M.I.A.

I'm sorry to have left you all hanging for such a long period of time. Really...I've missed you. Go ahead. You can ask me, "Where the heck have you been, Nicole?" Well, I have a legitimate excuse. Christmas break creeped up so fast, and before I knew it my family was here visiting me. Yes, my dear and wonderful family came all the way to Mexico to visit me for Christmas! How awesome is that?!! I also got to travel a few times to Poza Rica to visit Roberto's terrific family. And finally, you are never going to believe this, but my brand spanking new computer broke about 2 weeks ago. Boo hoo! I am writing this post from a library computer and hoping that my poor laptop gets fixed and returns soon. (I had to mail it to the U.S.) In the meantime, I am crossing my fingers that all goes well, and I will be back to blogging soon. I have lots of pictures to share with you and many stories to accompany them. So, thanks a million for hanging in there with me. By the way, I wish all of you a very happy Año Nuevo (New Year)! We'll talk soon.

Abrazos, Nicole
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Conversation Club

During our first week in Mexico, Fulbright introduced us to a great resource here in the city: The Biblioteca Benjamín Franklin. The library was originally established in 1942 to promote friendship and understanding between Mexico and the United States by providing access to information on the relationship between the two countries. It is supported by the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, and it serves all people living in the Mexico City area.

A few months back, my friend Cammie and I approached the library about doing some sort of volunteer work in addition to our teaching at the Politécnico. Benjamín Medina and Claudia Mendiola, two wonderful and talented individuals who work for the library, came up with the idea of an English conversation club. In order to publicize the opportunity, they contacted people using e-mail, Facebook, and word-of-mouth. The response was overwhelming and more than 100 people showed up to be interviewed for the class. Although we would have liked to accept all of the students, we had to limit the class size to about 20 individuals per class.

The course took place over a period of 7 weeks, and in that time I got to meet some incredibly kind and gifted individuals. My students were truly dedicated to not only improving their language skills, but also learning more about my culture. It was so rewarding to watch them grow as English speakers, and I cannot thank them enough for opening their minds and sharing their knowledge and opinions with me and the rest of the group. In addition, I am very appreciative that they taught me about their culture, too.

Last night, the library had a ceremony to congratulate all of the individuals who took part in the two conversation clubs. David Connell, the Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, gave a short talk on the benefits of the club and future aspirations for it. He then presented Cammie and me with certificates of recognition for our work. Afterwards, I got to chat with all of the students while snacking on some cookies and juice. I am so grateful to have been a part of this wonderful experience, and I look forward to continuing to help the library with this great activity.

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Abrazos, Nicole
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My Little Sanctuary

If you asked me if I were country girl, I would probably tell you no. I don’t wear cowboy boots; I don’t live on a farm, and I don’t have a country accent. (I know...all stereotypes.) But, I will tell you that I definitely grew up among nature and the outdoors. I like taking walks through the woods; I love walking through the creek on summer days, and I enjoy observing the various animals that visit our backyard.

But for as much as I love the outdoors, I often find myself living in the city. During college, I lived in clean and wonderful Oakland, PA (please note the sarcasm.) And now, I am living in the monstrous and smoggy Mexico City. Don’t get me wrong…the city can be lots of fun. There is always something to do. But, I am very appreciative when I find little green oases that I can escape to every now and then. In Oakland, these getaway spots were Phipps Conservatory and Schenley Park, and in DF my favorite little place to slip away to is Parque México.

Parque México is about 15 minutes from where I live, and when you stroll through the park it is almost hard to believe that you are in one of the largest cities in North America. There are trees, fountains, flowers, and dirt walking trails. It is so calm, and I always feel like my mind and body can really breathe there.

So the other day when I was venturing by Parque México, I saw something that completely made my day and made me appreciate this place so much more. The park’s gardeners planted hundreds and hundreds of poinsettias (flores de noche buena) throughout the park. I don’t think I have ever seen that many poinsettias in my entire life. It is simply breathtaking! I have been back to the park several times this week just to meander through the splashes of color that now adorn the park. It is wonderful! Although it may not be a white Christmas for me this year, it is certainly beginning to feel very festive around here.

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Abrazos, Nicole
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Our Mexican Thanksgiving

I know Thanksgiving happened last week, but I really wanted to share how we celebrated the holiday here in Mexico. On Thursday, my friend and fellow ETA, Andy, was kind enough to invite myself and some other ETAs to his school in Ciudad Neza. Each of us brought along a dish and Andy’s students also contributed some delicious food to the feast. Before eating, Will gave a great presentation on the history of Thanksgiving. Afterwards, we dug in. It was very fun eating a combination of classic American dishes and Mexican food.

Andy’s students were so nice and one of them, Alejandra, brought along her adorable daughter. Little Gabi’s eyes were so big and beautiful, and I couldn’t help but take lots of pictures of her.

On Thursday night, Roberto took me out to a very nice yummy dinner. Even though we ate Mexican food, we did it in the spirit of a U.S. Thanksgiving…we ate lots and were very full by the end.

On Friday, fellow ETAs Renee, Alexis, and Will (Alexis’ boyfriend) joined Cammie, Andy, Will and me in DF for a Thanksgiving feast at Andy’s place. Andy and Will cooked the turkey and did an amazing job. (Pat yourselves on the backs, guys.) Cammie brought along a delicious pecan pie and some bread. Renee catered to our sweet tooth and came bearing banana bread and apple crisp. Alexis and Will brought along the cranberry sauce, and I contributed to the spread with some pumpkin bars. We certainly chowed down on all the delicious food, and it was so wonderful to have everyone together for this celebration.

Even though I was far away from home for this Thanksgiving, I am very thankful that I still got to celebrate the day with some awesome people. Thank you to everyone who made it special!

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Abrazos, Nicole
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I am thankful for…

…my loving and wonderful family. They listen to my ups and downs. They are there through my crying and laughing. I love you all!


…cards I get in the mail and comments I receive on my blog. They let me know that people are still thinking about me even though I might be far away.

…my fantastic Fulbright friends (and Nico). They are always there supporting me, making me smile, and providing solid words of advice. Thanks guys!

…my new computer. It makes life a lot easier, especially since it has a built-in camera that I can Skype with.

…my wonderful boyfriend, Roberto. He is incredibly patient with my Spanish, he always listens to my complaints about Señora Nena, and he makes me laugh every day.

…my camera. It helps me capture the beauty and adventure that surrounds me.

…my mom’s yummy apple pie recipe. It was a big hit with the students at our Thanksgiving feast today.

…the great people I have met here in Mexico. They have invited me to be a part of their lives and have shared their beautiful country with me.

…all you lovely people out there that still read my blog. I hope you are having a very happy Thanksgiving and enjoying the company of family and friends.

Abrazos, Nicole

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A Long Weekend in Veracruz

Don’t you love holiday weekends? I certainly do. This past weekend was an extended one for us here in Mexico. November 20th is el Día de la Revolución (Revolution Day), and it was observed on Monday, November 16. I was invited by my novio Roberto to spend the weekend in his hometown of Poza Rica, Veracruz. With much appreciation and gratitude, I accepted this invitation and we headed out late Friday night. We boarded the bus in the nick of time, and after a 4 ½ hour ride west to the coast of Mexico, we arrived.

On Saturday morning, I was introduced to Roberto’s wonderful family—his mom, his dad, and his two younger sisters, Arlette and Frida. They were incredibly friendly, and they made me feel right at home (something I really appreciated.) His mom made us a delicious breakfast of chilaquiles, eggs, steak, and yummy frijolitos. After breakfast, Roberto and I took a quick ride over to visit his grandparents, who also live in Poza Rica. They were really nice, and it was great just to sit around and chat for a bit. I also got to meet Roberto’s older cousin, Edwin, who was visiting from Villahermosa, Tabasco.

Roberto’s grandparents were nice enough to loan us their pickup truck for a trip to the beach, and we invited Edwin to come along with us. I thoroughly enjoyed the gorgeous tropical scenery during our 40-minute ride to the coast. Can you imagine living that close to the beach?! So awesome!

We visited the Playa Cazones, which is a tiny fisherman-like village tucked away along the shore. I liked the fact that it was a quiet, cozy location with few tourists. The beach was very similar to the Atlantic beaches in the U.S. Roberto and I, of course brought along our swim gear to catch some waves. I would have loved to have had a boogie board as the waves were perfect for this, but oh well. Unfortunately, the lifeguard kept calling us in to where the waves were breaking. I couldn’t understand why, but he later explained that the ocean floor drops off significantly where we were at.

After a bit, we came in and walked along the shore in search of pretty shells. Mother-of-pearl is always my favorite seashell find, and I found plenty of it. We enjoyed a lovely lunch-dinner on the beach of stuffed fish, shrimp, and seafood stew. I loved breathing in the refreshing salty beach air as I watched the sun dip over the hill.

When we came back on Saturday night, we traveled to this lookout location and observed the nighttime landscape of Poza Rica. It reminded me very much of Pittsburgh at night minus the three rivers. There was a mini concert going on, and this little kid in a cowboy hat riding a tricycle was very entertaining and funny to watch.

On Sunday morning, Roberto, Arlette, Frida, and I ventured to Papantla for breakfast. We ate a classic dish native to this area called zacahuil—a giant tamale cooked in a banana leaf. It was so scrumptious and definitely better than the average tamale. Afterwards, we headed to Tajín the Totonaco pyramid site that is about 10 minutes from Roberto’s house. Before entering the pyramid site, we got to observe the famous Voladores de Papantla (Flyers of Papantla). This dance is traditionally performed by the Totonaco Indians. First, five men climb to the top of a very tall pole. Then, one stays at the top and plays the flute while the other four descend by flying in circles on a rope tied to one foot. The rope unwraps itself 13 times for each of the four flyers, symbolizing the 52 weeks of the year. It was quite amazing, and I was so impressed by how relaxed these guys were flying round and round in the air.

After the fantastic show, we headed into Tajín to check out the pyramids. Tajín means “City of Thunder” in the Totonaco language, and it was a very important town in Veracruz from 600-900 AD. On our journey among the pyramids, we refreshed ourselves with a delicious snack of oranges slices with chile and fresh sugarcane. Yum-o!

It was very striking to see the beautifully constructed stone pyramids surrounded by lush green jungle. Tajín’s most emblematic structure is the Pyramid of the Niches. It is believed that there were originally 365 niches, suggesting that the building may have been used as a kind of calendar.

The Totonaco Indians were known for human sacrifice connected with the classic ball game. We had our own reenactment of a Totonaco sacrifice and Roberto’s brave sister, Arlette, served as our victim. What a good sport. Thanks, Arlette! :-)

On Sunday afternoon, Roberto’s mom made a wonderful dinner and invited the whole family over (aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents) to enjoy it. I really loved meeting everyone, and it was so great to sit around and appreciate good company. There was lots of laughing (something I am always grateful for) and it was nice to spend time with family. Roberto took me for a quick trip to downtown Coatzintla (the town in which he officially lives.) There were some fantastic stone murals adorning the municipal building. They tell the story of Coatzintla from ancient times to present day, and I was very impressed by the amount of detail and thought that was put into each one.

On Monday morning, the house was abuzz with people. Roberto’s family owns a company that supplies characters, balloons, and entertainment for parties in the area, and everyone was gathered together to take some pictures. There were luchadores (wrestlers), Disney characters—Tinker Bell and Jasmine, Spiderman, Doki, and many other characters. It was fun seeing everyone in their costumes, and I was glad to help out with some of the photography. The weekend came to an end too fast, but every moment was certainly enjoyed. Roberto’s family accompanied us to the bus station, and we headed back to DF.

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Abrazos, Nicole
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A Mexican Wedding

This past Saturday I was fortunate enough to be invited to a wedding here in Mexico. Teo, one of my advanced conversation students, invited Cammie and I to attend his younger brother’s wedding. The event took place in a little pueblo called Santa Cruz Valle del Chalco located in the Estado de México.

Teo was nice enough to pick Cammie and I up and drive us to his house where the reception was held. Once we arrived, we were welcomed by many members of Teo’s family. Then we headed over to the church which was only a few minutes from the house. While we were waiting for the novia (bride) to arrive, we entertained ourselves with various activities such as holding a beautiful newborn baby, talking with Daniel (another student) and his family, and admiring the adorable little flower girls.

When the very young, but gorgeous novia finally arrived, the wedding ceremony commenced. The setup and process was somewhat different from what we are used to in the United States. There were no bridesmaids and no groomsmen. In addition, there were tons of kids running around everywhere during the entire ceremony, a very accepted situation that I found kind of humorous.

The ceremony was quite beautiful, and I enjoyed listening to the prayers and songs in Spanish. It is always neat to hear something you know so well (like “Our Father”) recited in a different language. The church glowed with bright light from the warm rays of the afternoon sun.

At one point in the ceremony, I was reminded of a Greek wedding tradition—the bride and groom wear crowns that are connected by a ribbon that symbolizes the union of the couple. Rather than using crowns, Oscar (novio) and Yadira (novia) were joined together by a glass necklace that was draped over their shoulders. In addition, Yadira’s veil was wrapped around Oscar’s shoulder. I enjoyed seeing this variation of the representation of union in matrimony.

When the ceremony ended, the novia and novio exited the church, and we showered them with rice, flower petals, and confetti.

Then we headed back to the house to get the reception started. The bash was kicked off with a mariachi band playing classic Mexican music as we ate dinner.

At dinner, I happened to sit with two of the sweetest little girls I have ever met. Daniel’s daughters, Isa (7) and Paula (5), were incredibly fun to hang out with and I enjoyed showing Paula how to use my camera.

There was lots of good solid dancing to be had, and we were treated to some great live music thanks to a mother-daughter singing team. Although we did not stay long enough for cake, I really admired the fact that this wedding was such a community event. No one was excluded from the reception and there was even a “Moon Bounce” to entertain all of the little kids. I was told by Teo that the dancing continued into the wee hours of the morning. It was such a treat to be part of this special day.

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Abrazos, Nicole
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