Oh the Places You'll See, and the Things You'll Do!!

The good thing about living in Mexico is that they have holidays like every three weeks.  So since they have holidays, that means that we get many three/four day weekends.  With this time, we spend it traveling and seeing our new country.  :)  I had the opportunity to see many new places and things, more than my host family I am living with now has seen.  It is kinda weird cause I have seen more of Mexico than they have, although they have experienced it longer than me.  I am beyond blessed to have had an opportunity to do so!  Since our last vacation was this week, I can tell you everywhere I have been.  Here's the list:

Places vacationed and lived:
1-  Puerto Escondido
2-  Tuxtla Gutierrez
3-  San Cristobal de las Casas
4-  Palenque
5-  Villahermosa
6-  Puebla
7-  Cholula
7-  Cuetzalan
8-  Taxco
9-  Guernavaca
10-  Oaxaca
11-  Mexico City (to and from airports)
12-  Tehuacan!

Some places I've visited:
- Teotihuacan (Ruins)
      -Also ruins in Cholula, and Palenque
- Canon del Sumidero (Ziplined through their forest, I REALLY want to go back!)
- Between 20-30 churches
- Las Grutas de Cacahuamilpa (Caves)
-Cascadas/waterfalls
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Temple in Oaxaca  :)

Miles traveled by bus- Approximately 2,760 miles
-This doesn't include Kombis, or taxi's...WOW!


My blog is titled, "Footprints left behind in Mexico," yeah?  So I was curious as to how many miles my feet have, and will travel throughout this awesome country.

To do this math, I calculated my miles walked to and from school each day.  Now we didn't have school on the weekends, but I still had to walk to church on Sundays which is a little farther than the school.  The walk to school was 1.5 miles...then the walk back was the same, so we'll say I walked an average of 3 miles everyday.  Saturdays our group usually did something, or we were on vacation and I am sure that we walked way more than 3 miles each day.  So here is what it boils down to:

127 days in Mexico + 3 miles walked everyday=give or take a little would be...

381 MILES WALKED BY FOOT.  That's a lotta walkin'!

Prices for all this traveling= For everything that I have bought, places I have visited, and food I have eaten, I have spent about $700 USD.  Bus tickets cost the most, and took about 3/4 of that total.  

Just some other fun facts:

Movies I've seen:  (in theaters)
- Taken 2
- Hotel Transylvania
- The newest Bourne Movie, whatever it is called.
- Breaking Dawn Parte 2

                             

Skype calls from family- 0

Skype calls from friends- 0
Phone calls made/received- 0
Text Messages sent/received- 0
-Am I a popular person or what!?
*I did receive many emails, one package, one letter, one birthday card, and I am beyond blessed for them! :)

Times I've cried-  2
-  One was at the superb Relief Society broadcast we had this semester, and the other is the day I will have to say goodbye to all the amazing people I have met.  (I have come close SO many times though.)

Times I have gotten lost...
-   The first time I got lost was my very first day in Mexico.  I landed in the Mexico City airport, went through customs, grabbed my luggage, and was lost for 5 hours after that.  I was on the verge of tears, but I knew that I was going to be ok.  I finally found the other girls, and did a celebratory leap inside my soul. 

-  The second time was my second day in Tehuacan.  I had to walk to school with a crappy map, and a good sense of direction.  Considering I had only seen the city once, (in a car) I was for sure lost....for an hour and a half.  I'm not really sure how I found the school, but I thank God that he helped me! 

-  Cholula-  Since there are 7 teachers, we have to take 2 taxi cabs when we travel.  This time, we somehow got split up, and ended up in different parts of town.  It was an experience, and a fun one at that. 

 -  Every other place we vacationed for that matter!  Getting lost is just something you have to be prepared for in another country.  Keep a calm mind, say a few prayers, and know that there is ALWAYS someone there to help you.  

This is my favorite picture :)

 Things I have craved:
 -  Big Macs. Big Macs.  Big Macs.  And real Italian spaghetti.  They do have Big Macs here, but not Italian spaghetti.  :/ 

Other random things-
-  I haven't been home sick at all since I have been here.  Being at college for 6 months prepared me way beyond what I could have imagined.  Four months here, isn't bad at all.  And besides, you can find family in any country you live in. 

-  I have taught over 100 kids English while I have been here, and have loved every single one of them.  Even if they chose to climb bookcases, and stick the garbage can on top of it.  I should've got a picture of that!

-  There was this one time, (while 5 teachers witnessed a robbery at gunpoint, and bribing police officers in Mexico City) Janessa and I had to squish 5 classes into 2.  That was interesting, but glad the others made it back in time for our 6-8 class.  :)  (Did I mention that they are all fine, and will live to tell awesome stories one day.  :)

I cannot begin express how grateful I am for the life I have been given to serve those in another country.  I cannot believe that I only have 3 weeks left!  Time has flown by so fast. I know I will blink, and will be standing in the airport not ready to leave behind those that I have grown to love here.  I know that I must move on though.  I may be leaving, but that does not mean I will forget.  Remember when I said that I have only cried twice here...well make it three.