An actual job

I know I haven't written in a while, but things here have been kinda confusing lately. Once I got back from the Halloween trip to the States, I called the COINTSA office several times to see what I needed to do to start my job training. They kept telling me to call back because they weren't completely ready for me to start yet. After hearing the same thing over and over again, they finally told me they weren't even sure if they had been chosen yet to be the contact center for the company in the States. Therefore, if they don't get the job, I don't. Why they didn't tell me that before, I don't know. I can't stand it when people give others false hopes. Especially someone that really needs it. Maybe they got tired of dealing with my visa papers, hired somebody else, then lied to me. I don't know, and I was really upset when I found out, but now I see more than ever that God always has the best plan in mind.

After finding out about the COINTSA thing, I was completely confused. I just sat in my room most of the time wondering why God would put such a great opportunity in my life then just rip it out of my hands. I cried, complained, and just felt completely lost. José Luis was really supportive and understood what I was going through, but eventually, he pretty much forced me to get out of my house and get back up on my feet. He said, if you want a job, you have to go out and find it. It may not be exactly what you want, but if you are spoiled about it, you may not ever find one. He told me I could start out somewhere as a receptionist or something of the sort and continue to look for other opportunities. So I started sending emails like crazy and leaving my resume everywhere, even car dealerships. I saw an ad on a job vacancy site for English teachers with great pay. I know I was really against teaching English at first, but I had to give it a try. I sent in my resume and they called me for a interview the next day.

I looked up the address on Google Maps and it looked like a horrible neighborhood. But I figured I needed to check it out anyway, so I went. I must have typed in the wrong address or something, because it wasn't in a bad neighborhood at all. When I walked into the office, I was really amazed at how great it looked. Everything was brand new, from the floors to the technology system. They guy that gave me the interview, Enrique, was very nice and spoke English perfectly. He said he lived all throughout the States for years, especially in the South. That really gave us a connection and we joked about accents and rednecks. He said he and his friend, José Luis, have been friends since high school and both studied engineering. But then they had the idea for a new way of teaching English as a foreign language, and Enrique decided it was time to come home and settle down in Mexico. The concept of the company, YES Your English Source, is that it is not an "English school" but an "English training center." We only accept people over the age of 18 and want them to feel as if they are being treated professionally, and not like they're 13 again having to make sentences out of cardboard words. The tables and chairs are set up like a conference room, no desks. The coolest thing about the place, though, is the technology. We are currently the only company in Mexico that has this kind of system. Our whiteboards are touchscreens that come with an electronic pen. So instead of being behind a computer the whole class or trying to write on a dry erase board, the computer is on the screen and I can interact with it in front of the class. We don't make up our own system of teaching English, but use a book by Pearson and Longman called Top Notch. I'm sure you've heard of those authors before, and that's kinda the point. We want people to know we are using material that has been used for years and has won awards. I can pull up the book on the screen, listen to audio, fill in the blanks, play movies, play games on the CD Rom, and a lot more. I fell in love with the system and the atmosphere so much that I sent an email to Enrique just thanking him for the interview because it gave me hope to believe that I really can feel like I belong, even when I'm far away from home.

I called so excited and nervous the next day to see if I had gotten the job, and Enrique told me they wanted to offer me a full time position and that he was also appreciative of my email. He said he knows what it feels like to be far away from home and needing a place to belong. Although I didn't have teaching experience, they felt that I would learn fast and be a great addition to the company. I think I about peed my pants, I was so excited. He said I could come in that day to start playing around with the system. On Monday, I started my training and met the lawyer. He has been so helpful in getting together my visa papers. Just yesterday we turned in all the paperwork so they could start the procedure. The only bad thing is that I'm going out of the country for Christmas and I need my tourist form to be able to leave. So I had to buy a leave and return permission form and they can't start the procedure until I get back. It's a mess, but a small price to pay to be so happy with my work.

Like I said, with the pay + commissions for getting people to sign up, I won't have a money issue (thank the Lord). Also, since this is a new company that just opened, we aren't starting classes until January 11. That means I get to go home for three weeks for Christmas and New Year's! Enrique told me that they are expecting a boom of growth, once people see how great the system is. That means I have options for the future of doing things other than teaching. Like becoming a coordinator or help run another branch in the city. Pretty cool.

The only bad things about working there that I've seen so far are that I have to start classes at 7 am, which means I have to get up around 5:15 to get there on time. However, I have a break between 11 and 4, which means I can go to the gym and even eat lunch at my house. Then classes again from 4 to 8. Another thing is that we have to wear uniforms. I don't like the idea, but at least I don't have to stand in front of my closet every day for an hour trying to figure out what to wear.

I really feel now that I have found a place to belong in Mexico, a company where I feel like an important part of the team. They even asked me to be in some pictures for a magazine ad and do a commercial for one of the local TV stations. I feel completely comfortable and I know it won't take me long to become great friends with all my coworkers. Who ever thought I would become an English "instructor?" I guess I couldn't get out of it. It runs in the family.

Halloween

After five months of living in Mexico, I finally got to come home to the States for a visit. The plans were very last minute, because we weren't sure if José Luis' schedule would allow him to be gone for so many days. About a week before we left, we had decided that José Luis, his sister, Gaby, and I would be making the voyage in car from Puebla to Dover. Two days before we left, Gaby felt like leaving for a week would put her behind on her German classes and gym training, so she decided not to go. The next day, José Luis' friend, Arturo, called and begged to go with us. Since I've only driven in Mexico once, José Luis figured it would be a good idea to bring a fellow Mexican along to help drive on this side of the border.

The original plan was to leave Puebla around 5 or 6 in the morning and arrive in San Antonio in late evening so we could get a good night's rest and get up early the next morning to drive on to Tennessee. Let's just say not much worked out as planned. First, José Luis had been working very hard all week to get the factory ready for his being away, so he decided to rest a little more and come get me by 6:30. He was there almost on the dot, thank the Lord, and we drove on to pick up Arturo at 7. Arturo turned out to be a fun passenger on such a long trip, but he has one defect: he never gets in a hurry. When we got there, he was at the bank exchanging pesos for dollars. Then he had to go to one of his offices to check on something. We didn't get out of Puebla until 8:30 that morning. With all the times Arturo had to stop for coffee then a bathroom break 15 minutes later, plus taking an hour to eat breakfast and dinner, we didn't get to the border until 11:30 that night. The guys had to get their permission form to be in the country, so we finally got into the States around 12:30. We really wanted to make it to San Antonio, but we were so exhausted that we had to stop right across the border in Laredo.

No one got in a hurry the next day, either. I pretty much had to drag Arturo away from the free breakfast, his coffee and freshly-made waffle in hand. We did a little better that day, stopping less and taking less time on breaks. However, we still got a late start and didn't get into Arkansas until late evening. Then, the biggest downpour you ever saw happened. We couldn't see anything and were afraid to go any further. So we had to stop somewhere between Little Rock and Memphis. I was really sad that I didn't get to spend my first night with my family, but I also knew it was necessary.

The next day we got up fairly early and made it into Dover sometime around noon. We ate a big lunch made by the best mom ever :) and then went out to the cabin for some time with my friends. I was able to see a lot of high school buds in one of my favorite places in the world. The only person that I was sad I couldn't see was Alyssa, because she was in New York for her fall break with her boyfriend, Jake. I had really been missing her because she doesn't use the Internet hardly at all and doesn't always answer her phone. I have only talked to her once since I moved, on her birthday. She called us during the party screaming because Jake had proposed to her in one of her favorite places in the world, a dance studio called Steps. Although I missed her, I was happy for her. We had a good night's rest out there, although it was too hot to make a fire :(

The next day was the big party at Kim's house. José Luis and I dressed up as X-Men, Wolverine and Storm. Arturo dressed up as a war general. The best costume, though, had to be Mom's and Mrs. Sharon's. They made this contraption thing to make them look like they were on a roller coaster. They had fake legs hanging down in front to look like they were sitting down, when really they were just standing up behind it. They spend a lot of time and energy on that thing, but it was worth it. Kim had lots of great decorations and food, and it was great to see all of my family again.

Sunday was church day, and both José Luis and Arturo seemed to enjoy it. After church, I took them on the scenic tour of Dover, which included my Aunt Dee's house. They seemed to enjoy that, too. That night we had more company in the house than I think we've had in a while. Kim and Cindy came after church, then Sharon and Gerald, then Myrna and Floyd, then Lee, then Nate. Even Kevin came over for a little while. We played Loaded Questions and had a great time, as always. Floyd even made me a wooden spoon for me and burned his name on the back. One of the best presents I ever received.

I had told José Luis many times about Patti's Restaurant and how they have the best pork chops in the world, so on this trip, I promised to take him. José Luis, Arturo, Mama, Chris Engelman, and I went to have lunch there and had a great time. They loved the food, little shops, and decorations. Chris even ate a two-inch pork chop! José Luis and Arturo kept bothering him to come to Mexico for Christmas because he could make a lot of money pretending to be Santa Claus. It was so funny how serious they were. That night, my dad's family came for a visit. Aunt Brittye and Uncle Jiggs even drove from Memphis to see me! We ate hot dogs and played Loaded Questions, as well. It got pretty interesting, as it always does with my dad's family. We made fun of José Luis and his pewter stein he bought at Patti's. He was ridiculously proud of that thing, telling everybody the whole night to touch it to see how cold it was. Although I was sad because it was my last night at home, it was nice to spend it with family.

The next morning we had trouble leaving on time again, but this time it wasn't Arturo's fault. Mama wanted to make us breakfast and I wanted to pack up some things to take back to my house. Plus, it was just hard to say goodbye. I think we finally left around 9 or 9:30, and once again, we didn't quite make it to San Antonio. José Luis and Arturo had appointments the next day, and figured we would get as far as possible then stop to make those appointments before arriving in Puebla. However, they both wanted to stop at this big outlet mall in San Antonio, so it was pretty obvious we wouldn't get very deep into Mexico that day. Shopping was fun. José Luis bought Wii and also a lot of Victoria's Secret lotions for the women in his family. Arturo bought...well, pretty much the whole outlet mall. I think he bought like three or four pairs of Crocs. Why he needs that many, I don't know. Around six that evening, we made it to the border. What happened there, though, deserves its own paragraph.

Crossing the border is a lot easier than you think, if you have the right papers. Before we even knew it, we were in Mexico and realized the guys hadn't turned in their permission forms on the other side. The form lasts for six months, but if you don't plan on coming back before it expires, they highly suggest you turning it in. If you don't, it just looks like you stayed. So we asked a Mexican police officer what we should do with the papers, and he said you have to go back to the States to turn it in. So we turned around and got in the other line to cross back over. After they got that all worked out, we once again crossed into Mexico. Finding the immigration office to fill out my tourist visa was also a challenging task. We asked about every person we saw, and they all told us different things. Finally, we found someone that knew what he was talking about, and we made it to the right place. Getting my forms were easy, but it was already pretty late. So we stopped in Monterrey for the night, and José Luis' dad agreed to fill in for him at his appointments. I'm pretty sure Arturo was able to reschedule, as well. So we were able to make the last leg of the trip without being rushed.

In total, we were on the road close to 70 hours. I know that's a long time, but it was a lot more fun than being on a plane, and a lot cheaper, too. What we spent on gas and on toll booths didn't even end up costing what one airplane ticket would. So in the end, it was worth it. We obviously made a lot of mistakes, but it's something to learn for the next time. I am so thankful and blessed to have had the opportunity to go visit my family and friends one more time before beginning work here. I hope to be home for a decent amount of time at Christmas, as well. Can't wait to see you all again!

He always had a plan

It's been five months since I moved to Mexico, and I feel like my life here hasn't even started yet. I've been trying to enjoy my free time between college and "real life," but I'm honestly just ready for God's plan for me here to unfold. With the economic crisis, just finishing college, and moving to another country, it's hard to know where to start looking for a job. I don't want to just take anything and end up with a job that I really hate, but I also don't want to aim for something too specific and end up with nothing. I went to a few interviews here and there, but nothing seemed to be right.

Once José Luis and I knew for sure we are going to be able to visit Tennessee for Halloween, I figured continuing looking for a job at this point would be almost pointless, since I can't take a job then immediately ask for time off for the trip. One Monday, for some reason, I felt like I needed to check the job listings online one more time. I saw a listing for a job as a bilingual agent at a contact center called COINTSA, which said that if you are an American citizen, this job would be perfect for you. The pay looked great, so I sent my resume. I got a call that morning to come in on Wednesday for an interview.

I was nervous, but more excited when I walked into the office that day. I wasn't exactly sure how it was going to go, but I had learned more than ever to know that if it didn't work out, there was something better out there for me. Instead of your normal interview setting, they put all the candidates for the job in a room with desks. There were three other candidates besides me, and I was the only native English speaker. The lady giving the interview said they had just become the contact center for a company in the States and that was the reason they needed a bilingual agent. First, they made us take an 87-question personality test to measure our level of personal contact, what we would do in certain situations, etc. Then we had to write an essay in English on why we are interested in working for the company and why we are the best choice for the position. Then we all talked one-on-one with the interview lady for about five minutes each. She said this was the first interview round, but there would be another one to check our English level. Obviously, since I'm from the States, she didn't think the second round would be necessary for me. I asked if I was chosen, if my visit to the States would interfere with the training period. She said she didn't think it would be a problem. After a few other questions about my resume, she said she would let me know in a couple of days how the first interview round went.

The next day, I got a call from the office saying that I had been chosen for the position and that I can start training when I get back from the trip. Although being an agent at a call center wasn't my dream job, I think it's a great place to start and I'm so thankful to God for providing for me and always having this plan for me in mind. I'll only be working Monday through Friday, I get vacation time, and with monthly bonuses, the salary is higher than I expected. Even the training period is paid. Working in an office means a lot more friends, too.

I guess the moral of the story, as always, is that God really never leaves nor forsakes you. Although waiting for His plan may seem to take forever, it's worth it. Even if it is a little weird that I'm an American handling customer service for other Americans from Mexico.

Acapulco

It's nice to be able to say you're going to an exotic Mexican beach for a weekend getaway. Acapulco is more or less a five-hour drive from Puebla filled with beautiful mountain scenery. José Luis' parents share an apartment there with their best friends. Last week was José Luis' dad's birthday, so every year around this time they take a week's vacation to the beach. We only got to go for the weekend because José Luis had to work, but it was still nice and relaxing. We spent lots of time in the sand and sun and eating seafood. They have a maid that comes to cook for them when they stay in the apartment. There were so many American attractions there that I thought I was in the States for a while. The first beach we went to even had an American flag. Needless to say, this beach is one big, never-ending party, so we had lots of fun to go along with our relaxing. I hope I get to go back sometime for a longer stay and to see more attractions.

La Casa del Alfarero

After three months, I finally got the chance to go to church this Sunday. Since the whole country is pretty much devout Catholics, I wasn't sure where to look for a "Christian" church (here they separate Catholicism and Christianity, although in reality Catholicism is just a denomination of the Christian religion). I knew José Luis had a good Christian friend named Arturo, so I asked if he would ask him if he could help us out in that area. On Friday, we had coffee and dessert with Arturo and the pastors of a church called "La Casa del Alfarero," which means "The House of the Potter" in English. At first, I was a little nervous about meeting them, because many "Christians" here have a bad image of being extremely radical "holy rollers." I figured they would want to talk about the Holy Spirit the whole time or something like that, which bothered me because I know that puts a lot of pressure on José Luis, who has been a Catholic his whole life. However, we just talked about normal stuff like work, school, etc. for the majority of the time. I got along really well with the pastor's wife, Rocío (which happens to be the name of my Mexican mother that I lived with last year), and she asked me what kind of church I went to while I was growing up and in college. I told her I was looking for a place here not just to go to every Sunday but a place where I can feel like I belong and have a family. Since they moved to Puebla about 16 years ago, she told me she knows what it feels like to feel alone and be far away from the known. She said she hoped their congregation would feel like a family to me so I wouldn't feel so alone in a strange place.

Their service on Sundays start at 11 (more like 11:15, since Mexicans hardly do anything on time) in a little building about 10-15 minutes from our house. It was sort of weird and different for Candi and José Luis because they are both used to Catholic services, but I really enjoyed it. There were only between 10 and 20 people there, but it seemed like everyone was close-nit and welcomed us immediately. It's so easy to walk into a church and feel as if God is mad at you and you better repent quick before He strikes you down. There, however, I felt as if He was right there in the midst of us, reminding us how much He loves us and wants us to enjoy the life He gave us.

The pastor was easy to understand and talked about not letting your dreams die or letting others get in the way of accomplishing what God put in your heart. I thought the sermon was good, but more than that, I was just enjoying being in the company of other believers that are serious about seeking the will of God. I plan on continuing to go there, but I may try other churches as well. They have a Bible study/coffee session on Thursdays, too, that I may try out soon. I'm really thankful for that service, that breath of fresh air that is going to help me continue forward in my search for the purpose that God has for me here in Mexico.

See how they run

I have lived in a small town pretty much all my life and have never had a mouse problem in my house. So when I saw a mouse run across the counter in our kitchen yesterday, let's just say I was a bit concerned. I definitely steered clear of the kitchen until José Luis picked me up to go to the movies.

After I told Candi about our little issue, she, too, started hearing dirty dishes moving around in the kitchen and asked me to buy a trap on the way home from going to the movies. So, instead of buying the kinds that slam shut, we bought a kind with sticky, gummy stuff (meaning we have to kill it afterward). Although we put down two traps with two different kinds of cheese, we still came home to nothing.

Tonight as I was sitting on the couch waiting for José Luis to arrive again (story of my life), I saw it run across the living room then back into the kitchen. After that incident, I thought it might be a good time to take Miel for a walk.

Later tonight, José Luis and I were playing around on my computer when Candi told us to come quick because she saw not only one, but two mice run under the couch. José Luis was trying to explain to us that it was going to take all three of us to kill them, to which we responded with a very weak, "Ok." So we trapped them in between the couches, armed with only a broom and dustpan. When the first one made a run for it, José Luis smashed it up against the window with the broom, killing it effortlessly. The second one, however, figured out how to get out of our trap and headed for the kitchen. José Luis happened to be quicker and hit it with the broom as well. This one didn't give up the fight as easily, though. It got up and tried to start running again, but José Luis responded by stomping on it.

Although our floor was left smeared with bloody mouse guts, at least we are rid of them. José Luis told us that those were only babies and that there has to be a mother somewhere. He also mentioned the tiny detail that bigger ones will hiss and jump at you, making them much harder to kill. And the whole time we're thinking, "Great." He told us the biggest problem is Miel's food being on the floor all the time and that we need to start putting it in something that the mice can't get into and only feeding her certain times of the day to solve the problem.

I certainly hope that works, because I am still scared to even put my feet on the floor...

Sequin jackets and pink feathers

Sorry I haven't given any updates on what's been going on here lately. I guess I only want to recount the most interesting of stories. Or maybe I just forgot about my blog...

Either way, I've been getting the royal treatment while I've been here and I thought you might like to hear some details. For two weekends in a row, José Luis and I have attended two dinners where we had to dress up all fancy. The first dinner was the installation of the new president of the Rotary Club here in Puebla. All the women had to wear either black or white long dresses, and of course I don't own one because I've never been to anything in my life fancier than prom. So for that one, I had to borrow a dress from Gaby, José Luis' sister. However, I was quickly informed of another party the coming weekend.

José Luis' parents are members of a danzón club in Puebla. Danzón is a dance from Cuba, usually danced by old people (not a whole lot of movement). His parents helped organize the event, which included various danzón groups performing in front of around 2000 guests. I figured if I am going to events like this so often, I better go ahead and buy a simple black dress. I spent a lot of time and energy planning the whole outfit: jewelry, shoes, makeup, hair, etc, expecting this evening to be similar to the week before. José Luis and I looked pretty snazzy that night (as you can see from the picture), but when we got in the car, he let me in on a little secret about danzón parties. Apparently, I was going to see some very strange things that night. He told me his mother, who comes from one of the wealthiest families in Puebla, is mortified to participate in the whole danzón thing because it's for nacos (Mexican version of redneck). She only goes because his dad enjoys it. This would not be Rotary Club night.

When we entered the dance hall, I knew we had to be some of the only people there that had any fashion sense at all. We saw sequin jackets, chains hanging from pockets, and even a suit equipped with pink shoes and a pink feather for the hat (if you want to see pictures, click on the link to the left for my Facebook albums). We hardly danced at all because the music was all danzón/boring stuff. I think we had more fun making fun of the way people were dressed and how they danced. Although not the most memorable night of my life, it still deserves to be put on my list of amusing things that can only happen in Mexico.

Not sure if that was really worth it

Although I lived out of a suitcase for a month, I must announce that I finally have an armoire in my room. How it got there, however, is a long story. So make yourself comfortable.

We have one (count them, one) closet in this house, and it's in Candi's bedroom. I use it for a couple big items, but I wanted my clothes in my own room. So we went looking for some type of armoire thing. We went all around the centro looking for something like that, but most places either didn't have what I wanted or were too expensive. We did, finally, find a guy that said he would make me exactly what I wanted for a good price. Since we bought all our other furniture in another store, the color of the wood in his store was completely different. So we left him with a drawer of a bookcase we bought so he could paint the armoire the same color. However, I had to wait another week for him to build it.

When he finally finished it and José Luis got off work early enough one day to go pick it up, we headed to the shop. First, however, we had to stop by the other shop (the one where we bought all of our other furniture) to pick up a vanity I bought there. We put it in the back and realized that someone needed to ride back there with it because one large bump in the road and goodbye big, beautiful mirror (and we have more than our share of bumps in this country). So I sat on the vanity, holding the mirror in place and keeping the base steady. Needless to say, I looked ridiculous and everyone was staring at me. One girl (my age) even waved at me like I was in some kind of parade.

We arrived at the store of the man that made my armoire and entered to see that the color of the armoire was nothing like the color of the drawer. As José Luis was talking to him, it started to rain, which ended that conversation pretty quickly. He found a tarp in his truck (the same one he used when we moved here) to cover the vanity. It didn't cover it completely, but it was better than nothing. Then, José Luis turns to me and hands me the keys and tells me to drive to my house because we didn't have time to secure the vanity with ropes and someone had to ride in the back with it again to make sure the mirror didn't bust. Just to let you know, this is the fourth largest city in Mexico and Mexicans only have one driving rule: don't crash. I'm a very careful driver used to the strict driving laws of the States, not to mention I'm from a town of 1,800 people. On top of that, there is a lot of construction going on in the city and there would be no way for me to find my house by myself. With it pouring down rain with my boyfriend and brand new furniture in the back, handing me the keys was a sure sign of death, needless to say.

I protested his suggestion of me driving so he gave me an ultimatum: drive or get soaking wet in the back with the vanity. Since I'd rather be wet than dead, I hopped in the back. By this time, the rain was getting heavier and heavier. I was already soaking from being outside anyway, but I figured I better get under the tarp with the vanity to keep somewhat dry. As I looked at myself in the mirror of my vanity, I thought to myself, do these things only happen in Mexico? I laughed to keep from crying as the rain fell harder and harder with lots more wind and lightning. Good thing tornadoes don't happen here. I kept peeking out every once in a while to see where we were, but it didn't seem like we were getting any closer to my house. Soon I heard a garage door open and realized we were at José Luis' house because he didn't think we could make it to mine. After almost hitting the top of the mirror on the garage door, we finally entered the dry space to wipe off the vanity. Since I had some winter clothes still in José Luis' house that I had brought there to store before the move, I changed into some sweatpants and a sweatshirt and warmed up a bit.

Well, still no armoire. José Luis and I had to go back to the centro to talk to the guy about the armoire paint again. He told us if we went to the store where we bought our other furniture and brought him some paint from it, he could paint it and could be finished by the next day. We found out, however, that the store was temporarily out of their paint but would have some the next day. So...I had to go BACK to the centro the next day to buy the paint, give it to the armoire man and have José Luis come back that night to pick it up.

I did just that, and we finally got the armoire and the vanity in the house. The problem then was getting them up the stairs. Since we have a spiral-type staircase with a low ceiling, we weren't sure exactly how to do that. We got it to a certain point and realized that if we didn't remove the railing from the staircase or do something to make the armoire a little shorter, I was going to have to move all my things downstairs and switch bedrooms.

A few days later, when José Luis finally got off work again early enough to come help us, Candi had a good idea. It seemed that all we needed was a couple inches more with which to work. If we just sawed off the feet of the armoire, we might be able to do it. José Luis and I went to his house to get his tools and came back to finish the job. After almost breaking the wall and ceiling of our house apart, we got the armoire up the stairs. We also got the vanity up without breaking the mirror (miraculously).

I actually had to wait one more day to actually get all my clothes in there, as well, because I didn't have enough hangers. However, now all my clothes are out of suitcases and into my beautiful (although a little wobbly) armoire. I'm happy with my new room with all my things in their place. It's a little crowded, but still cute. Now to buy some paintings and a rug for the finishing touches!

Sweet as Miel

Welp...we have a new puppy in the house. Her name is Miel (Spanish for "honey"), and she is a purebred cocker spaniel that was born on May 14. She has honey-colored fur (hence the name), although her back two paws have a little white. This is her first night here, so she's pretty scared and misses her family. Poor thing is laying down right now under the stairs on her makeshift bed made out of old curtains. So far, she has been pretty calm and seems to get along well with us both. We are talking to her in Spanish as well as English, but mostly in Spanish. She's probably the cutest thing I've ever seen and stole my heart from the very beginning. More about her later.

Finally have some place to go!

Candi and I are trying to work on our communication skills and meet new people, so we joined a gym called Sports World in a nearby mall. José Luis said going to the gym is a good way to make friends with people our age, so we figured we might as well join one. It's really nice with all kinds of equipment, classes, and even a bathroom with a jacuzzi, vapor room, sauna, hair dryers, the whole kit and caboodle. We are really excited to start going, especially since we want to start eating better and exercising. We can only go from 9-6 right now, but when we get jobs, we are going to change memberships, unless we can't afford it. If we can't, it doesn't cost anything to cancel, and we'll just find another, more affordable place. YAY!

Feeling like a princess

This is going to be pretty short, but i just needed to document this. Candi and I just went to the movies and had a chauffeur of José Luis come and pick us up. Granted, he got us lost, but it's still pretty cool to just call someone and tell them to be somewhere at a certain time to bring me home. And since it's not a taxi service, I don't have to pay. Just makes me feel special, I guess.

By the way...I didn't actually ride in a limousine. The picture is just for effect :)

My 30-dollar phone

After going to the OXXO (the convenient store thing) yesterday to pay my whopping 4-dollar electric bill, I went to a Telcel office to get a pay-as-you-go phone. It's one of the best and cheapest options here to be able to have a cell phone. Granted, they aren't very nice, but they work. The package includes two other Telcel numbers: one person I can talk to for the first five minutes for free and the other I get unlimited texts. All local incoming calls are free and all other outgoing calls are 4 pesos a minute. I can also pay 50 pesos to have 10 other Telcel numbers that I can talk to for about 1 peso a minute. I think I'll probably do that because it will be worth it in the long run. I figured I would put my number on here so everyone can have it just in case they need to get a hold of me. I'll include my house phone, as well.

Cell: 222-378-1403

House: 222-431-2513

I'm not exactly sure what other numbers you have to call before reaching the Mexico system, but you can look it up :)

Hair dying 101

Good thing I started this blog because Candi and I have yet another story to tell. I noticed this morning how bad the roots in my hair were starting to look and since I was a little nervous to go to a salon here to get my hair highlighted again, Candi and I decided to just dye our whole heads with stuff out of a box. So we go to Walmart and pick out the colors: me with my usual blonde and Candi with her newfound red (like a dark red, not orangy red) for under five dollars each. When we got home, we decided we should probably do it outside just in case we got the dye on the floor. Since I had never dyed anyone else's hair before (much less red), I let Candi do me first. As she started putting on the dye, this huge, dark cloud began to move quickly toward the house. We figured we better just wait until it actually starts raining so some dye isn't left in some places more than others. Suddenly, a huge gust of wind came out of nowhere and forced us to go running into the house (clothes out on the line, by the way). Once Candi was done with me, I started on her hair. I was scared to death that I was going to screw something up, since I had never done it before. Thank goodness she had confidence in me, at least. It took me forever and lots of dye all over our shirts before I finally finished. Now to rinse...but where? We have no tub, and the kitchen sink is full of dishes. Ok...let's go outside on the patio. Candi's under her umbrella because she can't get her hair wet yet, and I'm rinsing my hair out in the freezing cold water and air. Everything turned out fine, although our neighbors are probably thinking we are weirder than they thought.

My first blog!

Hi everyone! I decided to start a blog so that everyone could know what is going on with me here in Puebla, Mexico, since calling is rather expensive. I feel like I've already gone through so much that it would be difficult to type everything in one blog, so I'm going to try to condense all of what has happened since Candi (my best friend) and I have moved into a few words. 

We left Dover the night of June 4 with my friend Jonathan Anglin, who was nice enough to let us use his truck to drive us to the U.S./Mexico border. Although we were cramped into the one-seater cabin and had to make a stop for tires along the way, we made it safely. We waited for José Luis (my boyfriend, who is from Puebla) at a Texas rest area, and it's a miracle he found us. When he tried to cross the border the first time, he accidentally had mapped out to go through a cargo-only point, so he had to drive another fifteen minutes to cross at a point that allowed regular vehicles through. They barely looked at his papers (which I thought a little weird) and he continued on into the States. At that point he had no idea where he was because his map took him through the other point. He decided to drive until he found a road sign or a gas station or something so he could get directions. NOTHING...he said he drove for miles before he even found a road sign. Once he found one, we gave him directions to the rest area, praying he could find it. Like I said before, it was a miracle he found us. We switched our few boxes from Jonathan's to his truck bed, said our goodbyes, and headed for the border.

Candi and I were both really nervous about crossing the border by car because we had never crossed that way before. We had all these boxes and were prepared to lie and say we were on vacation. When we got to the station, they just waved us through...didn't ask for papers, didn't even ask us to get out of the truck, so we were excited about that. We picked up Nelson (Candi's boyfriend) after passing through (had to leave him because he doesn't have a passport), and headed for Monterrey. After driving for a while, we arrived at another station and realized that it was the customs station and the last station was immigration. Border patrol asked for our papers and that's when we realized we went wrong somewhere. So...we had to turn around and drive another 15 or 20 minutes to go get our permission to be in the country. That was scary, but more annoying. The interrogators (I guess that's what you call them) just asked where we were going and what we were doing here. I was really nervous at that point, but when the guy started talking about how good the food is in Puebla, I was able to relax. We got our papers, rode back to the second station and drove through without a problem. That night we crashed in Monterrey, after eating a wonderful, healthy dinner of hotdogs and potato chips from an OXXO (Mexican version of a gas station...that doesn't sell gas).

The first night upon arriving in Puebla, we stayed the night with the parents of José Luis because it was already around midnight and our house had absolutely nothing in it. The next morning, we all hopped in the truck and headed for our neighborhood (Real de Santa Clara II). José Luis, by that time, had forgotten the house number. The only thing he could remember was that it was cream-colored. Well, all the houses in that neighborhood are either cream or light blue. So that narrowed it down. We drove and drove until finally he called the owner, who gave him the address. When we pulled up, we found out that the house was actually BLUE. That's what Candi and I wanted in the first place so instead of being annoyed at José Luis for not remembering, we started jumping up and down in the middle of the street. The neighbors were probably thinking, "What kind of people are they letting live here nowadays?" Although fairly small, the house works for two people and is a good price, so we were more than satisfied.

Now...what to do about furniture? Obviously we need beds first and foremost. Candi got hers from a friend of Nelson's so José Luis and I went to the centro (center of the city where the heart of Puebla beats) to find some cheap, handmade furniture. In one of the stores, we bought my bed, a table with four chairs, an end table, and a nightstand all for around 300-500 bucks (can't really remember specifically). We eventually went back and bought a coffee table and a bookshelf. The furniture is really beautiful as well as sturdy. I love Mexican style :)

On the way home from buying those things, we were talking about how we needed living room furniture and where we could go to buy some. Right after that, we just happened to see a truck going down the road with the back full of living room sets. So the boys had their arms out the windows flagging down these guys, and we were thinking, "Are we seriously going to buy furniture from the back of a truck?" Yes, yes we are. We found a lime green set (and I mean very very lime green) that we both liked, including a couch, loveseat, and chair. All that for around 200 bucks, although not the best quality in the world. Once we got them into the house they looked a little weird because they are made for short people (which I understand because the majority of Mexicans are short), but this is one of the only countries where we can get away with lime green furniture. That was just a hilarious experience that I wouldn't trade for the most comfortable couch in the world.

Slowly but surely we are buying more and more things for the house to make it more of a home. But the best experiences are learning how to live a normal Mexican life. First, cooking with gas. Never done it before in my life, neither has Candi. We experimented though, and everything turned out pretty well. Next, buying food at an actual market. Now that's fun. Fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, whatever your heart desires. Buying tortillas off the side of the road. Eating in other people's garages which they turn into restaurants at night and it being some of the best food you ever ate. It's all obviously very different than the way we do it in the States, but it's still fun.

Another experience, which I've already told some of you about, deserves its own paragraph. Washing clothes...I had never seen my Mexican mom do it when I studied here last summer. All I knew was that when I got them back, they were stiff as a board and felt like sandpaper on my body. Well, I soon found out why. Almost everyone uses a washing machine here, but almost no one uses a dryer. So...Candi and I go on a search for a washing machine and find one on sale for less than $200. Worth every penny...in the most negative sense. The thing, first of all, has no rinse cycle. It also has no centrifugal force to force out the majority of the water before putting the clothes on the line. Therefore, we must rinse and ring our own clothes out before putting them, dripping wet, out on the line. Then, a couple hours later, a downpour comes (why did we move during the rainy season again?) and we have to find places for all the wet clothes to dry in the house. All we can say is that they did it like this in the olden days and they survived, so we can, too. Just hoping for some great jobs where we can pitch that one and buy a better one. Or better yet...a muchacha (maid).

I have lots more stories that are all shoved in the back of my brain somewhere, but this blog is getting pretty long, although I said at the beginning that it would be just "a few words." I'll start writing about my adventures more often. Hope you all enjoy reading.