Best. Midterms Week. Ever.

I had midterms this week. At Smith, my mid-semester exams and papers tend to be spread out over the course of 2 or 3 weeks. I hate that. I am the kind of person who rips off her band-aids; I just want to get it all over with at once. Here, I had a paper due Monday, exam #1 Wednesday, and exam #2 Thursday. I spent a few days worrying a lot and studying a little, then I got serious and started spending hours in the library. I wrote a paper analyzing Diego Rivera's mural, "Triumph of the Revolution", took a short-answer exam in my colonial era class that I wrote in Spanish and English, and to end it all Thursday I wrote an essay exam in Spanish for Relaciones México-Estados Unidos. I was most worried about the last one, because it was the first time I have ever written an in-class essay in Spanish. I think my essay could have been worse. I'm mostly happy it's over, but I'm not embarrassed by my essay by any means. 

So why was this the Best Midterms Week Ever? Well, it was short. And Wednesday instead of studying more, I went to my program director's house for a cooking lesson taught by Delfi. She works in the program office. We made red chilaquiles, chalupas with carne asada, and red and green salsa. The green salsa should have been spicier in my opinion, but everything else was excellent! Sometime soon the program director will email us the recipes, and then I can make chilaquiles for everyone! You will love them, I promise. 

After cooking class I went to see a movie with some girls from my program. We ended up seeing "Mi Segunda Vez" ("The Rebound" in the US), a romantic comedy with Catherine Zeta-Jones. It was cute. I say that with equal parts admiration, and scorn. As many of you know, to say that romantic comedy is not my favorite film genre is an understatement. But I love to watch movies, if for no other reason then to criticize them. And "Mi Segunda Vez" gave me plenty of fodder for criticism, so thanks Director Bart Freundlich! 

Then, we all went back to Bernadette's house for our first class in Catrina-making. Catrinas are papier-mache skeletons that artisans create to be Day of the Dead decorations. 

Catrinas; picture not mine: 

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/v3/11-02-2007.NHG_02catrina.GSF291L6Q.1.jpg

I want to make a skeleton version of Kokopelli, the flute-playing fertility god of the Hopi, and other Native American tribes in the southwestern US.

After my last midterm Thursday, I went to buy nail polish at Plaza Dorada because it's on my way home. I stopped to see when "Jennifer's Body" (Diabolica Tentación here) was playing, because I had been looking forward to seeing that movie. Turns out, I had plenty of time to see the movie and still be home before dinner. It was way more my style! I love coming-of-age movies and dark comedies. "Heathers" is both! "Jennifer's Body" is no "Heathers" , but it does have a flesh-eating cheerleader. I think for me the big difference between "Heathers" and "Jennifer's Body" (besides Winona Ryder-I have a huge crush on Winona Ryder!) is the witty dialogue, which I believed in "Heathers." It has some of my favorite one liners: 

Veronica Sawyer: When teenagers complain that they want to be treated like human beings, it's usually because they are being treated like human beings.

There's just something about the way Diablo Cody writes dialogue. I can't imagine real people saying what her characters do. Best one-liner in "Jennifer's Body":

Jennifer: I'm not killing people, I'm killing boys.

See what I mean? Everyone should watch "Heathers". It is one of my favorite movies. Actually, maybe for that reason none of you will like it. I like some strange movies. 

Anyway, with midterms week over I'm just hanging out, exploring different parts of this city and planning trips afuera de Puebla. I miss everyone! I heard it snowed in Central New York and the Pioneer Valley! Can't say I'm surprised. 

Cuetzalan (lots of pictures)!

View of Cuetzalan from the Hotel Mixti.

Last weekend I went to Cuetzalan with my study abroad program. Cuetzalan is a little town in the mountains, 3-4 hour drive from Puebla. The drive is spectacular once you get to the mountain roads-so many curves and hairpin turns, and great views of hills, valleys, ravines, and small villages.

View from the road.

 Of course it made me miss "my mountains"-the Adirondacks. Cuetzalan and surrounding areas just aren't the same. Where are my freezing cold rivers, mountains with rocky tops hidden in the clouds, and cold, rainy afternoons? My hut and my muddy trails and the wind in the pines? I miss it.

Anyway. It was so humid in Cuetzalan! My host mom made me bring a jacket, because she thought it would be cold and rainy. Instead, it was hot, humid, and sunny. It was like summer vacation, but with more mosquito bites. The weekend we went was La Feria del Cafe y Huipiles (Coffee and traditional blouses!), two things I love. And the coffee was strong and good! The weekend also happens to be the day of St. Francis of Assisi. It's not a coincidence that all the parties are on the same weekend, because St. Francis is the patron Saint of the town's main church.

Picture taken from inside a restaurant in el zócalo. 

I don't know why, but I like this picture a lot.

The streets were very busy.

On Sunday we went to the beginning of La Coronacion de la Reina de Huipil, a pageant of sorts. There were several girls from Cuetzalan and surrounding pueblitos, dressed in huipiles and shawls, and their hair snakes were way cooler than mine (remember the picture of me at my program's welcome party?). The girls had to give a speech in Nahuatl and Spanish about their personal goals, and also their pueblos and culture, and how they would keep their traditions alive. I didn't see the actual coronation, but the speeches were interesting. 

The girls with their yarn snakes.

Our first full day in Cuetzalan we went to see the ruins at Yoaulichan. Unfortunately I don't remember much about the history of these pyramids. But enjoy the pictures!

Eli told us this was the biggest ball court in Mesoamerica!

I love taking pictures of ruins.

Guess what you're not supposed to do? (I climbed it too...I did not read the 1 sign at the entrance that said "Please don't climb on the pyramids.")

This little shop was in Yoaulichan: Jessy=Jesse! My little shop!

Later, we went to a cooperative run by Nahua women called "Las tejedoras en flor."  They make traditional fabric art, and it's really beautiful. They also run workshops on small business management, and run a restaurant with Nahua food. They are really inspiring people, working to keep ancient arts and ways of life alive, while improving their own lives and their communities. 

Entrance to Tejadoras en Flor.

In the afternoon we went to Coral Cave! It's called coral cave because inside are formations that really do resemble coral. One girl in my group took some amazing cave pictures, and I'll try to steal a few and post them here. I thought I had never been to a cave before, but my parents say I have. This cave was pretty extreme to me. We didn't need any special equipment, except a headlamp and sneakers of course, but it reminded me of hiking, only underground. There was a stream rushing through the cave, and my sneakers got good and soaked. We went up ladders and down ladders, and climbed all over slippery rocks. But it was worth it to see real stalactites and stalagmites! The folks who run the cave exploring operation also had an adorable cow. If I call a cow "adorable" you know she must be something special, because usually I think cows are kind of intimidating. They're so large and they make mechanical noises. This seems to be the day for off-topic rambling. Lo siento.

We also walked to a waterfall. It was really pretty, but some women told me if you hike a little bit further you can find an even more beautiful waterfall, but the hike's a bit difficult. I would have loved to find the other waterfall, and hike around in the woods, but we didn't spend much time there. I guess the water was pretty cold, but not compared to what I was expecting (John's Brook in July is MUCH colder). 

La cascada.

In addition to excursions, I also spent a lot of time walking around Cuetzalan, eating and shopping! I found quite possibly the best lemonade I have ever tasted. Who knew I would find it hiding in a restaurant next to the zócalo in a little town in the mountains of Mexico! I love surprises of this nature. I also had some foods I never get tired of: molletes, enchilidas verdes, and tlatyoyos (which I have seen spelled at least 3 different ways). And I bought a dress, and a purse, and a bunch of earrings as gifts.  

My dress!

All in all, I had a good time. It was good to be outside of the city for a few days, and I got to know the other girls in my program a bit better. Now I'm back in Puebla and it's midterms week for me, so send me positive mental energy! 

Oops I forgot the Word! The Word of the Day is pavo. These are pavos: