Today…ugh! What a day. Many good things, many things were frustrating.
I had to wake up at 5:30 this morning to get ready for class and catch the bus. Waking up, ready to roll over and turn off an alarm clock is a lot harder in a hammock- I got stuck.
Left the house with Doña Ligia at 6:30 this morning and walked to La Plaza de Independencia (10 minutes from my house) to catch the bus. We ended up waiting for close to 45 minutes- maybe an hour- for the right bus. The area was unbearably crowded and confusing. There was a mass amount of people that resulted in a lot of chaos and confusion for me. It was very hard to figure out what bus was the right one- we had to ask a ton of people, and all the bus drivers. The area is nice but yikes, at 7 in the morning, that is just not for me. When we finally figured out what bus it was, it was crowded, sweaty, and hot! It’s like 90 degrees by 7 in the morning!! The whole experience was a little traumatic, Doña Ligia says that it is easier when there are less people later in the day- going to avoid taking 8 am classes if I can! Tomorrow…I have to take the bus all by myself, I’m absolutely terrified!!
Arrived at the Facultud de Antropología (social science building) late. The program hard already started- one of the other girls was late too. Program was long today, lots of information about living with host families, being American in Mexico, etc. etc. etc. (I’ll spare you the details). We had a two hour break for lunch and a group of us went exploring to the library. We were pointed and laughed at (the first of many I’m sure) and yelled at for being in the computer lab. Two freshman boys also stopped to talk to us- attention from men because I’m a gringa- a “tall” one with “rastas” (dreadlocks) is going to get old quickly.
After lunch we took a Spanish Placement exam that I absolutely bombed. I don’t know what happened- my brain couldn’t process any Spanish and the speaking component was a disaster. I guess this really isn’t that bad because I might welcome an easier Spanish class- but it does mean extra time in class though.
Entonces, we all finished the test and there was a lecture- the brief political and social history of México (particularly the Yucatan) that was a bit encouraging. I could follow pretty much everything and thought it was really interesting. I got to ask a few Maya questions and took notes because I’m nerdy like that.
I asked about taking classes in Maya and the program director, Diana said she would find some for me.
Doña Ligia and another friend picked me up in a car and we drove back home. I had plans to meet some other girls in the program at the main plaza, at 8. OMG, what a disaster! I left the house at 7:30 thinking I would take the two main roads over so I could see everything- uggghhh. I got so lost. I ended up in the sketchiest neighborhoods ever- I was one of the only people on the street- anyone who was on the street was a rather seedy looking man. It was terrifying. I walked around for an hour, stopping to ask directions a few times, before I finally found the place. Lots of shouting at me, name calling I didn’t understand (luckily, I’m sure) and the sheer terror of having no clue where the heck I was.
Finally found the largest plaza and cathedral in the city, that obviously only a gringa couldn’t find and met up with everyone. We ended up eating at a restaurant that was a little nicer but too American. I won’t tell you what I ate because it would just be embarrassingly American- I think I wanted comfort food after getting lost! I had a lot of fun with some of the girls but I hope that this isn’t the norm. I would much rather try and push myself out of my comfort zone a little more and eat at the little restaurants and avoid English. I’ve been speaking way too much English. I at least got to talk to the waiter for a bit in Spanish- another anthropology student at UADY. Although it’s great to have other Americans here to share experiences with and travel- I hope that I can make local friends. I really would like to integrate into the culture as much as possible but it is hard to do because there are clear “comfort zones” and it is hard to leave them all the time.
All in all, I survived today and not all of it was bad- just different and a little hard. I’m sure there will be many more days like this to come.
Also, I’m already sick of eating eggs.
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