Roaches, Slow Buses, and Job Offers

Only in Mexico do you....

~Go into the guest bedroom to look for extra hangers and slide a hanger to find a HUGE roach (it was like 2 inches big) crawling over a jacket!  I freaked out and jumped back and fell onto the bed!  haha

~On your way to an interview (leaving plenty early to get there on time) get onto the ONLY bus in Guadalajara that decides to stop at a random point and the driver gets out and stands in line to order tacos.  We waited for at least 5 minutes!!!  Only in Mexico...

~Get offered a job teaching english within 5 minutes of your interview.  He didn't even ask for a resume or about my experience or anything!  haha He said that he liked my accent and diction and tone of voice... whatever that means... haha

VIVA MEXICO! VIVA MEXICO! VIVA MEXICO!

Only in Mexico do you...

Today was Dia de la Independencia en Mexico!!!  September 15th!

I translated my resume this morning and then in the afternoon I turned in my resume/application to a couple english schools!  When I turned them in they said that they are not currently hiring, but they would call me if the do hire in the future.  I was disappointed when I left the second school, but when I got home I got an email from a company that teaches english to various businesses.  And they want to interview me!  YAY!  So I'm going in on Friday for the interview-the only thing is I have no idea how to get there!  haha I've got the address and I have found it in my Guia Roji map, but I have no idea what buses go there!  haha So I'm going to have to take an adventure tomorrow or the next day so I can figure it out! =)

After making some yummy mexican soup for dinner I went to the Centro to see what was going on for independence day.  I had no idea what was in store!  There were police everywhere.  Barricades.  Crazy hats.  Lots and lots of noise makers.  Sombreros. Tacos. Tortas. Tamales. Cacahuates. A lot of drinks.  Random Mexican stuff.  Fireworks.  And more noise makers.  It was crazy!  Literally the entire centro was barricaded in with millions of little stands selling everything you can imagine.  Plus there a billion people there.  And I'm not going to lie, I definitely didn't blend in.  I try, I really do.  But my blonde hair/blue eyes/white skin/gringo accent kind of give me away...  Oh well...  Some day.  I really think I was the only gringo there.  jaja...

So all in all today was a pretty cool day.  I'm loving Guadalajara!

VIVA MEXICO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  VIVA MEXICO!!!!!!!!!!!!!  VIVA MEXICO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tacos al pastor!

Only in Mexico do you...

Nothing too out of the ordinary today.  

I woke up.  Showered.  Mailed something to the states.  Picked up a newspaper to look for jobs. 

Walked to Starbucks.  Read a lot a Starbucks-reading about the life of King David- it is really really interesting to learn more about him as I read through 1 Samuel and through the Psalms- good stuff.  Got caught in a huge storm as I walked home from Starbucks. 

Stopped in a English school called "Instituto Boston" to see if they are hiring.  I'm going to turn in my resume tomorrow!  We'll see...  Then I came home and hung out with some random people and one of the woman (who was a little crazy.  ok she was pretty crazy) tried to sell me makeup and hair stuff.  jaja She wouldn't give up.  

Then the power went out from the storm so I went out to get some tacos for dinner.  I'm not gonna lie- tacos al pastor are growing on me.  When I was in DF I couldn't stand them.  I would always order bistec tacos, but I figured why not try them again?  And you know what?  I like tacos al pastor better!  jaja  I think that was the highlight of my day!  =)

The Centro is my new favorite place!

Only in Mexico do you...

~Get to eat papas covered in sal, chile, y limon after church!

~Arrive at church over 15 minutes late and there are still only maybe 20-30 people there.  I love Mexican time!

~Wake up and walk out your bedroom door to find a random 8 year old boy sleeping on the couch who definitely wasn't at the house when you went to sleep.

~Have to pour cup after cup of water into the back of the toilet so that it will flush anytime you go #2. haha what a sight!  =)

~Get on a bus with a friend (tania) and randomly run into her sister (kenia) on the same bus!  In the second largest city in Mexico you run into someone you know on a bus (there's like 20 billion buses here)

~Get spit at by a woman on the street for smiling and saying "buenas tardes".

~Have a random conversation with a guy in front of the Catedral about the Bible.

~Eat Nieves Raspadas for the first time ever!!!  Yum Yum Yum!  Fresa y Durazno!

~Get to sit on the balcony of a really cheap restaurant and overlook the entire centro for only 42 pesos for two people!  PS.  I tried tortas ahogadas and it was amazing!  I made a huge mess, but it was totally worth it.

~Have a conversation with my friend Eunice about how it probably won't rain a lot in the next few months and then literally ten seconds later it starts to downpour.

~Jump in puddles of rain in a really sketch part of the centro while drunk people stare at you.

~Realize that after visiting the Centro twice already that you had only seen less than 10% of it!!!  THE CENTRO IS HUGE!!!!!!!   I only went down the street by the Catedral y Palacio.  Who knew that it went so much further!!!  I HEART THE CENTRO MUCHISISISISISISISISISISISMO!!!!!!!!

Weddings, Quinceañeras, and Rooster Crossings!

Only in Mexico do you...

~Sit down over a cup of coffee and share your life story for over an hour with the cleaning lady while she is being paid to clean the house =)

~Get stuck in traffic for 2 minutes while a rooster crosses a busy intersection

~Walk into the Basilica of Zapopan and realize that you have just walked into a personal wedding and decide to stay anyways =)

~See a quinceañera being celebrated in the middle of the centro in Zapopan.  It was a happening day in Zapopan.

~Talk with a guy from LA who got deported back to Mexico after living in the states for over 30 years.  He was in a gang.  He was in jail for a year for domestic violence.  He wanted to start a new life. I got to share my testimony and talk about Jesus' redemptive power, love, and grace!!!   =)

Puppies and Kittens!

Only in Mexico do you...

~Find two really cute baby kittens in your backyard and get to keep them!

~Wake up at 4am to find two dogs on top of your roof!

~Go to a really sketch dentist office and only pay 200 pesos for a tooth extraction that takes 15 minutes (not me-don't worry)

~Hear loud Mexican music in the backyard turn on randomly in the morning when you are making your coffee.

~Park on the side of a street (clearly marked NO PARKING) and run into the mall for over 30 minutes and not get ticketed!