A Few Strange Things

Here it is folks, my address!!!!

Jessica Lynn Wendt
10 Poniente Norte 340 Dep. #7
Colonia Centro
Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas
MEXICO

I think that should work, thats what the lady in the office told me.

So I was complaining about my throat hurting, and its because I have a throat infection. The awesome part about having a doctor boyfriend is that he just prescribed me antibiotics and I went off to the farmacia and now Im doing much better. Antibiotics here for a bacterial infection cost about 2 dollars.

In other news, I went and saw Apocalypse, and, against all former ideas, I loved it. It was violent and grusome, yes, but it was also a mayan language and recreated the mayan world and was full of heroic, amazing character types. I would recommend this movie to anyone. But dont worry, if you come visit me, the mayan violence and human sacrifices have died down a lot.

I learn many things about Mexico and about Chiapas teaching english that I don´t know if I would learn otherwise. Whenever you go to another culture it is always new and exciting, but you are only dabbling in it, and not fully understanding. The more time I am here the more I realize there are so many things that I still do not know...

For example, here in Tuxtla for birthdays the day before people (full grown adults) are often presented with a crown- king or queen for the day. Often birthday parties here will last 2 or 3 days. The crowning, the birthday, and the afterparty where they reheat all the food leftover from the party and give it to the neighbors.

A student told me that last weekend she went to a religious party where they took a life sized baby Jesus and dressed him up in different clothing, which they do once a year. I couldn´t get more of an explanation about it, and no one seemed to flinch or think this was a difficult idea to grasp.

By far the best thing I have learned about Chiapas is that in May, when the rains come, so do these big ants... with wings. People fry them and eat them. But thats not the best part. Where do they GET the ants? At the market? From an ant salesman, or the grocery store? No, no. They just wake up early in the morning and scoop the ones up that are crawling around the house. ´Theyre everywhere!´they say, and you just collect em and throw em in the fryer!!! I didn´t believe my students, so I came home and asked Edwin, ´do you know about ants that come when the rains come....´ and his response??? ´´YUUUUUMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!´ (Carrie style)

All that anyone talks about here right now is the rising price of tortillas. Apparently tortillas have gone up one peso (10 cents) per kilo (2.2 pounds), and tortillas are the backbone of all families, but especially poor folks. Big families might buy several kilos each day...the government is always talking about saving the economy of the tortilla.

All my students passed their test last week. Success!

Thats all for now!