Cumpleaños

Today is my 22nd birthday! Usually I make a very big deal out of birthdays but today has been pretty low key. I woke up early to go to mass in Tecpan, a city about 20 minutes away. Tono, the oldest son, drove this big school bus that the family owns, picking up people along the way who also wanted to go to Tecpan. Mass was similar to Catholic masses in the States, only in Spanish (obviously). I actually saw a group of white people there which shocked me! After church we went to a huge market to eat breakfast - a tamale and atol de arroz con leche, a sort of sweet creamy drink with rice in it. I finally took out money from the ATM (and my card didn't get eaten, yes!!) to pay Odilia and buy some fruit. I need a change from all of these tortillas, potatoes, and rice! For my birthday, we bought two chickens which we ate for lunch (after frying), along with salad and rice. No tortillas today - Sundays are the only days the girls don't make them. I am pretty excited about that.

On the way back from the market the bus was loaded with people and all of the things they bought - it was so packed that people had to sit three or even four people to a school bus seat! One seat had a family of four and two 8 week old puppies they bought in Tecpan. 

After lunch we went to church - again! This time to a smaller, one-roomed chapel in their village. It started getting pretty slow so I asked one of the daughters how long it would be - and they told me it is three hours long! Luckily half of the family left early to come home and watch cartoons. :) 

The internet here is really spotty so I haven't been able to upload pictures - but I'm going to try again. I want to show everyone what life is like here!

I'm excited for tomorrow since Odilia and I will finally start "working." It was nice to come here on the weekend to get to know everyone and my surroundings as well as become comfortable, but I am eager to start the midwifery part of the trip. We have five prenatal visits tomorrow!

Also, last night I went into the demascal (sauna where we bathe) for the first time.  Everyone took turns going in and I was one of the last ones in order for it to cool down first. But before I went in, Meli, the 16-year-old girl, passed out inside and had to be carried to her bed. After seeing that I was scared to go in, but I loved it! It was cooled way down by the time I went in. So nice to finally be clean!