Teeeeet-cher!

I tought my first class on Thursday!  I am in training right now with one of Cambrian's directors.  Her name is Oris and she is a lot of fun!  She asked me on Wednesday if I thought that I could handle Thursday's class as she is doing double duty as director and teacher.  I wanted to say HELL NO but I didn't want her to think that I wasn't capable so I went ahead and said yes.  They use a book called Traveller that has lessons and activities laid out for you.  I made some photocopies of her book and went on my way, nervous as hell to teach my first class. 
The class is level 1 beginners which is somewhat relieving and terrifying at the same time.  Level 1 beginners don't know enough to ask you many questions and are new to each topic.  However, level 1 beginners also don't understand much English at all which means you have to talk using lots of simple language and hand jestures.  Listen...touch your ears, speak...touch your mouth, etc. 
As scared as I was to teach the class, it actually went really well.  I tought the lessons "What do you do?" and Capital letters.  "What do you do?" involved a lot of occupation vocabulary and also the difference between a and an.  Ex.  I am a nurse or I am an architect.  We played a game where I taped an occupation on the back of each student and they had to go around the glass and guess "Am I a mechanic?" and so forth.  Students replied "No you aren't" or "Yes you are"  I also played another game where I gave the students clues to who I was by saying things like "I work on cars, who am I?"  This involved more unfamiliar vocabulary and lots of acting! 
I also taught capital letters and lowercase letters.  We reviewed all the situations when you use capital letters: to start a sentence, names of people or places, nationalities, etc.  I also integrated lowercase letters as there is not much to them. 
I really enjoyed the class and aside from the dreaded stand-in-front-of-the-class sweats all went very smoothly.  On Friday the students had a quiz and I must proudly say that all the students got 100% on the parts that I taught!  ;)
I'm excited to have my own class!  It feels fulfilling to know that you are teaching someone something of value that can help better their lives!  I wasn't sure how well I was actually going to like teaching, but after my first week I find myself excited to see what comes next!

Adios....Besitos...Nos vemos pronto!

Bum no more!

I got a job!  It was as simple as showing up to the Cambrian Institute that I visited last April and the director Roberto was basically like can you start today?  I will be doing about a month of training and I officially start April 12th when the new session starts.  I don't know many of the details yet...I went on Friday to observe but it was Dia de la Samaritana* and there was just a party and graduation ceremony.
The school is growing which is a good sign...they already opened another close to here in another colonia.  I have the option to work in both schools which could be fun.  There are several other foreign teacher which I am excited about...potential new non-Mexican friends! 
As far as pay goes...I don't really want to talk about it!  I will earn enough to support myself here but in comparison to what I earn in the states it is nothing.  However, I will have alot more free time...there are just classes in the morning and in the evening so I will have about 5 hours in the day to myself! 
I'm excited, a little nervous and anxious!  All the unsual feelings when beginning something new!

*Dia de la Samaritana celebrated around this time every year is a Oaxacan tradition where women make an agua de sabor or flavored water to give to others.  They dress up in traditional clothes to pass out the agua.  They decorate a stand with trees and flowers.  The aguas are delicious!  My favorite is agua de sandia or watermelon.  There was also one called chilacayota which is pumpkin water...sounds gross but is actually very delicious!  They are all made with natural ingredients which make them extra delicious!

Adios...nos vemos...Besitos!

Kick Boxing and Dia de los Muertos (kind of)

Interested in finding new things to do in Oaxaca, I thought it would be fun to seek out various exercise classes.  The first I decided to try was kickboxing, in one of the gyms close to my apartment that offered a free session.  Lalo decided he would come with, although he claims to have never officially "exercised" in his life.  We arrived a little early and enjoyed seeing the various exercise outfits that Mexico has to offer.  Most included shorts just a little too short or lycra just a little too tight! 
Our instructor made a show of us by making it obligatory to stand in the front row so he could show us exactly how to do the moves.  His moves looked like they were copied directly out of Karate Kid, with none of the coordination or skill.  He looked like a kid showing off his new karate moves.  I had to laugh.  He continuously corrected mine and Lalo's "moves" making what we were doing all that more painfully awkward.  One kick included a full turn, like a ballerina or ice skater.  The room included floors that were slicker than ice and sauna-like temperatures!  We were sweating our asses off, doing round house kicks, being encouraged to kick ourselves in the face!  Oh yeah and we were also encouraged to hold our breath while exercising.  When I said it made me feel dizzy he said that was GREAT!  Where did you get your licence again?
Needless to say I don't think I will be heading back to that gym, even if it is only $250 pesos per month for a membership!  I was quite sore the following 2 days so maybe it wasn't such a bad workout afterall. 

On Monday I had the pleasure of being invited to the 1 year anniversary of the death of Lalo's grandfather Eugenio.  It was really amazing to see the amount of tradition involved in death here.  There was a large sand effigy created on the floor surrounded by candles and flowers.  The effigy is made with colored sand and included a cross and his initials.  Esther and Flavio, Lalo's aunt and uncle, made homemade pozole.  Around 7pm we went to the church for mass, where I had no idea what to do.  Of course we were sititng in the front row and I continuously had to look at other people in order to know what to do.  Afterwards we went back to Lalo's house where around 100 people followed.  The room with the effigy and candles is a prayer room and they pray and recite bible versus.  I found myself super interested in what was going on, because first I have never had anyone close to me pass away and second it was completely different than anything I have ever seen.  The what I would call pallbearers removed the candles and flowers and scraped up the sand, destroying the beautiful design and created a cross replacing the flowers and candles all around it.  There were hundreds of flowers and picture of Eugenio.  It was really beautiful. 
Once all the praying was done, I helped serve coffee and sweets.  Next came the pozole.  I helped pass out tostadas, pass out pozole and the toppings, and refill coffee.  It was funny to see people stare at me wondering who the heck I was.  I felt a little out of place but just continued to help out figuring that was the best way to avoid lots of questions. 
Yesterday we visited Eugenio's grave.  The cemetary was yet another fascinating experience.  The cemetary is a colorfully decorated yet gruesomely rudimentary.  Most gravesites are heaps of dirt, leaving you feel like the bodies are right close to you.  The gravesite is not purchased forever, rather rented year to year.  Those who forget or neglect to pay lose their site.  The marker is removed and another body is buried right on top!  Many graves have elaborate decorations; flowers, gifts, drinks, food, pictures.  For many Mexicans it is as if the grave is a replica of their loved one and neglecting the grave would be neglecting the dead.  I found myself wandering around the cemetery checking out all the graves! 
I find myself experiencing and understanding new pieces of the this culture daily.  While some make me thankful for the 1st world from which I came, many also make me long for what seems to be lost in the American culture. 

Adios...nos vemos pronto...Besitos!

Here I go again on my own...

Roughly three weeks after arriving in Mexico, I am officially moved into my new apartment.  It's small but cute and after a few purchases has everything I need.  When I arrived, I was staying with Lalo and his family on the outskirts of the city, about a 25 minute walk.  Unfortunately this means that there isn't always water in the house or that it will be hot!  Here in the city, there is always water and the apartment has a solar water heater which means I will luxiously enjoy hot showers every morning!  I am only about 4 blocks from the Zocalo or main square where many go nightly for an icecream or just a leisurely stroll.  The zocalo is almost always full of people meandering about buying up local items or eating at one of the many cafes that encircle it.  I am loving living here in the city, walking around in the sunshine and enjoying the unique shops and yummy restaurants! 
My first time here in Oaxaca I lived with a family not too far from where I am living now, which never forced me to take the city bus.  Fortunately, this time around I have had Lalo to show the ropes!  I adventured to the Bodega Aurrera (Mexico's Wal-Mart) alone today for the first time on the city bus.  My only mistake was stepping out in what I thought was a cute yellow sundress.  Rather, it screamed look at me and honk or whistle.  I get that I am a gringa and stand out, but today I truly felt like a sore-thumb!  I much prefer to blend in with the majority of Oaxacans, with the occasional glance or stare. 
I had the pleasure of celebrating my birthday here in Oaxaca, and although it was a litle sad to be without my family, Lalo's family prepared a wonderful celebration!  We had tasajo and tripa from the 20 de Noviembre Market complete with guacamole, pico de gallo, and tortillas.  Estelita bought me my favorite tres leches cake and a beautiful 3 layer gelatina!  It was all very delicious!  Later Lalo and I went out with several of his cousins and a couple of friends! 
I learned today that the ex and wife had their baby, a boy named Cooper.  Again, the same weird feeling.  I had a little pity party for myself sad that he has moved on has a new family.  It's very strange how much life can change in a couple years.  Here I am living in a beautiful city in southern Mexico when just 2 years ago, I would have found myself sitting on the lovely green couch I picked out in the house we bought in Montrose.  I am a million miles away, mentally and physically, and happy to be so.  Congrats to us both! 
I am happy to be the out-of-place gringa living amidst a sea of Mexicans!  Here's to what shall come next!

Adios...besitos...Nos vemos pronto!

Adventure Part Dos

After nearly a two month stint in Minneapolis, enjoying all the lovely weather and trecherous roads that MN has to offer, I'm on my way back to Mexico.  I have to admit cashiering at the good old B'Smith is hardly my dream job but it'll do in times of desperation (and by desperation I mean arriving home with less than $50 in my bank account!). 
It has been wonderful spending time with my family and friends and I must admit this time feels a little different.  Knowing that I was going back, I never quite established a routine or really anything resembling a "life" here.  I have sort of just been living to go back.  But now that it is time to back, I'm kind of anxious.  Nervous, excited anxious but anxious all the same.  This time, I have to prove myself to all those who have put up with me saying "I've just been travelling for the last 5 months of my life".  I really can't complain, and those have been the best 5 months of my life to date, but now I have to buckle down, get a job and make something of myself. 
I'm tempted to take my tax return, birthday money, and cash that I saved up from 'Smithing and travel the western coast of South America.  There is no better time when you have people to visit!  The lure of shotty buses, cheap street food, and carrying everything you own in a small backpack actually sounds pretty inviting! 
So, for now I'm gonna go back with some tentative plans that include finding a job and getting an apartment but also leave my options open.  I'm young, divorced, with a little money in my pocket and it is my time to decide what I want to do with those options. 
As I once again set out on yet another chapter I'm going to make myself one promise:  Be true to myself!

Adios...Besos...Nos vemos pronto!