Last night I went with my host brother to the gym that he attends and bought a membership. And by the way, it only put me back $20 a month and that includes a personal trainer. I wasn't planning on getting a personal trainer, but I did because apparently everyone here does because it is so cheap. From what I can figure out, this guy's job is to just tell you what exercise and how many sets, and then he walks away and works out while you do your sets. This guy obviously works out all day every day seeing as he was only 5'5'' and outweighed me by a good 100 pounds of muscle. But back to the point of this blog. I've been working out for a good part of my life, not saying that I'm in great shape or anything, but I know what to expect when I go into a gym. Or so I thought. Well my PT, Orlando was his name, worked me for 2 hours of weight training, upper body only, and then told me that he'd see me tomorrow for legs. Well I can't move my arms. My elbows and shoulders are stuck in that painful soreness that you get after you've had surgery. It really feels like my elbows have been operated on and I'm terrified to go work out my legs, because those always hurt anyways, and with this guy I'll be paralyzed. Either I'm just a wuss, he's great at his job, or a combination of both...no answer needed.

On a side note, I've watched Dumb and Dumber and The Count of Monte Cristo over the past two days. Sometimes a good movie in English is all you need to make your day.

I woke up this morning with the strangest of realizations. I am used to living here. For the past month I have opened my eyes each day and been in someone else's home, and gone to someone else's University. But today I woke up in MY bed and took the bus on MY bus route and went to MY school. I guess it is the adjustment we all make in new situations. That's just how the cookie crumbles i guess.

But moving on, my friends and I are making plans to spend a week in Mexico City in December during the week of the Virgen de Guadalupe. That'll be a very culturally rich experience, putting aside the fact that Mexico D.F. is one of the most dangerous cities in the world. (I probably shouldn't say things like that on a page that my parents, grandparents, and girlfriend all read) And on top of that we are in the process of figuring out the best way to get four Americans into Cuba. It turns out that it isn't as hard for Americans to get to Cuba as you would think. As long as you go through other countries (ie. Mexico) it is very possible. The only scare is that if you get caught getting off of a plane from Cuba by American officials you could get slapped with a $5000 fine, but the guides all say that this is a formality and doesn't really have to be paid..mainly because it isn't constitutional to tell an American citizen that they are unable to travel where they please. All of that to say that these upcoming months will be full of...well..let's just call them experiences. Until later.