...the Bad and the Ugly

So, lots of great things about Xela that I’ve already mentioned--the beauty of the land, the sweetness of the people, the great school I’m attending, and of course, Maria de Xela and her cooking. On the other hand, there are several reasons nine weeks will be enough.

1) My Stomach
It can’t handle it. In spite of all the great food I’ve had here, Montezuma has caught up with me. I started feeling sick Sunday afternoon and I’m still fighting if off, though I think the worst has passed. I didn’t even make it to class yesterday and barely made it out of bed. It’s pretty common for students to deal with this, so I’m not surprised, but it sure does take the fun out of an adventure. You only want to be in your own casa and bed when you’re sick. I’m actually participating in a study for the situation with local doctors, sponsored by a university in the States. On top of that, they’re paying me up to $120 to participate, which is a ridiculous amount of money here. At least I’m good at finding silver linings. But when it’s over, I hope I never have to see those doctors again.

2) The Weather
Some of you may be thinking that I’m in some tropical paradise. Think again. Think Seattle. Sorry to my Seattle friends, but one of the main reasons I couldn’t live there anymore was because of the crappy weather. Yes, I live in SoCal and I’m spoiled. I don’t mind some rain, really. LA could use more to keep it greener and to keep the forests from burning down. But it’s pretty relentless here. I knew coming in that it’s the rainy season, at an elevation of 7000 feet, and I packed appropriately. Still, you’d think that since I’m south of Hawaii in August, there’d be a need for a pair of shorts occasionally. Nope, not here. It has been sunny a couple of days and in the 70s, but it changes so quickly that you have to have layers ready to go at all times. They actually call the current wet season invierno, which means winter. The coldest summer I’ve ever had is a winter in Xela. Interestingly, the rain seems to go away anytime there’s an earthquake. We’ve had a couple of small earthquakes, and the following day it’s been sunny. Alas, we need more earthquakes.

3) The Smog
Ironic, eh? Smog in LA is nothing compared to here. There are so many old, stinky cars and trucks on the roads, it’s nauseating. If I blow my nose, the snot is more black than green. I’m pretty sure that’s not good for my lungs. I promise to never complain about a smog inspection on my car again.

4) The Roads & Sidewalks
The sidewalks are narrow, uneven, and sometimes utterly dangerous.
Most people actually walk in the streets whenever possible. Not that the streets are that much better. Many of them, like the picture below, have a decent grove for one car and jagged rocks as filler.
I’m sure one of the best businesses here must be to own a repair shop for wheels and axles.

5) The Poverty
It’s pretty relentless. They’re amazing, hard-working people here who do a lot for a little. There are very few people here who are begging for handouts. I actually see a lot more of that in LA. A lot of them are selling their wares at the market or tortillas from their homes. The picture below is from a nearby puebla that’s pretty typical just outside the city.
Nevertheless, there’s a great spirit to the people of Xela. Overall, I am enjoying my time here and I’ll continue to soak up as much as I can for eight more weeks. But the livin’ ain’t easy here and it sure does make me appreciate my privileged existence on this planet.