday with a definitive haze, thanks to the polluted air.

Teotihuacan

We visited Teotihuacan last Sunday. The pyramids were huge and jagged. I don't have much else to say, the pictures pretty much speak for themselves. Since I have been studying Spanish so much, I feel my English writing ability is badder.

Taxco

Last weekend, we went to Taxco, a silver mining town about an hour's drive from Cuernavaca. It is known for its silver mining, and makes up 60 percent of the local economy. It reminded me of when I traveled to the Amalfi Coast in Italy several years ago.

Interesting example in class on 9/11

Here's one of the sentences the professor used when explaining a verb in class today:

Yo no me trago que dijo George War Bush acerca de las armas de distrucion masiva.

¿Què ironia, no?

Crazy

Last night, all of us went to el barbazul, the best dance club in town. They have a huge waterfall in an enclosed courtyard and a huge dance floor. Drinks were free for much of the night and discounted the rest. I danced and had a fabulous time.

Around 3, Tim, Tom and I went to another bar across town with Tim's new Mexican friends. The bar was on the other side of town and a bit strange, so we tried to leave. The bouncer at the door wouldn't let us leave unless we'd bought something, which we hadn't, but after a few minutes of tenuous discussion, we were able to go.

After that, we hit up la Gringa, a taco stand close to the university and met up with some other friends. Tacos con carne al pastor are the best remedy for a fun night of partying.

First post

I arrived in Cuernavaca about a week ago and the time has really dragged by, though that's not a bad thing. Before I know it, my time will be up, I'm sure.

We landed in Mexico City on Friday and had no troubles passing through customs. Whether or not your bag is searched is entirely random -- you just press a button, and either a red or green light illuminates that lets you pass or wait. I didn't have anything to hide, but it seemed a bit creepy.

We were oriented on Saturday at the university, then we went home for lunch and a nap. I scored a healthy 28 percent on my placement test, which qualified well enough for beginner Spanish. Whoo. Later that night, we went out drinking and saw a guy get kicked out of the bar and punched in the face twice by a huge bouncer, then hauled off in the tail gate of a police truck.

Monday's classes were incredibly slow and boring, only conjugating present tense verbs, so I changed them on Tuesday to some harder material. I have to get the most of my time here, you know. Tuesday night brought plenty of cheap beer and free liquor, which led to a very early Wednesday morning, though no class was missed.

There has been a huge fair that will continue for a few more days that has created a lot of traffic on my street. Cannons are fired at random times of the day and night -- fabulous, I know, especially when you want to sleep.

I'm amazed at the mix of American and Mexican culture here. There's a healthy blend of American companies and locally-owned tiendas everywhere. While Superama, my local grocery store, is owned by Wal-Mart, there are plenty of tiny restaurants with carne pastor rotating on spits late into the night.

By and large, the Mexican people are incredibly gracious and friendly. They are patient with me as I stagger through their language and typically speak pretty good English, which just reinforces why I want to learn Spanish. If they took the trouble to know how I speak, then I should try to return the favor.

That's about it, for now. This weekend, we will visit Taxco, a silver-mining city and possibly la Ciudad de Mexico.

Oh yeah, I also have a waterfall in my backyard. It's filthy, but pretty awesome, nonetheless.