Movie Night

<-- From my patio, Rocio my Composition and Grammar teacher, me, Holly, and Caitlin, and the ghost of Gto around us...I mean, Hans' smoke. (He took the pic.)

My host father, being a theatre professor and enthusiast in general, hosts optional classes (once a week for each of the two groups in the program) here to watch and discuss (mostly Mexican) movies. My group first met on Thursday to watch Las Ruinas que Ves, or The Ruins that you See, filmed and set here in Guanajuato. Because we’ve had enough time to familiarize ourselves with some of the mutual understandings of the city, it was amusing to understand many of this comedy’s colloquial humor. We recognized many of the streets and buildings appreciated the close-knit conviviality of the characters that represented some of our own experience. The name “Guanajuato” was not used in the movie, but instead the name “Cuevano,” from the word “cueva” or “cave” because of Guanajuato’s strong history as a mining town with many caves. The almost full attendance excited both me and Señior Palacios.

After the movie and discussion in Señor Luis’s (or Palacios) cozy office with his new plasma TV screen, I showed a few of my friends my panoramic vista from my patio and my spacious living area of the third floor. We all marveled together at the “nice set-up.” When my friends had left, I came down to the office to chat with Senor before secluding myself to write two essays due the next day. Well, being the garrulous professor he is, of course we got into a long conversation about Jorge Ibargüengotia, author the book that supported our movie. Señor generously gave me a book which contained an essay he wrote concerning this author and movie. Our discussion digressed onto other writers, producers, etc, and somehow we landed on a discussion about Mozart. Señor then talked me into watching “just a few minutes” of Amadeus, a movie based on his death, while he ran to the bank.

Well, when Señor returned he had with him a bowl of “fresh” potato chips (actually made in the market 5 minutes before, he told me) and a cold Modelo Negro. How could I say no? So then we proceeded to watch the movie, periodically commenting, and enjoying this unique (at least for me!) setting. What exceptional experience that was for me! Also, I wore my glasses that day and Señor complemented me on them (probably because I looked a little more intelligent than I usually come across with my limited Spanish). At the end of the night (maybe it was the 2 Modelos), he said I looked like Nicole Kidman…never gotten that one before! When my host mother came home from her bi-weekly psychology workshop, she insisted on making me a sandwich or actually “torta”—made on special bread, to finish up this exciting night.

(I think I look nothing like Nicole Kidman...but thanks anyway!) -->

Because I was too exhausted to think straight I decided to finish my homework in the morning. When my alarm sounded I promptly completed one assignment, took a shower, but then realized I only had 5 minutes to get to school with a walk that takes me 15! I raced to school only to find the door locked! A friend from CIEE (my program) approached after inquiring the reason to my frenzy explained I was an hour early! Whew! (My excuse is that I hadn’t, at this time, figured out how to change the time on my watch-which was 1 hour, 7 minutes off.) In the end, everything turned out fine; I finished my work and got to class with plenty of time!