Adventuras mexicanas

SUP SUP!!!!111!1
Not-so-breaking news: I´m in Mexico. Ahorrita, en Sierra Norte de Puebla. But I´m not going to write about this because I´ve only been here for 3 days.

I flew to Mexico City from Puerto Vallarta, where I stayed for threeish weeks. I was living in Bucerias actually, which is located 30 minutes north of Vallarta in Nayarit. I spent my time there volunteering for PEACE Mexico, a spectacular organization with which you should all get acquainted. I lived in the house of two California surfers who have lived in Bucerias for 20+years. They still don´t speak very good Spanish. It was pretty plush, a cute old-Vallarta cottage with a little pool in the backyard (yes, I hosted many pool parties).

I came to Vallarta to help with the women´s coop, but, funny how things change, I spent most of my time working at the free spay and neuter clinics. For 4 days at a time we would set up a clinic in either a house, store, or government building in one of the little pueblos close to Bucerias and spend the days operating on local cats and dogs. My job usually consisted of the pre-op, giving the patients tranquilizers, and then anethesia, antibiotics, and painkillers. I also got to use my dog grooming skillzzz (I never thought those would come in handy!) to cut the hair around the incision areas. But I did get to help with a few operations and let me just say that the machos (males) are a lot easier. Less parts. I thorougly enjoyed myself at the clinics and made some really good, and silly (SCORE) friends.

I did work with the women as well. Some locals get together and craft 3 days a week together and do solo projects at home for extra money because they are all housewives. They can bring their kids to the workshops, and I think most of them participate primarily for the gossip. They like to gossip about each other from across the table, which is always fun. There were 2 business minded ladies I got to know as well, and they want to start small businesses with future microloans from PEACE. They make picture frames, jewelry, newspaper bags, pottery, etc. The list goes on. PEACE sells their products at the store in Punta de Mita and its kiosk in the Vallarta airport. I liked getting to know the women and it was interesting for me to see how much child-bearing was a part of their lives. Practically all of it, that is. Some of them were 25 and already had 3 kids. It makes me thankful that in the States it isn´t unheard of to be single at 30.

Hmm I have a lot more to say but I have to go. I wanted to fill you guys in a bit though. Don´t think I´m not thinking of you because I am, all the time. Paz y amor friends!

Elsa