¿Cuánto cuesta?

= How much does it cost?

Throughout the trip and my travels I will be posting the various costs that I incurr.  As of now, I only have transportation, tuition, and room & board costs to share.

Transportación:
$18.00 - Amtrak Ticket One-Way Mattoon to Union Station
$6.75 - Metra Ticket Union Station to Libertyville, IL
$0.00 - Car trip to O'Hare Airport (ORD) - Free with family. ¡Gracias!
$688.38 - Plane Ticket / Boleto del avión to Mexico 6/2/2012
(I have a lay-over at Houston International Airport for 5 hours!)
$25.00 - Taxi to the hotel
$50.00 - Taxi to my host family's home
      .50 cents/ride via bus - I will take bus daily back to my host family's home.

Alojamiento/Accomodations:
Hotel: 6/2/2012 or 2/6/2012-This is the way to post the date in Spanish with numerals.
$89.28 - Holiday Inn Express Silao-Aeropuerto Bajio
$1,050 - Homestay with the Herrera Family includes 2 meals/day (6/3 - 7/7 or en español: 3/6-7/7)

Matrícula/Tuition:
$690.00 - Intensive Classes - 25 classes / week (3 weeks)
$924.00 - Teachers of Spanish Class - 2 week course

$3,466.41 - Current Total / Total Actual

Host Family:

La Familia Herrera

A family will be hosting me for 5 weeks in Guanajuato, Mexico.  Pictures will be posted after my arrival, so you can meet them as well but I'll share what I know so far.

Primary Host:  Marta Delia Herrera Jimenez

(Ella es la abuela en su familia. = She's a grandma.)

Her Daughter / Su hija:  Tiene 23 años.

Her Grandson / Su nieto:  Tiene 6 años.

Other facts / Otros hechos:  La casa que es grande y lleno de color.  También tiene un jardín con muchísimas flores. = The house is colorful and big and has a garden with many flowers.  Ellos no tienen mascotas.  = They don't have any pets.  (I am allergic to cats, so this is very good!  I'll be missing my dog, Rue though.)

Basilica in Guanajuato

Una foto de

la Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato =

Photo of Our Lady of Guanajuato Basilica

Construyó en 1600 AD. = Built around 1600AD.

Definition of a Basilica: The name basilica is commonly used today only of those churches which surpass

 others either in age or size or magnificence,

or upon which the Roman Pontiff has bestowed

this title along with certain privileges.

 - According to CatholicCulture.org' s Msgr. Enrico Dante

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=244

¡Quiero visitar la basílica y

tomar fotos porque es muy raro

para ver un edificio tan viejo!

= I look forward to visiting

the basilica and taking many pictures

 as it is rare to see a building this old!!

Un Mapa de Guanajuato - A Map of Guanajuato

 ¿Dónde está Guanajuato, México? - Where is Guanajuato?  

   Guanajuato, Mexico is located in the state of Guanajuato.  Yes, Mexico has states just like the US/(abreviation in Spanish: E.E.U.U.) and its official name is Los Estados Unidos de México, but it is rarely referred to by this name in the US/EEUU. Guanajuato is a 4 1/2 - 5 hour drive North-Northwest of Mexico City, the capital of Mexico. Guanajuato is located in the highland area of Mexico and is about 6,000 feet above sea-level which creates dryer conditions. In the surrounding mountains that surround Guanajuato much of the world's silver was mined for over 400 years.

     I'm looking forward to not being in humid Illinois conditions for 5 weeks, but it will likely be 90 degrees or warmer everyday.  I plan on posting the daily highs and lows and any weather events of interest so stay tuned.

     Nearly one month from now I'll be preparing for my morning flight toward Mexico from O'Hare Airport in Chicago.  I'll be posting my experiences through airport security as well as my experiences at O'Hare, Houston International, & the Guanajuato/León Airport.

Datos de Guanajuato - Facts about Guanajuato

GPS Location:  21°01′04″N 101°15′24″W

Founded 1548 by the Spaniards but inhabited for centuries by native peoples.

Population:  154,000 - a little larger than Champaign-Urbana

Birthplace of the muralist Diego Rivera

UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988

(There are over 900 of these man-made or natural wonders identified around the world.

Cahokia Mounds is one such site that you may have visited!)