Trees, Besos, and Mexican Pride (Morgan)

These people love their country. I think that is a common characteristic of nations that have had a revolution: they have the best independence celebrations.

In Merida, the independence celebration is called La Grita and it takes place on September 15. We came back from our weekend trip to Puerto Morelos on the Tuesday of the celebration. At the time we were still living in the Hotel Caribe in El Centro, about a block away from the Plaza Grande where the annual celebration is held. Walking from the hotel to the Plaza around 11 pm, we cleared the security checkpoints and melted into the enormous crowd filling the Plaza in front of the governor's palace. The main event of the night (traditionally) was the appearance of the governor and top government officials on the balcony of the palace. The governor gives a speech, and reminds the crowd of the valor of several Mexican revolutionary heroes. The crowd responds to each of the governor's statements with a resounding "VIVA!!!" We arrived at the Plaza with the entire group, but Christine and I quickly broke away to try to work our way through the crowd to get closer to the palace and the stage. We found that we were surprisingly skilled at crowd navigation, and that a simple smile and a sheepish "lo siento" got us a long way. At one point we were directly across from the governor's balcony, and we climbed a tree to get a better view. Being up in that tree, high above the crowd with a chilly breeze blowing was such a welcome feeling after pushing our way through the stuffy crowd. However, after a few moments passed our feet started itching again and we decided to try our luck to push further. On her way down, Christine dropped one of the red, white and green beaded hoop earrings that Maria Luisa had made for us to wear to La Grita. It fell to the ground at the base of the tree, and immediately a small group of young boys scrambled to retrieve it. When Christine landed on the ground a couple of seconds later, one boy around the age of 12 stood with his palm outstretched, grinning triumphantly with the earring in his hand. Christine thanked him, and we slipped a few pesos in his hand. His eyes widened, he looked at Christine, pointed to his cheek and boldly asked, "Un beso?" Laughing, Christine kissed his little cheek and he scampered off happily with his friends patting his back. We continued our conquest to the stage, but the crowd was getting thicker. We spotted another tree on the horizon with a branch protruding out at a right angle. That branch was calling our name, and we made it our destination point. Working toward it, we pushed on. When we finally reached the sacred tree, we found a rope attached to it. Christine went first, and grabbing the rope and using her feet to scale the trunk. The first branch was about 7 feet off the ground, and so our first couple of attempts failed. However, the crowd was watching us, and instead of being irritated by the gringos trying to get a better view, they actually started cheering us on. One man formed a step for us with his hand, and we were both hoisted up into the tree. It was perfection; we were high over the massive crowd and could see the entire area as if we were looking down from a plane. Just before the governor came out, however, the police spotted us and motioned for us to get down. A few scrapes and cuts later, our feet were back on the ground. We didn't care too much though, we had reached our goal and had a blast doing it. The governor's speech was intense and exciting. Thousands of people (us included) screamed their vivas and viva mexicos on cue, and it was an amazing feeling to hear the voices of so many people join together for something that they all love. After there was a firework show in front of the cathedral, which we were about 10 yards away from. We were so close that we were showered in ash from the spinning fire show, but it the show was beautiful. Next, the scene changed quickly for the worst. Little did we know that the next act of the night was a performance by the famous actor/singer Pedro Fernandez. As soon as he took to the stage, the crowd surged forward, and we were forced forward into the people standing in front of us. Christine and I were afraid of losing each other, or of falling down and being trampled, so we started to make the long trek back upstream. There was a man who saw us and helped clear the path for us all the way back through the park closer to the street. I don't think I've ever felt so gross, I was completely covered in other people's sweat, but it was so intense you couldn't help but love the adrenaline. Pedro Fernandez We lingered a little longer in the square, browsing the venders and watching the other people before we headed back to the hotel to watch the festivities come to an end from our rooftop.

Oh Mexico: Blair Murphy

It is hard to put into words the whirlwind that has been the last 2 ½ weeks of my life. From the moment I stepped off the plane to when I woke up this morning, my time spent here has been an absolute adventure.

Everyone talks about their study abroad experience as some unexplainable but unforgettable time in their lives. I am beginning to understand why. There is no greater way to get to know people than to live with them in another country where you are figuring out the unknown together.

The first thing I figured out here is that bus windows apparently shatter when a tire pops. Sarah and I were on our way from the Cancun airport to Mérida when this little incident occurred. It actually led to us meeting someone who was knew about the Centre in Mérida program. I think he saw on our faces that we were a little bit confused about what was going on and tried to clear up the situation. He is just one of the many people here that have been more than willing to help us.

When I was trying to mentally prepare for this trip to Mexico, I thought that even though I knew some Spanish the language barrier would restrict me from communicating with the people and getting to learn about the culture. What I have learned during my time here so far is the exact opposite. During our first week, people in the streets helped us to find restaurants, ATMs, and led us in the right direction if we happened to forget where we were. There was even one man, named Raphael, who owned a business near the cathedral in the Centro who gave us a mini personalized tour of the building. He would first speak in Spanish and then ask us if we understood in English to help us practice the language that surrounds us everyday. I have learned that the best way to improve your Spanish is to understand that you might have to put yourself out there and sound silly in order to practice, because eventually you will get better.

I was actually surprised to find out this morning that our host mom Gloria already thinks that Sarah and I are improving in our Spanish. We typically have the best conversations during meals because it is when both José Luis and Gloria are home and have time to spend together relaxing. These conversations have ranged from simple things like asking if we want to eat our lunch at home or pack a sandwich the next day to future career plans or the daily school schedule of kids from the local areas. I never thought that I would be able to actually hold meaningful conversations outside of talking about my family or other elementary things with easy vocabulary.

Despite the fact that I say my Spanish has improved, I also am constantly making mistakes. Tonight I asked Gloria who her grandson Patricio’s friend was in the pool today at the house. It turns out what I actually asked Gloria was “who was the man at your house today in the pool with Patricio?” She was slightly concerned at first and then realized that when I said man I really meant boy, and that I had forgotten that this mystery 8 year-old was actually another one of her grandsons. Suffice to say, we also spend a lot of time laughing during our conversations at meals.

I also noticed today that Sarah and I are starting to refer to Gloria’s house as our home. Even though we have only lived here for about a week and a half it feels like just that. We live in a very residential neighborhood called Los Jardínes de Mérida in the north of the city. It is difficult to put into words how lucky and grateful we are to be living in this house with this family. Gloria and José Luis have welcomed us into their family just as they have with other host students for the past 8 years or so. They have 3 daughters but all of them live outside of the house. The best part about the daughters is that they have kids that come over to the house all the time. I think one of the reasons they come is because of the pool, which has been a constant source of entertainment for all of us. Sarah and I finally located some rafts (after learning that it took us so long to find them because we were referring to the rafts as “fishing line”. We finally went back to the basics and asked in Spanish for something that we could use in the pool so that we didn’t have to swim all the time. I guess it got the point across because we finally found some!), that the kids love to play with. They have also taught us some games in the pool.

We have found that it can be either easier or more difficult to communicate with the grandkids. Saraita is a five year-old who speaks very slowly and clearly because she has a pretty calm demeanor but likes to tell us jokes and play tricks on us all the time. Patricio, 8, and Alexa, 4 are a different story. When they play these color or animal games with us in the pool they get so excited and speak so quickly that we cannot understand them so we just start smiling a lot.

I absolutely love the schedule of classes here. I only have class on Mondays and Wednesdays, and while they are long days I am glad to get a break from my typical science classes at Centre. Sarah and I have found two cafes to study in so far. One near the school and the other being a large Starbucks with air conditioning that is a bit farther of a distance away but completely worth the bus ride. We have just made plans with everyone for a fall break in Cozumel, so I am sure everyone will have more stories to come!

Maya Lands --- Anna Capaldi

At the Maya ruins of Ek' Balam

I am a travel channel junkie.

I usually follow up with a dose or two of discovery or history channel as well. So, it's easy to understand why I love this program. I see amazing things all the time and have the resources at hand to understand their deeper importance.

I've always been fascinated by the complex mathematical and astronomical knowledge the ancient Maya possessed, but I have not had the opportunity to appreciate their culture. Here, I have already learned much from our guide Miguel, our class on folklore and another class which gives an overview of everything Maya.

The Maya gods rest in the shade of the Ceiba tree

Thus, it was amazing when we were able to see the

equinox at

Dzibilchaltun. Not only was it awing to see such mastery of physics at work, but to stand in the place where the subjects of the chief came to see his mighty power hold the sun in a doorway on a day of his prediction was pretty sweet.

Equinox at Dzibilchaltun

Also, it would be easy and entirely understandable for the beauty of a civilization to be dwarfed by the kind of natural beauty present in the Yucatan, but Maya imagery continues to hold its own. My awe for both grows every day.

The crystal-clear water of a cenote

Begining to feel at home... Kara Beer

Well we have been living in Merida for a little more than two weeks now and I can honestly say that I am beginning to feel like more than just a tourist. The bus system here is no longer so scary and I think I finally know how to get to Wal-mart! Although my Spanish is not anything to be admired, I can already notice an improvement in communication with my home-stay family and with others throughout the city. I can not even begin to describe my excitement when I am able understand the fast-paced dialogues of those around me. To some its considered eavesdropping, but to others, including Phyllis, its just another form of practice, both in fieldwork and in language skills. I am absolutely in love with authentic Mexican cuisine and never want to eat anything else- the food this week has been a drastic improvement from last week when all my home-stay mom would feed me was oreos and ham-and-cheese snadwiches! Along with my new appreciation for Mexican food, I have been fully convinced that sleeping in a hammock is the way to go! Everyday after class I take a short siesta in it and feel totally refreshed afterwards. Last week we went to Progresso, a tiny beach community outside of Merida, and it was wonderful! It takes about $2 to get there and back by bus (which is only about 30 minutes)and is a perfect way to spend a lazy day in the sun. Although we were unable to go this week due to our visit to the U.S consulate, I have a beach chair with my name on it next weekend! I think being so close to a beach is one of my favorite things about Merida. I am from Kentucky and thus am presented with the oppurtunity of a beach about once a year. All-in-all I truly am begining to feel at home here in Merida and am already dreading that day in December when I will have to leave.

Oh, Mexico -- Erin Sliney

As soon as I arrived in Mexico, I knew, if nothing else, it was going to be an experience. Jose, Morgan, Samantha, and I walked out of the doors of the Cancun airport, and were overwhelmed by yelling, sign-holding Mexicans. Jose, the native Spanish speaker, took charge, and somehow we were offered to be taken in a private van directly to the Hotel Caribe in Merida for only $280 USD. How great, right? We could be as loud as we wanted, go where we wanted, and party as much as we wanted, just for $50 dollars a person. However, it wasn’t that great. As soon as we agreed, workers from other companies bombarded us. In rapid Spanish or broken English they told us that the guys were “pirates,” we were going to be stopped by the police, and that they were in fact the “real” van company. Apparently to stop this hassling, we were quickly rushed into the van, left our waiting place for Blair and Sarah, and driven to the massive van parking lot to sit and wait. The van next to us had its door open and inside were 4 Mexicans sitting on top of the folded down seats, playing cards. It turned, that while we were shadily waiting in the parking lot, Blair and Sarah got though customs, looked for us outside of the airport and proceeded to take the free shuttle to the bus station, where they bought their ticket to Merida for only $250 pesos. We, however, were unaware of this, and finally decided to leave 4 hours after we had initially landed, with the increased cost of $70 USD per person. Oh, and instead of the great Yucatan/Mexican food that we were going to stop and eat on our way to Merida, everyone was so irritated and itching to get to get out of Cancun that we stopped by McDonalds. Yes. My first meal in Mexico was indeed a happy meal, and there wasn’t even a toy. However, after the bus/private van ordeal, Mexico turned into paradise. The Hotel Caribe is very tropical and gorgeous. I roomed with Christine, Sarah, and Morgan Lynn. The swimming pool on the top floor looks over one of the earliest cathedrals in the Americas. The pool perfect place to relax and dangle your feet, so perfect in fact, that Christine, Mamie, and I just couldn’t help jumping fully-clothed that first, new, and magical night. We giggled all the way back to our rooms, dripping wet. That first day, my clueless, American self was definitely in need of some of the knowledge that I now know: $35 pesos is way to much for a beer, $70 pesos is way to much for enchiladas, and you don’t need to tip the bellman $50 pesos. But, at that point pesos just seemed like monopoly money with no real value. Oh well, I know better now. The second day: lunch with the host moms. This was fairly intimidating, especially when my mom, Elsy, just starting rambling in Spanish. The whole time I was wondering, “Does she know that I am just stupidly nodding my head?” It turned out fine though, as the accepting and caring nature of all of the home stay moms made me smile. After the meeting I went on a several hour excursion with Omar and Maria Luisa looking for a bathing suit. Apparently, there is a bathing suit season in Merida, after which stores don’t keep them in stock, even though the city is only 30 minutes from the beach and still 90 degrees Fahrenheit in September. The schedule activity that night: SALSA LESSONS!! A perfect way to start a trip in Mexico. I was so excited! I really like to dance, especially to anything with Latin American beats, rhythms, and moves. It turned out to be great fun. My great dancing partner Lee and I were able to pretty much master the routine that our skinny non-English speaking salsa instructor taught us. As you know the cenotes were beautiful and the experience absolutely charming. Tulum and Ek’Balam were nice and fairly interesting. However, at Tulum I had my first and only bad encounter with the heat. I had a headache, a queasy stomach, and felt lightheaded, as if I was going to pass out. Painfully for me, Miguel, our tour guide, would explain intricate details about the Maya for long minutes in the hot sun, trying to politely pretend to listen while actually trying to stay alive and conscious. Then, to make things worse, he forbade us to go into the extremely tempting portion of the beautiful Caribbean sea that Tulum overlooks. It worked out fine though. I was able to hike back to the van and took Christine’s advice: lie down someplace cool, but not cold, and drink water. Finally after about an hour in the backseat of the van squishing Taylor and Mamie together, and stealing Christine’s water, I felt better. That night we went to the wonderful Puerto Morelos. The room I gladly shared with Christine and Morgan had a balcony that intersected with Taylor, Kit, and Michael’s, and proved to be a great place to relax or have fun. It was lovely. The beach at Puerto Morelos was also the sight of the absolutely great sand castle/fort/god palace created by the goddesses Katie, Morgan, Chritine, and I. In the middle was a sacrificial fish named Borris, or he might be the main god, I can’t really remember. We definitely let our imaginations run free. Jumping ahead, La Grita de la independencia wasn’t as crazy as I had expected it to be actually. Maybe it was because we, the loud half drunk, Americans were ruining it with our English-speaking and disrespect, but I still thought that people would be more into it. Apparently closer to the governor’s palace things were more intense. Yes there was a crowd and much pushing, but not an excess of dancing, singing, and yelling. About the food: we eat local and traditional food most of the time. We have tacos every day for lunch, because no matter what we are eating, we are supposed to stuff it all into little corn tortillas. Usually, I would rather just savor the flavor of the delicious beef, but alas, I can’t waste the tortillas that Elsy makes me. There is also almost always a small bowl of very soupy, but tasty, black beans, and lime halves to squeeze over basically all of your food. Dinner usually consists of ham and cheese croissants either grilled in the cast-iron quesadilla maker or in the toaster oven. This is what my room looked like when I first got to my homestay. Basically, Mexico is amazing, and so is the group of Centre students who are living here. Thank you Centre for giving me the opportunity to do this; I would much rather be here than in the library. ☺

Bienvenido a Merida--Rachel Skaggs

When I told my Centre friends that I would be studying in Merida this semester, I got two common replies. From those who had not been to Merida, I heard advice such as the obvious "don't drink the water". However, I got a very different response from Centre in Mexico alums; they all expressed jealousy because they were not returning. This made me very excited because if people want to return to Merida so badly, I was sure I would have a great time. I had to pack and repack my bags about 10 times to meet the weight limits (have your school books shipped if you come here!), woke up at 3:15 am to leave for the airport, and arrived in Mexico less than 12 hours later. As you can gather from Michael and John's entries, we have had a packed schedule so far, so I'll spare some of the detailes by making a top ten "best of list" for week one. 10. Our Group & Random Happenings Our group of 22 is made up of people who are from all over the USA, one from Honduras, and one who lived in Belgium. We are all very different, but have so many shared experiences even after one week that have made us all friends. Whether learning to salsa with an instructor who spoke no English, riding in a van for hours playing "Would you rather", or bonding over tacos and tamales at a Mexican truck stop, we always find something to talk about and many things to laugh about. 9. Progresso I'm from Tennessee, so going to the beach is no small task at home. However, here it only takes 30 minutes and about a dollar's worth of bus fare to make it to the costal town of Progresso. Most of the group went to this beach on Friday and spent the day lounging in the sand, trying traditional Mexican homemade candy, talking to people who were curious about us, and swimming in the Gulf of Mexico. Not a bad way to spend a Friday when all of your Centre friends are in classes. 8. Ek' Balam Ek' Balam is a Mayan site that was a real urban center at its peak. It was fortified with three walls & used beautiful stucco sculptures to decorate parts of the town. When we visited, we climbed all the way to the top of the temple. Tourists are not allowed to do this at many sites (such as Tulum or Chichen Itza) so this was very special. When we all made it to the top, we got some great pictures and took in the view before taking it slowly, one careful step after the other all the way back down. 7. The Pizza I know it is surprising that I am commenting on Italian food while I am in Mexico, but it really worth mentioning. I have had two experiences with pizza whine in Yucatan and both times, it was simply amazing. The first was in the city of Valladolid. Claudia took Me, Kara, Phyllis, and Alison to a small Italian restaurant that is owned by a couple. The Italian husband cooks all of the food, and the Mexican wife runs the restaurant. Kara and I split a Hawaiian pizza that was simply amazing. The crust was a hand tossed work of art, and in its entirity was the best pizza I have ever had. Ever. My second experience with pizza was also nothing short of wonderful. A group of eight girls decided to get Italian food after returning to Merida from our trip to the coast. A man on the street offered to show us a place, but we did not want to eat there. At this point, he decided to take us to a place where you can see the pizza being made in a brick oven from your table in a loft above the restaurant. Four of us split a Hawaiian pizza (can you tell what my favorite toppings are...) and an order of garlic bread. We were more than pleasantly surprised to get a lunch tray sized thin crust pizza piled high with toppings and cheese. The best part was that for foru of us to eat this huge pizza, garlic bread, and each have something to drink, it only cost 120 pesos!!! 6. La Grita The way that Mexico celebrates its independance is very different from the USA. We were privelaged to join thousands of Yucatecans in the main square in Merida for "La Grita de la Independencia". At this event, we all gathered in the square and waited for the governor of the Yucatan to walk onto the balcony of the Governor's Palace and begin to shout "Viva Mexico!" then the crowd responds with "Viva!" this exchange goes on for about 5 minutes of screaming before pounds of confetti fills the air. After the Grita, there was a crazy concert that lasted for a few hours more. This was such a great experience that I'm so glad to have had! 5. Los Tres Cenotes If you can imagine an underground cave filled with equal parts of natural light and crystal clear water, then you can begin to realize the beauty of a cenote. Cenote is the Mayan word for "sinkhole". Many years ago, a meteor struck the Yucatan and the result was a series of caves formed in the thick limestone that eventually filled with fresh water. For our trip to three of these caves, we took a horse drawn cart down a set of skinny tracks that were used to transport plant fibers in the days of Mexico's haciendas. After riding in the hot sun, we descended down rickety ladders and wooden stairs into the darkness. Inside, the cenotes were truly a perfect remedy for the heat. They are out of the sun's direct light and have cool, clear water. 4. Valladolid Valladolid is a great colonial town that is about 2 hours from Merida. We spent only one night here, but I really wish that we could have stayed longer. The square was filled with people and the weather was cool. We walked through the town with our guide Miguel and were able to see a girl's quincenera ceremony, a beautiful monestary, and artefacts from the colonial period that were recovered from a cenote below the town. This city was picturesque and friendly, and I difinitely plan on returning. 3. Puerto Morelos The costal town of Puerto Morelos was our last stop on this first excursion. Here, we layed on the beach, ate great food, and went snorkeling in the second largest reef in the world. None of these are the reason that Puerto Morelos is so far up on my list. What I loved most about this city was something that only Kara and I saw. After dinner we decided to get ice cream and walk around the square. During this, we saw a stage filled with dancing children and were curious. We sat down and watched for about an hour and a half while the whole town came together to dance and socialize. It was so interesting to see people so uninhibeted. People in America generally will not dance at random occasions, and if they do, it is usually accompanied with sarcasm and ironic dance moves like "the robot". The most interesting part to me was when the whole crowd took off their shoes and line danced to "Achy Breaky Heart". Kara and I believe that they took off their shoes because it was a "country song". This has really been my favorite night here so far! I don't have a picture for this night because we decided that we wanted to blend in as much as possible. Gringitas with cameras stick out way too much and get more attention than is necessary. 2. Our Meal on the Beach Some of the group members found a fisherman at the beach that would take a head count, go catch enough fish for everyone, fry it in a hut, and serve it with salsa, lime, and tortillas. About 18 of us opted to do this for dinner one night in Puerto Morelos and I believe it is the best dinner choice we could have made. We all gathered around our 7 kilos of fish (this was wat too much!), picked it off the bones with our fingers, and made the freshest possible fish tacos. What made this even better is that we were able to do this on the beach while watching the sunset. It was one of those moments that will be a great memory for me forever. 1. Homestays! One of the things that I was most worried about was how I would be able to survive in a household where I only had the language ability of a 7 year old. This has actually proven to be my favorite part of Mexico so far. I love my family and all the experiences I've had with them so far. For the first few days, we had no idea how many people lived in our house because there were always 5 or 6 new people in the dining room everytime my roommate and I came downstairs. Now we know that there are only 5 people in the house including us but that we also have a HUGE extended Mexican family. We met even more of them this weekend at an art gallery opening. One of our Mama's daughters is a famous Yucatecan artist and was part of the premier. It was such a great feeling to be included in this special family event. Our Mama is wonderful and is making the transition to la vida Yucateca very smooth! In conclusion, I know why the Centre in Mexico alums were jealous. Mexico is wonderful. -Rachel

Primero Semana- Juan Clark

Senor Keach did a fantastic job giving a complete summary of the first week. He is very correct in that we have a great group down here with no severe dislike for anyone which will make for an excellent trip. It has been about 100 degrees most of the days with what it seems like the everyday short rain shower. The heat has made the first few days of sleeping without air conditioning pretty tough but starting to get accustomed to it. The first week was a lot of traveling going to Valladolid, Ek-Balam, Tulum, Puerto Morelos, and back to good ol Merida and the whole trip was great. It seems as if my snorkeling experience turned out a little better that Michael's and was a highlight of the trip. Aside from the before mentioned small colorful fish and the small nurse sharks I was lucky enough the deceptively speedy sea turtle, which was incredible, about 4 or 5 massive barracudas, about a 5-6 nurse shark, a small eel, several huge parrot fish, the list continues and I wish I had pictures. The trip to the beach at Progresso on friday morning was a good time being only around a 25 minute bus ride from merida and costing only 14 pesos I see many more Friday morning trips there in our near future. The Independence day festival here in Merida was a pretty cool thing to get to go to and see the similarities and differences from our Independence day back home. The streets were crowded and blocked off and swarming with police officers and apparently getting to see super latino pop sensation Pedro Fernandez was a pretty huge deal. Other than that Keach pretty much summed up everything; it has been really hot, I haven't had a bad meal yet, transportation is cheap, the locals have an obsession with coca-cola, the bus system is pretty difficult to figure out, cenotes are awesome, night life is fun, not all homestays are created equal, and I have a great Mexican mom. Great start to the semester, Juan

First Week in Mexico- Michael Keach

¡Hola Todos!

Well, I must say that living in Mexico has really opened my eyes to the world, especially the developing world, outside of the United States. I must admit that I miss my family and friends, as well as many of the conveniences that we enjoy in the states. For example, there are no public water fountains (though many places have water coolers, and bottled water is much, much cheaper here), air conditioning is quite scarce (despite the hundred degree midday heat), and internet connections are sketchy at best. I have to walk fifteen minutes to the local cyber café in order to check my email on chat on Facebook. Ketchup sauce, one of my favorite condiments, is heavily rationed as well.

The upside to all this is that I have made some great new friends that I probably would not have met otherwise. I sincerely like everyone on our trip, and its great to see people come out of their shells, so to speak. I have been here for a week, but with all I have done and seen, it seems like much longer (in a good way!). Also, food and drinks cost about half what they do in the states, and tequila can be had for maybe a quarter of the US retail price. Also, a ten mile taxi ride costs about two dollars, which is cheaper than what I pay for gasoline to drive my big truck- except now I don’t have to worry about wear and tear on my vehicle or insurance costs.

The first day I arrived, we stayed in the beautiful Hotel Caribe. The staff was quick to answer all our questions, and hustled our heavy suitcases to our room. In the hallways are beautiful tile mosaics, mostly Christian themed, and busts of influential locals. On the third floor, there is a beautiful swimming pool, which overlooks the beautiful and gigantic 16^th century cathedral. The following morning, we toured the governor’s palace, which contains quite a collection of beautiful murals and paintings. We have had an excellent guide, Miguel, who has amassed an incredible amount of interesting information in the twenty years he has been giving tours. Then we walked around Mérida and got our bearings. The next day, it was off to Valladolid. The surrounding rural areas are famous for their breathtaking cenotes- a type of underwater cave spring. We took rail carts pulled by the most miserable and famished little ponies I have ever seen in my life. We visited and swam in three cenotes. The water was so clear and pure that I could see straight to the bottom, perhaps thirty feet down. There were “blind catfish” which looked like plecostamus (sp.? Suckerfish), as well as bats – very cool if you don’t have a fear of them. I tried to feed our pony some of the lettuce from my lunch, but he was quite indifferent- surprising for a starved beast of burden. Then it was off to another hotel for the night, in downtown Valladolid. We toured an ancient monastery, which we discovered was built partially over a cenote. About a decade ago, and expedition was launched, and divers discovered 500 year old pottery and muskets in the bottom of the cenote, which had been used up until the 20^th century as the town well. We could not go into the chapel, however, as a local girl was celebrating her quincinera- a Mexican coming-of-age rite, much like our sweet sixteen parties.

The following day, we ventured eastward to tour several ruins. The first was Ek- Balam, with an astoundingly large pyramid centerpiece, and ball courts where the Mayan elite played a game in which the goal was to use the body to bounce a rubber ball through hoops located on either side of the court. Surprisingly, it was the winners of the game who were sacrificed. Miguel explained that the gods would not want the losers, and the winners believed it a privilege to be sacrificed. If it were I, I would probably try my best to throw the game. Afterwards, we drove farther east to Tulum, another ruin. Tulum is located on the sea, and the breeze was really refreshing. Here we saw many iguanas, and an odd type of squirrel with an extra- bushy tail. After Tulum, we went to a beach (I can’t remember the name) located between Cancun and Playa del Carmen. It is supposedly much less of a tourist destination than the other two beaches, and we had a great time soaking up the sun. The next morning we went snorkeling. I saw an assortment of small, colorful fish, but even better were the two nurse sharks I encountered. Though harmless and only three to four feet in length, it was eerie to see them pass around us. I must have an oddly shaped face, though, because my snorkel mask was giving me a noxious headache. I had to take it off every several minutes and float on my back, and therefore I missed the sea turtle sighting.

The next day, we traveled back to Mérida to partake in the celebrations for the Mexican day of Independence. The roads were blocked to accommodate the huge crowd, and a very famous traditional Mexican singer performed amidst sprays of fireworks. It was an awesome night. When we woke up yesterday, we met with our host mothers at the Hotel Caribe, and they took us home to settle in. I have my own room, with plenty of space, and my “mother” is quite the cook, so I am happy. We don’t have a/c, but last night I took a cold shower right before bed, and the fan was able to cool me off enough so that I could fall asleep comfortably. Although I have been sweating copiously, in just a week I have noticed an improvement in the way I cope with the sweltering heat. My host family includes two brothers who are 28 and 34 years old, run a pizza place, and are eager to learn about me. However, it is rough at times because I am the only one in the house who speaks English. On the other hand, I can notice my Spanish improving by leaps and bounds. My comprehension is much better than it used to be, and I can now understand most of what is being said to me, although sometimes I have to ask “slower, please!”

I am having a great time here, and I will be sure to keep you all updated.

Hasta Luego,

Michael Keach