Brother Blue

I recieved an e-mail last week with an number of question about the Mexico trip. Thought it would just be esier to pass along what Jerry wrote to everyone. If you have more questions, let me know.
IN MEXICO CITY (DF – for Districto Federales): I am trying to set up very inexpensive accommodations at a Methodist Seminary. It is dorm-living with quad rooms and nice communal bathrooms (separate by gender). They also provide a nice, but simple breakfast in the morning based upon our schedules.
If I am unable to secure those accommodations we may need to get a hotel (I should know in the next couple of weeks) – which might add to our costs. However, we can put three or four people in a room at the hotel and reduce our costs in that manner.
We won’t have mass everyday in DF; however, on Sunday we will go to the Shrine of Guadalupe in downtown DF.
AT THE ORPHANAGE: We will be staying with the kids in two separate rooms at the orphanage (male and female). The bathrooms are right there – also communal and sanitary. The orphanage is very, very simple, but clean. The beds are industrial bunk beds but they have mattresses and bedding. The floors are concrete and I would wear slip-on rubber sandals while walking around the bathroom and the shower.
They serve meals at the orphanage – but stick with cereal or bread (not an Atkins-friendly place). Eat the cereal dry because the kids re-use the previous day’s leftover milk for cereal the following day.
Often (probably daily), we will go into Colуn for meals too. We will have to buy them there – but they are inexpensive. The authentic cuisine is delicious! Meat and Poultry are a good bet – stay away from vegetables that you have not seen washed in bottled water!
We will be able to go to mass daily with the children.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Your flute and any other instruments would be wonderful! However, make sure you have ‘proof of ownership’ with the instrument. A credit card receipt or a bill of sale would work (or they might say that you bought in Mexico and make you either leave it or pay duty on it).
I generally operate under the parameter of not taking anything into a developing country that I wouldn’t mind leaving behind.
PACKING: You would be best off with a backpack, a sleeping bag and maybe a duffle bag if you need it. That way you are prepared for anything. We will be getting off and on buses fairly regularly and you don’t want to leave anything sitting around or not within your immediate grasp at a bus station.
Also, pack your own toilet paper. You have to pay for it in public places, they only sell you one square and that can often have the texture of a comic book page.
It doesn’t hurt to bring a good water container that you can strap on and that you fill everyday from bottled water.
AIR LINE TICKETS: I have a great travel agent that I use and they are very xompetitive with prices I have found on the net. If you would like to use them too, call
Paul Schniedmiller at World Wide Travel in Walla Walla, WA (talk about wwwwwwww’s). His phone number is 1 (800) 283-9987.
I use him because he can tell me more than the computer can and he keeps me updated on flight changes or potential problems.
Otherwise, I would just look at Travelocity; compare that ticket price with Orbitz. Take the lowest price and enter it into Priceline and see if an airline will bid on a lower price. The thing with Priceline is that if you make the bid and they accept it – you must take the ticket. Still, you
can be assured that price will be the lowest you can get. (I hope that doesn’t sound too much like a math word problem).
PAPERWORK: Make sure you bring a Passport or (at this moment) Mexico is accepting notarized birth certificates; however a Passport is always best. You may want to store that with reputable Traveler’s Checks (like American Express – which are the most likely to be accepted) in a travel belt or a small packet carried under your shirt or pants. As in all cities, pickpockets are incredibly gifted and Fanny packs are easier to steal than wallets.
Bring any health or legal documents with you that need and make sure you are up on all your shots – especially tuberculosis – which is still active in some parts of Mexico. As a general rule these days – ask your doctor about any Hepatitis shots that he might suggest.
You needn’t worry about malaria because we will not be in jungles or low-lying areas where those problems are acute.
Gene and I have a liability release that we would like everyone to sign that basically says that we cannot be held reasonably responsible for accidents or death except for acts of gross negligence.
Please understand that we are not a ‘tour company’ or a ‘guide service’. We are on this trip with you as fellow travelers and will do everything to make sure that you are safe. However, accidents happen – even severe ones and we are traveling to a developing country.
Be assured that I have made this trip on multiple occasions and will treat everyone as if they are my own brother or sister – and yes, I do love my brothers and sisters. I have taken my spouse with me and teenagers and have actually invited my brother to go with us. Both Gene and I take your trust in us very seriously.
GAMES and STUFF: It would be great if we could pool some dollars while in Mexico to buy some simple games for the kids. Here is the deal though; whatever we get –
we have to get it for everyone (and there are 300 hundred kids – although while we are there school will be out and there will be less children). These children have next to nothing and if one child has something nice – they might steal from another child to get it. Kids will be kids.
Let me say this though, when I go down on Christmas, I have taken such things as balloons and paper for airplanes. We have also made ‘beady buddies’ and other inexpensive crafts. They love it!
One year, I drew faces on the balloons and when I left a little girl showed me the locket she was wearing. In it was a little teeny baby Jesus and the deflated balloon. Those were her ‘treasures’.

1) Line dried socks are just no good.
2) I am actually going to do some tourist stuff this weekend.
off to class

I have come to the realization that I am never going to learn Spain. What i mean is really learn Spanish. I am around a number of euoropeans who speak wonderful English. I one day dream of being able to speak Spanish as well as they speak English, but there is so much I say that they don´t understand. I have been amazed at the number of idioms that I used. I used the phrase, “Well, I think I have bounced back,” in refering to a little bug that I had and none of the non-native speakers in the room had heard the phrase before. They understood it, but didn´t know it or why it made sence. Languages are such big unwheeldly things I don´t know how it is ever posible to feel ike you have mastered it. At times I don´t feel that way about the english lanuage.
I have gotten to the point in my laugage study where I am no longer trying to make simple delcaritive statements. “No hablo much Español (I don´t speak mcuh spanish)” “Soy de EE.UU.(I am from the United States)” “Soy malabarista (I am a juggler)” I am trying to move beyond noun, verb, and maybe prepisition. It is very furstrating. It is amazing how suttle language is. How much of our native language we take forganted.
On Monday I felt like I was just about to make a break trough, and just have the langauge streeming out of my mouth, by Tuesday at lunch that confidence was gone. It is amazing the words we don´t think of that mean and do so much. “while, if, for, therefor, after, before, then, there, here”.
Assinged seats I have been going to daily mass this week at Santa Anna y San Gil (I have no idea what Gil is in english, but I don´t think I have a good idea about Anna. I think it means Jennifer). Like most daily masses it is a bunch of little old ladies. Most sitting in the same spot eeryday. The chuch is right on the main plaza in the historical part of town, so before and after mass a number of tourist wonder in and out (for good reason, it is a beautiful church). Yesterday, sitting on the aile of the second row was a tourist who was looking up at the ceiling, taking pictures. One of the ladies walked in. The toursit was sitting in her seat. So she came in and sat right next to the tourist, in a very empty church. The tourist didn´t seem to notice. After to tourist had drank in enought of the sights, she left. The little old lady promptly slid over in to “her” seat, which was now vacant.
Cowboy I am wearing a hat here that is a staw cowboy hat (a la M. May, decorated with studs and safty pins). Last night I was having dinner with a friend from Engalnd when a woman walked by our table. I reconized her from the school, but didn´t know her. I smiled. She smiled back, stopped, and then said, “How do I know you? (pause) Your the cowboy.” First and last time I will be called that I am sure.
Off to memorize more words.

Granada, Spain is such an odd place. It has a very unreal quality to it. We live in the Albizen, which is the old Moorish city center. The whole neighborhood is a UNSCO international haritage site. All of the buildings are over 400 years old. Every guide bnook that mensions Granada talks about the sites in our area of town. Last night while walking home we enountered a group (40 people) of tourist taking pictures in frount of our grocrey store. It almost feels like Diseny World in some way. There is noway places like really exsist. It must be a theme park. The odd oddity gets compunded more by the fact that we don´t really have to do anything. We study the lauguage and dance and music. But we don´t really work. The only things on TV are psychics reading taroh cards and dubbed US tv. We have no real sense of what is going on in the outside world (or if it is even still there). The food is cheap, there are no more bills to pay. No phones that ring. No mail. It is as if there is a powerful force that is just sucking you to the city center. Relaxing you. Making movment and choice imposible. If one were to stay more than a month, I don´t if it would be posible to leave. I have met somany people who have arived with no set plan to leave and there stay just keeps getting longer and longer. We don´t really live here, but now we are no longer tourist. We don´t know the culture, but we also feel no need to buy nick nacks or take pictures all the time. It is as if we don´t belong, but have no where to go. Caught in some middle ground. This is a beautiful place, but one in which you loose yourself or lose the world (for better or worse).

Here is a note from Jerry with more details on the trip. As always e-mail me any questions.
The most important focus of this trip will be to play with the children at the orphanage. There we will truly find the living, breathing—and
laughing—face of Jesus in a present form.
The orphanage (Saint Therese’s) is found in the high desert country of North Central Mexico. It is about 100 kilometers north and east of Mexico City. It will be pretty hot while we are there, but bottled water is amply available. The land is very beautiful in its starkness and we will be able to do lots of hiking (there will also be transportation available for those who need them).
There are actually two orphanages; one in the city of Colуn and one seven kilometers from the city in an old monastery. We will spend time daily in both locations and the walk is beautiful. However, you need to be in pretty good shape to walk 14 kilometers round trip in the heat and sun. I would suggest really sturdy (and worn-in) boots rather than sandals or tennis shoes as there can be stickers on the trail and the ground is uneven.
I like to get up early in the morning, buy some of the fresh sweetbreads that children sell around the village and hike to the orphanage. There I spend time working on the farm with the kids (they grow beans for their own use) and then I spend the afternoon playing games with them. They are awesome soccer players and seem afraid of nothing! Fr. Norman usually says Mass in the morning out at the monastery/orphanage and the kids love to sing.
Around the village are two shrines that a short hike in the hills. They
look down upon the small town and are a great place to pray and reflect.
Be sure you bring sun screen, be prepared for blisters and there can be hornets and scorpions (always check your boots before you put them on).
Before we go out to the orphanage, we will spend a couple days in Mexico City taking in the culture. Three places in particular are worth day trips:
* The pyramids outside of the City
* The Shrine of Guadalupe;
* The village of Cuernavaca.
All of these are great day trips and will involve walking around the area to get the fullest sense of their historic and cultural value. The pyramids are magnificent especially if you hike to the top, however be prepared for a long, steep staircase with steps that are irregular in size.
You will enjoy this trip much more if you are well-conditioned – and
especially to heat. Also, please remember that things move much slower in a developing country than in our ‘hurry-up’ world. A bus that is supposed to arrive around ten can arrive around two instead. Having something to read or a Frisbee to throw (or, if you are like Gene and Brad, you can juggle) is a real plus. It is all part of the ‘experience.’ Also, pick up a Berlitz pocket book for Latin America (not Spain); they are great reference guides in almost any situation.
Check on your shots, your passports or notarized birth certificates for
arrival. Bring any meds that you could contemplate using (allergies, bee stings and so forth) and like anywhere… it is better to try and hang out as a group.
As you prepare, keep an eye on this site:
http://cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mx.html
Especially the “Issues” page; it will keep you up to date on current issues in Mexico.
Over all, if you love to play with kids, if you don’t mind being late for just about everything, if you enjoy spontaneity, and use common sense – this will be a great trip.

…in Granada, Spain.
On Friday night, one of the flats hosted everyone for dinner, because a number of the students had ended thier time here. Becuase a number of people are hear taking guitar classes, after dinner much singing insued. At one point the three guitarist started playing a blues riff. Someone tried to sing the blues, but here is souther Spain it is not posible. The only option is Loundan Wainwrights “Happy Blues”
Me cooking? So the ladies who hosted the party on Friday were cooking pizza. When I arrived at 9, four of them were standing in the kitched staring at the ingredeance and a huge pot of raised dough, not really knowing what to do next. So I ended up making all the pizza. Yes, me the guy who could burn water, made dinner. Fourtunally, it takes no real skill to make pizza. Everyone was very impressed. I got a hge round of appualuse at one point. The only conculsion that cnab e made is that these people need to get out more and eat some real food.
Drugs The creeping crud that has been moving through us, fianlly got me in a full on way on Saturday. Lucky for me I was walking home from a concert with my friend Betty from Mexico. She speaks very good english, and was able to transelate for me so I could get the drugs I really need.
La Boda Real All the single female hearts in Spain broke about noon on Saturday, not becuase of the end of my dance creerer, but because the Prince got married. As I walked the streets on Saturday it was the talk of the town, the topic was on everyones lips. Okay, so I have no idea if that is true, because I don´t speak the lauguage, but I assume it to be true. The whole thing was telivized. They showed everyone showing up, the wedding, the post wedding blessing, and the dinner afterwards. I did not stick with it long enough to see if Prince Charles did the “Chicken Dance” at the respetion. Then yesterday they played the whole thing over again provided critique on all the out fits. [Note: The yellow dress with the three signle color red tulips on the bottom was a really bad choice.]
Forgine Spanish I may not be able to speak the language yet, but I can tell where the foriners are from by the way the speak spanish.
Tororedor Last night 4 of us went out for a very low key noght of tapas. (Tapas are a plate of food served with a drink in Spain. In Granada from some reason they are free. I don´t understand, but I am not complaining.) We stat down at a very quite bar, and some how ened up talking to the three locals sitting next to. One of them was a retired Tororedor (bullfighter). We were all just amazed. Sitting in a bar in the shadow of the Alahambra, eating amazing free tapas, and talking to a retired bull fighter. It just didn´t seem like it was real or posible.

Today in sure the moarning will begin as my elustious flamenco career comes to an end. The women of souther Spain will all be dressed in black and the men will be sack cloth, covering themselves in ash. In some ways I will be sad. I have enjoyed it a lot, and finally got my hips to move (sometimes the right dricetion on time with the music).
bed Last night we went to (another! please help me) flemanco show. Afterwards (@ 12:20), one of the German women of our group asked if I was going to continue out with them. I said that i needed bed and to get up in to morning to study. She insisted, (in spanish) “I am not going to be out that late. You can come home when I do, in two hour.” I don´t have the stamina for Spain.

I have recieved a few e-mails asking if I have found a towel yet, and do they need to send one. They do have towels in Spain. I was able to find one. And, yes, I am showering daily.
Not much new has happened in the last few days. I am doing my card trick in spanish today, so I have been home studying for the last few nights. I am loving the dance classes, but am looking forward to next when when I only have laungage. I don’t have time to do laugage class, danca class, dance practice, study, and hang with all these amazing people. I feel like the dance classes are slowing the rate I am learning the laugage.
Off to do my homework before class.

You bring people together from all over the world (with there verious bugs from home), to much hiking up and down the hills of Granada, and not enough sleep and it is bound to happen. I have managed to get sick, and fear trying to by drugs in a language I don´t speak.
Off to practive card tricks in spanish for my examine in conversation tommorow.

…like Al Gore.
Enough said!