Finally across the Border, only to be stranded.

Trip Start Feb 14, 2005

Trip End Jul 2005

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Flag of Mexico San Theresa, Mexico
Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Buenos Tardes nuestra amigos. Forgive my bad grammar, but speaking any spanish has proven a blessing already. All the hard work at home and while travelling is paying back dividends! The border crossing was a cinch and even fun and exciting. It was instantly Mexico! And very different than Texas, however we didn't really need to leave Texas to learn Spanish as for hundreds of kilometers before you reach the border, more than half the people we encountered were Spanish speaking. It was 34C on Saturday and our brains were melting, then the van stopped. And things were going so well. It just started to falter on hills, and we would loose power. We were not able to go any further so we decided to stop in Santa Theresa and investigate. Let's just say, there is no dot on the map for Santa Thersa, at least not our map. It is what is known as a Rancheria, and there are 3 patrons (bosses) who own land around the ranch and many people live either permanently or temporarily on the rancheria to do all the necessary work

Chivas y peros

. So there we were. Stuck in the middle of nowhere. There is nothing in Canada that seems as remote as this little Rancheria. When we are driving along in the van, we could be anywhere. When the van stops, and you don't know whether or not it is going to start ever again, you suddenly realize where you are and how far from home you are. We were a little worried, well Marty says scared shitless. We spent the next two nights in ST and I would consider it a successful start to our jouneys in Central America. We were foreced to stop and encounter the what and who we were driving through. Arlene and Joel tell us that tourists never stop here, they just keep on driving. Its not like we had an option, but the Patron Jimez let us park in the yard of Arlene and Joel's residence and they were very good to us. Joel is a cowboy on the ranch, and his wife Arlene is a mum of two young active kids. She went to school until she was 18, while he completed grade 6. He has travelled around Mexico with his work, but she has not been past Monclovo (the next large town about 40 km away). She was very patient with my mangled Spanish and took pains to teach me many things about the language and Mexico.

Before we left Texas we stopped for dinner at a lake and talked to Mike who was fishing and is a border control pilot who flys around with infrared, finding Mexicans who are trying to illegally get into the US

Funny lookin' shade trees

. Not 24 hours later we were having dinner in the humble home of people who dream of going to the US. Joel has swum the Rio Grande twice and been sent back as many times. His brother went when he was 15, and although he sends money and they talk with him on the phone, he is unable to return feely to Mexico, nor is he able to sponsor anyone in his family. We spent alot of time talking spanish which is very tiring, and learning about life on a Rancheria. We cycled down a road in the morning to see the next rancheria and it was amazing that along this 4x4 track there was a community with a store a school, a mine, many houses and people and animals. The houses are simple two or three room dwellings with concrete walls and tile or tin roofs. It can be surprising that people who live in minimum dwellings will still have a vehicle. I guess when it is possible to spend your time outside, who needs alot of inside space! We were honored to have dinner with Joel and Arlene: beans, scrambled eggs with chili, fresh made tortillas on the fire outside, and coca-cola for our drink.

I must mention that we are camped out in a semi desert, there are huge cacti around us of many varieties. Some are getting ready to bloom with pink and orange flowers. Coyotes are howling, which inevitably starts the dogs barking. There is a something in the cacti rattling around and Marty of course insists on investigating

Marty learning Spanish

. Hmmm. And I sit here in the middle of Mexico beside an Mesquite fire and write letters on the computer to people far away.

We left St Theresa this morning (Marty convinced the engine to run again - I don't think he really knows what is wrong), and continued south. The topography is similar to New Mexico or Texas, the exciting part is when you stop. Marty almost packed along a motor from a plaza in the town near here. The men selling the various tools and motors were amused that he wanted to take it on our journey and also that I wouldn't let him put it in the van! I think we may start slowing down our driving and start enjoying the people and places along the way. It is exciting to be in a very different culture and language. Those who knew how much Marty resisted learning spanish would be amazed at how fast he is learning now that he can't speak to anyone!!!

We have just enjoyed another night camping in rural mexico alongside fields and farms in the mountains. Everything is green as there is lots of rain and we were treated to quite a thunderstorm. En la manana we went for a long bikeride way off into the hills calling out greetings to the kids who were walking to their one room school house in the mountians. One teacher, six grades, 23 kids. We would have loved to go inside but they were in session, so we talked to the maintenance man. Apparently there are many tele schools where the kids do school by television. We really want to see in a school and are going to keep trying without being too intrusive to try and get a "tour". Well, we are in a more touristy area now, and we see white folks around, but camping out keeps us with an ear to the ground for what the locals are doing. Everyday we learn more spanish, which gives us more access to their lives. Hasta Luega!

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