Hello hello,
The time is flying now, each day passing faster than the one before it. Right now, everyone is doing this sort of ridiculous balancing act, trying to wisely divide their time between school work and family. Can you guess which side usually wins? Yeah, the school work has been a challenge, but we have learned a lot, a lot about the language, México, different foods, and of course, through our classes in school, but most importantly, we have also learned a lot about ourselves. As the final days of our semester here in Mérida are starting the pass by, I am beginning to really reflect on the experiences I’ve had so far this semester, reflecting on what I have learned and also why my pants don’t fit as nicely as they did before (I blame my mom’s cooking, but “vale la pena” (it is worth it)). I think back on how my thoughts have changed, how my views on certain issues have been transformed, how I myself have been transformed. Not only has my knowledge and mastery of the Spanish language increased but along with it my faith, my confidence in myself and the realization of how much my friends, but especially my family, mean to me, how much I need them in my life. I am not the same person I was stepping off that plane almost three months ago. We have all changed, but changed for the better.
Like everyone before me, I ask you all to continue praying for us, especially as we start our final exams, write out those last essays, chug that fourth cup of coffee. I thank you for all the support and prayers that have already been given. Please pray that we use these final days well, that we study hard, soak up a bit more of this wonderful city, and that we can manage to squeeze in some time with our families. Before we all know it, we’ll be getting on that plane again.

paz y amor,
Jesse Antuma

Well, we are now in the home stretch.  We're about three quarters of the way done with our semester here in Mérida, which is really hard to believe.  As our time here is wrapping up, I have thought a little bit about what I am going to miss about Mexico: my host family, the food, the Calvin group, fun trips, etc.  But one of the things that has really stuck out to me here has been my church.  I attend a church called Shalom here with my family, and it is actually really similar to my church in Michigan.  There is a big praise team with instruments and singers, and the church changes decorations every month.  But what is so meaningful is the love and hospitality that I have been shown at Shalom.  Since my first Sunday there, the three pastors have always made a point of talking to me each week, and I also have some people that we sit by usually that I talk with after the services.  There are also many activities besides the weekly service.  I am a part of a small group that meets each Sunday and we are going through a book together, and there is also a college student ministry where we have a service once a month and then hang out afterwards.  I have made some good friendships through these activities.  We also had a big church event this past Monday where Shalom rented a space and there were teams and competitions and everyone just pulled me right along and included me in all of the activities.  I also met some girls there and we ended up going out to coffee later.  Okay, well I think I have made my point.  God's love has been shown to me by every person that I have met in my church, and his presence is so obvious here.  I feel very blessed to have been accepted into the church family of Shalom, and it will be hard to leave my Yucatecan brothers and sisters in Christ when we return in a month!  

In Christ, 
Jodi Unema

Hello there everyone back in the US!

I hope and pray that all is well for you as we enter this crazy time of the year known as the holiday season.  It is incredible how time flies, isn’t it? 

Here in Mérida I think we’re all kind of in “shock mode” as it’s starting to hit everyone that we now have less than 3 weeks left before we leave for our final vacation.  While we are all very much looking forward to finishing classes, heading off for two weeks of more adventures and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and of course, finally seeing our families and friends in person and not on a computer screen via Skype or Facebook, it’s also kind of sad to realize how close we are to the end of our time in Mérida.  It has been in incredible journey and God has blessed us in so many ways.  We will miss the palm trees; limón with every meal; the bright colors of all the houses, stores, and market;  the streets of Mérida at night and Sunday-morning alabanzas at church.  But even more, I’m sure we will miss the people we’ve met and come to know as friends, family and church family here.  Personally, I still can’t believe the warm hospitality, patience and acceptance I have received everywhere I have ventured here in Mérida and the Yucatán in general during these past 2 ½ months.  It is so great to know we have brothers and sisters in Christ in so many different parts of the world.

Highlights of this past week include our trip to Celestún this past weekend and our excursion to the prison this Tuesday. 

Despite our worries about the weather, this past Saturday turned out to be a perfect day for a trip to the beach – sunny with a cool breeze.  We took a boat tour down el Río Celestún, where we had the opportunity to see several flocks of flamingos as well as herons, egrets, and several other species of birds.  The tour also took us to a petrified forest and through a (living) mangrove forest, which was amazing.  After the tour, we headed into town where we spent a couple of hours on the beach and went to a really great open-air seafood restaurant called La Palapa where the brave among us ate pescado frito (fried fish with head included) and pulpa (octopus).     

This Tuesday we spent the afternoon in the Escuela de menores infactores which is the only prison specifically for young people in the Yucatán.  We had a great time playing fútbol (soccer) and basquet (basketball) with some of the younger guys there.  Afterwards, we had chips, cookies and pop to share with the guys there.   

So that’s what we’ve been up to as of late.  We can’t thank you guys enough for all your prayers and support.  We couldn’t have made it this far without you!  Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we are looking at a few very stressful and emotional weeks coming up.

We love you and you are all in our prayers!

Kailyn

Hey all!

This morning I woke up shivering in my hammock and actually had to put on a sweater to eat my breakfast of hotdogs, mayonnaise, and coffee. Some later investigation revealed that it was actually about 70 degrees F this morning…Michigan’s sure going to be quite the weather shock for us when we return!

I know I’m repeating some of what others have already said, but as we are approaching the end of our time here, I really want to share a bit about what a blessing our families here in Mérida have been. This story is a bit outdated, but it still remains one of my best memories of my time here. In October there was a 50^th anniversary party for some of our abuelitos (grandparents) here in Mérida, who also happen to be parents of Maria. Well, to our surprise, a few of us Calvin girls were invited to sing a song dedicated to our grandparent (parents) during the anniversary! How fantastic.(Also fantastic is what was written in the bulletin for the ceremony: "The participation of the American Ladies" :] ) We also got to walk down the aisle with our families to begin and conclude the ceremony.I truly felt like I was a genuine part of my family that night. I can’t put into words how incredible it feels to be invited to be a part of something so special. The love that we receive from our host families here is truly extraordinary. We are really going to miss them!

Please keep us in your prayers as we're all trying to balance spending time with our family and friends here in Mexico while working on the many projects, essays, and exams that we have to complete before the end of the semester (which for us is December 2 - and then we head off onto our two week long viaje (trip) around Mexico!). Gracias :)

Alexa Hook

Well well well. Mérida is super neat, guys. Super neat. Right now, we're finding ourselves in some "cold" weather. I'm sure 70 degrees and rainy doesn't sound like cold weather to those of you in Michigan, but for us it does. We had to bust out the abrigos this week. Also, we've had many conversations with our families about how this weather isn't frio, like they call it, but rather fresca. As for me, I'm lovin' it. It's a good break from the constant sweaty-ness that summed up our Mérida experience up until this point. However, we're hoping these cloudy skies break up in time for our adventure to Celestún this weekend. We hear that Celestún has the pinkest flamingos in the world, so we don't want them to be scared away by the rain. In other news, classes are coming along. It's weird to think that we less than a month of classes left. However, we're staying focused on soaking up Mérida while we still can. Please continue to pray for us!

-chris vanderzee

We went to a soccer game last night and got to the game without problems. We sat in the side that was sombra or shade because they had mentioned that was safer for us y mas tranquilo. That's the side that is mixed fans...fans from both teams. Apparently it's also a drier side...the tradition here is to throw up your beer when your team scores so everyone has a chance of getting a beer shower.  Unfortunately (or fortunately) the game ended in a tie 0-0 but it was a good game nonetheless. There is one regular season game left and the quarter and semi finals and then the final. The Mexicans that came with us said that  the other side from where we were sitting is reserved for fans of the home team only to avoid fights breaking out between rival fans. There was a line-up of 8 heavily armed police in front of our section last night.  Fortunately there was no need for their services.
If the Merida Venados get into the semifinals I am going to try and organize another group outing and then we'll sit on the other side.
A soccer game is a great place to learn 'bad' language!! My ears were burning a few times last night. lol


The other news is that we are expecting another 'norte' to come through.  The last one gave us about ten days of relief from the intense heat...don't get me wrong...it's still hot!

Some thought from Becky that should have been posted earlier.

It’s hard to believe we’ve been here three weeks already. It’s been a whirlwind. Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to Chichen Itza, something I never thought I would do. Well, I never thought I would be in Mexico in the first place, but it has been an adventure to say the least. Although the state of Yucatan is about as flat as it could possibly be, with trees more the size of the underbrush in a forest, the streets are crowded with life and color. There is so much to see and do. The 16^th was Mexico’s 199^th birthday. My church had a fiesta and I even participated in a traditional dance. The people have so much energy and celebrate their country’s independence enthusiastically. That energy definitely rubs off on me and makes even homework easier.

We have been very fortunate until this point, health-wise, but a number of members from our group have started getting sick, so if you have the chance, please pray for continued health because it makes life much more enjoyable. Hope classes are going great there too! 

Becky Spears

The Little Things

On the 21^st we will be halfway through our semester! My list of little things I miss from home: furniture- in particular a sofa, walking across Commons Lawn and breathing fresh air, chocolate chip cookies, bare feet, smells of fall, crunching leaves, baking pie, pillows. Longer, however, is my list of “the little things” here in the Yucatán I’ve grown to love. They are small things and yet a big part of our lives here. God has been so good with many “big” blessings, loving, Christian families, health and safety; I don’t want to forget or pass by the everyday things that are blessings in their own way too. So here’s a little list of the little things in life, life here in Mérida, México.

 Smells: at night, panuchos, salbutes, tortas or perro calientes on every other street corner

Everyday Wildlife: Tic-tics aka salamanders named for the noise they make

“a true blue dream of sky”: the sun grants vitamin D and makes me happy; the clouds sometimes make me even happier

Furniture Store: I don’t know the name but there’s a store that has air conditioning at full blast and also no doors, a cool little breeze on your walk to class

The ocean: maybe not so little but I think I take for granted now how close we are to the wonderfully warm water

Breakfast: Many of our mamás rise early and faithfully every morning to make us breakfast be it Zucaritas with Antonio el Tigre, a ham sandwich, or maybe a hot dog with onions

La luna: a moon that’s the same and just as beautiful in Michigan as in Mérida

Starbucks…oops sorry…Oxo (though like starbucks just about on every corner): think mini-Meijer or gas station store minus the gas or, for us, the air-conditioned haven where they sell Snickers and M&M’s

Fútbol: Sunday night football, in my humble opinion, is out ranked by fútbol aquí

Placticar: the Spanish verb for chatting. Sitting and chatting with family while time quickly pass by is almost an everyday activity.

The best bed: Plopping into a hammock rather than scaling a dorm room bunk is wondrous when you’re exhausted

Water: Purified and chilled…even better

Panaderias: bakeries, but more bread, better taste and the best for your buck

From Emily Howell

México so far has been great and every day I wake up in my hammock excited to start the day. The things that I have loved most have been the relationships that have been made. My host family is really great and has a lot of patience with me and my Spanish. They are good Christian examples of how to love others. I have also been able to see their love and importance for family and it has been really fun getting to know all the extended family as well. Also the relationships that have been made with the students at the university here have been really exciting. Being able to take a class with the students has been a real treat. The classes are much different then at Calvin. They are more relaxed and we have to be flexible with the ever- changing schedule. But a few members of the group including myself have gotten a chance to play on intramural teams of basketball and soccer and they have been fun. Also the majority of the group went to Mama Mia with some of the students from the university and it was excellent. Most of the songs were in Spanish and it was just really encouraging that I was able to understand what they were saying in the musical. God has been blessing us a lot. Please continue praying for safety and relationships that are being built here.

Jenna De Voogd

I saw this great picture on face book and decided to post it here for those of you don't do face book.

Chris and Paul enjoying the arts in El paseo de la revolución.

This weekend a group of us went to Playa del Carmen to have fun in the sun and to enjoy not having to think about homework for a short time. We left right after class on Friday and didn’t get back until Sunday night. It was really cool to experience a different part of Mexico; although it was a bit touristy I still really enjoyed my time there. The first night we walked around the downtown area of Playa del Carmen and found a really nice Mexican restaurant. Most of us ordered a plate that included meat, rice and tortillas, which is a lot like a typical Yucateco dish. The beach there is unbelievably beautiful and we defiantly took some time to enjoy it. Many of us got pretty tan, not including me; I was one of the ones that got burnt L But we spent a lot of time at the beach swimming and soaking up the sun or walking around the downtown area in Playa del Carmen. With this experience we also had the chance to get to know each other a little better with a 4 hour bus trip to get to Playa del Carmen, Whew! Overall it was an experience that we all needed to “recharge” our batteries and relax for a short time until returning to reality on Monday.

Lyndsey Burghard

Greetings from Beautiful Merida!
We are still having a wonderful time here in Mexico-exploring the city,
spending time with our families, and learning more about the amazing Yucatecan
culture. This weekend we’re excited to hit the beach and relax a bit from our
studies. La playa is definitely one of the perks of living here! Many of us are
embarking on a road trip to Playa del Carmen for the weekend. Others are
spending their Friday at the beach at Progreso and spending the rest of the
weekend enjoying Merida and their families.
For those of us going to Playa del Carmen, it will be a bit strange to spend
the weekend away from our families. We typically spend a LOT of time with
them-having interesting conversations, learning Mayan, watching telenovelas,
and going on impromptu excursions to relatives´ houses/the market /los cenotes.
While living with a family is quite a bit different from living at Calvin, the
adjustment has been well worth it. Whether you’re happy or overwhelmed or
just tired, it´s great to know there´s a wonderful person in the next room
making you some Yucatecan soup.
Maria Post

group picture at Chichén Itzá

It’s hard to believe we’ve been here three weeks already. It’s been a whirlwind. Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to Chichen Itza, something I never thought I would do.

Well, I never thought I would be in Mexico in the first place, but it has been an adventure to say the least. Although the state
of Yucatan is about as flat as it could possibly be, with trees more the size of the underbrush in a forest, the streets are crowded with life and color.
There is so much to see and do. The 16th was Mexico’s 199th birthday. My church had a fiesta and I even participated in a traditional dance. The people have so much energy and celebrate their country’s independence enthusiastically. That energy definitely rubs off on me and makes even homework easier.
We have been very fortunate until this point, health-wise, but a number of members from our group have started getting sick, so if you have the chance, please pray for continued health because it makes life much more enjoyable.

Becky Spears

Greetings from Merida! It seems like our time here is flying by; it’s hard to believe that it’s almost October. I wanted to explain a bit about the way that birthdays are celebrated here in Mexico. The majority of the Calvin students here in Merida have had the opportunity to participate in a birthday serenade. Traditionally, friends and family serenade the birthday person very late at night before their birthday or very early in the morning. Several songs are sung, such as “Las Mañanitas” or “Tres Regalos”. It is also very common for family to gather together for food and presents to celebrate birthdays. Cake is usually served. For children, it is traditional to have piñatas at the birthday celebration. The children take turns using a bat or their fists to break open the piñata. When the piñata breaks open, all the children scramble to collect all the candy, or “dulces”, that they can! I also had the opportunity last weekend to go to a fiesta de quince años. Fiestas de quince años are birthday celebrations for girls turning 15 years old. The birthday girl, or la quinceañera, wore a beautiful red gown for part of the fiesta and then changed into a traditional mayan dress called an huipil to dance the jarana, a traditional dance of the Yucatan. I had a great time experiencing and participating in this important mexican tradition.

This last weekend, the majority of the Calvin students gathered at Maestra Leder’s host home to celebrate the Maestra’s birthday. All of us students serenaded her soon after arriving (which is not the traditional time to serenade, but was fun nonetheless!). After eating dinner, we all had fun breaking open a zebra piñata.

Blessings, Megan Meadows

It’s been a month since we arrived in beautiful Mérida, and we have filled our time with a lot of new experiences! On Monday we had the opportunity to visit two sites of Mayan ruins, Dzibilchaltún and Chichén-Itzá. We boarded a bus at 4 a.m. to go to Dzibilchaltún to see the fall equinox. We arrived early and had some time to look at the sky full of stars, what a great way to experience God’s creation! After much waiting, and doing some studying for a test that many students took later that morning, the sun finally rose and shone through a window in the main temple- a phenomena that only occurs with the equinox. It was a great way to start the day! Later that morning we headed to Chichén-Itzá with the hope of watching the sun set with a similar phenomena. Unfortunately it was cloudy so we couldn’t see anything, but we had fun taking pictures and touring Chichén-Itzá, the largest and most famous of the Mayan ruins.

Although it is fun to have days like these where we are tourists, we want to focus on living in Mérida and being more than tourists. Please pray that we have open eyes to see both the beauty and the need in this city, open minds to learn from the people here, and open hearts to receive the tasks that God has set before us.

Blessings from Mérida,

Krista Anderson