May 22nd, Papaaaaantla

I wasn't going out on the ATV at 6am, but I didn't want to stay in too late, making me feel like a slob. So.. I got up around 8, and headed to the front of the house to see what had to be done. There was mucho work. This, being the first solid day of bright sun, was to be one of our biggest hatching days. I helped Roberto fill up the two big 10'/6' tubs before the the boys got back with hundreds of turtles needing a place to swim. We ran a huge hose (one of those ones used to fight fire) from the tubs at camp down to the ocean. Roberto turned on the pump at the beach, and I held the hose steady. Deanna waited on the sideline to call down to Roberto when it was time to turn the hose off. Then...it was game time. The first tub was filled easily enough, and so was the second, but problems arose when it came time to fill up the five bins about 5' from the two tubs..the two tubs the tub just barely reached. Naturally..I started laughing and freaking out about how we were going to handle this dilemma. Fernando stepped in and rallied the few men and women wandering around the camp, to help drag the hose up closer so that it might rieach the other bins. Fernando didn't seem the least bit worried and kept the same expression as he soaked myself and the few other people observing. He couldn't control the hose any better than I could, but he kept giggling the whole time. Phase one was soon completed, and no less than 10 minutes after filling the tubs, Ramido and Changa pulled into camp, with two huge bins of squirming and ready to swim tortugitas. We carefully placed each and every baby into a tub. They swam all over each other using such strength, ramming themselves right into the wall. They were pretty cute.
After doing a legitimate amount of work, we all enjoyed breakfast together. Juan Carlos or "Juanito" as he has been dubbed, is by far the cutest 2 year old I know. He is the adorable first child of Changa (53) and Lolita (19). You can often see him running around camp in his diaper with his half full cup of milk (the other half is all over his shirt and face) or saying "hola" as he sits on the front porch existing.
Juanito ate breakfast with us. Well..not really "with" us. He just ate our food. He snagged most of Roberto's huevos-eggs, my frijoles-beans, and with Fernando's help, unsuccessfully drank half a carton of Nutri-Leche. Juanito would reach for the baca-cow, on the carton, and Fernando would tilt Juanito's head back and the little boy grabbed the milk with both hands and tipped it all over his face. Roberto kept saying how masculine he was doing such a thing as drinking milk without a cup, he helped Juanito wipe his mouth with a smirk and make a grunty man noise after. Not so successful, but nevertheless, really really cute.
Then...the children came. Until summer vacation starts, Fernando will be having hundreds of classes coming to the beach and releasing turtle. This is a way to get some form of income, but it is also one of the sweetest things. Most of the kids look to be in about 3rd grade, and couldn't be happier about not being in school AND getting to play with baby turtles. They all take their shoes off, roll up their uniformed sleeves and pants legs, and walk in their line to the beach. Then, all hell beaks loose. They are freaking out with the water almost touching them, and then after letting their turtles onto the beach, screaming for them to go faster so they will be the "winner" to the ocean. Kids are also naturally blunt. In any country. These two twin girls were my buddies, and asking me if I was a woman, where I lived, where my shoes were, why I was here etc. I love kids and just seeing them being themselves makes me love them even more. I also love that Fernando is getting kids involved at such a young age. The school systems here are truly a mess, and a sense of hopelessness is very strong in Tecolutla, mostly due to the long term effects of having an un-reliable and corrupt government. The fact that these kids get to see nature in action and how wonderful it can really be if they take care of it, is no greater lesson. It leaves them all with a sense of responsibilty towards these little turtles and their habitat. It's amazing.

After a successful afternoon, Roberto, Blanca, and myself ventured to the beautiful Papantla to experience the festival in El Tajin. I can describe it in two words: Ridiculous and Glorious. Before the show at the festival actually started, there was a CD of maybe 3 songs that repeated over and over again for 2 hours. One song in particular repeated "Papaaaaantla!!!!" so many times, Roberto and I just started singing along. I really haven't laughed as hard as I did when I Roberto made his crazy face and sang and played the air guitar. It was great.
During the show, there was a recreation of the Gods sending explorers to the ruins, sacrificial dances, and freakin FIREWORKS. The fireworks really came out of no where and made my whole night. Also, the giant horchata was pretty good too.
Everything was done around 1 am, and apparently busses stop running sometime around midnight, so luckily one of Roberto's friends who lives in Tecolutla was there and offered to drive us back. Now I can say I've succeeded in recreating the stereotypical mexican carpool. Five kids, including a small child under the age of 4, riding in the bed of a truck, as Grandma and Grandpa ride shotty, speeding around curves and up hills, braving the horrible terrain that is any Mexican road. I loved every second of my hour ride, with the exception of when my feet fell asleep...and when we were almost hit but a bus.

Tomorrow is Friday. Which means. MY BROTHER AND MOM GET HERE! HOORAY!!!!

May 21st, FINALLY a pretty day!

Roberto played a trick to get me out of my cabin. He told me someone was on the phone for me at the house and that it was very urgent. He just wanted me to get out of bed. So I got my panties all in a twist and just folded t-shirts with Roberto in silence. The entire time I thought about why I was so cranky, and what I could do to just break the silence and be a big girl about it. Roberto finally broke the silence and asked if I was annoyed. I said no, that I was just having a moment and if I got outside or something, I would be better.
we folded shirts for 4 hours and had some breakfast. The day started to open up and become quite beautiful, so I decided right then that I would make my first trek out to the beach since Katie had been here. Being outside in general just makes me happier, so that plus the beach would be a perfect combo. Thus, I begin my walk. It is 1.45. I walked for an hour, and decided to stop for a break near a big piece of drift wood on the beach. I made myself comfortable after taking a dip, and read some of my favorite parts from Eat, Pray, Love. I can't say I've ever really re-read a book. I know it's not unheard of, but it's something I just don't do. Here, I've started easing myself into it. and I have to say..I quite like it. I can remember how I was feeling when Ir ead it the first time and compare it to how I feel this time. I still love the book just as much as the first time, which gives me now reason not to read on.
After an hour or so of reading, I went swimming and sang my little heart out because absolutley no one was around me.
I packed up to start walking back and not even a tenth of a mile away from me, a momma tortuga had come onto the beach and was now laying her nest.
I waited by the nest, now being the new mother of those eggs, and sat and read, hoping someone would either drive by from camp or get worried and come out looking for me. There was no way I was leaving that nest, knowing what could happen to them. A random truck could pass by, notice the track (which are freakin impossible to cover..I tried haha), or dogs could smell eggs/turtle remnants and decide to dig up the nest and feast.
During my few hours of hanging around the nest, I saw at least 3 bikers, 1 scooter, 2 trucks, 4 random people walking, a dog who made himself quite comfortable next to the turtle tracks, and finally lachanga who drove by with a full ATV of turtle eggs and another guy. He said I needed to wait, but that he would be back after he dropped the stuff off at camp. I was glad I stayed. and the fact that no one passed by for another 2 hours, gave me the hint that I was just to take it slow. No rush. It's Mexico!
Lachanga came back a while later for the nest, and said I could start walking back because he had to go in the other direction to re-check the beach. On my walk back home, I realized that early evening is soccer on the beach time. I walked through at least three games, successfully halting each and every one. I kept walking and noticed the sea and how breath-taking it was. It had a tint of purple all across it and low-tide had made it incredibley calm. The sky had a few huge cloud spread through it with the remaining sun shining out of it. It was beautiful and I couldn't stop smiling.
I got back to the house at 7.15 and had pineapple, yogurt, and cornflakes in a bowl. Best dinner ever. After discovering how much I loved skype the night before, we tried it with a huge group of people. Dad set it up at the Kiehner household, and I got to say hi to my best friends. Their pop-pop and grandma were there as well, and after I heard pop-pop make a comment about my butt, I couldn't stop laughing. He's such a crazy man..I love him.

May 20th, OK..this is the last uneventful day for a while..promise.

I woke up around 8 today, and got to my second day of tough work.. I ended up folding pamphlets until 11.30. At this point during the day, I was feeling pretty well. Then we had breakfast. Eggs and Beans. Not too extravagent, right? I felt sick anyway.
I went back to my cabin to lie down and feel better. SO of course..I watched Little Miss Sunshine and my new movie that is pretty much on repeat down here- The Office. I passed out for a few hours after, and by the time I woke up it was dinner time, and I was feeling much better.

I like helping with meals. It's one thing I feel like I can do and actually take a load off of someones hands. I helped set the table for dinner, serve food and drinks, and after, clean the table and put chairs away. They never once have asked me to contribute food or cash for food, so along with the different foods I'll buy and donate to the kitchen, I like helping.
Now..it was time for..SCHOOL! This class was made up of Roberto, Paty, and myself. Ramido hadn't eaten since 9 that morning, so he totally was a rebel and didn't go to class. He ate food instead..pfft. The things that gets me about school, is that before I got here, none of these people from Tecolutla had a desire, or even a need to learn English. There are very few only English speakers who travel all that way down here, and the tourists that do make it down here..only speak Spanish anyway! I like that they want to learn now..it makes me feel a little less alone in my quest to learn this language. I think it also makes everyone a a little more sympathetic which isn't a bad thing either. Paty wants me to put of little signs around the house with names of what thigns are. So on the stove, I just write "stove" on a piece of paper, and tape that baby on there, etc etc with other things.

After class, I tried something especially fun. My dad had helped me load skype onto my laptop when I was here the first time, but I had yet to try it until tonight. I got to see my little brother, and my dad, and Beans! It felt like Christmas.

May 19th, SOMETHING AMAZING IS ACCOMPLISHED!!

I was up at 7am, and immediately started folding t-shirts. There was a giant garbage bag full of fresh t-shirts that needed folding. I was quite diligent until 11 or so when I finally finished. In between folding though, I did sneak in breaks. I went to the beach and saw two turtle releases with all the children. It never gets old and they never ever stop being adorable. Even the parents are just as into it as the kids. After folding and a little bit of beach time, I helped get breakfast ready. I love eating later here, when you accomplish things first, work up an appetite, and then eat. Breakfast wasn't too eventful until the end...THEN SOMETHING AMAZING HAPPENED.
I managed to get Fernando to sit down for 2 hours. We did the most beneficial thing yet for his camp and purpose: I became the accountant, and we went through all of the expenses of the camp, and each source of income they had. I wrote everything down.
This is something that had been put off numerous times, always getting out of sitting down by saying it was important but quickly removing himself from the room to do something else that was important. This time was different. As we were finishing breakfast, I brought it up with a smile and a light attitude. His response, "yes, yes that is very important." came so naturally that he didn't expect my retort. I said "yes. It is very important. If we are going to get any money from America, we need this", followed by his enthused "oh yes, i hope so!". I then moved us bak into the house and told him to stay right there..that I would be right back with my laptop so we could get this done.
I came back and his puffing away on his cigarette told me he wasn't looking forward to doing this-This thing he had spent 35 years successfully not doing.
I outlined and organized a word document and got down to business. We started by listing the expenses during his 6 busiest months and regressed into the relatively un-eventful 6 months
met tanya(?). she's from mexico city but living in tecolutla because she feels a higher spiritual being has brought her here. she tells me she loves her country and that it is one of the most beautiful places on earth, in which I completely agreed, but said it's pretty screwed up with a smile. I smile back and say...yeah...that government of yours. We both laugh in agreement.
Irma got home around the same time we were finishing up the financial stuff, which meant it was time to prepare dinner. I had been planning to spend my evening at the combined spanish and english class I was now going to be having with roberto, and ramido. Felix called during dinner though to say he wasn't feeling well so we ended up staying in.
Later that evening, Roberto and I went to get Horchatas at the best stand in Tecolutla to get them. We then walked over to Hotel Tecolutla (Thanks for the rec. Nancy!!) and explored. He's so persistent that I keep speaking and practicing, I really feel like I have no choice but to speak.
It's a good thing, but lets just say I am excited about the arrival of two of my favorite English speakers- My mom and younger brother, Will. They fly in on Thursday, and will be in Tecolutla this Friday!!! You never realize how much you miss a persons voice until you don't hear it for 3 weeks.
Now it is bedtime. Tomorrow...I fold pamphlets.

May 18th, Translator

I woke up to Roberto's voice calling me for breakfast outside my door. I was a little surprised to hear "JULIE!!" first thing, so I popped my head up and shouted QUE PASO?! I got teased for my loud reaction the remainder of the afternoon. I made my way to the house and had beans and eggs for with everyone. As we were all eating, Dulce found me in the house. She asked if I had made any progress translating the intro pages for her job. I honestly had just passed out last night, so I told her I would start working on it and would have it all done by the time she was leaving for the day. She came back to my cabin and listened to music as I started translating. She's fun though. When you see her in camp, she always looks like she's entertaining someone or being silly and entertaining herself, but when we were just hanging out she'd ask we questions about my home life. I asked her about her homelife and her parents, her friends from school, whether she wanted a family or not. I still am so impressed at how strong she is. With every answer she seemed so sure of herself and the bright future that awaited her.
Dulce went back to work not that long after I started translating so I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon translating as best I could. The verb book I brought back this time has been a life saver..I love it. Translating was great though. After every word I looked up, or verb I conjugated, I could feel myself trying to absorb as many of the words as I possibly could. I'd say sentences to myself to try and get the words to stick. I flew through the first big paragraphs, trying to educate myself and help Dulce, but somewhere between 5 paragraphs translated and getting tired of flipping back and forth from intro page to verb book to dictionary to notepad, I decided it was time for a break. I finished Three Cups of Tea during my little break, and all I can say is wow. One of the best books I've read. Everything this man has done, from his attempt to climb K2 to building a Non-Profit into an organization dedicated to the education of young girls in Central Asia, inspired me. He spoke so passionately about the only way to end poverty and terrorism, ignorance and hate, is through education, especially for girls. I cried, I laughed, and I learned. I recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about a world so many dismiss, and believe children are our future. It will touch your heart.

The rest of the evening wasn' too eventful. It continued to rain, as it had consistently been doing all weekend, and decided it was time to get on the computer. I checked mail, posted a blog, and talked to Irma, Fernando, and Roberto who were also in the room. They informed me that I would actually have a job tomorrow! This was extremely exciting. I haven't done anything since Katie left, aside from a few 6 am trips to the beach and helping with the release of the turtles. I was excited to have something to contribute, even if it was raining and very few turtles were nesting/hatching.
I'm up at 7 am tomorrow! I'M SO EXCITED. but seriously. very excited.

May 17th, The rain is fierce

Today and Yesterday are really the only days worth talking about. On the 15th, I woke up at 6, left for the beach at 6.30, found 4 nests, and hustled back to camp with lachanga (sp?). I napped from 9 to 12, ate food, and then read until about 4 oclock. I ate dinner, and went back to my house and read a little bit more. Then I retreated to the one who knew me best: My laptop. I stayed on that for an embarrassing number of hours, and then called it a night.


Today, I followed Thursdays schedule with a few adjustments in the morning. It didn't rain this morning, so I went out again at 6 with Lachanga. I've become the unofficial morning person. I don't mind it though. I can stand getting up that early, and when it's of my own free will, no other parties included, I'll even enjoy popping myself out of bed and making my way out the door. I'll ride for hours, tracing the outlines made by waves on the beach, looking for turtle tracks. I get to see the sun rise, and before in April when it wasn't as humid, you could see the shape of the sun coming up so clearly. Now with the end of May coming up, the rainy season is lerking upon Tecolutla with every rain cloud, trying to muster up a storm. For the moment, the clouds can shout with thunder and rain for only 30 minutes. I can watch the sky through my window, though. It has a fierceness I've never seen in a Pennsylvania sky. It wants to pour everything it has out onto this town, but is restraining and holding back its full power. I can see it in the clouds.
We arrived back at camp faster than I can ever remember getting back. Probably because I drove, what normally is an hour, back to camp. I like kicking it into 4th gear, and zooming along the bumps of the beach. We made it back in approx 30 minutes, just in time to watch the little kids scurrying to the beach to collect their baby turtles from Ramido and Roberto, and then set them free into the ocean. It was quite a site. Parents, Grandparents, 3 year olds, 15 year olds..Everyone..came to set a turtle free. Everyone was smiling and taking pictures with their camera phones, excited to get to hold such a tiny creature. Until that moment, I had somewhat been taking my privelages for granted. I, unlike everyone in this town, get to ride up and down the beach with the pro's who have been at this for years. I get to touch eggs, direct spectators to a safe viewing distance, and collect baby turtles like it's no big thang.
After witnessing the two rounds of releases that would be happening that morning, I went back to the house and had some cereal. Cereal has definately become my comfort food. I'm not eating in all the time like I can't live without it, but when its breakfast, I'm eating cereal. I started consuming much more after Katie left on Wednesday. That also was when I started feeling sick. Now it isn't like before, when I knew I would be throwing up at some point, this is more like something that is just gonna hang around for a while. It may be part of the reason why I sleep around 7 hours of sleep at night, 4 hours of sleep scattered thoughout the day, and still feel sick.

I had breakfast, round two, with a crowded table of 8, all tired from the mass turtle releasing that happened and the flood of people that completely occupied Vida Milenaria's camp site, buying t-shirts and turtle trinkets. While we were eating, Dulce (19 year old who made fun of me my first night here in March, but is now one of my closest friends.) was complaining of a stomach ache. I offered up the spare bed in my cabin for her to nap. She took me up on the offer and joined me later in the cabin while I was cleaning. I sweeped, put away clothes, made a actual dirty clothes pile instead of floor and chair, and cleared off the spare bed I had started piling books, my towel, and random articles of clothing on. Dulce asked me some questions here and there about my mom and brothers anticipated visit, then got comfortable and just curled up. I asked if she needed anything else, and given a smile and no, gracias in response. I was still cleaning when she passed out, and right then I more or less felt like her mother.
Dulce's mother has been out of the picture for years, and although Dulce lives with her father, she rarely sees him because of his work and hers. She also just doesn't like him that much. Dulce has pretty much been raising herself for 8 years, working and studying for university as I found out today. She talks alot and is quite animated. She smiles at me everytime I see her, and I always return the smile with a big hug. Today, more than ever, I felt like she was my closest friend here.
Dulce went back to work around 10.45, after a good hour of nap time. She said she felt much better, and as she was leaving I told her if she ever needed a place to nap, she could always come here. She smiled her smile, and walked right back to camp.
I read for a while after she left. As usual. I couldn't help it though. I was into my book more than I was into Eat Pray Love, and just wanted to learn and educate myself on Greg Mortenson's experiences. I was reading about his 6 day courtship, before getting married to the woman of his dreams, how he had gracefully learned from his first school experience, quickly producing more elementary schools all over Northern Pakistan's most remote villages. I felt like his dream could be my dream..or something of the sorts. It truly is an inspiring book. Three Cups of Tea. Buy it online at www.threecupsoftea.com, or even just visit the website for more information. You'll be happy you did. Did you know 1 penny can buy a pencil for these Pakistani kids, and that one U.S dollar will cover the wages of a teacher for one day...that's less than $365 to hire a teacher for an entire year! IT IS SO WORTH CHECKING OUT..PLEASE..Look at the site..You'll be inspired www.threecupsoftea.com

I read until 4 again. Naida came to my cabin and asked if I was hungry. She said that before Dulce went back to work, she had told her that I really loved reading, and that I would probably need someone to pry me away if I was going to eat. Naida let me know there was food if I wanted some, so I thanked her a million times over and followed her to the house. I ate, and listened as people talked around. They always ask me if I understand what their saying after they speak to each other really quickly. They know I can't follow the fast pace of their language, so asking me makes me feel that much worse that I can't understand. The ones who know me will slow it down, like Naida and Dulce. She asked me a couple questions about when I was going back to the states, if I wanted juice, and told me there were only a couple tortillas. I ate and went back to my cabin. For some reason, I just get uncomfortable with all the faces turned towards me and asking questions, slipping curse words in just to make it funny. Everyone laughs and I have no idea whats going on. I guess that is kind of to be expected though. haha.

I looked around the cabin in between reading and really just felt alone. I couldn't understand anyone and they really couldn't understand me. As the end of my second week was coming to a close, I felt homesick. I layed in bed, wishing my Dad was here, or wanting to just talk to my mom on the phone. I wanted someone to know how I felt, so I could just get it out of my system and move on. I looked up at the fierce sky, and asked for some help..anything it had. I layed there for less than a minute when Dulce and her friend came walking in front of my cabin. She wanted to see me before she left, and when I tried to tell her I was sleeping, she just came in and gave me a hug. My eyes were wet when she pulled back from the hug and said, "You may not understand anything I'm saying, but you don't need words to know that I'm your friend." and gave me another hug. This was just too much haha. Right as I was allowing my heart to give up, Dulce came and really saved me from myself. She asked if I missed my family and I told her yes. I straightened myself out and invited the other friends of theirs that had wandered onto my cement slab porch to come in. We looked at pictures of my family (they are all quite infatuated with my brothers now, declaring how muy guapo they both are) Dulce then pulled out a big packet from her book bag. She handed it to me explaining it was part of her school work, but that the first few introductory pages, and a list of rules, were all listed in English. She had a small dictionary at home, but no verb book, which I find is pretty important. I told her not to worry about it, but that I would translate the majority of it so she knew what the foreign pages were trying to tell her. She wants to get into tourism and hospitality, hopefully getting herself out of here and exploring all over Mexico, and hopefully Spain.

The storm of people passed as quickly as the rain did, but that 30 minutes of smiles, laughing, and meeting new people, truly made my day.

Now I'm in my bed. It is drizzling, and glorious lightening is filling the sky, followed by a lulling roll of thunder. I hope it stays this way when I go to sleep. It is extremely peaceful.

May 16th, I have my first Spanish/English lesson

I slept, read, and sweat today. So basically..only one significant thing happened today. Around 6 pm, I went with Ramido and Roberto to Felix's house. There, we would have our first English/Spanish lesson. Ramido and Roberto started with introductions, and common questions (where are you from, how old are you etc..) I was started on the same ones. Now..I know I'm not that awesome at speaking Spanish, but my 4 weeks here have done me justice, and I can get along with small talk and getting to know someone. I gratefully took Felix's lesson, and watched as Ramido and Roberto asked each other their new questions. Roberto consistently answered that he was either 2 or 99 years old, and that he was never born, therefore...wasn't from anyplace in particular. We packed up the three mini notebooks and pens that Roberto had bought for us, and walked back toward the center of town to get back to camp. I offered to buy everyone huge Horchatas, and as we enjoyed our tasty dessert like drink, Roberto said.."YEAH!!" and gave me a thumbs up. haha, his comprehention of the English language is pretty decent, it's just the conversation part he has a hard time with. We practiced slang phrases, more ridiculous phrases about our age, and then just settled back to using Spanish. Ramido had to ride home to his wife and children, so Roberto and I walked back to camp. He asked why I hadn't practice my Spanish as much. I told it was hard for me to do it with so many new people around. He understood and felt the same way. We talked about the ATVs, riding out in the morning, and why I hadn't gone with them as much. I would answer to the best of my ability but was pleased to find that Roberto really wanted to help me. He would slip in the correct conjugation of verbs, I would repeat and then we would just move on. No one has done that with me.
My friendship with Roberto is awesome. He has a really similar sense of humor and can always tell when I'm B.Sing and don't actually know whats going on. Then he'll sit down and try and get through to me whats going on. He'll try a ton of different words for the same word until he finds one I actually understand. He's a good friend, and I know I'll owe a good portion of my Spanish speaking to him by the time I leave.