Mom and Dad arrived on August 31st in the early afternoon. I took the day off in order to meet them at the airport. That did and did not work. I unfortunately assumed they would be arriving in Terminal 1 when in fact they arrived in Terminal 2. We had no way to communicate and it took me a couple of hours of waiting to wonder if something was wrong. Finally, I used a pay phone to call Mom’s cell and found them at the other terminal. It was a relief to see them after so much anxious waiting! We headed to the Pullman station and repeated my journey there: Pullman bus to Cuernavaca, taxi to the other Pullman station, and a final Pullman bus to Miacatlan. I arrived back at the house in time to help with Edge. Mom and Dad I dropped off at volunteers before abandoning them for the group. We then headed to dinner in town at which point they had their first authentic Mexican meal complete with Coca-Cola. Afterwards we found their room, I gave them a quick tour in the fading light, and we distributed their candy gifts to all the volunteers. It was pretty late at that point after a long day so we headed to our separate rooms and called it a night.
Thursday my day started off normally enough. Mom and Dad came to almuerzo and met some of my girls for the first time. We then went shopping in the pueblo for a few things and made it back in time for comida. Mom kept me company while I check my girls’ garden chores and then she and Dad wandered around the house some more during homework hour.
Me with one of my girls finishing chores.
Dad in some of the old bones of the hacienda that have yet to be rebuilt.
We all went to activity with my section and then everyone got ready to head into town for pizza. The trip into town with the entire section turned into more of an adventure than we had originally bargained for. It was pouring down rain due to a hurricane passing over Mexico at the time so we all got an extra shower. Everyone arrived relatively unscathed however and had a blast.
Mom throwing out some peace signs with my girls.
My fellow encargadas of the section.
Back at the house, a group photo before we headed in.
That night Mom and Dad hung out in volunteers and made lots of new friends. For weeks afterwards I was being informed about how great my parents are. It was great to see two worlds which are so important to me meshing so well!
Friday school was delayed due to the excessive rain. Mom, Dad, and I went into town again for lunch and the rest of the day was pretty typical. They both joined in different activities and Mom came up to see the dorm room where my girls live.
Me in the section with two of my girls.
The activity that night was a dance competition in the patio. Mom and Dad had fun watching, especially when I was dragged in by a friend!
The competition set-up.
Mom and her new friend.
Saturday was a big activity day: the entire house hiked to a near-by chapel for a lunch outside and games. It was a long and messy hike due to all the recent rain, but a lot of fun. We made it back in time to shower and head to mass in town where Mom was especially wowed by the local church. Dinner in the patio and then packing for the next day ended our Saturday.
The hike up with me and Dad in the foreground.
Mom at our destination with another new friend who requested her to take him up to see the chapel.
Dad with one of my girls who asked him to go visit it with her. My parents were pretty popular.
Mass that night.
Sunday Mom and Dad said good-bye to my girls at desayuno and then we headed to Cuernavaca for the day. After dropping our stuff at the volunteers’ apartment, we had lunch downtown and did a little shopping at the local artesian market. I then left explicit directions with Dad on how to get back and left them to do my own thing back at the apartment. They explored the local museum in Cortez’s palace and a street fair that was in town. Once they got back, we had dinner with a couple other volunteers on descanso. It was a very Mexican experience: they were out of drinks so Teresa and I went up the street to buy our sodas and beer from a local tienda which we had to buy through the bars of the tienda as it was only partly open for business. I showed off the view from the Cuernavaca volunteer’s roof and then the family hung out at the apartment before bed.
Monday we packed up again and headed to Puebla. It was a three hour bus ride, but finally we arrived and found a taxi to our hotel. The hotel itself was quite swanky and I was little too excited at the prospect of air conditioning and hot water. Our ATM search led us to a great restraint where we had a complete al pastor lunch followed by a thorough exploration of the Zocalo. Coffee, shopping, sweet street (a couple blocks of Puebla of nothing but sweet shops), and chapel later we stopped for dinner in the Zocalo and then enjoyed the luxury of our hotel room.
Leaving the apartment in Cuernavaca.
Part of the Zocalo of Puebla.
Puebla's Zocalo.
Outside the cathedral.
Tuesday Mom and Dad were sweet enough to let me sleep in before we headed to Cholula, a small town on the outskirts of Puebla. The biggest attraction of Cholula is a chapel built on top of an old Aztec temple. The temple has only partially been uncovered, but it’s a bit of a hike up to the top. The view is beautiful as is the chapel. Unfortunately we did a lot of walking due to my lack of experience in the area. Our bus dropped us off on the extreme edge of the town which meant we then had to walk a ways to get back to where we wanted to be. My bad! We had a delicious four-course lunch at a local restaurant before attempting the hike up to the chapel. After conquering the temple, we tried to find some of the gorgeous local convents, but had the misfortune of being there the only day the convent was closed to the public. That was another bummer, but it was still a gorgeous day in Mexico with my parents!
The chapel at the top of the hill.
Mom taking a break in the shade of the steps down.
The view from the top.
Our failed ex-convent attempt.
The next two days I spent in the hotel, only leaving for coffee and occasional meals with the folks. Most of the time I dedicated to graduate school research and was finally able to figure out where I wanted to apply for social work the following fall. Mom and Dad explored some on their own, touring a pottery factory, doing some more shopping, and enjoying the lights of the Zocalo at night. It was a very relaxed time with everyone coming and going as they pleased and me taking thirty minute showers.
Puebla's Zocalo at night. Everywhere in Mexico was already decorated for their Independence Day.
Friday we packed up and said good-bye to Puebla. It was back to the giant CAPU or Center for Autobuses of Puebla where Dad took a ton of photos because he was so fascinated by so many buses. Mexico City was a longer bus ride than before, but the ride was comfortable. Upon arrival in Mexico City, we had some trouble locating the hotel. Our taxi driver was not familiar with it and so just dropped us off in the Zocalo. We then wandered briefly before finding our way. The hotel was gorgeous and Dad and I were both extremely impressed with Mom’s choice. We ate lunch there and then Mom and Dad left to explore the Zocalo while I enjoyed our new accommodations. Dinner was spent in the Zocalo at which point Mom and Dad told me about their afternoon. I was a little peeved to find they had missed one of the most important attractions in Mexico City, Templo Mayor, but they promised to go the next day.
The CAPU heading to our bus. It's about the size of a small airport and just as busy.
In the elevator up to our room in Mexico.
The gorgeous Tiffany glass ceiling of our hotel.
The view from our floor. Those are bird cages at the bottom of the elevator where they kept real canaries.
Mom in the Presidential Palace of the Zocalo.
True to their word therefore Mom and Dad headed to the Templo Mayor in the morning and then I joined them to help find different markets throughout the city. We had a great dinner at a cute restaurant known for margaritas and Dad was a champ at helping finish off our massive drinks. Mom and Dad walked around the Zocalo more that night enjoying all the decorations before we said good night for the last time of their trip.
Dad in front of the cathedral in the Zocalo.
Mom and Dad at Templo Mayor, an old Atzec temple that was built over when the Aztecs were first conquered and only recently uncovered in the middle of the city.
The Villa Maria restaurant with our giant margaritas.
Mom and Dad patiently waiting for me as I browsed the books.
The Zocalo lights at night.
All the buildings were covered.
We were up early the next day to get Mom and Dad to the airport on time. I went with them and said good-bye at security before heading off to find my own way back to Miacatlan.
Our last photo together.
It was a great trip and I was rather tearful at saying good-bye. Thanks for coming Mom and Dad! I had a great time and am so glad you were able to first hand see my life here. I love you!
