To explain the title of this post, normally to ask what is happening you would ask "Que pasa?" but I recently have been saying "que pasta?" for fun. My host sister, Elly thinks that this phrase is absolutely infuriating. All the more reason to keep saying it. Que pasta?
I just wanted to rant about my weekend. Yesterday, we went to the market to buy Mexican shirts for a Mexican fiesta on Sunday. We walked around for a really long time and the market was completely packed because it was Saturday and also because of the upcoming Independence Day (the 16th if you didn't already know).
I found a shirt for 60 pesos (about 5 dollars) and it is awesome! I definitely need to buy a dress as well before I get home.
After the market, we picked up Sylvia (one of the other teachers) and went to the ranch. I'm starting to believe that it's a weekly tradition to party at the ranch. Don't misunderstand- when I say "party" what I really mean is that we go somewhere and they stuff you with food (at the ranch it's always elote- corn on the cob). Even when you're completely full and refuse everything that they offer you, there's always an old man who hands you more without asking. It's hard to refuse when the old men hand you food that they prepared themselves. Yesterday, we ate corn that was prepared in 3 different ways: in tortillas, in a soup, and corn on the cob. When we're not eating, we're talking. Wow! It seems like I'm such a Debbie Downer. I really love love the fiestas, but I have to have a few days after to recover and get hungry again. I love the closeness of families in Mexico. Everyone is so open to new people and so kind! And the food is delicious! When I was eating my food, I may or may not have found a pig's foot though.... I quickly tossed it to the ground for the dog to eat.
Later that night we went to the park and bought some souvineers and walked around for a while. We were getting hungry so we decided to try this Italian place near our house that my host family said was good. We went in and almost instantly, the chef came out and started talking to us in English! It turns out that he worked at a restaurant in California for a long time and was now serving the good people in Tehuacan. After debating over the menu for a while, he said that he could make us anything (Italian) that we wanted! He said that he had homemade pesto!!!! This automatically makes this the best restaurant ever because I absolutely love pesto! To make things better, the meal was reasonably priced (about 70 pesos). We told him that we would for sure be back soon and bring all of our American friends.
Today, I went to church and what an experience it was! I missed last week because I was sick and I have really been missing it! I now go to the same church and ward as the other girls and it was really nice. I liked listening to all of the talks even though I can only understand a little bit of it. For Sunday school we go to the new member's class because it's smaller and because the English speaking missionaries also go to that class. It was nice and I read a scripture in Spanish in front of everyone (really slowly I might add). But, it was a nice experience and it really got me more comfortable speaking Spanish in front of everyone.
Today at church, the other girls and I also signed up to go to the Oaxaca temple on the 22nd. The temple is about 4 hours away so it will be quite a journey for one day but I'm incredibly excited to go!
After church, I walked to my family's church (I mentioned that they were Born Again Christian's right?) because there was going to be a fiesta right after their church. It was sort of weird. There was one song that they sang that was really intense and I could have sworn that a mosh pit was just about to start. There was also a type of "testimony meeting", which was also interesting. It was a lot like ours (you go up on the stage and tell everyone that you believe in God) except there's a band backing you up. When your testimony gets more intense, they get louder. I wonder how people would react in an LDS church if music started playing in the background.
Most of the testimonies were talking about the importance of patriotism to Mexico because of the upcoming holiday. They talked a lot about how they knew that God was looking out for Mexico and how their country is blessed. I thought that it was a great topic considering what today was to the US. There are times where I'm not as patriotic as I should be to the beautiful United States of America. But, I do know that is being watched over and is a blessed and promised land. How thankful I am for those that serve it to keep us free. There are so many in the past and present that have risked their lives for all of us! Viva Los Estados Unidos!
Some other interesting things that happen at our house (that I've never experienced before because I grew up in an LDS household) is that when we say prayers before a meal, we usually hold hands. When my host parents ask me to say the prayer, I can hear them whispering prayers at the same time to themselves. It makes me feel sort of strange as if I'm interrupting their prayers somehow by saying one out loud for everyone...
My host parents are so sweet because whenever Danielle and I thank them for the food they say "No, thank God for the food. Thank you God!" I find that really nice because sometimes I think I forget to thank God for everything that I have- it's a good reminder. My host dad always says "God bless you girls". I think that's really nice.
Anyway, I went to a couple hours of their church and was contentedly sitting in the audience when all of the sudden I was grabbed from the audience and pulled onstage with Danielle and my family. I had NO IDEA what was going on because I was not listening to what everyone was saying beforehand. So as soon as we get up on the stage, the pastor comes to me with a microphone and asks me a question. Out of all of the times to not understand a question, up on stage is not the time. So, I loudly say in the microphone "Que? (what?)" My family quickly translates that they want me to say a greeting into the microphone in Spanish. Yeah, I thought that it was weird too. So, I say "Hola........Viva Mexico?" People thought it was the funniest thing ever. So, apparently the reason that we were pulled onstage is because we dressed up in Mexican attire and everyone with the best... costumes?.... would get a prize. So, I sort of looked dumb, but that's okay because people thought that I was great.
After a lot of classical Mexican dancing and singing, it was time for the food- which all looked so good! Everyone was pressuring me to eat (as always) so I picked the first thing I saw- soup. I was drinking some of juice and it was really good. I got to the meat and I ate some but the texture was... funny, so I decided not to eat any more. Later I found out that it was cow stomach. So there you go- the weirdest thing I've ever eaten was cow stomach. My life is complete.
After I was finished eating and everyone was visiting, I let myself back in the church and was playing guitar when the piano player came in and started talking to me. His name is Javier and he was really nice! We talked for a long time (and all in Spanish, thank you), and he COMPLIMENTED ME ON MY SPANISH!!! This made me so excited because I've never been complimented on that before! I am definitely a listener and only talk when I'm forced to. I understand a lot but I don't think my accent is very good. However, he said that it was good and that I could speak really well. Yeah!
Now I'm home and SOOOOO tired I can hardly keep my eyes open. For that reason I may postpone uploading pictures from the party, but I promise that will get done soon. I hope everyone is doing well- I've heard some great updates recently about people's lives. Keep them coming!
My host sister wrote this on my computer:
yo fui al rancho com mi familla y con silvia acomer elotea y juevamos a la cocheta y nos diver timos mucho
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