Mudslides

Recently there were several deadly mudslides in Guatemala as the rainy season's storms batter the region. So far the mudslides have claimed at least 45 lives. Flooding was also reported in southeastern mexico, killing at least 11. Also, flooding in Honduras has killed 55 people, 40 in Nicaragua, nine in El Salvador, and three in Costa Rica. Guatemala's Le Prensa Libre said, "This rainy season is the worst the country has seen in 60 years, killing at least 236 people. 
The weather all over the world has been crazy the last year and a half. As far as the United States goes, I know that last year the country got a lot of rain and was cold all year. Apparently in many spanish countries they got a lot of rain as well. Unfortunetly for them it resulted in hundreds of deaths. This is a terrible thing and I hope that they either figure out a way to stop the mudslides and flooding or that the world stops getting so much rain!

DEATHLY MUDSLIDE

This week I learned how to do math in spanish! That is a HORRIBLE combination. First of all, I hate math and I'm not good at it and second, I am not good at spanish either. Therefore, that makes doing math is spanish near impossible. I'm trying though! 

Yo estoy encima de la cama.

Independence Day!

Last Thursday, September 16, 2010 Mexico celebrated its Independence Day. This day is also known as Viva Mexico! This year was Mexico celebrating their independence of 200 years! They celebrate with a big parade around the Paseo de la Reforma and come to the Zocalo Square in Mexico City. From the beginning of September, the whole city is decorated with red, white, and green lights as well as the Mexican flag. During their independence day they celebrate the revolutionary war heroes of their past. They do this in every city, big or small, with parties and parades. 

I found the mexican university in the videos we've watched in class to be interesting because of the size and rituals. That school is huge! I don't know how they are able to have that many students on one campus; no wonder there are no dorms. I don't know that I'd like going to a school that big. Where do they park?! La universidad es loco!

war on drugs

The legalization of drugs has created an open dialogue in Latin America. Last week the former Mexican President Vicente Fox made a statement in support of "legalizing production, sales and distribution" of drugs, which lead to huge headlines all around the world. Fox has created a proposal for legalization of all major drugs. Fox said in an interview that he has made this proposal because the drug violence in Mexico has reached intolerable levels.
The fact that there is even a possibility that all major drugs could be legalized in Mexico is insane. The violence over drugs in Mexico is way out of hands, but legalizing them is not the solution. There has to be a better way to take care of this situation. I hope the proposal isn't passed because I see greater problems in Mexico's future.


This week I learned that sometimes spanish speakers will use slang or an accent that might be different from what we learn in the book or in class, just like English speakers do. But it's okay because I know they'll know what I'm saying even if I don't say it just like they do. At some point though I would be interested in learning the slang that they use.

Violence in Mexico

This week in Spanish I learned many things such as how to count to thirty, how to know when someone is asking how many of something there is, and indefinite and definite articles. From taking a few years of spanish in high school I knew some of the article stuff, but I had never heard of una, unas, uno, and unos so I found that very interesting. Also, I really enjoy the hands on activities we've been doing just because I am a visual learner so it helps me remember better when we actually do it or say it. Me gusta aprender visualmente.


Recently four young men were found dead and decapitated in Piedras Negras, Mexico.  A Durango State officer said the bodies were found in the bed of a truck. There was a message on the windshield allegedly signed by the Zetas gang. The victims were involved in an attack at a bar in the neighboring city of Torreon that killed eight people earlier that Saturday. The four young men were of ages 18-20 and attended a university in Gomez Palacio.
The gangs in Mexico have become rapidly more violent and this is just one of the many examples of what is happening right now in Mexico. I think that this is a huge problem and should be a priority of Mexico to stop all of the violence loss of innocent lives. If something it done soon to help the situation then it could possibly spread its way up into Texas or New Mexico and then we have a huge problem.