Things Are Looking Up

8/25/09

I know I’ve been neglecting my blog since I got here, but I’ve literally have not had an opportunity to sit down and write something. The past two days have been crazy and event-full to say the least. After going to a number of meetings where the other person did not show up, being told I could not be an official student at Chapingo, moving three times in one week and being very, very sick for over a week, things are looking up. I am an official student at the university; I now have a home and am no longer sick!

I found a great living arrangement in a house that has rooms rented out to postgraduate degree students attending Chapingo. Everyone is 25 years+, full-time students and most work and have their own families. There are about eight people living here and I have only met one. With work, family and school, you hardly see anyone. In addition to Mexican students, there are two Brazilians and one Cuban here as well. The house is big and beautiful. We each have our own rooms and we share the bathrooms, living room, dining room and kitchen. It’s in a safe neighborhood ten minutes from the university and in the same property as the director of Continuing Education at Chapingo who will be taking care of all my documents and grades. I don’t think I could have found anything better!

Tomorrow is my first day of classes. This semester I only have class two days a week and will be taking the following classes: Today’s Rural Conditions and New Alternative Agricultural Models, Rural Farmer Organizations and Cooperatives and Issues in Today’s Agricultural Sector. I’m very excited to start tomorrow but I am so nervous! I hope the students and teachers are friendly and that I don’t get too nervous and speak sloppy Spanish. I’ll let you know how things go.

As far as Rotary goes, I’ve kept in communication with my host country contact but we have not yet met in person due to the distance between us. I have also contacted the president of the club here in Texcoco. For the moment he is out of the state and will be returning later this week. I’m very excited to meet him and the club here in Texcoco. I would really like to start my community service work and become active in the local Rotary Club. It looks like I’ll have to wait till next week to get things started.