¡Estoy aqui finalmente!

Well after months of preparation and about 3 million email to the school staff, I am finally here. My bags, however, have decided to see a bit of the country first.

Right now I am in a Cyber Cafe on the busiest street in town. Cars are zooming by at speeds I had forgotten exist. A football match is on the TV (of course) and the sound of horns blaring serves as a constant reminder that I am no longer in Victoria. The heat and humidity would have taken care of that had there been no horns. But although it feels familiar after having visited Mexico three other times, Tuxtla Gutierrez is different. The moment I stepped out of the airport, I breathed a smell that was two parts jungle and one part mountain air. Or perhaps that was two parts needing to shower, it is hard to say.

Tuxtla is nestled in a valley surrounded by lush green hills and small mountains. Except for the palm trees, the foliage seems different than on the coast. The energy of a Latin-American country is the same, but the people seem nicer and a little stunned to realize a foreigner is in their midst. Although I am clearly a novelty here, no one has approached me to sell me anything or been pushy in any way. The lack of aggressive sales pitches at every turn is both refreshing and novel. I like the people already.

Now I am off to Centro in search of tacos and cerveza. And adventure too.