10/10/08.10/17/08 Finishing up in Colola the first time around

The project in Colola ended on Monday. The second time around in Colola had me falling quickly and madly in love with this precious pueblo. I didn't realize the extent to which I had been affected by the culture shock of living in the wilderness in rural Mexico. Considering my limited access to technology and the malfunction of my computer, I will be posting memories in reserve, starting from the end of the first volunteer project on the Turtle Preservation. The first project finished October 10, providing me with one week of reprieve between projects. I returned to Morelia for the comforts of running water and electricity and the company of my newly acquired family in Mexico, the other volunteers I have met along the way.

I returned to the volunteer house to find that the other volunteers took a weekend trip to Guanajato. A bit more time alone allowed me the chance to process the experience in Colola and how to improve the situation the next time around. The first thing I did in Morelia was go to the laundry mat, I have never been so happy to wash my clothes. Apparently, I can't get enough of the beach because I brought half of it back with me and deposited it in the washing machine. Luckily they were sweet and understanding folks. I slept for 14 hours pretty much straight. After three weeks of work 10pm to 3/4am, walking at least 6 miles per day and trying to appease the needs of the volunteers and the community, I was more that worn out. Morelia treated me well and sent me on my way to Ciudad Hildalgo to visit two friends Simon and Daniel.

Simon is from Denmark and Daniel is from Poland. Both are in Mexico for three months teaching English at the statewide network of High Schools called Cesytem. Ciudad Hildago is a beautiful city just East of Morelia, situated high in the mountains. The mornings are very chilly and the days warm up into seemingly beautiful autumn days. My experience with them gave me the chance to be apart of the daily functioning of Mexican families in Michoacan. They spend a lot of time with a family that runs a Pastelaria... yes, it is a bakery that serves mainly Tres Leches cake. Gabby and Pepe have had this bakery in their family for 28 years and the entire family works there in some capacity. My dreams of working in a bakery came true in these few days as I was given the opportunity work in the bakery, learned to twist the pastry bag just so, make yummy cakes and was even handed down a secret recipe for a delicious cream filled pastry. Delivery me from heaven, they were so good. Right around this time, my camera stopped working. I will try to recover some photos and post them.


Even more, Simon and Daniel are very close this their students. They have dinner at a different students house everyday. The families seem more than excited to invite them and always make a beautiful meal in gratitude for their service to the community. I joined them at the house of Elisia, who is a smart, feisty and friendly 16 year old, who is the youngest of 13 children. Her mother made an amazing meal of chicken mole with rice, tortillas and steamed corn. In spite of my worries about the chocolate in the mole, I successfully devoured this grand meal without incident.... allergies smallergies......We finished the day playing cards, laughing at our various language barriers and prepared for Las Azufres.

Ciudad Hildago is near by a national park call Las Azufres that has a serious of natural hotsprings running through it. Natural pools and baths have been built around the hotspring and are open almost all night. My first realy break in Mexico took place here. Gabby took Simon, Daniel, myself, and her 7 year old son to Las Azufres for a night a swimming and relaxing under the stars. In the hotspring baths, there are small coves where you can reach in and remove a bit of mineral mud and give yourself a natural facial while sipping on brandy and bathing under the sparking light of the stars. What a beautiful break.