November 26, 2009

I am thankful for…

Hangin with Family

…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.

Fulbrighters!

…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.

Roberto and I

…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.

Apple Pie...Yum!

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

Friends in Mexico

…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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November 21, 2009

A Long Weekend in Veracruz

1-Veracruz, baby!

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.

2-Yeah for the Beach!

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!

3-Playa Cazones

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.

4-Chillin at the Beach

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.

5-View of Poza Rica

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.

6-Voladores de Papantla

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.

7-Tajin

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!

8-Tajin

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.

9-Pyramid of the Niches and a Sacrifice

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! :-)

10-Coatzintla

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.

11-All Dressed Up

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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November 11, 2009

A Mexican Wedding

Getting Ready for the 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.

Waiting for the Bride

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.

Just Beautiful!

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

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.

Yadira and Oscar

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.

And They Lived Happily Ever After

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

Mariachis!

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.

Pau, Isa, and Nicole

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.

Gotta Love the Live Music

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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November 8, 2009

Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead)

10-Ofrendas and la Catrina

First of all, let me apologize for my absence. I really haven’t been meaning to neglect all of you faithful readers. Really, I haven’t. In fact, I have been working on this blog post for almost an entire week!!! My computer is on its last leg, and it is making it nearly impossible for me to do anything technology-related. So, so sorry! But, don’t worry. I might have a new computer on the way. Wow! That would be incredible. Alright, enough of that. Let’s talk about this awesome experience that went down last weekend.

11-3-091

So, my friend Clau invited me, Cammie, and Renee on a trip to Michoacán with her family. Michoacán is a state located in the west of Mexico and is known for its artesanías (crafts) and its Día de Muertos celebrations, which is why we were headed there. On Friday afternoon before our departure, Clau took us to CU (Ciudad Universitaria or UNAM’s main campus) to check out the ofrendas (offerings).

As I explained in the previous post, el Día de Muertos is celebrated on November 1 and 2. It is a time to remember and prepare special foods in honor of those that have died. In order to celebrate, families make altars and decorate them with objects like pan de muerto (bread of the dead), calaveras (candy sugar skulls), candles, cempazúchiles (marigolds), a photo of the deceased person, and other items the person liked. Papel picado (cut tissue paper) decorates the streets, and death is, in a sense laughed at.

11-3-09

The ofrendas at CU were created by students and faculty, and each ofrenda represented a different branch of the university. Every year a specific deceased person is chosen to be honored, and this year’s individual was Edgar Allan Poe. Some ofrendas were more elaborate than others, but I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the variety and creativity involved.

3-Spaceship and Morelia

On Friday afternoon, Clau’s mom, dad, and little brother Jorge arrived in DF from Puebla. They came by way of the camioneta (van), which would be better known as the cohete (spaceship). Check that thing out! It was fully stocked with camping gear (our original plan was to camp in Michoacán), and it had enough room inside to fit a small circus. We met at Diego’s apartment (Clau’s brother) and the eight of us departed from there. After a 5-hour journey, we arrived in Morelia, the capital of Michoacán. Morelia happens to be a beautiful colonial city with lots Spanish architecture, and no end to the amount of mariachis to be found. Although the air was brisk, it was fun to walk around the city and see the quaint buildings glowing in the night.

11-3-093

On Saturday morning, we stopped by the town of Quiroga on our way to Pátzcuaro. In Quiroga, we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast of corundas, square-like tamales with red salsa and crema that are local chow there, and fresh-squeezed orange juice. We got a chance to explore the small town and nearby market, and later on we met up with some of Clau’s relatives.

5-Tzintzuntzan

Afterwards, we boarded our spaceship again and headed off to the archeological site of Tzitzuntzan (seen-soon-sahn), located on the shores of Lake Pátzcuaro. The city of Tzitzuntzan was the Purépecha Indian Empire when Cortés arrived in 1522. Although the site was under construction when we went, it was neat to see some of the completed pyramids. Their round bases make them quite unique. In addition, the view from the plateau was wonderful—the surrounding lake sparkled in the early afternoon light. It was fun to sit in the grass, drink in the fresh air, feel the sun on your face, and appreciate nature’s creations.

6-Copper and a View

After our archeological excursion, we went to Santa Clara del Cobre, a little city near Pátzcuaro that is well-known for its copper artisans. Much of the copper creations are made from recycled copper. It was fun to walk through the little shops on the main road and admire the beautifully-crafted copper objects. From bracelets, to kitchen sinks, to mirrors there was no limit to the variety of shiny creations. For lunch, we stopped at a little restaurant that overlooked Lake Pátzcuaro. We ate some local dishes, one of which was charales. Charales (pictured above) are breaded and fried minnows that are eaten in tacos with lime, tomato, and guacamole. In case you were wondering, you eat the entire minnow—eyeballs, tail, bones, and all. And yes, I did partake in the sampling of this crazy appetizer!

7-Fireworks in Morelia

On Saturday night, we ventured back to Morelia to watch a fireworks and light show at the cathedral. The cathedral looked very elegant glowing in its red, green, and yellow lights, and the fireworks added some flare/flair. It was neat to look up into the night sky and see the almost-full moon glowing in the foggy air. Oooo, kind of spooky.

8-Patzcuaro

On Sunday morning, we went to Pátzcuaro’s zócalo to browse the crafts market and see the ofrendas. On our way there, we were held up by horse traffic on the side of the road. There were literally hundreds of men on horseback trotting along the side of the highway (some with beers in hand!) In addition, we were stopped by a group of young children asking for candy/money to put in their calaveritas (carved pumpkin). They held up a rope in the middle of the rope and shouted, “¡No hay paso, no hay paso!” (You can’t pass, you can’t pass!) so that they could get us to put something in their calaverita. I guess this is the Mexican version of trick-or-treat :-). In Pátzcuaro’s zócalo, we enjoyed a snack of nieves de pasta, a local type of ice cream.

9-Baile de los Viejitos

Later on we got to observe the Baile de los Viejitos (Dance of the Old Ones) in the central plaza. All of the dancers were dressed in traditional embroidered clothing and wore masks that looked like the faces of old men. In addition, they wore flat sandals to make the distinct click-clacking sound and straw hats adorned with colorful ribbons. What made the dance so memorable was that this little boy from the audience dressed in a skeleton costume decided to join in. He got so into the dancing that the real bailadores incorporated him into to their show. He had the audience cracking up because he was so serious about his dance moves.

11-Janitzio

At about 7:00 on Sunday night, we headed over to the island of Janitzio where the big Día de Muertos celebration happens. We had to wait for almost an hour before we boarded a lancha (boat) that took us across the lake to the island. The lights on the island sparkled in the chilly November air, and once we docked, we began our ascent up the crowded but very festive island.

12-Cemetary at Janitzio

We stopped by the cemetery which was decorated with bunches of cempasúchiles (marigolds). Each grave was adorned with an ofrenda and the candlelight created an almost inviting (rather than spooky) atmosphere. It was neat to see different people at each grave remembering their loved ones who had passed away.

13-Janitzio Cemetery

We stayed on the island late into the night, and the next day we returned to DF. I enjoyed being adopted by a Mexican family for a weekend. I can honestly say that Clau and her family were a bunch troopers throughout the entire weekend. What an adventure!

I hope you enjoyed the pictures. I attended a Mexican wedding yesterday, so there should be more on that soon!

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Abrazos, Nicole
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