I arrived in Mexico City late last Wednesday night and spent an action filled 4 or 5 days with a variety of different friends I´ve made over the last ten years. I can´t honestly remember the last time I stayed out til 6 but we managed to do so both Friday and Saturday nights. Oops! But it was most definitely worth it. - I´ve traveled to and through Mexico City many a time but have never once gotten the red light when passing through customs. Well, I guess it was my turn this time around. OH the poor security gal had to look through all of my many belongings. She had no shame in commenting on what a pain it was but the best part was when she came across the piles of condoms and the other various items used for cervical exams that I had packed for the clinics I´d be workin with. Her face was priceless and I can only imagine what was going through her mind. I decided to remain quiet instead of trying to explain which worked just fine as her cheeks returned to their normal shade, also choosing to refrain from commenting.

I finally made it today to Jaltenango, Chiapas, Mexico. My entire spring semester´s coursework revolved around Grounds for Health and eventually the project that I would be pursuing here so to actually be here actually feels a long time in coming. I also found out just now that my work here WILL indeed count for field experience credit towards my masters. There was a doubt as Mexico is now on the U.S. government travel warning list which requires an additional very thorough applicaiton to the Office of Int´l Programs at the U.

I visited for a week in March with GFH to do some training with the women here and although the mountains were beautiful, they were nothing compared to the rich, lush view that I found the entire 3.5 hour ride here from the airport. The rains came in May and Chiapas is blooming with new, fresh life!

The craziest thing happened today when I got on the plane from D.F. to Tuxtla Gutierrez. I stood up to move my bag in the overhead bin when I heard a voice from behind call out 'Amanda!' My friends at home tease me because it's hard for me to go anywhere where I won't run into someone I know (I love people and tend to meet new ones all over the place) but frankly, my acquaintances and friends are VERY few in Chiapas. You can imagine how completely blown away I was to turn around and see the familiar face of a doctor from Comitan, Chiapas smiling at me. She was a co-volunteer with us in March, the only Mexican doctor on the team. Upon arriving, she and her boyfriend help me with my embarrassingly large load of luggage (which, in my defense include many medical and educational supplies) and also let me use her cell phone to locate my ride who was waiting for me half an hour away from the airport at a taxi station.

OK, it´s getting a little late and I have a VERY early morning at CESMACH, the coffee coop, tomorrow morning.

Hasta pronto, amiguitos... AE