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QUEST BLOG Spam attack fixed

28. August 2009 by admin.

Dear Quest (Web)Visitors,

Recently our Blog has been attacked by several x-rated spam postings. All of them were deleted and we will do our best to keep them off. We completely distance ourselves from any content related to such postings.

Quest-Mexico Team

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23. October 2007 by Quest.

Excitement, chaos, constant laughter, eye-opening experiences, adventures and boundless learning are just a few words that could sum up this past week. Our weekend was off to a good start as we headed for

Mexico City. We left Friday afternoon right after class. Everyone was stressed trying to get everything together before we left to the biggest city in the world; it was evident the excitement was itching underneath our skin and we didn’t know what to do with ourselves. We had Spanish school on Friday from to in addition we had to hand in our paper for Vicki’s class, which we all procrastinated on. Of course we all waited till the last minute before attempting to write our papers! It was chaos! Thursday night, while doing our papers, we watched the movie Apocalypto, directed by Mel Gibson. It is set in

Mexico’s

Yucatan

Peninsula; it depicts one man’s experience during the decline of the ancient Mayan civilization.  Many of us had never seen it before, and we all were eager to watch it because this weekend we were going to see the pre-Aztec pyramids in

Mexico City, so it was thrilling to see a movie from that time-era. Anyways, back to Friday… after Spanish school everything was a rush. We all frantically packed our stuff for the weekend, feeling like we forgot something, ate lunch, and headed to the bus station where we met with Estela to go to La Ciudad de Mexico!

 

Our first destination was the Hostel, where we stayed overnight during the weekend. After settling in, we ate a free meal that was provided during our stay. All of our meals were on the roof of the Hostel building, where we could enjoy our meal while watching the sunset. It was absolutely breathtaking. That night we decided to venture out and explore the big city. While looking around we discovered a huge book fair going on in the city, there were thousands of books for sale and a concert to help promote the fair. It was insane seeing so many people buying books. We then looked around at some department stores and returned back to our hostel where we enjoyed some good tasting tequila and good laughs.

 

Saturday came fast; we woke up, had breakfast and we got ready for our all day tour of

Mexico City. Our first stop was the Historical Church Ruins of Mexico City where we learned about the Mexican culture in greater depth. Following this, we went to see the renowned

Catholic

Basilica

Church where the original tilma of Juan Diego with the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe hanging above the main altar was located. We then left the Basilica and arrived to an area where they sold and made obsidian and we all received a lesson on the tequila plant and cactuses of

Mexico.  Not only does tequila derive from these cactuses, but also string can be made for weaving, paper, soap, and needles as well. We were in awe of the multi-purposes of these plants. After trying some tasty tequila, we were able to walk into the gift shop where they sold tons of expensive and elegant obsidian gifts. Many of us purchased some elegant obsidian and after purchasing our gifts we ate lunch in a restaurant connected to the gift shop. We then headed to our last stop: the pyramids.

 

While touring the pyramids, we learned a lot about the pre-Aztec era. They looked like mountains and we all attempted to climb them. When we made it to the top it was exhilarating. It made for a long day, however we were able to experience and see so many things for a good price. Our tour guide was very informative and made it easy to enjoy every step of our trip.

That night a few us went to see the Mariachi Bands play in the center square of Mexico City, while others crashed back at the Hostel to get some good rest. Sunday we packed all of our things and left the hostel, and our last destination was the

Frida

Museum. The museum meant a lot more to us because we were able to watch a biography on her life in one of our classes. We were all able to appreciate the museum and her artwork in a different way after watching the movie. It was a memorable experience that words can’t describe. We then ate lunch in the People’s Market, where we enjoyed some Enchiladas Verdes and afterwards we headed back to the home base: The Quest House!

 

The week following seemed very uneventful, especially compared to our action-packed weekend. This was our last week of Spanish school, and classes were every day. Our days consisted of waking up, going to school, taking a nap, homework, eating dinner, homework and going to bed. After much social deprivation, we decided we needed a night out. We ventured to

Mexico’s Cinemax, where we watched the movie Superbad; which was played all in English with Spanish subtitles. It was a wonderful night and well deserved after the past uneventful few days. Now onto another week….

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11. October 2007 by Quest.

            Greetings from

Mexico!  What a crazy week this has been.  Then again, haven’t they all.  Last Tuesday afternoon we continued our semi quiet day with Estela’s class.  We rushed to finish it and began to decorate for a birthday party we hosted for Estela’s friend here at Quest.  We tried another type of Tamale, which was made out of mole, chicken, and of course, corn.  That evening was chill, we kind of each went our own way.

            Wednesday was rush day!  We went from Spanish school to Vicki’s class to our evening meeting without getting to breath.  For our evening meeting we met a traditional midwife who let us sit in her “office” and talked to us about her job.  We all found it fascinating and wanted to come back as soon as she had her next birth.  Thinking it was going to be either that night or the next morning, we were willing to stay, but decided against it, in fear we would miss out on our plans for Thursday.        

            Thursday we were up and at it early again.  Leaving before the cock crowed, we headed off to the mountains.  We had a couple hours ahead of us till we reached a village in poverty.  With a pit stop to let van cool, we made it to Tlamacazapa, which means people with fear.  Every step we took on the nearly vertical, rocky paths they called roads we looked poverty in the face.  These road vehicles couldn’t even travel because they were so run down.  We talked with three families, all of who’s stories were amazing and shocking at the same time.  We were all moved by the 5 wells they got their “drinking” water from.  The water was green, and Gerardo told us that in the dry season they had to lower a child 4 km into the one well that still held water and scoop two buckets of water per family.  These families waited in a line 24 hours long: you get out of line, you spot was taken, you budge, you die.  Further down the road we saw quiet a contrast,

Taxco, a true tourist town.  We think we saw more tourist there then we had encountered since the airport.  We ate pizza and shopped a bit, and then hit the road once again.  Got back, ate glorious spaghetti, and passed out.

            Friday brought language school and a well needed nap.  That evening we all went to Luis’ aunt house for corn and company.  Bed felt good that night, and we were all excited to be able to sleep in the next day.

            The next day came sooner than expected for some.  Britta was awakened early by a phone call from the midwife, who exclaimed that the baby was on its way, and 2-3 of us were invited to greet its coming.  She jumped out of bed and grabbed a couple other girls, Theresa and Natalie, and they took off.  By , the girls were look at a beautiful baby boy, and couldn’t believe they had just witnessed its birth.  They were back to Quest by the breakfast bell, on a high that they couldn’t help but share with their almost awake friends.  Saturday some of us went horseback riding in the mountains while others cruised the Zocolo.  Either way, it was a fun Saturday, and we all went to bed early to be ready for the morning.

            Sunday we all got wet and wild for the second time at Iztapan’s water park.  We were up and in a bus before the sun rose yet again, but we didn’t complain.  I think we all agreed that this was one of the best days so far, minus the sunburns and bruises.  A huge thanks to our mom, Sofia, for inviting us to go with her family and others for the day.  Great company, thrilling rides, a relaxing mud bath, beautiful weather, and an amazing “Rio Bravo”, what more could we ask for.

            Back to school on Monday, and we were privileged to hear Gerardo tell his story that evening of how he got to be where he is today.  If you ever get a chance to meet this amazing man, make sure you learn from him.  He’s got a lot to teach us all. 

            Vicki’s class, Estela’s paper, and a lesson on the Zapata’s and the

School of

Americas filled our Tuesday, as well as our minds.  With all of that thinking, we were happy to let off some steam that evening playing soccer, Quest style.  We have became a vicious group of soccer players, and if we ever get a chance to play as a team together we may cause the other team some injuries. 

            Today was language school, and chores, nothing exciting.  That’s okay, we need that sometimes too. 

            We’re all having the time of our lives here in

Cuernavaca.  Learning a new reality has brought it’s challenges and personal victories.  We are definitely growing both as a group and a people, and… watch out world, we’re changing for the better!!

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Semester 07

7. October 2007 by Quest.

Another eventful week in

Mexico; a first for many things; our first test, home stay, and weekend away from home (Quest).  Wednesday after language class we jumped on a bus to go downtown to meet Estella for class.  We met her at a restaurant called La Comuna, it is a leftist sidewalk café.  This was our first group traditional Mexican restaurant experience.  Our options varied from pork with chile sauce, beef rib, chicken stuffed with cheese and spinach, or spinach quiche.  Each entrée came with a choice of pasta or vegetable soup and as always fresh tortillas.  The house beverage was a freshly squeezed cucumber juice.  Dessert included a small dish of mango, guava puree garnished with some sesame seeds.  The owner of the restaurant came out and talked to us about his participation as a leader in the leftist movement.  He explained how this restaurant is a “safe haven” for human rights discussions. 

            Thursday was a normal Mexican siesta day, with lots of down time.  The morning began with a short literature class with Vicki.  We continued to discuss our book “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down.”  Slowly this book has uncovered the close relationship of the Hmong culture and Indigenous Mexican culture.  Around 4:00 or so Estella came to pick us up to go listen to her friend, an environmental activist named Humberto.  He expressed his passion for beginning recycling and trash pick up in the state of Morelos.  We found out last year that

Cuernavaca was one of the dirtiest cities in the world.  There is still continues to be trash in the streets, but it is evident efforts are being made. 

            Friday was our first test in language school!  No one knew what to expect and we are still in wonder to this day how we all did.  Vicki topped it off with her famous quote “to hell with it anyways, what does it matter!”  This gave us all some laughter and eased our minds about our tests.  After a quick lunch, we headed out for our first weekend away.  After about a 45 minute crammed van ride we arrive in San Andres.  Each paired off and were placed in different families homes to stay for the weekend.  Today was a special day because it is the Day of the Corn or The Feast of Saint Michael.  We ended up eating corn all evening (actually all weekend) and making crosses out of yellow flowers called pericone.  They are traditionally hung above doorways to keep the devil out. 

            Saturday we experienced the traditional healer of the village named Delfina.  She took us out on a hike up the mountains and we collected plants to make medicine.  At her house we learned how she makes her medicines and looked at a book of different plants and their medicinal uses.  It was getting pretty hot out so we all decided to go swimming….a bad idea.  Trudging through muck and dung, dodging massive thorn bushes, and ducking from huge yellow and black massive spiders, we felt we were on Survivor.  After this freaky experience, we had to make our own fun.  Some of the group played cards and soccer with the neighborhood kids in the streets. 

            Sunday was a continuation of the celebration of Saint Michael.  We awoke and went down to the parade of schools.  Many children dressed in white marched in front of a town princess and a loud marching band.  A traditional Mexican dance took place in the schoolyard afterwards.  The group ventured off to awe at the two Catholic churches, one existing since the 1500’s.  All we can say is that they were beautiful.  Today was also the birthday party for Delfina’s husband.  An abundance of family members and friends came to make tamales, roast corn, and drink coke and tequila.   

 

            Monday we returned to school and the typical routine of class.  New teachers for us all and we realized we are halfway done with language school.  Tuesday we awoke early to the sound of Gerardo’s voice and all jumped into the good ole conversion van to visit a

Rehabilitation

Center.  This place surprised us on how well it was run, the technology, and the warm feeling it left us with.  Another eventful week to come, with more exciting experiences!  Hasta la

Vista!!

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Semester 2007

21. September 2007 by Quest.

From swinging piñatas to finding a new a puppy, this week has been an adventure. The class room scene was back in action starting Monday, except this time with an unfamiliar scene. Classrooms inside are entitled with names of Spanish speaking countries, whereas outside classes resemble little tiki-huts enclosed with a table, chairs and a chalkboard.  Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday our alarms are replaced by Gerardo’s wonderful little

Chihuahua, Max, who proudly barks at the crack of dawn making sure we are wide awake. We then have breakfast and take a thirty minute bus ride to our wonderful new school, where only the teachers speak Spanish and the students consist of our Scholastica group and Catholic Priests. However in

Mexico the learning is boundless. When leaving the classroom the education and experiences never seem to end.On our days off from Spanish

School we attend class with our delightful Scholastica professor, Vicki Zeman, where we learn about comparative health care systems within the United States and

Mexico in addition to learning more in depth about cultural differences among Mexican and American cultures. This week in Estela’s class we ventured out in the city of Cuernavaca to the Jardin Botanica (Botanical Garden). Expecting to see exotic, rare and beautiful flowers we were surprised by an array of medicinal herbs and plants. The colors consisted of green, green and green. When looking at a glance, one may see a garden full of green dull plants, but when really looking you get to see the plant and its personality. Each plant, even though from afar may look alike, they’re all different with a special purpose and meaning. Although it may not have been what we expected, we were still exposed to a different idea of the importance of culture and medicine in Mexico.

Our social life has been jam-packed with new experiences and adventures. We visited Cuernavaca’s renowned mall, Liverpool. With two-stories and a food court, it resembled a mall similar to those in the United States, except this time the stores were unfamiliar. After looking around, we went to a restaurant to watch the Mexico vs. Brazil soccer game, where we enjoyed the company of some new friends we met in

Cuernavaca. Our weekend continued by celebrating

Mexico’s Independence Day. We all gathered together to celebrate downtown in the central square to dance and explore the city limits. The weekend ended with meeting our new friend, Frieda. Britta, our animal lover and caregiver of the group, gladly adopted a skinny stray dog roaming on the streets of

Cuernavaca, of whom we now call Frieda. She is now one of the gang, and was a wonderful addition in celebrating the birthday of Gerardo and his wife Sophia.

On Tuesday, we all gathered together with the extended family of Sophia and Gerardo to celebrate their wonderful birthdays. The party started with a delicious Mexican home-cooked meal and ended with a wild game of musical chairs and two candy-filled piñatas.

And as for now…we continue to undertake in this wild

Mexico adventure, never knowing what’s around the corner. The learning experiences are endless while the friendships continue to grow deeper and deeper. So adios for now! You are all in our thoughts…

With Love,

The Scholastica Crew

Photos to come

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Semester 2007

18. September 2007 by Quest.

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Mexico, where to begin… It is Sunday of the first week of being here. We have been staying busy doing many different things. From the bus that brought us to
Cuernavaca, we were picked up at the bus stop in a rickety van that took us to the Quest Center/ Gerardo’s house. 

Everyday here at the Quest Center, we eat three wonderful meals a day, prepared by the cook, 

The first time that we ventured from the house was when we went to a squatters settlement, where we visited with two different families living in severe poverty. We listened to their stories, and asked a few questions. Their answers to the questions we asked made it evident that you can be a truly happy person while having only intangible things in your life. It was a very touching time. The next day we walked around downtown and to the Artesian Market, where some of us found some very good deals on Mexican goods. This takes us to Friday where we traveled to Estela’s house; she is our teacher for the Voices of the Earth class that will start Tuesday. At her house she explained the course, and enlightened us on her spirituality and life in general. She introduced us to something that is known as a sweat lodge; a little hut that seats up to 6 people, we went in it for as long as each could handle. We sweat, poured water over ourselves, and gave thanks. It was an amazing opportunity to be introduced to Estela, I know that she will bring a lot of important information to each one of us. We ate a very colorful and tasty meal at her house, then came back to the house and played a game called Zapatos and Zapatas. The games purpose was to sort of stage what it would be like to live on minimum wage and have to support yourself/family.

 Friday night, we all went out to a club downtown, where we danced, met some new people, and had a lot of fun. Some stayed out later than others; which meant that everyone was satisfied. Saturday morning we split into groups and traveled downtown to the People’s Market, each with a list of groceries. This event was also a way to sort of represent what it would be like to live on minimum wage and have to buy food for a family. Saturday night, most of us went to the same club that we went to on Friday. Here we met the same friends that we hung out with on Friday. Some of us stayed out a lot later than others, but it was of course a blast.

It is now Sunday, our day to do whatever we want. Some chose to go to mass, while others stayed behind. In less than a week we have already been exposed to so many eye opening experiences! 

Laura

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Welcome to the Quest-Mexico Blog

24. August 2007 by admin.

Dear Visitors and Friends of Quest-Mexico,

We have started this blog for you in order to have a plattform where you can share your experiences and read other experiences. We encourage you to use this plattform extensively.

Apart from your experience at Quest-Mexico you are also welcome to post articles/links that you consider relevant to Quest-Mexico’s mission.

All users have authoring rights. Please do not abuse of this privilege to make the blog a valuable contribution to Quest-Mexico.

Happy Blogging!

Gerardo

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