11 de Octubre del 2014.
Pachuca de Hidalgo, Mexico.
Dear Frida,
Good news!
My team has actually won two games since the last time I wrote to you. That's pretty great. You should congratulate me for being a great player and a champion ;) I know you admire me for my skills and now's your chance to let me know of your admiration. jaja.
I asked my dad and he said his family is from Berlin. I'm not even sure where in Germany that is and that's kind of sad. I HAVE heard of Berlin, but I wouldn't be able to pinpoint it on a blank map. A map of Mexico is a different story... And to answer a question further in the letter, he left his home in Germany on a study abroad scholarship for a year and a half. He had two choices; either Mexico or Nicaragua.
He obviously chose Mexico or I might not be here today. Jaja.
That's where he and my mom met while she was studying to get a degree in business. And all that romantic stuff happened that I don't want to think about. So in the end he decided to stay and they got married. And BOOM. They had kids, with me being the youngest of their children. And I was born in Tuxpan, but we didn't live there very long. Because of my dad's job, administration of businesses, we lived in Canada for a few years, then we lived in the United States, before finally settling in Guadalajara which I consider my home. Then I had to move out here because of my football contract. I used to play for my hometown's first division professional team Estudiantes Tecos, but then they were knocked into second division. So Club Pachuca purchased the rights to the team and rebranded, but they liked my skills and offered me a contract for their first team and I accepted.
Its funny how much German football is appreciated in Mexico. I began my career at the age seventeen, pretty old for a boy aspiring to be a professional footballer. But people were immediately interested in me when they heard I was half German. So...in a way, I owe some of my success to my dad who happened to come from a country with such skill in this game. That's one of the reasons why I think Club Pachuca was so quick to offer me a contract.
Since Jalisco is six hours from Pachuca de Soto, in the state of Hidalgo, I kind of had to move here. But its not bad. Its a beatiful town in a state named after a great Mexican hero.
Yes, I do attend Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Hidalgo. But I don't play for their team because I already play professionally for Club Pachuca. I'm jersey number twenty-five and we play every Saturday on any channel that shows Mexican football. Its usually TeleMundo or AztecaTV. You should watch me play sometime ;) I've been blessed to be starter in most of this season's games so far.
My mom is actually putting together a step-by-step cook book for you. It includes pictures.
AND she got you a pink tortilla press. She thought you might like it. She dragged me to the market to accompany her to buy it too. You should have seen the look on the store clerk's face when I asked for the pink one. I don't have sisters, only brothers. So she's going all out with you. She says she'll treat you like the daughter she never had. Maybe she'll become your penpal and write my weekly letters for me. jaja.
Maoams--maomas--same thing. I just mixed up ONE letter.
I got the coca-cola flavored gummies. They're really good. I shared them with my team mated this time and they really enjoyed them. They said I should send something back so I'm sending you some really good Mexican Ruffles. They are the best. Much better than the American kind. I hope you like them and I hope you keep sending me delicious treats.
Some details about me: my name is Jürgen Damm Rascon, I'm in my third year at the university, I'm twenty-one years old. I'm actually supposed to be in my last year of university, but there were a few mix-ups and I had to take a year off when I moved to Pachuca. The jist was that when I was studying in Guadalajara, my team was affiliated with the school and so they allowed me to work around practice time and set my own hours. In Pachuca I couldn't do that because I didn't play for the school's team. So I had to wait a year to find a way to manage my time efficiently. That was an extra-long explanation for you. Jaja.
I have two older brothers; Lukas and Wilhelm. I can't say I watch German football, but my dad is a big fan of Bayern Munich, or at least he was when he lived there. He likes Hertha BSC too, but he's one of those people who betrays their home town to cheer for another city's team. Jaja. So we're rivals, kind of ;)
Send me one of your drawings :D Come on, please.
I'll hang it up on my bedroom wall and treat it as a masterpiece. And I promise I will try my hardest not to laugh.
What do you say, Anna-Frida, my favorite penpal, eh?
Sincerely,
Jürgen.
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a new letter for you guys,
no author's note cause i'm just about dying cause super tired.
thank you for reading.
i love you.
-clary xx
