7:30-8:15: I reluctantly wake up moan a hello to my roomate Caro and mozey down to bfast. Trying to figure out how to desire communicating... However, breakfast tends to be my favorite part of my day. Because we sit together all 4 of us girls and talk. None of us rush off and we just chat about anything and everything. Until it gets around 8:45 and I realize I have 10 minutes to be ready and get out the door.
9ish: Lisa and I arrive at the Guarderia. (Our walk together is usually so enjoyable that I decide it's gonna be a good day and I do want to talk today).
9-12: Every morning with the kids is different. Some days we take the first half an hour to set up the tables in the room, collect notebooks from backpacks and check if homework is finished. The kids have books but we don't always use them, so I usually spend a good portion of the morning tracing pictures that Arianna draws 12 times for all of the kids to do. Usually they will be pictures teaching them about in front vs. behind, or vowels, numbers etc. Sometimes these will be complicated pictures and I get really sick of them by the end but most days I am just happy to be able to contribute something to teaching the kids. I also assist with the lessons and go around to different students and help them to finish their work. This is usually intermixed with a lot of shoe tieing, telling kids they can go to the bathroom and answering questions such as what is your dad/mom/sister's name? Sometimes if the kids are getting to crazy while we are preparing the lesson, we will sing songs together. Such as "Pinpon," "Witzy Witzy Araña" (itsy bitsy spider-in english and spanish), or "Head Shoulders Knees and Toes."
between 10:30 and 11:30 the kids go half at a time to computacion (computer) their favorite part of the day. If all of the kids go, I love sitting and talkign Arianna about our lives and adjusting to mexico's differences. And then a little after the English teacher comes in and I assist her in teaching the kids english. It is VERY cute to hear the kids pronounce words such as teacher "teeechaire."
Then MY favorite part of the day comes at 12:30: Recess. This is usually when Ariana, Lisa and I get to chat and share stories for the day. We also spend a lot of this time punishing kids for hitting each other and making them say sorry to one another.
1:20 is lunch time, after all the kids line up and wash their hands. Lisa and I help serve bowls of vegetable-chicken soup, rice, or eggs and green beans to all the kids. They also recieve a taco with beans in it. But first we pray together. I have yet to learn this prayer, something regarding the land, water and people. Then Lisa, the teachers and I eat while also telling the kids to not play with their food, sit up, eat faster, and behave while eating. One of the older-women cooks recognized that Lisa was a vegetarian, and has started setting aside the soup and such before adding the meat for her. She also decides to give me extra meat for some reason. Maybe to even out the balance of meat? Then the kids drink juice and head to nap time.
2:30ish... After lunch we leave for the day and head home. Sometimes Lisa and I will sit and share funny or irritating stories about the day for a little while. But usually she goes up to the roof and exercises and I go to my bed and sleep. Sometimes my naps can be 3 hours long. Its ridiculous. I am usually so exhausted though that I don't care what time I wake up or how long I sleep.
Somewhere between 4:30 and 6: I wake up from my nap and go read or chat with the roomates about their days. Sometimes there are English classes in the house that I help with but sometimes I just journal or read alone.
Sometimes at 7: We go to Zumba to get some exercise...
or else around 8: we go to the Parish. I usually check my email, skype people and sit in the kitchen and talk with the people that hang in the parish. In the first couple weeks, the parish became one of my favorite places. (I know, I don't think ive EVER sought out hanging out in a Church). But it is different here. Everyone just wants to talk and eat together and just be. No one has anywhere to run off to and they genuinely care for one another. The past couple weeks have been a mix of hanging out in the kitchen and hanging outside with the "jovens" (young people). We have luckily made some friends that are helping us with our spanish, our salsa dancing and to have a semi-normal life here.
Between 9 and 11 we head home eat/talk or read and then head to bed getting ready for a new day.
As you notice, there are a lot of "sometimes" in my day because time here is loose. When you arrive somewhere it isn't a scheduled appointment. Time is not money here, and I love it. Some days fly by and some days I feel like I spend 6 hours tracing pictures for the kids to practice their motor skills on. But I enjoy it here. Each day is different and it is starting to feel more and more like home.
Pictures are being requested so Im hoping to put some up in the next few days. Sorry, I know Ive been saying this for a while. Keep me updated on your life. All my love.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
"The Ups and the Downs"
Sorry, it has been a while... After this post you will understand the delay.
So, last weekend (actually two weekends ago) was Caro's Birthday! Yay! Little did I know that the weekend was going to be so jam packed full of celebration. Friday night, our friend Ricardo, (whose older brother went to school with Jess in Mexico City a couple years ago), took us out to a bar. We went to this random place and finally got to see El Centro (the center) of Mexico City. The bar was really fun and played a mix of Spanish and English songs. We had a lot of fun and had a night mixed with Spanish and English communicating. There was even a funny little retro band dressed like they were from the 50s with greased back hair playing Elvis songs all night. For a second I wasn't sure, am I in Mexico or the U.S.? We ate some street tacos and danced and didn't get home until 4 am! Then the next day we had youth group and went to the market and ended up going out, yet again with Ricardo. He took us to a bar in a touristy part of town and we had a lower key night drinking some beer in a place called The Attic. It looked and felt like an Attic, I had to duck when I stood up so that I didn't hit my head on the ceiling. We ate some really delicious Churros on the street with different flavored fillings. Yumm.
Then the next morning Caro woke up to a treasure hunt throughout the house. My very creative roommates and I created little rhymes that led Caro around the house to find her presents. We also made a cake without any dairy products or refined sugars. (Caro hates those...) Then after mass we had a little party at the parish. It ended up being a lot of fun! It was also the 477th anniversary of Santa Fe so many of the women at the parish were in traditional dress. Padre Salvador pulled out his guitar and saranaded us! He has a great voice and is a very normal fun guy. It wasn't too long after the cake and Las Mananitas (the happy birthday song, which is much prettier than happy birthday) that we all ended up dancing. Slowly, I am catching on to how to dance around here, turns out my arm flailing jumping isn't the norm. Even after the fun party at the Parish, some more friends came over and we continued the party. It was a very fun weekend and exactly what Caro deserved.
However, apparently it was a little too much fun, because my cold turned into me not having a voice for most of the weekend. Then during work monday I became super sick and had to go home. My cold turned into the chills and a fever and then the body aches... I was in bed from Monday until Thursday. Unfortunately, I missed out on all of Independence Day. We had been planning to go to the President's Grito (yell:Viva Mexico!) in the Center. The other girls reluctantly went without me, and I stayed in bed and decided to start a book. This week was the first time that I wished we had a TV, however I did read a 500 page book (with a horrible ending) and slept all day long and every night. By Thursday I was sick of being sick in bed and finally went to the Doctor. Which was definitely interesting, we decided to go to a local doctor since it was just a bad cold and most other doctors are a half an hour or more away. The Doctor opened sometime between 6:30 and 7:30. Since standing or walking was a task for me, Caro was nice enough to stand in line out front of the Doctors office until it opened. Then when we were next she called me and I made the big block treck to the doctor. At this doctor you do not need an appointment, you just show up, ask who was last and then wait until that person goes in and go in after. However, you may have to wait longer in case drug representatives stop in to meet with the doctor (of course, doctors are doctors no matter what country). When I got in there, my spanish pulled through and I was able to explain my sickness to the Doc. He looked in my throat, weighed me and listened to my lungs and then promptly told me I had an infection and wrote me a prescription for 3 medications. Normally I would frown upon receiving medicine so easily, but I was happy to get something to make me feel better. This doctor only cost $5 to go to, and once he found out we were Missionaries he didn't make us pay.
So, since, I have been on an Antiobiotic, similar to Penicillin, and have been feeling significantly better. I can walk around! And nothing hurts anymore yay! But it was a hard week. I was sad to miss Independence Day, and laying in bed made me wish I could call up friends and chat and whine about being sick. Today I went back to work at the Guarderia and the kids were great and asked if I was sick and even one kept asking for me while I was gone! These kids bring me a lot of Joy and although my stomach has been a bit sick the past few days, because of the kids and Arianna I was able to make it through the day! I just wanted to give a little update about my last couple weeks. Im going to post a blog on my typical day later on this week, so be looking out.
Also, don't forget to keep me updated on your life! Love.
So, last weekend (actually two weekends ago) was Caro's Birthday! Yay! Little did I know that the weekend was going to be so jam packed full of celebration. Friday night, our friend Ricardo, (whose older brother went to school with Jess in Mexico City a couple years ago), took us out to a bar. We went to this random place and finally got to see El Centro (the center) of Mexico City. The bar was really fun and played a mix of Spanish and English songs. We had a lot of fun and had a night mixed with Spanish and English communicating. There was even a funny little retro band dressed like they were from the 50s with greased back hair playing Elvis songs all night. For a second I wasn't sure, am I in Mexico or the U.S.? We ate some street tacos and danced and didn't get home until 4 am! Then the next day we had youth group and went to the market and ended up going out, yet again with Ricardo. He took us to a bar in a touristy part of town and we had a lower key night drinking some beer in a place called The Attic. It looked and felt like an Attic, I had to duck when I stood up so that I didn't hit my head on the ceiling. We ate some really delicious Churros on the street with different flavored fillings. Yumm.
Then the next morning Caro woke up to a treasure hunt throughout the house. My very creative roommates and I created little rhymes that led Caro around the house to find her presents. We also made a cake without any dairy products or refined sugars. (Caro hates those...) Then after mass we had a little party at the parish. It ended up being a lot of fun! It was also the 477th anniversary of Santa Fe so many of the women at the parish were in traditional dress. Padre Salvador pulled out his guitar and saranaded us! He has a great voice and is a very normal fun guy. It wasn't too long after the cake and Las Mananitas (the happy birthday song, which is much prettier than happy birthday) that we all ended up dancing. Slowly, I am catching on to how to dance around here, turns out my arm flailing jumping isn't the norm. Even after the fun party at the Parish, some more friends came over and we continued the party. It was a very fun weekend and exactly what Caro deserved.
However, apparently it was a little too much fun, because my cold turned into me not having a voice for most of the weekend. Then during work monday I became super sick and had to go home. My cold turned into the chills and a fever and then the body aches... I was in bed from Monday until Thursday. Unfortunately, I missed out on all of Independence Day. We had been planning to go to the President's Grito (yell:Viva Mexico!) in the Center. The other girls reluctantly went without me, and I stayed in bed and decided to start a book. This week was the first time that I wished we had a TV, however I did read a 500 page book (with a horrible ending) and slept all day long and every night. By Thursday I was sick of being sick in bed and finally went to the Doctor. Which was definitely interesting, we decided to go to a local doctor since it was just a bad cold and most other doctors are a half an hour or more away. The Doctor opened sometime between 6:30 and 7:30. Since standing or walking was a task for me, Caro was nice enough to stand in line out front of the Doctors office until it opened. Then when we were next she called me and I made the big block treck to the doctor. At this doctor you do not need an appointment, you just show up, ask who was last and then wait until that person goes in and go in after. However, you may have to wait longer in case drug representatives stop in to meet with the doctor (of course, doctors are doctors no matter what country). When I got in there, my spanish pulled through and I was able to explain my sickness to the Doc. He looked in my throat, weighed me and listened to my lungs and then promptly told me I had an infection and wrote me a prescription for 3 medications. Normally I would frown upon receiving medicine so easily, but I was happy to get something to make me feel better. This doctor only cost $5 to go to, and once he found out we were Missionaries he didn't make us pay.
So, since, I have been on an Antiobiotic, similar to Penicillin, and have been feeling significantly better. I can walk around! And nothing hurts anymore yay! But it was a hard week. I was sad to miss Independence Day, and laying in bed made me wish I could call up friends and chat and whine about being sick. Today I went back to work at the Guarderia and the kids were great and asked if I was sick and even one kept asking for me while I was gone! These kids bring me a lot of Joy and although my stomach has been a bit sick the past few days, because of the kids and Arianna I was able to make it through the day! I just wanted to give a little update about my last couple weeks. Im going to post a blog on my typical day later on this week, so be looking out.
Also, don't forget to keep me updated on your life! Love.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Live in the Present.
I am in the midst of reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and have found myself following in her footsteps through overanalyzing the past but ultimately seeking inner peace. I have always wondered why we are so obsessed with the past and the future and why we never appreciate the present? So here I am, trying to figure out, how to live in the present. Here in Mexico, starting over. New Language, New Life, New traditions and New People.
I woke up sick yesterday morning with the worst stomach pains, and after my usual inner debate over whether to go to work or not, I decided I needed to stay in bed. (Which I must admit was a good idea.) After a few more hours of sleep I decided that it was time to get up and cook some food and pulled out my old friend Elliot Smith for a little comfort. (Have I mentioned how my music is a constant comfort for me?) I also decided to try eating a grapefruit for some vitamins. As I sat there at our table eating this deliciously juicy grapefuit, I realized, oh my god, I like grapefruit! I know, why am I telling you about liking grapefruit, this is not a big deal... But my memory flew back to childhood. Eating breakfast with my Mom. She loved grapefruits, bought them and sprinkled sugar on them most mornings. And I, a young girl wanting so badly to like them since mom did, would ask her day after day to have a little triangle section in hopes that today would be the day that I liked it. But day after day my face twisted with the dislike of the outrageously sour fruit. Now here I am 15 or some odd years later, and I finally like them! Not only did I feel like this story helps me to live in the moment and appreciate these little memories. But it just like everything in my life, means that with time. With time I grow to accept things, to love the bitterness of life.
Which brings me into a bittersweet moment that I had here. Last week we had a family over for dinner. After a delicious meal the family shared a very difficult story with us. The family lost their oldest daughter in a car accident less than a year prior. The second the mother opened up, it was evident that this grieving process was in full force, and unfortunately dragging them down with it. While this moment was very difficult, for the first time here I had something to offer these people. I was able to share with them my experience with grieving my mom. And I told them my experience, and how with time I decided I wanted to be happy again. While I am sure sharing my story hasn't lessened their grief, I hope that it provided them with the smallest ray of hope. That the struggles are actually what make us survive this life. A bitter moment that brough us together and reminded me how lucky I am to have the opportunity to really live life. With everything I have. I know I have been talking about my mom a lot here, but I have felt her here with me a lot. And I think maybe these are the final stages of healing.
On to better things. We have had the opportunity to explore the city!!! We went out one day last weekend with Caro and Jess's friend Ricardo and he drove us to a restaurant/bar in the city! Apparently tequila and squirt is a big drink here, so I am fully enjoying my Squirt!! We also went and saw the Time Traveler's wife at the movie theater in the rich part of Santa Fe. The movie theater was in a mall that literally looked like it had been taken out of Chicago or Naperville. California Pizza Kitchen, Starbucks, Game Planet and even Saks Fifth Avenue. Its amazing the drastic difference between the Santa Fe that we live in and that Santa Fe. But it was nice to see a movie for the first time in a month.
The Day Care is a Roller Coaster. Each day is different. My co-teacher was sick one day this week and has classes today and tomorrow, so it has been difficult trying to keep the kids from getting crazy. Some days they listen to me as a teacher and some days they just want to do what they want to do. But everytime a kid comes up and gives me a hug, I feel like it is all worth it. I have even recieved a few "Te Quiero Mucho"s (I like you a lot) from the kids. While we are trying to teach the kids to be able to sit still, pay attention, not hit one-another and do their work, I try and also talk with them and play with them a bit each day. Im not sure if this is more for their benefit or mine, but I enjoy it a lot. I have also attempted taking on some of the trouble- makers and disruptive kids and giving them one-on-one attention with their classwork. Some days it works, and some days they just do what they want to do. Im practicing my patience but remembering, they are just kids. But regardless they bring me joy everyday. Well...and a pretty nasty cold...
That's all I got. Thanks for being here with me. Peace.
I woke up sick yesterday morning with the worst stomach pains, and after my usual inner debate over whether to go to work or not, I decided I needed to stay in bed. (Which I must admit was a good idea.) After a few more hours of sleep I decided that it was time to get up and cook some food and pulled out my old friend Elliot Smith for a little comfort. (Have I mentioned how my music is a constant comfort for me?) I also decided to try eating a grapefruit for some vitamins. As I sat there at our table eating this deliciously juicy grapefuit, I realized, oh my god, I like grapefruit! I know, why am I telling you about liking grapefruit, this is not a big deal... But my memory flew back to childhood. Eating breakfast with my Mom. She loved grapefruits, bought them and sprinkled sugar on them most mornings. And I, a young girl wanting so badly to like them since mom did, would ask her day after day to have a little triangle section in hopes that today would be the day that I liked it. But day after day my face twisted with the dislike of the outrageously sour fruit. Now here I am 15 or some odd years later, and I finally like them! Not only did I feel like this story helps me to live in the moment and appreciate these little memories. But it just like everything in my life, means that with time. With time I grow to accept things, to love the bitterness of life.
Which brings me into a bittersweet moment that I had here. Last week we had a family over for dinner. After a delicious meal the family shared a very difficult story with us. The family lost their oldest daughter in a car accident less than a year prior. The second the mother opened up, it was evident that this grieving process was in full force, and unfortunately dragging them down with it. While this moment was very difficult, for the first time here I had something to offer these people. I was able to share with them my experience with grieving my mom. And I told them my experience, and how with time I decided I wanted to be happy again. While I am sure sharing my story hasn't lessened their grief, I hope that it provided them with the smallest ray of hope. That the struggles are actually what make us survive this life. A bitter moment that brough us together and reminded me how lucky I am to have the opportunity to really live life. With everything I have. I know I have been talking about my mom a lot here, but I have felt her here with me a lot. And I think maybe these are the final stages of healing.
On to better things. We have had the opportunity to explore the city!!! We went out one day last weekend with Caro and Jess's friend Ricardo and he drove us to a restaurant/bar in the city! Apparently tequila and squirt is a big drink here, so I am fully enjoying my Squirt!! We also went and saw the Time Traveler's wife at the movie theater in the rich part of Santa Fe. The movie theater was in a mall that literally looked like it had been taken out of Chicago or Naperville. California Pizza Kitchen, Starbucks, Game Planet and even Saks Fifth Avenue. Its amazing the drastic difference between the Santa Fe that we live in and that Santa Fe. But it was nice to see a movie for the first time in a month.
The Day Care is a Roller Coaster. Each day is different. My co-teacher was sick one day this week and has classes today and tomorrow, so it has been difficult trying to keep the kids from getting crazy. Some days they listen to me as a teacher and some days they just want to do what they want to do. But everytime a kid comes up and gives me a hug, I feel like it is all worth it. I have even recieved a few "Te Quiero Mucho"s (I like you a lot) from the kids. While we are trying to teach the kids to be able to sit still, pay attention, not hit one-another and do their work, I try and also talk with them and play with them a bit each day. Im not sure if this is more for their benefit or mine, but I enjoy it a lot. I have also attempted taking on some of the trouble- makers and disruptive kids and giving them one-on-one attention with their classwork. Some days it works, and some days they just do what they want to do. Im practicing my patience but remembering, they are just kids. But regardless they bring me joy everyday. Well...and a pretty nasty cold...
That's all I got. Thanks for being here with me. Peace.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
One week!! Woo Hooo!!!
Okay, I have official been in Santa Fe for one week! And guess what, I am still alive. And even better, I am starting to really like it here. At first I must have been experiencing some intense Culture Shock... I started to want to go home and visit and to stop speaking Spanish for parts of the day. But as our favorite phrase goes, Poco a Poco (Little by Little).
I have been meeting lots of people and am being very well taken care of. Everywhere I go I am offered food and asked if I like it here. Everyone tells us that we are welcome in their home and that they are here to serve us, funny because I thought I was here to serve them!
The Guarderia is going really great now. At first I wasn't quite sure how much help I was going to be but each day the "maestra" gives me more and more to do. Although I will admit at one point on Tuesday I was nearly in tears and about to leave after the teacher left me with the kids for an hour and it turned into mass Chaos. And when I mean mass Chaos I mean hitting each other, throwing things, yelling, playing with anything and everything they could find, etc. This would have been somewhat manageable if I could speak their language! At one point I thought, maybe I should just start yelling in English. Luckily the past two days have been significantly better and I am figuring out important phrases in Spanish such as, "Don`t hit each other" and "if you want to go to recess you better behave and finish your work." The teacher Adianna is in her 20s too and is really nice. She is helping me and mostly laughs with me when I say stupid things in Spanish. She is going to be gone 2 days next week and I am going to teach the class all by myself. You bet your bottom dollar I'm going to practices my classroom Spanish this weekend!
We have also been helping out with some of Caro and Jess's English classes which can be a nice break from Spanish. I've also been going to Zumba classes. Zumba is a kind of exercise dance class that uses salsa and Marange and other types of moves. I really like it, but I spent the entire first class laughing at myself. I am definitely the tallest, whitest girl in the class but Lisa, Jess and Caro are there right next to me which helps me to feel better.
Last I am going to leave you with my favorite and least favorite parts of Mexico so far. My least favorite is the Cat Calling that goes on... Almost everyday when we walk down the street we get whistled at and yelled at. Today I even got a "hello white-girl" (in Spanish). Sometimes I get frustrated but most of the time I think its hilarious. Such as when a guy rolled down the window and made kissy noises, or when some guy said "hello baby, I love you." I choose to laugh at these things because A. It is a cultural thing B. I just have to accept that I do stick out here and other than my roomates there are no white people here and C. because the things they say in English they don't even understand and have learned from movies or other "funny" guys. But on a bad day, this gets to me and will annoy me.
leaving with the positive- I love the fresh food EVERYWHERE. There are farmers markets at least three days a week here. We buy tons of fresh vegetables and tortillas every week. The Saturday market is huge! It takes up at least a whole block if not multiple full of any and every kind of fresh fruit or veggies you could want. You can bargain and it is insanely cheap. We have to take all of our fresh veggies that we don't peel and soak them in water with antibacterial drops so that we don't get sick but trust me, It's Worth It. There are even some fruits and veggies here that I have never seen or heard of before!
This is it for today, I shall try and put up some pictures for you in the next week or so.
Be kind. All my love.
I have been meeting lots of people and am being very well taken care of. Everywhere I go I am offered food and asked if I like it here. Everyone tells us that we are welcome in their home and that they are here to serve us, funny because I thought I was here to serve them!
The Guarderia is going really great now. At first I wasn't quite sure how much help I was going to be but each day the "maestra" gives me more and more to do. Although I will admit at one point on Tuesday I was nearly in tears and about to leave after the teacher left me with the kids for an hour and it turned into mass Chaos. And when I mean mass Chaos I mean hitting each other, throwing things, yelling, playing with anything and everything they could find, etc. This would have been somewhat manageable if I could speak their language! At one point I thought, maybe I should just start yelling in English. Luckily the past two days have been significantly better and I am figuring out important phrases in Spanish such as, "Don`t hit each other" and "if you want to go to recess you better behave and finish your work." The teacher Adianna is in her 20s too and is really nice. She is helping me and mostly laughs with me when I say stupid things in Spanish. She is going to be gone 2 days next week and I am going to teach the class all by myself. You bet your bottom dollar I'm going to practices my classroom Spanish this weekend!
We have also been helping out with some of Caro and Jess's English classes which can be a nice break from Spanish. I've also been going to Zumba classes. Zumba is a kind of exercise dance class that uses salsa and Marange and other types of moves. I really like it, but I spent the entire first class laughing at myself. I am definitely the tallest, whitest girl in the class but Lisa, Jess and Caro are there right next to me which helps me to feel better.
Last I am going to leave you with my favorite and least favorite parts of Mexico so far. My least favorite is the Cat Calling that goes on... Almost everyday when we walk down the street we get whistled at and yelled at. Today I even got a "hello white-girl" (in Spanish). Sometimes I get frustrated but most of the time I think its hilarious. Such as when a guy rolled down the window and made kissy noises, or when some guy said "hello baby, I love you." I choose to laugh at these things because A. It is a cultural thing B. I just have to accept that I do stick out here and other than my roomates there are no white people here and C. because the things they say in English they don't even understand and have learned from movies or other "funny" guys. But on a bad day, this gets to me and will annoy me.
leaving with the positive- I love the fresh food EVERYWHERE. There are farmers markets at least three days a week here. We buy tons of fresh vegetables and tortillas every week. The Saturday market is huge! It takes up at least a whole block if not multiple full of any and every kind of fresh fruit or veggies you could want. You can bargain and it is insanely cheap. We have to take all of our fresh veggies that we don't peel and soak them in water with antibacterial drops so that we don't get sick but trust me, It's Worth It. There are even some fruits and veggies here that I have never seen or heard of before!
This is it for today, I shall try and put up some pictures for you in the next week or so.
Be kind. All my love.
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