Flights, Festivals, Fantasmas...Bienvenidos Verano

It's been a week in Mexico. A week that I wasn't sure how it would end, that's for certain. It started out like many of my other Mexican journeys...say goodbye America and bienvenidos Mexico.

Saturday(5/15)The flight was quite an interesting one. I applaud Continental Express for supplying Spanish CDs with travel safety, announcements for pretzels and drinks, turbulence messages, and arrival information. However, our southern flight attendant relied heavily on that and couldn't serve half the flight and her gauge to determine Spanish speaking persons versus English speakers just wasn't on par today. Maybe she bordered the wrong flight, or left her handy Spanish conversation survival notebook at home. She also wasn't sure if some people's luggage was going to make it to Mexico. Her advice: "look for it when you get there." She meant well and definitely had them pearly whites smiling away from take-off to landing. Well, best of luck on her future international endeavors!

I arrived to the Leon/Guanajuato International Airport of 4 gates and we happened to be the only plane there during the middle of the hot Mexican Saturday. I made it through immigration and luckily did not leave my passport on the plane like I did the previous summer in Monterrey. I waited for my luggage, which was strategically placed on the bottom. I grabbed my bags last and went through customs with a push of button...Green Light right into México!

As I walked from international territory to the real thing I had a name on a piece of paper that led me to the van that led me to the city that led me to the house that Teresa built for Pablo. (the House that Jack built anyone?) I'll get to Teresa later on, but I just tried to insert the creative element.

I'm not going to lie that by the time I got here on Saturday it was about 2:30pm and all I wanted to do was crash for a bit after an intense, wild, fun, bittersweet semester. So I did what any Mexican would did and had a siesta till about 5:00pm and then was ready to venture out to my home for the next 2 months. San Miguel de Allende.

Now the home that I'm staying at his owned by Pablo Marvin who is a former student of Texas A&M and the gentleman whom I am working with over the summer with the Texas A&M center. He would not arrive until Monday night so I had several days to myself here in Mexico. The street that he lives on is about 5-6 blocks from the main city's plaza. I walked down the street and around the corner to the main plaza. Here is the main Parroquia, which could easily pass as the historic and Catholic Disneyland Church of Mexico.

I grabbed some dinner from a little restaurant off the main square and I went with Pasta. Strange yes? But I know I'll get my Mexican food fix for the summer. I then strolled through the city plaza for a bit where I was surrounded my mariachi bands, grandparents updating each on the latest gossip, jovenes-teenagers chasing each other around and texting everyone on the latest break-ups and get-togethers, and the little kids pulling the toy turtle with wheels they just bought from a vendor.

As the bells of the Parroquia began to strike 10pm I started walking back towards my house for the night and came across a massive concert and party full of people masked and dressed up with all sorts of costumes. I stayed and watched for a bit. Found out later the entire month of May has celebrations dedicated to keeping out the "fantasmas" y "espíritus" from San Miguel de Allende. With San Miguel being an ancient city, its known for being "haunted" so the people celebrate in order to provide safety and protection while keeping the peace. All in all, its a reason to dance, sing, eat, and have fireworks AT ALL TIMES OF THE DAY/NIGHT during the weekend.

Sunday(5/16)-The highlight from Sunday comes on Sunday night when I'm walking through town and a parade of the people dressed up in masks comes through the street. A lady who is dressed and masked to look like an extremely old woman pulls me into the parade to dance for a couple of blocks. Me, having no shame, decided why not. Wasn't expecting this one but it was definitely a site to see.

Monday(5/17)-On Monday night, Pablo arrived along with Brent Lanier & Ryan Gunter. Brent and Ryan are from the Corps of Cadets and Pablo invited them down for a few days to get the Corps perspective and begin seeking out opportunities for them. We would start going out and talking about the center, San Miguel, and the opportunities on Tuesday.