Mexico Month III

LONG TIME NO SEEEE!!

Q: What do you call an alligator wearing a vest??

A: An inVESTigator. 

Mi amigos, Aly & Leo on the pyramid ruins at Xochicalco.

Que onda, amigos??!! Just as I though might happen, the business of life has taken priority over blogging, but I'm updating by popular demand! I'm using the term popular demand because it makes me happy to think that more than five people might actually be reading this. It's been over a month, and I'm sure much more has happened then I even realize, but I'll do my best to fill you in on the highlights. Also, I thought I would take this time to beg your pardon on any grammatical errors throughout this blog (as I'm sure there are many). Yes, I'm an English teacher and, technically, I should know these things. However, I realize more and more every day that English is really difficult and kinda screwed-up so, like my students, I'll continue to do my best and hope that that's enough ;-)

Here are some pictures of Jardin Borda. Originally, this was a house bought by Jose de la Borda, a famous and wealthy miner from Taxco. Later, his botany-loving son transformed the grounds of the house into gardens filled with flower and fruit trees. It's quite nice! It's also open all day and you can get in free with a student ID. I go here occasionally to sit outside and read. 

There have been lots of holidays since my last update! I think I told you about Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). As you can see in the pictures above, the kid's classes all prepared an offrenda together. The bright orange carnations were so beautiful and were being sold by vendors all over the city. The table was also laid out with bread, a bowl of cooked rice, fruit, candy, and candles. A+ for class participation, kiddies! 

Mmmmwwwaahahaaaaa!!!

Halloween also happened. I assisted another teacher in a pumpkin carving workshop which was really fun!! Pumpkin carving is not a tradition in Mexico, but all my students were naturals. The jack-o-lanterns turned out great and the pumpkin seeds that I took home and roasted were yum. I dressed up as a scary, living-dead zombie and made myself a t-shirt with a skull face cut-out design that turned out pretty nifty! But I was a camera slacker the night of the party and didn't get one photo of myself. I did get one of my good friends (above). From the left is Danio, Carlie (my roommates), Aly, and her boyfriend, Leo. We had a really great time that night! I even got crazy and danced a little ... That image might be funnier than my opening joke.    

Inside the cathedral at Tepoztlan. 

Another photo of the ruins at Xochicalco.

If you're reading this from the USA (as most of you are), you know that Thanks-

giving was on November 22. I must tell you that I tried not to think about all the delish food I was missing out on that day by taking a loooooonnnngg walk into town and keeping myself busy. I missed everyone so much!! I will give credit to a “Thanksgiving in July” celebration that we hosted at our house over the summer for enabling me to hold off on eating-my-heart out on holiday food until I fly home for Christmas. The mother of one of the students in my kid’s class brought all the teachers a big pumpkin pie from CostCo. I almost kissed her. And I’ve gotta tell ya (and this is probably circumstantial) – it was THE BEST pumpkin pie I’ve ever eaten!!! Anyway, not being able to celebrate a traditional Turkey Day made me grateful in new and different ways, which is the true meaning of the holiday in the first place.

A beautiful sunset over the mountains

 My most recent adventure occurred yesterday. I went to Xochicalco (pronounced: Zow-chee-kal-kow), an archaeological site founded in about 650 AD by a group of Mayan traders. The city-state had a population of about 10,000 and was an important center of craft-production and trade. The security guard at the entrance wasn't going to let us in because it was after 5 pm and the site closes at 6, but with a little convincing and a 100 peso bill, he changed his mind ;-) That's Mexico. 

I'm typically not the one to get all sappy and romantical, but I felt that this was worth sharing ... Yes, world, after 23 years of "singleness", I've landed myself a man!! Whoop, whoop!! Who da thunk that all I had to do this whole time was move to Mexico?! Duh. Anyway, his name is Obed and he's happy and adorable and awesome and has crazy curly hair (see photo). It was worth the wait :p


"Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will one day become a reality" - Earl Nightingale