My job here

Tuesday was a very interesting trip to Monterrey. My little sister her is known for her love for food. My host mom had agreed to take her to McDonalds for dinner. So she was excited. When we picked her up from her class she said she was sick. So she went to the car and told us she no longer had an interest in going to McDonalds. She just wanted to go home. She was really sick. As we were leaving her school I asked her if she needed to throw up, she said no. Then I told her just to sleep until we got home. It takes us about an hour to get through the traffic of Monterrey and then another hour on the highway. As we're getting on the highway Miranda wakes us and says that she's really sick and needs to use the bathroom. So luckily a friend of the family lived near by. Now, I'm just an innocent bystander in all of this. I'm just hoping she doesn't throw up in the car. So we stop, she gets sick in the bathroom and then we're on our way again. I think, no problem. So, we're almost in Sabinas and she feels sick again and they took her right to the hospital. I guess she had some sort of infection in her throat. She's better now, though.
Wednesday the air conditioning in my room at school wasn't working so they moved us all to the computer lab. I could have told anyone that moving 35 unmotivated students to a computer lab was a bad idea, but there was no place else to go. I'm surprised not more computers were turned on, but I guess enough students paid attention. During English class I was asked to help write a dialog about likes and dislikes. I did feel useful. My only class this week that I didn't have was biology. The teacher doesn't make a habit of showing up all the time. We got out of school an hour early and that was cool. We had classes in the afternoon. I'm not entirely sure what's accomplished in the afternoon, but I went. After, I went out for ice scream with two girls in my class.
Thursday I went to Laredo with my host mom and grandma. We had lunch with my host aunt and went to our usual round of places. I had 1 letter and 1 package that were sent with my host aunt's brother to Sabinas so I didn't see those until today. But then I had a package with 6 Gazettes and my mail. It's always fun to get mail. Then you can brag to all the other exchange students.
This week at school has been fun. Recently "The Bratz" have kind of snubbed Lieke and me and so we've been hanging around the other group of girls in our class. Something different happened on Monday thought. A few boys in our class came and sat by us. They started talking and joking with us. They're very funny and patient with our Spanish and have a general interest in us. This also raises some questions with the girls because here guys and girls can't be friends. So they think it's weird. Some of "The Bratz" are jealous and have started to talk to us. I think it's funny.
A guy named Jaciel talks a lot. He also thinks he knows everything (which makes me laugh a lot) and he makes the weirdest comparisons of Mexico/Mexicans and the United States/Americans. To save you from some pretty weird and inappropriate comparison I will tell you that there were also questions of why Americans pronounce things differently then they are spelled and why Americans don't like Mexicans. So it's interesting now that I'm getting all these questions on top of "When's the next time you're going to make cookies." It's made me think a lot. Learning Spanish has definitely questioned my ability to speak English. I forgot the word "explanation" today. That was awful. Then they asked me to sing The National Anthem, which was equally awful. I explained about the pronunciation thing is that the English alphabet is different than the Spanish one. The question of why do Americans hate Mexicans is a good one. Not all Americans hate Mexicans (I'm the first example of that) but it's weird. How do I explain the problem of immigration to people on the other side of the issue?
I can be nice to everyone, but that still doesn't explain why Americans don't like Mexicans. Part of my job here is to show the people here that the United States isn't full of girls who are easy, people who eat at McDonalds everyday and we aren't all about bombs. I'm nice to everyone. I think the Bratz have issues with Lieke and me because we talk and are friends with their "arch enemy." It's like we're betraying them, which isn't true at all.
It's just different I'm trying to get used to the relationships here. The difference in the relationships between boyfriends and girlfriends is big. The girl always asks the boy for permission to go out with her friends. And for everyone who knows how stubborn I am that wouldn't go over well with me. Plus you get married very young. If you got married when you were 16, no one would think anything of it. One of Melina's friends asked me if I would come back in three years for her 15 party. I said yes and Melina told me, "But you'll be old." I looked at her and said, "What are you talking about? I'll be 21." And she responded with, "But you'll be married."
MARRIED! Man, I won't even be out of school until I'm 23. MARRIED! They just think differently here, that's all.
Well, now that my little thoughtful part is over. I received my package from Aunt Martha, Brandon and Kate today. There were ANIMAL CRACKERS. That was the best ever along with freeze pops. The freeze pops taste way too different for me to like them. So I'll have to freeze them for myself. I also got a letter from Brittany in Germany and the Church newsletter. I love mail. This is like triple bragging rights.
In a few minutes my friend who is living in Monterrey this year from Sweden is coming for the weekend. I'm really excited. She's taller than me and blonde. So we'll stick out a lot. There's a 15 party tonight and I think there's a disco tomorrow night.