CERVANTINO

It's been Cervantino now for officially a week, and my oh my is this a great arts festival. On Saturday I saw a world famous salsa singer; that was one of the most lively concerts with people dancing everywhere. There was this one man in the front row who was really feeling the music. I couldn't help but burst out laughing. On Sunday I saw a mambo band, who is old and famous. Yesterday, because we couldn't get into see the alternative band, we went an watched a reggae band. They were great. Very political, and all in Spanish. They sang one sublime song, but I could tell the guy didn't actually speak any spanish because he was mimicking the sounds and not saying the actual words. Of course I would know that. Seeing as how I LOVE sublime. I have lost my ATM card here and had to have my parents wire me money. That was an interesting experience. Figuring out how to get a Western Union transfer in Spanish is quite cool, and I really like having to figure out things. I guess I'm feeling a little more confident with my spanish. Yesterday I went with my friend Eros to this hut thing of his friends and listened to his band practice. They're pretty good. Today they are recording their first cd, so I guess it's a big day. I like having chill nights like that. Good time to wind down.

sitting in starbucks

Wow, I haven't updated this thing in FOREVER! Well, lets see, what's new? I have met lots of new people since the last time I updated this. One night I took out a disposable camera, just to see how the pictures come out. I'm sure they will be entertaining to say the least. Tomorrow we have to go to San Miguel (again) for immigration purposes. Apparently our visa's weren't the right kind or something. We are going to play in the hot springs tomorrow. I'm really really excited. I have never been in hot springs, so this will definitely be something new.

I bought this really cool bracelet (which my mom from home is excited about. I showed her on skype). It's the beer caps from some of the beers here made into a bracelet. My mom joked that I could pay for law school with that business. I laughed.

theres no passing this class

Well, hopefully there is. But seriously, I am so bad/tired of Grabado. It takes over my life. I'm just generally bad at art I think, so taking this class was probably not the brightest decision. I have my first critique next Tuesday, and have one more class to work before that. I don't know that I'll be able to finish everything in time. I'm a little nervous.

Its cold here in Guanajuato. And when I say cold, I mean 70's, 60's in the mornings. That's cold for here! Jacket weather already? Uh oh. I only have one hoody and a bunch of cardigans. We'll see how that lasts me.

I think I'm getting a cold. Or had a cold. Or something.

Gossip girl is downloading. This show keeps me sane (or at least entertained for a good 45 minutes).

i don't know how i'm running out of money ALREADY

OH wait! I do. It's this little class I take called "GRABADO" (aka print making) and I spend around 10 dollars every two classes for supplies. That adds up man!

I hate money. I wish we didn't use it. Life would be better.

Tomorrow is the international day of peace. Today there are people all over the jardin coloring with chalk on the sidewalks. Their pieces are SOOO intense and amazing. I would never be able to do anything like that. My friend Eros tried to teach me techniques of drawing, and basically that was an EPIC fail.

Next Thursday Jourie and Jack are going to Tampico until Monday, which has a beach, because we don't have class. But the bus ticket alone is around $90 and I don't think I could afford that. So I guess next weekend I'll be chillen at home watching lots and lots of movies. Hopefully Dad's box of movies gets here quickly; otherwise I might be a little bored for four days.

Well, I'm off to work on my project for grabado. Again, like usual. This class is killing me.

VMA'S

I'm annoyed. Everyone's status updates are in regards to Kanye's big diss to Taylor Swift, and I can't even see it in real time because the TV is two hours behind. Oh well, bigger problems in life, right? 

I'm currently trying to look up the answer to who the "conquistador" was here in mexico and how the process of colonization was for one of my homework assignments. Not very fun. At least I slept all day, so I can stay up for a while and write this thing. 

This weekend I met a lot more people. It's pretty fun to find your own Mexican friends and see them around town. Makes me feel more and more like I actually live here and am not just visiting. 

My spanish has also definitely improved. I am getting pretty excited about it. I feel like I know more about everything. 

Mexican independence day is the 15th (this Wednesday). I guess we're going to Dolores Tuesday night, because Anai is planning a party or something. I'm pretty excited. woo. 

Well, I guess that's about it for now. Back to homework. 

I am alive

My teeth are healing (I think), I received my package from my family, I am in the process of downloading my Greek episode for the week so I can watch it in the millions of hours I just sit around my house waiting for other people to wake up, and I went out with my friend In (its short for something I can't pronounce) to the coolest cafe I have ever been to here. BUT something scary happened yesterday. Well, not scary, just sad. I saw the dog catcher in the plaza getting a stray dog. He put this noose around his neck and pulled him straight up, carrying him off the ground all the way to the car. It looked really painful, and I felt really bad for the poor puppy. Some little 12 year old started bawling when she saw it happening. Dog catchers, why do you have to be so mean?! Anyway, I am about to go to my last check up (hopefully) for my teeth here in the next hour. Hopefully all is good! :) 

dental disaster

So while I have been here I have had a little problem with pain in my back teeth on my right side. Apparently I had a major infection in my mouth, and never had dealt with the problem, making it worse. After dying in pain I finally went to the dentist, who prodded at my teeth for a good two hours. Some black stuff came out of my mouth, but talking about it completely grosses me out all over again. So yeah, I am in a little bit of pain. 

Last night I went out with Jack and Jourie for a little bit, because I was tired of sitting around my house in complete pain. We went to Los Lobos, a bar that plays oldies music (all rock). Of course, loving Pink Floyd and the Doors I knew all the words to all the songs. 

Today is lazy sunday, which is perfect because I am exhausted! 

I think thats all for the updates as of now. More to come. 

this whole recharging the mexican phone thing is annoying

Seriously, I hate having to go into a store and say "necesito un recarga". It's so annoying. Part of me just wishes they had plans here, because I know they'd be cheaper than the plans back in the United States. Really, everything besides clothing is cheaper here. Clothing here is outrageous. One shirt (that looks like something you could get at a Forever21) is about 40 US dollars. That's outta my sights here, so I am having my parents send me some more clothing from home. It's starting to get cold here, and I only have one zip up hoodie, but hopefully that'll suffice. I'm sure I will survive. I have plenty of cardigans to get me through the days. 

Today for lunch my mom prepared "Enchiladas Mineras" which are a type of enchilada specific to Guanajuato. It was the birthday of my brother in law (Fernando) today. They served red wine for lunch, but me being all 20 and cool, I opted for the mango water. I was really thirsty and wasn't trying to get my "tengo sed"-ness out through red wine. That might have ended up bad. 

Last night I chatted with Jane, Meredith, Sally, and even Laurin because she was at OWU visiting. It was fun hearing a bunch of friends in one place, but also made me miss them that much more.  

I am sitting in Jourie's house on the internet, waiting for Gossip Girl to download. I missed a few episodes from last season, and I'm trying to catch up. Mom, Dad, remember that the NEW season comes out the 14th and soon after that you could potentially gift me it on itunes. ;) You know, just a suggestion. Also, hoping to get that package soon! 

I am missing out so much at school already and it's making me really sad. Oh well, I'm having fun here. 

Life

Yesterday I went with Jourie to get her haircut and today at 10 I am about to cut mine. Nothing big, just a few inches off, since my hairs gettin all nasty being here.

I feel like my spanish here is very off and on. Some days it's good. Some days it's bad.

I guess Jourie, Jack and I got invited to a boat party tonight where they stay in a cabin all weekend. Sounds like a blast, but it's a little cold to be swimming I think. Jourie isn't really down for it so we'll see what happens I guess.

Yesterday we went out to Capitolio with the law students here in Guanajuato. It was fun, but I was soooo tired. Jourie and I left around one, but I have no idea how long Jack was there.

Well, that's about it for right now.

zacatecas weekend

This past weekend I went with my exchange group to Zacateca's. There we did numerous things, but I would have to say my top two favorites were the zipline across the mexican land and going to a club that is located in the mine we visited earlier that day. Everything we did I told Jourie, "hey jourie, we're peeing in a mine" or "hey jourie, we're partying in a mine". I think my favorite part was when she told me she couldn't even see. We took a cable car overtop the city, which was a pretty intense view of Zacateca's. Zacateca's looks a lot like Guanajuato, but not nearly as "high and low". We visited a museum of modern art, a museum of masks, and a museum of Chichimeca art. Apparently the Chichimeca's get all hopped up on Peyote before they weave. I personally liked the mask museum the best. I found a gubia while in Zacateca's (finally) because that place is supposedly a capital of print-making. We went to some Chichimeca pyramids, which was cool because everything he was saying was a repeat of what I am learning in my Migration class. The guy gave us free hats, and I saw the biggest grasshoppers I've ever seen in my entire life. Overall I'd say it was a pretty bomb weekend! 

went to a fiesta... jack took bad pics

"If by bad you mean great" - Jack

Last night we went to Jack's sisters going away party. It was all young people, and started at 6. I left around 2. We met some cool people. Jourie took a lot of pictures and put them on facebook. Jack wasn't even looking in most of them and in a lot he looked really really drunk. It was pretty funny. He actually only remembers taking 2 photos, not 30. The party was a lot of fun. 

Today I worked on my art project for a while. Now I'm at Jourie's house, just hanging out. We went to a seafood place earlier, I don't care for it much. 

Thats about all that's happened today. 

watching e! in mexico

Jourie and I are sitting on her bed watching The Girls Next Door, that television show about the girls of the playboy mansion. It's the episode where Kendra moves out. I wonder how much money they make being Hugh Hefner's girlfriend? Probably a lot. 

The movie came out in other parts of Mexico today, but as my mom here tells me, Guanajuato gets all the movies released to them a week later than the rest of the country. I guess it's to motivate people to go to the bigger cities and bigger theatres. Government ploy? Probably. 

Today I picked up my package from my parents. Dad, what were you thinking with that shirt? I think it's a boy shirt in pink. haha but I really appreciate the effort and thoughtfulness. I really like the purple bag and all the other stuff. I'm wearing the bracelet, and my friend Jourie was jealous of it. 

Jourie and I slept through our class today. We're retards. I talked to my professor and she just laughed at me. I pulled a Julie DiCarlo and had a dream that Jourie called me and said we didn't have class, so I turned off my alarm. She just forgot to set one last night, and since we are eachothers wake-up call, we didn't make it to our only one hour class of the early morning. When I told my family today, I was made fun of for about an hour.

I have mosquito bites all over my body. Here the mosquitos are nuts at night. My friends and I all have "pinchas" all over our body. They're itchy, and my anti-itch cream doesn't really work but as Jourie says, "we don't wanna get liz legs" (an inside joke). 

I can't find folders here anywhere. Apparently, Mexicans don't use them. I just want a basic folder to put my millions of papers in, and there's nothing. Still haven't found the Gubia, but I have the one of my family friend. 

I have a bunch of new spanish music and I'm sure I'm only going to keep adding to the collection. People here love their celebrities though. And they're the same as home, with a few more that speak Spanish. I think my new favorite is Paulina Rubio. 

Finally I'm posting

My art class here is called "grabado". In the USA that's print making. My art class is full of those stereotypical artist kids (think dredlocks and wacky clothing... i love it). My teacher is a total hippie and listens to a lot of reggae and american ska music. Although, today she probably thought I was an idiot because she had to explain how to do something to me twice before I understood. I dont know these tools in english, let alone spanish.

My class in the Valenciana is really nice. Its my cine and literatura class and it's pretty fun. Abby's dad is the professor, and he cracks jokes the entire time.

I've met a lot more people here. I saw what a student apartment here looks like (probably the grossest place ever, and I wouldn't consider myself a particularly clean person). I have checked out all the fun places with my friends. My mexican friends force me to speak spanish, which is a lot easier with them than in a classroom for some reason. My family told me last night my spanish has improved considerably.

I can't believe I have been here an entire month. My family sent me a package but I have to go into town to the post office to pick it up. They don't have door service here.

Cell phones are weird here too. There's no package. You recharge your phone (by peso amounts) which determine what happens.

Tomorrow my friends and I are going to see "Que Paso Ayer?" which here is "The Hangover" because some of our mexican friends havent seen it and therefore don't get our jokes quite yet.

Everyone here is so nice. I really can't get over it. Tonight my friends and I plan to go out. These 8am classes every morning make me want to scream, but I guess after tomorrows class I can nap for the rest of the day (until movie time). My shower here is warm. I really can't complain.

Grandecito - A little big

Chido/Que Padre/Esta Padre- cool

^I don't know, I'll update the fun phrases list later. Right now we're going to the centro.

last night

We went to Jourie's and played cards for a long time and then we went to the hippie bar. Pretty fab. 

Guadalajara weekend

I forgot the last time I updated this, so here goes: 

Jack and I Thursday afternoon went to Leon, the town right next to ours, to take a look around. It was really cool, but kinda reminded me a little of Tiajuana, Mexico. The stores are al crammed into these little shady venues, but they were pretty cool. I've never seen so many leather belts, boots, and shoes in one place in all of my life. Thursday my friends Jack Abby and I went out exploring. We went around town and hung out, didn't really do too much. That was the last day of classes (for CIEE) so we were ok to go out for a little. Friday morning we took a bus to Guadalajara. It was around 140 pesos for a one way ticket to Guadalajara (two-ways are non-existent). Our bus trip was around 4 hours because we stopped at another bus station in between. We found a hotel, after taking a cab ride with the oldest most unsafe cab driver ever. That night we went exploring for a little, but mostly just passed out in the hotel room. Saturday we took a horse drawn carraige tour for about an hour. It was 200 pesos for all three of us. Our carraige was purple, and we had a white horse. I pretty much loved my life. Jack, however, was not loving it as much as Abby and I, but he was a good sport. There's a Ripley's believe it or not in Guadalajara in the main center. There were also big stages with authentic Mexican dancers and singers and such. It was pretty cool to have something going on there all day. We looked around the shops. On the outskirts of the main plaza, the city is organized really weird. There are lots of the same types of shops around one another. Like, one whole block is devoted to luggage, and another to childrens junk, and another to blankets and towells, etc. etc. It was kinda interesting. I was sad though, because both my Quesadilla and my Chilaquiles in Guadalajara were nowhere near as good as the ones I can get here in Guanajuato. It was Brigette's birthday, and I'm sad I missed it. But other than that, I don't think I ever want to leave here. Ever. 

Short and Sweet

Tuesday July 28, 2009    5:31pm 

My friends and I are trying to go to Guadalajara this weekend. I am sitting in my brother-in-law and sisters cafe/art store that is pretty freaking sweet. This is my first time being here. I need to write a paper but instead I am uploading my blog. I think I lucked out with this whole homestay thing. 

Back from the City

July 27, 2009     6:10pm

Well, this past weekend I went to Mexico City with my study abroad program. If I could ever find my camera cord, I would put up some pictures (either on here or facebook). We left Friday morning at around 8:30am and arrived around 2pm-ish in Mexico City. We took a small bus, but it was fine. We stayed in a Hostel which was pretty nice. There were a lot of people from all over the world, and a majority of them spoke english. We saw the National Palace, which I found incredibly interesting because that's where Diego Rivera's most famous murals are located. We went to a church that had an incredible amount of gold inside. We also saw some old ruins, which I also found incredibly interesting. I kept telling everyone I thought it was a government ploy just to be a jerk, because the government must make a ton of money from all the travelers that pay to go through it everyday. Some people laughed, some didn't. That night I went with some friends to a Salsa bar, which was a ton of fun. My friend Jack and I went first and had to share a table with this couple that lives somewhere near Mexico City. They were really nice and friendly, and the man took a million pictures of and with us on his iPhone and said he would email them to us. I hope he does. We went back with our other friends and danced the night away. Saturday we hiked up some INCREDIBLE pyramids, both Luna and Sol. We went to an onyx store where I got some cactus shampoo and split it with Jack. (Come on, if you saw cactus shampoo, wouldn't you want to try it as well?) I also bought a surprise for someone back home. Sunday we went to Casa Azul (Frida Kahlo's house) which was very interesting. There were paintings of hers and of Diego's. You weren't allowed to take photos inside, however. We also went on this boat ride restaurant thing down a canal. It was so much fun. There's floating mariachi bands who follow along and play for you. Of course, I got picked out of the group and got serenaded the whole time by the lead guitarist/singer man. I got a picture with him, but my friends have that one. Somehow, I always get singled out of the group. My luck. A lot of the students came back today to Guanajuato to schedule for classes. I am pretty excited that they are here, so I can finally get to know some more Mexicans! This is my last week of CIEE classes, and next week I start at the actual university. We get this weekend off. Lets see where we decide to go! 

Monday July 20, 2009   3:27pm

I have had one heck of a first week here in Mexico. I am finally getting around to writing now, because I have been so busy. My Mexican brother had his baby, and named her Carla, after his wife. He says she is doing well. Let me catch up on what I have missed out on:

Friday I only had my grammer class until 12pm. I then went on a walk to find the gallery my Mexican sister and her husband owns. My friend Jack and Jourie came with me, and since it was closed, we ended up talking for a while outside and then finally went home. My friend Jourie left to go to Salamanca, Mexico with her family for the night. I went with Jack and my other friend Abby to some bars around the city. The bars here are like the bars in the Short North. (nice. nice. niiiice!) Not that I've ever actually been in those... ANYWAY. We saw Jacks mexican brother, who is probably the funniest as well as probably the most inappropriate 25 year old I have ever met. He kept telling Jesus jokes, cursing up a storm, so on and so on. Nonetheless I really couldn't help but laugh at him. He was hilarious. 

Saturday I took a lot of sleep time. My friend Jack and I went to see Harry Potter, because all our other friends had either already seen it with their family, or had a party to go to that night. The movie theater we went to is in a mall and it has both a McDonalds and a Subway. Good to know for when I get American food cravings later on. The cab ride to the mall (a 5 min drive) was only $3US. We had the option of seeing the movie in Spanish or in english with subtitles. Of course we chose english. Surprisingly enough, a lot of other people did as well. I kinda liked this Harry Potter, but since I haven't read the books I was mad it ended so quickly. 

On Sunday I went shoe shopping with Abby. She bought some cute silver gladiator sandals for only 14US$. It's a steal. Everything here is very cheap, but I have restrained and not bought ANYTHING (besides water and drinks at starbucks) because I'm afraid my $700 is not going to go very far this semester. Later last night I went over to Jourie's house with my friend Jack and played bingo. Jourie's family's entire family was at their house playing. They play for money. They don't joke around here in Mexico. I, of course, lost. A lot. I only got a bingo twice, and every time had to split the money at least 3 ways. My life in a nutshell, I swear. 

I went to the pharmacy and told the lady I was having stomach pains (probably from all the constant starch in all foods) and she gave me these pills that I have no idea what they are, but they sure do work wonders! My Mexican mom said they were ok to take. Don't worry Mom and Dad, I'm not going to come home addicted to something. 

This weekend we travel to Mexico City. I am excited to go, especially after Prope class today (our class about mexican history/culture). I didn't even know Mexico City was built on a lake. Apparently everything's sinking and they can't build transit easy because they keep hitting old ruins and pyramids that have sank (although we were told the transit in Mexico City isn't safe and therefore we shouldn't take it). We are going to be staying in a hostel. That will be the first hostel I have ever stayed in. I'm actually pretty excited.  

Well I'm about to go meet up with my friends at the cafe. I'll write more later. 

PS--- the Starbucks is currently playing gold-digger. Not the Kanye West version however, the old school version. The good version. 

this city is weird

July 15, 2009   6:31pm

The title is correct. Last night I went out with my friends Jourie and Jack from my program and Jouries family (who are also my neighbors) and my other neighbor Pablo. They are all my age. Jourie's family had people staying with them for three days in Guanajuato as some kind of exchange thing with the lions club. Yes, here the lions club is young and active. We went to the Guanajuato Grill. Wouldn't you think that means theres food there? No. It's only a bar. A dance club bar in fact. There are only young people who go, and it's a lot of fun. They play a lot of english songs as well as spanish. I just thought it was funny that we went to a "grill" that doesn't actually have a grill. Mexico is weird. The dogs here are so smart. They don't come up and bug you for food or anything, but they somehow can figure out how to survive without disturbing the peace. They are EVERYWHERE. It's insane. There are these bells here that go off around 6:30 every day in memory of some saint. Theres also these LOUD explosions everyday for that as well. It scared me the first few days. I bought a Mexican cell phone so I can talk to my friends here without costing an arm and a leg (especially for them to call me). There are lots of people here that are very nice and very patient. My spanish is getting better. My family was making fun of me today at lunch. They said the first few days I said very little but now they can't get me to shut up! Oh well, I'm finally starting to remember the words for things, so I get excited to use them. The drivers here are extremely skilled. I don't understand how they can manuever and park around here. Seriously, they would laugh at the United States drivers test. The streets are narrow, there's people everywhere, and small parking spaces exist for big cars to fit in. I don't understand how so much disorder can cause order, but I guess it's the Mexican way! I am sitting in a Starbucks right now. They have some really cool clothing here. It's very bohemian. I like it. Today my friend Abby and I went in a store, asked for something in spanish, and the man answered us in english. It was quite funny. My commute from my house to the city and to school is insane. San Fransisco's hills have NOTHING on this city. I seriously walk for 10 minutes on a 60 degree incline home every day. I am going to have some killer leg muscles when I come home. 

Well... I think that's it for today. I'll have more updates later. 

Classes have begun!

July 14, 2009    5:27pm

Yesterday I started my classes. I got put in the dumb spanish class. There are two levels, and I'm in the lower one. Oh well, I guess losing to the natives or semi-natives isn't that bad. Classes are interesting but ok. We'll see how it goes. I am sitting in a starbucks about to go hang out with some friends. Talked to my parents on Skype today. I still don't know how to communicate well with my host family but I am learning. 

Day 2 -- Continued

July 11, 10:52pm

Tonight I moved into my homestay and met my family. There is an older man and woman who have three grown and married children. They all stop in to the house often is what Yolanda (my house mother) told me. I met Ana and her husband, who live next door. They seem very nice and can speak some English, which might end up being most helpful in the end. My house is very big, but does not have internet, so I don’t know when I will be able to update anything. My neighbor, however, has internet but I don't want to be annoying and ask to use it all the time. I wish I could pick up the internet from their house, but I'm not able to. Oh well. Internet cafe's will end up being my best friend this semester. 

Day 2

July 11, 2009     4:49pm

Today was our first day of orientation. We learned a lot about the program/expectations/yadda-yadda. We also got a post card from our host family. We went up the mountain on this bus, and went to a very cool locale. There were mountains all around us and the clouds felt as if they were close enough to touch. The people here are very cool as well. I am making friends with some of the other kids a lot easier than I had expected. Tonight we have an examination which tells us which class we are in for the rest of the July program. I will probably be at the bottom, because all these others kids seem more fluid and have bigger vocabularies, but that’s fine with me. I just want to get as good if not better than they are now. Tonight I meet my family for the first time and move into the homestay. I learned today that I have to walk through Guanajuato’s infamous tunnel system in order to get to class everyday. At least another girl that is here, named Jourie, will be living next door to me at my hacienda (we even kind of have the same address). I’m pretty excited to see how tonight plays out after dinner. The food here is great. Seriously, splendid! The bathrooms however, are a little sketchy. They don’t flush toilet paper down the toilets because there’s not enough water pressure. They also don’t have toilet seats on all the toilets. It’s like when a man goes to the toilet in the United States and lifts that lid, that’s how it is always. Weird. Excited but scared at the same time.

 

I am here!

July 10, 2009    10:47pm

 

Today was interesting. My first flight left home at 5:30a.m.. Port Columbus is a great airport compared to the others (especially Houston where I had to walk a million miles with a 40 pound bag on my shoulder to the next terminal). I think it’s funny how great Columbus airport is compared to the cramped style of the Houston airport. On my first flight I met a nice man who was dropping off his kids to his parents for the week while he planned his wedding. On my flight from Houston to Guanajuato I met a man from Leon, which is the town next to Guanajuato. He told me about the city and what to expect. He basically told me Guanajuato was boring. Once I found someone who was in my program I was set. Jack is his name and he seems very friendly and fun. We met up with some other cool people and went to the bar in town. There, we got a lot of free food, which I was skeptical to try. I tried it anyway, and it was among the most amazing free bar appetizers I have ever had. This bar has a lot of pictures of old baseball teams. The second time I was in there today (yes, I was in there twice) the Indians were playing. I talked to a nice old Mexican man about the Indians for a while, where he informed me he was a Yankees fan. It seems there are a lot of Yankee’s fans here in Guanajuato. We came back after hanging out to have dinner with the CIEE program. I met a few more people, read the guidebook, took a shower, drank some bottled water, and now am sitting on my bed writing this script for my blog. That’s all that’s happened, and I’m super excited to see what else occurs.  

Tomorrow = Big Day!

Well, looks like I have one last day in the United States (and that would be today)! As I finish packing I wanted to thank all the people that made time to stop by yesterday or see me this week before I leave. Tomorrow morning at 5:30a.m. I will be boarding the plane and on part one of the three part tour de airports until Guanajuato. Apparently first from Columbus I land in Charlotte, then somewhere in Texas, and finally the Leon/Guanajuato airport. This will be quite an adventure. The information they have given me is that I will be living with a woman who designs and makes dresses and a man who is a painter. I know they have three grown (and out of the house) children, one of whom lives next door to them. They live on a former hacienda and have one dog. I am excited to meet everyone, but honestly, am most nervous about this peso-dollar conversion. I don't want to be the dumb American who doesn't understand she's paying overprice or complains she's not getting a fair deal when she is. Hopefully I'll figure it out. I do have a lot of time until I arrive tomorrow. Maybe that should be my airplane-assignment.