well, its about hour six of sitting on the couch feeling homesick for my country. today i've been completely absorbed in television. i don't usually watch tv, but with the US-Canada hockey game, and then the closing ceremonies, i've been completely entranced.
i'm watching the coverage on an american channel, but even the stories of the american athletes are making me teary-eyed! i should be grading papers but instead i am thinking about how much i wish i was at home to party with everyone after the amazing canadian win this afternoon. i've also been trying to cook, but so far it has only resulted in a very burn pot of chickpeas and an overdone cake. i always thought i was a good multi-tasker but i think that cooking falls to the back-burner (quite literally), when i'm missing home (or pretty much when i'm doing anything else).
international living can be so incredible for the new cultural experiences and incredibly diverse people that i meet; but nothing can compare to home. watching the athletes come pouring in, and being so proud to be canadian, i felt so far away. i love that canada isn't afraid to poke fun at itself, and that people know how to party over a hockey game, and that they aren't afraid to be cheesy. instead i am drinking a beer, pretending to mark, and crying over my burnt cooking and my amazing country.
on a more positive note, fili took me on an adventure yesterday to find used tires for big red. we went all over the city. he took me to the street where all the stolen car parts are sold. he said that if anyone ever steals a side mirror off your car, you can come to this particular street and buy your own mirror back! since i wanted used tired, we didn't actually have success, but we found a few people who said they could order us some (or steal? not sure...!) and the weirdest part? none of it is illegal! everyone knows that the car parts are stolen, but it seems to be completely accepted.
fili promised me that my future tires will be legally acquired.!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
camp out.
sometimes you need to get away. and sometimes you need to run away.
preferably to the middle of nowhere!
this weekend, i did both. fili and i took the opportunity to get away. he found this hotel/resort/convention center about 45 minutes from monterrey, on our little man-made lake, which rents little spots for camping. in the summer, i can imagine it being an AMAZING place to get away from the city. it has some great facilities to distract you for a long summer's day: slides, wave pool, tennis etc. unfortunately for us, nothing was open! and, everything that was open was not included in the price of admission. the camping spot was perfect for us. no one was around, we had our own bbq pit, and there was clean bathrooms and showers. we couldn't get out of paying extra to use the facilities (even though they were slightly run down AND none of them were actually open) so we took advantage by exploring and using the indoor pool.
the camping was perfect. it didn't feel like we were in the middle of a resort. it was quiet, and we were able to enjoy a delicious carne asada, prepared perfectly by fili. there's something about camp food that just tastes comforting, like canada. we arrived in good time on saturday night, in time to explore all the facilities we couldn't use and meet a group of seniors from canada, who were at this resort for TWO weeks. let me repeat that: two weeks. i don't mean to be rude, but there are probably a million nicer resorts that these seniors could have chosen ALL over the world but they chose a 70s style resort with nothing open on the banks of a man-made river! they must have given them a sick sick deal. i spoke with one nice lady from toronto who was pretty positive about it saying, "well, its okay, the walk from the room to the pool is a little hilly, though".
once we used all the free facilities, and found out that bikes and tennis rackets weren't included, we decided to continue our adventure and visit the touristy cola de caballo (horse tail falls) that were nearby in santiago. in my three years here, i have only heard pathetic reviews of the cola de caballo falls. people said it wasn't anything to write home about. well, here i am, writing home about it! i thought they were great! i mean, they aren't the niagara falls or anything - but they are beautiful. first you had to get through some tacky t-shirts and a few people selling litro drinks (basically anything alcoholic you could want sold in a HUGE cup). i easily avoided the tacky t-shirts but had more trouble getting past the litros. when we got to the falls, perhaps since i had been expecting a spout of water, i was pleasantly surprised! i'll post a few pictures soon. the highlight was venturing past the top of the falls into the forest above the falls. there is a sign saying you are hiking at your own risk, but is there any other way? lately, it feels like everything in life is at your own risk. we felt like we were explorers, going where no one had gone before: except for garbage dump everyone had left behind. next to the cola de caballo, there is a lovely hotel and bungee jump (a strange combo?). sometime i definitely want to jump, but the time didn't seem right just yet.
after finishing up at the falls, we treated ourselves to the best ice cream place in the region, helados regia and headed back into town. back to the middle of everywhere, back to life.
a great weekend that reminded us of all the amazing outdoors experiences there are in and around monterrey. we just have to look a little harder. since getting home, i was supposed to be marking math tests, but i ended up scouring the internet for the next camping adventure.
preferably to the middle of nowhere!
this weekend, i did both. fili and i took the opportunity to get away. he found this hotel/resort/convention center about 45 minutes from monterrey, on our little man-made lake, which rents little spots for camping. in the summer, i can imagine it being an AMAZING place to get away from the city. it has some great facilities to distract you for a long summer's day: slides, wave pool, tennis etc. unfortunately for us, nothing was open! and, everything that was open was not included in the price of admission. the camping spot was perfect for us. no one was around, we had our own bbq pit, and there was clean bathrooms and showers. we couldn't get out of paying extra to use the facilities (even though they were slightly run down AND none of them were actually open) so we took advantage by exploring and using the indoor pool.
the camping was perfect. it didn't feel like we were in the middle of a resort. it was quiet, and we were able to enjoy a delicious carne asada, prepared perfectly by fili. there's something about camp food that just tastes comforting, like canada. we arrived in good time on saturday night, in time to explore all the facilities we couldn't use and meet a group of seniors from canada, who were at this resort for TWO weeks. let me repeat that: two weeks. i don't mean to be rude, but there are probably a million nicer resorts that these seniors could have chosen ALL over the world but they chose a 70s style resort with nothing open on the banks of a man-made river! they must have given them a sick sick deal. i spoke with one nice lady from toronto who was pretty positive about it saying, "well, its okay, the walk from the room to the pool is a little hilly, though".
once we used all the free facilities, and found out that bikes and tennis rackets weren't included, we decided to continue our adventure and visit the touristy cola de caballo (horse tail falls) that were nearby in santiago. in my three years here, i have only heard pathetic reviews of the cola de caballo falls. people said it wasn't anything to write home about. well, here i am, writing home about it! i thought they were great! i mean, they aren't the niagara falls or anything - but they are beautiful. first you had to get through some tacky t-shirts and a few people selling litro drinks (basically anything alcoholic you could want sold in a HUGE cup). i easily avoided the tacky t-shirts but had more trouble getting past the litros. when we got to the falls, perhaps since i had been expecting a spout of water, i was pleasantly surprised! i'll post a few pictures soon. the highlight was venturing past the top of the falls into the forest above the falls. there is a sign saying you are hiking at your own risk, but is there any other way? lately, it feels like everything in life is at your own risk. we felt like we were explorers, going where no one had gone before: except for garbage dump everyone had left behind. next to the cola de caballo, there is a lovely hotel and bungee jump (a strange combo?). sometime i definitely want to jump, but the time didn't seem right just yet.
after finishing up at the falls, we treated ourselves to the best ice cream place in the region, helados regia and headed back into town. back to the middle of everywhere, back to life.
a great weekend that reminded us of all the amazing outdoors experiences there are in and around monterrey. we just have to look a little harder. since getting home, i was supposed to be marking math tests, but i ended up scouring the internet for the next camping adventure.
Monday, February 15, 2010
13.1
"dear running: i'd like to thank you for giving my fiance a tight ass" - random guy with sign.
"tough cookies never crumble" - t-shirt of the girl running directly in front of me.
"13.1? 26.2? all of you are fucking crazy!" - another random guy with sign.
"i've never liked crowds anyway" - a sign for all of us closer to the back of the pack.
"what the hell have i gotten myself into?" - my thoughts when i crossed mile 7 and realized i still had to almost DOUBLE what i had already done.
i ran my first half marathon yesterday. it was in austin, texas, on valentine's day. 13.1 miles, or 21 km. if you didn't know, its really far. really really far. its not that far for the people that run it in an hour and a half. but for people like me, it takes all morning! i signed up for it a few months back as an excuse to get in shape. and truthfully, i wasn't ready. not for the full distance. the first 15 km were really good. i felt strong, i felt in control, i felt good about life! this one guy who was cheering tapped his finger to his temple as i passed, as if to tell me, your power is all up there. i believed him! until, then, all at once, it hit me. my knees started to ache, and the hills started to come. and i had to start walking. i didn't walk tons, i interspersed 2 or 3 minutes of walking with 5 minutes of running, but i still felt great because people around me were all doing the same.
i didn't train for speed or a particular time, in fact i didn't really train at all. i wanted to see if i could do it. and i did. it is a very empowering feeling! and i realized that since i could do it - without killing myself - that the next time i will build up to it, so the last 5 km aren't such a shock to my system.
i was so proud of myself when i ran across the finish line, but sadly, there was actually no one there to greet me! i had just run for 2 hours and 58 minutes, and i ended up getting my cute t-shirt and eating a bag of chips alone. a party for one. i had come with some people, who had all been running, and i don't know anyone in austin. it all felt pretty anticlimactic, and then, the day went downhill from there. i won't go into details, but all i can say is that life never lets you be happy for too long, it needs to balance you out with some shitty-ness to go along. the incredible vibe and high from my race definitely got overshadowed. i'll have to go back next year to experience it all again.
i feel an extreme sense of pride for running and completing; but it is also paired with a deep sadness and sense of loss. a mix that my mind can't really comprehend.
anyway. i'm back in monterrey now. there's another half in monterrey in april. dearest running, do i dare take you on again?
"tough cookies never crumble" - t-shirt of the girl running directly in front of me.
"13.1? 26.2? all of you are fucking crazy!" - another random guy with sign.
"i've never liked crowds anyway" - a sign for all of us closer to the back of the pack.
"what the hell have i gotten myself into?" - my thoughts when i crossed mile 7 and realized i still had to almost DOUBLE what i had already done.
i ran my first half marathon yesterday. it was in austin, texas, on valentine's day. 13.1 miles, or 21 km. if you didn't know, its really far. really really far. its not that far for the people that run it in an hour and a half. but for people like me, it takes all morning! i signed up for it a few months back as an excuse to get in shape. and truthfully, i wasn't ready. not for the full distance. the first 15 km were really good. i felt strong, i felt in control, i felt good about life! this one guy who was cheering tapped his finger to his temple as i passed, as if to tell me, your power is all up there. i believed him! until, then, all at once, it hit me. my knees started to ache, and the hills started to come. and i had to start walking. i didn't walk tons, i interspersed 2 or 3 minutes of walking with 5 minutes of running, but i still felt great because people around me were all doing the same.
i didn't train for speed or a particular time, in fact i didn't really train at all. i wanted to see if i could do it. and i did. it is a very empowering feeling! and i realized that since i could do it - without killing myself - that the next time i will build up to it, so the last 5 km aren't such a shock to my system.
i was so proud of myself when i ran across the finish line, but sadly, there was actually no one there to greet me! i had just run for 2 hours and 58 minutes, and i ended up getting my cute t-shirt and eating a bag of chips alone. a party for one. i had come with some people, who had all been running, and i don't know anyone in austin. it all felt pretty anticlimactic, and then, the day went downhill from there. i won't go into details, but all i can say is that life never lets you be happy for too long, it needs to balance you out with some shitty-ness to go along. the incredible vibe and high from my race definitely got overshadowed. i'll have to go back next year to experience it all again.
i feel an extreme sense of pride for running and completing; but it is also paired with a deep sadness and sense of loss. a mix that my mind can't really comprehend.
anyway. i'm back in monterrey now. there's another half in monterrey in april. dearest running, do i dare take you on again?
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
today i.
today i couldn't get out of bed until 7, and had to be at school at 7:25.
today i arrived at school at 7:33.
today i braided my hair, which i never do.
today i got frustrated with a student, and yelled at him in front of the class.
today i got frustrated with some teachers, but kept my mouth shut.
today i learned that peanuts are a legume.
today i taught my students about the underground railroad when we were supposed to be discussing poetry.
today i didn't know the answers to 5 questions my students asked.
today i told my kids that mr. google could help them find the answers.
today i felt freezing cold in my house for the first time in several weeks.
today i wrote a long e-mail to my mom.
today i drank a beer after school.
today i arrived at school at 7:33.
today i braided my hair, which i never do.
today i got frustrated with a student, and yelled at him in front of the class.
today i got frustrated with some teachers, but kept my mouth shut.
today i learned that peanuts are a legume.
today i taught my students about the underground railroad when we were supposed to be discussing poetry.
today i didn't know the answers to 5 questions my students asked.
today i told my kids that mr. google could help them find the answers.
today i felt freezing cold in my house for the first time in several weeks.
today i wrote a long e-mail to my mom.
today i drank a beer after school.
Sunday, February 07, 2010
525 600 minutes.
last year, on this date, i met fili. i went to a language night at a local cafe in the barrio. i didn't really feel like going. in fact, my first impression of fili was one that had me laughing for quite awhile! after telling him about my mediocre spanish, he responded, "maybe we could speak the language of love?" on that night, i never thought i'd still be talking to him a year later!
so, after a year with fili, i started thinking about how his presence in my life has changed mine:
-i'm a lot more appreciative of monterrey, and of mexico in general. he absolutely loves his city, and loves showing it to me, and exploring it with me. he often reminds me to find beauty in this city when i'm forgetting to.
-his loyalty to his family, and to his daughter is a constant priority reminder for me. he puts the people he loves first, and gives his time and his heart to them with such ease.
-he's a romantic. and its made me more romantic.
-he's driven work-wise. when i'm complaining about work, he is happily doing his! when i'm desperate to take a day off, he reminds me (tactfully, of course) that i do love what i do.
-he's taught me to appreciate (but not always get) sarcasm!
-for a long time, i always needed to be doing 'something'. he showed me that fancy expensive dinners are not the only way to spend quality time together.
to celebrate our year, fili took me to see the musical 'rent' in spanish, and then we went back to the cafe where we met. a year later we're not exactly speaking the language of anything - its kind of a fusion between english, spanish and yes, love.
so, after a year with fili, i started thinking about how his presence in my life has changed mine:
-i'm a lot more appreciative of monterrey, and of mexico in general. he absolutely loves his city, and loves showing it to me, and exploring it with me. he often reminds me to find beauty in this city when i'm forgetting to.
-his loyalty to his family, and to his daughter is a constant priority reminder for me. he puts the people he loves first, and gives his time and his heart to them with such ease.
-he's a romantic. and its made me more romantic.
-he's driven work-wise. when i'm complaining about work, he is happily doing his! when i'm desperate to take a day off, he reminds me (tactfully, of course) that i do love what i do.
-he's taught me to appreciate (but not always get) sarcasm!
-for a long time, i always needed to be doing 'something'. he showed me that fancy expensive dinners are not the only way to spend quality time together.
to celebrate our year, fili took me to see the musical 'rent' in spanish, and then we went back to the cafe where we met. a year later we're not exactly speaking the language of anything - its kind of a fusion between english, spanish and yes, love.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
raisons d'etre.
i am reading an amazing book. it is called extremely loud and incredibly close. or incredibly loud and extremely close, something like that. the main character is a quirky bizarre kid who thinks about things in way that has inspired me to write more. the author, jonathan safran foer, has a way of giving this kid the most unique voice that i have ever heard in recent literature.
anyway. i am in playa del carmen this weekend with my housemate sarah. sarah is leaving mexico next year, and we realized that we wouldn't get another chance to travel together, so here we are. she also needed a little break from heartbreak, so here we are again.
it is currently cloudy and a bit drizzly so i have come to a little cafe to do some work... of course work has turned into chatting with my boyfriend fili on facebook and blogging. i'm definitely not at risk of becoming a workaholic. we are staying at a pretty no frills hostel. in fact, the website honestly states, "if you want luxury, DO NOT STAY HERE". they definitely did not lie. but for 20 bucks a night (including a great breakfast), i'm not complaining. i think sarah and i are both realizing that we are on the edge of wanting to hostel anymore. but our bank accounts tell us differently!
there is an expression in french, raisons d'etre, meaning "reasons for being". this quirky character in extremely close and incredibly loud (or the opposite) is constantly talking about his raisons d'etre, for example, making sure his mother doesn't get hurt. this got me to thinking that i haven't thought lately about my raisons d'etre. isn't it great when a 9 year old fictional character teaches you something.
a few of my raisons d'etre:
getting close to my family again, to make up for the terrible mess i made in high school/university
loving fili and being loved in return
traveling the world so i can constantly be reminded that there is more to it then just me
getting over depression/anxiety and helping others to also see the glass half full
teaching kids that the best best learning happens far far from a textbook and that school can - and should - be fun
to infect others with laughter and happiness
figuring out my true raisons d'etre, because i don't think i've found nearly all of them yet
anyway. i am in playa del carmen this weekend with my housemate sarah. sarah is leaving mexico next year, and we realized that we wouldn't get another chance to travel together, so here we are. she also needed a little break from heartbreak, so here we are again.
it is currently cloudy and a bit drizzly so i have come to a little cafe to do some work... of course work has turned into chatting with my boyfriend fili on facebook and blogging. i'm definitely not at risk of becoming a workaholic. we are staying at a pretty no frills hostel. in fact, the website honestly states, "if you want luxury, DO NOT STAY HERE". they definitely did not lie. but for 20 bucks a night (including a great breakfast), i'm not complaining. i think sarah and i are both realizing that we are on the edge of wanting to hostel anymore. but our bank accounts tell us differently!
there is an expression in french, raisons d'etre, meaning "reasons for being". this quirky character in extremely close and incredibly loud (or the opposite) is constantly talking about his raisons d'etre, for example, making sure his mother doesn't get hurt. this got me to thinking that i haven't thought lately about my raisons d'etre. isn't it great when a 9 year old fictional character teaches you something.
a few of my raisons d'etre:
getting close to my family again, to make up for the terrible mess i made in high school/university
loving fili and being loved in return
traveling the world so i can constantly be reminded that there is more to it then just me
getting over depression/anxiety and helping others to also see the glass half full
teaching kids that the best best learning happens far far from a textbook and that school can - and should - be fun
to infect others with laughter and happiness
figuring out my true raisons d'etre, because i don't think i've found nearly all of them yet
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
j'ai oublier mon francais!
this year, for the first time during my time living in mexico, i have decided to use my christmas break to travel somewhere in canada! usually i am off to somewhere warm and sunny, but it is time for me to learn more about my own country. so, this morning, ginny and i headed to the train station and came to possibly the most european - and most cold - city in canada! of course, this morning, mother nature decided she should show her true winter colours, and a nice cold freeze came through. splendid timing, mother nature.
some highlights so far:
-i got my H1N1 shot yesterday afternoon and my arm has been killing me all day today! i am either a big baby or the shot was pure growing pains, because i feel like there is fire radiating down my whole arm.
-ginny and i didn't stop talking the entire train ride! i guess after months apart we had a lot to catch up on.
-at 7 o'clock this evening we were finished dinner, freezing so we actually came back to our little hotel (perfectly named, petit hotel). since we couldn't very well get into bed before 8, we have been sitting and appearing "busy" before it is appropriate for us to actually go to bed!
-we both completely forgot how to say absolutely all words and phrases in french. you wouldn't know i was in french immersion my whole life, because all that comes out of my mouth is spanish! i understand everything, but when i speak, it is a bizarre mix of spenchlish (spanish/french/english, in case you are a bit slow)... the words that i want to say don't sound like a language that i know! the sounds feel strange for my mouth to say. how do you pronounce oignon? a word that should be so easy all of a sudden - i can't think of how it should sound! french! come back to me!
-when we settled into our train from montreal to quebec city, we were immediately approached by a VIA worker, asking if we would trade seats with someone up at the front of the train who didn't want to sit backwards. of course, we obliged - but through a strange set of events - those seats had already been taken by someone else. thinking we were now seatless for the train ride, we were actually moved to first class! ginny had the guts to ask for drinks, and the next thing we knew we were riding in luxury with a personal table, rum and cokes and even free snacks and meals!
-on the train we were surrounded by spanish speakers! we came to quebec to hear french, but spanish keeps following us!
-the old town in quebec city is adorable, full of white lights and perfect views, but it is effing freezing. we walked for about 20 minutes to see a bit of town and find a restaurant and my face had almost frozen into position! i am certainly unaccustomed to being truly cold.
-our petit hotel is really petit! the rooms are nice but the lobby was pretty uninviting. we were greeted by a smelly dog and some seriously outdated wallpaper, and i was thinking, lonely planet, don't let me down! once we got to our little room (actually, little suite!), we were pleasantly surprised! i guess you can't judge all hotels by its lobby.
a bientot! (zut alors, i really did forget all my french. its like riding a bicycle though, right? right...?
some highlights so far:
-i got my H1N1 shot yesterday afternoon and my arm has been killing me all day today! i am either a big baby or the shot was pure growing pains, because i feel like there is fire radiating down my whole arm.
-ginny and i didn't stop talking the entire train ride! i guess after months apart we had a lot to catch up on.
-at 7 o'clock this evening we were finished dinner, freezing so we actually came back to our little hotel (perfectly named, petit hotel). since we couldn't very well get into bed before 8, we have been sitting and appearing "busy" before it is appropriate for us to actually go to bed!
-we both completely forgot how to say absolutely all words and phrases in french. you wouldn't know i was in french immersion my whole life, because all that comes out of my mouth is spanish! i understand everything, but when i speak, it is a bizarre mix of spenchlish (spanish/french/english, in case you are a bit slow)... the words that i want to say don't sound like a language that i know! the sounds feel strange for my mouth to say. how do you pronounce oignon? a word that should be so easy all of a sudden - i can't think of how it should sound! french! come back to me!
-when we settled into our train from montreal to quebec city, we were immediately approached by a VIA worker, asking if we would trade seats with someone up at the front of the train who didn't want to sit backwards. of course, we obliged - but through a strange set of events - those seats had already been taken by someone else. thinking we were now seatless for the train ride, we were actually moved to first class! ginny had the guts to ask for drinks, and the next thing we knew we were riding in luxury with a personal table, rum and cokes and even free snacks and meals!
-on the train we were surrounded by spanish speakers! we came to quebec to hear french, but spanish keeps following us!
-the old town in quebec city is adorable, full of white lights and perfect views, but it is effing freezing. we walked for about 20 minutes to see a bit of town and find a restaurant and my face had almost frozen into position! i am certainly unaccustomed to being truly cold.
-our petit hotel is really petit! the rooms are nice but the lobby was pretty uninviting. we were greeted by a smelly dog and some seriously outdated wallpaper, and i was thinking, lonely planet, don't let me down! once we got to our little room (actually, little suite!), we were pleasantly surprised! i guess you can't judge all hotels by its lobby.
a bientot! (zut alors, i really did forget all my french. its like riding a bicycle though, right? right...?
Sunday, October 18, 2009
a birthday message to granny.
Happy Birthday to you all the way from Mexico!
When I was sitting down to write a message to you, I was immediately reminded of one of my favorite kids book. It is a lovely story about a woman who is thrown a surprise 90th birthday party by her two sons, three daughters, fourteen grandchildren and thirty-five great-grandchildren. While at the party, one of her great-children whispers to her, “Are you really ninety, great-grandma?” The woman smiles and answers back, “Inside I’m only four-and-a-half, like you… but don’t tell anyone!”
Every time I read this book I am reminded of you, Granny. In fact, this story could be starring you! I have always admired your adventurous spirit and how young you are at heart. In a way, I often feel like a younger version of you. Over the years, as I have heard your stories, I began to realize that not many people have lived 90 years as vivaciously as you! I don’t know a lot of 90 year olds who know how to e-mail, who can still beat anyone at a game of scrabble, or who would consider going on a road trip to the East Coast.
I am sad that I will not be there to celebrate your 90th, but as you have shown us all – growing older is mandatory, but growing up is not. Happy Birthday to you Granny, 90 years in age, but 4 and a half in spirit!
Love from your kindred spirit,
Sarah
When I was sitting down to write a message to you, I was immediately reminded of one of my favorite kids book. It is a lovely story about a woman who is thrown a surprise 90th birthday party by her two sons, three daughters, fourteen grandchildren and thirty-five great-grandchildren. While at the party, one of her great-children whispers to her, “Are you really ninety, great-grandma?” The woman smiles and answers back, “Inside I’m only four-and-a-half, like you… but don’t tell anyone!”
Every time I read this book I am reminded of you, Granny. In fact, this story could be starring you! I have always admired your adventurous spirit and how young you are at heart. In a way, I often feel like a younger version of you. Over the years, as I have heard your stories, I began to realize that not many people have lived 90 years as vivaciously as you! I don’t know a lot of 90 year olds who know how to e-mail, who can still beat anyone at a game of scrabble, or who would consider going on a road trip to the East Coast.
I am sad that I will not be there to celebrate your 90th, but as you have shown us all – growing older is mandatory, but growing up is not. Happy Birthday to you Granny, 90 years in age, but 4 and a half in spirit!
Love from your kindred spirit,
Sarah
Sunday, October 11, 2009
feeling a little european.
its funny how being at an internet cafe has inspired me to blog. i always did the best blogs from random computers around europe that were hard to type on... and you can never find the @ sign. or the apostrophe. oh, feels like i am home again!
i came to guanajuato for the weekend. i have already been, exactly two years ago, but the city is still as magical as ever. aside from the fact that there is now a starbucks in the main plaza (noooooo), not much has changed. we got this weekend off for columbus day in the states, but i like to pretend that they gave us the day off for canadian thanksgiving. i prefer to be misled...
yesterday i walked around all day with my beautiful camera around my neck. i thought i looked like a nerdy tourist, but my friends said i looked very parisian. maybe that is a sign that that is where i need to move to next!
it has been a great weekend. i am in a little quaint hotel in a little alley (not the creepy kind, the adorable meandering kind) and am meeting up with people some of the time, and wandering on my own other times. the lady that runs my hotel is a bit particular, which is slighly off-putting. for example, yesterday when she served fruit for breakfast, i used my fork. later, when i needed the fork for the little quesidillas she was serving, i asked for another fork, as i could not eat them with a spoon. she informed me that it was intended that i use the spoon for my fruit, and that i should not have used my fork. washing an extra utensil is a lot of work, you see. lesson learned. i considered forgetting again this morning, and saying, "oh, i just do not know what is wrong with me, why do i keep forgetting and using my fork for my fruit? silly me."
guanajuato has a feel of paris, and i like it for that, pretentious hotel owners and all! it makes me feel like i should be sitting in cafes all day, and wandering for hours. i wish THIS was the city that i lived in, instead of monterrey!
j'aime beaucoup!
i came to guanajuato for the weekend. i have already been, exactly two years ago, but the city is still as magical as ever. aside from the fact that there is now a starbucks in the main plaza (noooooo), not much has changed. we got this weekend off for columbus day in the states, but i like to pretend that they gave us the day off for canadian thanksgiving. i prefer to be misled...
yesterday i walked around all day with my beautiful camera around my neck. i thought i looked like a nerdy tourist, but my friends said i looked very parisian. maybe that is a sign that that is where i need to move to next!
it has been a great weekend. i am in a little quaint hotel in a little alley (not the creepy kind, the adorable meandering kind) and am meeting up with people some of the time, and wandering on my own other times. the lady that runs my hotel is a bit particular, which is slighly off-putting. for example, yesterday when she served fruit for breakfast, i used my fork. later, when i needed the fork for the little quesidillas she was serving, i asked for another fork, as i could not eat them with a spoon. she informed me that it was intended that i use the spoon for my fruit, and that i should not have used my fork. washing an extra utensil is a lot of work, you see. lesson learned. i considered forgetting again this morning, and saying, "oh, i just do not know what is wrong with me, why do i keep forgetting and using my fork for my fruit? silly me."
guanajuato has a feel of paris, and i like it for that, pretentious hotel owners and all! it makes me feel like i should be sitting in cafes all day, and wandering for hours. i wish THIS was the city that i lived in, instead of monterrey!
j'aime beaucoup!
Monday, September 14, 2009
3rd time's a charm.
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!
-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!
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!
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