my first day of school

Today was my first day of school in Mexico. I have my language class (with a Mexican professor - her name is Lydia) in the morning from 9 - 12 and then my culture class (with the ISU professor that brought us here, Dr. Alstrum) from 12:30 to 1:45. And then I went swimming because our school has a pool. :) So it was a pretty good day. I like my Mexican professor a lot... my ISU professor is very liberal and I'm conservative so that makes for an interesting relationship, but I know that God can use it in some way. On my way back to the house I sliced my toe open getting off the combi and proceeded to almost run in to a moving (yes, moving) taxi, who opened his window and said to me in plain and very syllabilized English (he must have thought I looked American or something): "open your eyes!" and if I hadn't been kind of mad about my toe that was like gushing blood, I probably would have laughed but instead I just felt really dumb. Anyway. Tomorrow is a new day, thankfully.

The other day Soledad made pico de gallo with me... sadly, I never knew how to make it before... and it was awesome. You can buy vegetables really cheap in the market here, so I think I'm going to try to have fresh pico de gallo all the time! :) That said, it's kind of wierd to be buying my groceries and cooking for myself for the first time in Mexico. It's not that I don't know how to cook, it's just that... I don't really know how to cook, actually. I have cereal a lot and I'm pretty good with tortilla, meat, and vegetable combinations. So far, anyway. We shall see. I also eat papaya all the time. That same night, Abel gave me a geography lesson on Mexico. I learned a lot! Both of them were former teachers but are now retired, so they really enjoy helping us learn.

Yesterday I listened in to services in Bloomington and Gridley. I really take for granted the opportunity to go to church every Sunday. I really missed it. I also went with my host parents to this soccer field where they walk so I could run. I can't really run on my own anywhere else because the roads are so steep and its a workout just to walk to school. Seth, I'll definitely be able to run your pace when I get back. :)

Last night Soledad y Abel went to a surprise birthday party for one of their family members at this restaurant in Iguala (about an hour away) so I went with them. The party wasn't that great because there was this band there that was SO loud (I never knew trombones and trumpets could be THAT loud) that I couldn't really talk to anyone. But the drive there and back was very interesting. First of all, there was not a single stretch of road for that entire hour that was straight for longer than a 1/4 mile. It was all curves and hills. Mom, you definitely would have gotten sick. I almost did. Furthermore, we were coming down out of the mountains, so it got hotter as we went. I mean, it was roasting. Seriously. I thought it was hot here, until then. And also, you know how we have animals, sort of, well, organized in the States? That is not the case here. I saw pens, but most of the animals were roaming outside the pens. In fact, we had to stop, ON THE ROAD, to let this big 'ol cow go across. He took his time, too. And there were random goats and donkeys everywhere. Oh, and, guess what?! When we got to Iguala and were driving through town, I saw two John Deere places (like where they would sell parts, I think, not equipment... at least I didn't see any equipment) Obviously a little... different... than those we're used to, but the John Deere symbol was definitely present. All in all, it was a very interesting experience, and I was highly disappointed that I had left my camera card in my computer. :(

The more Spanish I learn, the less I realize I know... which is very good for my pride. If I learn as much in the next six weeks as I have in the last three days, my head will run out of storage space about halfway through. :)

I appreciate all of your prayers - I can feel them! God continues to be faithful, and I am very thankful that in a town where I feel like I am the only Christian and the only conservative person, He is here too. God is good!