I made it! San Cristobal de Las Casas

Over 15 hours in the bus but I have arrived to San Cristobal de las Casas. To tell you the truth, Im surpurised I got out of Mexico City on the metro, to the bus station and onto the right vechicle. Right now my glasses have one functioning lens and yesterday I lost my travel partner so sometimes I feel a bit blind but I guess that´s kind of alegorical for this whole gotta have faith and jumping into the independent traveler bit.


This town reminds me a lot of Antigua. When I left the bus station I started to walk up the main street past vendors with their atole, arroz con leche y tamales (hard to resist) but then I found a place that gives me breakfast and a bed for 6 bucls a night. Can´t beat that!

I am hoping to have a working camera so I cn document this leg of the trip Unfortunately there were so many beautiful shots in DF but without batteries, well, let´`s just say I´ll be stealing Bill´s fotos off facebook...

Soon I´ll update you all with the adventures in the capital etc, but for now I just wanted to let you know that I am alive and its possible to live off rolls and peanut butter. I also talked to the bus driver and he gave me the diorect route for gUATE! ORALES

Toi emocionada! Me voy para Mexico!

Estoy contenta. After finally finishing the last day at our construction site this week (we dug foundation and laid some block for a family of 3) we went to the beach which is named, Playa Baghdad- no joke but I have no idea why it has this name either. The skies opened up in Reynosa after lunch and it POURED. Instead of the beach day being ruined, everyone ran around in the patio bathing suite clad and splashing around in the buckets of rain. We've been out of water for a few days. With a group of 40 taking showers and minimal water pressure coming from the street, our tanks have taken awhile to refill and I didn't have enough water to get the soap off me yesterday. Thus when the lluvia vino, I grabbed my shampoo and soap to aprovechar of such an opportunity.

Upon arrival to the beach we blocked up and jumped in the water which was warm but refreshing nonetheless. Dan-o the hermit crabs were bountiful, I think you would've had a good time. Vendors passed selling elote (corn on the cob with your choice of chile, cheese and mayo toppings), tamarind, sweets and the group's favorite: churros! Me, I scarfed down some oysters fresh off the cart, a little chile y limon, yummie!

So as my time with Puentes is wrapping up it feels like other opportunities and experiences are finally coming together. After much debate I have finally made a decision (declares the girl who doesn't know what kind of cereal to have in the morning!): I'm going to be studying abroad in Cochabamba Bolivia this fall on the School for International Training's Culture and Development program. Past students I've talked to say the academic directors are amazing and they only have positive things to say about their semesters. Apparently one of them offers Tai-Chi classes at 6:30 in the morning and then cooks everyone breakfast (sounds like fun to me!).

It was a bit stressful completing paperwork, especially when the office copier started acting up, but it seems that flights and itineries are finally falling into place. As our last group departs tomorrow morning I will be hopping on a bus (air-conditioned with loud blurry movies, a bathroom and even a snack!) for the 13 hour ride to Mexico City (DF). My house-mate Bill will be coming with me for the first part of the trip which will be helpful considering he has previously navigated the metro system there. Luckily I leave at 5pm giving me ample siesta time and at waking hour I should arrive at my destination. I'm excited to see Frida and Diego's Casa Azul and check out the anthropology museum.

After a couple days of adventure I will hopefully venture south to Oaxaca to try some grasshoppers/chapulines, check out the market, watch some dance and then push on to San Cristobal de Las Casas en Chiapas. Eventually I should make it into Guatemala to visit with friends and meet up with mi padre and the APC Mission team in San Lucas Toliman. (I'm considering retiring my construction days for a little medical/dental clinic r & r).

Don't mess with Texas!

Last week was the first week of the summer without a group so things were tranquil, I slept a lot, finished The Omnivore's Dilemma (por fin!) and ate a lot of beans, lentils and other slow cooking legumes. I took a road trip with Bill and ventured back into Texas passing through San Antonio and on towards Austin. What a cool city! I've knocked Texas in the past for being all open space, having poor lighting on the highways and not much to do in between but Austin is a really cool city (sta bien padre!).

Street art on the main drag
(some of the funkiest murals and airbrushed facades I've been privy to...)

We ate at Mellow Mushroom Pizza place where I was exposed to some of the first vegetarian and even vegan options in awhile! I had an excellent tempeh sandwich and then was able to browse the local university bookstore, wander through the college strip (the area is called Guadelupe but here it's pronounced Guade-loop) of ethnic restaurants and vintage clothing stores (KT you'd have so much fun here they have a Buffalo's Closet Exchange).

Guadelupe herself...

I also walked into this amazing place, Toy Joy, a store that could keep you occupied for hours. I wanted to take pictures inside but I figure the owners would look at me a little funny... Anywho, they had globes, Mexican paper flags, star lanterns, chains of Barbie dolls, beaded curtains and My Little Ponies hanging from the ceiling. There were little plastic boxes where you could find every toy of every size imaginable: mood rings, plastic bugs, Chinese finger traps- the place could keep one occupied for hours! Best of all I was able to reunite with Caitlin Shuuue who I hadn't seen in a LONG time. We explored the Texas Capitol building, sought out air conditioning and were able to catch up for a couple hours.

Ms. Shue and I before we both start our long drives home...

On the way home I discovered it is not a good idea to fall asleep and get comfortable if you are going to be driving the second-leg of the trip. But what'd know, the 7-11 has little creamer cup sized 'shots' of caffeine that are supposedly equivalent to a full cup so I was wide awake, although I couldn't see the lanes very well (at least when we got to Reynosa this didn't matter much, you form your own lane and defend it or else).

It was good to get a break and be able to energize before our groupote came. I'm not very good at this keeping up with the whole blog/updating kind of thing, so more details to follow later.

Vamos a la playa

So we just got back from Tampico (beachy coastal town) on Saturday. The group was dropped off at the airport and we made good time despite torrential rains and landed back in Reynosa at about 1pm. Unfortunately it rained most of the week and the job basically consisted of tying rebarb (not too much fun for a young high school youth group) but we did manage to still have a good time and go swimming in the Gulf. The first day was overcast but for the second beach visit the one present lifeguard had set out the black flags (of death I assume?) and then packed it up himself. The beaches are pretty neat (no rules, no fines for walking on the dunes, people ride 4WD and even pull their cars up onto the beach, but the food and drinking can make it pretty dirty and so you have to be careful that you're not tromping on broken beer bottles, etc).

The towns of Tampico and Ciudad Madero are heavy tied into the oil industry (nationalized here in Mexico in 1938 by Lazara Cardenas). People seemed fairly well off in some parts of the town... Oil is shipped in from other areas of the country and people also take rotations (12 days at sea, 12 days back at home) working in the ever dangerous oil refineries. Apparently though they have good benefits, some workers receive up to 32 vacation days a year and retirement packages are generous.

The railroad also passes through Tampico since it's a port town and cargo is transported to other areas within the country or even up to Brownsville Texas. There's also a tiny airport with four gates, I found that comical.

Seafood is of course the specialty so I thought I'd feature the soup we had on the way to town. After one group member declared her vegetarian needs I decided to cement my decision (k si es posible ser vegetariana aun en Mexico, jaja) and good news Cassie, I'm back on the wagon, no more frijoles charros for me! It was really interesting talking with the women in the kitchen and the perceptions of vegetarianism that are present here. Most people are astonished or believe I have some disease saying "Oh, I'm so sorry you can't eat meat! or Are you okay???". It's been difficult to explain that its a personal decision that is not the equivalent to a diet or some type of health restriction but a lifestyle choice or alternative made for ethical reasons... Quien sabe...

This week I also got to spend some more bonding time with Lupe and his son Jonathan (our resident bricklayer, although not much bricklaying got done this week, we just poured some columns...). Again I'm quite surprised by his openness with me. This is the guy that has crossed many people over the Rio Bravo (some for $150 some for free) and swears that in 15 minutes he can have them chowing down in Whataburger (a faster cross than vehicles waiting in bridge traffic). He explained to me how he used to pack car tires with coke and other drugs. Basically the drug materials are wrapped in plastic and lots of duct tape and packed in tires with rags that have been dipped in bleach and other potent chemicals to disguise any detection. If my figures are correct it was about 100 kilos per car and a $100 per job. A quicker way to gain profit that a 5-6 day work week in construction earning $150 for your time...

Monterrey

Botero statue

This will be more of a photo collage porque no tengo ganas de escribir. On Saturday coming home from Saltillo we made a touristy stop in Monterrey, a modern city with museums and a beautiful plaza. It's also said to have the highest concentration of wealth in all of Mexico... Saber is es verdad o no...

Las Cascadas
(natural falls on the ride home from Monterrey, you could get a horse buggy ride for a couple pesos and there were also some nice picnic areas as you walked up the fall sight)

I also went to some waterfalls called the cascadas de la cola del caballo (horse's tail) and actually you could ride a horse up to the look out spot if so desired. After a long car ride I was more enthused at the opportunity to use my own legs and get blood circulation flowing once again.

Names carved into a succulent. Like lovers scrawling on a tree trunk, desert style.

***Too bad I still haven't figured out how to rotate the pictures... Some computer wiz fill me in if you're in the know...

Desde Saltillo

So this week has been more of a vacation that physical labor and construction projects, but it is a welcome change nonetheless. Last Saturday Bill, Raul and I drove to Nuevo Laredo (another border town 3 hours west of Reynosa) to meet up with a group from San Antonio. It's a tiny team of four people but we joined up with a congregation here in Saltillo and while there's more fellowship and eating that actual labor hours being contributed, we still manage to have a good time.

This foto was taken in the local parque with Harry (actually Hector but doesn't he look like Potter? 10 yrs old and a great ball player, beisbol that is... ), Alejandra (14, I'm waiting for her to turn 15 so I can go to her quinceanera, she sings with the worship band), Suri (pronounced like the Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes baby, wants to be a chef and is a great help in the kitchen). The tiled bench behind them is quite popular and native to Saltillo (azulejo=tile).

In fact we headed up to the biggest ski resort in Mexico where it actually snows at certain times of the year. Can you believe it, I used two blankets and actually had escaliofrios, or goosebumps in the morning! There was a pool, jacuzzi and time for some nature hikes amongst a backdrop of purple gray mountains. The picture below is the main lodge not where we stayed directly but it provides an idea of the lujo I experienced for the night!

We are staying with a family from the church who have children my age: Issac 20, Ishmar 19 and Ishmael 14. It's been a different experience working on the site, I worry less about what materials are or are not present and what the schedule is for the day (it's kinda nice passing that responsibility on to someone else) but the focus here is definitely more on fellowship and getting to know the congregation from Eben-Ezer Presbyterian.


My bilingual buddy Nefty (on my right) lives in Texas but comes to Saltillo to spend summer vacation with her abuelita. All the cousins are here and with freedom to stay up late playing, who wouldn't want to come? She's going into 3rd grade next year. When I asked her what her parents do she explained succinctly, "My dad puts corn dogs in a box and then wraps it up with tape". PS- She likes corn dogs con picante.

On Thursday night we drove to a nearby town called Ramos where a young couple have started a growing youth group and bible school. Originally they planned a week-long vacation bible school but children kept returning to ask when the next event would be so know they hold two services weekly, play games, sing songs and have a good time just being kids.
On Friday we finished off the week with a bonfire (marshmallow/bonbon/marvavisco roasting included) and pozole a traditional soup dish. This week has been one of my favorites because of the relationships built between the two groups, the congregation from San Antonio and Saltillo. Plans are in the midst for a reunion midyear on the board and with luck enough local church members may be able to receive visas and travel to Texas next summer for a mission trip.

My room! I have camera access, still no batteries. A new group arrived yesterday: only 8 of them: 1 grandma with every illness under the sun, 1 brave middle aged judge, 3 20-somethings and 3 young football players. It should be an interesting dynamic. Grandma's a bit bossy, but it'll make an interesting week.

And this is the courtyard, large kitchen the groups use and the view from the roof (sta bonita va)


Today was also the first day of being really frustrated with this organization. We got to the work site to put a cement roof on a building that hadn't been worked on since 2003. Five years. I'm wondering if the walls we finished last week will ever bear a roof. How long is it going to take? They promised by the end of the summer but all we have to do is pay two bricklayers and the job could be done in 2-3 days! There are so many places with more need, it seems silly to be completing an old project for the nutrition project when they aren't even using all the classrooms they have right now. There's about 30 students who arrive at 9 for homework help and a bit of instruction, are fed lunch (today was lentils, rice and chopped up hot dog) and dismissed at 11:45. School starts for them at 1:30 and continues until roughly 5:45pm.

Anyway, we got to the site without proper tools, made about 5 trips to the hardware store instead of purchasing everything at once and meanwhile, diabetic grandma (who also suffers from arthristis, heart disease and is undergoing chemo for a 3rd bout of cancer, god bless her!), won't stop shoveling cement! I was getting nervous watching her. Who goes to the ferreteria and buys 5 pieces of rebarb and then returns to get the other 7? Sometimes it seems to difficult to improve the way things work here making it very frustrating and hard to accomplish anything. Prep work like this should've been completed days ago and it makes for a poor impression on the groups (of which there are sadly less and less each year). I figure if I can't change anything this summer I can at least write up a report and see if that gets us anywhere...

Ya regresemos: con comida, para comida, claro

NEVADA, MO TEAM (BOTTOM ROW: ME, RAUL (MEXICAN COORDINATOR), LUPE (BRICKLAYER), DIANA (ANOTHER VOLUNTEER)


ESPINOSA FAMILY IN THEIR NEW ROOM (BEATRIS, NEIGHBORS JOSUE & ANNETTE (studying to be lawyer, works with HR in las fabricas/manufacturing plants), baby Yatzri 14 months, her grandma Betty, mother of Yatzri- Cristina (23), Cristina's sister, Michelle (red shirt, 10 yrs old, Betty's daughter), little neighborhood boy who likes HotWheels

Yesterday was the first despedida as the Missouri team headed to the beach and then back on home. Before I said my good-byes I did some magazine swapping and the facebook name exchange....

My plans to get up and run were thwarted by heavy eyelids, after breakfast I needed time to digest and before the heat could really start to bear down (giving me a real excuse not to exercise) something amazing happened- the skies opened up and it started to rain. I didn't think that was possible here, but apparently it does happen on the occasion. SO instead I sorted toiletries and men's clothes which we brought back to Casa Migrante. I read on the couch and proceeded to fall asleep, twice. Is that what you do when you're retired? Sometimes it seems too hot to do anything else.

Later I delivered some manicotti and apple crisp to the Espinosa family who's house we had worked on last week. They were kind enough to make the group tostadas, tamales con pollo and lastly a surprise, flautas! The way I chat things up in the kitchen I tried some flautus de atun (tuna instead of chicken) and sopita de melon (a soup that is named for the beans which look like melon seeds, but really it has more of a tomato base). When Beatrice and her mother found out I was here without mother or salary they invited me over for dinner so we will be finding many excuses for which to celebrate from now on. We will have the next group tie rebarb for their ceiling because right now they have no roof and we don't want to leave the room unfinished for the rest of the summer. Hopefully this will be completed soon.

TWO NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN, BETTY'S SON EDGAR, BETTY: testing out apple crisp

We also checked out the tianguis (which KT you'd love, it's thrift store shopping at its best- outside, good food nearby and you can make purchase by the kilo or simply 5 pesos a piece. I walked away with some fun shirts and orange flip flops. The grandmother on the site insisted I try on a pair of army cargoes (after I work the same green pair to the construction site, covered with cement and salsa) and although they are probably made for a 6th grade boy, they fit, albeit a bit short...

We also spoke about the time Beatrice had crossed the river into the United States. Both her children were born there but only attended school there for about two years. I know many Mexicans who have crossed into the US so their children can be born there and obtain citizenship, however many of these families have since then returned to Mexico because it's too difficult and dangerous to survive without papers. She said she came with the clothes on her back and a dry pair to change into after crossing the Rio Brahva/Grande. Three to a tube there were approximately 5 other people she crossed with, but almost didn't make it. She was pulled underneath but fortunately pushed back up to the surface and made it across. Once on the American side she was lucky to be held back by a friend before a migra truck passed right in front of them. A generous homeowner invited them in where they were able to bathe and offered some soup and directions on where to make a phone call. Beatrice crossed when she was about 42 and stayed for 3 years. Her mother, who has seventy-pico anos crossed 5 years ago and remained for 3. Now she jokes she won't cross again because the alligators snap at her feet.

Beatrice much preferred the US educational system for her daughter, Michell who enjoyed learning English. Many times here with inscription fees, uniforms, schools materials and 'supposedly' voluntary donations (they won't provide grade completion certificates if money is not received) school fees are too much to provide schooling for one child let alone 4 or 5.

Y pobrecito mi carrito!

Dan swinging at our Elmo pinata, hard to break

Don't be fooled by the bandanna, he's not a bandido...

On a lighter note, our car got tapped by a bus today. Just a little crunch while we weren't moving, minimal damage, all passengers and cargo okie dokie. Out pinata shopping and the little Corolla took a dent to the right door/wheel, but still functioning and they say this builds character. The poor car gets beat up enough the way I go over speed bumps (hopefully all necessary parts remain intact underneath) . They should really paint those things yellow. That's my next community project. Will post fotos of our dirt, pot-holey road and the awkward looking red paper mache object that resembles Elmo when I get camera batteries.

Casa de Migrante

I can't believe it's Thursday already. Night activities keep us busy so there's not much time for this whole blogging thing. Today we went to Caritas de Reynosa, a refuge for recently deported immigrants, of which there are several along the border. This afternoon 30 people arrived from Miami and at this shelter they are given food, a change of clothes (if available, sometimes they do not have enough donations to go around), shower, breakfast and dinner and a place to sleep for three nights. Some of the men (there were only about 4 women there and no children, they are typically sent somewhere else) were kind enough to share some of their experiences. There was one man who came to the gate as we were listening to the sister's presentation, recently brought to this border checkpoint by immigration officials, through word of mouth he had learned of this shelter and had to pass through out circle of gringos in plastic patio chairs before he could learn how to piece life back together... It was extremely powerful to see the faces of the people and appreciate their honesty talking to us, accepting our presence there as Americans (whose country had just kicked them out and turned life upside down) and even thanking us for being there...

It seems that previously misdemeanors and jail time could be served in the US without being asked for papers (usually given a warning by the judge) however local law enforcement has teamed up with Homeland Security and in many instances these men are being held for minor offenses and then sent back to Mexico. Many come to Reynosa because of its industry and local factories in hopes of finding work and gaining enough money to cross back into the US. Others make calls home to various states in Mexico or Central America. There were several Hondurans present however when I asked about Guatemalans in became apparent that many are sent directly back to their country. Some Central Americans say they are from Mexico to remain closer to the border and thus try and make it in Mexico until they can again return to work in the states.

There was one man who has some family in Veracruz but the rest is in Miami. He speaks English and doesn't know Mexico at all, he had been in the US for over 12 years. Now confronting deportation, these men go out in search of work from 9am-4pm and return to a strict lights out policy (9pm). For those that are fortunate enough to hear from their families or receive forwarded money to help them start over/return home, they still remain in danger. Gangs along the Guate-Mexico border hold newly deported immigrants ransom and money from families ends up in the wrong hands. These people come with only the clothes on their backs but even thanked the group for coming to learn more about the situation along the border and immigration issues. Some people are sick and need health care, others can't afford the bus fares back home. Regardless of the situation, three nuns run an intake upon the immigrant's arrival and in return ask for respect, honesty and for the guests to pitch in at the albergue. I spoke with one nun, Sister Consuelo who worked in Texas previously. They do work with volunteers so hopefully in weeks where Puentes doesn't have to oversee and group construction teams, I'll be able to help out there. Occasionally, local, federal and international human rights commissions visit to provide information about derechos as well.

La ley es como una telaraña, hecha para
atrapar moscas y otros insectos chiquitos,
y no para cortar el paso a los bichos grandes
ha comprobado Daniel Drew; y hace un siglo
José Hernández, había comparado a la ley
con el cuchillo, que jamás ofende a quien lo
maneja. Pero los discursos oficiales invocan
la ley como si existiera para todos, y no sólo
para los infelices que no puedan eludirla: los
delincuentes pobres son los villanos de la
película; los delincuentes ricos escriben el
guión y dirigen a los actores.

-Eduardo Galeano Patas Arriba.
La escuela del mundo al revés.
(Equipo Nizkor, Violacion a los derehos humanos, retrieved 5 June 2008, http://www.derechos.org/nizkor/mexico/doc/inm.html)

WATER.

So our first team arrived Saturday night (they drove all the way from MO) and were eager to get to work. We had an early morning worship service where our group outnumbered the congregation (only about 6-7 regulars).

I translated the sermon which had me quite nervous through the first hour and a half of singing and praying, but once I got up there I had my own microphone, and as Latin American pastors are (aun los presbiterianos) Josue had a lot of energy so I had fun conveying the word in English and inventing my own hand gestures to accompany the liturgy for the American team. The situation was ideal as I didn't have quite too many people to embarrass myself in front of, the majority of the American group doesn't speak Spanish so I can give it my best shot and only 3-4 people are really able to judge the quality of my translation. Relief. It should be fun this summer exploring the dynamics of this whole translation bit and inventing my own style and expression. It definitely keeps you on your toes- I can't let my mind wander for a minute or it's gone.

The pastor attended seminary in South Carolina without knowing too much English. When he left there were only 6 Hispanic people he knew (talk about lack of community, I won't complain about Barnard anymore!) He said the most difficult part of schooling was learning how to write and think in English because even in grade school and high school, creating your own sentences, theses, ideas simply doesn't happen. Many subjects are taught by rote and originality isn't expected, although some tell me the situation is changing now. Maybe it'll be another Jose Vasconcelos era...

Even though we're right on the border, most people speak Spanish and don't really use English. Some children learn it at school, but already the system suffers from a half-day system and poor attendance. I spoke to my friend Miguelito (8 yrs old) out on the street last night and he reports his teacher is mas o menos, she's okay, but that English is quite boring. We have a bball hoop at the neighbor's house so there's time to play soccer after dinner with our younger amiguitos.

Yesterday we visited the rodeo, charreada where all the cowboys/vaqueros threw their hats and boots onto the course when the horses were skillfully caught and somersaulted to the ground but the gringos couldn't clap... ahh animal cruelty and cultural differences). We did enjoy some nice tacos, potato chips with picante sauce, and water ices (the shaved ice was fresh, the vendor was scraping it off the slab which was attached to the back of his bicycle). The market was interesting, nothing is really central to Reynosa so people hawk Oaxacan leather sandals, fake pottery from other parts of the country, and of course your vast array of plastic Lucha Libre items and wrestling masks. I was lucky to find a nice underground restaurant with AC and Happy Gilmore was on TV so I remained quite content.

CATHOLIC CHURCH DOWNTOWN, W/ FUNKY EERIE LOOKING TOWERS


CENTRAL PLAZA/ZOCALO DOWNTOWN, ONLY SHADY RELIEF THERE IS

Today we broke up some cement slab to excavate and pour foundation. Luckily some old rebarb had been left on site so there was no need to tie and armar new ones. Unfortunately, old bags of cement had been rained on long ago and were useless, but after some local deliveries of stone, sand and cement, we got to work. The gringos decided to mix by hand (at the hottest part of the day of course). Our local bricklayer Lupe just kind of shook his head, (we could've waited until the cement mixer arrived tomorrow but they were pretty insistent and wanted more work). I'm sure we'll all be sleeping well tonight. Talk about back breaking labor, these people were Seven Dwarfing it with their pick axes, buckets and shovels but remain an impressively cohesive team despite the heat, varying job availability, the heat and different degrees of physical strength and capability. We've got one scrawny freshman, five brave adults (3 supportive moms), one young couple and seven more enthusiastic high school youth. The cement eats up your hands, plus the air here sucks every drop of moisture out of your body. It's a good thing I didn't get contacts before I came, that would've been comical. Pues, everybody was pretty well splattered and soaked in sweat/sudor on the ride home, but jovially fighting for the showers, a good tiered after the first rewarding day of work (it's only cold with low water pressure but not cold enough). Tomorrow we can start laying block, good news.

Ah, and did I tell you, I'm driving. That's right Mom, in Mexico even without much practice in Jersey and there's no rules here. Or lines. Or signals. There may actually be emissions inspections every once and awhile, but who knows. I have had several brave passengers risk their lives with me instead of ride their 15 passenger van, but hey I do have AC and more leg room! Our little Corolla is hanging in there... the road isn't paved and after rain there are some giant holes where you can bottom out, or going over hidden speed bumps, but I'm pretty sure the Cadillac converter is still under there... a ver. There's a ton of U turns here, and people park in the middle of the highway division. I don't claim to understand these practices, observances only but still much to report.

Still no batteries, still no pictures, but I found a guitar in the spare room, I'll see if I can get somebody with enough patience to teach me a few cords...

I went through a lot of water back at school but now my thirst is pretty much unquenchable. It's so dry you sweat everything out.

I made it!

Toncs. Okay, it's my fault I missed the flight (but who knew about the 30 minute checked bag rule anyway? I guess it makes sense...) It made me feel better when some business man came running up at 10:08 trying to catch a 10:15 departure, at least somebody else was in the same boat. Traveler's do yourself a favor- pay attention to what you are packing. Instead of watching When Harry Met Sally at midnight, I should've remembered to take the knives out of my carry on bag. I'm not a terrorist, really, I just wanted to peel my mangoes, but now a nice refrigerator repaior man has some extra tools for when he goes fishing.

I caught a 1pm to Atlanta (actually walked on the tarmac up a little set of rolly stairs and on to the plane). Delta's pretty generous: 2 bags of peanuts so that's probably at least a full ounce. Reynosa is about a 4 hour drive from San Antonio so we got on the road. Lots of open empty space in Texas, real ghost towns, no lights. I sat in a desserted SUBWAY, chowed down and then we crossed around 10:30pm. The car got a green light, flew through no questions asked, no one needed to see a passport let alone who was in the car. This morning when I crossed back in to Texas (something that'll probably be doing with frequency) I did have to show them the passport, sometimes you get asked a couple questions, other times not. It seems pretty relaxed to me...

I'm thinking maybe I should've waited to get my wisdom teeth pulled as there are a pleathora of dentists and farmacias right as you enter Reynosa. Mexicans cross to do their shopping at Home Depot and Walmart and the gringos run over here to purchase cheap meds, etc.

It's pretty hot here right now, you shower and then start to sweat as soon as you get out, but I have a fan, all is well. Right now I also have some time on my hands because the first group doesn't arrive until Saturday so this is an exceptionally long post.

I work with Bill (I guess he's my jefe but really four years my senior), Raul (coorinator of the Mexican program), Lupe (su hermano e el encargado de mantimiento) y Julie (financial secretary), so it seems the summer is shaping up to be a pretty exciting one... Siguen repitiendo que me va a gustar

BILL IN THE LIVING ROOM/KITCHEN

Manana me voy!

I should probably start packing- ahorita. But looking for fun pictures and helpful maps to put on this blog is so much more interesting...

Still need to purchase:
-giant pepto bismol and granola bars (k gringita va?)

This website had some interesting background on Reynosa's industrialization:
http://www.cfomaquiladoras.org/serieglobalizacion.en.html

I'm feeling that it would've been a good idea to stick with the Lomnitz's class on border history....

A few things I like about Mexico:
1) Huraches: en el doble sentido, the food and the shoes.
i. Fried corn flour with refried beans inside. mmm. Masa de maiz que lleva FRIJOL adentro. K rico!
ii. KT and I found a pair at Red White and Blue that come in red/orange/green, very festive.