well, its about hour six of sitting on the couch feeling homesick for my country. today i've been completely absorbed in television. i don't usually watch tv, but with the US-Canada hockey game, and then the closing ceremonies, i've been completely entranced.
i'm watching the coverage on an american channel, but even the stories of the american athletes are making me teary-eyed! i should be grading papers but instead i am thinking about how much i wish i was at home to party with everyone after the amazing canadian win this afternoon. i've also been trying to cook, but so far it has only resulted in a very burn pot of chickpeas and an overdone cake. i always thought i was a good multi-tasker but i think that cooking falls to the back-burner (quite literally), when i'm missing home (or pretty much when i'm doing anything else).
international living can be so incredible for the new cultural experiences and incredibly diverse people that i meet; but nothing can compare to home. watching the athletes come pouring in, and being so proud to be canadian, i felt so far away. i love that canada isn't afraid to poke fun at itself, and that people know how to party over a hockey game, and that they aren't afraid to be cheesy. instead i am drinking a beer, pretending to mark, and crying over my burnt cooking and my amazing country.
on a more positive note, fili took me on an adventure yesterday to find used tires for big red. we went all over the city. he took me to the street where all the stolen car parts are sold. he said that if anyone ever steals a side mirror off your car, you can come to this particular street and buy your own mirror back! since i wanted used tired, we didn't actually have success, but we found a few people who said they could order us some (or steal? not sure...!) and the weirdest part? none of it is illegal! everyone knows that the car parts are stolen, but it seems to be completely accepted.
fili promised me that my future tires will be legally acquired.!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
camp out.
sometimes you need to get away. and sometimes you need to run away.
preferably to the middle of nowhere!
this weekend, i did both. fili and i took the opportunity to get away. he found this hotel/resort/convention center about 45 minutes from monterrey, on our little man-made lake, which rents little spots for camping. in the summer, i can imagine it being an AMAZING place to get away from the city. it has some great facilities to distract you for a long summer's day: slides, wave pool, tennis etc. unfortunately for us, nothing was open! and, everything that was open was not included in the price of admission. the camping spot was perfect for us. no one was around, we had our own bbq pit, and there was clean bathrooms and showers. we couldn't get out of paying extra to use the facilities (even though they were slightly run down AND none of them were actually open) so we took advantage by exploring and using the indoor pool.
the camping was perfect. it didn't feel like we were in the middle of a resort. it was quiet, and we were able to enjoy a delicious carne asada, prepared perfectly by fili. there's something about camp food that just tastes comforting, like canada. we arrived in good time on saturday night, in time to explore all the facilities we couldn't use and meet a group of seniors from canada, who were at this resort for TWO weeks. let me repeat that: two weeks. i don't mean to be rude, but there are probably a million nicer resorts that these seniors could have chosen ALL over the world but they chose a 70s style resort with nothing open on the banks of a man-made river! they must have given them a sick sick deal. i spoke with one nice lady from toronto who was pretty positive about it saying, "well, its okay, the walk from the room to the pool is a little hilly, though".
once we used all the free facilities, and found out that bikes and tennis rackets weren't included, we decided to continue our adventure and visit the touristy cola de caballo (horse tail falls) that were nearby in santiago. in my three years here, i have only heard pathetic reviews of the cola de caballo falls. people said it wasn't anything to write home about. well, here i am, writing home about it! i thought they were great! i mean, they aren't the niagara falls or anything - but they are beautiful. first you had to get through some tacky t-shirts and a few people selling litro drinks (basically anything alcoholic you could want sold in a HUGE cup). i easily avoided the tacky t-shirts but had more trouble getting past the litros. when we got to the falls, perhaps since i had been expecting a spout of water, i was pleasantly surprised! i'll post a few pictures soon. the highlight was venturing past the top of the falls into the forest above the falls. there is a sign saying you are hiking at your own risk, but is there any other way? lately, it feels like everything in life is at your own risk. we felt like we were explorers, going where no one had gone before: except for garbage dump everyone had left behind. next to the cola de caballo, there is a lovely hotel and bungee jump (a strange combo?). sometime i definitely want to jump, but the time didn't seem right just yet.
after finishing up at the falls, we treated ourselves to the best ice cream place in the region, helados regia and headed back into town. back to the middle of everywhere, back to life.
a great weekend that reminded us of all the amazing outdoors experiences there are in and around monterrey. we just have to look a little harder. since getting home, i was supposed to be marking math tests, but i ended up scouring the internet for the next camping adventure.
preferably to the middle of nowhere!
this weekend, i did both. fili and i took the opportunity to get away. he found this hotel/resort/convention center about 45 minutes from monterrey, on our little man-made lake, which rents little spots for camping. in the summer, i can imagine it being an AMAZING place to get away from the city. it has some great facilities to distract you for a long summer's day: slides, wave pool, tennis etc. unfortunately for us, nothing was open! and, everything that was open was not included in the price of admission. the camping spot was perfect for us. no one was around, we had our own bbq pit, and there was clean bathrooms and showers. we couldn't get out of paying extra to use the facilities (even though they were slightly run down AND none of them were actually open) so we took advantage by exploring and using the indoor pool.
the camping was perfect. it didn't feel like we were in the middle of a resort. it was quiet, and we were able to enjoy a delicious carne asada, prepared perfectly by fili. there's something about camp food that just tastes comforting, like canada. we arrived in good time on saturday night, in time to explore all the facilities we couldn't use and meet a group of seniors from canada, who were at this resort for TWO weeks. let me repeat that: two weeks. i don't mean to be rude, but there are probably a million nicer resorts that these seniors could have chosen ALL over the world but they chose a 70s style resort with nothing open on the banks of a man-made river! they must have given them a sick sick deal. i spoke with one nice lady from toronto who was pretty positive about it saying, "well, its okay, the walk from the room to the pool is a little hilly, though".
once we used all the free facilities, and found out that bikes and tennis rackets weren't included, we decided to continue our adventure and visit the touristy cola de caballo (horse tail falls) that were nearby in santiago. in my three years here, i have only heard pathetic reviews of the cola de caballo falls. people said it wasn't anything to write home about. well, here i am, writing home about it! i thought they were great! i mean, they aren't the niagara falls or anything - but they are beautiful. first you had to get through some tacky t-shirts and a few people selling litro drinks (basically anything alcoholic you could want sold in a HUGE cup). i easily avoided the tacky t-shirts but had more trouble getting past the litros. when we got to the falls, perhaps since i had been expecting a spout of water, i was pleasantly surprised! i'll post a few pictures soon. the highlight was venturing past the top of the falls into the forest above the falls. there is a sign saying you are hiking at your own risk, but is there any other way? lately, it feels like everything in life is at your own risk. we felt like we were explorers, going where no one had gone before: except for garbage dump everyone had left behind. next to the cola de caballo, there is a lovely hotel and bungee jump (a strange combo?). sometime i definitely want to jump, but the time didn't seem right just yet.
after finishing up at the falls, we treated ourselves to the best ice cream place in the region, helados regia and headed back into town. back to the middle of everywhere, back to life.
a great weekend that reminded us of all the amazing outdoors experiences there are in and around monterrey. we just have to look a little harder. since getting home, i was supposed to be marking math tests, but i ended up scouring the internet for the next camping adventure.
Monday, February 15, 2010
13.1
"dear running: i'd like to thank you for giving my fiance a tight ass" - random guy with sign.
"tough cookies never crumble" - t-shirt of the girl running directly in front of me.
"13.1? 26.2? all of you are fucking crazy!" - another random guy with sign.
"i've never liked crowds anyway" - a sign for all of us closer to the back of the pack.
"what the hell have i gotten myself into?" - my thoughts when i crossed mile 7 and realized i still had to almost DOUBLE what i had already done.
i ran my first half marathon yesterday. it was in austin, texas, on valentine's day. 13.1 miles, or 21 km. if you didn't know, its really far. really really far. its not that far for the people that run it in an hour and a half. but for people like me, it takes all morning! i signed up for it a few months back as an excuse to get in shape. and truthfully, i wasn't ready. not for the full distance. the first 15 km were really good. i felt strong, i felt in control, i felt good about life! this one guy who was cheering tapped his finger to his temple as i passed, as if to tell me, your power is all up there. i believed him! until, then, all at once, it hit me. my knees started to ache, and the hills started to come. and i had to start walking. i didn't walk tons, i interspersed 2 or 3 minutes of walking with 5 minutes of running, but i still felt great because people around me were all doing the same.
i didn't train for speed or a particular time, in fact i didn't really train at all. i wanted to see if i could do it. and i did. it is a very empowering feeling! and i realized that since i could do it - without killing myself - that the next time i will build up to it, so the last 5 km aren't such a shock to my system.
i was so proud of myself when i ran across the finish line, but sadly, there was actually no one there to greet me! i had just run for 2 hours and 58 minutes, and i ended up getting my cute t-shirt and eating a bag of chips alone. a party for one. i had come with some people, who had all been running, and i don't know anyone in austin. it all felt pretty anticlimactic, and then, the day went downhill from there. i won't go into details, but all i can say is that life never lets you be happy for too long, it needs to balance you out with some shitty-ness to go along. the incredible vibe and high from my race definitely got overshadowed. i'll have to go back next year to experience it all again.
i feel an extreme sense of pride for running and completing; but it is also paired with a deep sadness and sense of loss. a mix that my mind can't really comprehend.
anyway. i'm back in monterrey now. there's another half in monterrey in april. dearest running, do i dare take you on again?
"tough cookies never crumble" - t-shirt of the girl running directly in front of me.
"13.1? 26.2? all of you are fucking crazy!" - another random guy with sign.
"i've never liked crowds anyway" - a sign for all of us closer to the back of the pack.
"what the hell have i gotten myself into?" - my thoughts when i crossed mile 7 and realized i still had to almost DOUBLE what i had already done.
i ran my first half marathon yesterday. it was in austin, texas, on valentine's day. 13.1 miles, or 21 km. if you didn't know, its really far. really really far. its not that far for the people that run it in an hour and a half. but for people like me, it takes all morning! i signed up for it a few months back as an excuse to get in shape. and truthfully, i wasn't ready. not for the full distance. the first 15 km were really good. i felt strong, i felt in control, i felt good about life! this one guy who was cheering tapped his finger to his temple as i passed, as if to tell me, your power is all up there. i believed him! until, then, all at once, it hit me. my knees started to ache, and the hills started to come. and i had to start walking. i didn't walk tons, i interspersed 2 or 3 minutes of walking with 5 minutes of running, but i still felt great because people around me were all doing the same.
i didn't train for speed or a particular time, in fact i didn't really train at all. i wanted to see if i could do it. and i did. it is a very empowering feeling! and i realized that since i could do it - without killing myself - that the next time i will build up to it, so the last 5 km aren't such a shock to my system.
i was so proud of myself when i ran across the finish line, but sadly, there was actually no one there to greet me! i had just run for 2 hours and 58 minutes, and i ended up getting my cute t-shirt and eating a bag of chips alone. a party for one. i had come with some people, who had all been running, and i don't know anyone in austin. it all felt pretty anticlimactic, and then, the day went downhill from there. i won't go into details, but all i can say is that life never lets you be happy for too long, it needs to balance you out with some shitty-ness to go along. the incredible vibe and high from my race definitely got overshadowed. i'll have to go back next year to experience it all again.
i feel an extreme sense of pride for running and completing; but it is also paired with a deep sadness and sense of loss. a mix that my mind can't really comprehend.
anyway. i'm back in monterrey now. there's another half in monterrey in april. dearest running, do i dare take you on again?
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
today i.
today i couldn't get out of bed until 7, and had to be at school at 7:25.
today i arrived at school at 7:33.
today i braided my hair, which i never do.
today i got frustrated with a student, and yelled at him in front of the class.
today i got frustrated with some teachers, but kept my mouth shut.
today i learned that peanuts are a legume.
today i taught my students about the underground railroad when we were supposed to be discussing poetry.
today i didn't know the answers to 5 questions my students asked.
today i told my kids that mr. google could help them find the answers.
today i felt freezing cold in my house for the first time in several weeks.
today i wrote a long e-mail to my mom.
today i drank a beer after school.
today i arrived at school at 7:33.
today i braided my hair, which i never do.
today i got frustrated with a student, and yelled at him in front of the class.
today i got frustrated with some teachers, but kept my mouth shut.
today i learned that peanuts are a legume.
today i taught my students about the underground railroad when we were supposed to be discussing poetry.
today i didn't know the answers to 5 questions my students asked.
today i told my kids that mr. google could help them find the answers.
today i felt freezing cold in my house for the first time in several weeks.
today i wrote a long e-mail to my mom.
today i drank a beer after school.
Sunday, February 07, 2010
525 600 minutes.
last year, on this date, i met fili. i went to a language night at a local cafe in the barrio. i didn't really feel like going. in fact, my first impression of fili was one that had me laughing for quite awhile! after telling him about my mediocre spanish, he responded, "maybe we could speak the language of love?" on that night, i never thought i'd still be talking to him a year later!
so, after a year with fili, i started thinking about how his presence in my life has changed mine:
-i'm a lot more appreciative of monterrey, and of mexico in general. he absolutely loves his city, and loves showing it to me, and exploring it with me. he often reminds me to find beauty in this city when i'm forgetting to.
-his loyalty to his family, and to his daughter is a constant priority reminder for me. he puts the people he loves first, and gives his time and his heart to them with such ease.
-he's a romantic. and its made me more romantic.
-he's driven work-wise. when i'm complaining about work, he is happily doing his! when i'm desperate to take a day off, he reminds me (tactfully, of course) that i do love what i do.
-he's taught me to appreciate (but not always get) sarcasm!
-for a long time, i always needed to be doing 'something'. he showed me that fancy expensive dinners are not the only way to spend quality time together.
to celebrate our year, fili took me to see the musical 'rent' in spanish, and then we went back to the cafe where we met. a year later we're not exactly speaking the language of anything - its kind of a fusion between english, spanish and yes, love.
so, after a year with fili, i started thinking about how his presence in my life has changed mine:
-i'm a lot more appreciative of monterrey, and of mexico in general. he absolutely loves his city, and loves showing it to me, and exploring it with me. he often reminds me to find beauty in this city when i'm forgetting to.
-his loyalty to his family, and to his daughter is a constant priority reminder for me. he puts the people he loves first, and gives his time and his heart to them with such ease.
-he's a romantic. and its made me more romantic.
-he's driven work-wise. when i'm complaining about work, he is happily doing his! when i'm desperate to take a day off, he reminds me (tactfully, of course) that i do love what i do.
-he's taught me to appreciate (but not always get) sarcasm!
-for a long time, i always needed to be doing 'something'. he showed me that fancy expensive dinners are not the only way to spend quality time together.
to celebrate our year, fili took me to see the musical 'rent' in spanish, and then we went back to the cafe where we met. a year later we're not exactly speaking the language of anything - its kind of a fusion between english, spanish and yes, love.
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