Taking it as a Compliment

So I originally wanted to start off this post by saying that it wasn't the last. June and July have been spectacular months and a lot has happened but I’ve thought about it and yea, this is gonna be the last post. If I do find some time to update this blog I think it will be to address the goals that I listed in the beginning. I would love to chat with you about all that I’ve been up to through the medium of your choice but the next couple of weeks I’ll be in the swing of moving and starting my new job so I will just make sure I say the things that are left for me to say.

I feel like I’ve been thinking about this last post since I wrote the very first one. When I started this blog, I figured that if I did it the right way, I would be emotionally invested in it by the end and have a hard time wrapping it up. I guess I did it the right way. As I typed that last sentence, I got choked up. Maybe writing this at the airport is a terrible idea.

If you’ve read this far, I want to thank you for having taken the time to read this post and any others you may have had the chance to read. It has been a blast having this outlet to reflect on everything that came along with my life in Mexico and even more fun knowing that someone out there is interested in reading it. Since I launched Visa para un Sueño on July 28, 2011, it’s had 2, 235 page views. The most read blog post was the Festival of the Authentic Intrepid Danger Seekers and the most random place where someone has stumbled upon my blog is in Latvia (17 pageviews from there actually..kinda weird). 

I thought for the last few months that this post was going to be my final reflection about my time here, how I have changed as a person and what will be different in my life going forward, but I’ve realized that reflecting about this whole things is an ongoing process and that I simply don’t have a "final" reflection. I am different somehow. I’ll figure out how later.

Instead I’ll use this time to give my thanks and offer up something I realized recently, that to me, embodies a huge shift in my life.

Guanajuato with the gang

Our very last night together

To my BBers:

Bah, now I’m crying and this security guard is looking at me funny. We have all had our very personal and separate experiences here but I wanted to offer up my perspective of our time together. I suppose I won’t mention names but I do want to highlight just how big of an impact yall have had on my time here.

When I first landed in Mexico City, it was a Fulbrighter who picked me up from the airport. It was another that convinced me that I should put off apartment searching and go adventuring in Oaxaca my first weekend here. Fulbrighters taught me the magic of airline miles, what it means to love where you are from even if everyone else has something bad to say about it and how to keep your chin up in the face of whatever life throws at you.

When I walked into my apartment building after spending Christmas at home, I ran into a Fulbrighter on his way out for a run. I looked at him and knew that he could see the sadness in my eyes from the bottom of the stairs. I collapsed into his arms as soon as I was close enough to do so because after 30 minutes back in Mexico, I couldn't bear the thought of spending 7 more months here. We chingared a bottle of wine with another FB that night. He taught me the word chingared.

When I was going through that whole “hostility stage” Fulbrighters let me sleep in their beds so I wouldn't feel alone in the morning and on Valentines day, it was a Fulbrighter that cooked me a beautiful meal and provided a much needed Friends episode.

I was once wondering out loud how I was going to combine my interest in business and public policy (a new development from my time in Mexico) and a Fulbrighter suggested I quit selling myself short and get a master’s in both. I have made that my new goal for the future. 

I got mugged with a Fulbrighter and afterwards we sat there and cancelled our bank cards while one poured us cups of wine and cooked dinner and another dug around his stuff for an ipod I could borrow for my very first race the next morning. I ran that race with another Fulbrighter.

I’ll go on in list form. Experiences I shared with members of my FB fam:

-Skydiving in Mexico

-Political ranting at FMCN

-Nudist Beach rave in Zipolite

-Carnaval in Veracruz

-Whale Watching in La Paz

-Jumping into Sink holes (cenotes) in Merida

-Crashing rental cars

-Using Sharpie borrowed from a Starbucks barista to fill in scratches from said crash

-Crazy Viking Challenge Race

The first obstacle race in Mexico. 8.5 kms of slippin' around like a dork..I mean, like a Viking. 

Fulbright Prom

-Bike Riding down Reforma

-Mezcal Thursdays

-Monarch Reserves in Valle de Bravo

-Lucha Libre

-Visits to Plaza de Tecnologia for whatever assortment of stolen goods needed

-Gay Pride parade in Mexico DF

-Salsa classes at COMEXUS

-Pura Salsa Concert

-Terrifying horseback riding

-Eating grasshoppers in Oaxaca

-Missing buses like a pro in Oaxaca

-Rooftop BBQ’s and brunches

-Christmas tree decorating

-Thanksgiving Dinner (gonna try to get that cranberry sauce concoction introduced into the Villamizar household this year)

-My first protest

-  Las Costillas Tacos, Gringas at Cueva de Leon, Empanadas cart, Pata Negra

-  Hooters, Chili’s, IHOP

Yes, it’s been amazing. Still, to end off with my BB lovin', I’d like to recount this thing that happened on June 2nd that I haven't shared with anyone.

After a day of celebrating the LGBT community in Mexico DF, we decided to round out the weekend by heading to this gay club that is only rivaled by the hip-hop club in Mexico City in it’s provision of epic nights. Anywho, at about 4 or 5 am we were still going strong and the DJ decided to take a foray into uncharted club territory (for me anyway). The man started playing songs from...Grease. As I was dancing like a lunatic and belting You’re the one that I want at the top of my lungs, I looked around me and stopped. At that very moment, I realized that I felt nothing other than pure, unadulterated happiness. I looked at every person that was there with me and thought of the things we had lived together and the things that were waiting for us in our futures apart and I was happy for me but more importantly, I was happy for them. Then we went to IHOP.

I would say the excitement and emotion I felt at that moment was comparable only to how I felt when I won my 1st grade spelling bee, got my scholarship letter for college or of course, when I got the Fulbright letter. Yea that’s right, 1st grade spelling bee champ in the house.

These people have seen me at my most vulnerable, at my lowest of lows and my highest of highs. For that I cannot thank the Fulbright Binational Business Class of 2011-2012 enough. Yall, it has been an honor and a true pleasure.

For the friends in the states that have sent packages and postcards, email updates, words of encouragement and demanded that I stick to our scheduled skype dates, I am beyond thankful. 

To my family: It is an understatement to say that I owe everything to you. I know having your daughter/sister lose her mind and run off to Mexico was less than ideal but when I needed yall, it was always no questions asked. The most repeated advice I got from yall this year was “lo que esta para ti, nadie te lo quita”. No one can take away what is meant for you. With that I had a daily reminder to quit lamenting things I had lost or didn't have and was able to appreciate the incredible gift of simply being alive.

To Mexico City: My jaded lover. I regret nothing that happened between us. I wish you and your people nothing but the very best. I will be with you again soon and I can’t wait.

I am on the plane now heading to Dallas and should be in Nashville in a few hours. I think I’m done with the tears now cause I’ve just been smiling like a weirdo for about an hour. I suppose I’ve moved on to the point of “don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened”. Before I sign out though I want to tell you about that realization I had.

I went back and read the “Where are you FROM?” post and thought of everything that has happened since then and how I got some kind of twisted pleasure from getting that question this year. I thought about the years I spent in middle and high school trying to explain that I wasn’t Mexican and how offended I used to get. I thought about how ironic it is that my life has brought me here and what this meant for me moving forward  and I realized something. I realized that if today someone asked me if I was Mexican, I would still pause, shake my head and say no. But if I got that question today I would also smile. Today I would smile because today:

I would take it as a compliment.

Thank you for reading Visa Para un Sueño. You have no idea what it means to me.

So much love.

~Cyn 

The Countdown

Here I am, 2 weeks away from moving back to the U.S, and, while I still have some major reflecting to do, I want to make sure I share everything shooting through my brain right now.  I'd like to just say this though:  I'm so happy right now, it's annoying. So here we go...

I'll miss:

• Kissing hello- I used to loathe the whole "spend 30 minutes kissing everyone in the office good morning" thing, but now handshakes just feel so awkward and impersonal. 
• Local food and the compulsive eating that I write off as a "cultural experience".
• Eating soup- I think soup is considered a non-meal in the States (see Seinfeld soup scene). In Mexico however, it's perfectly acceptable to say, "TODAY, I'll have some soup!". I like that.
• Feeling like a cool American- People here call me a "gringa" and it's kinda grown on me! Now that I'm moving back to the States, I'm back to my status as a Latina and my gringa card will be stripped away. Damn it. 
• Mexican Doritos-They kick American Dorito's cheesy ass. I think there's more cheese powder involved..

While I contend that Mexican Doritos reign supreme, I hear this is something we're doing in the U.S now. 
I'm amused. But mostly just proud.  

• The word fatal- Do you understand how awesome it is to say that something is fatal? "I feel FATAL." "This tamale is FATAL." "That outfit is FATAL." I love the angst. I love the drama.  
• The word empalagar-Answer me this: Have you ever heard of the word cloy? The concept of eating "too much sweetness". I haven't ever had that happen. How can you have TOO much? I love discussing this word with Mexicans who sometimes use it after eating like, 2 cookies...

I won't miss:

• Poverty- I actually don't know if it's is a good thing that I won't be faced with this on a daily basis moving forward. In Mexico, when you're eating, walking, at a bar, or even in your car, you can expect that at least 3 people will implore your help. The truly devastating thing is how  frequently these come from little kids or elderly women. It's so constant, you couldn't possibly give money to everyone that asks. When my parents were here for a week, they spend about $50 in handouts alone. It's hard to see it every day and I'm glad I won't have to anymore, but I hope I don't lose a grip on these issues when I get back to the States. 
• The Metrobus- You already know 
• Water deprivation-  Having to pay for water at restaurants, having to buy a huge jug every week, knowing the city cuts it off during long holidays. It's just a stupid problem to have.
• Pollution
• Gas availability
• Not being able to throw toilet paper in the toilet- You understand. 

I'm excited for:

• Hip hop everything. 
• Seeing people of more racial backgrounds. 
• A job at Google and life in San Francisco
• Greek Yogurt- I missed this so much, I learned how to make my own.
• Sunchips, sweet potato fries, mac and cheese, Costco sheet cake, must I go on? 
• Running- I started my fitness journey by running my first 5K while in Mexico and am excited to see what's in store once I live in the U.S again. 
• Taking risks in America- The last time I lived there, I was in college and only took strategic and safe steps. That's all well and good but I think I've grown up and learned to just let myself be happy. If you just let it, life will treat you well. 

My current anthem: 

I love this city

I was out with some friends of Fulbrighters visiting from the States yesterday and as we toured Castillo de Chapultepec, I sighed and just took a moment to recognize how much I love this city. This video does a pretty good job of showing why (the party beat doesn't hurt). 5.5 weeks left. meep. 

Props to Joe for finding it 

Mexico in May

May in Mexico was really quite the amazing month. As I sit here and look back on it I want to start by just saying thank you. Thank you to all the people who spent it with me. Let's make our last month here magnificent. And thank you to my all friends in the states that gchat/fbchat with me. I can't wait to see you.

I want to make this post more picture oriented but before I make it more about the fun things I'll quickly mention that I did get mugged at the end of April and that I am thankfully not as jumpy as I have been the past few weeks. That jerk mugged me and fellow Fulbrighter, Claudia, on the way to a work dinner at 8:30 about .5 blocks from my apartment. He stole my iphone, camera, keys, credit/debit cards, school ID, Mexican ID among other things. I stopped running outside for a few weeks  after that but I went for a run Sunday morning and even though I stared down every human/dog/plant that got too close, I think I'm going to head back out there permanently for my runs.  Quick and hilarious song to celebrate that: 

Can't nobody hold me down, oh no, I got to keep on mooooovin' 

Anywho, here we go: 

We (me and the lovely Sarah Hartzog) ran our first 5k in late April (the morning after the mugging to be exact). It was a blast because it was a Dia del Niño race so families came out with their kids and we get to cross if off the 2012 resolutions list. The training continues for our Reto Vikingo (Warrior Dash) in June.

This good ole group here headed to Puerto Vallarta for an amazing weekend to celebrate Victor's 24th birthday. Got some good beach time, pool partying and dancing in :) 

This month has also just happened to be spectacular on the foodie development front. Here is a ceviche sampler that we had at the beach in PV 

The week after Puerto Vallarta I had the workshop for FMCN in Valle de Bravo at this SPECTACULAR Spa/Resort type place called Rodavento complete with lake, cabins, pool and outstanding food.

While at the integration workshop a group of 18 of us decided to go into a Temazcal. It is essentially an indigenous sauna that is supposed to resemble a mother's womb and where you go release your toxins/impurities.  To do this, first there is the sweating part but then you go around one by one and talk about the things you want to leave in the past, the things you want life to bring you and those around you, the things you are thankful for etc. I actually got pretty choked up during this..

I have a new roommate! His name is Victor and is from Brazil but then moved to New York and now is at UPenn while his family lives in Miami. Laura, Victor, Me. Argentina-Brazil-Nashville. Such an international group ;) 

The Fulbright group at Kris's Bon Voyage. This is the house where I first lived when I got to DF and I'm more than thankful we had the chance to live there and weren't roaming the streets homeless. 

Joe and I headed to Cuernavaca to have lunch with a chef he met on his flight to Germany last month! Words cannot explain how delicious this meal was and how beautiful Cuernavaca (the land of eternal Spring) is. 

I knooow. I'm super artsy. I took this only because Joe pointed out how long it had been since we'd frolicked in real grass. This was post our romping around the yard like kids. 

Joe chatting with Ms. Anita. She has had a very interesting life becoming an outstanding chef and opening restaurants in Switzerland after having been married to a top executive at MGM Studios in the 70's. She's met the Beatles and tons of other famous people so she had several great stories. 

As I said, May was an incredible food month with the Puerto Vallarta trip and the trip to Ms. Anita's house. But it was also great in terms of meals in DF both in and out of work. 

I am particularly proud of this thingy I whipped up. It's a pita pizza with hummus, broccoli, tomato, avocado, mushrooms and feta cheese :)

Sunday afternoon brunch with the boys on the rooftop 

My happiness depends heavily on food intake..its a problem

Later, we went to a World Culture Fair where we ate nutella brownies, Indian wraps, cherry pie, plantains and pupusas:

Alright FINE. I didn't take this picture but I wanted to adequately portray the delightful things I ate at this fair. This was a cherry strudel pie from the Germany booth. 

The El Salvador booth's menu

Making our Pupusas 

I ended up working that USA booth at the World Fair the weekend afterwards and passed out American flags. The Mexicans LOVED them. I've never passed out a more popular item in my life. It was kinda exciting yet terrifying. Like if they were passing out Canadian flags anywhere in the states, would you take one

                                             

I post this because I went to a Pura Salsa concert where I got to see this guy and Oscar D'Leon live. I was quite the happy camper. Afterwards, I went to my first Mexican gay club with a couple of the FBs and it was a BLAST. This weekend coming up is the Pride Parade here in DF so more updates on my adventures to come!

Some other cool things I got to do this month include: 

• Celebrating Cinco de Mayo gringo style in Mexico. We went to Chili's and were aghast at the lack of food/drink specials. 
• Going to a circus show to watch a fellow co-worker do her Spanish web act. 
• My first protest! There were 10,000 Mexican youth demanding transparency from all media outlets during this years presidential election. It was covered in the Wall Street Journal.
• A rooftop BBQ to celebrate Labor Day in Mexico
• Taking a test 

And to end off the month May, a midterm in Macro...mmmm

Soundtrack of my life these days: 

                                               

This song just makes me happy and this month was just that. So happy.

On Making Lemonade

So as I head into the countdown phase of my time here in Mexico, I am deep in the throws of my reflection stage and both loving and hating it. I am starting to remember all the things I love and will miss about being here and getting re-frustrated with the reasons why I simply couldn't stay any longer. I want to take this blog post to tell about my job at the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN), to reflect on my time at work and explain how some of the issues I've had there transcend into life in Mexico overall. This will be the reflection piece where I comment on the bad  things about Mexico so that I can get it out of my system, accept it for what it is, and relish the spectacular things about my life here in the remaining posts. Some of my observations will seem overly critical but they are honest and as a result of my on-going reflecting have all been turned into positives and constructive life lessons.

I. My job and lessons learned

If you go back to post 1 of this blog I listed the following as one of my goals for my time in Mexico:

•  Explore the inner workings of a non-profit that advocates for nature conservation in a country that has bigger problems (or maybe they're interconnected? I'll find out!)

My work here is based primarily on fundraising for FMCN's  initiative to conserve the Golden Eagle; the bird on their flag and a national symbol (like the American Bald Eagle). This initiative is based on 5 pillars that range from finding corporate sponsors, to crowdfunding and creating a separate fund specifically for the Golden Eagle. I write concept notes for potential partners, I am working on creating a stronger media presence, launching a Global Giving page  and have spent a couple of weeks working with the MAR Fund in whatever capacity they need. Translating, editing and writing random things in English are also part of my responsibilities.

*Before I get to the reflecting, I want to say that I love my co-workers and the work that the organization aims to do so that I don't sound like some crazed hater.*

The Golden Eagle is the most common National Animal  in the world 

I would say that unfortunately I have been a little bit disappointed in terms of my role as a grantee at FMCN but that overall I have learned a lot about how difficult environmental work is and how the inefficiencies that sometimes plague non-profits can ultimately be a debilitating detriment to substantial progress. What I learned about myself in this whole process is that although I like the idea of working at a non-profit, I'm a little more "corporate" than I thought. I like the structure, the expectation that you are working efficiently, the consistent feedback between manager and employee, the opportunities for growth, and the separation between the personal and professional. Granted, some of these issues are likely skewed because of Mexican culture. I'll comment on that later on in this post.

I also found out that the environment is desperate for help and that its conservation has direct social implications. Women that burn firewood to cook are killing trees but also inhaling an average of 15 cigarettes a day, the economies of fishing communities rely on the existence of certain species that are being over fished and will eventually become extinct, and species, like the Golden Eagle, are dying off partially because their habitat continues to be destroyed by livestock farmers that don't practice sustainable farming. I will never forget the direct link between the environment and people and I would actually truly enjoy working on initiatives that worked to help both.

I realized however that it really does take a passion for the work you're doing to be completely happy and that I just have a much deeper passion for social issues that arise from a lack of education, economic stability, government assistance or infrastructure. 

A great video that shows the direct link between the environment and people

II. On frustrations and making lemonade

Last week, we had a integration workshop for the entire office in Valle de Bravo. I'm going to use some of what happened at this workshop to exemplify some of my difficulties with working in Mexico.  These issues transcend into life in general here so I'll comment on that and then finally explain how all these "bad" things have really helped me out.

So we had this workshop that was supposed to help acquaint everyone and allow for all employees to not only learn of other's roles within Fondo but also to figure out some of the issues that face the organization and how personal development could help solve these. I am not exactly the biggest fans of development workshops simply because after having sat through many of them I feel that they fail at helping individuals work together more effectively.

It doesn't help to know that you are an ENTJ, that you would be a monkey in the animal kingdom, that 1 of your 5 strengths is "adaptability" or that in a word cloud of words that describe you the biggest one is "practical" if you are not going to take advantage of the lessons provided by these self-help surveys and integrate them into your lifestyle and your work with others.

 I only highlight that sentence because I like it. Yes, I do think I'm clever. Sorry for the irrelevant aside.

Anywho, at this workshop we learned that based on a survey of all FMCN employees, the biggest issues the organization faced were:

• Structures and Procedures
• Conflict Management

The survey also showed that employees believed that their motivation to be productive was low, the level of clarity about their role was low and their desire to be working at Fondo in the long term was low. I believe that this stems from the way that the organization is set up. Fondo has one general director ("CEO") without whom the organization would collapse and leave the conservation of nature to the wind. He is 58 so it would make sense that at some point, a leadership training program would be implemented to ensure that in case he wants to retire (or you know, on the off chance that he get run over by a semi truck), the conserving continues. But no. They'll just take their chances I guess.  Anywho, having only one "main boss" means that there is no opportunity for promotion or leadership development and since there is little clarity within roles, people get really good at doing a multitude of random things within a region (forests, wildlife reserves, reefs, oceans) and then leave. 

Based on my calculations 25% of the people at this workshop were new and had not been at last year's workshop. It probably doesn't need to be said but I'm gonna say it anyway: that is simply a ludicrous turnover rate. 

Having all of this information presented to us was helpful because I could finally see that my frustrations were not isolated and unwarranted. I have had very little clarity about  the objectives of my work, how to measure progress and little organizational support and mentorship. If I had been sent the survey (which I wasn't and displays the 'structures and procedures' problem employees mentioned), I would have to agree with all the things that were highlighted as issues.

Just a picture I stole from FB to show that I'm all smiles still :) 

On a more interpersonal level, one of the things that I have struggled with both at work and out is the inability for many Mexicans to just shoot it straight . Mexicans do not like to say "no" or anything that they believe you won't want to hear and although you may think this is a nice way of sparing feelings, it is actually one of the main reasons I believe working and living here is so inefficient. 

For example, in packing for this workshop, the instructions we received were:

                  "Bring clothes you can get wet because you might get wet"

Okay. Cool. Any rational human would think okay, well you probably mean flip-flops, maybe shorts or something because we're gonna be playing with water guns or water balloons or maybe canoeing. The assignment upon arrival was to build a makeshift boat out of rope, 4 sticks and 4 inner-tubes and to float your group of about 12 across the lake in turns. WHAT IN THE #!$?@*.

 If you know me, you probably already know the face I made when I saw that. You MIGHT get wet? Of, effing, course you're going to get wet! And that right there is exactly what I mean. There was a slight fear that people wouldn't like hearing that they were going to get soaked so instead we were told that the chance of us getting wet was minimal even though in reality it was near certain. It was clearly not a big deal and ended up being a blast but the point is basically that I am excited to go back to people who just say what they mean and mean what they say. I am an adult. You are an adult. Let's cut the crap. 

This cutting the crap thing is also applicable to asking for feedback and constructive criticism. Those concepts here are virtually non-existent. I am beyond ecstatic to get some on a consistent basis starting soon.

Our raft was even jankier than this

As I said, this inefficiency is clear at work but can truly be seen in essentially every transaction in Mexico. Most recently this became evident when I got mugged and despite the cop's advice, didn't file a report simply because I knew that I  would never see my stuff again regardless. In the bag I got stolen, I had my official Mexican ID. It's been 3 weeks since the mugging and we still haven't even gotten close to getting a new one because there is a ridiculous, bureaucratic and undeniably ineffective system to get a new one that I am sure will conclude the day before I leave Mexico. 


I've mentioned a few of these inefficiencies in posts before. We've got the unbearable crowding on the MetroBus, the lack of potable water, the fact that you run out of gas at the most inopportune time every 1.5 months and then have to practically beg a gas company to come fill it up ASAP, the preference businesses have for cash payments, the inability to get change when you pay with said cash, the lack of Greek yogurt etc. Yes, I said it. Mexicans LOVE yogurt. There are 30 brands of yogurt at the supermarket. No Greek yogurt. #vandygirlproblems

Now to the good stuff:
Lemonada 1. 

One of the interesting things I kept hearing during the workshop was how much "passion" influenced the chaos and the under-developed ideas tossed around at FMCN. I got to thinking about the role that passion plays in an organization where there is a deep commitment to the work being done. I decided that to promote environmental conservation or social change or any other good thing in the world, passion is necessary. Passion however, does NOT excuse inefficiency since in order to implement effective, sustainable and financially sound initiatives it is fundamental that a lot of time and effort be put into the research, analysis, development and implementation of these ideas. You can walk into any kindergarten class and get 100 ideas on how to save the world. It takes more than passion to actually do it. 

It is a lesson learned the hard way but that will never be forgotten. 

Lemonada 2. 
I realized that learning what you like is as important as learning what you don't like and that seeing the inefficiencies and opportunities for growth at Fondo will eventually be as helpful as seeing how a well-structured company operates. 


Lemonada 3 
It is essential that if things out of your control are inefficient, that you are not. I have learned that in the real world, your life is not scheduled out into classes and extra-curricular activities the way it was in college so it is even more important to be as productive as possible with the time available. I've been watching Ted Talks, Kahn Academy lessons and documentaries, reading, training for a warrior dash, studying for my Macro-economics class, traveling, reflecting, learning to cook, blogging etc.

Living in Mexico has its problems but Life is good. Sound track time: 

Life Update

So it's been a while since I've updated with what I've been up to. Finally back to loving Mexico but definitely excited to get back to the States as well. I have about 11 weeks left of work/school and 13 weeks till I head back. One of these days I swear I'll post about what I've been learning at ITAM and how work is going. It's why I came to Mexico but somehow always falls to the wayside when I'm blogging.

Back when I was going through my hostility stage (see post), I talked about a couple of the things that I thought were going to help in overcoming it.  Here is an update on a few of those things and a list of the trips/activities I think will keep me going in the weeks to come.

Things I've been up to:
With Work: 

• Went to a sustainable rural village
• Started working with MAR Fund and taking on more responsibility with fundraising campaigns 

This project funded by FMCN (where I work) is called Sustainable Rural Life and provides rural communities with eco-technologies (dry bathrooms, hot pots, solar panels etc) to allow families to live off of their resources and preserve the environment. 

In life: 

• Finished reading the Hunger Games and now on to the 2nd book of the Millenium series
• Started taking a Salsa class 
• Filed my taxes as an independent for the first time (this is exciting I swear) 
• Enjoyed time with my roommate (who had just moved in when I posted last) 
• Finished my blasted accounting course  

The roomie. Laura Bufi from Buenos Aires :)

With my travels: 

• Went Whale watching and played on sand dunes in La Paz 

 My new nickname among several FBs is Sand Dunes cause um..after this, I had a lot of sand in my pants and kinda made my own little sand dune in the baño. That sounds so gross...

My parents came and we:

• Visited San Miguel de Allende and Guanuajuato
• Got a massage from a blind man
• Went to Teotihuacan
• Went to Estadio Azteca and Basilica de Guadalupe covering the religious bases- God and Soccer 

Teotihuacan with the parentals 

Estadio Azteca is the largest stadium in Latin America and 5th largest in the world. 

• Went to see Kathleen Russell, (a friend from Vandy, fellow ASBer and overall baller at life)  in Queretaro
• Took a trip to Zipolite and Puerto Escondido during Semana Santa and had the following adventures: 
• Went to a turtle reserve 
• Stayed on a nudist beach (my friend went totally nude for the 1st time and LOVED it) 
• Went to a full moon rave on said nudist beach 
• Got an orthopedic massage under palm trees
• Got a braid woven into my hair thereby passing as a cool hippie all weekend
• Witnessed my very first bar fight-TERRIFYING

Zipolite is a nudist beach 

Proof that I was not naked on nudist beach

At my first rave 

Watching the Sun set in Puerto Escondido 

Prom Picture of FB's out to celebrate my 23rd

Things to look forward to:

• Joint birthday party with my friend Lulu
• Running a 5k! It's my first organized race and I'm really excited about it because I can now cross one thing off my 2012 resolutions list.
• Learning a lot in my Macroeconomics course 
• A trip to Puerto Vallarta in May 
• Launching the Aguila Real project on Global Giving 
• Spending July 4th in Cancun with all my fellow gringo tourists 

So things are going well for the most part. Still kinda missing friends from college and just having the stability that I was used to but I know that this year will be a good platform for me to head to Google and start over. It is unlikely that life in San Francisco will be as unstable as life in DF but I am sure it will come along with its own challenges and I will be ready to face 'em.

I walked to work the other day and started thinking about leaving Mexico and actually started tearing up. Getting choked up has become a new part of my being. I tend to tear up much more than I ever have in my entire life since I feel living here has these unbelievable highs followed by debilitating lows and since there is no legitimate explanation, I tend to have emotional as opposed to logical reactions. Still, I flippin' love Mexico. I think based on this post, you can probably see why.  Alright, soundtrack to my life:

                                                                     

#MexicoProblems

Water is such a basic service available to Americans, it seems ludicrous that you have to pay for water everywhere you go in Mexico. As in, if you want to use the bathroom or wash your hands outside of your home, it'll be about 20 cents. If you order a glass of water at a restaurant, they'll bring you a bottle and charge you. Looking for a drink of water at home? You'll find yourself buying one of these and paying for someone to lug it over: 

Our water man sells us a 20 liter jug for about 3 bucks and comes on Wednesdays 

Indeed, the water bottle industry in Mexico is booming. That is why I am convinced that even if there was a way for the Mexican government to fix the water scarcity issue, they still wouldn't. The water bottle industry would collapse. And while perhaps that isn't as important as the fall of the financial sector or the car industry, I can't help but feel that someone somewhere is lobbying hardcore against the installation of effective water systems. 

I have 11 weeks left in Mexico and I don't know much about my upcoming life in the States, but I can tell you this: I will never ever buy one of those Brita filter contraptions again. I was always a huge tap-water fan in the U.S but even more so now. It's free! It's clean! And in some places, they even add minerals for your teeth and bones! Oy Vey! You don't know how good you have it until you have to pay for water at a restaurant, or have to buy a tank of water when the city decides to shut it off for "conservation purposes", or until you can't open your mouth in the shower (see clip from Sex and the City: The Movie). 

The irony of Mexico City laying atop a lake bed only makes the weekly effort to secure hydration that much more comical. Yea, that's right. Mexico City is on a lake.  

In Mexico City, the over-exploitation of natural water sources and the small capacity of filtration systems has caused a permanent scarcity issue marred by a lack of potable water, conflicts with the neighboring communities that export water to Mexico City, and terrible flooding in the rainy season. Water supply has become a daily struggle for Mexican communities and while concerned authorities have recognized the problem, they have proven themselves incapable of proposing a viable solution.

In addition to the impact that water scarcity has on general public health, it is also a notable factor in the Mexican obsession with Coca-Cola. Mexico boasts the highest global sales of Coke alongside the highest rates of obesity in the world. In fact, as I wrote that sentence, I looked up and saw this in the ITAM study room. 

Yea, the only option is Coke...

For my Spanish speakers out there, here's a video that tells the story of how brilliant marketing strategies helped Coke take over Mexico. For the rest, an English video that gives a quick synopsis.

The water issue is just one of the things that defines the daily life in Mexico. I feel much better about this problem now that I've filled the jug in our apartment. Of course, I got in the shower this morning after a week out of town just to realize that we ran out of gas. #mexicoproblems.

Note: This piece was originally written in 2012, before we learned of equally deplorable water conditions right here in the U.S.  In 2015, I moved to New York and bought a Brita filter after turning on the sink in my new apartment, and finding a beige water supply. Guess this one turned out to be an #everywhereproblem.