A Little List of Little Good Things.

photo credit: marco

1. My student Ramon brought me a bag full of ripe mangos from his farm.

2. La mama who makes and tacos down the street stopped cooking to invite me into her house and show me her knitting projects (because she knows I'm learning to knit, too).

3.The quesadilla she made me afterwards (without queso : )).

4. Ana and I painted each others fingernails while listening to foreign rap music (in French and Hebrew).

Staff Meeting.

AT THE BEACH!?! Yes, indeed! “Hola from Zihuatanejo!”

(And 6,000 points to whoever can tell me which classic film supposedly ended on this beach…)

It was wonderful. Even, perfect.

with Clau

Danny, Pau, Zac, y Carmen : )

These are the coconuts that were cut straight off the tree
that this hammock is hanging from.
We drank the water and ate the meat and it was THE COOLEST.
(with Abril)

This is the gardener who retrieved us the coconuts
and opened them with his machete! (Woo hoo!)

Things about Mexico #13

We do go shopping.

Sometimes when you are in a foreign country and you go to the mall, you find a shirt on the discount rack that features your home city. (Holla at ya, Portland. : ))

(What?!)

Things about Mexico #12

Cucarachas. Cockroaches.

(and that is all I have to say about that.)

SS: Guanajuato

Second stop: Guanajuato.
**This is the name of both the city and the state.

with the other "interns"
(who aren't really interns because they live here now)
Ryan and Kristen

(Missed the "first stop"? Click here.)

SS: San Miguel de Allende

Here "SS" stands for "Semana Santa". Holy week (aka Easter). 
The entire country recognizes the Easter holiday, and everyone gets days off. And schools pair up the change of term with the Easter break, so it's like spring break for two weeks! 
We (directors and interns of NOE) took a little trip to "conocer" (know/ meet/ be introduced to) another state. (Mexico, too, has "untied states", too. : )) 
We stopped in two absolutely beautiful cities in the state of Guanajuato. 
First stop: San Miguel de Allende. 

**Interesting information: This city holds one of the highest populations of "ex-patriots" in all of Mexico. 

with Kristen, my roommate

Things about Mexico #11

Las Combis.

The public transportation system within Morelia. 
The are like mini-buses, or big vans, I guess. 
All the seats line the edges, and there is space to stand (or slouch) in the middle. 
(I'll tell you, we can really pack it out! Very stereo-typical, clown-car-like at times. : ))
It costs $7 pesos (about 50¢ USD) to take the combi anywhere. 
Super convenient!! (And an entirely new concept for me, because I hadn't used public transit in the United States.)

There are all different colors, and the colors define the routes. 
Azul A will take you from the NOE Center to the Cathedral downtown.
And Gris 1 will get you to the church and the movie theater. 
These are the two that I can use with confidence. (There are so many other colors! I haven't even seen all of them yet!)

I've been able to use them by myself since November. (Thanks to Nadia, a fellow teacher-friend turned tour-guide. We would go out to practice. : )) Even so, it is still really exciting every time I hail one. "Yes, I can navigate this city like a local!" (Ha! It's the little normal things that are huge accomplishments.)

"Estas son las Mañanitas..."

"Las Mañanitas" is the Spanish birthday song. 

I like it. And I heard it quite a bit recently...

I had my birthday.

Twenty-one is a more "significant" age in the United States. 

("Congratulations. Now you can do the things you could already do in Mexico." 

Ha! True. Thank you for observing that, Lauren. : )) 

But even so, I was celebrated. 

At that, celebrated in great abundance! (Celebrated with surprises and celebrated for days!)

MY THREE BIRTHDAY WISHES:

(all completed!!)

#1. A piñata

#2. A flower crown

#3. Tacos Compean

(favorite food with some favorite people)

Extra: A trip to "Forever 21" : )

(woo hoo!)

Thank you very much, everyone. // 

Muchisimas gracias, todos.