At first, I had a lot of time down here. Yeah that has changed. My apologies for taking over a week to update this thing, but stuff keeps happening! I have a huge headache right now so this is gonna be short.
First off, the differences in salutations between MI and Monterrey. In MI, most men my age greet each other with a handshake and maybe a quick hug with one pat on the back from right shoulder to right shoulder if you are good friends. Greeting women is usually with a hug of right-to-right shoulder if you know each other. When saying goodbye the same process is used. Here when you greet another man of similar age, and even up to 20 years older (if he's a friend of a friend or the Tec security guards because they're cool) you go right hand to right hand with hands open then kind of pull away with your hand still open. Then make a fist, or turn your hand to the side and lightly tap the other persons greeting. When saying goodbye you do the same thing first, then LEFT SHOULDER to left shoulder is a quick hug-and-pat their back and then another fist bump thing. Saying goodbye to a familiar female you lightly kiss right cheek to right cheek.
Of course when meeting unfamiliar women or anyone of learned status (teachers, administrators, attendants tec.) you use the same handshake conventions as in the US. If after a friendly conversation with a woman you may say goodbye with a light kiss on the cheek, but it's up to the feeling of the conversation that will dictate this.
Let's just say that after 2 months a traditional good handshake is rare and actually comforting. Any woman who shakes hand does so with good grip pressure and time.
When walking down the sidewalk in MI and passing by unfamiliar people I generally look at them and nod my head as a sign of "hello". Here, no looking. Just keep looking forward. If you look at a passing stranger it might be interpreted as a sign of "confrontation" or some sort, as I've been told. This is a harder habit to break.
What else... carrying a lighter at all times even if you do not smoke is probably a good idea. It's a way to meet people, it shows that you are prepared to help others even if you do not partake in smoking yourself, and you never know what it might help.
I have noticed that people here shower more than in the US. Maybe its just living in housing, but even though the weather is warm for me, students shower a little more (not that I have heavily analyzed anyones shower schedule in the US). And I know this is going to increase when the temperature is above 30 C (86F).
Classes are going alright. My Spanish Language class is a giant review, which is actually good. Just kinda boring at times. Math for Engineering 3 is also a review with some more in-depth studies of directional derivatives and double integration. Design of Machine Elements is great. It's taught almost like my Mechanics of Materials class last semester with Professor Khosrovaneh. Good problem explanation with some explanation of the theory and dangers within problems. Good stuff.
Fluid Mechanics is just hard. Not only is my professor known amongst students and other teachers as being difficult and "different", but he is very strict and by the books. Example: Since the beginning of January I knew my father would be in Los Cabo San Lucas in the middle of March. In that Fluids class I never received a course syllabus nor a list of exam dates. All there was for exams where the ITESM recommended periods for partial exams. In late January I bought a plane ticket to Cabo to visit my dad from Thursday until Sunday (knowing that I would miss a Friday lecture during the week after recommended exams). Last Wednesday my professor announced that the next exam would be the week after the ITESM recommended dates for partial exams and that it would be a class vote for either Wednesday or Friday. Go ahead, guess which date the class chose. So after class I speak to my professor, explaining the situation and that he never announced the dates of partial exams. I asked him what my options were. His response, nothing. Huh?? Nothing. Can I take the test at a later date? No. Can I do a homework assignment in place of part of the grade? No. What can I do? Nothing. I spoke with the ME Department Head about the situation and he said that the course syllabus should have information in it regarding exams. Refer to 11 lines above (well, 11 for the editor of this thing). No syllabus. What will probably happen is I lose the $250 on tickets and just take the damn exam, then go to Xilitla, La Huasteca instead.
I am now helping the ITESM Solar Decathlon 2010 Europe competition team. I met a guy named Eleazar Garza who is on the team. They will hopefully begin construction of the huse within 3 weeks. I will be helping with the mechanical systems including hot water, plumbing, and general construction.
Swimming and running are going, worse than I'd like. It's really hard to eat enough at the right time to make it through a swim workout and then lifting/running. I really need to find a place nearby that has good healthy food that I can eat around 4pm every day... I'm able to swim 900m fine, but its that 19th lap where I just lose all motivation to keep going so I do one more lap to hit 1000m and just get out. Really depressing actually. Thinking back to last summer when I would get back to Clarkston on Tuesdays and Thursdays from working in Livonia, get a quick and small snack, then head out for a 45 minute bike ride. The bike felt great, but all too often I would hop off the bike after 12 miles and start my run. I would only make it 1/3 mile running and it felt like everything just dropped. I had literally ran out of gas. Those depressing walks back home just sucked. Now I need to learn how to avoid that from happening here...
SigEp related news... Last weekend was CLA in Pittsburgh. I wish I could have went! But I sponsored Grant Burch instead. From the sound of things, he had an amazing weekend and learned a ton. Always brings a smile to my face to do things like that.... You deserved it Grant, now go, make Sound Body one of the best! I am about halfway thru my Lifetime Responsibility of Brotherhood, and I must say that book gets better every time you read it. I will hopefully take charge of some YRR when I get back, maybe take over as Epsilon Coordinator, and we'll see what happens with Executive Board next year. Also, I am making preparations for my Fellow Project. The Fellow Project is a 500 hour/60 day project that uses all of your leadership skills and abilities to work towards a goal greater than you may have ever imagined. I am currently talking to many many people here about the lack of electricity in rural Latin America. I might do something along the lines of Rural Electrification of developing cities and regions. This would also me community awareness of the issues facing less-developed cities and countries around the world plus the technologies involved and how that can be used in Michigan.
Family news.... My Mother will be running a half marathon this Sunday at Walt Disney World for the Disney's Princess Half Marathon. If you can see my Facebook status, there you go. Well heck, I'll just put it here again to quickly summarize my feelings on the situation...
Ian Williams in my 20 years of life upon this planet, I have constantly worked to make my parents proud. I am the man I am today because of their constant love and support. All of my actions are guided by the "would my mother approve of this?" rule. In running races the past few years, I have worked to run for my parents and everyone else. As proud as our parents can be of us, we too, their children can feel the same way. This Sunday, my mother is going to run a half marathon, 13.1 miles, something she thought only a couple years ago to be completely impossible for her. She has learned about food, exercise, stretching, The Stick, and running injuries. I am truly truly proud of her and apologize that I will be unable to watch her race. Mom, I love you with all my heart. I am so very proud of what you have accomplished. Run your race. See you in 13.1...
I will not say any more about this.
Spring break tentative plans: fly to Veracruz, get to Ciudad del Carmen, take a bus to Cancun, fly back to Monterrey. Sound good?? I need to visit Oaxaca while I'm here and I also want to make it to La Xilitla as well.
Okay, it's 12:41 am. I'm going to bed. I hope you all are doing well and thank you for reading this.
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