Nuestra Viaje A Tlaquepaque
Our Trip To Tlaquepaque
By: Olivia T.
Day 1
Today is the day, the day were my class and I get to go to Mexico! I could feel the excitement crawl down my spine, as I drove to the school to departure for our adventure. I said one last goodbye to my parents, then we took off.
Four long hours of sitting and conversing. I tried to pass time as quickly as possible. However, it still as though those hours were the longest in my life. Half way through the bus ride we took rest stop. As we stepped off the I could feel a crisp breeze pierce my skin, it was so cold in Portland.
Finally we made it to the airport. The nerves finally kicked in. I could feel a deep pit in my stomach as we boarded the plane. This is my first flight, my first time in a different country! I looked down at my hands and some odd reason they were wet. They were in wet from the tears that started to stream down my face. I did know why I was uncontrollably crying, but I was, and there was nothing I could do about it. As we started to lift off I felt butterflies float up through my body.The first sight that I saw the sun setting upon the horizon. It was so magnificent, and it immediately calmed down my fears.
I must have fallen asleep from the stress of the day because, when I awoke it was night time. I could see the bright lights of LA shine upon my plane window. Ironically it brighten me up!
Our flight of 3 long hours had just landed. It is 10 o’clock at night, which normally would be my bedtime. However, I was not even tired. It might of been from the s'mores starbucks caffeine latte that I had had before the flight. So,my friends and I decided to briefly explore the LAX airport. Then finally we had to board our redeye flight to MEXICO!!!
Day 2
Day 3
The time we boarded our next flight it was all ready the next day. I mean 12 AM in the morning that's freaking early! Our director Meera was telling us that it was our faults that we did not get any sleep, but in reality it was her fault because, she booked a flight at 12 AM! Besides that, I actually slept for two hours, which was clearly not enough time.
Our flight finally landed, and I stepped my first step in Mexico, in another country! However, I was too sleepy to even tell that I was. Our class hopped on a bus and headed to the hostel that we are going to stay at.
After a long couple days of driving, flying, etc, we eventually made it to our destination. It is 8 in the morning, like what the money faces! I am so tired so bye I will finish this later!
Okay I am back! Right as we pulled up to the hostel, I could see a nice cozy bed calling me. We checked in and as soon as we got to our room I jump on to the bed. At the time it felt like the most comfortable mattress I've slept on.
When I awoke, I decided to explore the new place. As I walk through the doors that lead to outside I could see the beautiful flora. Plus, there was this amazing water fountain.
Unfortunately it was time to leave the hostel to set out for our other adventure. We hopped in a bus and start to drive to central Guadalajara.
We went to this small bank to turn our dollars into pesos. 1 dollar equals 17 pesos, so i ended up have a lot of pesos.
We still had a couple hours to kill before we headed to the sister school, so we decided to look around the mercado. Since I have pesos, I thought I would buy some of my favorite fruit in the world, which is mango. Oh, I just love mango so much, and in Bend mango is very expensive, which means that family never buys it. However, it was only 60 pesos here in Mexico for hole big plastic cup full, which would only be $3.50. That is freaking cheap bro!!!!!!
Sadly, it was time to leave the mercado, and head to the sister school. However, we would come back there on the 4th day. We eventually made it to the sister school. As we walked in everyone there began to stare at us. It seemed like they have never seen so many white before. I felt very uncomfortable, however it was still fun. I just was not used to all of the attention. We enter into their main building, as their performance began. We watched some of the middle and high schoolers dance a long mariachi show. 30 minutes of sweat and suffering. I could see the pain in their eyes as they danced in 95 degree weather.
After that performance we split up into groups of 6, three people from the sister school and three people from BIS. It was very awkward… Then my friends and I went for a walk around the school, and strangely we got cat called. I have never gotten this much attention from people, especially guys. So, it was very shocking. After the long day we went back to the hostel, eat dinner, then went to bed.
I woke up to hearing Ava’s mother Meera blowing her whistle. It was so freaking loud, and set me into to a pissy mood all day. We went down stairs and eat some breakfast, then packed our stuff up for the day.
My group went to the elementary school first to plant a garden. As we entered, all eyes looked in our direction just like at the middle school. Crowds and crowds of people surrounded us, they started to ask questions in Spanish that I could not answer, because yo no hablo espanol. So many selfies were taken, there was even this kid that came and wanted to give me hug.
We started to created the garden. There were four kids in each group, and each group would plant two seeds in various spots in the ground. Eventually we finished, went to all the classrooms, and said goodbye.
When I walked in the the middle school I saw the other half of our group eating lunch for break. However, this entire trip I have not felt hungry. I have actually kinda felt sick the whole trip. So we waited for our groups turn to paint the mural
Eventually the other group left, and we started to finish the mural. There was not a lot to finish so it did not take long. When we finish we had to go into the middle school classrooms because, they felt like we were not spending enough time with our sister school. I was so nervous going in a classroom full of people who do not even speak the same language as me.
As I walked in everyone stare at me. I could feel my face flush red from embarrassment. Some of the guys even whistled at me. Some of the teenagers would get up during class and socialize. It was so crazy in there. People would just randomly shout out “I love you” or “You are so beautiful too. I WAS SO EMBARRASSED!! A person even mentioned that my cheeks were getting really red. After class everyone came up to me, and surrounded the chair that I had sat at and asked me questions in spanish that I did not know that answers to.
After that we said our goodbyes to the middle school for the day, went back to our hostel, ate dinner, and hopped into bed, contemplating what I would wear the next day.
Day 4
I woke up this morning feeling somewhat excited! Today is the day where we get to Paco Padilla's Art studio, the mercado, the pool, and then the orphanage.
First, my group and I went to the art studio. As we walked in I could see all the magnificent pottery. The designs were unpickable. Since we waiting for some of the sister school to meet us there, I thought to myself minas well explore this new place. So, I did, and I took a lot of picture to prove it.
Finally the sister school got here, and started our venture. After the tour we got to work on our own pottery. We either had the choice of choosing a cup or a skull. Which I ended up making a very pretty white cup with green, blue, and purple looking fire/grass design. I have know idea what it was but it looked pretty sicknasty.
When we finished we had to say our goodbyes and headed to the Mercado. I was really sad because that was the last time I saw some of the sister school.. Okay anyways so we started to walk to the mercado and out of the blue I saw this awesome picture of the illuminati. FREAKING ILLUMINATI CONFIRMED.
Jesus what is wrong with me, I keep on getting of task. This would probably already be done if I was not such a procrastinator.
I bought a lot of things at the mercado including a necklace, bracelet and backpack for my mom, a bracelet and sling shot for my youngest brother Ayden, a bracelet and yoyo for my older brother Jacob, and a bracelet for my dad. So, I pretty much got some type of jewelry for everyone in my fam.
After the Mercado we went out to lunch to this sicknasty restaurant/ hotel thingy. After the delicious meal we went swimming. The pool was so magnificent I almost cried jk. We swam for what seemed to be 1:30min. After swim we were supposed to go to the orphanage. However, the caretakers at the orphanage did not have this special license in order to have that many kids there. So, the government ended up taking them, and we did not get to go. Instead, the group that I was in went back to the mercado and ther others went back the the hostel.
After buying more things at the Mercado, we drove home and eat dinner then went to bed .