Getting Near the End Now...

We just returned from three days in Capula, a small town about 30 minutes outside of Morelia. This is the very town where Christine went with groups of kids in 2004 and 2005, and she stayed with the same family both times. So we went largely to visit them (see the photo). It was a truly fascinating experience, and we had a great time. Unlike our family in Nicaragua, who were relatively well to do, this family is quite poor. Capula is known for its ceramics (see the photos), and we did a bit of shopping. We also experienced our first Dia de los reyes, in which the family got together with these cake type things that had dolls baked into them. Each person in turn cut a piece of the cake (see the photos), and if you got a doll in yours, you were picked to cook dinner on February 2nd. Not sure why, that is just the way it was. We were fortunate that we didn´t get the doll in our piece of cake, as they were demanding that we either return to make tamales, or send them in the mail if we couldn´t make it.

We were feeling pretty cocky about our language skills before this night too. There were about 15 family members in this little room, all making jokes and talking to us at once. We counldn´t understand a thing. AFter three months of travelling and studying spanish it was a bit humbling. All you can do is sit back, put on your gringo face, and enjoy the ride.

Okay, enough from me. Christine says she wants to write as well, and claims that her writing will be superior. You be the judge...

Christine here, Not true that I think my writing will be superior only,... I was teasing Ian about his cake description. It is fabulous to be back in Morelia. It is even more lovely than when I last visited because the zocalo (Ian here...yep, see the photo. the one of the cathedral. that is morelia. Also, check here for a video of Christine providing a tour of Morelia´s center. I think i meant to put this one in the last blog and forgot. Here it is. ) is ringed in holiday light as are all of the colonial buildings surrounding the plaza. Finally, I have a stronger sense of the holidays with a nightly chill in the air where one simply wants to nestle into a chair with a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy the lights, music and the bundled couples strolling the plazas.

It was also really wonderful to introduce Ian to the families in Capula and particular the family I lived with during both visits there. Each time I am struck my their incredible generousity despite such poverty and it is in these moments where I feel strongly conflicted- a love for the ability to travel and guilt for my comparitive wealth. At times, I have felt so selfish for using money in such a self-indulgent way. Despite this lingering feeling, I also feel fortunate that people welcome us into their homes and are willing to open a small window into their world.
Being back in Capula made me miss my work with the Expedition Club students and if any of you are reading this please know I have been thinking of you, my fellow travelers, so much over the last several days. I visited with several of the families that hosted students and their faces light up when they talk about you.

That´s all for now.....


A quick note. Here is the third in the series of birthday messages, this one for my dear little nephew Silas. He will be four on the 12th. If you´ve kept up on this series you know that the last two were in spanish. this one is in english, though I hear that Silas is really taking to spanish quite nicely. Here it is. And yes, you can send him a special birthday message, via his ma, at rachel_joAThotmail.com