[11/12/01~14(D+105) Mexico] Just try. Who knows?

Edward who was my host in Nogales, AZ, introduced to me his brother in Obregon. Roberto is Edward’s brother and a doctor.  Pictured above is his wife Adrianna (on his right) and a co-worker.
 

I tell Adriana about my teeth problems. She wants to introduce me to her dentist.  However, because I am not able at this time to pay a dentist too much money, I was hesitant to go-but I go anyway.  The dentist is very kind. He fixes one tooth problem during my first visit for free, but he says my other tooth problem will take two weeks and cost $100(USD). This is an amazing price. I thought it would cost more than $1,000(USD) in Mexico. But, just $100??? Roberto kindly permits me to stay in his home during these two weeks.

Adriana has two jobs. She owns a cake shop and her other job is an art teacher in  the university. I usually spend my time helping her. The above picture is an example of a large market in Mexico.

Adriana loves to cook and  she does it very well. She serves awesome food every times.

The Mexican people have lunch around 2 pm. Also, the dentist who is fixing my teeth is closed from 2 pm to 4 pm. School usually starts around 7 am and finishes at 2 pm. Lunch in Mexico is usually at 2:00 pm, and it is a daily large meal. Roberto also returns home to eat lunch around 2 pm. Adriana usually prepares Mexican food. It is really good that I am learning about Mexican food.

This dish is called Menudo. It is a traditional Mexican soup made from pig’ guts. It is like Korean food; so it is no problem for me to eat and enjoy it.

In Mexico, it is important to drink juice with lunch. The juice usually consists of a fruit + sugar + water.

This Mexican food dish is called Flautas. It consists of a small rolled-up tortilla and some type of filling, usually beef or chicken with cheese. The filled tortilla is crisp-fried.  On the right  is some guacamole sauce. It is made from an avocado, onion and chili. Guacamole is a typical sauce served with meals, especially when I eat tacos there is always Guacamole sauce on the table. The sauce on the left is Rajas con queso. It is made from an onion, cream cheese,  and a green onion. And of course, handmade juice is also served.

Since the second day I arrived in Obregon, unfortunately I have a stomachache. I am very sick during my second night in Obregon and I also have a toothache. I’ve never had a stomachache in South Korea. However, twice last year in Canada, I did have a stomachache. And now again, I have a stomachache. The pain is usually lasts for a minute, and then no pain for three minutes, and then the cycle repeats.  I don’t know WHY! This time, my stomachache is very different from last year in Canada because I was sick only for one day, then the next day, I was okay. But this time, I am sick for almost three weeks. After the third day, I am not as sick like the day before. It happens only when I eat something or seemingly it just happens.  So,  sometimes I am a little bit afraid to eat because of my stomachache in Obregon. But I don’t mind eating because the food is always awesome.

This is called Cueritos. It is made of crackling and guts. But this time it is a little bit weird to eat.

Although I have a stomachache after I eat something, I eat well every times. My stomachache does not stop me from eating food!!! hahahahahaha

This dish is called Fuente de mariscos. I am having it in a restaurant.

Adriana baked all of these goodies. I help her while she bakes. She bakes very well.

I almost have cake in addition to Mexican food at every meal.

I made this bicycle cookie 🙂

This is called Tamal. Meat and potatoes are insde.

Adriana invites me to a party her school where she teaches art.  This is called a piñata. At times it is filled with toys and or candy and then broken as part of a ceremony or celebration. The piñata in the picture is filled with cookies.

The song they are singing is Litany Para Pedir Posada. It is a song traditionally sung during Christmas celebrations.

They also have some events.

Adriana invites me to her adult class. But I am more interested children than her class because I love childeren.

When we first meet, both the children and I are shy; but we later become friends.

This chalk artwork is being done by children. Rebeca who is in the above picture gives to me her drawing. I put her picture on my pannier.

Colorful..

I have fun with the children.

Edward’s brother is on the left. His name is Roberto. The woman in the center is Maria Elena, and on the right is Gloria. They are Edward’s two sister. They meet each other every weekend.  Mexico is a family centered life style, more so than my country, the US, or Canada.
“Mi Casa su casa”  means “our house is your house.” I heard this greeting when I arrived at Roberto’s home. Maria Elena’s husband also said it to me when I visit them. The Mexican culture is very kind and generous toward their guests. Maria Elena’s husband even secretly gives me some money as father would.

This is my first time to play this card game. It is fun

We also go together to a restaurant. This shows how to cook meat.

Through Maria Elena, I meet Arlette. Arlette is a kindergarten elementary school teacher. She invites me to her school. Arlette is standing in the center of the picture.

Their elementary school teaches both English and Spanish.  The students practice their English with me; however, many times Arlette translates so that the children will understand better.

It is always my joy to meet children.

Children’s eyes are beautiful.

I will always remember the children’s bright smiles while I am on the road.

 They ask to me questions and I answer them.

I receive a wonderful present from Arlette’s class. The children wrote notes to me and placed them into a Christmas stocking. I place the stocking with all of their letters on my bike. Although they wrote the notes in Spanish,  I believe that someday I will be able to read and understand them when I learn more Spanish.

Both students and teachers are required to wear an uniform at this elementary school.

I love this picture because Arlette is making eye contact with one of her students. I think it is most important to make eye contact when we talk with children or anyone else. I remember a documentary film in which it stated that this is very important to do with children because they tend to look away with an authoritative figure. I am also trying to do that. I do not want seem to be bossy around children. I want them to remember my smile.

Because I am a bicyclist, many people ask me about my bike trip on the road. The same questions again and again. Sometimes, I answer the same question many times during the same day. But I am trying my best to answer all of their questions, because it is the first time for them they hear my answers.

I wish to thank the teachers and students. They make my travels more enjoyable. Although I’ve only ridden over 3,000 km and I’m still beginner, I believe that I can make my dream real which I talk with them.

I am holding the Christmas stocking. I am pictures with the teachers at Arlette’s elementary school.

I wish to express my deepest appreciation to the teachers and children at the Erikson Elementary School.

It is normal to sit in the back of a vehicle like in the above picture in Mexico. I also sometimes see police officers and the army sitting in the back of their vehicles. A cyclists wrote on online that he gave a police officer a bribe not to charge him with a traffic violation, even though it was not his fault. So, I was afraid of the police. But they have not stolen my money; instead, when I wave at them while riding my bike, they wave back. I really enjoy saying hello to people on the road and I like the police waving back at me.  But it’s a little bit weird to greet them “hello” when they wear such an arsenal.

There are many street food vendors.

When I find these people on the road, I want to ask what they were doing. But I do not attempt to speak to them because my Spanish is poor.

It’s strange that during the two weeks while I was staying in Obregon, I notice they do not have traffic lights for the pedestrians. Perhaps the people are masters at jaywalking.

A view of the town.

I see many unexpected things while on the road. Some people along the road try to earn money by selling paper or other things. They also perform circus acrobats for money. Sometimes, it is difficult to understand what is occurring while in Mexico. At times, people are doing well like the US or in my country and at other times they are poor. In Mexico,  new things are mixed in with old poor things.

I am experiencing some problems while in Obregon. The first problem is that my Canadian visa card was stolen on online. I used it only one time while in Mexico when I tried to get some money from an ATM. And I threw a receipt away. Maybe that’s why the card’s number was stolen. I called the Canadian visa card bank’s phone number, but the person said they could not send a new card to my friend’s home because of the different billing address. In addition, they were not sure if I also had pay the $700 which was stolen online.

I thought a long time about this problem and how to resolve it. When I call again, the person says they can send a new card to my friend’s home. Also, I don’t have to pay back the stolen money. However, I will have to wait four weeks during the investigation.

The second problem is my new Mexican card does not work. So, I go to a bank and they say the person who issued me my card had made a mistake and so the bank cancelled my card. I feel very embarrassed about their attitude because they state I have to go to Nogales, a border town where my card was issued, and then I can get my money. This doesn’t make sense to me. It is not my fault, but I still have to go to Nogales to get my money. I am so shocked!

I keep thinking what I can do about this second problem. First, I calm down. Then I went to another bank and pretended I don’t know what is going on and ask about it. But they say the same thing: I have to return to Nogales. I pled with them. I tell them that I came by bike and my other card was stolen. “Please, please, I can’t go back. Please!”

Then they called the bank in Nogales and say to me, “Yes, you can get your money here and you don’t need to go to Nogales where the card was issued.” I wait for three hours in the bank, but I finally get my money which I had put on the card.

What if I didn’t ask Adriana about my teeth problems?
What if I didn’t try to call again about my stolen Canadian visa card?
What if I didn’t try to go to another bank about my stolen Mexican money card?

Who knows? It is always good to try.

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Bill, Thank you for editing this post.
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English is not my first language. If you find any mistakes (such as words being used out of context, grammar, syntax, etc), please let me know. Thanks
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