Work trip, Hiking trip, Traffic and so on.
Sleeping in today was a nice present after a very busy last 2 weeks. I have been on several trips and have been preoccupied with school and lots of friend outings.
WORK TRIP:
This week I was fortunate enough to be asked to go with my work on a business trip to a city North of here. It was about an hour flight and we walked around the colonial city and had an investing in Texas event. We were only there two days but I really enjoyed my time. They paid for everything: food, flight, transportation and so on. I had to help register clients for the event and make sure all the folders and supplies were ready for all the speakers and clients.
The town was colonial and it reminded me a lot of where I lived in Spain. It was different, but the old part of town was free of traffic and lots of small shops selling Mexican candy and coffee. There was also none of the pollution burning my nose and people seemed to move slower.
We went to some great restaurants as usual and I had some great steak. They also eat bone marrow here. I have eaten it in the city here before, but at this retaurant they served it with the bone. It was interesting and probably the most greasy thing I've eaten.
HIKING TRIP WITH FRIENDS:
About two weekends ago I was invited with some of my friends from school to go to a small town about an 45 minute outside of the city. The city is called Tepoztlan and it is a small town where an ancient pyramid lies ontop of a mountain. We got there and changed clothes and climbed up this huge mountain. It was stairs for about 45 minutes. After sweating my life out we reached the top and this old aztec pyramid appears in the middle of a lush forest. We climbed around the pyramid (which wouldn't be allowed in the US because some child would fall off and cause a law suit) and took some pictures of the view. I guess there have been numerous UFO sightings there but I couldn't find ET.
After climbing down we had some authentic mexican cocktail that was basically an American margartita but served in a clay mug. We hung out by the pool at our hotel and bummed around the town. The streets were all cobblestone and all my friends were amazed at how calm it was, but after growing up in Randolph it seemed a little more exciting. We ate at the market and I had some spiced grasshoppers that these indigenous looking women sold out of woven baskets. It wasn't too delicious but it was edible.
We headed home on Sunday and stopped to eat some coffee place and everyone ordered a Moka, which is like a mix of coffee and hot chocolate. It has just the right balance and probably my favorite beverage here so far. Of course we ate somee quesadillas here too, but the cheese they use is white and kind of tastes spoiled, but I am started to like it.
WORK BIRTHDAY PARTY:
In Mexico birthday's a quite a big deal and it was my coworker Vanesssa's Birthday a few weeks ago. In the US they might bring in a cake but here they go all out. They ordered balloons and printed 50 colored signs and bought tons of confetti. Her cubicle was overloaded with decorations and we had a two hour lunch that day where we ate cake and just talked. It was interesting because everyone was on the clock but they greatly value their employees.
Another funny thing was that they will talk about age here. Vanessa turned 33 and all her signs said how old she was. I told them how it is rude for us to even ask and how here it is something you write on all the posters. I guess they just aren't as touchy as we are about age, even in the office. Her office party was on a friday and we went out for lunch on Monday, a two day birthday party. Too bad mine isn't until June.
MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY:
It was the independace day on the 15th and we didn't have work so we ate a typical Mexican Soup called Pozole which had corn and rice and beans and huge chunks of meat. It was good but nothing amazing. They always eat soup here, usually with every dinner and I just am not used to that.
I bought a Mexican moustache for the occassion and we went of with friends to some parties and came home pretty late. It was fun our host mom made us all wear some authentic decorations, I had this weird bow thing and the girls had these shirts. They are really patriotic here.
SWINE FLU:
Swine flu is on the rise and the entire city is getting ready for another incident. At my university they require all the custodians to wear surgical masks and just today at the grocery store all the employees were wearing masks. Another precaution is that whenever you enter a restaurant or bar there is usually someone at the door with a huge bottle hand sanitizer. When we traveled on the plane Claudina, a coworker wore a mask on the plane. She doesn't have swine flu but it is just expected of ill people to be extremely careful in preventing the spread of sicknesses.
I am not too worried about swine flu and I actually think many people are going a little bit overboard. Mexicans don't need prescriptions to get drugs here. I have heard of Americans liking this because they buy drugs here and bring them home for their family so they don't have to go to the doctor. After learning about biology this is a terrible problem and a reason why Penicillin, which used to kill everything when it was invented, is now almost obsolete in killing infections. Antiobiotic resistance is a big deal and someone from my work just had the sniffles and got 3 home injections of penicillin! Don't get drugs unless you need them. Read this article if you don't believe me.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/14/20090917/tpl-obsolete-penicillin-poses-eu-wide-ri-81c5b50.html
TRAFFIC
The city is wearing me out lately. I really like it here, but the traffic can be frustrating. The roads are a free for all and people have no respect for eachother. While on the bus the other morning an SUV on a cross street pulled out in front of the bus. The bus slammed on the brakes and the SUV backed up into their lane. I look at the woman driver who was a little shaken up and she was waving her finger at the bus, acting like it was the bus' fault. I am glad I don't have a car and I would NEVER drive in this city. It is like the whole road system is some sort of grocery store parking lot and you can drive around where ever you want. I like the public transportation, the subway however is usually around 85 degrees so I usually don't shower if I know I am going to use it.
Tomorrow is the big Vikings game and we are trying to find a place to watch it. American Football is quite popular here and just today a bunch of guys were playing it in the park. I miss the fall, and now the rainy season is officially over. That means no rain ever and lots of strong sunlight. My Scandinavian skin really doesn't handle it all too well.
CAREER
I had coffee with a Minnesotan the other day who works for the US embassy here. I met her at the event at the residence and wanted to talk with her more about the foreign service. I asked a million questions and learned a lot about the process of getting into this service. I think this is a great long term goal for me. I have always wanted to work for the government and the life stories I learned from her made the job sound awesome. There are numerous sectors of the foreign service but a lot of work goes into applying.
I will have to start reading. You must take an exam before applying and there is a reading list of over 30 books. Many of the officers attend grad school so that could be in my future too. Not for a few years though. Apparently a lot of the foreign service officers are retiring so there are good opportunities. I will need to start learning some more languages though. After graduation I will try to find a job for a multinational corp. but a long term goal could be the foreign service. It will be quite a challenge though.
That is all for now. Enjoy October
To See Photos
WORK TRIP:
This week I was fortunate enough to be asked to go with my work on a business trip to a city North of here. It was about an hour flight and we walked around the colonial city and had an investing in Texas event. We were only there two days but I really enjoyed my time. They paid for everything: food, flight, transportation and so on. I had to help register clients for the event and make sure all the folders and supplies were ready for all the speakers and clients.
The town was colonial and it reminded me a lot of where I lived in Spain. It was different, but the old part of town was free of traffic and lots of small shops selling Mexican candy and coffee. There was also none of the pollution burning my nose and people seemed to move slower.
We went to some great restaurants as usual and I had some great steak. They also eat bone marrow here. I have eaten it in the city here before, but at this retaurant they served it with the bone. It was interesting and probably the most greasy thing I've eaten.
HIKING TRIP WITH FRIENDS:
About two weekends ago I was invited with some of my friends from school to go to a small town about an 45 minute outside of the city. The city is called Tepoztlan and it is a small town where an ancient pyramid lies ontop of a mountain. We got there and changed clothes and climbed up this huge mountain. It was stairs for about 45 minutes. After sweating my life out we reached the top and this old aztec pyramid appears in the middle of a lush forest. We climbed around the pyramid (which wouldn't be allowed in the US because some child would fall off and cause a law suit) and took some pictures of the view. I guess there have been numerous UFO sightings there but I couldn't find ET.
After climbing down we had some authentic mexican cocktail that was basically an American margartita but served in a clay mug. We hung out by the pool at our hotel and bummed around the town. The streets were all cobblestone and all my friends were amazed at how calm it was, but after growing up in Randolph it seemed a little more exciting. We ate at the market and I had some spiced grasshoppers that these indigenous looking women sold out of woven baskets. It wasn't too delicious but it was edible.
We headed home on Sunday and stopped to eat some coffee place and everyone ordered a Moka, which is like a mix of coffee and hot chocolate. It has just the right balance and probably my favorite beverage here so far. Of course we ate somee quesadillas here too, but the cheese they use is white and kind of tastes spoiled, but I am started to like it.
WORK BIRTHDAY PARTY:
In Mexico birthday's a quite a big deal and it was my coworker Vanesssa's Birthday a few weeks ago. In the US they might bring in a cake but here they go all out. They ordered balloons and printed 50 colored signs and bought tons of confetti. Her cubicle was overloaded with decorations and we had a two hour lunch that day where we ate cake and just talked. It was interesting because everyone was on the clock but they greatly value their employees.
Another funny thing was that they will talk about age here. Vanessa turned 33 and all her signs said how old she was. I told them how it is rude for us to even ask and how here it is something you write on all the posters. I guess they just aren't as touchy as we are about age, even in the office. Her office party was on a friday and we went out for lunch on Monday, a two day birthday party. Too bad mine isn't until June.
MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY:
It was the independace day on the 15th and we didn't have work so we ate a typical Mexican Soup called Pozole which had corn and rice and beans and huge chunks of meat. It was good but nothing amazing. They always eat soup here, usually with every dinner and I just am not used to that.
I bought a Mexican moustache for the occassion and we went of with friends to some parties and came home pretty late. It was fun our host mom made us all wear some authentic decorations, I had this weird bow thing and the girls had these shirts. They are really patriotic here.
SWINE FLU:
Swine flu is on the rise and the entire city is getting ready for another incident. At my university they require all the custodians to wear surgical masks and just today at the grocery store all the employees were wearing masks. Another precaution is that whenever you enter a restaurant or bar there is usually someone at the door with a huge bottle hand sanitizer. When we traveled on the plane Claudina, a coworker wore a mask on the plane. She doesn't have swine flu but it is just expected of ill people to be extremely careful in preventing the spread of sicknesses.
I am not too worried about swine flu and I actually think many people are going a little bit overboard. Mexicans don't need prescriptions to get drugs here. I have heard of Americans liking this because they buy drugs here and bring them home for their family so they don't have to go to the doctor. After learning about biology this is a terrible problem and a reason why Penicillin, which used to kill everything when it was invented, is now almost obsolete in killing infections. Antiobiotic resistance is a big deal and someone from my work just had the sniffles and got 3 home injections of penicillin! Don't get drugs unless you need them. Read this article if you don't believe me.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/14/20090917/tpl-obsolete-penicillin-poses-eu-wide-ri-81c5b50.html
TRAFFIC
The city is wearing me out lately. I really like it here, but the traffic can be frustrating. The roads are a free for all and people have no respect for eachother. While on the bus the other morning an SUV on a cross street pulled out in front of the bus. The bus slammed on the brakes and the SUV backed up into their lane. I look at the woman driver who was a little shaken up and she was waving her finger at the bus, acting like it was the bus' fault. I am glad I don't have a car and I would NEVER drive in this city. It is like the whole road system is some sort of grocery store parking lot and you can drive around where ever you want. I like the public transportation, the subway however is usually around 85 degrees so I usually don't shower if I know I am going to use it.
Tomorrow is the big Vikings game and we are trying to find a place to watch it. American Football is quite popular here and just today a bunch of guys were playing it in the park. I miss the fall, and now the rainy season is officially over. That means no rain ever and lots of strong sunlight. My Scandinavian skin really doesn't handle it all too well.
CAREER
I had coffee with a Minnesotan the other day who works for the US embassy here. I met her at the event at the residence and wanted to talk with her more about the foreign service. I asked a million questions and learned a lot about the process of getting into this service. I think this is a great long term goal for me. I have always wanted to work for the government and the life stories I learned from her made the job sound awesome. There are numerous sectors of the foreign service but a lot of work goes into applying.
I will have to start reading. You must take an exam before applying and there is a reading list of over 30 books. Many of the officers attend grad school so that could be in my future too. Not for a few years though. Apparently a lot of the foreign service officers are retiring so there are good opportunities. I will need to start learning some more languages though. After graduation I will try to find a job for a multinational corp. but a long term goal could be the foreign service. It will be quite a challenge though.
That is all for now. Enjoy October
To See Photos
entrada de Adam Gilbertson a las
16:06
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