Post-beach Pan

After Cosette and Papá had tested all the waters in Celestino, we made our way home.  It had only been about an hour since we'd eaten, but we stopped before getting on the highway to buy bread.  It's funny because the Mexican assumption is that Americans eat too much bread.  Bread and nothing else (which I think just means we don't eat enough meat for their liking).  But here, they eat tortillas with everything and bread is their sweet.  Papá Jaime the whole way home was saying, "No quieres pan, Laura?"  (Don't you want bread, Laura?)  I mean, the WHOLE way home.  I had to laugh.  He's the kind of old guy who keeps repeating when he doesn't get the answer he wants.  Mabel and I were laughing.  Clearly I didn't want bread (mostly I wasn't hungry having just eaten, but it didn't help that I had seen the ants crawling on the bread.  No can do.)

Love him for trying to fatten me up.

Hate him for trying to fatten me up!

Celestino

Last weekend (the first weekend in October), Papá Jaime (who always uses the formal Usted with me) asked us if we wanted to go to Celestino.  I can't remember what our plans were, but we declined.  Oh, yoga.  There was more than that, but I don't remember what our reason was.  Yoga was a minor detail in Mabel's mind.  Major, of course in mine!

Anyway, over our BBQ chicken on Saturday, Papá asked us if we wanted to go on Sunday.  We were all for it.  It's not much, just a beach town with a rehab (as in drugs) center and spa.  

As we were leaving the house, Maricela asked me if I had a sweater.  I'm of course dressed in a tshirt and shorts.  I say no and Mabel laughs.  I won't need it she says.  I agree.  Cosette is pumped at the thought and runs to get her "suéter."  She comes down the steps with a COAT.  It looked a lot like the one I had as a kid that I loved.  It was purplish with clouds on it and I think I was wearing it in the newspaper picture with Caroline York.  At any rate, I was CRACKING UP.  I'm sweating here in the living room, and Cosette is preparing for a blizzard!

I was not thinking when I chose my seat in the car.  We were headed south toward Mazatlán and I sat on the passenger side in the back.  I got most of the sunshine and being in the back got very little air.

On the way home, the coat came into play again.  Papá and Cosette had swum in the ocean and had one towel.  Cosette was changed, but Papá was in his wet trunks in the front seat sitting on top of the towel.  He asked Cosette if she wanted to come up front to sit on his lap since she was probably going to sleep the whole way home (yeah right, her mouth doesn't stop talking long enough to sleep- I'm convinced she talks all night long!).  She got so excited and got her coat out of her bag to use as a barrier from the wet.  She never ended up going to the front, but her coat made its way to my lap, adding to the heat.  The first 15 minutes of the return trip, the air didn't work!  I was DYING and no one here understands my "HOT" nature.  They know I can't deal because it's not this hot at home, but they don't realize that I can't deal at home.  And that the weirdest things make me hot.  I survived, and eventually we put the coat back in the bag.

Back to the town.  We pulled off the highway onto a bumpy dirt road and followed it to the ocean.  We parked the car and sat down in a little hut (see picture, looks like a hut, no?).  We ordered a 1.5 kilogram fish and they brought it out.  It was cut open, covered in mayonnaise, mustard and chipotle.  Sounds gross, but was delish.  It was brought out just as it was cooked.  It was on the same tray that it had been cooked on.  The whole body was there, bones, eyes, etc.  Papá goes on and on about how good for you the eyes are.  Omega 3s and all.  And proceeds to eat them.  YUCK!  I almost lost my lunch, but it had been so good, I decided it would not taste as great on the way up.  We made tacos and tostados with the meat of the fish.  It was incredible.  The next hour, Cosette and Papá swam and then we headed back.  It was about a 2 hour drive just to eat lunch and watch them swim, but it was very "tranquilo" and a great day.  My lunch and gas were paid for.  I need to think of a really good way to thank them.  I think I'll take them out to eat for Thanksgiving, because Heaven knows I won't be cooking a turkey!  I don't think they even have turkeys here.  And Mabel doesn't have an oven.  So....

But I also need to think of some amazing Christmas presents to begin the thank you process.  I know Cosette will get something High School Musical because she's obsessed, shocker.  But I'm going to need help with the others.  Put your thinkin' caps on people, I need ideas!

Saturday Rituals

I forgot something in my Saturday post.  This is one of the many downfalls of not having my internet service like I once had.  I used to just realize I needed to write something, and then I'd blog it.  Now I have to make myself a note, including all the clever things I want to say.  Frustration.  Saturday when we got up, Mabel had started cleaning downstairs, and who came in but the cleaning lady!  She is supposed to come every Friday and Saturday.  Why two days together I don't know.  Maybe because those are the mornings Mabel could be there.  I don't know.  Anyway, Mabel's schedule changed, so we decided on Saturday only.  (By the way, I'm TOTALLY investing in a cleaning lady when I get back!)  We went to Mazatlán and then the next week she didn't come, so we assumed she was donecakes.  Turns out she just had a conflict and has no cell phone (or landline I guess).  So we're back on.  I'm glad.  I'm to the point now where I actually live there.  I feel like Mabel and I are friends and not just roommates.  And I should now be contributing to the cleaning.  Thank goodness she came back!

Catholicism

When you study Spanish, you're told that all Spanish-speaking countries are centered around (can you be centered around something?!) the Catholic religion, but that there are surprisingly few that practice.  I have found that to be mostly true (generally, broadly speaking).  Maribel (enlace) told me in my first few days here that she was a Catholic, but not really.  And that she liked to believe in something, but never attended mass (you know how much attendance counts in the CofC-Sunday morning, evening and Wednesdays!) and wasn't too sure about the Saints, etc.  What I have noticed, though, and forgive my lack of words here (and knowledge) is that I'm always around many people giving the cross sign (you know on their shoulders and such) as we pass churches.  Genoveva (Geno for short, preggers) always does it.  And she's one of the ones I mentioned before who says God willing.  I'm going to start a religion conversation with her sometime soon.  Stay tuned.

Coca Light

I'm trying to cut back.  When I first got here, it became a ritual, and I must admit I'm learning to love my coke in a bottle as opposed to my previous preference of a can.  Now that I've been at the mall for an hour and it is local lunch time, I'm not eating here.  I've wasted enough money on their over-priced (for Mexico) food and many a calorie on non-healthy stuff.  I have a huge salad (with pears!) waiting on me at home.  But for now, I will make my attempt at creativity in an hour while sipping my 12 peso can of Coca Light.  Wow.  My bottle only costs 7.5 at the Oxxo where my bus drops me off.  Oh well.

Red Red, where are you?

Red is the word for internet in Spanish.  I am so frustrated at my lack of it and the need to channel all my creative thoughts within an hour or two at the mall (before my battery dies or I get sick of being there)!  Don't get me wrong, I love my food options at the food court, and the fact that the internet is free is great.  But I'm getting annoyed with lugging my computer to school and then stopping at the mall on the way home.  Better than nothing.  Just know that I'm trying my best to update as much and often as possible (with as much detail as usual!), but it's becoming a bit more difficult!

Thanks for soldiering on.

More whenever I can!

I ♥ Dave Moore

Any of you MNPS people know Dave, and anyone who's been around me in my teaching arena has heard me rave about Dave.  Dave Moore is my hero.  His previous work in Metro was with a program called COMP.  It's through Vanderbilt somehow and helps new teachers with classroom management and organizational things.  It's a great program, but he's an even better facilitator.  He has gone on to waste his talents in the Social Studies department (and we ALL know how I feel about that subject...one too many coaches "taught" me social studies and I have nothing to show for it).  I'm sure he'll be great at that, too.  He's an overachiever, like many education folks.

Anyway, I went to the COMP workshop my second year teaching.  That year apparently was a trial year for an Advanced COMP, so the next year, I got to go back and reflect more.  Basically, COMP allows you to think about, plan, and reflect on all your practices.  This is something all teachers  want to do, yet may not have the time to do it.  Anyway, even though I'm three years out from that COMP class, I still use Dave.  I email him all the time with questions or comments and he's always there to help.  He has done classroom observations for me to help with those "tricky" classes.  I only wish he could fly to Mexico to help me with some techniques here!

He also was one who wrote a recommendation for this teaching exchange.  THANKS, DAVE!

Since I know I can count on him for advice, I emailed him asking for ideas on fund-raising/grant writing for my Mexican students to travel to Nashville.  He had a great idea.  When he taught fourth grade, his students had pen pals in Houston.  Southwest sponsored his class's trip to Houston and the class in Houston's trip to Nashville!  I think in a financial crisis (even if Mabel's dad doesn't believe in it!), I'll have a hard time getting full sponsorship, but I'm back to thinking this trip is possible.  I foresee a trip to Mammoth Cave, line dance lessons at the Wildhorse (during the day), and a tour of Lockeland.  I'm considering the races (if they're open) at Churchill Downs, and who knows what all else.  But now that I think it's possible, I'm going at it again!  I even think we could ride the dreaded bus to Phoenix and take a Southwest flight to Nashville.  Even if SWA doesn't donate anything, that would be cheaper than an international flight.  I'm PUMPED!

And now that I think about it, a friend of mine from college works for Southwest.  Time to send an email...

Cosette

On the way to the baseball stadium to buy our tickets on Friday, Cosette busied herself in the backseat with Mabel's flashcard pack that we were given to complement our textbooks.  She would pull one out and say, "Repeat, black.  Black.  Repeat, black.  Very good.  Ice cream.  Repeat, ice cream.  Very good."

She then would ask, "What is it?" and one of us would have to answer.  All weekend she kept it up.  On Sunday night, when on their way to bed, Cosette told Mabel that it was time for English class.  That she was the teacher.

I decided early last week that I was going to take advantage of these Mexicans!  I have no authentic speaking for my students to listen to.  I have decided to make a DVD for my Spanish curriculum.  I'm going to use Cosette and some of my other students (one from each grade so they "look" like my students) and have them present the vocabulary.  I'm also going "Harry Wong" on them, and borrowing their curriculum to organize mine.  I love the way I teach, but some days it's completely without direction.  I hope to gain direction, and visuals, through this year in Mexico.  Cosette, of course, is thrilled that she will be the star of the show!

Baseball!

Friday when I got home from school, I made Mabel aware of my birthday party plans for that night and she told me there would be a baseball game on Saturday night.  It was the season opener, so we should go get tickets right away.  Off we went.  We debated for a bit about where to sit.  We ended up with right side 80 peso tickets.

We should've gone for the big time 12 dollar seats.  Where we were was bleachers, yet not called bleachers because it was not in the outfield.  Next time we'll know!

We left the house at 5:45.  The plan was actually 5:30, and Mabel is SUPER prompt, but she overslept!  At 5:40, I still hadn't heard from her and finally went into her room to wake her from her deep, deep slumber!

We drove to the stadium and found some free illegal parking at a supermarket.  We made our way to our seats.  We didn't have numbers, just entrance.  We were about 3/4 of the way up and between third base and my former home-away-from-home, right field!

The game was supposed to start at 7.  

We passed the time people watching.  There were vendors in all directions walking around with their churros, beers, cokes, strawberries and creams, chips, etc.  Mabel and Cosette got a cup of chips.  They looked like Lays.  The taste in Mexico is to have everything wet.  It sounds strange, but that's the best I can describe it.

Anyway, Mabel and Cosette ordered theirs "with everything" meaning soy sauce, their red chili sauce, and lemon juice.  Sounded disgusting.  And you know I can't smell, but it smelled delicious.  Honest!  Another cultural thing is sharing.  And they always let me taste their food.  I didn't necessarily want to taste the chips, but I did.  And they were pretty good!

I went on to order a 30 peso bag of mediocre churros (I think it's typical to get 4 in a bag, my lady downtown gives me that many, too, but for 20 pesos).  I'm not sure if it was the price that made them worse, but I think it was the actual quality.  Having been walking around the stadium, they were less than fresh.  And when he went to put the cinnamon syrup on them, he did it haphazardly.  How dare he?  My lady downtown fills the inner tube completely of all four churros.  Now I know!

A little after 7, the fireworks, dancing, and bands started.  Around 8, the actual game was in progress.  The first time we stood for a break, I was thinking, "innings are way faster here in Mexico" until I realized it was just bottom of the first.  They were changing positions, or whatever you call it!

In the end, we lost 4-1.  We gave up two homeruns, one with the bases loaded.  At 10:30, it was top of the 7th, but we were spent from sitting on bleachers and from 5 hours of fun, so we jetted.  When we got home, I was still hungry, so I fixed my staple peanut butter sandwich and cuddled up to my lesson plans (due the 15th!).  I finished two groups, leaving only 3 to do before Wednesday.  With Maribel wanting me to work at Achoy and not being too happy with my decision not to, I want to mind all my p's and q's!  My lesson plans are finished and sent in.

The following video is a clip from the "banda" that played before the fireworks.  I was CRACKING UP because it's the Spanish translation to achy breaky heart.  Too funny.

Obama or McPain?

On Saturday, being laundry day, we headed over to Papá Jaime's house for laundry and the inevitable food.  I washed my sheets for the first time (YIKES!) and sat down while my laundry went round and round.  Jaime starts in on politics.  Is he CRAZY?!  He went on and on about McCain and how he was sure to win because a black man can't be President.  How Americans are scared of a black man.  How he's a good debater, but he's dangerous.  Isn't he rich, he asks?  I explain that he's a rags to riches story.  Oh, well that makes him all the more dangerous.  He now has all this money and he'll go crazy with his power.

He literally talks for about an hour about it.  I try not to say too much.  He says he'd vote for McCain if he were in the States.  I do not hold back at this moment, and I say, thankfully you live here.  Mabel laughs.  She doesn't say much either.  Maricela comes down to continue cooking (bless her heart) and he asks her who she'd vote for.  "Obama!  Obama!" she chants and continues cooking.

We all laughed.

Then he asks Mabel about the Civic he wants to buy.  New.  She warns him against it since we're in a crisis.  No crisis is his reply.  That's the best time to buy!  We'll never be hungry, Mexicans.  There'll always be food on our table.  We may not have cash, we may not be able to buy new clothes, but we'll always eat.

Cool.

Then he goes into BBQ chicken.  Have I ever heard of it?  I'm going to try some today.  Tells me all the ingredients, etc.  It was hilarious.  I wanted to tell him that that happened to be one of my favorite dishes, of course I was familiar.  I settled with telling him that it was a typical dish in the States.  Little did I know it was going to be BBQ like you put on a bun.  It had cooked so long it fell right off the bone and was delicious.  VERY typical from where I'm from.  Whit's, anyone?!