So far classes at La Universidad Modelo are going as well as can be expected. There are moments when I feel a little homesick for classes at Calvin, but it's getting easier to understand what is going on and what is expected in class. The first round of exams is next week, so I should have a better idea of how difficult the classes actually are after that. So far all I have had to do is work in groups, write short paragraphs, and do a fair amount of reading (mostly for my Latin American Literature class). I start class at 7:00 AM on Thursday and Friday, which requires getting up at 5:00 AM on those days. Since I am very bad at going to bed early, "descansas" (rests or naps) are becoming an important part of many of my afternoons.
One of the classes that I am taking at La Modelo is called "Problemas económicos, políticos, y sociales en México" (Economic, Political, and Social Problems of Mexico). Even though the class is part of the communications department at La Modelo, so far it seems very much like a history class to me. "Los Estados Unidos" (The United States) have come up quite frequently in the class, and even though the professor is not negative or unfair in her coverage of the involvement of the United States in Mexico's history, I still feel a little awkward, as if the United States were responsible for all of Mexico's problems. I'm not sure if what is said in class is different because there are six students from the USA present, but it is interesting to see how college-age Mexican students and their professor view the USA.
Even though Mexican Independence day is on September 16, preparations for the day have been underway ever since I arrived here in late August. The city's plazas and streets have red, green, and white lights that say "Viva Mexico" or are in the shape of bells. The bells commemorate the "Grito de Dolores", the inciting force behind the Mexican War of Independence in 1810. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grito_de_Dolores).
So far I am really enjoying the food that my host mom cooks. Some of the food is quite similar to what North Americans typically eat in Mexican restaurants north of the border, but there are some dishes that are more unique to the Yucatán that I hadn't seen before coming here. Ironically, my least favorite things to eat here are hot dogs and American cheese.
Yesterday I went to visit a combined middle and high school called Blas Pascal with my professor from Calvin and another student. I will be visiting the school once per week to observe a Spanish class for students in early middle school. I am a little jealous of the students who get to observe English classes, but it will still be interesting to observe how school works in Mexico.
My host family does not watch a lot of TV, but my host sister seems to like going to the movies. A nighttime movie costs about half of what it does in the USA, which is nice. The movies that I have seen so far have both been in English with Spanish subtitles. Even though I am here to practice Spanish, I typically ignore the subtitles.
Last Sunday was the second time that I attended church with my host family. I recognize some of the songs, but many of them are new to me. Taking communion at El Divino Salvador made me miss home quite a bit, as I imagined that College Church and Church of the Servant were also having communion this past Sunday.
At La Iglesia del Tercer Orden
Some Modelo students and some Calvin students
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