Okay so yesterday was Dec. 12th, dia de la virgen, I do not understand any of this. I am not catholic so I guess that is why is it really confusing to me. Daddy Edgar and his cousing tried their best to explain it to me , but I still did not get it. So is Guadalupe to them who we refer to as mother mary, the mother of Jesus? They told me yes, but how did her name go from mary to Guadalupe?? (I am not trying to be disrespectful, but I need to know. I am going to Mexico you know) I think they said that you pray to her for protecion- right? I have always watched on TV (Univision) this celebration, but I have never really understood the full meaning. So if someone would help me out please.
Anyway, we went to see Santa Claus last night at the mall and we had fun. I did not buy the pictures, they were 17 dollars for 2 3x5's Uhhhhh.. no way!
We rode the carousel. The kids had fun and Daddy Edgar did too. (Of course I had fun) Then we went to eat and went home. Boring Saturday night right? No not really when you have to work 40 - 50 hours a week it is nice just to be at home in your pj's. Well for me anyway.
I think that we are not going to Mexico until around March because he (we) still owe 3000 dollars on the truck and then there will be the money to pass it into Mexico. Does anyone know any good information on this, like what years can be passed and how much is it? I am kind of looking forward to going to Mexico with him, but then I have my fears. I am going to try and go for a week in February (if we decide to go later on during th year)
What are everyone's plans for Christmas? We usually go to my Mom's and then we will be spending th night with my grandmother. I am going to try to go to Church. They are having a Christmas Eve Service at 4:30pm, so I will go to that. I want my kids to know the real meaning of Christmas. I am teaching her about giving. We are sending Christmas cards to an orphanage in Mexico. There are 55 kids in this orphanage. If anyone would be interested the web address is www.casadeelizabeth.org
I will post soon. Hope to get some comments.
Being well spoken and eloquent
8 years ago
About bringing a vehicle in...My husband and I did this last year, and here is what I can tell you.
ReplyDelete- The vehicle has to be 10 years old, no more, no less. If you are coming in the last month of the year (December), then you round up to the next year. So for example, he came December of 2008 with a 1999 vehicle and it passed. A 1998 would not have, either a 2000. In 2010, the vehicle would have to be 2000, unless you come in Dec of 2010, then it would have to be 2001.
- The VIN# MUST begin with a number - that means it was manufactured in the US. Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Pontiac, etc will all pass. Then there are some Hondas, Nissans, Volkwagons, etc that were manfuctured in the US so those can pass as well. We had a Isuzu Rodeo that passed. Just make sure it starts with a number. If it starts with a letter it will not pass.
- Make sure it is road-worthy! Once you get into Mexico the roads are much worse and speed bumps are everywhere. When my husband drove down he hit several and it damaged the vehicle.
- Do not get lost. If you import a car with US plates and don't know where you are going for sure, the chances of getting pulled over by a transito are high. They will threaten to tow your car if you don't pay a high bribe. Avoid them as much as possible.
- It costs about $1000 to import a car. The most efficient entry point is rumored to be Laredo, but I'm sure there are others along the border.
Anyways, that's our experience with importing cars.
I am in no way an expert on this, but I was raised Catholic.
ReplyDeleteThe Virgin Mary (the mother of God, mother of Jesus etc) has appeared to people in various places. Those manifestations of the Virgin are known by the names of the places where she appeared. Our Lady of Guadeloupe is one name, Our Lady of Lourdes, The Virgin of Charity etc. They are all The Virgin Mary.
It's like your mom, you call her Mom, your dad calls her by her first name, the neighbor kids call her Mrs Herlastname, but she is still the same person no matter what you call her.
Early Christianity co-opted prior gods and goddesses and incorporated them into their religion (like Mithra,Osiris and Isis). The Catholic Church continued in this tradition, it isn't by accident that the Virgin of Guadeloupe,(or Guadeloupe for short) appeared in an area that had been sacred to the Aztec goddess, whose symbol was roses.
As for praying to the Virgin or being devoted to her, you need to look up Catholicism or get a catechism book.
If you were raised any kind of fundamentalist Protestant, your early programing won't accept the answers anyway.
Basically, you pray to the Virgin to intercede for you. Once again, like asking someone's mother to ask them to do something for you.
Just do a little research on the net and you will get a better picture. Remember it's religion so don't try to apply logic to it.
Leah- I am going to have to tell him about the 10 year old thing. His truck is a 2001 or 2002. He bought that truck I guess because it was going to be good for him living on the ranch. I hope that our stuff that we are going to be taking down does not get stolen. You know how it will be in the bed of the truck. Have you ever heard of that happening.
ReplyDeleteTheresa- Thanks for the info. I was really confused and now I am still a little unsure, but I have a better understanding. I am going to look up on the internet some stuff.
More truck info: look hard at the VIN - Leah's right about the number, thing, but I think certain numbers can get in and others not - I think. Check the first letter, too. For example, our Toyota got in b/c the VIN started with T 'cuz it came from Taiwan. But if the VIN began with a J for "Japan", it wouldn't have made it. Also - YOU can bring the vehicle in on a tourist visa, but I recommend you go get all the paperwork done at a Mexican embassy ahead of time, before crossing the border. You may have to prove financial means, like a bank statement. You would then have to go back to the border with the vehicle when your tourist visa expires (say, in 6 months) to renew the permit. Ask for more info at a Mex consulate near you. IF you then switch your tourist visa for an FM3 residency permit thing, then you can continue to have the truck there under your name, without going back to the border, but I'm pretty sure the truck has to be in your name. Your husband can bring it in as a returning Mexican, but then all those rules apply about the year and the VIN and all. Also, double check the cost of legalizing the vehicle, because I think it went up. TO get it in as a tourist, I believe it's basically no extra charge - or 20 or 30 bucks or something. You get a fancy sticker to put in your windshield and then have to keep all the paperwork with you ALWAYS, because the federali will pull you over w/ US plates and try to get money from you if you don't have all your paperwork in order. And yes, your stuff will get jacked out of the back of the truck. Consider getting a shell or at the VERY least a big old tarp. And be careful where you leave it parked. And make sure you have money for the toll roads on the way to wherever you're going. And always fill up on gas when you see a stand, b/c you never know how long until the next station. It's not like the US where you can count on a gas station every so many miles. In some places down here, yeah, but there are large swaths of this country without much in sight. Fill up when you can. :) What else? Brush your teeth at night, and never run with scissors. OK, I think that covers it. :) Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHe has a Cheverolet, so I think that they are made in the US- right? I was thinking about how were we going to park his truck if we were to stop at a hotel to sleep or to eat somewhere along the way. I guess we will be eating in the car and the last sleep we get will be in Texas and then take turns driving. His cousin tells him all the time.. para que vas el rancho- que vas hacer alla? I don't know why he wants to go either. Everyone wants to be here in the US and he wants to go back. I know because he wants to see his mom, but she could come here on a visitor visa or something. If he was to get his papers then he could come and go without hassle.
ReplyDeleteWho knows... can anyone else tell that I am not really looking forward to any of this? I mean I love him with all my heart, but there has to be some way to compromise. I want to go to Mexico, but I want to be able to work and I need some of the things that we have here.. like hot (atleast warm) water, AC. I really need to insist that we live close enough to the border that I can continue working in the US.