Okay so after reading some of my entries Ive realized that my grammar stinks. I just want to write a disclaimer and say that I have not forgotten how to speak and write well in English. For one thing, the keyboards are a little different down here which is why I rarely include apostrophes. I simply write these blogs as fast as possible to save money at the computer cafe where I write them. I realized too that I write the same way I talk, which often lends itself to run-ons. So anyway, forgive me, and I hope my mistakes dont interfere with your understanding, and if it does, well, then maybe you´re just getting a special version of my stories from Mexico. At least Im not writing in Spanish!
Hahah,
Adios amigos
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Before Halloween, I ran with BULLS
Well this deserves an entry by itself. We, as in 12 of us teachers from ASP, bus tripped it to Tlaxcala this weekend for the first weekend of their feria. We went specifically for their pamplonada, or event where they let bulls run loose in the streets. Saturday morning we got up early and registered to be runners and received our shirts and red neck bandana. We walked the whole route and checked out the bulls we´d run with by peeking through the slats in the door that held them back. The route fom where they were kept ran along the main plaza and ended in the bullring. The route was lined with large wooden fences that ran the whole length of the run. We got so pumped and excited before they let the bulls out, it was a huge adrenaline rush. We were getting ourselves all psyched up by practicing escape maneuvers and planning where we were going to start our run. Their were hundreds of other runners with us, no foreigners to be seen but us, I think we were the only girls running, and their was press all over us. Apparently they want to make this event more of an international attraction and they kept photographing us and interviewing us. We showed up in the newspaper the next day. Anyway at 1030 they let the beasts loose and we saw them come roaring around the corner. I dont think i really ran that far but it was a crazy rush to jump up on the fence and watch them pass by. They werent stopping for anybody. I dont think anyone got hurt though. Then we waited 15 minutes and they made another run and went back where they came from. That time I didnt run but instead hung onto a fence and just took a video. Unfortunately I thought that twice a bull was coming right for me so the videos a little crazy to watch but definitely shows how loco it really was.
Had a great time in Tlaxcala. I recommend that everyone run with the bulls at least once in thier lifetime. Priceless.
Had a great time in Tlaxcala. I recommend that everyone run with the bulls at least once in thier lifetime. Priceless.
Happy Halloween!
Y Feliz Dia de Muertos! (And Happy Day of the Dead!)
Well I stayed late after school yesterday and got there early this morning but it was all worth it. The Halloween Festival at school went great and we all had a great time. In general, I was really impressed with all the kids costumes, they really took it seriously and have the funds to buy high quality costumes. Their were lots of vampires and witches, Spidermen and other action figures. I dressed up as a soccer player, dressed in the full Tuzo Pachuca uniform. In primary they had a big concurso to choose the best dressed teachers and students; in secondary they had selected winners among the students as well and played games outside; and in preschool well we had a big parade, ate pizza and visited a Haunted House. Miss Marta worked so hard on our Casa Embrujada and it turned out so well. The first part was an enchanted forest and cementery; next the kids crawled through a black tunnel and arrived in a room of mirrors with a live mummy waiting for them. I worked all afternoon yesterday peeling grapes and making pasta so they could tuck their hand under the sheet and touch eyes and brains. They kids really loved it and all said that the Haunted House was their favorite part. They also went to another room to hear a story about Halloween, learned a Halloween song, and had a dance party to the song Monster Mash. So everything turned out really well and the kids had a great day. We teachers had a great time too and especially loved that we got to leave early by 130. Unfortunately tomorrow we have a regular school day which is so weird. Its Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, and its a very traditional Mexican holiday in which they make ofrendas or altars and remember their loved ones that have passed on. They visit cementeries and the whole holiday is more about respect than fear, like Halloween. However, anymore this old tradition is fading and most of our kids families no longer put up ofrendas in their homes. Either way we are putting up ofrendas in our school and the kids will visit them all tomorrow. Its kind of crazy to have 2 big holidays back to back. My Spanish team teacher with whom I share my room is in charge of the Dia de los Muertos activites so things have been nuts in our room.
This weekend we have off Friday from school so we are going on another trip, probably to Morelia, another colonial town north of Mexico City. Cant wait to see what Dia de los Muertos activities we get to see this weekend. Every where theyre selling lots of skeletons and skulls made of pure sugar.
Hope you had a fun Halloween!
Well I stayed late after school yesterday and got there early this morning but it was all worth it. The Halloween Festival at school went great and we all had a great time. In general, I was really impressed with all the kids costumes, they really took it seriously and have the funds to buy high quality costumes. Their were lots of vampires and witches, Spidermen and other action figures. I dressed up as a soccer player, dressed in the full Tuzo Pachuca uniform. In primary they had a big concurso to choose the best dressed teachers and students; in secondary they had selected winners among the students as well and played games outside; and in preschool well we had a big parade, ate pizza and visited a Haunted House. Miss Marta worked so hard on our Casa Embrujada and it turned out so well. The first part was an enchanted forest and cementery; next the kids crawled through a black tunnel and arrived in a room of mirrors with a live mummy waiting for them. I worked all afternoon yesterday peeling grapes and making pasta so they could tuck their hand under the sheet and touch eyes and brains. They kids really loved it and all said that the Haunted House was their favorite part. They also went to another room to hear a story about Halloween, learned a Halloween song, and had a dance party to the song Monster Mash. So everything turned out really well and the kids had a great day. We teachers had a great time too and especially loved that we got to leave early by 130. Unfortunately tomorrow we have a regular school day which is so weird. Its Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, and its a very traditional Mexican holiday in which they make ofrendas or altars and remember their loved ones that have passed on. They visit cementeries and the whole holiday is more about respect than fear, like Halloween. However, anymore this old tradition is fading and most of our kids families no longer put up ofrendas in their homes. Either way we are putting up ofrendas in our school and the kids will visit them all tomorrow. Its kind of crazy to have 2 big holidays back to back. My Spanish team teacher with whom I share my room is in charge of the Dia de los Muertos activites so things have been nuts in our room.
This weekend we have off Friday from school so we are going on another trip, probably to Morelia, another colonial town north of Mexico City. Cant wait to see what Dia de los Muertos activities we get to see this weekend. Every where theyre selling lots of skeletons and skulls made of pure sugar.
Hope you had a fun Halloween!
Monday, October 22, 2007
car rides
This afternoon is rainy but I really cant remember the last time it rained here in Pachuca. Weve had great weather lately, its always bright and sunny, and I realized, this past Sunday as I was lounging in the stands at the baseball field that is a stone´s throw away from my house and also the number one old men´s hangout in Pachuca, that for as much as Im surpised how chilly it can be here at night, it still gets really warm here during the day. I wear short sleeves and most times, if Im out for even a hour, notice that I got some kind of sun because its just so intense when it´s out.
Well this weekend was a good one, stayed in Pachuca and did Pachucaey things. Played soccer on Friday afternoon and afterwards Jenny´s Mexican boyfriend, Tino, picked us up in his hot blue Mercedes convertible. He took us to a good burger joint and we felt like California girls cruising through town. Never thought I myself would be the one driving through town the next day, but as the story goes, I went to the fair on Saturday with my friend Fabis and she happened to fall on the ice skating rink and sprained her wrist. She got the medics to check it out and they wrapped it up tight in a sling and so guess who had to drive!!! Still cant believe I drove through all of Pachuca, the drivers are so crazy here, but we made it in one piece and I didnt even stall! It was kind of a thrill really...I wonder if they´d accept my Pennsylvania drivers license down here... haha.
Saturday night I went to the Pachuca soccer game with Stu, Rod, another teacher named Will, and our new neighbors, Angela and Pierre. Good times at the game, it was a big deal, with a big rival, but we lost and it was sad. Then we went out for tacos.
Yesterday was muy tranquilo and, wow, today was the beginning of another week. Time really seems to fly. How´s home??
Well this weekend was a good one, stayed in Pachuca and did Pachucaey things. Played soccer on Friday afternoon and afterwards Jenny´s Mexican boyfriend, Tino, picked us up in his hot blue Mercedes convertible. He took us to a good burger joint and we felt like California girls cruising through town. Never thought I myself would be the one driving through town the next day, but as the story goes, I went to the fair on Saturday with my friend Fabis and she happened to fall on the ice skating rink and sprained her wrist. She got the medics to check it out and they wrapped it up tight in a sling and so guess who had to drive!!! Still cant believe I drove through all of Pachuca, the drivers are so crazy here, but we made it in one piece and I didnt even stall! It was kind of a thrill really...I wonder if they´d accept my Pennsylvania drivers license down here... haha.
Saturday night I went to the Pachuca soccer game with Stu, Rod, another teacher named Will, and our new neighbors, Angela and Pierre. Good times at the game, it was a big deal, with a big rival, but we lost and it was sad. Then we went out for tacos.
Yesterday was muy tranquilo and, wow, today was the beginning of another week. Time really seems to fly. How´s home??
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Buenas Noticias
| Good news! I found my missing clothes!!! I went down to my lavanderia and told my lady the good news, my roommate`s sheets were in the same load and she took them out of the bag first when we brought them home and after hanging up everything of mine and not finding the missing unmentionables, I completely forgot that Jennys sheets had been in there too and might have them. The laundry lady had said she tucks little stuff inside the big stuff so you dont show the world your panties through the plastic bag on your walk home. And what do you know a little sock sticking out of the sheeets caught Jennys eye the other day and she opened them up to reveal all that I had been missing. Good day. Well that was the other day. Last night I went to dance class, then to the movies with some of the other girls from dance and today I am super tired. Also, today we had a preschool meeting like every Thursday but my assistant and I were in charge of collecting money and buying food and organzing the card and gifts for a birthday and an expecting mother in our group. Im glad its over, Im tired. But it went fine, and I think everyone had enough to eat. Well, Im going to go home and take a nap, just thought I might send out a little note, by the way, also just sent out a couple cards to some specials someones with birthdays in October. I have sent out a couple postcards a couple of times to my family, brother, and grandparents but havent gotten any word that theyve arrived after this whole time. Restore our faith in Pachucas sketchy correos and let me know if youve gotten anything. Love you! |
Monday, October 15, 2007
Well this past week just flew by. I spent most of it recovering from my chalupa experience but didnt miss any school and got better in time to play soccer on Friday. (I even scored my first goal, well, accidentally, it deflected off the defender and went in, haha) Saturday a bunch of us teachers went to a sothern part of Mexico City to a place that's reminiscent of the Venice-like canals that were Mexico City before the Spaniards came. Ten of us boarded a brightly painted boat with our own canal pusher on the back and relaxed as we floated past other boats of parties and mariachi bands and boats selling food and blankets. Very touristy but fun with a bunch of friends and very relaxing. Sunday I went to church with my friend Rodney where he's been attendingfor a while and really enjoyed it. The pastor of the church is actually from Indianapolis but has lived in Mexico for 15 years and speaks great Spanish with a thick gringo accent. Afterwards we went out to eat with a couple from church that Rodney's friends with and got some good Mexican food.
By the way I had an issue with my laundry lady this past week. Picked up my laundry and everything was there except most my socks, only 3 came back, and no underwear. I dont know what could have happened but they are definietly MIA and I am missing them.
Have a great day in the States!
By the way I had an issue with my laundry lady this past week. Picked up my laundry and everything was there except most my socks, only 3 came back, and no underwear. I dont know what could have happened but they are definietly MIA and I am missing them.
Have a great day in the States!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Concierto y Chalupas
Sorry about cutting off that last entry, my account ran out and I didnt have enough cash on me to buy a new one. Well the concert was interesting, like I said, very punk and emo and the lead band was called Austin TV (google them if you want) and they are a crazy looking band from Mexico City who, get this, just plays music, doesnt sing, and wears the weirdest green pointy organic looking masks that Ive ever seen. It was amazing to see how much the people were into the music even though there were no words. They were mosh pitting and everything. I was really tired after all that. Very interesting night.
Oh we met our new neighbors yesterday. They are a young married couple, the woman hired to be the new 4th grade teacher to replace Heidi, and the husband to be a substitute teacher in Secondary. Pierre is from Canada and she is from Oklahoma. And they dont speak Spanish at all. Jenny took them to the super market and cell phone store today. We´re going to share cabs now to school. We´re really excited about having neighbors again!
Last night Jennys soccer team came over to our apartment for a girls night. It was a lot of fun getting to know them, they are all about 10 or 15 years older than us and are some pretty tough ladies. We ate some chalupas and I got real sick. Nobody else did though, so it remains a big mystery. All I know is I never want to see a chalupa again. Ugh.
Cant believe tomorrows Monday already...I feel like time is flying at an extremely fast pace.
Oh we met our new neighbors yesterday. They are a young married couple, the woman hired to be the new 4th grade teacher to replace Heidi, and the husband to be a substitute teacher in Secondary. Pierre is from Canada and she is from Oklahoma. And they dont speak Spanish at all. Jenny took them to the super market and cell phone store today. We´re going to share cabs now to school. We´re really excited about having neighbors again!
Last night Jennys soccer team came over to our apartment for a girls night. It was a lot of fun getting to know them, they are all about 10 or 15 years older than us and are some pretty tough ladies. We ate some chalupas and I got real sick. Nobody else did though, so it remains a big mystery. All I know is I never want to see a chalupa again. Ugh.
Cant believe tomorrows Monday already...I feel like time is flying at an extremely fast pace.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
One thing I forgot to mention that we did last weekend was go see a bullfight. Stuart had never seen one before and I thought that, although I´d already seen one in Spain, it might be interesting to see one in Mexico. Well the state we live in, Hidalgo, is having a big fair here in Pachuca, it´s capital, and to kick off the month long fair the Plaza de Toros hosted 7 different bullfighters last Sunday. It was pretty much the same as it was in Spain, except that each guy only got one bull, instead of two, which was a good thing because this turned out to be a over 3 hour event. The bullfighters were just as dramatic and fancy in their colorful embroidered suits and tights. the only thing I didn´t remember from the Spanish bullfight I saw was that if a bullfighter made his final blow with the big spear a direct hit and the bull fell over instantly then the crowd went crazy and waved tissue paper in the air and all looked up to the top box seat call Autoridad and waited to see if the owner or whoever that old man was would pull out his white handkerchief and wave it in approval. If he did then the bullfighter triumphantly made a victory lap waving the freshly-cut ear of the bull in his hand and the crowd threw their hats at him. Interesting. Maybe we didn´t see that in Spain cuz all the toreros were amateurs and couldnt get that spear in on the first try. Funny thing that happened, one time a bull charged and of course missed but went down so hard his horns got stuck in the ground and did a somersault. I laughed for a full minute after that.
This week was good, it flew by, went to dance on Weds and Thurs, turned in my first report cards on Friday, found out the school hired 2 new teachers and they are living in a townhouse in our living complex. Also, got a new tutoring job after school on Tuesdays with a sweet little first grader named Caro, such a sweet girl. This Wednes was the birthday of one of my students, she turned 4, her name is Andrea, shes a cute peanut who never stops, her fathers a big futbol player for Pachuca, her mom and grandma brought in a ton of food and a delicious strawberry cake for her birthday party at lunch time, and snack bags for all the kids. Love birthday parties, I learned that the birthday song down here is way different than ours, althought they all know our song and put different words to it, but this other song they sing for birthdays is super long and I have to learn it before I leave. It´s called Las
añantas. Showed my kids a mouse on Friday cuz we´re talking about animals and the letter A. They so loved him and squealed, Hi Mouse! Its my crazy biology teacher roommate´s mouse, she bought it at a pet shop to let her kids study, they love him and call him Remmy from the movie Ratatouille and even made him a Mayan paradise to run around in. He actually ate through his plastic cage last weekend and peed and pooped all over her desk and ate paper. And guess where he was when she walked in Monday, back in his cage! Hes in our house this weekend, in a bucket.
Last night we went to a concert, at a university in town. Very different kind of music, pretty rockish/emo and everyone there, mostly highschoolers, were punk with tight jeans and All Star shoes. Woops be right back
This week was good, it flew by, went to dance on Weds and Thurs, turned in my first report cards on Friday, found out the school hired 2 new teachers and they are living in a townhouse in our living complex. Also, got a new tutoring job after school on Tuesdays with a sweet little first grader named Caro, such a sweet girl. This Wednes was the birthday of one of my students, she turned 4, her name is Andrea, shes a cute peanut who never stops, her fathers a big futbol player for Pachuca, her mom and grandma brought in a ton of food and a delicious strawberry cake for her birthday party at lunch time, and snack bags for all the kids. Love birthday parties, I learned that the birthday song down here is way different than ours, althought they all know our song and put different words to it, but this other song they sing for birthdays is super long and I have to learn it before I leave. It´s called Las
añantas. Showed my kids a mouse on Friday cuz we´re talking about animals and the letter A. They so loved him and squealed, Hi Mouse! Its my crazy biology teacher roommate´s mouse, she bought it at a pet shop to let her kids study, they love him and call him Remmy from the movie Ratatouille and even made him a Mayan paradise to run around in. He actually ate through his plastic cage last weekend and peed and pooped all over her desk and ate paper. And guess where he was when she walked in Monday, back in his cage! Hes in our house this weekend, in a bucket.
Last night we went to a concert, at a university in town. Very different kind of music, pretty rockish/emo and everyone there, mostly highschoolers, were punk with tight jeans and All Star shoes. Woops be right back
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Nope, not lost!
Woops, haven't written in a while...I feel like I've been so busy, and I really just go online at school so if I don't have time, I just don't make it on. After school we usually eat by like 530 and then I go to dance in the neighborhood Morelos. So my nights fill up fast and I have to make time to do my laundry and go to the internet cafe and such.
Anyway, glad you all liked my last blog, I know sometimes the normal stuff is the most interesting. To back up a bit, I was in Cuernavaca last weekend, a little colonial town outside Mexico City. Lots of chilangos, or people from Mexico City, have their vacation homes there and go there on weekends. So its nice, Cortes's palace is there with a giant Diego Rivera mural inside. My favorite part was a private home - turned museum - of an art collector/artist from the United States that lived in Cuernavaca. It was such a awesome house, full of art, and decorated to the hilt. Could've imagined Aunt Sara living in something that creative. Heading back to Pachuca we stopped through Mexico City (everytime we take a bus out of Pachuca we go through Mexico City) so I got to see the giant main square, or Zocalo, for the first time, with its gigantic flag and I went in the Palacio Nacional to see more famous murals by Diego Rivera.
This past Friday we didn't have school again due to rains from Hurricane Lorenzo. Really it wasn't bad at all, the rains stopped by 10 in the morning but haha, they had already cancelled school!! Sweet. Jenny and I found out from our taxista and we did a u/turn and went home to lay in bed and watch tv. Great day. That night was the dance school's fourth anniversary party so that was fun. At one time my dance teacher made me get up and dance the cumbia with him but no one else was dancing yet and I think everyone probably thought it was interesting to see such a guera trying to dance a latin dance. Anyway, then Saturday Stu and I went to Mexico City for the day and saw touristy stuff like the famed neighborhood of Coyocoan, Leon Trotsky's house, Frida Kahlo's Blue House, the beautiful Fine Arts Museum (tons more Diego Rivera murals, and a special expo on him too, good thing we really like his work), and we walked through Alameda Park, their version of Central Park. Oh, and I bought a coat! I need to go back to go shopping, I need more warm clothes. Anyhoo, we are sticking around this weekend, Friday night we have tickets to go to a concert that's being held at the university in town. Should be fun!
School is good, love, love my kids, love being a preschool teacher. We're learning the letter T and we'll start the letter A this week. It's my turn to decorate for this month's holiday so my assistant and I are working on making a Halloween bulletin board and decorating the arch and walkway in the preschool area. At the end of the month all the kids come dressed up for a parade in their costumes. Can't wait.
How's life in the States? Love hearing from you all. Miss you!
Anyway, glad you all liked my last blog, I know sometimes the normal stuff is the most interesting. To back up a bit, I was in Cuernavaca last weekend, a little colonial town outside Mexico City. Lots of chilangos, or people from Mexico City, have their vacation homes there and go there on weekends. So its nice, Cortes's palace is there with a giant Diego Rivera mural inside. My favorite part was a private home - turned museum - of an art collector/artist from the United States that lived in Cuernavaca. It was such a awesome house, full of art, and decorated to the hilt. Could've imagined Aunt Sara living in something that creative. Heading back to Pachuca we stopped through Mexico City (everytime we take a bus out of Pachuca we go through Mexico City) so I got to see the giant main square, or Zocalo, for the first time, with its gigantic flag and I went in the Palacio Nacional to see more famous murals by Diego Rivera.
This past Friday we didn't have school again due to rains from Hurricane Lorenzo. Really it wasn't bad at all, the rains stopped by 10 in the morning but haha, they had already cancelled school!! Sweet. Jenny and I found out from our taxista and we did a u/turn and went home to lay in bed and watch tv. Great day. That night was the dance school's fourth anniversary party so that was fun. At one time my dance teacher made me get up and dance the cumbia with him but no one else was dancing yet and I think everyone probably thought it was interesting to see such a guera trying to dance a latin dance. Anyway, then Saturday Stu and I went to Mexico City for the day and saw touristy stuff like the famed neighborhood of Coyocoan, Leon Trotsky's house, Frida Kahlo's Blue House, the beautiful Fine Arts Museum (tons more Diego Rivera murals, and a special expo on him too, good thing we really like his work), and we walked through Alameda Park, their version of Central Park. Oh, and I bought a coat! I need to go back to go shopping, I need more warm clothes. Anyhoo, we are sticking around this weekend, Friday night we have tickets to go to a concert that's being held at the university in town. Should be fun!
School is good, love, love my kids, love being a preschool teacher. We're learning the letter T and we'll start the letter A this week. It's my turn to decorate for this month's holiday so my assistant and I are working on making a Halloween bulletin board and decorating the arch and walkway in the preschool area. At the end of the month all the kids come dressed up for a parade in their costumes. Can't wait.
How's life in the States? Love hearing from you all. Miss you!
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