An Ode to Cheese

 Wheeeew! I'm back.... after dropping off the blogging grid for a bit. It's just been so busy since classes started in August, I haven't had time to sleep (well, not the recommended amount for a Second Grade teacher that is) and do laundry regularly, much less update my life online. Let me fill you in on the last 2 months of my bizarre Mexican life:

I got two new, lovely roomies/coworkers: Molly (3rd Grade teacher from New York) and Maria (1st Grade teacher from Ukraine/Canada/Australia).

 I turned 24!! This was my third birthday outside of the country, without my family and fabulous friends from home. Thankfully, my birthday fell on the Monday after our 3 day weekend (for Mexican Independence Day). The Thursday before our holiday, we were informed that we had Monday off as well- the BEST birthday present I could have asked for!
Spending four lazy days on the sands of Puerto Vallarta (with Noah!), was a decent way to ring in another year on the ol' odometer :)

I've taken a few amazing weekend trips. Here we are at a historical mine site in Guanajuato (an absolutely gorgeous, colorful city in the hills). We also went to Hausteca for Lucy's birthday and saw some incredible waterfalls and caves. Mexico's a lot more geologically diverse than I expected... much more than beach and desert, haha

Sahuayan Halloween was a blast... take it from a bumble bee, a kitty cat, a famous Mexican footballer, a beautiful masquerader, and a pimp!

A majority of my time, though, has been spent in the classroom, lesson planning behind a screen, or behind a a stack of books to grade.


It's crazy that I've been in Mexico for half a year already.... why don't I speak espanol yet???


In my six months I've decided that my favorite things about living here are:

1. Seeing the sun EVERYDAY
2. Being moderately close to beautiful, sandy coast
3. The loving culture & lovely people (cutest kids ever!)
4. Colorful everything: vehicles, buildings, clothing, food
5. Spending Pesos
6. Fiestas and siestas

The things that I miss the most from home:

1. You! (if you endured all the way to the bottom, then you're probably one of my VIPs)
2. Cleo, my purrrfect little pal 
3. Efficiency
4. Being able to sleep through the night without being subjected to ridiculously loud music from the "cruisers" passing by, firecrackers, yappy dogs, yappy people, etc....
5. Sane traffic and safe driving etiquette
6. Cheese! Really tasty, creamy, sharp cheese... going to the supermarket and being able to pick from a whole aisle (or nice, chilled island) of different cheeses. Cheddar, gouda, havarti, provolone, swiss.... I thought I was signing up for a year of monterey jack smothered on everything I eat- not the case. The queso here is muy fresco, which is alright... but it's a lot more moist, salty and sour (and all tastes the same!).                                                                                        *** if anyone from Pullman is reading this, the BEST Christmas present ever would be to send some Cougar Gold***