First post from Mexico

This is the first post of my blog. Welcome. I always thought blogs were incredibly narcissistic...still do to a degree, but I ultimately think that this is a better option than sending a lengthy mass email every time I get around to updating you all on my life down here (in Mexico). And I really enjoy writing, so this way you can be as engaged or apathetic as you choose. Like voting. I guess I'll go ahead and post the email that I just sent out - I know it's redundant, but I feel like it's also fitting since it kick-started my communication back to you guys. But I did have an addendum to my first email in that I just discovered that there is rat poison in our oven. Apparently there was a nest inside a long time ago so the natural response was poison. Anyone know if a self-clean (post removal of said poison) will be sufficient, or should we stick to pan frying our dinners at the risk of doing our guests in with a casserole?

Anywho, here's the email...
Hiii. I'm alive and well. I got in late last night and was well cared for. We cooked a dinner of cactus, onion, avacado, tomato and lime salad, quesadillas with cheese, mushrooms and fresh salsa verde, and  fried scallions. So much for losing weight while I'm here. Today I bought a new cell phone (through which I can send int'l texts FYI PLEASE DO NOT CALL MY US CELL PHONE - it will charge me even if you just get the voicemail box) and changed some money, went to lunch (handmade sopes - little fried pizza crust things) with mushrooms, refried beans, cheese and avacado and a papaya-kiwi-orange juice....$3). Went out to my coordinator's house (all ecofriendly - cob house with solar panels, compost toilet, beautiful garden) to do the twice a week afterschool program with a bunch of little kids. It was really really nice - I tought a kindergarten girl named Margo about the letter L.

The first group comes Saturday, so we only have a couple more days of peace and quiet in this gorgeous home. All of the houses are behind huge steel doors and big walls down long alleyways and guarded by incredibly friendly stray puppies.Cecilia and I share a small room with a bunk bed in preparation for the service group, but eventually I'll have my own room. Cecilia and Olivier are the two other housemates (from Maine and France respectively) and I really feel at home. Outside, there are many strange smells (burning trash, burning weed, mystery livestock behind the wall a few blocks away) and the view from the 2nd floor is an immense puffing volcano named Popooadjiojnwo8ru32ncan - Popo for short.  THe town and lifestyle I still feel apprehensive about - it's a big change and very...rustic.  It is a huge adjustment and my spanish is really really rusty. I feel like I am easing into it but definitely still feel out of my element and slightly nauseus when stepping back and looking at what i've gotten myself into. Could I live here for more than 3 months? By myself after Olivier and Cecilia leave in April and May? For a year or more like I'd originally anticipated? But then I remember to take a breath (a large one - we're at something like 7000ft here) and take it one step at a time. One foot in front of the other. "Hay mas tiempo que vida" - there is more time than life is a local expression (and lifestyle). My new cell is 22 2135 3426. It only costs me $.08 to text you but I have no idea what it'll cost you to return the favor. my skype is winner.rachel just so you know. After I finish this email to alert you of the existence of my vitals I intend to figure out how the heck to start this blog so I don't have to send mass emails and you can engage in as much or as little of my saga as you choose. I will also unpack and set up my camera so that I can show you pictures of the burros and cacti and Popo. However, my alternative is to go get a beer with my handsome French roommate and his Mexican friends. So. until next time...