Hello Blog-readers!
I realize that last entry was rather short and disjointed; it’s just that… that’s how my life has been for the first week here. Today makes it a week that I am here in Zihua so I figure it’s time to write a real update. Pako is snoring away (one reason that I am wide awake, writing this) and we haven’t bought water or gas for the apartment yet (reasons for that are forthcoming), so I can’t be doing laundry, cooking breakfast or unpacking, or any of those other house-wife domestic-y things that I’ll probably never do as much or as well as I should.
Taking care of Las Urracas, the hotel where Pako’s dad works and where he and I met, was less that super fun. First and foremost, there were a crap-ton of mosquitoes that apparently only eat gringos, so I was immediately covered in ridiculously swollen red bumps and looked like I should be quarantined. That was, by far, the worst part for me. The other part that I did not whole-heartedly enjoy was the fact that someone always had to be there, meaning Pako and I couldn’t come to the apartment but every so often to get clothes and whatnot from my suitcases that lay (shockingly) unpacked and overflowing with now opened space-saver vacuum bags (awesome things, btw).
Pako’s dad was released from the hospital on Tuesday, feeling fine, but totally stiff as they don’t really want their patients to get up and walk around… Until Friday night, he stayed at his daughter, Lorena’s, house, where she could make sure he didn’t eat too much meat and finished taking his antibiotics. He’s back at Las Urracas now, thank goodness.
Pako and I have stayed in our apartment 3 nights now and I am only marginally more unpacked than I was when we were staying at Las Urracas. We’ve really only ever been here in the mornings, late at night, and to sleep. The water runs out after 8pm-ish, which is not shocking to anyone but the gringa. Luckily, my non-gringo roomie had already filled up a number of buckets with water for just such an occasion. I am learning fast. I can’t say that is my favorite, either.
An expat, for whom Pako gave swim lessons last summer, has started a wildlife refuge of sorts outside of Zihua. We went and I saw 2 kinds of spiders that I hope NEVER EVER EVER EVER to see outside of a cage (Trina, you know what I’m talking about) and some scorpions and snakes. Then there was the 2nd largest butterfly house in Latin America and the Iguana area. Male iguanas get to be super big. Pako says they taste like chicken. Yuck. Of that I won’t be reporting personally. There was also a baby deer… the word escapes me at the moment… FAWN! Shoot, I’m loosing my infrequent English… Soon enough Blanca will be calling me an ELL :P There was an observation tower as well, that had spectacular views of the surrounding lagoons and ocean. I’ll probably take all visitors, so no need to keep going. I do think that my wildlife quotient for the day was met and probably beat my dad’s by quite a bit.
Went to Acapulco for LITERALLY an hour yesterday. First I had an orientation at the school where I’ll work, Montessori. It took all of 15 minutes for the Assistant Principal, who is called Maestro Ricardo, to give me a folder that the English Coordinator, Maestra Jeannie (aka my boss), left me, the books I’ll be teaching from, the year-long (pretend) curriculum/plan and to tell me to wear a white blouse (of which I have two, but brought neither) and navy blue pants (until I’m told otherwise, jeans). That was my orientation. My boss returns to Mexico the 10th of August and to work the 12th. Great. Until then I’m on my own. In short…. SHIT! Ah well, I’ll find a way. After that enlightening 15 minutes, it was “see you Monday, I’ll wait for you here… oh, actually, I don’t have the schedule down yet so can you call me Monday, about 9ish, and I’ll let you know if you start at 10 or 11? K, great.” Mini-panic attack.
Then 3.5 hours in the car to Acapulco. Sat at Pako’s grandma’s house for about one hour. Ate some delicious shrimp and crab soup and off we went again, this time with Pako’s mom and Tequila in tow. 3.5 more hours in the car. Ate some tacos and went to bed.
Monday I start school and will be teaching English 1 and 2, to 10 and 12 high school students respectively. On the 24th of August my middle school class will start and will have about 20-25 students. It’s possible that they’ll give me more classes before the 24th, but as it is Mexico… one never knows. Pako can’t even call his school about his degree until the 24th of August, so Montessori can’t hire him. He’ll help his dad at Las Urracas and look for other work in the meantime. Right now I’m feeling slightly frantic about school because I’ve had such… brief… explanation as to what I am required to do and what I’m allowed to do… but I’ll figure it out and be fine. I do know that the school focuses on communication over literacy skills, so there will be a lot of talking in the classroom and that they believe in lots of comprehensive input (meaning I’ll only be speaking in English to my high school classes) and that they focus on irregular verbs a lot (… as if you wouldn’t understand goed versus went…).
Ok, off to buy myself a white blouse, some food for the puppy and various other things for the apartment. I noticed that electronics are WAY more expensive here and I asked why, Pako said that it was because they are imported. Well, I, too, am exported and therefore plan to be very expensive J
Ok, signing out for now, more after I start teaching… mini panic attack… ok, I’m better again. I miss you all and really dislike not being able to call people on my cell as I’m in transit, which was my best talking time at home! How are things at home? Brett’s not a Viking, so at least I know all is well in the realm of professional football! Now if only we could get the Twins back within a couple of games of first place again, I could sleep easy!
Love!
I realize that last entry was rather short and disjointed; it’s just that… that’s how my life has been for the first week here. Today makes it a week that I am here in Zihua so I figure it’s time to write a real update. Pako is snoring away (one reason that I am wide awake, writing this) and we haven’t bought water or gas for the apartment yet (reasons for that are forthcoming), so I can’t be doing laundry, cooking breakfast or unpacking, or any of those other house-wife domestic-y things that I’ll probably never do as much or as well as I should.
Taking care of Las Urracas, the hotel where Pako’s dad works and where he and I met, was less that super fun. First and foremost, there were a crap-ton of mosquitoes that apparently only eat gringos, so I was immediately covered in ridiculously swollen red bumps and looked like I should be quarantined. That was, by far, the worst part for me. The other part that I did not whole-heartedly enjoy was the fact that someone always had to be there, meaning Pako and I couldn’t come to the apartment but every so often to get clothes and whatnot from my suitcases that lay (shockingly) unpacked and overflowing with now opened space-saver vacuum bags (awesome things, btw).
Pako’s dad was released from the hospital on Tuesday, feeling fine, but totally stiff as they don’t really want their patients to get up and walk around… Until Friday night, he stayed at his daughter, Lorena’s, house, where she could make sure he didn’t eat too much meat and finished taking his antibiotics. He’s back at Las Urracas now, thank goodness.
Pako and I have stayed in our apartment 3 nights now and I am only marginally more unpacked than I was when we were staying at Las Urracas. We’ve really only ever been here in the mornings, late at night, and to sleep. The water runs out after 8pm-ish, which is not shocking to anyone but the gringa. Luckily, my non-gringo roomie had already filled up a number of buckets with water for just such an occasion. I am learning fast. I can’t say that is my favorite, either.
An expat, for whom Pako gave swim lessons last summer, has started a wildlife refuge of sorts outside of Zihua. We went and I saw 2 kinds of spiders that I hope NEVER EVER EVER EVER to see outside of a cage (Trina, you know what I’m talking about) and some scorpions and snakes. Then there was the 2nd largest butterfly house in Latin America and the Iguana area. Male iguanas get to be super big. Pako says they taste like chicken. Yuck. Of that I won’t be reporting personally. There was also a baby deer… the word escapes me at the moment… FAWN! Shoot, I’m loosing my infrequent English… Soon enough Blanca will be calling me an ELL :P There was an observation tower as well, that had spectacular views of the surrounding lagoons and ocean. I’ll probably take all visitors, so no need to keep going. I do think that my wildlife quotient for the day was met and probably beat my dad’s by quite a bit.
Went to Acapulco for LITERALLY an hour yesterday. First I had an orientation at the school where I’ll work, Montessori. It took all of 15 minutes for the Assistant Principal, who is called Maestro Ricardo, to give me a folder that the English Coordinator, Maestra Jeannie (aka my boss), left me, the books I’ll be teaching from, the year-long (pretend) curriculum/plan and to tell me to wear a white blouse (of which I have two, but brought neither) and navy blue pants (until I’m told otherwise, jeans). That was my orientation. My boss returns to Mexico the 10th of August and to work the 12th. Great. Until then I’m on my own. In short…. SHIT! Ah well, I’ll find a way. After that enlightening 15 minutes, it was “see you Monday, I’ll wait for you here… oh, actually, I don’t have the schedule down yet so can you call me Monday, about 9ish, and I’ll let you know if you start at 10 or 11? K, great.” Mini-panic attack.
Then 3.5 hours in the car to Acapulco. Sat at Pako’s grandma’s house for about one hour. Ate some delicious shrimp and crab soup and off we went again, this time with Pako’s mom and Tequila in tow. 3.5 more hours in the car. Ate some tacos and went to bed.
Monday I start school and will be teaching English 1 and 2, to 10 and 12 high school students respectively. On the 24th of August my middle school class will start and will have about 20-25 students. It’s possible that they’ll give me more classes before the 24th, but as it is Mexico… one never knows. Pako can’t even call his school about his degree until the 24th of August, so Montessori can’t hire him. He’ll help his dad at Las Urracas and look for other work in the meantime. Right now I’m feeling slightly frantic about school because I’ve had such… brief… explanation as to what I am required to do and what I’m allowed to do… but I’ll figure it out and be fine. I do know that the school focuses on communication over literacy skills, so there will be a lot of talking in the classroom and that they believe in lots of comprehensive input (meaning I’ll only be speaking in English to my high school classes) and that they focus on irregular verbs a lot (… as if you wouldn’t understand goed versus went…).
Ok, off to buy myself a white blouse, some food for the puppy and various other things for the apartment. I noticed that electronics are WAY more expensive here and I asked why, Pako said that it was because they are imported. Well, I, too, am exported and therefore plan to be very expensive J
Ok, signing out for now, more after I start teaching… mini panic attack… ok, I’m better again. I miss you all and really dislike not being able to call people on my cell as I’m in transit, which was my best talking time at home! How are things at home? Brett’s not a Viking, so at least I know all is well in the realm of professional football! Now if only we could get the Twins back within a couple of games of first place again, I could sleep easy!
Love!
Wow--that is terrifying! (Both the giant spiders and the job situation) I have total faith in you--you'll figure things out and hit the ground running. Good luck on your first week of teaching!
ReplyDeleteWhat are you holding? I like the pictures! Keep them coming!
ReplyDelete