Monterrey in six days...

So here I am, at the breakfast table last day at the hostel. I have been asked about possibilities to share a little of my life (thank you for being interested) and again thought it best to do so in a blog. Being an international student, obviously I need to do so in english. Perhaps in a month or two, I´ll be able to write in spanish... Whishful thinking.. In any case; feel free to comment in any preffered language.

So, what have I been up to. Shortly, these days have been all about two things; finding an apartment and finding my luggage. I instantly knew something was going to go wrong with my flight - two airlines and three routes, and surprise surprise, I find myself alone in Monterrey with my bags still in Atlanta. One ventured on a trip to Detroit with AA and made it back thursday, but the other one is still at large in Atlanta. Perhaps he found employemnt at Coca-Cola? In any case I am seriously annoyed since my charger for cellphone and camera, hygiene products and most of my clothes are gone. Seeing as how it is sunday, let us all pray for the safe return of my bag please!

Finding an apartment has been a struggle but finally it seems to have worked out. I will be moving in with Magdalena (from CBS) and Esteban (local really nice Mexican) in a three bedroom apt above Téc de Monterrey. He speaks basically no english so we see it as an extreme crash-course in spanish. But I am confident it is going to be just fine, aren´t we all a little linguistically confused now and then? I will write more about the apt as soon as we move in (which we will by 6pm tonight)

Monterrey as a city is warm and filled with cars. I am not kidding, everyone has a car. The entrance to EGADE (our business school) is throught the garage (!). You get by fine as a pedestrian in the city center but otherwise you need to take a taxi. Luckily taxis are quite cheap. The temperaturesvary between 25 degrees to almost fourty. It is however not too bad becaus the heat is dry. The drawback is that you get really dehydrated and subsequently we drink ALOT of water.

So, have there been any adventures as of yet you might wonder. Indeed it has.
Two days ago we (me and Magda) was invited by our host here at the hostel, José Juan, and two new acquantancies from the hostel to go to a club outside Monterrey called Woodstock Plaza. It is situated about fifteen minutes outside the city and is a big, partialy outside club, with live bands and 60´s 70´s memerobilia, like the beatles in neonlights. The band for the evening was called 'Mysterious ways' and was an U2 coverband from Austin Texas. Not quite like the originals, especially not since I saw U2 live at Ullevi about four weeks ago, but I do admire their spirit. The club itself was super fun and we had a great time.

Yesterday we also had our first run-in with the Mexican healtcare system since Magda, very unfortunately, fractured her big toe while jumping into the pool. Accidents do happen, the staff at the hospital was very nice and experienced, the painkillers are strong so it could have been worse. Not too much fun having to walk with a bandaged toe in a special orthopedic shoe for a month though...

Ok, now I really have written too much. From now on I will try to follow the advice of my teacher in Business Administration; he said that for the written exams not to over-extend ourselves with writing but to 'KISS' - Keep It Short Sweetheart.

/JZ