Weather and Family

So the weather is really getting to me right now... I know that people back home at this moment are celebrating the break they're having from the rain. I remember this very well... the rain all winter, drizzling, cold, windy. The kind of rain that pushes in on you, and everyone gets irritable easily and seems to have less energy than usual. And then suddenly, the sun comes out for a few precious days, and everyone realizes that that sinking feeling that they didn't even realize they had was gone... you feel lighter and happier. Everyone goes outside for a walk, or sits on a blanket on the yard, or plays some outside sports because who knows when it'll be sunny like this again? Girls bust out their shorts and tank tops, even though everyone knows its a TAD bit cold for that... some of them even lay out on the lawn in their bikinis, to the extreme happiness of all the boys, who take this time to "play football" but you KNOW they're just stealing glances at the girls. And then suddenly, perhaps its half a day or even a few days later, the rain comes back, as you knew it would. And everyone feels sad but slightly energized from the few days of sun, though soon life becomes as it was... grey, cold, wet. And you hope and you PRAY for the clouds to part once again.

Being in Mexico, I must say that I feel differently about the sun right now. For the last week, I've slept in just my underclothes, with my ceiling fan on and no covers, and I still end up sweating. Each day is so hot that I don't WANT to go outside. And I feel extremely guilty complaining about this to anyone who's at home, because I know they're thinking in that sarcastic way, "Well at least you're not in the RAIN all day." And though I know that it's extremely hot, I also know that one day I'll be back in the United States, complaining about the rain and the cold, and wishing I were in Mexico. We always seem to want what we can't have.

Today my family returned from Switzerland. They traveled there for their nephews wedding and have been gone since I came back from Puerto Escondido. Olivia and I came back from classes today, knowing that they'd be back, and walked excitedly into my house. We were instantly covered in kisses on our cheeks and greeted over and over again, "Hola mi hijas! Como estan?? Hola!" And though we were only greeting 5 people, it felt like 10. After all the craziness, my mom went into her room and brought out chocolate (FROM SWITZERLAND OF COURSE)for me and Olivia... probably some of the BEST chocolate I've ever had! We basically scarfed down half of it in about 5 minutes, it was so great. Soon we all sat down for comida, and I instantly felt at home again... my dad with his coca-cola and alcohol mix, my mom warning us about our safety and health, my host sister smoking and saying, "buen-is-is-is-ISIMO" when she gets excited about something, Santiago playing with his planes, and Constanza coloring while sitting on the floor. Olivias mom and sister joined us, which just added to the craziness of the meal. There of course was tortillas and cheese and salsa and amazing soup that my mom makes which is fantastic. And Remigio of course constantly toasting to me and Olivia, calling us his loves, and that thing him and I say to each other all the time when passing things, "MY salsa, please?" "Can you hand me MY cheese, please?" and the other will say either, "Of course, YOUR salsa," or, "NOOOO, this is MY salsa." Basically we're dorks. I'm extremely happy that they're back though, as I feel much more at home with them here and of course, not so alone. I didn't realize how much I missed them until they came back.

I sent Tyler an email yesterday saying the following, because I seem to go back and forth between missing home and absolutely loving it here and never wanting to leave. In the moment that I sent this email, I was definitely in the missing home stage:
I'm ready to come home. I'm tired of homework and projects and hotness and walking around all the time and studying and people whistling and cat-calling and staring and saying things, and not being able to choose my food or how much I want of it and highlighters that dont work and stray dogs and the smell of sewage and crazy driving and crazy professors. I'm tired of not understanding and not being able to say what I want to say, and 2 hour classes and exams and the threat of palm leaves falling on my head and killing me, and ants in my room and piles of articles I have to read. I'm tired of only being able to see you through a webcam and not being able to touch you. I'm tired of missing Cassy's softball games and not being able to play with Brayden and watch him grow. I miss my North Face jacket and my jeans and rain and coffee with that really bad creamer that's so good, and my moms random style of cooking and dancing with Cassy and hearing Brittanys stories and Starbucks and Claire and my car and my phone and my dads hamburgers and the Oregon coast and shorts.

To which he could only reply:
It just shows that no matter how wonderful the place is, family and love still remain without question the things that people need the most.

To which I can only agree.