OH MY GOSH- AN UPDATE!!!!

Mexico has been amazing thus far. I cannot tell you how much I love it here. I just want to bring you all down to me instead of coming back.
There is such a rich history and every place has its own story to tell. Cholula, the town I live in, is the oldest continually-inhabited city in Mexico. Aka: when others fled or moved cholutecas have always been here, kicking ass and making pyramids.

About the pyramids, they are ALL OVER Mexico. They’re more like bases for ancient temples than perfectly triangular tombs (like the Egyptian pyrimads) and they are BEAUTIFUL. Ours in Cholula is the world’s largest monument. It is overgrown with vegetation and the spanish built a GORGEOUS Catholic church on top so it appears to be a very steep hill. At night, only the church is lit up and it appears to be floating. You can see it from almost all parts of the city. I couldn’t find a photo to do it justice, so I’ll have to take one.

Not only that but in the background of every scene here are mountains, sloping between the clouds. Supposedly counter to that is the fact that my campus has PALM TREES and all kinds of beautiful flower gardens. It is so pretty I appreciate it all the time.

Studying abroad also lets you meet SO many different kinds of people. I have friends from France, Germany, Italy, etc. My best friends here are still American, despite trying really hard to avoid it, but I also have quite a few good friends FROM Mexico, so I am not completely failing.

I am teaching English 4.5 hours a week in a public school here and it has been an irreplaceable experience. I have learned so much and it makes me appreciate all the sacrifices my teachers have made unnoticed for me over the years. My students are amazing! They are so funny. The boys have a running joke where they point at the floor and tell me my nose fell off and I ALWAYS look. They’re too smart for me. The girls all surround me as soon as I walk in, with their arms linked in little groups of three, to ask me questions like “Tienes novio?!” (Do you have a boyfriend?!) They are so cute!

Have no doubt that there are times during class when I want to whoop their butts, but mostly I think they are wonderful. I really hope I do good by them. I am trying really hard to teach as best I can but it is SO hard without formal training and when the kids are starting from scratch! Plus I’ve got my other classes in addition.

I have thought a lot recently about how I could stay here for a year, but I just can’t. I wish that I could, but I’m definitely coming back. I don’t know how, but I will.

More soon to make up for my laziness… expect photos!
- Gillian :)