Los Ultimos Dias

After returning from two weeks on the Ruta Maya with the other exchange students, it was Christmas time! I had Christmas with my first host family, the Herrera's in Mexico City. I had just come back from the Ruta Maya and managed to get really sick from the change in altitude (Mexico City is 2 250m above sea level) and the cold weather. We arrived two days before Christmas and spent time shopping and walking around the markets where we went in March for my first trip with the family. It was really special and to make it even more memorable we had dinner at Bellini, the world's largest revolving restaurant which is on the 45th floor of Mexico City's World Trade Centre.

I wasn't expecting a hot Christmas like in Australia but I wasn't expecting it to be 2 degrees either, considering that I got sun burnt the week before. All the travelling and sickness caught up with me on Christmas Eve at the family gathering. We all got together with Mamá's side of the family to celebrate and eat together. We arrived at about 9pm, ate at about 11:30pm and I ended up asleep on the couch at about 2:30am. On Christmas day after about five hours of sleep, we talked to Dany (my sister from my first family) who was celebrating Christmas on her exchange in France and then we drove back to Veracruz. I instantly started to feel better when we got back because the air was easier to breath and my head didn't feel like it was in the clouds.

New Years Eve celebrations went by soon after. I spent New Years Eve with my second host family and family friends in Veracruz. I was in the generation between the parents and the kids so there was no one my age there but I still had fun learning about the traditions for the celebration of New Years in Mexico. Like any good celebration, we had a feast and sat down together to enjoy it. A typical Mexican game especially for New Years and birthdays is the piñata. The lolly filled, paper mache sphere was decorated in crate paper frills and cones which were used to collect the lollies that we scrambled for when the piñata was smashed to pieces. From youngest to oldest, we took turns in taking a swing at the piñata until holes appeared for the lollies to fall out.

The piñata

Another tradition is to light paper lanterns for good luck. Only three of the five that we lit floated away. One of the other two caught fire while still on the ground and the other started to fly away but the wind caught it making it crash back down to the ground.

A paper lantern being lit

A tradition that I hadn't heard about before which we all did that night was eating twelve grapes at midnight. The twelve grapes symbolize the twelve months of the years and as you eat each grape, you make a wish. I can't remember everything I wished for but I know that at least four of those wishes have come true in the past couple of months.

My last couple of weeks in Mexico flew by and I was back on the plane before I knew it. The farewells were hard but it was made a lot easier knowing that I had booked a return ticket for six months later as a Christmas present for myself. I spent a lot of time with the other exchange students in my final days, knowing that some of them would have already left by the time I got back. They were my biggest support because it felt like everything that I had built up in the 12 months leading up to my departure was about to disappear. The friendships I had made, family that I had become so close to and a city that I came to love are all going to still be a part of me but leaving it at that time felt like the end of the world. I know it sounds dramatic but any exchange student knows that getting on the plane to go back is that part that is dreaded. But we never say 'goodbye' it is always 'see you later.'

La Ruta Maya- la segunda semana

After a long time away from blog writing, I have decided it's finally time to wrap up this chapter of my blog- starting from where I left off.

The second week of the Ruta Maya we visited lakes, cenotes and waterfalls in the south of Mexico. We also visited the Chichenitza, one of the new seven wonders of the modern world. The historical site had other ruins surrounding it and we were given a guided group tour of the whole site. It is definitely a place to visit if you go to Mexico!

We visited a couple of waterfalls (cascadas in Spanish) while we were in Chiapas. At a site called Cascadas del Chiflon, we walked about 40 minutes to a waterfall called Velo de Novia. We were all really cold to start with but I was glad to be wearing my bathers under my clothes because by the time we reached the waterfall we all sweaty and hot. 

Velo de Novia

The site that stood out the most for me was the Cascadas de Agua Azul. It was more tourist friendly and had multiple places to take photos. It is a very photogenic site and is where I took my favourite photo from the Ruta Maya. I have since entered it in a couple of photo competitions and it will be printed in the November issue of The Rotarian international magazine.

Cascadas de Agua Azul

My favourite photo from the Ruta Maya

The last day of the Ruta Maya was very emotional. It was the last time that I would see all the exchange students together. And I guess it didn't help that we were all sleep deprived and worn out from the non-stop two week trip.

La Ruta Maya- Primera semana

The Ruta Maya was a two week trip with the Rotary exchange students from district 4185 to the south of Mexico during December. The first week was spent visiting cities along the coast and beaches.

We left Veracruz on the 7th of December at night on a bus. We drove about three hours before stopping at a service station and waiting for the other two buses of students who left from Puebla. We drove all night and all the next day before arriving at Bacalar in the afternoon where we ate lunch and swam in the lake.
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Bacalar

We had a welcome party at night in Mahahual, where we slept the night. The next day we had free time to relax and enjoy Mahahual. We snorkeled in The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second largest barrier reef in the world behind The Great Barrier Reef in Australia. I spent most of the day at the beach hanging out with friends.

I got really sick at night and went to the doctor at 4.30am the next morning. I had a stomach infection and I think the cause was drinking some of the sea water when I was snorkeling. We had to leave Mahahual at 7.30am so I rested on the bus while the rest of the group visited the Tulum. At night when we arrived in Playa del Carmen I went straight up to the hotel room and slept.

I felt a bit better the next day so I went with the rest of the group to Xcaret which is a park designed for tourists with beautiful beaches and a natural underground river. I didn't swim but instead I saw flamingos for the first time, visited the butterfly house, got my feet sucked by fish and took photos inside caves of people floating down the underground river.

Flamingos!

Representing Australia

The butterfly house

People floating down the underground river

A group of the exchange students

Along the beaches were natural swimming pools as well as great photo opportunities

At night we watched a show called 'Mexico en la piel' (Mexico in the skin.) It was spectacular that displayed traditional sports from the Mayan culture and also traditions in the different states of Mexico. It was interesting but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I was feeling 100%

Everyone was excited on the 12th of December because we were going to Cancun! To start the day we drove to a boat terminal and went by ferry to Isla Mujeres and took photos with a shark and went snorkeling. The snorkeling experience was better on Isla Mujeres because there were brighter colours of coral and lots more fish! It was also better because I didn't drink any of the sea water and didn't get sick afterwards.

I joked that people in Australia can swim with sharks for free!

On the boat

Ready to snorkel

We arrived at the Marriott Resort in Cancun in the afternoon and I was really surprised at how big it was! We received wrist bands that let us eat anywhere in the resort at any time and were told that we had the next day to do whatever we wanted to do as long as we stayed in groups and didn't leave the resort. At night we went to one of the parties at the resort and eventually got to bed in the early hours of the next morning.

Going out to party!

I started the next day by going to the hotel gym and then relaxed for the rest of day. I got burnt for the first time on the tour and I still have the tan lines a month and a half later! The beach was beautiful but it was overcrowded and over-touristic. To be honest, the colour of the water was the same as some of my favourite beaches in Australia except with a lot less people!

Cancun

The second part of the Ruta Maya including everything from the second week will be in the next posting.

Guadalajara

In the last couple of weeks of my exchange, I had problems with my computer. I am now back in Australia and am able to post the updates that I wrote over the past month. 

I finished school at the end of November. It feels strange finishing school forever and knowing that very soon I will be starting university. My class had a surprise celebration for me at the end the day including cake. I have learnt a lot in the extra year at school and feel that I am now ready to start university next semester.

In the first week of December I went to Guadalajara with Martha, my councilor. I met her family and stayed at her sister, Elsa’s house. They were very accommodating and made me feel at home. We went for the largest book fair in Spanish which had contributors from all world, even books in English from Australia. 

We went for five days so I had time to see some of the old buildings in town. I also did a lot of shopping. It was a really relaxing week and the weather was beautiful.

Close to Guadalajara is a city called Tequila, which is where some of the best tequila in the world is made. I unfortunately wasn’t able to visit Tequila but I did buy a couple of bottles at a local bottle store to bring back with me.

We returned to Veracruz on Thursday and I had a couple of days to prepare for the Ruta Maya, a two week trip with the exchange students touring around the south of Mexico!

The Big Catch-up Part 3

Days in México: 294

After the eventful week of partying to finish October and start November.

For my host mum's birthday, we went to Mount Marlintzi which is the mountain that sits between Tlaxcala and Puebla. The date also corresponded to exactly 9 months in Mexico for me! The peak is the sixth highest in Mexico and I reached the 4000 metres above sea level mark before having to turn back because of difficulties with the pressure. We took two horses with us up the mountain and I rode one most of the way up because I had troubles breathing in the thin air but I walked almost the whole way back down. I had to wear 10 layers of clothing because it was freezing cold. The view was amazing and we were looking down at the clouds, it was breathtaking! We went with the grandparents and some family friends so Papá continued up the mountain with the friends and brought us back a mountain rose, a special type of flower that only be found growing above the altitude of 4000 metres!

4000m above sea level

Jazmín on a horse

The peak from the camp. The top isn't visible because it is covered in clouds

Keeping warm

The mountain rose

The weekend after was the beginning of the Central American and Caribbean games. All the schools in Veracruz were given the afternoon of Friday off to avoid the traffic of the opening ceremony. I didn’t go to the opening ceremony but friends who went to the event said it was really good.

On the Saturday I caught up with Carla. I met Carla when she went on exchange to Australia last year and I haven’t seen her since she arrived back in Mexico four months ago. Since coming back, her family has moved to Veracruz (the same city as me!) We went to her family’s restaurant which serves traditional food from Oaxaca (the state to the south of Veracruz.) I ate grasshoppers which are commonly found in Oaxaca and taste kind of like salted cashews with a bit of chili. It wasn't a bad experience and I would happily eat them again.

Grasshoppers

Carla and I

The Central American and Caribbean games finished last night and Mexico ended in second place behind Cuba. In the past two weeks I have been to the swimming, synchronised swimming, artistic gymnastics, woman’s basketball, men’s basketball and water polo. Most of the events I went to with my family except for the men’s basketball which I went to with my exchange friends. I was able to go to a lot of events because the Governor of Veracruz cancelled school for everyone in the state for a week because of the weather and because of the games. It has been a great opportunity to see live sports and meet people from all over the world. When I went to the movies to watch the latest Hunger Games, I talked to the people sitting behind me who were participating in judo and were from the Bahamas. And last week I went out with some friends for dinner at the same restaurant as the men's basketball team from Puerto Rico, so I got a photo with them. 

Mexico vs Panama in basketball

With the exchange students at the basketball

With the team from Puerto Rico

Because I had time off school, I was able to cook for my family. I cooked a spaghetti bolognese which is a recipe my biological mum has been cooking for almost two decades. It has lots of vegetables in it and is really filling. At first Roberto said he didn't like it because he could see some vegetables but then I said 'how can you say that you don't like it when you haven't even tried it yet!' So after about 5 minutes of staring at the food, he ate a bit and then didn't stop until it was finished. I then asked him if he like it and he said 'no, I love it!' So I was really happy that a seven year old boy who hates vegetables loved the vegetable packed meal that I made.

Lots of vegetables

Roberto loved it

On the 19th of November I had my presentation for my Rotary club. It was a combined meeting with the Veracruz South Club. It was really important because they haven't hosted or sponsored any exchange students before. My presentation was about my life in Australia and my experience on exchange. It went really well I received lots of compliments. It was my last Rotary meeting that I will have in Mexico because I will be travelling a lot in my last month and a half.  

My last Rotary meeting in Mexico

Tacometre (taco count): 261!! 

I’m aiming to reach at least 300 by the time I leave Mexico. I went to a taco buffet the other day. I have been there before in May and ate 7 tacos the first time I went but this time I managed to eat 14! They were small and I didn't eat anything else for the rest of the day.

The Big Catch-up Part 2

Days in México: 275

Friday the 24th of October was an interesting day. I went with my school year group to the Tecnológico de Monterrey campus in Cordoba, a city about an hour and a half south of Veracruz. The university is new compared to most of the universities in Australia. We listened to talks from past students and talked to the tutors about the courses we want to study. It is a beautiful university and I had fun with my friends and catching up with some of the other exchange students who live in Cordoba and go to the school that shares some of the facilities. I want to study international or public relations and would like to do another exchange in university to a Spanish speaking country.

The university

On the bus with school friends

The next day I caught up with my first host family. We had lunch and saw the movie 'The Judge' which is a movie that I really enjoyed. It was so nice to spend time Mamá, Papá and Diego again. I do miss them but at the same time I am comfortable living with my current family. It felt a bit strange not having Dany with us to complete the family but she is now on her exchange in France.

Lunch with my first family

The last week of October was really busy! Día de los muertos is the Mexican traditional day to celebrate the dead. It is a really big event and I had parties on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights to celebrate it.
On Thursday night I went to a costume party hosted my the Villa Rica Rotary club. I had traditional Catrina makeup and a bright orange flor de muerto (flower of the dead) in my hair. It was the most popular costume idea and over half of the people at the party were Catrinas.
   

Lots of Catrinas

Another tradition is preparing an alter for the dead. They are decorated with flowers, skulls, food, drinks (normally with alcohol), candles and pictures. An alter was prepared at school and everyone was asked to submit a name of a family member who has passed away, to create a memorial.

The alter at school

All the names of the relatives

The name of my Oupa (Dad's dad)

Luckily classes were cancelled for Friday because that night I had 2 parties; a prefiesta with my school year group and a Halloween party afterwards.
The prefiesta was a pool party and arrived at the same time on a tram. It was a lot of fun and hopefully there will be another prefiesta before I leave in 2 months.

The tram

With friends at the prefiesta

The Halloween party was a costume party so I wore my costume my Hawaiian girl costume from the Colonial Night back in March. Most of the other exchange students from the city were there as well so we had a good time.

With friends from Brazil, Turkey and Japan

On the Saturday night my family had friends over and we had a little party. I was in charge of decorating the alter for the dead with some help from Jazmín. We had flowers, colourful paper cut-outs, candles and sugar skulls. One of the foods that was served was manzana con chamoy which is basically a Mexican version of a taffee apple but it isn't as sweet and is covered in chilli. The first bite was probably the worst because I didn't get any apple, only chilli but it wasn't too spicy.

The alter

Sugar skulls

Manzana con chamoy