Nueva Vallarta

We are here. We are in Puerto Vallarta - well, really Nueva Vallarta. It is beautiful here. We walked off the bus and we were instantly sticky. It was like being back in Roatan. The smell, the tile, the feel of the sandy sticky tile under your feet. I love it. We spent the entire day in the water. Our hotel is super nice and we rented out kayaks and boogie boards and it was wonderful to just relax and be in the sun again. Oh the SUN! how I have missed the sun more than anything. And the smell of the ocean, feeling of sand between my toes, the salt of the water...we had some good boogie boarding today. I even body surfed better than I have ever ever EVER done before.
We have lounged all day and tomorrow looks like it is mas o menos el mismo plus church.

well- think it's time for bed.

6 DIAS MAS

Friday the 13th!

Today was the last day of class. Crazy crazy crazy. Time has flown by. So along with this final day of classes came our final exam as well as oral presentation. Ah horrible. I can't speak publicly in English - let a lone in Spanish! I was pretty much nervous all day long and couldn't wait to just get it all over with. Our teacher wasn't there on Thursday to go over all the review with us. That threw me off by a lot and then today she gives us the test written by the other teacher. Definitely the hardest test we have had this whole time. Then my presentation - Oaxaca. State of Mexico where Nacho Libre was filmed. That was maybe my favorite part and I couldn't even say that right!

Then we had a fiesta and we were allowed to invite our parents. Yolanda and Guillermo are amazing. They were the coolest parents there by far. We had so much fun talking and they really really love us. It was a very cool experience and I love that I have come to know them so well. I will probably miss them the most. Guillermo kept telling us how happy and optimistic we are. How we just love life. It was very sweet of him.

After school Nat and I did some laundry (washed the clothes that smelt fom never drying) and then headed back to the centro to meet with our group. We got there and we were supposed to go to see the Mariachis and then to the haunted cemetery. We sat around for a while - Lucky me, I got to dance with Tyrel. haha It was really a blast! The cemetery didn't work - guess you have to have made reservations the morning of rather that afternoon - so we just went by the mariachis. We payed 200 pesos, got 3 songs and then they kept playing - I think they just wanted to see the American's dance. haha As we were leaving, some man with a toothy smile looked at me and said "Tu eres la guerra mas guapa! Ella es la guerra mas guapa!" What a compliment! It was for the most part fun, but now I am running on just about nothing...

We are off to Vallarta manana. I hope we get internet in the hotel. It should be really fun and I am looking forward to some time for relaxing and not being on a schedule.

I COME BACK IN A WEEK!

Teatro Degollado

Ok - we switched rooms and I miss my old room more than I thought I would. We have new roommates. They are from Texas and don't speak much Spanish...at all. They are nice - but I am a little bitter they are in my room. I guess it makes sense, we leave for Puerto Vallarta in the morning and so we have tonight and then next Wednesday and Thursday night here but here is the big dilemma - the internet doesn't work in our new room so I am sitting out on the balcony right now. Very fun...

We spent yesterday in el centro before we met al Teatro Degollado another time for ballet folklorico. Nat and I were on missions for dulces to bring home and something special for us - actually buy presents for ourselves!! Nat really wanted a dress, I was just looking. Found the sweetest Argentina jacket ever. I love it and can't wait to wear it in the states. It is still rainy here which means I can't wear anything white for fear of it turning yellow. The rain already stained my new white shirt!

It was amazing - really amazing! We saw typical dances from Baja California (got to hear a lovely song about Tijuana...I laughed), Veracruz, Chiapas, Nayarit, San Luis Potosi, and finally - Jalisco!! There were mariachis, rope wizard men and some crazy kicking moves. I was thoroughly entertained and amazed. Nat just kept saying wow over and over again. We have really had wonderful experiences here in Mexico.

carne asada

So our good friend Jared is leaving us on Thursday (manana) to pick up his brother who is graduating from high school in Mexico City - I am pretty sure that is what I was told. His brother is studying at the LDS school there.
He invited some of us over for dinner and we ended up being there the whole evening. We were supposed to be picked up at 6:30 - that turned into closer to 7:15. Then we got there and had to prepare salsa, guac, and cook the meat. Luckily - that's where I ended up. I grilled the onions (which turned out delicious!) and fanned the bbq while Jared took care of the meat. We had some really yummy carne, mexican chorizo, and something that was supposedly like a hot dog but even better? We definitely ate well, that is all I have to say.

Then we sat around and talked until about midnight. We had a ton of fun in their cool hammock and the rain actually stopped for long enough to allow us to enjoy our time outside. (it is raining right now...again)

I really love the people we have come to get to know here. They would do anything for us and are so sweet. Just now at lunch, we were talking to Yolanda about when we were leaving and all this good stuff that had to be done. She is letting us choose what we want to eat for comida manana. We ended up choosing her chicken tostada salad stuff. Muy rico! She left Monday morning for something in Chapala and just got back this morning. Oh how Nat and I missed her. It is so nice to have her home. She told us today that she hates the saying goodbye part of these programs...I already know I will hate this too.
BUT at the same time - I am counting days to be back with my family again. Mom just told me that Grandma, Grandpa, and Michelle are coming for Porter's ordination. My baby brother is going to be a deacon!! I can't wait to be with everyone. soo soon. 9 days.

mis llaves y la lluvia

I finally found my keys! I haven't had them for over a week now. Last Sunday Stephanie came over to get some help with her music - you know, transferring stuff from an ipod to a computer. And of course I would know how to do that. So when she left I ran down to open the gate for her. When I came back in we went to the kitchen to fill our water bottles. I had my key with me and then the next morning they were gone. Nat and I could not figure out where they went. They were obviously in our house but - we could not find them anywhere. Normally we are together every moment of our lives here in Guadalajara but this week she has service and I don't so if I wanted to go do things, we would have to figure out the key situation. Well, last night we lost her keys right before Noche de Hogar. Really, they had just fallen our of her purse. While we were looking for hers I got this feeling to look in my junk drawer (yes, I even have one here in Guadalajara!). That night I looked...somehow they got to the very back under everything. There they were hiding from me!
THE RAIN - yep, it does not want to stop. Actually, it does not look like it is raining right now...of course. It was wet, not rainy this morning, so we went to the starbucks across the street from the school to get some hot chocolate. Yummy Yummy. Our feet were all nice and wet but we were alright once we got to class. Then came time to leave. It was not coming down as hard as Saturday night but we had to walk in this rain for quite a bit. And we got thoroughly wet. The temperature is nicer when it rains - but I have to say...I miss the sun. Oh, and all our laundry is still in the process of drying. Great.

Hand Washed

I just did the laundry - all by hand. I don't have service this week but Natalie does (or we thought she did) and so I was going to go get the laundry done. But then I decided that that costs too much (it costs more here than in the states) so I decided I could do it all in the shower. Took me a good hour and a half and we have wet clothes strung everywhere - but I got it done for free. I am proud of myself :) but my arms will not be so happy in the morning.
I finished at about 3:00 here and by 3:10 Nat walks back in the door. I was not expecting to see her until after 5! Turns out her boys might not have school - or they do, but just the first 3 days of the week and the lady said that most likely that means they won't come. She wants Nat to call everyday before she heads to service to see if she needs to come...So Nat spent a whole hour and a half round trip to service and back. Poor thing.

Last Sunday in our Guadalajara Ward

So for this entire trip we have been attending a ward in the Moctezuma stake - I am pretty sure it was even the Moctezuma ward, but I can't be positive. I did not realize how much I had come to feel comfortable in this ward. I still remember the first Sunday. Nat and I had been in Guadalajara 2 days longer than everyone else and feeling a bit homesick. We got to the church and when we walked in there was an instant change of feeling. We were at home. And the Temple is just across the parking lot. It is beautiful and I will definitely miss that.
We sit down and we participated in the releasing and calling of a new bishopric. It was just such a reaffirmation that this Gospel is the same around the world. I don't know names of nearly anyone in this ward but it was amazing to see that the new bishopric was made up of members that had stood out to me for one reason or another throughout this trip. It wasn't really a surprise for me to see who was being put in because they were the men that I could have pointed out to you and said that they are strong members and know the Gospel. Then for the sacrament hymn we sing "How Great Thou Art". There was such an overwhelming spirit. The old and new bishopric then had a chance to share their testimonies along with a few of their wives. A very good sacrament meeting. It then closed with me and my group singing "Joseph Smith's First Prayer." I will never forget how I felt singing that song with people who have helped me grow so much to people I have come to love.