Music, la Modelo, and Progreso

One of the things that surprises me the most about being in Mérida is the presence that American/ English language music has here. I heard American pop music (well, music that was popular 2-3 years ago in the US) while eating at a restaurant, and my host sister is currently playing Christian praise music from the Australian group called Hillsong on her computer. She knows some English, but I still find it amusing to hear music in English at a place where I am trying to learn Spanish. Yesterday I was riding a micro-bus (more like a large van with space for 13 passengers) to get back to the house after class, and the bus’ radio was playing American and British oldies music. It felt a little weird to be the foreigner while also being the only or one of the only people on the bus who could understand the song lyrics.

After hearing relatively current American pop music in the supermarket last night, I asked my host father what his thoughts were on all of the English-language music. He said that much of Merida’s population enjoys listening to American pop music, but that salsa hip-hop in Spanish is also popular.

Yesterday our group went for a short visit to la Universidad Modelo, where most of my classes will be starting next week. The school seems like a nice place to study, and some of the students came and asked us where we were from (some of them in English) if they weren’t in class at the time. I am looking forward to my classes at la Modelo, but I am glad that I have at least one other Calvin student in each of my classes – I have a feeling that understanding what is going on in class will be difficult at first.

After visiting la Modelo, our group went to the beach at Progreso. The weather is a little cooler close to the ocean and the water was very refreshing – I would love to go back sometime soon! A round-trip coach bus ticket between Mérida and Progreso costs only 25 pesos, which is less than 2 dollars. Certain things cost as much or more than they do in the United States, but things like food, especially fruit, and public transportation are fairly inexpensive.

Our group in our classroom at El Divino Salvador

Progreso

Arrival in Mérida

Our group landed safely in Cancún yesterday (and so did all of our bags!) and arrived in Mérida mid-afternoon.

On the way to Mérida our bus made a rest stop in Vallodolid. Vallodolid is smaller than Mérida and we didn't stay for very long, but we looked around and some people bought snacks. Once we arrived in Mérida we stopped at El Divino Salvador, the church that my host family attends and where some of our classes are held. Exploring Mérida the yesterday was a little confusing, but already today I am starting to remember where some basic things are. The real test of how well I paid attention to street names will come tomorrow when I take the bus without my host mother...

I am enjoying living with the Estrella family so far; in addition to the human family members, David, Flor, Luisa Fernanda, David, y Luis, there are two dogs, Marion and Forquetina. I share a room with Luisa Fernanda. So far my host family's Spanish is much more understandable than I expected it to be, which is nice. They have hosted Calvin students before, so they probably know what to expect by now from students like me.

So far it has been very hot and humid in Mérida, but staying in the shade makes the heat more bearable. Tomorrow I am going with the rest of the Calvin group to the beach at Progreso, about 30 miles north of Mérida. Our regular classes at la Universidad Modelo y el Divino Salvador will begin on Monday.

Today was my first chance to eat food prepared by my host mother, and it was delicious. She and Luisa teased me a little for putting the chicken, salsa, and rice in the tortillas that were put on my plate...I'm not quite sure if that's because I did the right thing or the wrong thing with them, but I'm sure I will figure it out soon.

My hammock

The Church in the Plaza of Vallodolid

The View from my house's front door

"Chicago group" in Atlanta

Pizza...Mexico style

Mérida Tomorrow!

I'm finally just about done packing...if everything goes well I should be in Mérida by tomorrow afternoon! I am leaving from Chicago O'Hare at 5:40 AM with 3 other girls from the Chicago area, then we will meet up with the rest of our group of Calvin students in Atlanta and then fly to Cancún and drive four hours to Mérida.

I found out a little more about my host family today - there are 3 children in the family (well, there is a 24 year-old, a 20 year-old and a 15 year-old) in addition to David and Flor, their parents. I'm so excited to meet them and to see what Mérida is like!