Next shock about Mexico

New shocks about country:

1) In Mexico they don't have centralized pipes with cold and hot water, and gas. They have pump in every house, that get cold water. They have boilers that warm up cold water and they use big reservuars for gas. So they don't have and didn't know that it is possible to have it centralized underground that one company can service.

2) To get driving licence in country with crazy trafik you need only ... 30$ and you get licence. You don't need to pass any exams, go to school and it is official way to get them :| Also here they don't have many signs on the roads, everythings is automatically understandable.

3) They are crazy on taxi. Sometimes we even go home from work or to work from home by taxi, when are lazy to walk. But distance is 20 minutes walking only and taxi cost only 1 USD.

4) Credit cards are useful in few place. It is not very popular way to pay (even you cannot pay for movie in cinema with credit/debit card).

I'm starting to get used to country more and more, understand and talk Spanish more and more and enjoy my time and this country more and more :)

Sighseeing Mexico city center

Sunday...
We agreed today meet at 12:00, and that means that I had only 6 hours to sleep. My mexican friends (with whom I spent saturday) arrived only at 13:30.

Today we had plan to go to Chapultepec - big park with a lot of interesting places. First adventure was traffic on the roads. It was midday of Sunday, but traffic was huge. We were going on Reforma avenue (one of the largest streets in the world) - this street is really beautiful, One day I will have just to walk there.

Then we arrived to place close to Anthropology museum - famous museum about ancient civilizations. It was big challenge to find parking place, all places was full and also parking places for money was full. Finally ... we didn´t find place for a car and went just to walk in the park. Weather was almost wonderful, almost is because it was hot and some parts of my body (hands and face) was additionally hot from prev. day.

We wanted to rent a bicycle in the park, but didn´t do it because there was no place for renting a bicycle, only boats for driving in the lake.
After walking a bit in the nice park we decide to go to History museum. It was good and boring in the same time, but I enjoyed it.

Then we went to the place, that was goal for the day - Anthropology museum. Finally we managed to park our car on parking place for money and in the park on the way to museum I saw action, which I wanted to see and about what I was reading in my book about Mexico.

I liked it a lot. Then we went to Anthropology museum and that was very nice museum, you can feel there, how ancient civilizations were living.

After museum we went to Plaza de la tres culturas, where you can see in one place buildings of 3 different cultures - ancient, Spanish, modern.



Then we went to Marianas grandparents place, where I met her grandpa, grandma and uncle, and at that house that time was her mom and dad. We eat dinner(very tasty one) and together with mom and dad went to their home. That evening was relaxed, we were talking about different things and half of evening was talking about anatomy, when Vikus brought her notes from university (she study medicine) and we were discussing different things in anatomy in Spanglish :) It was interesting experience to talk about anatomy in spanish.I returned at home aprox. at midnight.Next day, after work I met again with same friends (Fernando, Vikus, Mariana) and we went to to drink beer with Mariana´s french friends, after pub we went to eat Tacos (at 12 of the night) and I arrived at home at 1 am.

Totally it was very exciting weekends and beginning of the week.

Teotihuacan and second sightseeing Mexico city

Saturday, it means that it is time to sightseeing. This day I was going with Mariana to see some place in Mexico city, but she decide that want to show me pyramids.
In the morning she arrived with mother by car, picked me up and went back to home. There was waiting her sister Vikus and Fernando (good friend of family). This day Fernando was driving car. So we took car and went to pyramids...
Way was very interesting, because I could see mountains all around the highway and after 1-1.5 hours driving we arrived to Teotihuacan. When I saw far away pyramide, I was soo happy that finally I will watch them in reality not in the postcard.

We arrived to the place and second thing what I saw was kiosks with souvenirs where sombreras cost only 1 USD.

We climbed to the pyramide de Lunes, what was not so easy, because stairs on pyramid was high and pyramid by itself is very high. Next view from the top I cannot describe, you should see and feel it.

When we made thousands of photos we went down to walk further and climb to pyramide de Sol (Sun), which can be seen on pictures above.

During way to pyramide de Sol, we climbed to ruins and also to small piramids, as well I bought new t-shirt with Mexico and picture of pyramids.

Pyramide de Sol was opened only partly, top part was closed for climbing, but it didn´t disturbed to enjoy dream view to buildings of Teotihuacan civilization.

After watching piramids I was going to buy souvenirs from sellers, who was everywhere. Firstly I entered kiosks to watch what can they propose and when I was buying postcard, I saw ... latvian money

Then I was buying souvenirs from sellers in the street and it was very interesting process, because I look like foreigner and prices of course they put very high, but I was bargaining and could decrease price very almost twice. For 1 thing I bargain price from 200 pesos to 65 pesos and everything in spanish.

In that place there are very many cactuses and very big one. Here you understand why we say that Mexico is cactus country.

We finished our trip and went to eat. And then I recognized that sun during the day was pretty strong and I got a it sunburned.

After Teotihuacan we went to my ¨second home¨, where we with family and family friends (aprox. 12 people) were drinking beer (a lot of it) and talking in spanish, good that there were people who talked english and could help me with translation. Day finished at 4 am, when father brought me home.

Friday night - disco club

Last weekends I decide to spend with my friends, whom I haven´t seen for 2 weeks.

Friday I went to the disco club with friend Areli, whom I met at day when I first time went to party in Mexico. She invited me to go with her friends to dance and of course I agreed :)

She, as mexican, arrived with car a bit later then planed, picked me from home and we went to club. We had nice conversation by the way to the club. We arrived to club, meet her company with whom we supposed to meet, neither she neither me didn´t know most of the people from company.
Club was pretty good, but it was crowded. When I looked on the table of our company I understood that in Mexico they drink a lot and spend a lot of money to alcohol. On table was many bottles of vodka Absolut and then officiant brought 2 bottles more.
Music in the club was R&B, what was pretty strange, because I got used to Latino music in the clubs :)
We danced till 1 am and then went to home. I was brought by car to home. If people wouldn´t be so friendly here(taking me by the car from home), then I would lost many opportunities to spend nice time or would get lost.

Latinos

Our working day starts at 9:00, but everyday we arrive at least at 9:30, because in the morning noone is in hurry and only I and some girls are ready at 8:30 to leave the place, but others get ready at 9:00.

Today we decide go to dance salsa. We agreed to go at 22:00.
Now is 22:10 and noone even started to prepare for going to party, but we still planing to go ...

RND 2007 in Monterrey

Conference was starting like general conference with one exception it started in Spanish and in last minutes Octavio asked me to be responsible for technique, presentations and I agreed. This task saved me from being sleepy during legislation part that was in Spanish and I didn't understand almost everything. All other sessions that wasn't facilitated by me was also in Spanish, that made this conference boring for me.



From legislation part I could understand that @Mexico has big birocracy. During legislation process they write a lot of papers and follow compendium very strict. In this part of conference we closed 1 IG because of not fulfilling minimum criteria's already 4th year.

Lunch in the first day was a bit too spicy even for Mexicans.

In the first day I felt that I'm in Mexico, because time management was very bad for sessions and first day was delayed for 1.5 hour. In the end of conference I made Knowledge Management session in English and they way I delivered it was very good and successful and in the end of conference many LCs wanted implement it in their LC.

Every participant of conference was sleeping in the hotel, that was 15 minutes by bus from the site. Hotel had room with 2 double beds, where were accommodated 4 people per room.

In the beginning of second day I was leading session about boards, what was OK and later was leading 2 more sessions about 2 national information systems in AIESEC Mexico.




In the evening of second day we had rancho party, where we went far from city center to some rancho, where we had food and a lot of latino dances. It was my second training of latino dances and I enjoyed a lot. But my level is far from Mexicans' level. Mexicans dance latino dances very well.

3rd day of conference was for externals and it was also in Spanish, delegates liked it. In the evening we had official dinner, that had problems, because it was made in one museum without roof, but by the beginning of official dinner started rain and we had to move everything to balcony.

From official dinner we went to club, where we spent very good time with live music, latino dances again and here I got more latino dances classes and I enjoyed party a lot. After we came to hotel at 3:30 am, I with one girl, who become friend of mine went for a walk and talked about our personalities, personal life to get to know each other better to be good friends. After it I went to room where was room party, they were playing weird game, what I decide not to play after 20 minutes and I went to sleep.

The last night I slept 2 hours and in the morning I had cultural shock, because everyone had to leave at 9:00 from hotel, but we managed to leave only by 10:40, because of delegates wanted too sleep and because it is Mexico and no one is in hurry anywhere. Last day was delayed 1 hour.

In the last day alreday new MC was leading legislation part, where MC plan ,we - 5 Directors was approved by general assambly and also distributed conferences.

When conference finished, very many delegates and almost full MC went to restaurant Siera Madre, where we were eating good food and drinking a lot of good beer.

Photos from RND after party http://www.flickr.com/photos/sergejs/sets/72157600752105121/



In the morning girls had difficulties to wake up us, because of tiredness after conference, but they managed and after 7 minutes we took taxi and left to airport and flight home.



After coming home, we directly started to move our flat to new place and we finished it at 9 pm, when everyone was almost dead from tiredness. Our new flat is really great and everyone like it very much.

Office cleaning and gay pride

Saturday was planned for cleaning office.

After short sleeping we woke up and went to clean our office. It was interesting process, we through away many things and now office looks like comfortable place to work.

We finished cleaning at 17:00 and went home. Juan Manuel invited me to go to Zocalo to meet with his mother to buy trousers.

When we arrived to city center, it was interesting view, because that time was gay pride and I never saw it.

More photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sergejs/sets/72157600749023705/detail/

In shop I found interesting fact, that they have for some things price for 1 piece and for 3 pieces different price.

New city in Mexico - Monterrey

Last week 3 July - 6 July we had in our plan National conference for new MC and EBs - RND 2007 in Monterrey.


Because all MC was faci we had to arrive there at 30 June to prepare sessions for conference and part of agenda.

Monterrey is pretty far from Mexico city, that's why we had to take plane, otherwise by bus it could take 12-14 hours. To get our house in Monterrey we had to take Metro, Bus to Cuarnavaca, taxi to airport, plane, taxi to house.


Bus what was bringing us from Mexico city to Cuarnavaca was extra comfortable. Sits was very comfortable and I had a lot of space for my lags.







Monterrey is very hot city. We had some diffuculties with temperature after comming from Mexico city.

Place for facis was 2 floors house with no furniture at all and house was close to mountains. When we put our bags in house, we with Juan Manuel went to research landscape around house.

Monterrey: this is city with very beautiful landscape, it is surrounded by mountains that look amazing.

See more photos of Monterrey http://www.flickr.com/photos/sergejs/sets/72157600749834762/

What I also like when you go outside of Mexico city, that trees has normal green light as it should be, but in Mexico city it is dirty dark green. I have many trees in Mexico city, but I don't feel that city is green. Most probably such color is because of pollution.

Starting from Sunday till Tuesday night we were preparing some parts of agenda and also sessions for RND 2007. During the day were going to TEC de Monterrey university and preparing sessions there. That university was amazing, never saw something like that. Huge territory, very beautiful territory, animals living there and walking on the streets. For example we met squirrel, ducks and some other animals.







In the last day of preparation we with Martha went to city. We spent 2.5 hours there and I enjoyed city very much. This city is one of my favourites cities I ever visited.

In the evening arrived LC Ciudad Juares and we had some fun with them and next day started conference.

First party in Mexico with first car accident

In the Friday 26 June, we receive invitation to go for party with LC ITAM and their trainees. Ligia, Mariana and me agreed to go to dance. We were thinking that it is close to our house, we went there, but didn't meet anyone. After calling one person from LC ITAM, we get to know that place is not here, but pretty far. We decide still go to party. After taking metrobus, walking and taking taxi we finally got to the place.

There were few people from our company and they were finishing to party and were planing to change party place. They dressed up and we went to their cars. I went with 2 girls in the car Ariel and Vero. We had a lot of fun during our 15-20 minutes trip and I was speaking with them half Spanish.

We arrived to party place. It was strange place - it was garage, what was made like place for party with tables, bar, space to dance and in the same place was preparing takos. Interesting is that you pay 3 USD for entrance and you can eat takos as much as you wish for free.

Music was latino mainly and it was my first experience dance latino music, girls Mariana and Ligia helped me with steps. Now I can a bit dance latino music.

At some 1 am many people, whom we met, left to home. We and 2 more people stayed till the end.

Party finished at 3 am and we went to home by car of our friend. The scariest thing is that he was drunk, but we had no chaise.

We went by car to home direction, but in the middle of the way, we understood that no one know concrete way to our home and we get lost. By the way home, driver bought for him and me 1 bottle of beer and we were drinking it going home.

During the night here, in Mexico city, no one cares about traffic light, everyone drives on red light if no car crossing the road. Have same case red light and few cars we were going by car and ... made car accident. We kicked other car, that was crossing street on green light and ... escaped. We even didn't stop the car.

After some time we found our home and checking car, we saw that in accident we totally broke bumper and a bit scratched side of car, but during the accident we didn't feel strong kick, it was very weak.

That was my first party in Mexico, first dancing latino music and first car accident.