The best and the worst

Fiesta after school
Ever since my third week here, I have looked forward to the salsa classes at the school every Tuesday and Thursday. I believe I've gotten a little better with my salsa dancing. One day after school in the afternoon, the school hosted a fiesta with Mexican food and music, dancers and jugglers as entertainment, karaoke, and a salsa competition.

The students sitting around at the fiesta

I was really excited to see my salsa instructor, Edgar, in the competition. The whole school sat around the stage in the grass watching with amazement. He had a great routine with his salsa partner and when they were finished, they broke apart to find other partners in the crowd. I think time stopped right then and there when Edgar came to where I was sitting. You can see in the first picture Edgar (wearing all black) when he took my hand and brought me to the stage!

Edgar taking my hand in the crowd...........^

Salsa dancing with my salsa instructor. I am the one in the yellow shirt.

At that moment, I forgot all Spanish, I forgot how to salsa and I was shaking like crazy. We had never officially met until that day, I had only been in his class for a week. The whole school saw me salsa that day with the instructor. What an experience to remember!

A sharp taste of reality
After salsa dancing at Los Arcos last Friday night, I was waiting for a taxi outside on a park bench in the Zocalo with Edgar (salsa instructor). My small hand bag I was carrying that night was sitting beside me on the bench. I heard someone passing by us but didn't think to make eye contact. Suddenly, the boy grabbed my bag that was beside my leg, and took off running. He was so fast and I could not even comprehend what had just happened. Edgar took off running after him, chasing him through the Zocalo and through the streets. I was there sitting alone feeling scared and completely violated. Edgar finally came back with nothing in his hands. He was so sorry but he was not fast enough to catch the boy that had my bag. I lost both my Blackberry, my Mexi-cell phone, my new Sony camera, money, keys to my house, license, and my debit card... in a matter of seconds. By far the scariest experience of my life. I am nervous when I'm out at night no matter who I'm with and it's hard to trust anybody walking around me. I was an innocent victim, a young American woman taken advantage of but I am glad I wasn't physically hurt for my possessions.


New friends
The thing I will miss most are the Mexican people. I have met some great friends since being in Mexico. The hardest part about being here for a long time is meeting students, making great friends, and seeing them leave. I am fortunate to have a very close friend, Ángel (the other salsa instructor).

Ángel and I at Los Arcos for our weekly salsa dancing.

I have spent a lot of time with him being able to fully experience the Mexican culture with his family. I realized after a while that my host family didn't do much outside the house besides go to the market. It is neat to see the traditions of Mexican families and the fiestas. I attended a fiesta for Ángel's cousin's Catholic confirmation, which was definitely not like a typical religious gathering.

Angel telling his short story with 3 children from the audience

Aside from school, all the fiestas, and salsa dancing the best experience was being able to learn a little more about his family. Angel is a writer of short stories and novels and he was given the opportunity to share his favorite memory of his grandfather with children in the local children's museum. A very emotional experience for him and his family who was sitting in the audience.

There are so many more stories I can share but time is running short. I will post one final blog of my last week in Cuernavaca.