Arriving in Cuernavaca

Megan bought me this journal for Christmas because she thought I wouldn't have internet access to write on my blog. While the school I'm going to in Mexico has computers, I thought that I would be able to access them every day. I don't know if that's true any longer.

I'm lying on my new bed in my new house where I will live for the next eleven weeks. I'm excited to be here but I miss the familiarity of home. I'm in a nuevo country, learning a nuevo language, living in a nuevo house and have a nuevo roommate. I'm more excited now than I was this mañana.

I woke up at 5am and got in the shower. I had packed everything last night so all I had to do this morning was dress, brush my teeth, and leave. My plan and preparation worked and Brian and I got to the airport at 5:45am for my 7:15am flight.

We met my roommate Austin and his girlfriend Melissa at the airport check-in. She was cute. Austin took meeting Brian as, well, nothing much to write about. We checked our bags and walked to the security checkpoint and I said goodbye to Brian. I'm going to miss him alot but I'm glad I'm going. Our goodbye was not very long, as oppsed to Austin's and Melissa's.

In the airport terminal, I met our fellow travellers. I'm really trying hard to follow Megan's advice: be yourself! The Jesse I am said hello to everyone and tried to make everyone feel at ease.

The plan ride was uneventful. It was great sitting next to Austin and getting to know him better. We flew to Phoenix and then to Mexico City.



Austin and I at the Phoenix Airport toasting our trip!

Me eating the oatmeal cookes that Megan and Mckenna made me. I shared them and everyone really liked them!

Look at those exchange rates!

One of the coolest things I saw was the smog above Mexico City. I'd heard about how bad it was, but it was awesome to actually see it in person. It looks like a dense fog.

After getting through customs and baggage claim (where I took pictures and was scolded by la policia to stop), we boarded a bus to Cuernavaca. I got sick on the ride, but only a little.

We arrived at the school and sat in a classroom. One by one, they called our names and announced who our new families were going to be. I was really nervous because this was my "new" family who I'll spend the next 11 weeks with.

When our names were called and I saw the woman who was going to take us in, I approached her with open arms and kissed her cheek. It was a proper Mexican welcome. She drove us to her home. My limited español made it hard to communicate, but we managed. She showed us our small but clean room and started to make dinner. We had chicken with cactus and rice. It was very good.

After speaking with our limited Spanish, we went upstairs to get ready for bed. Oh! When Mamá showed us the baño, we noticed a sign. It had some warnings on it about the toilet. We had no idea what it said, so we asked her. She told us that toilet paper couldn't be flushed down the toilet.

Tonight, Austin made me laugh as he told me how hard that was going to be. He went to the bathroom and explained that it was hard. After he took a shower, I jumped in and noticed that the drain was crappy. As the shower filled, Austin knocked on the door and told me to unplug the drain. I felt like an idiot.

At least there is hot water. That was my #1 concern.