Communication

Buenas tardes,

Today I figured I would write about my weekend and how to communicate with people.

So, went to a club called Privatt on Friday night. 200 peso cover charge ($16), not doing that ever again. Talked with Israel Lopez and his friends, Juan and Guillermo, about the differences between clubs in America and Mexico. Having never been to a club with alcohol in the US, it was an interesting discussion. They said that Mexican clubs are way more social than in the US, I can see that happening. Aside from the US being way more expensive, it was no where near as fun. I have been to White Star in MI though, which was eh. Overall, fun night. Dancing was great, and had fun with other groups of people that wanted pictures taken. Don't worry, nothing bad.

So Saturday morning! I had previously paid 150 pesos for a 9am bus ride and entrance fee to Cascada Cola de Caballo (Horsetail Waterfalls) put on by Tec for the international students, but woke up at 10:30... go me... So, 300 peso cab ride later ($23USD OUCH!). Got to the falls, which is a 25 minute ride south of campus, got help from an older gentleman who I learned spent 16 years in Chicago. Fun bilingual conversation while walking. To get to the bungee jump we had to go through a small hotel campus. Beautiful hotel! I would totally stay there! I was extremely happy to see my international friends there (I went there on a limb, not having a working cell phone to call people in Mexico). So, got in line, watched one person jump, signed my waiver of "You could die, FYI", and had 2 friends sign as witnesses. You wear a waist harness then wraps around your ankles. The ankle straps allow you about 12" of separation between your feet so you feel like a shackled prisoner while walking down the boom.
Location.... right. So, south of Monterrey, on a mountain side. The entire area, and most of Mexico is mountainous. Not as big as the Rockies, but still very hilly. The hotel was just above a steep cliff that dropped about 140 ft. So to jump I just had to walk 30 feet out on a metal bridge, waddle up to the edge, get my 2 cords attached to my feet, and "3! 2! 1! Bungee!!!". *fall* *bounce back up* *really cool weightlessness feeling* Looking at the video my friend Joanne took, I think I fell about 55 feet before turning around. I fell face-forwards, which was probably a mistake. A year ago, I said that bungee jumping was the one "extreme" thing I would never try. Well, when in [Mexico], do as the [Mexicans]. It was incredible, plain and simple. Such a freeing feeling of just bouncing and swinging at the end of a rubber band. If you have any feeling that you *might* be able to do it, GO FOR IT! Even if it requires your friends to give you 2 drinks and push you off (ok not literally, but still), go.

Cola de Caballo is a waterfall that, go figure, looks like a horses tail. I will try to figure out a way to upload several photos. Or you can facebook me. Go! stalk! it'll be fun!! kidding.
After going to the falls, I got on a bus and went to the town of Santiago (about halfway between Cola de Caballo and Tec). Santiago is a town of 30,000? people spread over a very large area in the mountains. It's a beautiful small town that I coincidentally visited when I came to Monterrey 10 months ago. After that adventure, I went and napped for a good solid 3 hours, then complained to myself some more, then, I don't remember what. I think I just laid low for the night. Sunday was boring. Went grocery shopping, talked to friends all day. Blah.


Soo, about communication. I started learning how to speak Spanish 7 years ago, when I was in 9th grade. I took 4 years in high school, then 4 semesters at LTU (Communication, Business Spanish, Business in Latin America, and Spanish Masterpieces). I never really had to speak until 12th grade. Also, most listening activities were done at a slow pace. This is important because understanding conversation with someone when it's not your native language can be really hard. If you can imagine a graph of an exponential function,2^x perhaps, for every little bit faster that someone speaks, the harder it is for me to understand. So slowing down 10% might mean I understand 30% more, which is everything. Think about it, every time you have spoken with someone who speaks English not as their primary language, and as a learned language in school, if you speak a little slower, they understand a lot more. I know it was this was when I roomed with Taojie. But now, a year and a half later, nahh, I speak normally with him. Remember this is week 3 for me. So, if you are ever conversing with someone that is ESL, just keep that in mind. Some of my friends can understand perfectly and some in housing have a little bit harder of a time. Many thanks go to Alejandro on this one (he doesn't speak english very well, but he speaks slower when talking to me in spanish).
This is just some food for thought.

Remember, English is a royal pain in the butt to speak. I chose engineering partly because I can't remember was an adjective is and what other parts of speech are. Hell, I have an easier time with them in Spanish, then I work back.

Well I do believe I am done for the day. I need to go study for Design of Machine elements, get food, and something to drink. Umm, if you can figure out how to comment on this, be my guest. I have a hard enough time getting back to this page to write something, let alone comment on it.

Until next time, I bid you adieu

POGS