No English Allowed!

Well... not so much that it's forbidden but not nearly as common as I expected. Here is my temporary residence in Mexico for five mornings out of the week in my endeavor to learn a second language. I anticipated that English would rarely, if ever be spoken by our instructor but I was confident that I could tap my neighbor for help in class when needed (hey, it worked at NC State). I did however, neglect to consider that a large majority of this student population may not know English either. In my class of 14 students the countries of Brazil, Ireland, France, Germany, Congo, Taiwan, China, Korea, Japan and America are represented. It is said that complete immersion in a new language is the best way to learn it... we're certainly putting this theory to the test.

The Thinker

Here is Amy getting an early start to the school day. Since she and I are in different classes I was able to sneak into her room and catch a few of the students reviewing before the teacher arrived. (I'm sure glad that one of us is paying attention in class!)

Back on Campus

Does this scene take you back 10, 20 or (many) more years? It's a beautiful day in the mid-70s, you have a backpack slung across your shoulders, public transportation is your new best friend (since you don't own a car) and you're staring down the barrel of three hours of class. In the back of your mind you're wondering if your roommate is leaving out the milk, spilling crumbs on the couch or otherwise lowering the cleanliness level of your living conditions. A lot of the past few weeks have taken us back to the mid-90s as the Wilsons have again enrolled in an institution of higher education. This is a snapshot of a small portion of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) campus where we will be studying Spanish for the next 12 months. This shot was taken during the mid morning break when all of the visiting foreigners gather to converse in their native language and enjoy a coveted 20 minute break from Spanish. (BTW, when you are in class and have a three-year-old for a roommate the thought of what he may be doing to your apartment is continually on your mind...)

A Very Warm Welcome

This past Sunday my family and I returned to Horeb Baptist Church. I first visited this assembly back in March at the recommendation of our team leader. Horeb is fairly large for Mexico City (1000+) and not far from our apartment (providing the taxi driver doesn’t get lost). After the service we stood in line to meet the pastor and his wife, confident that our introduction would be brief because of the language difference. After the first three minutes of our conversation Pastor Gutierrez invited Amy, Caleb and I to lunch. Being the well-mannered southerners that our Mamas raised, the thought of declining a meal was never considered. The pastor loaded us into his van and drove and drove and kept driving…

Over an hour later we ended up on the very outskirts of the city high in the mountains. The pastor explained that a family in the church operated a traditional Mexican restaurant complete with a traditional, rural Mexican setting (often hard to find in the city). What followed was a wonderful afternoon with seven families from the church. Upon arriving we ate meals of handmade tortillas filled with roasted pork, cheese, onions and hot chilies. After this we ate seconds. (Most of us anyway… Caleb barely stopped playing ball long enough to swallow anything.)

After eating we sat around a fire and someone pulled out a guitar. As three people in attendance were celebrating birthdays, cakes were brought out later in the evening. After getting in enough Spanish practice for an entire week (and often being rescued by a few bi-lingual folks) Mr. & Mrs. Gutierrez returned us to our apartment around 9:30. At the end of the day we were all exhausted but content with both full stomachs and full hearts. Amy and I have long believed that fellowship between members of the body of Christ extends far beyond the borders of the United States. Nevertheless, when you have newly arrived in a foreign country the blessing of an initial meeting between brothers and sisters cannot be overstated.

Sweet Serenade?

Our initial exposure to living in a Latin country has taught us that music plays a BIG role in daily life. Since moving into our apartment we are learning when to anticipate these times of cultural edification. For instance, every few days there will be a young man that shows up in our courtyard playing a selection of Spanish tunes on a trumpet. (He’s really quite talented.) Then there are Sundays when some of the folks upstairs kick the stereo into high gear and give many on our block the benefit of hearing some really catchy quick-tempo, Latin songs.

However, across from our building (pictured above) live a few individuals whose preferences break from the expected musical trend. Nearly every other day one of these apartments rings out the tunes of Van Halen, Journey, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Phil Collins, Louis Armstrong, The Kingston Trio, The Mamas & The Papas and many other “old American favorites”. So… we’re finding out that it’s more than just traditional Spanish culture that runs deep in Mexico. Here in our tiny part of the city the soulful sounds of the 80’s, the 70’s and decades before have never really died.

Los Tres Banditos

No, in spite of the recent woes of both the US and Mexican economies we haven’t resorted to questionable tactics in order to maintain our budget. Upon arriving at church this morning Amy, Caleb and I were each handed a mask and instructed that by order of the mayor, these were required of everyone who wanted to attend worship this week. Evidently, the fear that fell upon Mexico City in the wake of the recent flu outbreak still maintains a stronghold on the local government. Nevertheless, we were more than happy to comply. Since we arrived in country just before the influenza, this was the first week that attending church was possible. It was great to be able to worship our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ with hundreds of others! (The previous weeks’ services in our apartment weren’t bad but it’s nice to have more than a three member congregation. Plus Caleb kept taking the good seat beside the pretty brown-haired girl.)

This is a snapshot of the praise band warming up just prior to service. Several of the songs were recognizable from the instrumentation alone. We’ll try to have lyrics committed to memory by next week.

Happy Mother's Day

This Morning Caleb and I treated Amy to breakfast just when she stepped out of the shower. The setting was completed with fresh local flowers, harvested in the wee hours of the morning while most people are still asleep. It wasn’t a traditional Mother’s Day morning in many regards but being away from home Caleb and I are every bit as thankful to have this beautiful young woman as a most special part of our family.

Slowly... Life Returns to Normal

It’s been nearly two weeks since the influenza outbreak in Mexico City sparked both global interest and anxiety. Here in the city limits many individuals took the government’s recommendations seriously and put their lives on hold for fear of catching the virus. Recently, both foot and vehicle traffic has been exceptionally light. We’re praising God that this week the situation is much improved! Some schools, restaurants and malls have reopened and a lot of folks are daring to venture out of their homes for more than just the essentials. Amy, Caleb and I took a walk yesterday afternoon and saw an impromptu volleyball/soccer game, (which game was played depended on who was fastest in being able to swipe the ball from their friends).

Pick-up athletic games of all types are typically a common site. This one took place in one of the numerous allies adjacent to our apartment. In the future, when our language skills improve we believe that sports will be a great method to use in presenting the gospel to children of all ages. Please pray with us that we will be constantly looking for opportunities that would allow our family to build relationships with our neighbors.

Home Away From Home

I wanted to take the opportunity to show folks pictures of our apartment in Mexico City. After nearly three weeks we are really starting to feel at home here. Here's a view from the balcony looking down through the trees. Some parts of the city have trees that surround the buildings while in other locations any greenery can’t be seen for miles. Another plus to the apartment that God provided for our family.

Caleb’s room: bringing the Thomas blankets and stuffed friends has helped us ALL sleep better at night.

Since I was already on the roof I snapped this picture toward the east. There are a lot of views in Mexico City that are quite beautiful.

Here are the remaining solar “high efficiency” dryers located on the roof.

We were blessed that this apartment came equipped with a washer as many do not. To sweeten the deal the landlords also included no less than 12 dryers! The first four are directly above the washer.

The master bedroom. This three bedroom apartment was originally furnished for three students so for the time being Amy and I are making do with two single beds pushed together. (It’s not bad except for the 1.5” height difference in the mattresses… rolling over the edge can feel like a drop of several feet at 4:00 AM.)

The "cocina" (see how we're already mastering the Spanish?)

Here’s a pic. of the living room looking out to the balcony (where the cat spends the hours stalking the pigeons) The dining table is just to the left of the frame.

The Good Ol' Days

This picture has particular relevance for anyone over the age of 30. “Do you remember when”… you could enter your local McDonald’s and order a FRIED apple pie? The baked abomination that is now offered in the US bears little resemblance to the delicacy available in days gone by. Well down in Mexico the fried variety is alive and well. Golden brown and dripping with trans-fatty goodness. We’ll sleep well tonight!

La Dia Del Nino

April 30 in Mexico is La Dia Del Nino, literally "the day of the child". Down here along with Mother's and Father's day there's also a Kid's day. Typically, this is the day that parents come home from work with a special treat for their children. Our next door neighbor surprised all of us by dropping by and bailing out Caleb's unsuspecting parents. She presented Caleb with a small balloon and a couple of gigantic marshmallow pops. Today he literally inhaled the chocolate covered one while Dad has been eyeing the second one all afternoon...