better than robert redford bars - mexican style

i'm in mexico. i'm here. unbelievable.

the trip was long, and a little emotional. i wish i could say i cried, cause it would make me feel like you would all know how much i appreciate you and miss you, but i didn't. i came close a couple times, but no cigar. that doesn't mean i don't appreciate and miss everyone in pg. it just means i'm not much of a crier. i did start to get scared on the drive down to vancouver. i started thinking 'what am i doing!? i've never lived on my own, i've never lived in a foreign country... what makes me think i can do this?! i really have no concept of what i'm getting myself into!' but once i got on the plane i was ok. actually, my fears melted the closer i drew to mexico.

it's hot here. i'm talking about 30 degrees. and humid. it's the humidity that takes some getting used to. it's tough, but i'm learning to deal with it. ;) actually, one of the hardest things right now is the noise. it's constant. there's always mexican music playing outside, and people yelling, and that kind of thing. i'm just not used to it. when i try to read or study, it makes it difficult to concentrate. but the people are great. everyone i've met has been so nice.

erin young met me at the airport, and she was also picking up john and karen evans, who arrived moments after me, so we all drove into town together. that night i got a facial from erin's study, edna, the sweetest spanish girl. we have a deal where we help each other with the languages. she's teaching me spanish and i help her with any english she's not comfortable with. i have to say that her job is a lot harder than mine. her english is great, and my spanish is less so. much less so. after that we went to george's (pronounced horhay's of course) for the best quesadillas in town, or so i have been told. they weren't the seafood ones, which i'm dying to try. apparently those are only eaten for lunch. but they were pretty fabulous. and the drink was really interesting... some sort of rice milk with cinnamon. i really liked it actually.

the next day i met up with mikaela evans. her and brandon babcock (the other guy staying with joe and erin) showed me all over mazatlan. i met more people, looked at a couple apartments, saw the beach where they go surfing, and took a glass elevator to the top of a resort to get a fabulous view of the city. the sims, a family in the congregation, had some people over so i could meet them. we played games and had pizza. also fun. *note: mexican doritos are the weirdest tasting things i've tried so far.* we were there late, and i didn't have a ride home, so i stayed at evans. i love sleepovers.

yesterday there was a congregation get together for an australian family that's leaving, charlene, bernie and levi. it's too bad they're going, cause they're really nice. but they say they're planning to come back. probably long after i'm gone tho. there was loads and loads of shrimp. and they are massive. and delicious. we were at a resort or apartment complex of some sort that was directly on the beach, and had a pool. so we walked down to the ocean. my first time on a mexican beach. unbelievable. and we swam in the pool. when that was over some people went to rico's, a coffee shop they go to all the time. we played another game, where everyone reads a card and secretly votes on who they think is most likely to do what's described. i got no votes for "all bark, no bite" but the most votes for "most likely to be taken away by aliens to be their leader." and this was before i revealed my fear of babies. so i suppose they are getting to know me pretty quick. also at rico's there was a guy named juan paublo that played guitar and sang. he did lots of radiohead and other good stuff. he was great. and erin young sang with him for one song. she's amazing. apparently she used to sing with a group. she has a very powerful voice. talented beautiful woman. and she rides a motorbike. my newest hero.