Feb 7-14 - Happy Valentine's Day!

Hello Blog Readers!

This entire entry will be from my point of view as my guest commentator couldn’t keep his bitter comments to himself. The truth is, he misses being a dog owner and it’s never more evident as when he’s in the presence of my little dog, Tekila. Though he talks tough, he can be found scratching the dog behind it’s ears, letting him rest his tired little head on his lap and EVEN giving Tekila food off of his own plate. I’m including two pictures of my poor baby, demonstrating his dedication and love for his owner(s). The first is a picture of him waiting, faithfully, at the door for Pako to return from the store. The second is Teki helping me plan my lessons. No matter what other, more negative people might say, he is an amusing, loving pet (most of the time) and he makes everyone laugh, including one Brett Favre’s Brother.

This week went by entirely too fast (in the view that my parents have already spent 2 weeks here and only have 2 more) and just fast enough (when considering that my beloved Louise shows up tomorrow – Monday, Feb 15th, and there were a lot of ups and downs at Montessori, as usual).

Superbowl Sunday was as enjoyable as ever if not more so! I was thoroughly pleased with the outcome and I made it through the whole game without saying 'Who Dat'... I can't say the same for my father. We watched the game at our usual haunt, La Perla Restaurant on La Ropa Beach. Open air is really the only way to go when you're looking for an idyllic place to watch the game! Pako and my mom even joined us and (seemed to) enjoy themselves. The broadcast was a CBS stream from Seattle, so we even got to enjoy the commercials, though they were mediocre at best this year. Go Saints, yay New Orleans, take THAT Manning!

Somehow my father and I have both managed to catch a cold. Irony at it’s best: living in 87 degrees and catching a COLD. My boss has also been sick for awhile and missed 3 days of school this week. It was weird not to have her popping her head in my class, but also kind of nice. I hadn’t notice the tension that is inevitably felt when you know that any minute you could be observed, but its absence was quite noticeable. I think my kids noticed it too. In that aspect, it was a good week. We worked together and my 6th and 7th graders reviewed for their test, took oral exams and the written exam. My high schoolers and I had some fun getting back into the swing of things.

There was the usual conflict between the English department and the administration as they kept interrupting English classes to practice for the anniversary celebration, which happened on Friday. The kindergarten, elementary and middle school all sang ‘Love is in the Air’ and ‘Vuela Vuela’ and marched around to “I got a Feeling.” For that, they needed 2 weeks of rehearsal (the 2 weeks leading right up to English exams, which had been mentioned at a meeting 3 weeks earlier when we requested that the exam be moved to avoid the problem…) Things worked themselves out, not without some frustration, but my students did well on their exams, so I was pleased. The anniversary event took on a kind of 'Fiesta de Musica' feel and the different grades performed coreographed dances to mostly English music. My 6th graders dressed up in poodle skirst and danced to Jailhouse Rock. It was fairly adorable. Brought me right back to my poodle skirt dance to Rock around the Clock performed with my 7th grade class.

Carnival was taking place in Zihua this week and we managed to make it to the very first 5 minutes of one event, the final parade. We saw one float and then had to go because Pako was planning to formally ask for my hand and so we had somewhere to be. The whole hand-asking went well and apparently Pako and I are just now officially engaged. Silly me, I thought we got engaged last April. After Pako’s big moment was over, the newly joined family sang ‘Las Mañanitas’ to Petra, whose birthday was January 28th and then a whole slew of family members came down to Lorena’s house and ate some delicious fish that my future father in law prepared and barbecued. The evening was quite fun and I was dragging by the end.

One day we went took a trip around Zihua in search of scenic views. Pako took us to some communities located super high up in the hills and we took a lot of pictures of the city. A lot of the community’s residents laughed at the crazy gringos taking pictures and smiled and waved. After driving up some seriously questionable roads and scraping the bottom of the car an alarming number of times, we drove to a reserve for crocodiles in Ixtapa. Everytime I see a croc up close (which is far too often, now that I’m thinking about it), I’m reminded of the fact that they are DINOSAURS! They’re so bizarre looking and have totally managed the intimidating-while-doing-nothing look.

I’m going backwards in time, but sometime at the beginning of the week (Monday or Tuesday), I had an interview at a Technical college here to possibly give English lessons in the evenings or on Saturday mornings. The job wouldn’t start until March (perfect timing for me) and would pay double my hourly at Montessori! I went and talked to one of the directors of the department and she was very nice. She showed me the room where I would be teaching and it looks a lot more like those that I learned in than the ones I teach in, totally technologically connected and it even has AIR CONDITIONING! I also took a look at the curriculum and it’s a pretty intensive course, but I like the books they work with and I would have a lot of resources to choose from. I won’t know anything for awhile, but it’s something to hope for!

Also, one of those days, who knows which one, Pako, Petra, MWC, BFB and I all went to the Super Circo that featured the Sacred all White Tigers from Russia! It was a pretty impressive little circus in that it had 9 full sized tigers, both Bengal and Siberian. Truth be told, I was really nervous the whole time the tigers were out and all because of Sigfreid and Roy! Luckily, my fears were baseless and the tigers performed their act without any surprises. There was also an amusing clown and some fairly impressive trapeze artists. You couldn’t have even gotten a soda at a circus in the states for the $20 pesos we paid to see the whole spectacle. There were Shetland ponies, bike-riding baboons, all the (unlicensed) Disney Princesses, and a foot juggler. Afterwards, we all went out for delicious pizza and Petra regaled my parents with amusing stories about Tekila (more testament to his overall goodness as a pet) and talked about how he helped her get rid of stress.

Ok, I apologize for all of the discombobulation of this blog, but my mind is on grades and LOUISE! Hope you all have a great week and stay warm!

Besos!

Leyah

Special Guest Commentator: Brett Favre's Brother. Don't forget the note from the editor *ahem, moi* at the end.

Hi to all of Leah's faithful readers. She has asked me to be a guest blogger this week and to share my impressions of our first week in Zihua. So here goes.

I don't know where you live but it is probably unlikely that someone will come to your front door and ask if you would like to have your picture taken with a crocodile. This happened yesterday while we were visiting Pako's aunt. I guess I had never really contemplated having a picture of myself with a crocodile but when the opportunity arose I declined. I did this despite the photographer's assurances that there was no danger involved. Maybe I will rethink it and have it taken with Pat and have it made into our Xmas card for next year.

I know many of you are struggling with the cold and snow, especially those of you in the east, but let me take a few lines to complain about the weather here. In the six previous trips we have taken to Zhiua we haven't seen or felt a drop of rain. In fact I can hardly remember a cloudy day. That all changed last Wednesday when 7.4 inches of rain fell and Thursday when another 6 or more came down. We were cooped up in our nice little apartment all day Thursday. Wednesday, Leah and Pako couldn't even visit as the streets between their apartment and ours were flooded. On Thursday Pako figured out a route that allowed he and Leah to come to our place without turning his car into a boat. The rain actually stopped long enough for us to walk downtown. We were in the Mexican version of the Dollar Store when it started to pour again, so we spent some extra time browsing the delights to be found for 12 pesos.

The rain continued but we were able to make it to a bus that slowly made it's way through the flooded streets and dropped us off in front of our apartment. The next day the weather went back to normal which is to say gloriously sunny and warm. A long time resident told Leah that he had seen it rain in February once in 27 years and that was a sprinkle that didn't last long. There is another day of rain forecast in the next 15 days. I think we can handle it if it materializes.

Pat and I have been eating well as Pako's sister has made us two very good meals and his father made us a good lunch one day. On Monday we are going to his aunt's house for lunch. All this and Pako's mother has been out of town this week visiting relatives in Acapulco and will return Monday. I suspect she too, will want to feed us. Everyone has been great and have given Pat and I an experience that would be hard to duplicate as tourists.

One of these nights we are going to a circus that has set up in town. This operation boasts both white and standard tigers, camels and there is a rumour that monkeys might also be involved. Years ago I saw a small circus in Mexico that featured acts that you won't find in your usual U.S. touring circus. There was a women who's entire act consisted of her smoking a cigarette with her foot. There was another guy who placed his feet on one chair and his head on another with a large rock placed on his belly. Then his assistant took a sledge hammer and broke the rock on his stomach. The last, and greatest act was a juggler who couldn't quite pull off his finale. He was throwing all these rings in the air and spinning around but just couldn't catch the last rings to complete the trick. However, in a show of determination on his part and patience and stoicism on the audience's part he was allowed about ten trys to complete his act. Unfortunately he never was able to do it so the ring announcer gave him an excellent send off and the show concluded. Talk about the greatest show on earth. I'm hoping this circus lives up to the standard I have come to expect. I'm not kidding. I find the standard circus pretty boring. These shows are unpredictable and somehow more human.

Finally I want to say something about Pako and Leah's dog. I think Pako's aunt summed it up when she declared the dog malo (bad). It is a delightful combination of paranoid and psychotic behavior. Luckily it is so small that it's more amusing than frightening. Someday something will end up eating the darn thing. Pako, Leah and Pako's mother love the beast so that's something in it's favor. Hey! I wonder if it would like to have it's picture taken with a crocodile?

Well so long. I suspect this is the last you will hear from me after Leah reads that last paragraph.

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Editor's Note:

In defense of my dog... well... I NEVER said he was a good dog. In fact, numerous times, I've mentioned that he was NOT a good dog. But he's cute. And he does cute things. And he lives far away from most of you, so you may never get the chance to laugh at his psycho-neurosis. Your loss!

The weather here has been crazy! On Wednesday I woke up to rain water hitting my face, which is not entirely easy as I sleep in a place that is not easily accessible from the window. Nonetheless, the downpour found it's way to my face and up I got. I'm hoping that the craziness has tapered off (weatherwise - I don't expect Tequila's craziness to taper off any time soon) and that regular sunny, enviable Zihua weather is back to stay. It's been getting downright cold (63-65 degrees) at night and I'm just not used to be so chilly all the time... I moved to a different country to avoid that feeling, it'd be nice if the pressure systems and El Niño would oblige.

High school started again this week and though I was somewhat dreading their return, I'm happy to have them back. They're my oldest and most advanced students so I get to do a lot of cool activities with them. We're watching Forrest Gump on Fridays and discussion American pop culture references. I'm having more fun than most of them, but at least they seem to enjoy the movie. 7th graders remain 7th graders and I believe that is all that needs to be said about that.

Today is Superbowl Sunday and I'm pretty excited. We're installing ourselves at the beach/sports bar at about 2pm to secure a good table. I'm hoping for a good game and a Saints' win. There is just something about the Colts that grates on my nerves. I'm fairly certain it's Peyton Manning. I even like Eli Manning better and he beat the Packers in an NFC championship game a couple of years back (you remember, the other last minute, last chance Brett Favre interception in a clutch game?). Anywho, I will not now, nor ever say something as innane as 'who dat,' but I will be humming 'When the Saints Go Marching In.' I hate that this game marks the end of football season until September, but you can't have everything. I'm not going to focus all of my sports viewing and following attention on Badger Basketball. Go Big Red!

Alright, must get some grades done so I can give football my undivided attention later. Hope you're all having a fabulous week and not letting all that cold snow get you down!

Besitos!

Leyah

PS. If you know my Grandma Carole, get your fudge orders for next Christmas in soon. I plan to order 48 kilos as it is THAT DELICIOUS!