April 1st, My first of many 20 hour days.

FIRST OF ALL, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY WONDERFUL AUNT MONICA. I have been thinking about family constantly down here and so at times, wishing I could be with them for birthdays, when life gets hard, sunday dinners, and puppy training classes. In the same breath, I know I couldn't be doing those things right now. I am supposed to be here, for an underlying reason that will make itself clear in time.

Today...was very long. I can't even say it's the longest day ever, because I'm pretty sure the day I flew here was the longest day ever. I'm also quite sure that I will have many more days like the one I had today, but probably under harsher conditions. Last night, Monse informed me that she was going to be getting up around 6 to see the sun rise and go out on the ATV to find turtle nests. She said she would be back around 9 and that at that time we could get breakfast, and go into town. Little did I know I was part of the game plan. I should honestly just have expected it. I was woken up the same time as Monse was, but instead of 6am, it was about 3 30am. I would be going with Fernando in the truck while Monse was out on the ATV. I waited from 3 45 to 5 30 for Fernando to return with Irma and Aurorita (They were taking a bus in from Mexico City and were supposed to get back around 4am). I watched spanish "Bewitched", spanish "Recess", and some fabulous spanish music videos while I waited, so that totally made waking up so early worth it.

Driving on the beach while the sun is rising isn't a monumental view on the side of the beach we were on. It gets lighter but you can't see the sun. It's kind of like on stag island where you have to be on the right side to see the sun rise and set because it changes.

Monse and Noe (the boy who was driving) found one turtle nest. Fernando and I got out and looked but Monse and Noe had already collected the eggs to bring back to the camp. We drove until 8 30 or so and with no more luck on the turtle front, we returned back to camp. Monse and I went to the Library after we got back so she could return some books she had borrowed. The man who ran the library was very sweet and said if I needed anything, I was more than welcome to come in. He was going on vacation, however, and wouldn't return until April 10th. We walked back to camp and ate breakfast. Then at about 12 we went back to the beach. I don't even think it was 12, actually. It felt like 4 in the afternoon but it was only 11 30am or so. Anyway, Monse, Fernando, Fernando's friend, and myself drove up and down the beach. There is a point on the beach where it ends and you have to cross a bit of a mote to get to the other section of the beach. I wore jeans today so in rolling them up I was really hoping they wouldn't get soaked. That did not happen at all. i walked around for the rest of the afternoon with really wet pants. we walked around for another hour in one spot, just relaxing and looking at shells, and then returned back to the mote. We crossed and went to a huge shack that had coconuts, bloody marys, and crackers. I ate the crackers. In the few hours that we had been driving, Fernando and his friend had been smoking alot, and I guess I feel like an asshole, but it was so nauseating after about the 5th set the two had. After everyone had eaten and drank, we went back to the car and i asked as politely as I knew how if they couldn't smoke while we were in the car. Ha, I was sort of like that poor kid who's in their car seat in the back of the car, while mom smokes in the front seat, not even thinking twice that although the windows are open, the air gets sucked back in because my window's open. They understood though and only made one pit-stop to smoke.

We got back to camp around 4 45 and I felt like I wad going to vomit. I went back to my house and instead of sleeping, I read Eat, Pray, Love. I was emotionally stressed because I couldn't understand what people had been saying, I was hot and sun-burned, and a bit sleep-deprived. I just wanted to be in my own world without feeling stupid for not understanding what people were saying. I was feeling like I had missed out on my opportunity to learn spanish while I was in PA and that I was just going to have to deal with it now. I was angry with myself.

Reading always helps though..it kind of takes you to another place away from your thoughts. I relaxed and felt good for the first time that day. I read Eat, Pray, Love for 2 hours and cried for the majority of that time. I really can't even pin-point why I was crying. I mean, it is a good book, but c'mon...crying for two hours while not even inside your own head. It was probably a combination of the heat and being exhausted from waking up so early.
I opted out of getting dinner with Monse. My stomach was still upset and I just wanted to be in my bed. I guess I read for another hour when Monse stopped by and told me that Irma was worried and wanted to know if I needed to see the doctor tomorrow. Irma and I have exchanged "gracias' " and "de nada's" but that is about it. Now she wants to take me to the doctor after a small stomach ache, and then decides that it would be very important for me to meet Felix, a school teacher in Tecolutla who teaches English. Still emotional from the book and the heat, i almost started to cry right in the middle of monse's prepared speech. I'm so glad I know these people. seriously, they care so much and barely even know me. This is what makes me feel at home. It's wonderful.

I passed out around 11 30, after I watched Little Miss Sunshine on the computer. My 20 hour day was truly exhausting, but somehow I made time for Dwayne and his Uncle's "silly" homosexuality.