Mexico, Day 2

July 4, 8:40 am
Slept pretty much the whole night through. Destiny said she kicked and stuff but I never felt it. So that was a good 10 hours of sleep, much needed after the nothing I got the night before.

Loree woke me up at 7:30 and I showered, groggily, and went down for the hotel continental breakfast. (Why is it called 'continental'?)

The hotel. There's a permit in the elevator, which SQUEALED when we tried it, that expired a year ago. There were beetles in the bathroom last night. Breakfast was meager and suspicious, and according to some our room smells like weed. Not to mention that according to Nathan and Bryan, we got a lot of grief trying to check in.

I don't know how they do any business on Hotel Circle. All the other hotels, I'm sure, are better.

Now I'm packed up. Nearly forgot Sir Marshmallow (would NOT have been good) but I think I have everything now. My hair doesn't look awesome but I'll deal. With bobby pins and a hairband.

We're sitting and talking now. Carissa is telling us about her job-hunting experiences.

12:20 pm
Bryan configured a meetup with a group from Washington who are going to the same place, thinking it would be easier because they've been down here before and know where they're going.

Now that we've spent two hours looking for somewhere to buy our FMT tourist cards because Harv (the youth pastor of the other group) didn't remember we needed them, I'm somewhat wondering if it was not such a good plan. We crossed the border just fine, was easier than we thought, but we just could not find the place we were looking for.

Two hours of driving around Tijuana later, trying not to lose any of our four-van convoy, after Laurent, Nathan and Harv went looking for the Migracion office while we parked in what we thought was right but wasn't, we've decided to plead ignorance and just keep going. It wasn't fun, waiting for them to get back, and I actually had the thought that I want to go home.

Tijuana is not tourist Mexico. There are whole hillsides with houses made of cardboard and plywood and plastic bags. I feel a little numb to the poverty. It's unsettling to be unable to read the Spanish signs.

It also looks like it's an election day, so there are tons of police [with CRAZY BAZOOKA RIFLES] out.

Now we're back on the highway. Our van is first in the convoy. Harv took a wrong turn so he's going to meet us in Ensenada.

1:10 pm
Finally on the highway (after an erroneous trip to somewhere else) to Ensenada, right next to the ocean. There are shadowy islands out silhouetted against the sky.

6:05 pm
Still driving.

We stopped, after a long drive through Ensenada and some doubt about the location of where we were going, at Costco, and at lunch. Also, there's a HUGE Mexican flag in Ensenada.

Lunch was sold in a LOUD, crowded, semi-open-air add-on to Costco. I got a caesar salad and a churro (twisty roll with cinnamon).

Our van has been fun. The boys are entertaining, especially after our stop for gas just now. Joel and Everett had issues with coke bottle caps and Jordan got a gigantic bottle of Fanta. [2.5 liters]

We're supposedly quite close to Vicente Guerrero. I can't decide if I feel excitement of trepidation.

8:20 pm
Sitting in the Sala (chapel) at the mission, waiting for orientation to begin.

We arrived in Vicente Guerrero and found the mission without difficulty. A guy (Bob?) meet us right away and got us into rooms. For some reason he thought we were 'Steve M's group'. All the girls but Dionne (who is with Laurent) are in the same room, with black metal bunk beds. There were fitted sheets already on the mattresses (mine was yellow and flowery) so I didn't really need mine, though I put it on anyway.

We went to a little taco stand, a canopy over dirt by the side of the road, for dinner. Bryan ordered us all tacos, 2 each, that came out to $40 USD for 30 tacos. One guy wandered around talking to us a bit (he kept saying "Taco de mice!" to me) but I didn't understand anything. I think Carissa's been getting some whistles, and he called Destiny 'benita'. Nothing on me yet :P

We've seen several mangy dogs. Michelle thinks they're super cute. One was hanging around while we ate tacos.

Then we came back and settled in a little more, and I discovered I didn't actually bring a belt. [Loree lent me one. Thanks Loree :)] Now we're sitting in the chapel, which is actually fairly large, and I'm half-listening to Bob, the leader, explain a couple of things. He was discussing a Connect 4 tournament for the kids just now. He's starting to talk to all of us.

[Notes from orientation]
1 group from Washington (14)
1 group from Michigan/Florida (21)
Bob came here when he was 52, has been here for 7 years, and is married to a Mexican lady with a son. It sounds like God definitely switched up the plans he had for himself.
No toilet paper in the toilets.
Water's supposedly safe to drink.
Report any leaks in our buildings.
Dress code: No short shorts, no midriff showing, no tank tops. Guys need shirts at all times.
Babies can be signed out of the nursery at 7:50 every morning but if they get fussy/start laughing too loud, take them back. No kissing babies on the lips. [People DID that?]
No shorts in Sala, and no food in Sala.
Keep the visitors' lounge clean.
Don't move furniture without asking.
Hang towels on clothesline, not railings. Pegs are under the stairs.
Go into town in groups, with a male escort if you're female.
Wash your hands a lot.
We're responsible for clearing our table at meals. Breakfast at 7, lunch at 1, dinner 5. 15 minutes per meal.
Quiet time 10 pm.
11 pm lights out.
Optional tour of the mens' shelter Friday afternoon.
Showers no longer than 3 minutes.
There are all kinds of jobs - orchard tending, groundskeeping, kids, kitchen...
I'm on lunch prep on Thursday.

10:00 pm
After orientation we had a brief group meeting about how we're feeling about the trip and stuff. I'm not feeling super emotional about anything, though I think some others are. Spiritual inadequacy is coming back to haunt me a bit. Should I be feeling something?

I also feel a little inadequate in general. (It's after 10 and people are wanting to go to bed so I'll go fast.) I'm pretty sure my hair will look awful this week. I really enjoy when Bryan shares in our meetings because he's always so humble. I'm tempted to think I'm failing because I'm not praying or reading my Bible as much as some, or my journal entries aren't spiritual enough, or enough about God. I don't know. I WANT to be a servant, and I'm ready for God to use me, but I can pretend spirituality I don't feel. Should I feel it? Faith first, then facts, then feelings, I guess.

I'm writing in circles, a bit. I want to read my book but maybe I should read my Bible.


Quote: "It's a Mexican cricket. It might steal your wallet." - Nathan