It's either this or bed...

...and I don't really feel like going to bed.

Way-ul. Let's see...what happened yesterday? Ah--more classes, all went well. The Contemporary Latin American Lit one was good because the professor said we could read stuff and write essays in our native tongue if we so desire. Then the Culture and Thought in Mexico was amazing because the professor is just fabulous. Probably the best part was finding out that we're going to go on a couple trips, but the only one I remember is to Michoacan for the Day of the Dead. Michoacan is the state to the south of Jalisco, and I think they have more indigenous people and therefore cooler celebrations. Then there was "Poverty and Development in Mexico," but the professor decided he would rather teach the class on immigration from Mexico to the United States. That screwed some kids over, but I was fine with it. Until I found out that by coming to class every single day, reading for every single day, and doing some field work shenanigans with migrants, you get a 70. The only way to raise that grade is to get crap published in newspapers or something. No thank you. So now I'm hoping USC will tell me that they'll give me credit for my no-credit dance class. A ver...

Anyways, I just came home from school and layed around a bunch. Though bus rides still make me nervous (When should I get off?), the rides, walks home, and being the first one home are excellent. Alone time is a hot commodity. Then Eva came home and we layed around and facebooked. Some things never change. During said facebooking, Nacho's friend Edgar invited us to an antro (bar/club). So after much debate, we decided to go.

Oh! So the debate was because we have another roommate! Zabel forgot to mention this or something, but I found out yesterday around 1 that a Japanese girl would be coming that night and staying for four weeks. Her name is Mizouki (sp?) and she's lovely, but doesn't speak much Spanish or English. I think because we originally thought she spoke more Spanish, Eva and I have been speaking in Spanish around her. After even just a few hours of puro espanol, it's weird to have to flip my English switch on to write this. But it's really neat that brains can get so used to something after such a short period of time. My friends in the international program and I decided we would just speak Spanish starting October 1. We'll see if that actually happens...

Anyways, we decided Mizouki would probably want to go to bed, so we stayed home to greet her and then went to our first antro! It's called Wall Street, yet it's beach themed and yesterday was Mardi Gras night, which just involved the distribution of beads at the door and like an hour of Brazilian music. The place is generally known for having lots of international kids, but Edgar took us and we met up with some of his friends later. It was so exciting actually being with Mexican kids. Only after I got there did I remember that I hate dancing, but I was accompanied by some other bad dancers, so it wasn't so bad. The scandalous part of the night for me was that we stayed out till 3:30 (again, took a taxi back) and had to leave the house at 8 this morning for visa stuff. Whoops. I guess a good thing is that I never drive here, so driving drowsy isn't an issue...haha.

Fun tidbit: perhaps the most awkward thing about last night was that you're supposed to tip the lady in the bathroom who gives you a paper towel when you're done washing your hands, but I never had my money with me. This happened in the Nicaragua airport too-- equally awkward.

Anyways, we were in the visa place from 9 to 2, with a break for lunch (a glorious 60 cent quesadilla and coca in a glass bottle!) and running around to get pictures taken, ridiculous forms filled out with a typewriter, and copies made of every single page of our passport and visa. It still wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I have to go back next Friday, hopefully before class, and then I think it will all be done! It kind of stinks, but I'd like to not be deported (oh, the irony).

After we finished with visa stuff, a couple other girls and I walked alllll around Guadalajara going in various bookstores trying to find textbooks. My challenge was finding an English copy of 100 Years of Solitude...no luck yet.

I came home wiped out and, uh, haven't really done anything productive since. Zabel, Eva, Mizouki and I hung out for a little bit, which was especially fun because it seems like lately we haven't been home much at the same time as Zabel. Ooh, she did mention that we have to go to Tlaquepaque soon, which is east of Guadalajara but still considered part of the GDL metropolitan area or something like that. Apparently it's really cute and famous for it's artesian-type things. And it is super fun to say: tlack-long a-pack-long a...mmm, I could totally be a linguist. But this Friday, Tec is renting out Wall Street, so we won't be very functional Saturday, next weekend is a trip to Puerto Vallarta, then the next weekend is my bday!!!, well, the following Monday is. I have no idea what we will do. Zabel said we could invite friends to the house for dinner or other shenanigans, and then we could all get ready together and go...somewhere fun. Maybe an antro, or if we're antro-ed out, the center of Zapopan. The following weekend would be Tlaquepaque, then D.F. for Independence day...eek! I wonder when homework will get done... But I'm really excited that my time here won't all be spent laying around my house. :)

Katie, I don't know if've you been reading this, but shoutout time! Tomorrow she's leaving for an archaeological dig in Menorca, Spain and then heading off for an exotic semester in Italy...so safe travels and don't get stressed out!

And to everyone else, thanks for stopping by! I love you!