(no subject)
So for those of you that I don't see or talk to often, just a little time to update as it's about midnight, I'm not sleepy, and I really should talk advantage of dad's wireless internet.
So I've been in Mexico since the 29th, so 6 days or so now and I'm finding that I really like it here. I mean, I came mainly because I hadn't seen my dad in over a year and I don't think I've been back to Mexico since my grandfather died. I could've sworn that I had but all the trips sort of blur together in my head now.
I can't believe that it's been two years since my abuelito died, it still feels like I should expect him to come tromping up the stairs and ask for his seat at the table. The day that I got here was exactly two years after he died so we all went to the church service, and I actually missed the novenario (9 days of mass with the rosary said afterwards) that they said for him. Now I'm not in any way religious, but I am Mexican and here even the atheists here are pretty firm followers of the virgin. I don't know what it is but I don't mind all of it when I'm here, I've been to mass three times in less than a week; Carla would probably laugh at me for that one. Oh well, it just feels right to do it now, and I know I won't keep going when I get back, I'm not that type of person, but for my abuelito I'm willing to do anything.
So anyways, on to less depressing topics, the house has been rather full lately as my abuelita has quite a few visitors. My mom, dad, and tia Rosie live here now and then my cousins Martita and Monica are here visiting from Guadalajara, Monica is here with her husband and their four year old son, both named Rafael. Then on top of that there's me and my tia Esperanza. Mind you I'm still angry at my mom for suggesting that my tia Esperanza come with me. This are supposed to be my vacation and my time to spend with my family and bringing her along is more than a bit aggravating. She finds fault with everything, deprecates anything that's different from the US, and is always looking down her nose at everyone. (Just as a side note: it feels really awkward to be writing in English right now, I've gotten so used to speaking Spanish) So I've tried my best to spend time with my parents and my cousins so as to avoid her as much as possible. It's easier to just ignore her than to confront her on all the things I hate about what she does.
Being here has reminded me how nice it is to have family, real family. In the US I have all of my dad's cousins by way of my great uncle Gonzalo who was like a grandpa to me when I was very little. But they've never really considered us family and I've always felt a bit out of place as we're just really different people. I don't do the typically girly things and I don't care how I look and dress. I'm not the type to care about how much money you make and I think that kids should be kids and that you can't protect them from everything no matter how hard you try. Thus I don't really talk to them much except for a couple of my guy cousins and my uncle Angel. Here in Mexico, I may not see these cousins terribly often, but they just feel like family. It's probably because of the common upbringing and such, but it's just so much easier to hang out and talk about stuff. The kids are amazing and I hate that they grow so much between visits. It makes me wish I could come out here more often. My cousin Gerardo's kid, Gael, was still at the level of basic words and phrases the last time I was here and last night he was walking me around the house telling me all about his new game on the nintendo ds. My tio Juan Angel and my tio Rene each have a new son and I've only seen one of them. Niels and Travis, my cousin Cesar's kids are big now, and my cousin Gonzalo graduated elementary school this past year. Even going to visit Martin's family, the little girl whose birthday party I went to the last time we were here together is all grown up now and doing beauty pageants and talking and everything.
It's been a whirlwind of stuff to do here to as now that my parents are living here they take advantage to take me out and not have to wait around for someone else to offer. The day I got here we went out to see my dad's property and the animals, Saturday we spent the day at La Aldea for Martin's parents' wedding, Sunday I went to the ranch again and then hung out with my cousin Gerardo and his family until the evening when we all got together at my tia Griselda's house for posole and to play poker, Monday we all got together at my nino Victor's property all day just cooking meat, hanging out, playing cards, volleyball, and at night we started a nice little bonfire. Tuesday we went to San Juan to see la virgen de San Juan, to look around a little and to visit a couple of my abuelita's siblings and their families. That night Gerardo came over and took me to my tia Griselda's house to play cards with the cousins and hang out. Yesterdya was our first day actually staying at home, we cooked, hung out and I went to see my other bauelita and my Tia Lourdes. Today, Thursday we went to Tonala, a little city near Guadalajara that has a lot of rustic crafts and artwork and such. I would elaborate more but this is more so that I can remember what I did when as it's already starting to blur together. I don't think we have plans for tomorrow, but I know that Saturday we're going to my cousin Mariana's graduation and dance.
If I get a chance does anyone want postcards? I can't promise when I'll get them out but I'm offering if anyone's interested.
So I've been in Mexico since the 29th, so 6 days or so now and I'm finding that I really like it here. I mean, I came mainly because I hadn't seen my dad in over a year and I don't think I've been back to Mexico since my grandfather died. I could've sworn that I had but all the trips sort of blur together in my head now.
I can't believe that it's been two years since my abuelito died, it still feels like I should expect him to come tromping up the stairs and ask for his seat at the table. The day that I got here was exactly two years after he died so we all went to the church service, and I actually missed the novenario (9 days of mass with the rosary said afterwards) that they said for him. Now I'm not in any way religious, but I am Mexican and here even the atheists here are pretty firm followers of the virgin. I don't know what it is but I don't mind all of it when I'm here, I've been to mass three times in less than a week; Carla would probably laugh at me for that one. Oh well, it just feels right to do it now, and I know I won't keep going when I get back, I'm not that type of person, but for my abuelito I'm willing to do anything.
So anyways, on to less depressing topics, the house has been rather full lately as my abuelita has quite a few visitors. My mom, dad, and tia Rosie live here now and then my cousins Martita and Monica are here visiting from Guadalajara, Monica is here with her husband and their four year old son, both named Rafael. Then on top of that there's me and my tia Esperanza. Mind you I'm still angry at my mom for suggesting that my tia Esperanza come with me. This are supposed to be my vacation and my time to spend with my family and bringing her along is more than a bit aggravating. She finds fault with everything, deprecates anything that's different from the US, and is always looking down her nose at everyone. (Just as a side note: it feels really awkward to be writing in English right now, I've gotten so used to speaking Spanish) So I've tried my best to spend time with my parents and my cousins so as to avoid her as much as possible. It's easier to just ignore her than to confront her on all the things I hate about what she does.
Being here has reminded me how nice it is to have family, real family. In the US I have all of my dad's cousins by way of my great uncle Gonzalo who was like a grandpa to me when I was very little. But they've never really considered us family and I've always felt a bit out of place as we're just really different people. I don't do the typically girly things and I don't care how I look and dress. I'm not the type to care about how much money you make and I think that kids should be kids and that you can't protect them from everything no matter how hard you try. Thus I don't really talk to them much except for a couple of my guy cousins and my uncle Angel. Here in Mexico, I may not see these cousins terribly often, but they just feel like family. It's probably because of the common upbringing and such, but it's just so much easier to hang out and talk about stuff. The kids are amazing and I hate that they grow so much between visits. It makes me wish I could come out here more often. My cousin Gerardo's kid, Gael, was still at the level of basic words and phrases the last time I was here and last night he was walking me around the house telling me all about his new game on the nintendo ds. My tio Juan Angel and my tio Rene each have a new son and I've only seen one of them. Niels and Travis, my cousin Cesar's kids are big now, and my cousin Gonzalo graduated elementary school this past year. Even going to visit Martin's family, the little girl whose birthday party I went to the last time we were here together is all grown up now and doing beauty pageants and talking and everything.
It's been a whirlwind of stuff to do here to as now that my parents are living here they take advantage to take me out and not have to wait around for someone else to offer. The day I got here we went out to see my dad's property and the animals, Saturday we spent the day at La Aldea for Martin's parents' wedding, Sunday I went to the ranch again and then hung out with my cousin Gerardo and his family until the evening when we all got together at my tia Griselda's house for posole and to play poker, Monday we all got together at my nino Victor's property all day just cooking meat, hanging out, playing cards, volleyball, and at night we started a nice little bonfire. Tuesday we went to San Juan to see la virgen de San Juan, to look around a little and to visit a couple of my abuelita's siblings and their families. That night Gerardo came over and took me to my tia Griselda's house to play cards with the cousins and hang out. Yesterdya was our first day actually staying at home, we cooked, hung out and I went to see my other bauelita and my Tia Lourdes. Today, Thursday we went to Tonala, a little city near Guadalajara that has a lot of rustic crafts and artwork and such. I would elaborate more but this is more so that I can remember what I did when as it's already starting to blur together. I don't think we have plans for tomorrow, but I know that Saturday we're going to my cousin Mariana's graduation and dance.
If I get a chance does anyone want postcards? I can't promise when I'll get them out but I'm offering if anyone's interested.