Public Service Announcements

One of the assignments in the health course involves creating a public service announcement (PSA) on a health-related topic (live from Mexico.) Below are the 3 PSAs produced. Cast your votes and select the group with the most powerful deliver, making the greatest health-changing impact in YOUR life!

"PSA on STRESS"
(Jessica, Nic, Hayley)


"PSA on BINGE DRINKING"
(Leslie, Sharon, Eddie)


"PSA on PHYSICAL ACTIVITY"
(Rosemary, Nicole, Emily)


Enjoy!

No town is complete without a local video game arcade. Yesterday I discovered the one in Guanajuato. Not a very popular place (not surprising in a town with history, culture, music & fine art at every corner). The only revenue generator was the extremely interactive performance-based game (coupled with a light show and latin music) called PUMP IT UP!

Now, if anyone asks, this is NOT the same as Dance Dance Revolution (although it can be easily mistaken for it). Obvious to the natural eye (LOL), unlike DDR, the arrows on the dance pad of this game are positioned on the corner diagonals. A BIG difference.

The pad is rarely vacant. One guy played a perfect score during the advanced (VERY fast) mode of the song "Fuego!" which (to my deep surprise) had a montage of the World Trade Center fires as its backdrop to the scrolling arrows! No one else, but me, thought this juxtaposition to be disorienting. Had this game been house in the United States, I'm almost certain it would have been inappropriate. Dancing to the Twin Towers burning down? Does anyone else find this disturbing?

¿Holistic Health?

I was on my way to my regular afternoon pit stop - the internet cafe - when I saw this product in the window of a small health food shop (aka Trader Joe's of Guanajuato).

What do you make of this product?

A Hiking Excursion

Since we had a free day on Friday (we only have a 4-day school week during the summer), Elias (faculty teaching Spanish) and I led a hike outside of town to a place up on the mountain-top called Valenciana. Historically, Guanajuato prospered because it used to be a mining town. Today, many ruins from these mines are left throughout the outer parts of the town for people to see. On our hike, we came across the Elephant Mine (not that you can miss it), a HUGE old mine known for its structural significance and its flying buttresses.

I remember seeing this mine when I first visited Guanajuato. The only difference was that 10 years ago it was surrounded by trees, bushes, the trail was faint, and people were able to sit on the walls of the mine. Now, the perimeter is entirely blocked off, the area is under construction to make room for a golf course and a five-star resort. Figures.

Stitch and Bitch

Last week I saw a poster on a store front of a used bookstore promoting an informational discussion on leukemia and thought I'd inquire inside. Turns out, not only was this an enchanting little place, but a center for those living with cancer to convene weekly for informational sessions and activities. In fact, every Thursday evening, a handful of ladies get together and spend 2 hours working on arts & crafts projects. Rosita, the lady coordinating these sessions, says "it's a way for these ladies to take their minds off of their pain." Apparently, once an art project is completed, it is sold in the bookstore and the money is spent towards funding other activities for the group.

A few students and I joined the ladies this week, participated in their conversations, and got involved in our own little craft-work.

PHOTO: Eddie is learning how to knit a scarf from Estelita - an incredible women in her seventies who has seven children and has lived in Guanajuato for over 40 years!


I also had never knitted before. A few of the ladies were gracious to show me how to get started on a scarf, too. I had never realized how soothing and peaceful knitting could be! I might even consider taking up more of this activity, perhaps it might curb my extreme moments of enthusiasm and help calm me down.

PHOTO: Elaine (right) and Rosemary (left) work on making heart-shaped pin cushions which turned out very beautiful, I might add.

I will definitely go back next week! Afterall, I have to finish my scarf, right?

Biray Versus the Volcano

Let me preface this blog post by saying that Tom Hanks has got nothing on me when it comes to dealing with volcanoes. During our weekend excursion to the state of Michoacan, we were presented with the (optional) opportunity to climb one of the largest, dormant volcanoes in Mexico. Being one to pursue most-things-active, it was a no-brainer that I would jump on board this outdoor excursion. However, nothing prepared me for the challenges that I was to physically, psychologically, and spiritually face. (PHOTO: You can see the volcano way in the back. If it looks far, far away... well, it was! And we were headed to the TOP of that.)

For starters, take a look at our guide! The kid was in pants and a t-shirt, wearing nothing but old shoes! He had NO water bottle, NO backpack for a change of clothes, NO poncho, NO energy-boosting snacks, NO first-aid kit. It seemed that the expectations for this hike were set low from the beginning. Clearly, there was NOindication of a life-threatening adventure, at all. Afterall, the kid claimed he’d been climbing the volcano since he was 10 years old (he is 16 now, btw). In the event one was to get swallowed by the crevasse of lava rocks, our guide was certainly not equipped to save anyone. Actually, no one was. Only later did it become evident that this was going to be a test of the survival of the fittest. Period.

The 7-hour hike (yes, you heard right – SEVEN hours, at least) started off quite peaceful and enchanting. The trail took us through some of the most luscious parts of the area. Lots of greenery, colorful insects. The sun was beaming with pride, the breeze cradled a fresh scent. The clouds floated happily above our heads. (Feel free to insert any other personifications of nature here). The students were gleefully sharing stories and telling pointless jokes to pass the time.

About an hour into the hike, the trail – *poof* – disappeared! In fact, there was no trail, just a sea of lava rocks. Knowing where to step became a conscious and arduous process. One false move would've resulted in a nasty fall, a bad cut on your arms and legs and perhaps paralysis from your journey to the cone. The increased intensity of the hike was evident by the conversations detailing horrible dying scenarios in which one of us was expected to volunteer our bodies for consumption, in the event we needed to eat someone to continue living. THAT'S how scary it became. Between the black lava rocks and blue sky, our true colors definitely began to shine. (PHOTO: No incline setting on a modern treadmill could've prepared one for the experience the glutes and quads had to endure)


Luckily, the positive energy of our group and collaborative efforts helped our perseverance (at least until we arrived to the bottom of the volcano). (PHOTO: Darin helps our photography instructor, Robert, up a difficult climb) Our water supply half drained, our nutritious samplings mostly consumed, we were told that climbing up to the core of the volcano was to be the most mentally grueling and physically taxing part of the journey, but (we were hoping) the most rewarding. Rewarding? As in, there’s a massage parlor, Antonio Banderas playing a guitar, and a smoothie bar at the top? Yeah, didn't think so.

Literally, stuck between a rock and a hard place, we slowly ventured up the mountain – trading two steps forward for one long slide back. Although it seemed like a significant period of time, it took about 30-45 minutes to finally reach the peak from the base of the volcano.


So, was it worth the bruised ankles, bloody palms, spider bites, and altitude-induced light-headedness? Good question. Philosophically speaking, (and I’m sure it could be different for everyone) it's not what's at the top that matters – it’s the journey there, right? (PHOTO: Wendy, Biray, Jessica, Adrienne at the core of the volcano)



But c’mon, who is kidding who? I was waiting for the host of the Amazing Race to tell me I'd won the million dollars. Since he wasn't there, I had to settle for the savoring taste of a TWIX bar. Good thing Jaime wasn't there to steal it from me this time! (PHOTO: I'm kneeling purely for the aesthetic framing of the shot, NOT because I was entirely exhausted.)




As you can see, we were all in good spirits once we made it to the top. In fact, we were so delighted, we had to send a shout out to all of our YouTube friends!







No less than 5 minutes after reaching the top, the clouds formed quickly, fog surrounded the volcano, and like clockwork the rain began to pour. It was as if mother nature had said, “So you think you’re tough, eh? I see you’ve made it through my lava rocks and climbed up my volcanic walls. Let’s see if you find your way in thunder and hail.”

What was this - Labyrinth, the movie? Was David Bowie awaiting our downfall, threatening to send us all to the bog of eternal stench? Geez!

Surprisingly, coming down from the volcano was entirely more entertaining than going up. A slide of fine volcanic ash created the pathway down. Only a five-minute fumble down the mountain, eating dirt along the way, we reached the base. Sounds crazy, but I never laughed so hard in my life. I wanted to scream “As Youuuuu wiiiiiisshhhh!” as I toppled down, but didn’t have the breath to yell and wanted to keep my mouth closed to avoid eating the mudslide.

(PHOTO: This is a shot of the volcanic mud/ash-slide)

(PHOTO: Although it's hard to tell from the picture, you can sort of see the people sliding and falling down.)

This was truly an experience I will absolutely remember forever!!

Es muy "FUNKY"

Guanajuato is unbelievably rich in art and culture. The University of Guanajuato has an arts program that attracts many talented students from theater arts to all types of music. As you can imagine, there are many guitar players – classically trained musicians by day, friendly mariachis by night – no joke! (Granted, they all don´t look like Antonio Banderas and play sexily on bar tables like in the movie Desperado, but close enough.) Since June is their semester end, the students' final recitals for parents, patrons of the arts, and locals in the community highlight most evenings' agendas.

One evening I attended one of the student musical performances. Although the technical elements were still amateur, the passion behind the music was unmistakenable. This was entirely evident through their selections of music and arrangements of songs. It´s always so refreshing to see such tremendous support for the arts!

The above is a picture of a three cats doing an incredible jazz trio (a piece, I regretfully, don’t recall the name of.)