Culture is such a funny thing. I’m starting to notice how “polite” Australian culture is. We say sorry for everything. I’d been starting to get a little frustrated with how rude people seem on the streets. People don’t move so much for you and they run into you and no one says “sorry”. I’m starting to train myself not to say sorry, but at first I was just cranky by how rude people seemed. Although then I had a moment of acceptance and realised that so much of what seems rude is actually cultural and it’s not rude at all. In fact, the Mexicans really aren’t rude, they’d try very hard not to be.

I just think it’s amazing by how much living in another culture draws attention to the things that seem normal, and how they are actually cultural training. I’m even learning to just walk on the streets, not waiting so much for people to pass, you need to be pushy to move places here, although it definitely feels odd.

It’s rather interesting, but it’s taken me this long to fully figure out the uni system here. It seems that students get a wee bit of money each week or so from the government, but very little. Not enough to live off. And for 6 months after they finish their degrees they have to do “servicio social” where they work somewhere for 6 months for free. I think perhaps to pay back the money they were given.

This makes me think that my HECS and youth allowance are a pretty good deal. What amazes me is how patient people are with it, no one complains, they just do their social service, whereas I am busy complaining about having to deal with Centrelink to get money…

I’m off to the DF again for a week. Fun fun. I’m going to pick Mum up from the airport real late tonight which is fun. I’ve never got to greet someone in another country.

We had a spontaneous adventure last night. A moment that made me happy I’d come all the way here to have the opportunity to hang out Mexicans.

Someone decided it would be a great idea to go to the lakes for pizza. So Gabbie and I followed suit, although Gabbie didn’t want to walk. So Alan said that he’d drive in his ripper old Datsun. We were 7 at this moment, Paco in the boot, 4 of us girls in the back. We went and dropped a friend at CAXA, the bus station so he could go home. For some strange reason everything is funnier when you’re squished close to people.

We got to pass the Chedraui billboard where I apparently feature, although I didn’t think it looked at all like me oddly enough. We continued on, with 6 people, picked up Luis and went to the lakes. We ate, sung songs and Cara came too. They decided it would be fitting to head on to Superama, apparently because we’re all friends, so together we went. 8 we were, and somehow we fitted with 2 in the boot.

Superama brought many delights such as Australian wine which warmed my soul. On the way home we put the back seats down flat, 6 of us piled in with all the shopping and chuckled the whole way home because we were all lying one on top of the other. And as unsafe as it may seem, safety takes away so much fun sometimes. We stopped off for Frida on the way just to add to the fun. She’d been alone all day and was mega excited to see people and jumped all over us.

I keep being amazed by how lucky I am to have found such lovely people to live with.

Apparently, there has been several earthquakes in Xalapa. Gabbie woke up from it the other night and asked me in my sleepy state if I could feel it. But I didn’t even notice.

This morning I tried making pancakes, but alas there was upset because the pan has become all scratched and they keep sticking.

So, Cara and I went on a little trip to Xalapa’s Bunnings. Actually, they didn’t sell pans, but the shop up the road did and so I bought one and a plastic spatula and I just made The Best Pancakes Ever. I know this because I’ve never eaten better ones.

The other thing that made me happy was that Xuxa and Eli told friends of their friend at a party last night about my pancakes. I don’t know them but I hope they come round so I can make some pancakes for them.

I just ate the world’s Yummiest baked cheesecake with rasperry top. And I know, because I haven’t ever eaten one so yummy and light. This was courtesy of Cafe Barragan.

“I’m not mad, just disappointed”

-The Frames

Good ‘ol Frames eh.

We went to my photo teachers house yesterday for our last class and for fiesta type activities. Wow it was the biggest house ever. What was special was that I ate The Yummiest Pizza In the World and I know this because I’ve never eaten anything better. My my. The delights of food delights.

Went to church again this morning which was lovely. I couldn’t refrain from laughing when I recognised some notes and realised it was I could Sing of Your Love Forever in Spanish. It doesn’t quite fit as well to say “Y cantare de tu amor por siempre.”