University Cultural Center

So I went exploring today and found the cultural center for the state university, BUAP. They have free events there every weekend, like dance shows, live music, movies, etc. I got to watch some regional dances, which was pretty interesting.

Latin Danza

Yesterday I had the chance to go watch a dance show funded by a government grant. It was really good! They mixed together various styles (like hip-hop, salsa, tango, etc.), with couple dances and choreographed pieces.



At the end, they even had a scripted, Bollywood style part where some "audience members" got up on stage and did a song with the cast! And I swear the song is a Spanish version of I Will Survive...

Salsa parties and bull-fights

Last Sunday I explored a historical park in Querétaro called Cerro de las Companas. It was the site where Emperor Maximillian was executed. This act restored the republic government to México. There is a huge statue of Benito Juárez in the middle of the park (President after the execution).



On Wednesday, a group of us went to watch an indie movie on indigenous women in México. It was kind of interesting, although the first half didn't make a lot of sense. It was mostly footage about the filmmakers telling people in the village about the film project. The second half was pretty interesting and showed how the men lived by catching fish / shrimp, the women sold the catch at the market, and then the men would go back out and purchase necessities like fishing net--traditional gender roles.

Friday night my host sisters invited me to go to a small bullfight--it was for beginner matadors and younger bulls, so according to my host brother, it was not that good. I thought it was pretty impressive (except for the blood and killing-the-bull part...not my thing). I don't think I could stand in a ring with a 400 kilo animal and do the moves these guys were doing, though, so very gutsy. The odds were definitely stacked against the bull.



Saturday we had multiple festivities, including a big ¨transportation rally¨ (i.e. scavenger hunt), where we were given eight different locations in town and had to take the buses or taxis to find them. We were given five hours and worked in teams. The other two people in my team were actually the same people that will be going up north with me at the end of May, so it was interesting to get to know them.

Saturday evening we had a fiesta at our Country Director´s house, where we got dance lessons from some of the staff. I still don't have any rhythm, but his house had this great terrace with an amazing view of the stars. I would love to live in a house like that and put a telescope up on the roof. We also got to meet and talk with some of the other Peace Corps volunteers who work in the area.

By the way, those stick things that we ate at fútbol are called churritos here. And finally, a picture of nopales con camerones (shrimp)!