I greatly apologize to all my avid readers that I haven't been blogging for three weeks since I arrived here at Puebla. It's been a very hectic schedule that have derailed me from sharing all my experiences here. I've been on a study grant to learn Spanish here and I have to focus on my lessons purposefully because of a lot of assignments given to me after class.
Despite all the odds I've been secretly saving all my adventures behind my subconscious for me to share to you. My apologies for giving it to you in a very late or shall we say tardy fashion..... but I have lots and lots of stories to share to you. I know I have still three blogs to finish.... the ones that I've partially made before I came here to Puebla but I promise you that I will fish it just in time.
For now, I am glad that my rusty mind had not been waning in remembering vividly all the events that I've been through from my various experiences of ambling around Puebla, to my daring adventure in Pachuca de Soto and Tulla de Allende, from my scary sojourn in Poza Rica to see the undiscovered Pyramids of El Tajin, and from making a slight mistake in getting down a bus at Xicotepec and stayed in a cold foggy night at a cheap hotel there.... and so on.
My studies will culminate this week and I can't wait for my seven days real vacation enjoying the beaches of Quintana Roo starting down at Tulum, to Playa del Carmen and the beautiful island of Cozumel, and finish up at the populated beaches of Cancun. I just can't wait to start blogging all my experiences all throughout the month that I stayed here.
It was a very fun experience I've got here. My lessons were getting harder and harder. I've noticed there were a lot of improvements from the first day I set foot on this quiet traditional but welcoming colonial city. I can now conjugate verbs well and expressed myself fairly well in Spanish but still I'm hesitant to push myself for the fear of getting embarrassed. But I think it's all okay.
My "maestra" was very helpful. She was very charming and bubbly. She was very approachable and had assisted me a lot. She said I am a very quick learner but I think I still underestimated myself. But thanks Angelica for boosting my confidence. Everyday I've been assigned to a "guia" or guide for my conversation class. ANd I've been to three different persons since I came here three weeks ago.
My first week guide was quite timid and was not really helpful. At times he talked to me in broken English. I cannot blame him because I am still not pro at speaking Spanish well. I've only known some basic and fundamental grammar and Lenardo had a hard time understanding me so he resorted to talking to me in English. I had him for two days which was a Tuesday and a Thursday.
The first day that I came here was a Monday, November 18, and I was told that they were not expecting me that day. They thought I had backed out because technically I should show up a day before for my orientation but since I was there that day my orientation had started then. In the afternoon they gave me to Veronica as my "guia" after I've sorted out all my applications and paperworks. Veronica was very helpful but sad to say she was only assigned to me that day. I wished I could have her all throughout my time. Hehehe.... but sadly not.
My second week guide was Edgar. He was very patient and soft spoken and had helped me a lot comprehending some very important key words. I was s blessed to have him that week and thanks to Angelica for improving my conjugation skills and that I can rebut Edgar's questions very well. I was so excited of my newfound confidence and I couldn't agree more that the institute's program was really working magically. Edgar was very helpful in correcting and finding meaning for my "oraciones". I really felt the big change.
As the week progresses my lessons become more intense and Angelica had been feeding and grilling me questions that really helped me straighten my Spanish. Now I can say that my Spanish was "mejor" or they say better.
My third week guide was Raul. He was a very perky yet intelligent scrawny guy. He bubbles so fast yet it made me train my ears listen more and understand what he was saying. He was very helpful in training my ears comprehend everything. I had him for two days now and all I can say that this guy is an adventurer. He had brought me to places that I've never been before. Thanks to him that I had browsed the Amparo Museum and also had known the Las Fuertes de Loreto y Guadalupe. I still have two more days with him before I terminate my stay and who knows where he will bring me.... hehehe....
My stay here was not just purely studies. I've been mixing it with going to nice and interesting places to learn about the culture and immerse with the people. In that I can learn more from those experiences as well as practice what I have learned in the classroom. I volunteered also helping in an orphanage on my spare time during Tuesdays and Thursdays and also teach students English, Math, and Science at the nearby private school. It was a very wholesome experience for me that I cannot forget.
Puebla is a very big place and I've been to a lot of Churches here. I've been to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Concepcion, the Church of Santo Domingo which I visited the Chapel of the Holy Rosary wherein it's dome ceiling was highly adorned with priced gold foils, the church of San Francisco where I saw the mummy of Beato Francisco, and many many more churches around it and the nearby towns like Cholula and Tlaxcala. I've been to the famous Zocalo where we meet our guides in the afternoon for our conversation class. The museums like the Amparo Museums, the Museo de las Muniecas, and the antique Palafox Library at the Museo de las Cultura.
Every Wednesdays we have a free excursions and we've been to Tlaxcala during my first Wednesday visiting the Tlaxcal Municipal Hall and see the Mural on its wall, visiting the Zocalo, and the antiquated Baroque Church with vintage arts and statues inside and lastly the Artisanal Museum.
On my second Wednesday we visited two of the 300 churches of Cholula beautifully decorated with colored Talavera tiles but sadly taking photos was prohibited and we visited the famous Pyramids of Cholula and went under the mountain and see how the pyramid were formed. It was very fascinating. Our guide during those trips was Heidi and she was also a bubbly, confident, and very informative guide who knows what she was doing.
I also traveled to Tula and Pachuca de Soto during my first weekend to see the pyramid ruins of Tula and also feel the tranquility of the place. It was a very stunning experience I've had. Adventurous and brave yet very educational. I had used all my knowledge in speaking Spanish just to reach the place safely. (Please refer to my following blog about Tula Ruins for a more vivid discussion of my experiences. It will come out soon I promise.)
The second week of my adventure was spend in Poza Rica to traverse the lost and undiscovered pyramids of El Tajin in Papantla where I was mesmerized by the intricacy and meticulousness of the "Pyramid of the Niches". And yes you have to read about it in my following blogs and I promise it will be out soon. Sorry!
All in all, my experience here in Puebla was worth it apart from my other experiences in Mexico City. I think I can't complain for more because right now I still feel that there's still more adventures that will be happening and I can't wait for it to happen. I am just fortunate that I made this very hard decision to come here and learn Spanish and the Mexican culture as well as appreciate the beauty of the places that I've been through.
And I thank you al for being so patient in waiting for my blogs. I am very sorry for causing you misery and keep you waiting for it. But now that I'm nearing he end of my lessons then the blogs will just kept pouring out and that's a promise. Thanks for all your support. Buen dia amigos!
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