this is my third year living in mexico. it is full of lots of firsts, and missing faces, and new adventures. the best part is that i finally feel at home in mexico. a place that i both love and hate. i've been taking my dog for walks these days, and as i walk, i think about what i've learned in this beautiful/crazy/unexpected country. here are a few things i've been thinking lately.
-if you smell something foul in the street, walk far, far, far in the other direction.
-the car wash men will still try to scam you into a car wash even when it is clearly going to downpour within minutes.
-mexicans are wonderful at using their four-way flashers. so good, in fact, that as soon as cars slow down ahead, they have put their four-way emergency flashers on before their brakes!
-there are more sushi restaurants in san pedro then taco stands! (not true, but it feels that way sometimes... too bad my boyfriend doesn't love sushi)
-don't read the local paper. because if you do, you'll know all the stuff that you don't want to know, and stop living in comfortable ignorant bliss.
-always clean up the dog shit up before it rains. especially if your backyard is made of concrete.
-i have learned that mexican people come out at night. and really, its quite logical. it is so darn hot here during the day!
-when a mexican party says it starts at 7, the host won't even be there until 8. and you won't see a lick of food until 11:30.
-the quincenera, the young mexican girls' coming of age party, costs almost as much as a wedding - and is almost as big of a deal.
-there is this brilliant thing here that the stoplights do. the green flashes warning, before it turns to yellow. i think it just gives people more time to speed up and push through the intersection, but it also is a smart idea!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
the journey of 3600 km's.
another year in mexico is over and done. i am back in canada once again.
this year i was great because i
worked less
ate healthier
socialized more
travelled tons
got a dog
got stronger in spanish
but this year i neglected a few things that i really care about
reading
blogging
keeping in touch
i was reading an article for my masters class last week saying that schools want to be able to "do it all". i feel that way about my life. i want to be able to "do it all". i don't want to have work be going well, but still be biting my nails. i don't want to travel lots, but still be in debt. i want it all! i want to be able to control all parts of my life at once -- not one or two at a time. just when i feel i am getting one area of my life under control, i lose control of another. for example: this year i got to bed earlier. but gone was my prime internet time! the time when i usually wrote e-mails, blogs and surfed the net. what a disappointment! i was getting more sleep but not keeping in touch with my facebook account.
in teaching we are so lucky. for a number of reasons. each year we get the opportunity to start over. we can change the way we do things, re-evaluate over the summer, and try it all again in the fall. teaching has a built in fail-safe mechanism.
ginny and i drove across the united states on the weekend. we listened to a 17 hour book on tape, a pete yorn cd 3 times, slept in austin, nashville and chattam and finally made it home. since i have been home (albeit for 24 hours) i haven't done much re-evaluating. i have slept a bit, hung out with emma, hung out with my dad, watched a few movies and tried to get back in touch with my friends. i really want to take advantage of this summer. i want to take some time to relax, but i also want to reassess my life. i want to take the same approach to my life that i take to my teaching, using summer as my fail-safe.
happy summer! enjoy the sun.
this year i was great because i
worked less
ate healthier
socialized more
travelled tons
got a dog
got stronger in spanish
but this year i neglected a few things that i really care about
reading
blogging
keeping in touch
i was reading an article for my masters class last week saying that schools want to be able to "do it all". i feel that way about my life. i want to be able to "do it all". i don't want to have work be going well, but still be biting my nails. i don't want to travel lots, but still be in debt. i want it all! i want to be able to control all parts of my life at once -- not one or two at a time. just when i feel i am getting one area of my life under control, i lose control of another. for example: this year i got to bed earlier. but gone was my prime internet time! the time when i usually wrote e-mails, blogs and surfed the net. what a disappointment! i was getting more sleep but not keeping in touch with my facebook account.
in teaching we are so lucky. for a number of reasons. each year we get the opportunity to start over. we can change the way we do things, re-evaluate over the summer, and try it all again in the fall. teaching has a built in fail-safe mechanism.
ginny and i drove across the united states on the weekend. we listened to a 17 hour book on tape, a pete yorn cd 3 times, slept in austin, nashville and chattam and finally made it home. since i have been home (albeit for 24 hours) i haven't done much re-evaluating. i have slept a bit, hung out with emma, hung out with my dad, watched a few movies and tried to get back in touch with my friends. i really want to take advantage of this summer. i want to take some time to relax, but i also want to reassess my life. i want to take the same approach to my life that i take to my teaching, using summer as my fail-safe.
happy summer! enjoy the sun.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
miss. sarah's vision statement.
"The goal of education is to replace an empty mind with an open mind."
-Malcolm Forbes
i am a teacher who...
teaches students FIRST
and
the curriculum SECOND.
i am a teacher who...
came into this profession to ensure that there are more
great teachers
in the world.
i am a teacher who...
fuels young minds with an awareness of diversity.
cultivates a community of curiosity.
establishes a culture of lifelong learning.
i am a teacher who...
has an adventurous spirit.
laughs often.
smiles always.
i am a teacher who...
gives every child an opportunity to shine every day.
teaches through exploration, inquiry and problem solving.
differentiates instruction, encouraging all children to be challenged.
i am a teacher who...
takes advantage of teachable moments.
is a facilitator, motivator and leader.
is a friend.
i am a teacher who...
instills a love of reading.
makes math less scary.
takes kids beyond the walls of the classroom.
i am a teacher who...
loves to teach.
BUT
i am also a student who...
NEVER STOPS LEARNING.
-Malcolm Forbes
i am a teacher who...
teaches students FIRST
and
the curriculum SECOND.
i am a teacher who...
came into this profession to ensure that there are more
great teachers
in the world.
i am a teacher who...
fuels young minds with an awareness of diversity.
cultivates a community of curiosity.
establishes a culture of lifelong learning.
i am a teacher who...
has an adventurous spirit.
laughs often.
smiles always.
i am a teacher who...
gives every child an opportunity to shine every day.
teaches through exploration, inquiry and problem solving.
differentiates instruction, encouraging all children to be challenged.
i am a teacher who...
takes advantage of teachable moments.
is a facilitator, motivator and leader.
is a friend.
i am a teacher who...
instills a love of reading.
makes math less scary.
takes kids beyond the walls of the classroom.
i am a teacher who...
loves to teach.
BUT
i am also a student who...
NEVER STOPS LEARNING.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
yard sale.
i am here on my semana santa adventure in baja california. for those of you who don't know, i am on the little peninsula in mexico that jets out beneath california. it has been a wonderful mix of adventure, relaxation, sun, work and sleeping. the vacation has occured in three distinct phases, and on this entry i will try to quickly summarize the first phase: KAYAK TRIP also known as ADVENTURES WITH MIDDLE AGED MOM's or NEW ADDRESS: ISLA ESPIRITU SANTU.
the kayak trip itself was 4 days and three nights on an idyllic island just north of la paz. we chose the fully catered option, which meant that pretty much all we had to do was build our tents and paddle our kayaks. we never had to paddle more then three or four hours a day, and our food was prepared for us fresh on the beach! the water was shallow and a hundred shades of blue. here is a quick snapshot, i will add visuals upon return to monterrey!
the scene: a preserved island north of la paz. it was desert-like, much more mountainous then i expected, with cliffs that disappear into the ocean. along the island are sheltered coves of the whitest beaches you have ever seen, particularly in stark contrast top the blue of the ocean.
the characters: 14 tourists, 2 guides, 1 chef and 1 skiff driver. a few of us from school, along with a few friends from home came and joined the most hilarious group of middle aged women (one actually ended up being the mom of one of our colleagues at work!) there was never a dull moment, or a quiet beach with this crowd of folks! our 2 guides, axel and tulio were amazing; our personal chef whistled while he worked; and our skiff driver unloaded our bags every single day for us so they didn't get wet!
costumes: let's just say that i actually didn't change or have a shower for four days. everything i wore was salt-crusted and i smelled delicious, i'm sure.
key scene changes: we got to kayak, have happy hour with margaritas every evening while watching the sunset, hike, learn about the geography and nature of the area, snorkel and sleep under the stars (with no tent two of the nights!)
climax: our second day of paddling we were hit with some serious waves. it was exciting, hard work (oww my forearms) but it really only got my adrenaline pumping. of course, the guides wanted us to stay in formation to keep us close together for safety and all i could picture was a domino effect when one of the ladies tipped her kayak. it would have been a kayak yard sale!
highlights: hmm. this is always the hardest part. every corner we turned there was a new landscape to admire and everything was a surprise. we laughed when we got life advice from our new mom's. we peed over the side of our kayaks when we had to go. we performed number 2 in our own personal PACO or personal toilet that was disposed of each day. we had buckets of water dumped on our heads when we got too hot. we ate fresh ceviche caught the same DAY! we looked like scuba steve and stephanie when we waddled to go snorkeling. i got bit by a sea lion when we frollicked with them in the water (it doesn't hurt but it certainly scares the living daylight out of you!) every minute on the trip was amazing.
lowlights: having to go home.
the kayak trip itself was 4 days and three nights on an idyllic island just north of la paz. we chose the fully catered option, which meant that pretty much all we had to do was build our tents and paddle our kayaks. we never had to paddle more then three or four hours a day, and our food was prepared for us fresh on the beach! the water was shallow and a hundred shades of blue. here is a quick snapshot, i will add visuals upon return to monterrey!
the scene: a preserved island north of la paz. it was desert-like, much more mountainous then i expected, with cliffs that disappear into the ocean. along the island are sheltered coves of the whitest beaches you have ever seen, particularly in stark contrast top the blue of the ocean.
the characters: 14 tourists, 2 guides, 1 chef and 1 skiff driver. a few of us from school, along with a few friends from home came and joined the most hilarious group of middle aged women (one actually ended up being the mom of one of our colleagues at work!) there was never a dull moment, or a quiet beach with this crowd of folks! our 2 guides, axel and tulio were amazing; our personal chef whistled while he worked; and our skiff driver unloaded our bags every single day for us so they didn't get wet!
costumes: let's just say that i actually didn't change or have a shower for four days. everything i wore was salt-crusted and i smelled delicious, i'm sure.
key scene changes: we got to kayak, have happy hour with margaritas every evening while watching the sunset, hike, learn about the geography and nature of the area, snorkel and sleep under the stars (with no tent two of the nights!)
climax: our second day of paddling we were hit with some serious waves. it was exciting, hard work (oww my forearms) but it really only got my adrenaline pumping. of course, the guides wanted us to stay in formation to keep us close together for safety and all i could picture was a domino effect when one of the ladies tipped her kayak. it would have been a kayak yard sale!
highlights: hmm. this is always the hardest part. every corner we turned there was a new landscape to admire and everything was a surprise. we laughed when we got life advice from our new mom's. we peed over the side of our kayaks when we had to go. we performed number 2 in our own personal PACO or personal toilet that was disposed of each day. we had buckets of water dumped on our heads when we got too hot. we ate fresh ceviche caught the same DAY! we looked like scuba steve and stephanie when we waddled to go snorkeling. i got bit by a sea lion when we frollicked with them in the water (it doesn't hurt but it certainly scares the living daylight out of you!) every minute on the trip was amazing.
lowlights: having to go home.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
i always said i'd never...
there aren't a million things that i've said i would never do. only a few thousand! what can i say? i'm generally a fairly easy-going gal. there are, however, many things that i certainly thought that i would never do. since becoming a real person, moving to mexico and becoming a teacher, many of those "i would never ever do that!" have become huge reality checks for me. who was i to be so bold and naive and demand perfection from everyone around me? and to believe that i could do it better myself? just a few things i have been kicking myself for lately.
*i used to get so pissed at my dad for being an impatient driver, who always swore under his breath. now i can't go two blocks in mexico without encountering idiot number 1, 2, 3 or 830 and muttering sweet nothings under MY breath.
*i never thought i'd embarrass a kid in front of the class. but i'm realizing, that sometimes, a mild form of embarrassment, happens naturally each time you get angry. PLUS, i was totally that teacher who ripped up a test when i caught a boy cheating today! sometimes i actually find myself using mild embarrassment on purpose, because for some kids, i am shit out of ideas.
*i never thought i'd punish the whole class when only a few are being bad. this is something i am still searching for a solution to. i remember, in elementary school, i would have to write lines, or have detention, even when i hadn't participated. i remember telling my mom, i will become a teacher to make this this doesn't happen anymore! BUT, when you actually are a teacher, it is almost impossible to figure out exactly who has been misbehaving. i have a warning system for individuals, but in the end, i always remind them that they are a 'team'.
*i never thought i'd stay home from work for a 'mental health day'. my mom always pushed and pushed herself - and here i am saying i'm burnt out two years into teaching!
*i never thought i'd take a masters degree in education. but what can i say? when i was offered it for half the price, it is difficult to turn down. now i am the teacher who doesn't know if she should be teaching working on a thesis on how to teach better. hmm. that seems a bit odd.
*i never thought money would matter to me. i live in a very wealthy suburb of monterrey, mexico, surrounded by fancy restaurants, jewelry stores and fashionable people who live a VERY comfortable, luxurious life. after being immersed in it, it is hard not to want it yourself!
next... i'm thinking of including the opposite, what i always thought i would have done by now!
*i used to get so pissed at my dad for being an impatient driver, who always swore under his breath. now i can't go two blocks in mexico without encountering idiot number 1, 2, 3 or 830 and muttering sweet nothings under MY breath.
*i never thought i'd embarrass a kid in front of the class. but i'm realizing, that sometimes, a mild form of embarrassment, happens naturally each time you get angry. PLUS, i was totally that teacher who ripped up a test when i caught a boy cheating today! sometimes i actually find myself using mild embarrassment on purpose, because for some kids, i am shit out of ideas.
*i never thought i'd punish the whole class when only a few are being bad. this is something i am still searching for a solution to. i remember, in elementary school, i would have to write lines, or have detention, even when i hadn't participated. i remember telling my mom, i will become a teacher to make this this doesn't happen anymore! BUT, when you actually are a teacher, it is almost impossible to figure out exactly who has been misbehaving. i have a warning system for individuals, but in the end, i always remind them that they are a 'team'.
*i never thought i'd stay home from work for a 'mental health day'. my mom always pushed and pushed herself - and here i am saying i'm burnt out two years into teaching!
*i never thought i'd take a masters degree in education. but what can i say? when i was offered it for half the price, it is difficult to turn down. now i am the teacher who doesn't know if she should be teaching working on a thesis on how to teach better. hmm. that seems a bit odd.
*i never thought money would matter to me. i live in a very wealthy suburb of monterrey, mexico, surrounded by fancy restaurants, jewelry stores and fashionable people who live a VERY comfortable, luxurious life. after being immersed in it, it is hard not to want it yourself!
next... i'm thinking of including the opposite, what i always thought i would have done by now!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
sarah needs.
this gave me a little laugh. i have never been a needy person, but i googled "sarah needs" and here are the top 10 hits:
-sarah needs a cold shower.
-sarah needs to get her life back and establish herself as the person in charge!
-sarah more love lyrics.
-sarah needs your manly vote.
-sarah needs a new mummy for sale.
-sarah needs a band.
-sarah needs a miracle.
-sarah needs sponsors to compete in deaf olympics.
-sarah needs batteries.
-sarah needs a wii.
what do you need?
-sarah needs a cold shower.
-sarah needs to get her life back and establish herself as the person in charge!
-sarah more love lyrics.
-sarah needs your manly vote.
-sarah needs a new mummy for sale.
-sarah needs a band.
-sarah needs a miracle.
-sarah needs sponsors to compete in deaf olympics.
-sarah needs batteries.
-sarah needs a wii.
what do you need?
Sunday, February 15, 2009
all you need is love.
everyone in monterrey right now loves love. i love love too... but i don't love valentine's day. since i have never had an overly romantic valentine's day, i reserve the right to be judgmental of the holiday. while it may be a great opportunity to bask in romance for couples; it really does serve as a huge reminder for us single folks that we are alone. i think i could write a whole book on the amount of love i have to offer, and how sad it makes me feel that i haven't found someone to share it with - but i try my best not to think about it (but i'm clearly struggling this weekend... and i think i'll give in, just for today!)
i guess deep down i thought that by the time i was in my late 20s, i would be at a different point then i am now. i am not saying that expected to have children running around my backyard -- but i thought that my patience through my teenage and university years would have paid off.
do you remember the show 'my so-called life' from the 90s? in this one scene the main character (played by claire danes) is complaining that she doesn't have a love life, and she says:
i always thought i'd have a love life.
but i don't even have a like life.
and the same goes for me! except i'm not in high school anymore.
as with everything, valentine's day celebrations in san pedro go above and beyond. people are selling HUGE foam roses on street corners, enormous balloons fill display windows everywhere, and the kids brought enough candy/cupcakes/chips/pizza to school to feed a small village.
the funny thing is, i don't want the roses, the balloons or the fancy restaurants. i just want a little bit of like, or better yet love, in my life.
i guess deep down i thought that by the time i was in my late 20s, i would be at a different point then i am now. i am not saying that expected to have children running around my backyard -- but i thought that my patience through my teenage and university years would have paid off.
do you remember the show 'my so-called life' from the 90s? in this one scene the main character (played by claire danes) is complaining that she doesn't have a love life, and she says:
i always thought i'd have a love life.
but i don't even have a like life.
and the same goes for me! except i'm not in high school anymore.
as with everything, valentine's day celebrations in san pedro go above and beyond. people are selling HUGE foam roses on street corners, enormous balloons fill display windows everywhere, and the kids brought enough candy/cupcakes/chips/pizza to school to feed a small village.
the funny thing is, i don't want the roses, the balloons or the fancy restaurants. i just want a little bit of like, or better yet love, in my life.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
random things.
i decided to give in to this 25 random things, but to publish it here and not on facebook... sneaky, sneaky!
1. i absolutely love to blog and write, but lately, i haven't been able to find the time. i'd love to publish a travel book.
2. i find the strangest things the most satisfying: reading a magazine cover to cover, walking on a moving sidewalk at the airport, using a pen until it runs out of ink, finishing a jug of milk.
3. i like teaching, but i still feel like i haven't found my true passion in life. i have a few ideas as to what it might be, but since i'm not completely sure which one to choose... i'm going to stick with teaching for now.
4. my relationships rarely seem to end on my own terms.
5. i have lived in mexico for a year and a half, and am still embarrassed by my spanish.
6. i don't believe in bringing marking home. in fact, i don't believe in marking at all.
7. i don't think i could ever get bored of traveling and seeing the world. i can't wait to one day go hiking in new zealand, go back to morocco with my dad, take my mom on an african safari, see the pyramids in egypt, travel with alyssa, hike the inca trail, lie on the beach in thailand and find a partner who wants to do all of this with me.
8. i always said that when i got skinny, i would get a belly button ring. i don't think i'll ever be skinny; but i still want the belly button ring.
9. i once cheated on a test in grade 7 by writing the answers on my pencil case. i've always felt guilty about that. i once also got caught red-handed stealing money from my mom's purse. i've always felt stupid about that.
10. i can't stand banana's or mayonnaise. i think their taste and textures (particularly bananas) are offensive.
11. i have always wanted to be able to play the guitar around a campfire and take pictures beautiful enough to be in national geographic.
12. i love my life in mexico, but miss my friends desperately. i have a nagging insecurity that the longer i'm gone, people will start forgetting about me.
13. i think comfortable pillows are one of the most important things in life. i mean, we spend a third of my day on them! yet so many pillows are thin and lumpy, not plush and comfy. it is one of my missions in life to find a pillow that actually remains comfortable for more then a few months.
14. it frustrates me that the world has become so fast-paced. i would love to sit down and read the newspaper every day, catch up on blogs, write e-mails to all my nearest and dearest, spend 30 minutes reading before bed, sleep 8 hours a night; yet, i am spending the bulk of my days either getting ready for work, working, coming home from work, or tutoring. in this busy over-scheduled world we have created, we seem to have neglected the most important thing: ourselves.
15. i don't understand airplanes at all. it completely amazes me that a big metal cylinder can actually fly. to me it is all magic: they put us in an airplane, shake us around a bit, feed us some shit food and then switch the scenery outside.
16. i'll be in mexico for another year, and then i'm going to move on to a new adventure in a new country. for some reason, i see myself in asia. but the options are endless.
17. my year at 454 frontenac and our chair dancing, tea-making and best girly friends (e-way, caro & ktq) holds some of my dearest memories. i would fly anywhere in the world to see those girls.
18. i failed more classes in university then anyone knows.
19. if walkhome could have been a full-time job, i think i would have done it forever. i've never laughed more, cried more, played board games more, or met so many people in one place that i connected with. it was my niche at queen's.
20. i have a little dog named kahla that i adopted here in mexico. she's adorable, and i love her. she learned to sit on command within a week or two. but... i'll always have a soft spot in my heart for my golden retriever at home, emma. emma is 11. i worry that emma will die and that my parents will be afraid to tell me.
21. i don't have nearly as much self-restraint or focus as i like to think. i still bite my nails. i often can't say no to social events. i skip the gym when i'm tired, even though i know it will have a positive effect. i eat when i'm stressed or anxious.
22. i sometimes still fall asleep with the light on, even though it always drove my parents crazy.
23. i am the heaviest sleeper you will ever meet. a hurricane/tempest/avalanche/riot/evacuation could be happening all at once outside my window and i would sleep right through. i also am a sheet-stealer.
24. i adore lattes, my mom's lasagna, reading in the sun, being in a warm climate, red wine, watching movies, being an imperfect isabelle.
25. sometimes i think i think too much.
1. i absolutely love to blog and write, but lately, i haven't been able to find the time. i'd love to publish a travel book.
2. i find the strangest things the most satisfying: reading a magazine cover to cover, walking on a moving sidewalk at the airport, using a pen until it runs out of ink, finishing a jug of milk.
3. i like teaching, but i still feel like i haven't found my true passion in life. i have a few ideas as to what it might be, but since i'm not completely sure which one to choose... i'm going to stick with teaching for now.
4. my relationships rarely seem to end on my own terms.
5. i have lived in mexico for a year and a half, and am still embarrassed by my spanish.
6. i don't believe in bringing marking home. in fact, i don't believe in marking at all.
7. i don't think i could ever get bored of traveling and seeing the world. i can't wait to one day go hiking in new zealand, go back to morocco with my dad, take my mom on an african safari, see the pyramids in egypt, travel with alyssa, hike the inca trail, lie on the beach in thailand and find a partner who wants to do all of this with me.
8. i always said that when i got skinny, i would get a belly button ring. i don't think i'll ever be skinny; but i still want the belly button ring.
9. i once cheated on a test in grade 7 by writing the answers on my pencil case. i've always felt guilty about that. i once also got caught red-handed stealing money from my mom's purse. i've always felt stupid about that.
10. i can't stand banana's or mayonnaise. i think their taste and textures (particularly bananas) are offensive.
11. i have always wanted to be able to play the guitar around a campfire and take pictures beautiful enough to be in national geographic.
12. i love my life in mexico, but miss my friends desperately. i have a nagging insecurity that the longer i'm gone, people will start forgetting about me.
13. i think comfortable pillows are one of the most important things in life. i mean, we spend a third of my day on them! yet so many pillows are thin and lumpy, not plush and comfy. it is one of my missions in life to find a pillow that actually remains comfortable for more then a few months.
14. it frustrates me that the world has become so fast-paced. i would love to sit down and read the newspaper every day, catch up on blogs, write e-mails to all my nearest and dearest, spend 30 minutes reading before bed, sleep 8 hours a night; yet, i am spending the bulk of my days either getting ready for work, working, coming home from work, or tutoring. in this busy over-scheduled world we have created, we seem to have neglected the most important thing: ourselves.
15. i don't understand airplanes at all. it completely amazes me that a big metal cylinder can actually fly. to me it is all magic: they put us in an airplane, shake us around a bit, feed us some shit food and then switch the scenery outside.
16. i'll be in mexico for another year, and then i'm going to move on to a new adventure in a new country. for some reason, i see myself in asia. but the options are endless.
17. my year at 454 frontenac and our chair dancing, tea-making and best girly friends (e-way, caro & ktq) holds some of my dearest memories. i would fly anywhere in the world to see those girls.
18. i failed more classes in university then anyone knows.
19. if walkhome could have been a full-time job, i think i would have done it forever. i've never laughed more, cried more, played board games more, or met so many people in one place that i connected with. it was my niche at queen's.
20. i have a little dog named kahla that i adopted here in mexico. she's adorable, and i love her. she learned to sit on command within a week or two. but... i'll always have a soft spot in my heart for my golden retriever at home, emma. emma is 11. i worry that emma will die and that my parents will be afraid to tell me.
21. i don't have nearly as much self-restraint or focus as i like to think. i still bite my nails. i often can't say no to social events. i skip the gym when i'm tired, even though i know it will have a positive effect. i eat when i'm stressed or anxious.
22. i sometimes still fall asleep with the light on, even though it always drove my parents crazy.
23. i am the heaviest sleeper you will ever meet. a hurricane/tempest/avalanche/riot/evacuation could be happening all at once outside my window and i would sleep right through. i also am a sheet-stealer.
24. i adore lattes, my mom's lasagna, reading in the sun, being in a warm climate, red wine, watching movies, being an imperfect isabelle.
25. sometimes i think i think too much.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
visiting puebla, poblano style.
last weekend we had our first long weekend of the year. with high gas prices, flights have skyrocketed in price and our options have become slightly more limited. i shouldn't complain, as they flights aren't really THAT expensive... but they are definitely pricey compared to last year.
sarita and i were able to get a reasonably priced flight to mexico city, so we decided to jump on a bus to puebla, a city about 2 hours east of mexico city. it was a four-day weekend, and to top it off, it was mexican independence... which is always a huge lively celebration.
officially called puebla de los angeles (city of the angels), puebla is actually the fourth largest city in mexico. it is surrounded by mountains, volcanoes and boasts a cool agreeable climate. when sarah and i told people we were going to puebla, people responded with pretty vague answers... "oh..... cool" or "really?" or as jen clarke would say, "i would rather die then go to puebla". well, that certainly got our hopes up. we definitely arrived with low to no expectations, simply craving a temporary change in surroundings.
as it turned out, we were pleasantly surprised by puebla. however, there were certain circumstances that increased our enjoyment of the city: a) we were okay with being extremely lazy. b) we decided we would do some of the lame lazy touristy things. c) through a random connection, we got to explore the area around the city with a local, which is always a treat. d) we slept a lot. e) there was a million things going on because of the independence day celebrations. f) we didn't have to think about work. and it was great.
friday
we arrived late on friday evening and literally fell into our beds, even though the mattresses were hard and the pillows were thin and lumpy. our hotel was an old monastery near the main zocalo, and we got our exercise each day as we had to climb up three steep flights of stairs. the first time we climbed up the stairs we were breathless and out of shape -- by the end we were taking them two at a time!
saturday
on saturday, we slept in and had a lazy breakfast in the zocalo. following which, we hopped on the 1.5 hour tourist bus that gives you a great overall view of the city. it was such a relaxing way to see it all -- from the top of a double decker bus! they even had the commentary in english. we also got to play a little musical chairs on top with locals when our headphones weren't working. it was SO hot up there that people had to resort to creative means to protect their heads - for example: one lady was spotted wearing a burger king takeout bag upside down as a hat. how greasy. puebla has lots of different neighbourhoods, so it was a great way to get a tan AND get oriented to the city. our next stop in the sarah tambien tour was to find a random restaurant. one of the teachers who works at our school is from puebla, and sarah taught her daughter last year. her family owns a restaurant and she insisted that we drop in for a visit! we were warmly welcomed into a cute mexican restaurant called 'rocky's tacos', and we got to taste some of the unique poblano fare. i got to drool over the amazing mole sauces, and we got to try one of the local specialties called chiles en nogada (only available from july to september, it is a pepper stuffed with meat and dried fruit, topped with a nut sauce and pomegranate seads). they wouldn't even let us pay for our lunch. when you get out of the tourist area, you begin to realize that mexicans are truly some of the nicest people on earth. a lovely mother and daughter were sitting next to us, and curiously asked where we were from. by the end, we had a place to stay the next time we decide to visit tabasco. wherever that is. after lunch, we found our way back to the city center and went on another expedition to find the more 'funky' area of town. we rummaged around in an antique market, finding everything from old records for 50 bucks to working cameras from the turn of the century to skeleton keys. sarah even found a large tool for her car. we later found out that it was actually an extremely large bottle opener. fitting. now she can drink and drive in style. by this point, we had really exhausted ourselves and decided we needed to do what all mexicans do: siesta. our good friend anita, part owner of 'rocky's tacos' took us out for a night on the town. we walked back down to antique market, but voila! it had become a meat market of a bar scene. we felt famous, as when we sauntered up, we were propositioned by many young joven bartenders, wanting us to visit their bar. apparently this was normal, because anita took it all in stride and kept saying "gracias. gracias. gracias" but walked on by. we also learned something new from all of this hubbub: apparently saying "gracias" is more polite then saying "no gracias", which we have always done.
sunday
we got picked up by our very own tour guide, anita, in the early hours of the am. I was feeling exhausted, so I made them wait while I went to get coffees in the main plaza, not sure when I decided that coffee became a ‘no excuse’ part of my day. it was amazing having a car. she took us to quickly and easily to all the places that we had been hoping to visit, and MORE! we started in cholula, a city that was freezing, but also had one of the coolest pyramids that i have ever seen. It is actually has the widest base of any pyramid in the world. over the years, it has been built over multiple times, and it actually has a church and a forest on top of it now. but, you can still explore the tunnels underneath and see the pyramid from the inside. after exploring this unique place, we actually climbed up to the top of the pyramid to see the spectacular view from the top. we had been told (and seen postcard views) of the two HUGE volcanoes, but unfortunately, the clouds were obscuring our view. at one point, we think we may have had a glimpse of the top of ‘popo’, one of the volcanoes, but I wouldn’t bet my life on it. the day continued with a drive to two other towns that we would not have otherwise visited, one known for flowers, and the other for churches. and to be honest, I would have to look up the names to tell you what they were called.
monday
on monday, we hit the ultimate jackpot and found the only african safari in mexico. that's right folks, africam safari. and now that wasn't a typo, i think its called africam because african was already taken. lions, tigers, bears.. oh my. all from the comfort of a luxury mexican bus. something did seem a little strange about giraffes in mexico, but i wonder if they even know the difference. hot is hot, right? it was sarah's first drive-thru safari, complete with a tour guide sporting a full 80s style hair wall and silly photos taken in the gift shop. the day was capped off with a revolting half hot half cold frozen vegetable salad from the serengeti cafe. you don't know what you're missing. we returned from africam to enjoy an afternoon of lattes and reminiscing over past journal entries. and then, it was siesta once again.
tuesday
the return journey essentially took all day between the cab/bus/plane/cab, but before we took off, i got my last taste of poblano mole. this time, it was served over eggs, and it was quite possibly the most delicious chocolaty goodness that I have ever tasted. i am not sure I will ever be able to think of puebla without thinking of those mole eggs.
and giraffes, of course.
sarita and i were able to get a reasonably priced flight to mexico city, so we decided to jump on a bus to puebla, a city about 2 hours east of mexico city. it was a four-day weekend, and to top it off, it was mexican independence... which is always a huge lively celebration.
officially called puebla de los angeles (city of the angels), puebla is actually the fourth largest city in mexico. it is surrounded by mountains, volcanoes and boasts a cool agreeable climate. when sarah and i told people we were going to puebla, people responded with pretty vague answers... "oh..... cool" or "really?" or as jen clarke would say, "i would rather die then go to puebla". well, that certainly got our hopes up. we definitely arrived with low to no expectations, simply craving a temporary change in surroundings.
as it turned out, we were pleasantly surprised by puebla. however, there were certain circumstances that increased our enjoyment of the city: a) we were okay with being extremely lazy. b) we decided we would do some of the lame lazy touristy things. c) through a random connection, we got to explore the area around the city with a local, which is always a treat. d) we slept a lot. e) there was a million things going on because of the independence day celebrations. f) we didn't have to think about work. and it was great.
friday
we arrived late on friday evening and literally fell into our beds, even though the mattresses were hard and the pillows were thin and lumpy. our hotel was an old monastery near the main zocalo, and we got our exercise each day as we had to climb up three steep flights of stairs. the first time we climbed up the stairs we were breathless and out of shape -- by the end we were taking them two at a time!
saturday
on saturday, we slept in and had a lazy breakfast in the zocalo. following which, we hopped on the 1.5 hour tourist bus that gives you a great overall view of the city. it was such a relaxing way to see it all -- from the top of a double decker bus! they even had the commentary in english. we also got to play a little musical chairs on top with locals when our headphones weren't working. it was SO hot up there that people had to resort to creative means to protect their heads - for example: one lady was spotted wearing a burger king takeout bag upside down as a hat. how greasy. puebla has lots of different neighbourhoods, so it was a great way to get a tan AND get oriented to the city. our next stop in the sarah tambien tour was to find a random restaurant. one of the teachers who works at our school is from puebla, and sarah taught her daughter last year. her family owns a restaurant and she insisted that we drop in for a visit! we were warmly welcomed into a cute mexican restaurant called 'rocky's tacos', and we got to taste some of the unique poblano fare. i got to drool over the amazing mole sauces, and we got to try one of the local specialties called chiles en nogada (only available from july to september, it is a pepper stuffed with meat and dried fruit, topped with a nut sauce and pomegranate seads). they wouldn't even let us pay for our lunch. when you get out of the tourist area, you begin to realize that mexicans are truly some of the nicest people on earth. a lovely mother and daughter were sitting next to us, and curiously asked where we were from. by the end, we had a place to stay the next time we decide to visit tabasco. wherever that is. after lunch, we found our way back to the city center and went on another expedition to find the more 'funky' area of town. we rummaged around in an antique market, finding everything from old records for 50 bucks to working cameras from the turn of the century to skeleton keys. sarah even found a large tool for her car. we later found out that it was actually an extremely large bottle opener. fitting. now she can drink and drive in style. by this point, we had really exhausted ourselves and decided we needed to do what all mexicans do: siesta. our good friend anita, part owner of 'rocky's tacos' took us out for a night on the town. we walked back down to antique market, but voila! it had become a meat market of a bar scene. we felt famous, as when we sauntered up, we were propositioned by many young joven bartenders, wanting us to visit their bar. apparently this was normal, because anita took it all in stride and kept saying "gracias. gracias. gracias" but walked on by. we also learned something new from all of this hubbub: apparently saying "gracias" is more polite then saying "no gracias", which we have always done.
sunday
we got picked up by our very own tour guide, anita, in the early hours of the am. I was feeling exhausted, so I made them wait while I went to get coffees in the main plaza, not sure when I decided that coffee became a ‘no excuse’ part of my day. it was amazing having a car. she took us to quickly and easily to all the places that we had been hoping to visit, and MORE! we started in cholula, a city that was freezing, but also had one of the coolest pyramids that i have ever seen. It is actually has the widest base of any pyramid in the world. over the years, it has been built over multiple times, and it actually has a church and a forest on top of it now. but, you can still explore the tunnels underneath and see the pyramid from the inside. after exploring this unique place, we actually climbed up to the top of the pyramid to see the spectacular view from the top. we had been told (and seen postcard views) of the two HUGE volcanoes, but unfortunately, the clouds were obscuring our view. at one point, we think we may have had a glimpse of the top of ‘popo’, one of the volcanoes, but I wouldn’t bet my life on it. the day continued with a drive to two other towns that we would not have otherwise visited, one known for flowers, and the other for churches. and to be honest, I would have to look up the names to tell you what they were called.
monday
on monday, we hit the ultimate jackpot and found the only african safari in mexico. that's right folks, africam safari. and now that wasn't a typo, i think its called africam because african was already taken. lions, tigers, bears.. oh my. all from the comfort of a luxury mexican bus. something did seem a little strange about giraffes in mexico, but i wonder if they even know the difference. hot is hot, right? it was sarah's first drive-thru safari, complete with a tour guide sporting a full 80s style hair wall and silly photos taken in the gift shop. the day was capped off with a revolting half hot half cold frozen vegetable salad from the serengeti cafe. you don't know what you're missing. we returned from africam to enjoy an afternoon of lattes and reminiscing over past journal entries. and then, it was siesta once again.
tuesday
the return journey essentially took all day between the cab/bus/plane/cab, but before we took off, i got my last taste of poblano mole. this time, it was served over eggs, and it was quite possibly the most delicious chocolaty goodness that I have ever tasted. i am not sure I will ever be able to think of puebla without thinking of those mole eggs.
and giraffes, of course.
Monday, September 08, 2008
a love hate relationship.
being in monterrey and asfm for a second year has its pros and cons.
i love...
-knowing how to be a teacher, asfm style. i can't tell you the amount of time i save not having to read every single lesson the minute before i teach it!
-feeling comfortable in my city and knowing my way around.
-the car.
-the tutoring jackpot i seem to have hit. four hours a week at a fairly comfortable wage equals all of my spending money!
-did i mention the car?
-my new classroom. i have windows to the outside world!
-"new recipe" night. i have learned to make chickpea patties and an amazing salad with pears and pine nuts.
-paloma, the dog that ally/sarah/elise adopted. i am her godmother and therefore get all the benefits without the commitment.
-season 1 of melrose place that i purchased and am using for pure escapism. so corny, but decadent.
-super fitness damas VIP, the new gym that i joined with a whole bunch of ladies from work. each machine has a personal tv, and the atmosphere is incredibly motivating! soon we will be super fitness damas ourselves.
-the book that sarah tambien and i want to write on our adventures, or at least talking about it.
-brazilian night: meat served off of swords, karaoke 'til bed.
BUT i don't love...
-the HUGE GIANT DISGUSTING bat moths that seem to have taken over the city. one was on my car window this morning and didn't leave during my whole drive to school. and somehow one snuck into ginny's room. YUCK.
-the politics, asfm style.
-having a broken finger, but that has nothing to do with anything. i just hate it, so i thought i'd add it in here.
-the muy expensive flights this year.
-missing friends that left and moved on to other adventures.
-the new strict dismissal policy that was implemented for the school, partly due to safety issues that have arisen in mexico.
-work on weekends. so i still don't really do it. just when i absolutely completely have to.
i love...
-knowing how to be a teacher, asfm style. i can't tell you the amount of time i save not having to read every single lesson the minute before i teach it!
-feeling comfortable in my city and knowing my way around.
-the car.
-the tutoring jackpot i seem to have hit. four hours a week at a fairly comfortable wage equals all of my spending money!
-did i mention the car?
-my new classroom. i have windows to the outside world!
-"new recipe" night. i have learned to make chickpea patties and an amazing salad with pears and pine nuts.
-paloma, the dog that ally/sarah/elise adopted. i am her godmother and therefore get all the benefits without the commitment.
-season 1 of melrose place that i purchased and am using for pure escapism. so corny, but decadent.
-super fitness damas VIP, the new gym that i joined with a whole bunch of ladies from work. each machine has a personal tv, and the atmosphere is incredibly motivating! soon we will be super fitness damas ourselves.
-the book that sarah tambien and i want to write on our adventures, or at least talking about it.
-brazilian night: meat served off of swords, karaoke 'til bed.
BUT i don't love...
-the HUGE GIANT DISGUSTING bat moths that seem to have taken over the city. one was on my car window this morning and didn't leave during my whole drive to school. and somehow one snuck into ginny's room. YUCK.
-the politics, asfm style.
-having a broken finger, but that has nothing to do with anything. i just hate it, so i thought i'd add it in here.
-the muy expensive flights this year.
-missing friends that left and moved on to other adventures.
-the new strict dismissal policy that was implemented for the school, partly due to safety issues that have arisen in mexico.
-work on weekends. so i still don't really do it. just when i absolutely completely have to.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
an ode to grandma.
i never wrote about this on my blog, but last year my grandma passed away. it was expected, but i still returned home from mexico for the funeral and to say goodbye. the connection, though, lies in the lovely 1994 taurus that i have been using to putter around monterrey. it originally belonged to her, so in a way she is with me every day.
so, without further ado, here are the reasons that i LOVE my car (and by extension, my grandma)...
-she lets me sleep in for an extra 15 minutes and STILL get to work on time. (i'll admit, this may be the best part)
-she gets my bum to the new swanky gym that i joined.
-she lets me honk my car horn several times a day to compete with the other slightly mad monterrey drivers.
-she enables me to run errands whenever i feel like it, without the hassle of organization.
-she lets me offer to drive others around who need it! (with a car, nothing is too far...)
-she has given me back the freedom to control my own schedule and decisions, without having to rely on the dreaded question, "can i borrow your car?"
-she is helping me explore more of monterrey and the area.
-she gets me to the nice starbucks on saturdays.
-she adds a little flavour and adventure to my day. never a dull moment on mexican roads!
-she has kept on truckin' along despite being a little old and rough around the edges.
thanks grandma!
so, without further ado, here are the reasons that i LOVE my car (and by extension, my grandma)...
-she lets me sleep in for an extra 15 minutes and STILL get to work on time. (i'll admit, this may be the best part)
-she gets my bum to the new swanky gym that i joined.
-she lets me honk my car horn several times a day to compete with the other slightly mad monterrey drivers.
-she enables me to run errands whenever i feel like it, without the hassle of organization.
-she lets me offer to drive others around who need it! (with a car, nothing is too far...)
-she has given me back the freedom to control my own schedule and decisions, without having to rely on the dreaded question, "can i borrow your car?"
-she is helping me explore more of monterrey and the area.
-she gets me to the nice starbucks on saturdays.
-she adds a little flavour and adventure to my day. never a dull moment on mexican roads!
-she has kept on truckin' along despite being a little old and rough around the edges.
thanks grandma!
Monday, August 18, 2008
drive by numbers.
Two weeks ago, after an amazing and relaxing six weeks off (I was literally thanking the Gods of teaching daily), I had to return to Mexico for my second official year at ASFM. But this time, I didn’t go alone… I decided to have an old friend accompany me.
She was born in 1994.
She is steamy hot with little ability to acclimatize.
She has tacky fashion sense.
Grandma Taurus and I set off to Mexico late on a Wednesday evening, with aspirations of arriving on Saturday. But that was only the beginning of the adventure.
24 – Hours of books on CD that I brought for the trip. I listened to 9 hours of an Ann Patchett book, and got through about 13 of my next novel, Zorro by Isabelle Allende. I have to find a time to listen to the rest!
6 – The number of states the I had to cross: Michigan (terribly bumpy highways and awful construction), Ohio (not my favorite, we’ll get to that later), Kentucky (very green with lovely scenery), Tennessee (I actually listened to country music on the radio for almost an hour!), Arkansas (quick to pass through) and Texas (fastest speed limit, but longest to traverse).
10 – The number of hours that it takes to cross the massive state of Texas. Make that 11 with a brief power shop in San Marcos.
14 - Number of times I had to fill up on gas. Did you know that you have to pay first in the States if you are paying cash?
350 – Give or take a dollar or two, this was the amount of money that I spent on gas.
42 - Number of hours I spent driving. This includes time spent in traffic, which added about 4 hours to this total.
100ish - Number of busted truck tires that I had to swerve to avoid on the interstates.
3 – Number of hours I spent waiting on the side of the highway in Cincinnati after my car broke down.
1 – The number of police escorts I got off the highway.
9 – Number of hours I had to wait for the automobile shop to figure out what was wrong with the car. Note that my mom actually had to call and threaten to move the car to a Ford Dealership in order for anything to get accomplished. How embarrassing!
2 – The grand total of torrential downpours that attacked my windshield wipers, and forced me to pull over.
1 – Stupid sign in Texas advertising for guns: “We AIM to keep you safe.”
4 – The number of hotels who ripped me off to lay my head down for a few hours: in Oakville, Cincinnati, Nashville and Dallas.
2 – The number of times that I made serious wrong turns. And wouldn’t you know it, they were both after I crossed the Mexican border.
2 - The number of hours I spent at the Mexican border getting my car permit. Not bad, all things considered!
0 – The total number of clear Mexican road signs.
3600 – The final count on Kilometres traveled from Ottawa, Canada to Monterrey, Mexico.
It was quite the adventure! I pulled into my apartment in Monterrey late Sunday night, and I felt like I was home. I couldn't believe I had actually DRIVEN there. Since then, a lot has happened, which partly explains my blogging absence.
After arriving...
I had two quick days to set up my new classroom.
Another two quick days of training and meetings.
Then I jumped on a plane and went BACK to Canada for Elena's wedding (more on that to come).
Four days later I flew back to Monterrey and started school 24 hours later. Phew.
I have a new group of kids, I miss my old ones and my classroom still feels like I just moved in. Its been a busy whirlwind, but I feel that it is gradually starting to come together.
And let me add, Monterrey is a whole new world with a car!
She was born in 1994.
She is steamy hot with little ability to acclimatize.
She has tacky fashion sense.
Grandma Taurus and I set off to Mexico late on a Wednesday evening, with aspirations of arriving on Saturday. But that was only the beginning of the adventure.
24 – Hours of books on CD that I brought for the trip. I listened to 9 hours of an Ann Patchett book, and got through about 13 of my next novel, Zorro by Isabelle Allende. I have to find a time to listen to the rest!
6 – The number of states the I had to cross: Michigan (terribly bumpy highways and awful construction), Ohio (not my favorite, we’ll get to that later), Kentucky (very green with lovely scenery), Tennessee (I actually listened to country music on the radio for almost an hour!), Arkansas (quick to pass through) and Texas (fastest speed limit, but longest to traverse).
10 – The number of hours that it takes to cross the massive state of Texas. Make that 11 with a brief power shop in San Marcos.
14 - Number of times I had to fill up on gas. Did you know that you have to pay first in the States if you are paying cash?
350 – Give or take a dollar or two, this was the amount of money that I spent on gas.
42 - Number of hours I spent driving. This includes time spent in traffic, which added about 4 hours to this total.
100ish - Number of busted truck tires that I had to swerve to avoid on the interstates.
3 – Number of hours I spent waiting on the side of the highway in Cincinnati after my car broke down.
1 – The number of police escorts I got off the highway.
9 – Number of hours I had to wait for the automobile shop to figure out what was wrong with the car. Note that my mom actually had to call and threaten to move the car to a Ford Dealership in order for anything to get accomplished. How embarrassing!
2 – The grand total of torrential downpours that attacked my windshield wipers, and forced me to pull over.
1 – Stupid sign in Texas advertising for guns: “We AIM to keep you safe.”
4 – The number of hotels who ripped me off to lay my head down for a few hours: in Oakville, Cincinnati, Nashville and Dallas.
2 – The number of times that I made serious wrong turns. And wouldn’t you know it, they were both after I crossed the Mexican border.
2 - The number of hours I spent at the Mexican border getting my car permit. Not bad, all things considered!
0 – The total number of clear Mexican road signs.
3600 – The final count on Kilometres traveled from Ottawa, Canada to Monterrey, Mexico.
It was quite the adventure! I pulled into my apartment in Monterrey late Sunday night, and I felt like I was home. I couldn't believe I had actually DRIVEN there. Since then, a lot has happened, which partly explains my blogging absence.
After arriving...
I had two quick days to set up my new classroom.
Another two quick days of training and meetings.
Then I jumped on a plane and went BACK to Canada for Elena's wedding (more on that to come).
Four days later I flew back to Monterrey and started school 24 hours later. Phew.
I have a new group of kids, I miss my old ones and my classroom still feels like I just moved in. Its been a busy whirlwind, but I feel that it is gradually starting to come together.
And let me add, Monterrey is a whole new world with a car!
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
I am.
Lots of things: Home. A Canadian. A breakfast-lover. A sun worshiper. A traveler. An idiot with money. A spontaneous spirit. But most of all… I am incredibly lucky.
After my first year of living abroad, I arrived back in Canada late Monday night, just in time for Canada Day. It was a long 28 hours of traveling: involving a luxurious overnight bus ride from zihuatanejo to Mexico City (foot rest, full reclining seat with food AND an English movie!), a chilly wait until I could check in (could someone please explain why they built the cafeteria waiting area OUTSIDE?), two long flights and a LONG wait for luggage in Atlanta (which never arrived… apparently they forgot to tell me that the luggage went straight through to Canada. Lucky for me, I got to see the ‘welcome to the USA’ video approximately 14 and a half times!).
I love my life in Mexico, but I am SO happy to be home for the month. I am proud to be from the country of Terry Fox, lovely summers, cottages, Blue Rodeo and other people who are proud to be Canadian. It is such a sight, after a year in a very different culture to see Canadians flooding the streets in celebration without alcohol or riots, to see people waiting in single file for port-a-potty’s, and to see everyone sitting calmly in lounge chairs during outdoor concerts. In general we are such a kind, respectful bunch, aren’t we?
My dad picked me up at the airport and we had a quick catch-up before I went to bed; which obviously involved a cup of Tim Horton’s coffee. My parents had tried to surprise me with the finished full household renovations they have been working on for the last three months, but unfortunately I was greeted with a surprise in progress! From what I can see it will look great, but the whole house is in a bit of disarray at the moment. They have decided to upgrade to new stainless steel appliances, a gorgeous granite kitchen countertop and new carpet. I am so proud of my very modern and fashionable parents!
My first full day home was Canada Day, which was a flurry of patios, phone calls to meet up with friends and fireworks, which all proved to be difficult without a cell phone! Oh, how we rely on being connected. I may have to invest in a temporary cheap cell phone for my time here. I loved every minute of the Canada Day celebration; it was an amazing welcome back to the capital.
There are so many negatives about living abroad: missing out on friends and family, not settling, expensive flights home… but in truth, being away for so long makes me appreciate every minute at home even more. I am loving hearing English, decent coffee, calm traffic, the warm (but not boiling hot) weather, seeing familiar faces, two-way streets, delicious beer, my family, having a car, going to lulu lemon and MEC, seeing Katie and Elena… and having the summer off to enjoy it all. Writing this, I am realizing: it is ridiculous how lucky I am.
After my first year of living abroad, I arrived back in Canada late Monday night, just in time for Canada Day. It was a long 28 hours of traveling: involving a luxurious overnight bus ride from zihuatanejo to Mexico City (foot rest, full reclining seat with food AND an English movie!), a chilly wait until I could check in (could someone please explain why they built the cafeteria waiting area OUTSIDE?), two long flights and a LONG wait for luggage in Atlanta (which never arrived… apparently they forgot to tell me that the luggage went straight through to Canada. Lucky for me, I got to see the ‘welcome to the USA’ video approximately 14 and a half times!).
I love my life in Mexico, but I am SO happy to be home for the month. I am proud to be from the country of Terry Fox, lovely summers, cottages, Blue Rodeo and other people who are proud to be Canadian. It is such a sight, after a year in a very different culture to see Canadians flooding the streets in celebration without alcohol or riots, to see people waiting in single file for port-a-potty’s, and to see everyone sitting calmly in lounge chairs during outdoor concerts. In general we are such a kind, respectful bunch, aren’t we?
My dad picked me up at the airport and we had a quick catch-up before I went to bed; which obviously involved a cup of Tim Horton’s coffee. My parents had tried to surprise me with the finished full household renovations they have been working on for the last three months, but unfortunately I was greeted with a surprise in progress! From what I can see it will look great, but the whole house is in a bit of disarray at the moment. They have decided to upgrade to new stainless steel appliances, a gorgeous granite kitchen countertop and new carpet. I am so proud of my very modern and fashionable parents!
My first full day home was Canada Day, which was a flurry of patios, phone calls to meet up with friends and fireworks, which all proved to be difficult without a cell phone! Oh, how we rely on being connected. I may have to invest in a temporary cheap cell phone for my time here. I loved every minute of the Canada Day celebration; it was an amazing welcome back to the capital.
There are so many negatives about living abroad: missing out on friends and family, not settling, expensive flights home… but in truth, being away for so long makes me appreciate every minute at home even more. I am loving hearing English, decent coffee, calm traffic, the warm (but not boiling hot) weather, seeing familiar faces, two-way streets, delicious beer, my family, having a car, going to lulu lemon and MEC, seeing Katie and Elena… and having the summer off to enjoy it all. Writing this, I am realizing: it is ridiculous how lucky I am.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
one for the road.
so jen and i have been on the road for over a week now. we began in monterrey and have driven across the country and ended up in zihuatanejo on the coast. it is pretty incredible how accessible the world comes when you have a car. it has been a weird, quirky and memorable trip. there hasn't been a lot of internet access in the wilds of mexico, so i'll have to make it up now.
first leg: 8 hours to san miguel, a colonial town in the heartland of mexico.
this was the longest driving leg of the trip, and went really quickly. san miguel was everything i imagined it would be. a town full of gringos and expats; delicious breakfast restaurants and colourful buildings. we slept late, went to bed early, downed a bottle of wine at each of our dinners and even witnessed an indigenous dancing celebration in the main square.
second leg: 30 minutes to hot springs outside of san miguel.
why has no one told us about this? there are warm pools surrounded by well-manicured gardens on the outskirts of san miguel. one of the hot pools even went into a cave. it felt like we were in a turkish bath. except no one was naked. if it wasn't for a thunderstorm we may have stayed all day.
third leg: pushing 4 hours to morelia in the state of michoacan, known for the monarch butterfly migration... which unfortunately have gone home for the summer.
the trip would have taken only 3 hours if we hadn't gotten stuck behind the slowest truck in the world. the roads were windy so the crawling truck was virtually unpassable! we definitely noticed the landscape becoming more lush and fresh. in fact, we stumbled upon our own enchanted broccoli forest on the side of the road! either there has been an unprecedented boom in broccoli production OR a broccoli truck tipped over. people were literally running away with broccoli spilling out of their arms. odd. morelia itself is the kind of city that looks nicer at night. the cathedral was gorgeous when all lit up, but the city itself didn't bowl me over with its beauty. however, i was won over when a lady at the corner store opened our wine bottle for us. clearly the key to my heart is evident.
fourth leg: an hour or so to the small town of patzcuaro.
a chilly town that felt more like being in northern ontario then in mexico. very busy and lively during the day of the dead celebrations, patzcuaro became a mandatory rest stop for us on our amazing race. it was cold and rainy most of the time, so we found comfort in cable television and the greatest steak dinner i have ever eaten. we were the only customers in a beautiful grand restaurant, with overly attentive service (not that i'm actually complaining... they were willing to run down the street to get us the bottle of wine we wanted!) the steak dinner was called "the three musketeers", and it was three beef medallions in different sauce: mustard, roquefort and pepper. thank god i'm not a vegetarian.
fifth leg: 30 minute boat ride to isla janitzio, a small island with no roads or cars, famous for its day of the dead celebrations.
on the way out of the island we got to witness the famous fishermen of the island fishing with their huge butterfly nets. i have a feeling it is more for show now, as the lake is dark as mud... and the fishermen actually asked for tips after showing us how they fish. hmm. fishy. all roads on the smelly, bug infested island (i blame the fish again) lead to the highest point, where there is a huge statue of one of the mexican heros of independence. for a mere 6 pesos you can climb to the top of the statue via a winding staircase which may or may not have caused a few panic attacks over the years. when you get to the very top you can look out of peep holes from the statue's raised fist at the beautiful views before figuring out how you are going to get yourself down again. for some reason these types of things have become very scary as an adult.
sixth leg: back from the island. and an hour long car ride to the city of uruapan, the city of avocados!
avocados are supposed to be big business in uruapan. so our first mission was to eat some. we found a great coffee shop and settled down with our books and ordered one order for each of us! within a few minutes, our mouths were on fire... because we seem to have found the only guacamole served with diced hot peppers. hot! in this town we also witnessed the strangest occurrence yet... an elephant being driven down the street. we couldn't really believe it. it turned out a circus was arriving in town. hmm. maybe now was a good time to leave.
seventh leg: 30 minutes (and a few surprise speedbumps) to the small town of angahuan.
to fully divulge our experience in angahuan... read on:
___________
Walking wounded.
If you were to walk past Jen and I today on the street today, you would think that we were a) 90 years old or b) recovering from a massive surgery. We are hobbling around, every step is painful – we look absolutely ridiculous. This must be what it feels like to age. Every part of our body aches from our heels to our backs.
No, we didn’t run a triathlon.
No, we didn’t walk the Appalachian Trial.
We went horseback riding.
Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? But seriously. We got a massive pounding from riding a horse! I have gained a whole new respect for cowboys and cowgirls.
Yesterday we drove out to a small town named Angahuan, a small indigenous Purepechan community near a volcano. In 1943, a local farmer witnessed the ground shaking and spurting steam. He tried to cover the earth, but eventually realized he needed to flee. A volcano was literally growing out of his cornfield. Within a year, it had raised 410 metres above the surrounding land and its lava had covered two surrounding villages. You can still see the steeple of one of the village churches protruding out of the field of lava.
The entire day trip takes 6 or 7 hours, including a hike up to the top of the dead volcano. Local horse riders lead you out on horseback from the village through ash-filled fields to the volcano, probably about a 2 and a half hour trip. Except these are not “guides” as you might traditionally expect. Ours happened to be a 14 year old boy named Tomas. And for some reason, he decided it was a good idea to have the horses trot and gallop a good chunk of the way. The first time that we began to gallop, I felt incredible! I couldn't believe it! I was a true Mexican Cabellera! And then it started to hurt. A lot. So much that I felt like my legs were being ripped off from my body. My bum was getting the pounding of a lifetime. My hands were paralyzed from hanging on for dear life. My horse felt it necessary to bite Jen's horse... and Jen. Tomas either loved watching us panic, or did not understand our Spanish... because he kept encouraging the horses to run. By the end, I thought my legs might never leave the squatting position. And that was only half of the marathon day trip.
When we arrived at the volcano (which was incredibly cool... and I don't want to take away from that fact... but this is a much better story), we could barely get off of our horses, let alone hike to the top. So we took the 'easy' route, which Tomas so kindly ran ahead to show us. I don't think he was out of breath once. Jen and I negotiated the loose lava rocks and did eventually make it to the top, although I could not actually feel my legs when we got there. The view was spectacular, and there was steam rising... a truly magical experience. And then the reward: we got to ski/skate/jump down a steep part of the volcano that is padded with sand-like ash. It was the best theme park ride I've ever been on. And then we remembered the hard and brutal truth: we had to get on those horses again. My knees buckled at the sight of them. Somehow I managed to get on, but I knew my body would not sustain two more hours of pounding. We broke the news to Tomas, and the horses slowly took most of the way back... until they got minds of their own and decided to pick up the pace. I don't think horses understand humans screaming, "STOP! OWWW! STOP!". Oh, it hurts to relive the pain. The next stop was at the old church that is the only remaining part of the two towns that were buried by the volcano when it erupted. Sticking out from a sea of lava, you can climb over the lava rocks to the steeple and the remains of the church. And then, it was back on the saddle again. But this time, it was pouring rain. At least the rain helped me to forget how much my bum was hurting.
Somehow we finished the expedition and got our broken bodies back to the hotel. Neither of us could move, as we were bruised, banged and scraped. Starting out the trip thinking that maybe I could be a real horse woman, I now realized that being a cowgirl is tough business... and maybe something that I should leave to someone else. And next time you go horseback riding, start slow, don't commit to the whole day. It is not as romantic as it might seem. A word from the wise.
____________________
eighth leg: a painful 4 hour car ride to the coast.
zihua is an adorable little fishing town in a sheltered bay with beautiful beaches and cute hotels and bungalows. our bodies were happy to see the beach! with the help of our lonely planet guide, we found a little bungalow overlooking the beach with a huge outdoor kitchenette and patio with lounge chairs and hammocks. we have read a few books, eaten some fresh seafood and nursed our aching bodies back to health. we'll definitely be back next year. the ocean completes us. (except for the third degree burns on jen that she got from under the umbrella. explain that??)
and so it is. our road trip 2008 has come to an end. jen and i have had an amazing time. her brother is arriving this evening, and they are continuing the adventure for another couple of weeks. i, however, am getting on an overnight bus to mexico city in a few hours and i fly back out to canada tomorrow. just in time for canada day! as much as i adore and love mexico and all its quirky wonders, i am also eager to have some family, friends and canadiana back in my life.
jen: thanks for a trip similar to the highest quality romaine. i'll never eat iceberg again. xx
first leg: 8 hours to san miguel, a colonial town in the heartland of mexico.
this was the longest driving leg of the trip, and went really quickly. san miguel was everything i imagined it would be. a town full of gringos and expats; delicious breakfast restaurants and colourful buildings. we slept late, went to bed early, downed a bottle of wine at each of our dinners and even witnessed an indigenous dancing celebration in the main square.
second leg: 30 minutes to hot springs outside of san miguel.
why has no one told us about this? there are warm pools surrounded by well-manicured gardens on the outskirts of san miguel. one of the hot pools even went into a cave. it felt like we were in a turkish bath. except no one was naked. if it wasn't for a thunderstorm we may have stayed all day.
third leg: pushing 4 hours to morelia in the state of michoacan, known for the monarch butterfly migration... which unfortunately have gone home for the summer.
the trip would have taken only 3 hours if we hadn't gotten stuck behind the slowest truck in the world. the roads were windy so the crawling truck was virtually unpassable! we definitely noticed the landscape becoming more lush and fresh. in fact, we stumbled upon our own enchanted broccoli forest on the side of the road! either there has been an unprecedented boom in broccoli production OR a broccoli truck tipped over. people were literally running away with broccoli spilling out of their arms. odd. morelia itself is the kind of city that looks nicer at night. the cathedral was gorgeous when all lit up, but the city itself didn't bowl me over with its beauty. however, i was won over when a lady at the corner store opened our wine bottle for us. clearly the key to my heart is evident.
fourth leg: an hour or so to the small town of patzcuaro.
a chilly town that felt more like being in northern ontario then in mexico. very busy and lively during the day of the dead celebrations, patzcuaro became a mandatory rest stop for us on our amazing race. it was cold and rainy most of the time, so we found comfort in cable television and the greatest steak dinner i have ever eaten. we were the only customers in a beautiful grand restaurant, with overly attentive service (not that i'm actually complaining... they were willing to run down the street to get us the bottle of wine we wanted!) the steak dinner was called "the three musketeers", and it was three beef medallions in different sauce: mustard, roquefort and pepper. thank god i'm not a vegetarian.
fifth leg: 30 minute boat ride to isla janitzio, a small island with no roads or cars, famous for its day of the dead celebrations.
on the way out of the island we got to witness the famous fishermen of the island fishing with their huge butterfly nets. i have a feeling it is more for show now, as the lake is dark as mud... and the fishermen actually asked for tips after showing us how they fish. hmm. fishy. all roads on the smelly, bug infested island (i blame the fish again) lead to the highest point, where there is a huge statue of one of the mexican heros of independence. for a mere 6 pesos you can climb to the top of the statue via a winding staircase which may or may not have caused a few panic attacks over the years. when you get to the very top you can look out of peep holes from the statue's raised fist at the beautiful views before figuring out how you are going to get yourself down again. for some reason these types of things have become very scary as an adult.
sixth leg: back from the island. and an hour long car ride to the city of uruapan, the city of avocados!
avocados are supposed to be big business in uruapan. so our first mission was to eat some. we found a great coffee shop and settled down with our books and ordered one order for each of us! within a few minutes, our mouths were on fire... because we seem to have found the only guacamole served with diced hot peppers. hot! in this town we also witnessed the strangest occurrence yet... an elephant being driven down the street. we couldn't really believe it. it turned out a circus was arriving in town. hmm. maybe now was a good time to leave.
seventh leg: 30 minutes (and a few surprise speedbumps) to the small town of angahuan.
to fully divulge our experience in angahuan... read on:
___________
Walking wounded.
If you were to walk past Jen and I today on the street today, you would think that we were a) 90 years old or b) recovering from a massive surgery. We are hobbling around, every step is painful – we look absolutely ridiculous. This must be what it feels like to age. Every part of our body aches from our heels to our backs.
No, we didn’t run a triathlon.
No, we didn’t walk the Appalachian Trial.
We went horseback riding.
Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? But seriously. We got a massive pounding from riding a horse! I have gained a whole new respect for cowboys and cowgirls.
Yesterday we drove out to a small town named Angahuan, a small indigenous Purepechan community near a volcano. In 1943, a local farmer witnessed the ground shaking and spurting steam. He tried to cover the earth, but eventually realized he needed to flee. A volcano was literally growing out of his cornfield. Within a year, it had raised 410 metres above the surrounding land and its lava had covered two surrounding villages. You can still see the steeple of one of the village churches protruding out of the field of lava.
The entire day trip takes 6 or 7 hours, including a hike up to the top of the dead volcano. Local horse riders lead you out on horseback from the village through ash-filled fields to the volcano, probably about a 2 and a half hour trip. Except these are not “guides” as you might traditionally expect. Ours happened to be a 14 year old boy named Tomas. And for some reason, he decided it was a good idea to have the horses trot and gallop a good chunk of the way. The first time that we began to gallop, I felt incredible! I couldn't believe it! I was a true Mexican Cabellera! And then it started to hurt. A lot. So much that I felt like my legs were being ripped off from my body. My bum was getting the pounding of a lifetime. My hands were paralyzed from hanging on for dear life. My horse felt it necessary to bite Jen's horse... and Jen. Tomas either loved watching us panic, or did not understand our Spanish... because he kept encouraging the horses to run. By the end, I thought my legs might never leave the squatting position. And that was only half of the marathon day trip.
When we arrived at the volcano (which was incredibly cool... and I don't want to take away from that fact... but this is a much better story), we could barely get off of our horses, let alone hike to the top. So we took the 'easy' route, which Tomas so kindly ran ahead to show us. I don't think he was out of breath once. Jen and I negotiated the loose lava rocks and did eventually make it to the top, although I could not actually feel my legs when we got there. The view was spectacular, and there was steam rising... a truly magical experience. And then the reward: we got to ski/skate/jump down a steep part of the volcano that is padded with sand-like ash. It was the best theme park ride I've ever been on. And then we remembered the hard and brutal truth: we had to get on those horses again. My knees buckled at the sight of them. Somehow I managed to get on, but I knew my body would not sustain two more hours of pounding. We broke the news to Tomas, and the horses slowly took most of the way back... until they got minds of their own and decided to pick up the pace. I don't think horses understand humans screaming, "STOP! OWWW! STOP!". Oh, it hurts to relive the pain. The next stop was at the old church that is the only remaining part of the two towns that were buried by the volcano when it erupted. Sticking out from a sea of lava, you can climb over the lava rocks to the steeple and the remains of the church. And then, it was back on the saddle again. But this time, it was pouring rain. At least the rain helped me to forget how much my bum was hurting.
Somehow we finished the expedition and got our broken bodies back to the hotel. Neither of us could move, as we were bruised, banged and scraped. Starting out the trip thinking that maybe I could be a real horse woman, I now realized that being a cowgirl is tough business... and maybe something that I should leave to someone else. And next time you go horseback riding, start slow, don't commit to the whole day. It is not as romantic as it might seem. A word from the wise.
____________________
eighth leg: a painful 4 hour car ride to the coast.
zihua is an adorable little fishing town in a sheltered bay with beautiful beaches and cute hotels and bungalows. our bodies were happy to see the beach! with the help of our lonely planet guide, we found a little bungalow overlooking the beach with a huge outdoor kitchenette and patio with lounge chairs and hammocks. we have read a few books, eaten some fresh seafood and nursed our aching bodies back to health. we'll definitely be back next year. the ocean completes us. (except for the third degree burns on jen that she got from under the umbrella. explain that??)
and so it is. our road trip 2008 has come to an end. jen and i have had an amazing time. her brother is arriving this evening, and they are continuing the adventure for another couple of weeks. i, however, am getting on an overnight bus to mexico city in a few hours and i fly back out to canada tomorrow. just in time for canada day! as much as i adore and love mexico and all its quirky wonders, i am also eager to have some family, friends and canadiana back in my life.
jen: thanks for a trip similar to the highest quality romaine. i'll never eat iceberg again. xx
Monday, June 23, 2008
free and easy down the road i go.
my lovely friend jen clarke and i decided to get away and follow the road where it takes us. we wanted...
every seat to be a window seat
to wake up to the sound of the ocean and not the sound of an alarm clock
and
to find adventures that aren't on the map
so we left monterrey saturday morning with two starbucks lattes, a fully packed trunk and a map. it felt great to leave monterrey knowing that i'll be back... but that i have no ties to it for a month or two. often monterrey feels very far away from everything, but as soon as you have a car and you're heading down the road... places don't feel so far after all.
the first leg of our journey was planned to be the longest drive. we had hoped to make it all the way to san miguel, a colonial town in the heart of mexico. we had a few factors that were deterring us namely that i was pretty tired (ehem: hungover) from drinking three gigantic mojitos the night before. definite poor planning on my part. however, with some great tunes, healthy snacks (jen cut enough carrots and celery for the week and even boiled some eggs!) and a caffeine fix, i was good to go.
we drove the whole way, only stopping once for gas and a snack and made it to the heartland of mexico in only 7 hours! we saw lots of goats being herded on the side of the highway, watched the scenery change as we travelled through states and began our hatred of mexico's obsession with speed bumps.
things i love about road tripping with jen so far:
1. she has great taste in music and has even convinced me that i should give country music a try! and she loves to belt out songs with me.
2. she LOVES to read. between the two of us we have a library to entertain us.
3. she is a rockin' driver. and while driving is my favourite thing, my second favourite thing is being a navigator to a good driver.
4. she appreciates a delicious meal as much as i do. many culinary adventures to come!
5. we have a loose "plan" BUT she is spontaneous and is always ready for the unexpected.
now we are in colourful san miguel. and i like it.
every seat to be a window seat
to wake up to the sound of the ocean and not the sound of an alarm clock
and
to find adventures that aren't on the map
so we left monterrey saturday morning with two starbucks lattes, a fully packed trunk and a map. it felt great to leave monterrey knowing that i'll be back... but that i have no ties to it for a month or two. often monterrey feels very far away from everything, but as soon as you have a car and you're heading down the road... places don't feel so far after all.
the first leg of our journey was planned to be the longest drive. we had hoped to make it all the way to san miguel, a colonial town in the heart of mexico. we had a few factors that were deterring us namely that i was pretty tired (ehem: hungover) from drinking three gigantic mojitos the night before. definite poor planning on my part. however, with some great tunes, healthy snacks (jen cut enough carrots and celery for the week and even boiled some eggs!) and a caffeine fix, i was good to go.
we drove the whole way, only stopping once for gas and a snack and made it to the heartland of mexico in only 7 hours! we saw lots of goats being herded on the side of the highway, watched the scenery change as we travelled through states and began our hatred of mexico's obsession with speed bumps.
things i love about road tripping with jen so far:
1. she has great taste in music and has even convinced me that i should give country music a try! and she loves to belt out songs with me.
2. she LOVES to read. between the two of us we have a library to entertain us.
3. she is a rockin' driver. and while driving is my favourite thing, my second favourite thing is being a navigator to a good driver.
4. she appreciates a delicious meal as much as i do. many culinary adventures to come!
5. we have a loose "plan" BUT she is spontaneous and is always ready for the unexpected.
now we are in colourful san miguel. and i like it.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
my affirmations for today.
a.k.a. how i will convince myself to get through the next two weeks. my professor is smart, hilarious and has great stories... but i am still struggling with getting through. here goes:
these are the best two weeks of my life
i am a strong, confident, capable woman
i believe in miracles, and welcome their manifesting
i focus well in class, contribute intelligently and am successful at menial academic tasks.
i am inspired
i am the opposite of bored
i love being indoors and revel in frigid air conditioning
every day, in every way, i get closer to finishing my enlightening masters degree.
these are the best two weeks of my life
i am a strong, confident, capable woman
i believe in miracles, and welcome their manifesting
i focus well in class, contribute intelligently and am successful at menial academic tasks.
i am inspired
i am the opposite of bored
i love being indoors and revel in frigid air conditioning
every day, in every way, i get closer to finishing my enlightening masters degree.
Monday, June 09, 2008
bee season.
"you're either on the bus or you're off the bus"
sarah tambien and i took a trip back to the 60s on the weekend. her favourite chicago-based artist, andrew bird, decided to come to a music festival in mexico - and she didn't want to miss it! sarah wanted a partner-in-crime for her little adventure, and since everyone knows about my over-impulsive behaviours, she knew she could count on me.
chapter 1: "do they have hypnotic treatments to cure sleeping through alarms?" - me
our flight to cuernevaca was early saturday morning. friday evening we had celebrated our last night with all the girls with a sex in the city party, so i had gone to bed without packing, and completely unprepared. in true flemo form, i set my alarm leaving lots of time to shower and pack... and then slept right through it. i should mention that i also slept through TEN phone calls from sarah trying to wake me up. she ended up driving over and finding me still asleep when our cab was supposed to be picking us up! i threw a few things into a suitcase and we were out the door in less then 15 minutes. that'll make my parents proud.
chapter 2: "this is what happens when you let me plan!" - sarah tambien
we booked our tickets without knowing much about the concert at all. we knew it was an all-day festival that was only accessible by bus, but that was about it. our plan, according to sarah tambien, was going to be to bring all our luggage to the festival and camp there. uhh, great idea. except for one small snag. there wasn't actually camping allowed at the concert site. luckily, we thought to read through the spanish website at midnight the night before and were able to put some of the facts together. we booked a cheap hotel in cuernevaca, and planned to sleep there even though the concert was about an hour away. somehow, we also missed (or perhaps ignored) the messages that it would be cold, wet, muddy and rainy at the show. so, we showed up in flip flops, without rain gear and only one layer piece. yes, its true, we are THAT smart.
chapter 3: "besame mucho" - andrew bird
the location of the colmena festival itself was breathtaking. after managing to perfectly time our cab-plane-cab-hotel-cab-bus combination, we arrived at the jardin sagrado (otherwise known as sacred garden), which was an ecologically-friendly sanctuary sheltered by bee-hived shaped cliffs and small mountains. the location was idyllic, the acoustics were brilliant and the music was relaxing. having just finished a full year of teaching, sarah and i were exhausted. after we walked the long muddy path into the concert, we put down a sarong and lay down and relaxed for about an hour. we looked more like nappers then concert-goers, i imagine. even with the crowds of people, long lines for food and stinky toilets, sarah and i relaxed and enjoyed every minute. by the time the enchanting voice of andrew bird hit the stage, we hadn't let the chilly weather or on-again off-again rain get us down.
chapter 4: "which way to cuerna?" - both of us
andrew bird's show was short, but his presence was captivating. if you haven't heard him already, please go and download him now. you definitely won't be disappointed and you might even fall in love. sigur ros, a fabulously mellow group with classical influences (and even a brass band in their back pocket) was the big ticket item of the night. the problem remained that there were more then 6,000 people in the middle of nowhere that needed to be shuttled back to their various towns. mexicans are known for many lovely things, but being efficiently organized would definitely NOT be one of them. we really didn't want to be waiting in lines for hours into the night for our bus, so we broke the number one concert rule and actually left early. OF COURSE, in true mexican form, it still took them more then 45 minutes to get the first few hundred people organized! i don't want to even think of what it would have been like if we had been in the middle of the throngs of people that left at the official end of the concert.
chapter 5: "flying solo" - sarah tambien
as quickly as i had arrived, i turned around and left. i was out of monterrey for little more then 30 hours! i left sarah behind for her first solo travel adventure (something i truly believe every person should experience once in their life)... leaving my pseudo 60s adventure behind.
sarah tambien and i took a trip back to the 60s on the weekend. her favourite chicago-based artist, andrew bird, decided to come to a music festival in mexico - and she didn't want to miss it! sarah wanted a partner-in-crime for her little adventure, and since everyone knows about my over-impulsive behaviours, she knew she could count on me.
chapter 1: "do they have hypnotic treatments to cure sleeping through alarms?" - me
our flight to cuernevaca was early saturday morning. friday evening we had celebrated our last night with all the girls with a sex in the city party, so i had gone to bed without packing, and completely unprepared. in true flemo form, i set my alarm leaving lots of time to shower and pack... and then slept right through it. i should mention that i also slept through TEN phone calls from sarah trying to wake me up. she ended up driving over and finding me still asleep when our cab was supposed to be picking us up! i threw a few things into a suitcase and we were out the door in less then 15 minutes. that'll make my parents proud.
chapter 2: "this is what happens when you let me plan!" - sarah tambien
we booked our tickets without knowing much about the concert at all. we knew it was an all-day festival that was only accessible by bus, but that was about it. our plan, according to sarah tambien, was going to be to bring all our luggage to the festival and camp there. uhh, great idea. except for one small snag. there wasn't actually camping allowed at the concert site. luckily, we thought to read through the spanish website at midnight the night before and were able to put some of the facts together. we booked a cheap hotel in cuernevaca, and planned to sleep there even though the concert was about an hour away. somehow, we also missed (or perhaps ignored) the messages that it would be cold, wet, muddy and rainy at the show. so, we showed up in flip flops, without rain gear and only one layer piece. yes, its true, we are THAT smart.
chapter 3: "besame mucho" - andrew bird
the location of the colmena festival itself was breathtaking. after managing to perfectly time our cab-plane-cab-hotel-cab-bus combination, we arrived at the jardin sagrado (otherwise known as sacred garden), which was an ecologically-friendly sanctuary sheltered by bee-hived shaped cliffs and small mountains. the location was idyllic, the acoustics were brilliant and the music was relaxing. having just finished a full year of teaching, sarah and i were exhausted. after we walked the long muddy path into the concert, we put down a sarong and lay down and relaxed for about an hour. we looked more like nappers then concert-goers, i imagine. even with the crowds of people, long lines for food and stinky toilets, sarah and i relaxed and enjoyed every minute. by the time the enchanting voice of andrew bird hit the stage, we hadn't let the chilly weather or on-again off-again rain get us down.
chapter 4: "which way to cuerna?" - both of us
andrew bird's show was short, but his presence was captivating. if you haven't heard him already, please go and download him now. you definitely won't be disappointed and you might even fall in love. sigur ros, a fabulously mellow group with classical influences (and even a brass band in their back pocket) was the big ticket item of the night. the problem remained that there were more then 6,000 people in the middle of nowhere that needed to be shuttled back to their various towns. mexicans are known for many lovely things, but being efficiently organized would definitely NOT be one of them. we really didn't want to be waiting in lines for hours into the night for our bus, so we broke the number one concert rule and actually left early. OF COURSE, in true mexican form, it still took them more then 45 minutes to get the first few hundred people organized! i don't want to even think of what it would have been like if we had been in the middle of the throngs of people that left at the official end of the concert.
chapter 5: "flying solo" - sarah tambien
as quickly as i had arrived, i turned around and left. i was out of monterrey for little more then 30 hours! i left sarah behind for her first solo travel adventure (something i truly believe every person should experience once in their life)... leaving my pseudo 60s adventure behind.
Monday, May 26, 2008
monterrey with mom.
mexicans are some of the most laid-back people on the planet. however, when you put them behind the wheel of a car, some type of magical transportation takes place, and all of a sudden your amigos will be cutting you off left, right and center.
so, it was with this sense of trepidation that i arrived to pick my mom up at the monterrey airport last weekend.
i don't actually mind driving in mexico at all. but my mom, on the other hand, gets white knuckles even when my father drives back home (if that has even happened in my lifetime). i was so excited to show my mom the city, but i was unsure how she would react to me driving in a country where the only rule of the road is that there are no rules at all.
mom's flight was on-time to the minute and the rain came pouring down to welcome her to the city.
with an open-mind and fear in her eyes she smiled at the pedestrians on the side of four-lane highways, slightly cringed at the disappearing lanes, gasped at each honking horn, and had a mild panic attack at the sight of stray cattle...
just kidding.
i've only seen stray cattle in monterrey once. i've got to give her credit: mom was great! she actually ONLY visibly gripped the door handle a few times. the major car obstacle of the weekend was getting her up to chipinque park for the spectacular view without motion sickness or thinking that i was going to drive right off the side of the mountain.
mom and i didn't exactly ride in the face of danger, but i did get the chance to show her this place which i have learned to call home. cars were only the beginning of what she got to experience!
mom thought my apartment was HUGE. i kind of forget that it is so big. we get used to what we have, i guess.
she brought me some of my favourite magazines, rosemary triscuits and my mail. yaH for visitors!
mom came to school for the day on friday and got to meet my adorable kidlets. they asked her funny questions like, "did miss sarah get in trouble when she was a kid?" and "what was it like to be alive in the 60s? were you a hippie?" she brought them maple sugar candies and played dominoes with them. they behaved. most of the day.
i took her for the ultimate tomato soup experience at genoma. then we joined the ladies for wendy's wedding shower. she happily sat through a quiz of "how well does she know him" and survived chats about sex in vegas and girls being girls.
i wanted her to get a taste of the movies... san pedro style. with lazy boy chairs and waiters, we went to see the new narnia movie. i thought prince caspian was really h.o.t. too bad the row behind me was 8 kids that i knew from school! and we were at the late movie. i wanted to tell the mom to take them home to b.e.d.
saturday we explored downtown and walked the newly constructed riverwalk. sometimes i think that downtown monterrey is kind of ugly and uninteresting, but mom didn't seem to notice! we even had guacamole and margaritas at the river's edge and it felt reminiscent of venice two summer's ago. in the evening we ate at THE restaurant to eat at in san pedro. dropped some big bucks, but it was worth it!
sunday we hiked up in the mountains of chipinque. explored the always amusing huesteca canyon (think donkeys, people making out in cars, and picnics on the side of the highway). got lost in in a random area of monterrey. ate ice cream in the center of santa catarina. drank a beer on the patio. and then finished off the night with a wonderful dinner with one of the best views of the mountains that i've ever seen.
mom had to leave on monday morning, and i had to go to work. it was the perfect weekend! just enough time to catch up, and give her a taste of my little mexican life.
thanks for coming mom!
so, it was with this sense of trepidation that i arrived to pick my mom up at the monterrey airport last weekend.
i don't actually mind driving in mexico at all. but my mom, on the other hand, gets white knuckles even when my father drives back home (if that has even happened in my lifetime). i was so excited to show my mom the city, but i was unsure how she would react to me driving in a country where the only rule of the road is that there are no rules at all.
mom's flight was on-time to the minute and the rain came pouring down to welcome her to the city.
with an open-mind and fear in her eyes she smiled at the pedestrians on the side of four-lane highways, slightly cringed at the disappearing lanes, gasped at each honking horn, and had a mild panic attack at the sight of stray cattle...
just kidding.
i've only seen stray cattle in monterrey once. i've got to give her credit: mom was great! she actually ONLY visibly gripped the door handle a few times. the major car obstacle of the weekend was getting her up to chipinque park for the spectacular view without motion sickness or thinking that i was going to drive right off the side of the mountain.
mom and i didn't exactly ride in the face of danger, but i did get the chance to show her this place which i have learned to call home. cars were only the beginning of what she got to experience!
mom thought my apartment was HUGE. i kind of forget that it is so big. we get used to what we have, i guess.
she brought me some of my favourite magazines, rosemary triscuits and my mail. yaH for visitors!
mom came to school for the day on friday and got to meet my adorable kidlets. they asked her funny questions like, "did miss sarah get in trouble when she was a kid?" and "what was it like to be alive in the 60s? were you a hippie?" she brought them maple sugar candies and played dominoes with them. they behaved. most of the day.
i took her for the ultimate tomato soup experience at genoma. then we joined the ladies for wendy's wedding shower. she happily sat through a quiz of "how well does she know him" and survived chats about sex in vegas and girls being girls.
i wanted her to get a taste of the movies... san pedro style. with lazy boy chairs and waiters, we went to see the new narnia movie. i thought prince caspian was really h.o.t. too bad the row behind me was 8 kids that i knew from school! and we were at the late movie. i wanted to tell the mom to take them home to b.e.d.
saturday we explored downtown and walked the newly constructed riverwalk. sometimes i think that downtown monterrey is kind of ugly and uninteresting, but mom didn't seem to notice! we even had guacamole and margaritas at the river's edge and it felt reminiscent of venice two summer's ago. in the evening we ate at THE restaurant to eat at in san pedro. dropped some big bucks, but it was worth it!
sunday we hiked up in the mountains of chipinque. explored the always amusing huesteca canyon (think donkeys, people making out in cars, and picnics on the side of the highway). got lost in in a random area of monterrey. ate ice cream in the center of santa catarina. drank a beer on the patio. and then finished off the night with a wonderful dinner with one of the best views of the mountains that i've ever seen.
mom had to leave on monday morning, and i had to go to work. it was the perfect weekend! just enough time to catch up, and give her a taste of my little mexican life.
thanks for coming mom!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
friends!
ginny and i just got home from the airport... and we have company! our friends jessie and steph have come to visit us for a WHOLE week! it is so great to be showing our lives to people from home. they are taking pictures of the mountains! it is great to have people remind me to appreciate this place. they are SO wonderful and exuberant... and they seem to be fine with the fact that they are sleeping on a bed in our living room. yaH. we will be staying in monterrey for a few days and then heading off to playa del carmen on wednesday. more on our adventures to come!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
an open letter.
an open letter to any parents of children who...
a) are not as financially responsible as you would love
b) are still paying off debt
or
c) are growing up.
there seems to be a nagging fear amongst parents of twentysomethings that we're not doing alright. they know we're happy, independent, globally minded individuals, but that isn't what i mean. they are worried that our spending habits are not responsible, and as a result will go bankrupt before the age of 30, soon followed by a long and painful adulthood alone in a shack. you laugh, but its true. (while i know this to be true with my parents, i know they are also not alone in these sentiments).
but seriously: think about it. the kids are going to be alright. at least the large majority of us. and actually, if we're not alright, we'll have to dig our own way out of the hole we fell into. how is it that a generation of world thinkers, passionate about success, travel and new experiences have caused such concern? i know we aren't the most frugal people to ever grace the face of the planet; but most of us are living on our own, making a small living, gradually paying off debt AND managing to learn more about this place we like to call the world.
if you are and adult worrying about your twentysomething's irresponsible spending, travel ambitions or debt repayment plan, let me give you some advice: stop worrying, nagging, and sending reminder e-mails. the only way for a child to learn is to learn for themselves. stop checking their bank account, watching for the debt to drop 20 grand by next sunday. stop lying awake in bed for hours at night picturing the collectors coming to call. stop giving fruitless advice that actually makes us want to run quickly in the opposite direction.
instead...
give us a chance. to grow up. to learn ourselves. to prove you wrong.
a) are not as financially responsible as you would love
b) are still paying off debt
or
c) are growing up.
there seems to be a nagging fear amongst parents of twentysomethings that we're not doing alright. they know we're happy, independent, globally minded individuals, but that isn't what i mean. they are worried that our spending habits are not responsible, and as a result will go bankrupt before the age of 30, soon followed by a long and painful adulthood alone in a shack. you laugh, but its true. (while i know this to be true with my parents, i know they are also not alone in these sentiments).
but seriously: think about it. the kids are going to be alright. at least the large majority of us. and actually, if we're not alright, we'll have to dig our own way out of the hole we fell into. how is it that a generation of world thinkers, passionate about success, travel and new experiences have caused such concern? i know we aren't the most frugal people to ever grace the face of the planet; but most of us are living on our own, making a small living, gradually paying off debt AND managing to learn more about this place we like to call the world.
if you are and adult worrying about your twentysomething's irresponsible spending, travel ambitions or debt repayment plan, let me give you some advice: stop worrying, nagging, and sending reminder e-mails. the only way for a child to learn is to learn for themselves. stop checking their bank account, watching for the debt to drop 20 grand by next sunday. stop lying awake in bed for hours at night picturing the collectors coming to call. stop giving fruitless advice that actually makes us want to run quickly in the opposite direction.
instead...
give us a chance. to grow up. to learn ourselves. to prove you wrong.
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