internet cafes

Right now I am sitting in an internet cafe, the closest one I have been able to find to my house. Despite its relative proximity, I still have to trek back up the monstrous winding hill/alleyway to my house. Unfortunately, my house here doesn't have internet, as many houses don't. Electronics here are very expensive and unlike in the U.S., where many people have computers regardless of economic class, it's not that way here. Although many don't have them, that doesn't mean there isn't a desire for them. So you can imagine how many internet cafes there are. On my way to school, I probably pass 6 or so. Though I would prefer to use my own computer, I don't feel particularly safe hauling it around the city, especially while walking home at night. So I'm gradually getting the hang of the keyboards here, though right now I'm copying and pasting apostrophes from an old email because I have no idea how to make them. Also, I have no idea how to make indents on blogspot, so forgive that too.

Because electronics are so expensive, if people have papers they go to a Circut City type of store right on the border to buy things. There, it's much cheaper than anywhere inside of Mexico. One of my teachers told me that over Christmas time, you see cars driving back from the border filled to the top with things they bought from the U.S. She says that people often take requests from friends or town members, and therefore bring back things for everyone. Sometimes, there are cars carrying ten bikes and more.

On another note, last night we had a group dinner at the director's (Karen) house. I would feel confident in saying it was one of the top five most beautiful houses I have ever seen. Definitely deserved to be in one of those home style magazine. They bought the house with all the furniture included, so there are some hilarious stories of particular objects. For instance, there is a huge crucifix, one deserving of a church. This crucifix is definitely longer than two normal sized cars. She is religious, but felt the crucifix was a little too much, and attempted to get it down several times when they first bought the house, but repeatedly failed and eventually gave up.

For dinner, we sat at long wood tables, very close to the ground. She had hired two people to make the most amazing quesadillas and tacos, with meat cut straight from one of those huge turning pieces of meat. I don't know what they are called, but they're all over New York. It was definitely the best meal I've had here so far and many of us felt sick afterwards from eating so much.

Tonight is the birthday of one of the boys of the program, so some of us will be going out to celebrate. Gradually, every person in the program is growing on me and I am beginning to enjoy them for each of their differences. We all come from across the country and are enormously different, but I think our group has good chemistry and has learned to laugh a lot together, which is great. I have also met a few other students outside of my program, but I would really like to meet more. I'm just trying to give it time and not rush things. I have plenty of time here, and I'm sure things will work themselves out.

I also got a cellphone, but I have no idea how it works and how much it costs to make calls. It's prepaid, so I've already had to refill it twice. Here, it appears to be cheaper to send texts, as I know it is in many places across the world.

I never have any idea how to end these posts, so until next time..