Jetlag

So I am finally in Mexico, not Cancun, but the final destination of a little town one hour south of Cancun. It has built up a lot since I was here 6 or so years ago, but it fits my vague memories. We are staying in a rental house that my mom’s friend, Linda, owns. Linda has lived here 7 years and built the house to be a rental home, so it is nice having her bc she knows the area and speaks Spanish.

As expected, everything is Spanish here, but I find myself missing French. Here I read something, and can’t read it at all, and that is hard when I am used to reading French and basically understanding it. There are similarities, but I still miss my French! Whenever a Spanish person talks to me, I have to hold back my French hellos and thank yous, and it is just so weird!

I am also still jetlagged, and I have been here for two nights now (about to make three). Jetlag has never hit me so hard before, but I just can’t get over it. I went to bed at 10pm both nights and woke up at 3am and then 6am each night respectively. But now, I am so freaking tired! I did wake up at 6am, but I am used to that, so idk my problem. It is just the time difference I suppose.

Today, I woke up at 6am and went for a run, which was good bc the weather was cool for running. My brother then woke up at 8am, and I was just laying out and reading by the pool at the house. Linda came over at some point, and we waited for my mom to wake up. After she woke up and we hung out a bit, we went to a big grocery store for a big shop. Mexican stores have a lot more American brands, which is cool. I bought peanut butter and popcorn to bring back. And that reminds me, Wyatt (my brother), gave me Thin Mints!!! I seriously have thought about Girl Scout cookies while in France and just laughed it off knowing I just wouldn’t see them this year, but now I can!

While at the store, we were in the bakery section, and in Mexico they make a lot of pastries and such, which is just different from France and even America bc I had never seen these pastries before. I bought a baguette (or something similar)… I am turning so French! I need a fresh baguette now! And then we found this pizza looking thing in the shape of a slice of pizza with cheese and pepperoni, and then there was a top crust layer that looked suspiciously like there was sugar on there. When we got home, we discovered we were right… it was good, sweet and salty, but kinda weird.

Later on, Wyatt and I rented snorkeling gear and went snorkeling. We got split up at one point, but I ended up finding a sea turtle and two cuddle fish! Wyatt found sting rays too; I wish I had seen those.

I then skyped Jerome for a bit afterwards, which was nice. Reminds me of this past summer when our relationship was Skype for three months; luckily it is only 9 days of skype this time.

Mom and Linda made chicken, rice, and salad tonight for dinner. I was sitting outside napping for like 30 minutes waiting for dinner because I was just so tired. I am not used to being like this. I hope tomorrow I finally get over it!

Yesterday, we rented the car in Cancun and drove to Akumal. I am the sole driver here, so it is a lot of pressure. We have an SUV, which is huge compared to my Panda in France and it is automatic, so it is just weird, and then the different style of driving here. Driving the automatic, I realize how stupid and simple it is… like really it is crazy. You don’t do anything. As for the different driving styles. The speed limits on highways are slower than in France—annoying. There’s a weird right hand half lane that slow cars use and cars turning off use when on highways, but you’re still sticking on the other lane, so it is just awkward. The stop signs say Alto, which is just cool. Funny how France has actual Stop signs. Oh and the car is a push start car, so I had to read in Spanish how to turn it on bc you have to press the brake pedal and press the button at the same time. I figured this out because I recently learned pedal is an English and French word, and now apparently a Spanish word. Good to know.

Oh and I have been brainwashed living in France bc the toilet seat flush buttons are on top of the toilet, and here in Mexico they are on the side like America, but EVERY TIME I reach to press it on top!