Market, Homestay, and Emiliano Zapata Sur

Today we got introduced to the market in Mérida. It was very different and interesting. They have Wal-Mart and stores like it in Mérida, but these markets were in buildings where there are a bunch of tiny rooms that I guess people rent and sell stuff out of every day. Some places sold clothes, some shoes, some knick-knacks, some hats, some fruit, some jewelry. Some of them were even tiny restaurants, with about 3 or 4 seats for people to sit down and have a meal. Everything is very cramped there, too. People call out to you to try to get you to take an interest in their stuff. The city of Mérida is very active and alive and this truly is an experience I’ll never forget.

After we went to the market, we went back to the hotel where our homestay parents were waiting for us. I met Arturo, my homestay dad, Maria, my homestay mom, and Arturo’s son, Felipe. We drove back to the house and I unpacked. Maria prepared a kind of meat loaf for lunch (which we ate at about 3:00). It was made of ground beef, a ton of cilantro, and hard-boiled eggs, which she cut into slices and placed inside the meet. Along with the rice and avocado, everything tasted good! I had a hard time eating it all though. Maria asked me what I like to eat and I said I eat a lot – meaning a variety of foods. But she thought I meant that I eat a large amount of food! Oh well. Todo está bien.

After lunch, Arturo and I drove to the community where we are working, Emiliano Zapata Sur. He drove me around the neighborhood and introduced me to a bunch of the residents there. He also showed me the community center and some possible locations for the purifier. The community center is really beautiful! It is clear that they already have put in a lot of work there. There is a soccer field with grass and goals, a concrete basketball court with two basketball goals, and two buildings. Half of both of the buildings are finished. In one building, there are rooms for meetings, a little library, a room for clothes that they sell at cheap yard sale prices, and a room with computers where the children can use the internet. In the other building there are bathrooms and a little chapel with pews, kneelers, a cross, and a painting of the Virgin Mary. ¡Qué padre! I was really impressed with the community center and I’m already in love with it.