So while walking around the Plaza del Sol yesterday after I wrote, we came upon a huge parade for gay rights. Alot of people wanted to continue on and see the rest of the city but a few of us stayed and watched the excitement. I got some great pictures and then we decided to walk around some more.

Some people wanted to find a bar and watch Brazil vs. France in the world cup but a fellow student named Tiffany and I decided to catch the bus to get backto thecolegio. WELL...

All of the bus routes were cut off from the main areas due to the demonstration that was going on so we walked... and walked...and walked... every bus stop that we came to that was actually functioning was not the right one that we needed to get back to the dorms so we decided we could split the next taxi that we saw.We were ever so optimistic with that decision because everyone wasoccupied and there weren´t that many to begin with... again due to the parade. FINALLY we found a cab but he wouldn´t take us because he said it was too far (this is now 2.5 hours of walking). We stumble upon a police station and ask for advice but they aren´t really any help... they had to get a map to see where we were talking about. I asked Tiffany if I should cry and try to get them to give us a ride and she responded, ¨No, they don´t care that much.¨ So walking and walking... asking everyone we saw how to get home and they all pointed in opposite directions telling us, ¨Walk that way and then when you get there (with no specifics onwhere ¨there¨ was) ask someone else.¨

3.5 hours later (11:00pm- oddly it was just then dark... at nine o´clock it seemed like 6) we finally found a running bus route that took us near our home.

I was complaining the whole time but I got some fun pictures and a rally sign for memories. Also, I know the city a little bit more. However, I can honestly say that now I am ready for Segovia. We start classes tomorrow so today is really our last full day of no plans, but I want to be able to go to a city where the buses are optional and walking is not impossible.

We are going to the art museum today. I am with two guys, Jordan from Bulgaria and Chris from Louisville. I am going again for class on Wednesday but it is huge and Sunday´s are free so we didn´t see why we shouldn´t go twice. There are alot of stands set up in the streets today, Sunday, and I bought a cool old bracelet with Spain´s crest on it for 2€ (euros) and then an old brass lion head to make a necklace out of. (It looks like something that would be made into a drawer pull but didn´t have holes in the mouth so I can convert it to jewelry.)

There were alot of other great things... this moon-face thing that would go on the wall but it was 30€. Everything is so much more expensive here... our dollar is SO weak!

Hasta la proxima... cr

So I have to be a bit breif due to the internet café and the prices...

The fligt went fairly well considering the beginning that we had to deal with. We left over an hour and a half late because someone got sick, they had to pull back up to the gate, get the passenger off, take all of the luggage off to look for hers, put all of the luggage back on and finally wait in line to take off. Despite my frostbitten toes, the actual air-time was fine.

We got into Madrid at about 10 am or something (3 am central) and it has basically been nonstop from there. Got our stuff unloaded at the colegio mayor (some college dorms that make the one I lived in at Western look like the Ritz) and then "Nasty" Nicole and I went for a walk around. Now we have visited many places in the greater plaza mayor area of Madrid and I am not sure how I feel about the city. I will reserve my judgement for until after I have spent some more time here but basically I feel like unless you want to spend money there really is very little to do here. I think that I will like Segovia alot more.

On my flight I met a girl named Alina Z.... I cant spell her last name. Anyway she is a Russian Jew who has lived in Boston since she was 5. We had a great 3 hour chat waiting for the plane to arrive at the terminal and then convinced this girl who was sitting by me to switch with her. She is in Salamanca and I am thinking that I may go visit her on one of the weekends. I dont think it is that far away... but I will double-check on my handy dandy map thatI purchased before my trip.

Ok, gotta go... here it is 7:30 and we have a bit of a trek in front of us til we get to eat at 9:30.

I like how pesos work alot better than euros.

I know I haven't written in SO long but really I think it is the best interest of all the people (aka those related to me) who read this because noone is really all that intrigued with my "travels" back and forth between Bowling Green, KY and Columbia, TN.  However, those two hour trips can be quite the adventure.

I am at my last day of volunteering at El Centro La Esperanza before I pack for Spain.

I am going to fly over to the great beyond for a five week class and I am crawling out of my skin for my departure to get here!  I have made an attemp at being better prepared for this trip than I was for my other to Mexico, but all I really do when I get on the internet or look into travel books is get so wrapped up in the pictures that I kinda lose track of the distances to these places from where I will be studying.  Although I have found that the area of Spain is actually smaller than that of Texas, I also have discovered that travelling across it is alot more expensive and still a bit time consuming.  Who knows where I will end up (as long as the funds are sufficient)!  I did love having the weekends without plans so that, at a moments notice, I could join on an excursion to the beach or to a different city and state... I will leave some unknowns for the same possiblity in this new country.  Not out of here for another week, but that is going to pass by so quickly... just like the time I will have over there.  Until then!

xox cr

Well, I know I have left my journal blank, but my last two weeks in Mexico were very hectic...

Mom came to visit the 18th of November and I took her around to all of the stores and tourist sites.  We had a pretty good time just the two of us, went to a birthday party for my friend Marianne from Norway... I took her out on the town to meet all of my friends... and then the boys came the 23rd.  It was alot more difficult with Dad, CH, and Tucker there, too.   Tucker wanted to go to the arcade, but he couldnt read any of the instructions because they were in Spanish, CH didnt really want to do anything with the parents, Dad didnt really have much of an opinion but walked really slow.  It was hard on me because I had to be with all of them in order for them to be able to communicate with anyone.  (Also, Dad tried (and I emphasize TRIED) to speak Spanish... he said he remembered some from high school... but it was a little embarrassing.) Anyway, I think that was the longest part of my trip... We had a Thanksgiving dinner, all of the kids from my program got together and the ISA people made us Turkey and tried to make dressing and "fixins" but it wasnt quite the same.  Two days before Thanksgiving, the host dad of my friend Katie Brandt died and so she was late to the dinner because of his mass.  The weekend that my family left, I went with Katie B, her host mom and her host brother to Aguas Calientes to visit some family.  That was alot of fun and the town was really beautiful.  I just can't believe in all of these small towns in Mexico there is such an amazing abundance of art and architecture and the history is just incredible. 

People in our group started leaving right after Thanksgiving so every night that we went out there were tears and goodbyes.  Our friends, the locals, were just like 'you are some crazy gringos'... My friend Salvador said to me, "It is sad for you all to be leaving here and going back to the states, but think about us.  We have to do this every semester... a new group comes in and we all get close and then you leave.  It makes it hard to get close to you."  I can't imagine how it might be to be a local down there... every semester a new group of foriegn students comes in and although they are different, they are, in reality, the same.  It is Never Never Land!

So I came back the 10th of December. 

That morning was really hard to leave... I got up and returned my key to my Senora and we both just started bawling... we tried not to talk about it so it was just like a huge elephant in the room.   I had a flight with Michal Tanner and Jessica Wilson and so at first it wasn't so bad.  We hung out in the airport for a while, Jess bought a huge sombrero de mariachi and had to wear it through customs and on the plane.  When we got to Houston, we all had to split up and I absolutly fell apart.  I called mom and couldn't even talk I was just sobbing... I called Lucy and talked to her and she kinda settled me down.  I have had alot harder time adjusting back to the life here in the states in comparison to how I felt in the beginning of my trip in Mexico.  I think the hardest thing was that I didnt have any idea of how Guanajuato would be when I was going, so I just accepted it as it came and as I began to know the city.  But here, returning here, I see that although there are some differences, this place is always the same.  I have changed, I think for the better.  I have learned alot, and I think because of how much I have learned, I know there is so much more out there that I have yet to learn.  I met some amazing people with such different experiences and interesting views on the way the world is... I loved being there because I learned something new everyday.  I was always improving my Spanish and discovering a new part of myself... wow that is so corny, but it is the truth.  This was an experience that I would not trade for anything in the world...  I am hoping to go back to Mexico next fall... but we'll have to see what the future holds for me.  Who knows where I will end up next!

So I went to Guadalajara with my group this weekend...

We left at 6 AM on Saturday morning and arrived around 11 AM at Herradura Tequila factory... we took a tour of the plant and saw the original houses (GORGEOUS) and this library they have on the agave plantation... There are still families from the original owners who live on the land in these cute little houses and work there.  We got to see all of these processes that made tequila and the interesting thing for me was that more than half of the process happens outside in open air tubs... that would never fly in the states, but it was really neat to see that they still kinda had some old school processes going on.  We also did a tequila tasting segment which, granted, is not as sophisticated as wine tasting, but it was fun.

We got to the actual city of Guadalajara around 3-ish ate comida and took a nap in the hotel. We went for a double decker bus tour of the city which would have been great but it got too dark to see alot about 1/4 of the way into it... didn't really do anything that night... just hung out in the rooms and watched mexican tv.

Sunday we went on another tour of the city which was alot more interesting because it was on foot, we got to see alot of the more specific sites and fountains and statues and things around the city... I really liked Guadalajara, I think other than Guanajuato, it is the only other city that we have visited to which I would like to return.  We had 5 hours of free time... I got a shirt and then me, Katie B., and Jess ate at this restaurant.  These three guys asked us to move over with them and we talked for like 2 hours... it was really good practice with my spanish and then they bought us our dinner... ¡que padre!

It was really great... hope I can get back there soon, maybe I will study abroad there next... xox

So, it has been awhile...

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The last two weeks of October I was SWAMPED with school work and didn't do much else than school work... It is casi impossible to find books around here and that kinda stinks when you never know how true internet resources are.

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I headed to Manzanillo the last Friday of October (28th, I believe) and with three of my girlfriends we headed for a nice little trip to paradise... the beaches are absolutly gorgeous...

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We caught a bus at 11:00pm from?Guanajuato to?Le󮠡nd slept all night on the bus to Manzanillo... we got there at 8 in the morning and walked around and found this "great" hotel on the beach of Santiago... hung out on the beach all day long, and swam in the pool... then Jess? shoes were stolen which was a downer... we had a place with a kitchen so we went to the market and got our food for the week... but then that night when my friend Monica went to take a shower, we discovered an entire army of ants in the door... I am not just being girly either, there was TONS... we could hear them moving around inside... we had a?pile that we had killed and it was about the circumference of a basketball... gross... Needless to say, we changed rooms and first thing the next morning we headed out to find another hotel...

Erin and Monica guarded our bags at an outside restaurant while Jess and I searched up and down the beach of Miramar and happened to ask this hotel if they knew where we could find an economical hotel with a kitchen... just so happens they had just what we were looking for... for only 500 pesos a night we got 4 double beds, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen and it took me all of 2.005 seconds to get from the door of our room to the sand... It really was amazing.

We met a family and they told us that next time we come we can stay with them for free, they have two kids, a little boy of 9 years and a little girl of 4... we made a bonfire on the beach one night which was truly amazing...

The whole trip was fun and the waves were awesome... we spent every spare second in the ocean... I would bet that the waves were at least 8 feet high...

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Last Sunday I went to this cool Cuban music concert at the Alhondiga with my friends Jess and Brittany (we call Brittany 'Monica' because it is easier for the Mexicans to say AND because the only Brittany they know is Britany Spears and she doesn't like the comparison too much) and this guy from Morelia that we picked up inthe Plaza de los Angeles. He was sitting on the steps making this cool necklace and we asked to see it so he starts to bring out all of this other stuff that he has made. Well, while we are looking, a police guy comes up and was trying to take him away because he didn't have a permit to sell stuff there. We got him out of trouble by explaining that he wasn't selling and it was our fault... but then we feel bad because we didn't want to buy anything and he almost went to jail so he hung out with us for the rest of the day. It was only like 4 or 5 hours, but Jess and Monica didn't want to talk to him anymore because he talked really quiet and fast and we really didn't understand all that he said... and that wasn't good because he told us his life story about his family and what he did before making jewelry and all that stuff... I mean he was only like 24 so it wasn't that long of a story, but nonetheless, I got to be the sympathetic one and sit by him and talk to him. I am glad we went to a concert, though, because we couldn't really talk there.

So, Monday I tried to go to class and it took me FOREVER (longer than the usual 30 minutes) to get to class because I kept getting so out of breath and coughing... my nose was like a waterfall of snot, too... not a pretty sight. (But the Mexican guys really didn't care; I think I got the most cat calls that morning.) So I get to the ISA office and the director makes me go to the hospital and the doctor desides, after listening to me breathe and looking down my throat, that I need a shot or penicillin because I have bronchitis... yay. I hadn't felt well all weekend so I guess I should have gone earlier, but I thought it was just alergies. So I go to the Pharmacy and buy my medicamentos and the penicillin AND THE NEEDLE (how wierd, you have to buy everything here) and then I go BACK to the hospital to pay for a nurse to give me my shot (total cost of my medical escapade: about 50 US dollars). The thing I didn't realize until later was that I went in and signed my name on a sheet and that was it, I didn't fill out any form whatsoever or show them any ID... they did ask if I was alergic to anything before prescribing me medicine... so I felt safe. AND it made me feel good that while I was getting me shot I could see the Plaza de la Paz and the Basillica so I said a quick prayer to La Virgen de Guanajuato. ... I am still alive...

Spent all day Monday and Tuesday in bed and by Wednesday felt well enough to go the the Bejiing Opera at the Alhondiga. It was really neat, the music was super high pitched and by the end I had a headache, but it was worth it to see the cool costumes and all of the acrobatic stuff. I totally believe that those people have the ability to fly... or at least hover, you know, like in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon? It was pretty cool...

Didn't do much else the rest of the week, but Saturday night, I went to the Alhondiga for the Singapore Indian Orchestra and I have to say that I think it may be my favorite event I have seen so far (of coure the ballet was great, but this was amazing). U. Kurt, if you are reading this, I thought of you from the first note... it was SO COOL!!! And they had dancers, too, kinda like the lady we saw who was about to go back to the homeland, but these chicas were a bit younger and more enthusiastic to say the least... I was just in awe of the music and Iso want to visit India. (haha, that reminds me, I was watching TV with my Seora one of the days that I was homebound and there was this thing about the animals and poverty in India or something and they were talking about really sad things, but I could not help but look at the gorgeous surroundings and I told my Seora that I would like to go there and she just looked at me like I was crazy. She always it just like, "Those poor things, I can't imagine living in a place like that" but it doesn't matter where they are talking about... it could be the next city over.)

Yesterday (Sunday) I went to Len with my family to shop for sweaters for my sister, she is going to Switzerland to study. She goes alot, her boyfriend is from there... he lived with us for about a month and a half but is there now... So Len was fine and we sawa movie and went to Sam's Club... I swear I thought I was back in the states when I walked into Sam's... crazy man, they are takin over the world!

Alright, going to eat with my friend Adolfo at his house, his mam is making us enchiladas! woo hoo! xox CR

So, the Cervantino Festival started Wednesday and already I want it to be over...

There are demasiado people and I get spoken to every two seconds in english... I hate that there a SO many tourists because everyone thinks I am just here for the festival... that is one downside to my appearance here in Mxico... no matter how well I may be able to speak in the future, I will never blend in. (Sometimes it can come in handy... you can play the 'dumb gringa' card and get away with a little more than the locals. Also, it helps when people think I can't understand them, but I can bust out in spainsh... so sometimes it isn't THAT bad, just for the next 3 weeks.) There are already tons more people everywhere, and the prices of things (food, taxis, gifts, etc.) has gone up drastically... yuk! My seora says that this is only the beginning, too... it is only 3 days into it and that the 2nd week is even more crazy... I am not looking forward to swimming through people to do my daily routine...

I went to the Ballet Folklorico last night and the cultural and artistic part of Cervantino, I adore...

The dancing was absolutly AMAZING and the costumes are just too much to describe... It turned out better than I thought it would because I was supposed to meet everyone at Teatro Juarez at 7pm to walk to the Alhondiga, well I woke up at 6:45... then I threw on some clothes and grabbeda taxi. I was excited because I had made up for lost time and it only was gonna take me 20 pesos, but then (right before my stop) I realized that I had forgotten my ticket... so back to my house... then back down the hill... I am getting cheap because 70 pesos almost ruined my night and I guess for the fact that I got to the ballet on time and got great seats 7 dollars shouldn't matter. Anyway, like I said, the show was just perfect and had all different types of music and dancing from all different parts of Mxico. The music was live, too... just unbelievable! Plus, we got great seats because we got in a little late and couldn't find anywhere to sit. Well we saw these seats taped off in the semi-front but right on the center isle so we asked a lady and she said since the people weren't there yet, we could have them... VIVA MXICO! haha!

xox CR

My best friend here, Katie Brandt, left Thursday for the states... only until Sunday, but still, I was sad. We have really bonded and it is kinda weird to think that we have only known each other for 2 months. She is a truly amazing girl from Minnesota and it was weird to spend the weekend not hanging out with her... I dont know how she did it (she has arrived back here safely)... the shock of the states for only four days, I could not do it! I am going to have a complete culture shock when I get back...

While she was at her cousin's wedding, the rest of my group and I went to Teotihuacan and Quertaro for Saturday and Sunday...

Teotihuacan was great... I loved walking around the ancient pyramids and imagining how it was when they were actually utilized as worship centers for their gods. It was a very spiritual experience, despite the vendors attacking me to buy the "original pieces of obsidian carved by Teotihuacanos" and for only 10 pesos! Right.But, really, it was really a beautiful thing to see. The best part was that I have been learning about the pre-Hispanic cultures of Mxico for the past 6 weeks and I knew something about what I was seeing... I wasnt just walking around looking at the pretty rocks...

From there we went to Quertaro for the night... had a while to look around and eat Saturday night. Sunday we got to shop and then went on a guided tour of the city (like we didnt stick out enough). The town is really beautiful with alot of great architecture and statues around. There arent as many tourists as in Guanajuato, which means cheaper prices! It was really a great weekend filled with history and a fun time with the other gringos in my group.

However, I was glad to get back to my family and sleep in my bed!

Hasta pronto! xox CR

Friday, had a phone call from my friend Lucy and it totally made my day sunny... I hate how my phone only works when it feels like I deserve a voice from home... AND I can't call out... but if you want to talk to me, try my phone and if you're worthy you will be connected.

So this Saturday was Sanmiguelada: the running of the bulls in San Miguel... I didn't go (A) because I dont really like to go to San Miguel where they accept U.S. dollars and I hear more English than Spanish and (B) I don't like to see people stabbed by bulls and then see the bulls slaughtered while people cheer... just ain't my cup o tea. Instead, I went to more museums in my home town of Guanajuato...these werealot better than the others, art oriented not death and destruction. We first went to the Iconografic Don Quijote Museum and it was really cool... I didnt know we weren't supposed to take pictures so I got some black market product for anyone who is interested... there was a work there by Salvador Dali (which turned out to be a sign for later in the day... read on). Then we went to this rock museum underneath the Basilica de San Diego... and not the music kinda rock... like the dirt kinda rock... it wasnt that bad, but it would have been better for one of my friends, Mia, who is studying to be a geologist (when we went to La Bufa, we asked her what kind of rock it was and she actually ate the rock...) she would have been into this place but she went to San Miguel and noone else really cared for it. From there we went to what was the highlight of my day... the Diego Rivera house/museum. The bottom floor is set up how it was when he lived there and then the upper 3 levels hold his art and other exhibitions that travel around. WELL, Rivera's art was, needless to say, astounding and I just was dumbfounded to see so many of his pieces there and the different techniques that he mastered all in the same area. But then I got the heartstopping moment of the place... there was an exhibit there of Salvador Dali's work of Dantes Divine Comedy... yeah, like 150 + of Dali's work... I could not believe it... kept asking if they were, really... honestly... no lie... his original work... and every time they said yes, so I had to snap to it and believe. I spent 2 hours (mas o menos) in there with two other girls who were just as in awe of his work as I was -the others went on to the Alhondiga... we went later and it was great, too, buta little overshadowed by Dali- just great...

Anyway, Sunday was the birthday of a friend... Arame, he teaches Caipoera at the gym... and we had a surprise party for him. Earlier in the day I went to Erin's house and she, Katie B and I made a heart shaped cake for him... and I had to go to like 4 different places to look for candles. None to be found in any normal store and I was getting frantic so I just went into this papeleria to ask and they had these ancient ones... luckily there were 24... perfect! I was scared that notall of them would be in there because the pack was so old that the glueon the box had completely disintengratedbut, luck was on my side and we were ready to roll... He was super surprised and gave this little speech... he doesn't have family and was just like "You all are not only my friends, but my family, too!" It was great, we all had a great time. Kitty, my friend Katie B's boyfriend (yes, Kitty is his real name) made food and we ate that and the cake, it was just so fun! Also, alot of Arame's students were there and they were too cute hanging around him, you could just tell he means the world to them.

So back to school today. Well, actually, I am skipping. Maybe I will go to Grammar, but I just didnt feel like sitting in a classroom with all this around me! Maybe I will just go back and talk to my Seora to count as my conversation class...

Love you all... xox CR

Well, despite my dislike of malls and shopping... I went to Leon Saturday...

My love of shoes peaked when I walked into a three story shoe mall! It was great, but I couldn't bring myself to buy anything, though... I wanted too many things to choose just one. And living in a city where you have to be insane to wear high heels, I couldn't make myself buy these amazing stilletos or cute pumps... I just couldnt do it. When I buy shoes I want to wear them right then, I would have to wait until December to wear them if I bought them now, so I will just have to stock up before I head back to the states...

the same goes for jeans...

The jeans here are SUPER long... my seora told me it was because the stores are out of Spain... and they all fit me! I am loading up before going home... in the states I have to search and search for long jeans and then still they are only acceptable... I love Mexico!

Still going to the gym and dance classes, went to my first spinning class yesterday, only because I was begged by my friend Kike (short for Enrique) who teaches it, and to my surprise, I liked it! I was soaking wet from the sweat, but it felt good. Plus he played alot better music than we get in Taebo and Step... I also went to a stretching class thinking, 'Oh, it will be alright, I need to stretch and this will make me do it'... well this guy, who I swear is made of a rubber band, had my legs over my head doing things I never thought possible... but let me just say, it felt so good to do that, we were like standing on our heads and crazy stuff... stretching muscles I didnt even know I had... on another note: My dance teacher hurt his back so classes were delayed for a bit, but today its a go... so back into the rhythm of the country!

Friday we are heading to Cristo Rey and Saturday we are going to San Miguel de Allende... should be great, I will let you know!

Mucho amor! xox CR

Well, not too much has been going on... still living in this dream of a town and loving every minute of it!

I got a package from my mom with my favorite sweater in it (it is this little boys XXL striped sweater that istoo big for me, but I love it) and I was so excited that when I went out with my friends that night, I wore it... it was pretty cool any way, and a bit rainy. Well, some of my Mexican guy friends saw me and were like, why are you wearing your pajamas?! So, even though I looked like I was about to go to bed, I was so happy and comfy...

That same day, I got a card from my grandfather... it was a Chihuahua with a sombrero... I showed my Seora (we have a Chihuahua named Tequila) and she got so excited because she has a picture of Tequila that looks exactly the same, I am pretty sure the card company took the negative from my family! (Thanks for the card, Papa... love it!)

This past Sunday, went for a hike up La Buffa... A huge mountain face that I can see out my window. It doesn't look that far but we left at 8 am and didnt get up there until 11 ish... we repelled down and had a blast, the view of the city was breathtaking!

I am taking Salsa classes every day and loving it, I also joined a gym here and love going to classes... I am friends with the owner and one of the guys who is an instructor there and they are too fun, it doesnt even seem like exercise because I am there with my amigas from ISA and then these two jokers...

Ok, enough for now... Gotta get home for comida and a siesta... xox CR

SO... its been awhile...

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Started classes the 15th and I am actually kinda glad... I can work on the specifics of the language I am supposed to be learning instead of just miming the words I dont know...

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Saturday went to Museo de los Momias and had an awful time, actually I ran through it with my eyes covered and my friend leading me through... it was like a nightmare come true! What was even worse was the locals, ?who think of death and that sort of thing completely different, laughing at me trying to get out of there... The day didnt get any better... we went to the old mines and got to go down in them and see what silver, gold, iron, copper and all of these other metals look like naturally, but then our tour guide started to tell us about the slaves who were forced to work by light equivalent to that of a match and when they returned to the surface were blinded so they had to work blind... bad vibes, let me tell you! After that, I was excited to see the church at Valenciana, GORGEOUS... except for the fact that there was a funeral going on... Next stop: the museun of the Inquisition... what fun, alot of torture instruments, more dead bodies and a creepy tour guide in a monk outfit... needless to say, the day didnt get better! I went home for a nice siesta and then met my friends to go out on the town. First we went to the sports bar San Diego which started off well, everyone having a good time and talking about how gross the day was... well I happen to look at the stairs (this place is in a basement) and what do I see coming down the stairs? Mr. Wright, NO... CLOWN SHOES!!! Not only one pair but two... so I turn really quickly to my friends Katie and Brittany and tell them not to let them come over, but there are about 10 of us and my friend Tony hears... He goes over to the clowns (I am freaking out mind you) and asks him to make me something... Well, I dont know how but somewhere in that Mexican clowns head he heard "touch her on the back"... so he did, and the tears come... I run out of the place with Brittany and Katie and go to another, safer, place.? Later, Tony comes up and tells me the clowns felt bad and made me this amazing horse out of balloons;?it was complete with hooves and eyes and a mane.? Needless to say, that night didnt get much better...

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Sunday, however, was a blast...

We went to Leon to watch a futbol game and had a great time... there was no score, but some of us are going to go back... I bought a Leon jersey and a Cruz Azul one, too... they are apparantly a big name in the futbol world... and a Leon flag for my brother... I also had lunch there and the great thing about Mexico is that I went to a game, bought souveniers and ate for all under 20 US dollars... life is good south of the border!!!

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Hope all is well in the states, love you all! xox CR

I went on a trip to Michoacan this weekend...

Friday:  A nice 3-4 hour hike after a 5 hour bus ride was nice to work out the kinks... we saw amazing waterfalls and alot of people swam... I didnt feel like being numb for the rest of the day, the water was MUY frio...

Saturday: Woke up pretty early to drive to a little campground at the base of the volcano Paracutin... we got on horses around 11:00 and rode to the summit.  On the way, we stopped to explore a hauntingly beautiful church that had been destroyed by the lava flow.  It took three hours to get to the base of the summit and then another hour or so to hike to the top.  All of the pain and shortness of breath was well worth the breathtaking view and the pictures I got from the top.  I have to say that the best part of the volcano was running down the side... the ash was up to my knees and every step that I took I slid down another two feet.  I think it probably took three minutes to run down the side. At the bottom I dumped a good three pounds of ash out of my shoes. The horse ride back was a bit painful and I still have bruises in places we wont discuss here.  We had a fun night of dancing and a campfire... but then when I went to get in bed, OH! the sheets are wet... everyone in my cabaña had wet sheets, we didnt have a shower curtain and it was FREEZING!!!  (When I was packing for Mexico I thought, oh, south = hot... WRONG... every night it is COLD and it was even colder on this volcano because the altitude was even higher!)

Sunday: Walking like I have lived 80 years longer than I actually have because of the horse (I dreamed I was still on him)... we went to a lush national park... more waterfalls and gorgeous scenery... I wish I could upload pictures! Then we went to this small town that was obviously influenced by Spain... I bought my first piece of art (I am sure there is more to come!) and then back on the bus.  We got home around 8:00 pm. I slept really well, but I think that goes without saying after at least 14 hours on a bus, 7 hours on a horse, and countless hours walking/hiking.

¡Hasta luego! -CR

Okay, an update from Guanajuato...

The people, the colors, the climate, the FOOD!!!... all is just wonderful... I don't really know my way around yet, but then again it has only been three days.  I love my family, I have one sister and two brothers who live in the house with me... along with my Senora, Elvira.  My Senor isn't around much... I don't know where he goes.  Anyway, I have already been to one Salsa class and been asked to dance with the teacher in front of alot of people whom I had just met... needless to say it was intimidating... but I had a great time and I have dance class three times a week... I am planning on taking over the bars here before I head back to boring ol' Kentucky... but I don't want to think about the end just yet... it is too amazing here! I don't think I can do pictures from here, but I will definatly be bringing home amazing ones!! ---I must say, though, that pictures don't do this place justice... I looked on the internet before I came and I had some idea, but it is nothing like being in it! Okay, gotta go, but I love you all and will update when I can! Mucho Amor, todos! xox CR

"Hola", says Celia from Mexico...this is Kim, her mom, sending out the message that 'Celia has left the country'.  She'll hopefully be posting lots of interesting stories here for us to enjoy and be jealous of (she's already reported that the view is amazing & she'll not be driving while in Mexico due to something like 'WKU hills on steriods').  Check back soon for CeliaRosita reporting from south of the border...

So, Friday there was an evacuation implemented and at 11:00 pm I headed out of town with three guys I met at Rosemary.  I haven't had a car all summer so I had to hitch a ride with them, but they are fun road trip buddies.  Jonah, Matt, Ashley and I stopped at Waffle House before setting off for dryer and less windy weather.  We pulled into my driveway at about 6:00 am and then they continued onto Ohio.  I have caught up on my sleep since then and continuously been watching Anderson Cooper on CNN (he is gorgeous AND my wallpaper on my laptop!).  I am heading up to Nashville this afternoon with my family... Tucker got his spacers in, and preparing for his expander and braces... glad that part of my life is overwith! So anyway this is just basically to say that I am safe and sound, but returning to the beach as soon as we are allowed.  I hear, though, that there is a chance of ANOTHER hurricane (Emily) soon... so my stay might not be a long one! xox-CR

Alrighty... it's been a while, but here is an update on my whereabouts... I am currently in Rosemary Beach, Florida.  Working everyday either at DogManDu (hotdog cart) or Gigi's Fabulous Kids' Fashions and Toys.  Loving being at the beach and having (two) steady paychecks that don't come from my past disaster of a job (RedZone).  These pics are some from the end of the year performance of Columbia Dance Academy (where I studied dance during my high school days under the instruction of Millie Landers).  This year the opener was CATS and Mille asked me to come back and do a small part as Macavity the Mystery Cat.  I miss dancing with CDA and it is always great to return and help with props and do makeup and dance... The pictures above are (L --> R) Tucker as Rum Tum Tugger with his admire-ers all around him (he did a wonderful job... I will take credit for his ability ;P ), Me and Tucker (I did both of our makeup for pictures, dress rehearsal and 3 shows... perfect every time, and I am glad there weren't more shows to do! , Cassie Cornwall, me, Tucker, and Jennie Ortega (<--- one of my best friends ever!)   Underneath... Jennie O and Cassie helping Tucker with his wig (I couldn't because of the awful fingernails I wore for Macavity... Jennie O, me, and Cassie... Old Deuteronomy (played by Mr. Watson, Millie's dad) and me posing at the end of the opening act...

  The show was fun to do... one show Friday night and two shows Saturday. Mama and Papa got to see the first show and Nonny came to each of them (of course mom and dad were there, too... CH sat through one which is enough to ask from him).  After the final show Cassie's parents had my family, Jennie's family, and Hal and Millie over for food which was a fun way to spend my last night in Columbia... with all of the people I am close to.  I had great time with everyone and ate way more than I should have... The next day I said my goodbyes to Nonny and the rest of the clan, mom and I headed south for warmer (but wetter) Florida... and Nonny headed back home to Tulsa. I am glad that she came to the shows... even though I didn't make much of an appearance, Tucker was WONDERFUL!!! Now I am just spending my days hanging out with people of RMB... and I love it! Jonah, a friend down here is a great musician and plays all over so I get to hear him... he has a CD out, maybe I should have him autograph it so I can say I knew him when! He has a couple of friends down here and they are successfully breaking into the real world of business and responsibility... partly it makes me excited to get out of school and on my way, but then again, I like being able to just go to school and get by with working at a hot dog stand and not in some office!  One of his friends, Matt, knows Jordan Shaw, one of my good friends in BG, KY... what a small world we live in!  Who knows, maybe I will meet someone in Mexico who also has some friends in common with me... wouldn't that be weird... Anyway, yesterday was Mama's birthday and I spoke to her on the phone, and today is Father's Day, spoke with him already... I feel kind of lonely, despite all the fun people here, being the only one at the beach this past week... home to an empty house and eating alone, etc... I did watch a ballet on the balcony of the Sage's house, they were nice enough to tolerate me for a little bit... but it was fun to watch and have some people to talk with while watching.