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***

Second Start

 The school year at Colegio Interamericano de Sahuayo has commenced!

I had my second first day of classes, and my first day of Second Grade (I decided to keep the same group of students and teach Second, instead of First Grade). As much as I adore my students, it's been an absolutely exhausting week!! Every day this week, Molly (my new flatmate, and English teacher from NY) and I have gotten up at 6:00 to shower, dress up, drink a  large cup o' joe and head out to catch a taxi to get to school by 7:30 (fyi, the sun doesn't even start to shine until 7:30.... so getting up and getting ready while it's pitch black outside feels SOO wrong!). One day this week, the power randomly shut off in our apartment, so we had to get ready by dim candlelight.

Once at school, we sign in, drop our stuff off in our classrooms and then stand at our "morning post" until all the students have arrived and the bell rings to line up in the gym cancha. The classes are then dismissed one at a time.  As soon as we get to classroom, chaos ensues: class always starts with a student-initiated group hug and spirals out of control from there. My students are all hyped up from their vacation-filled Summer breaks and the ridiculous amount of sugary snacks they eat all day long. I spend most of the day class managing, trying to squeeze in as much English learning activities as possible. I secretly look forward to recess more than the students, haha....

 After recess we switch groups. My morning group goes to Spanish and Math class with Miss Paulina (who is soo sweet!), and her group comes to my class for 3 hours of English. Classes are over at 2:10 (hallelujah!), when we then line them up at the bleachers and "deliver" them one by one to their parents.

Here are a few of my incredibly hyperactive boys in my afternoon group:

Jose Francisco (top, in the red shirt), is absolutely adorable, but oh-so-hyper! I get more hugs and kisses from him than any other student. He also usually draws me some sort of sweet picture with us holding hands, haha.... If I didn't have to      constantly remind him to sit in his seat and stop screaming at other students, he'd be my favorite!

Daniel is a character! Also so, sooo sweet, but never follows the rules. He has the funniest cartoon voice, and always sings or squeals his words.... I have to try so hard not to crack up all the time!

Jesus (holding the pencils below), is another one of my little monkeys. He's got so much energy and is obsessed with karate and Michael Jackson, haha.... needless to say, I'm always running after him and usually have to pick him up after he falls or trips doing one of his karate/dance moves :)

Thankfully I have some super well-behaved students to balance out the chaos! Here are a few of my favorites:Dana Paola & Diego

Gael & Maria Fernanda 

 Thursday and Friday we had Open House for the parents to come in for a few hours to hear our objective for the year. I was pleased to have a pretty full turn out, and got to meet a lot of my student's parents. They all seemed very supportive and a few even told me they were going to find me a boyfriend in Sahuayo so that I'd stay here, haha. I'm feeling good about this year, and already excited to see how much they learn by the end of Second Grade! Here'e to a great year teaching the most adorable, silly, crazy, sweet students imaginable!

"The Night of the Iguana"

I just got back from a spontaneous trip to Puerto Vallarta
and this pretty much sums up ALL my time there:

enough walking around town... time to work on my "tan"

still working on my tan (three days of some serious sun, and I'm still the same color as the sand, haha)

Thank you Puerto Vallarta for the fresh air, beautiful views, enjoyable beach naps, and wonderfully friendly people to meet!

I'm  already looking forward to my next playa vacation...


Until then, it's Sahuayo for this girl :)

Home, Sweet Home!

"Mid pleasures and places we may roam

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home"

 After a month back home, in beautiful Washington, it's time to head back down to Mexico... early morning flight, here I come! It was a huge blessing to be home during the nicest month of the year, and spend time with so  many wonderful people (and one especially wonderful feline!).                                                                                                                                                                     
                              Here are a few July highlights:
                                                                 

Sprinkle Wedding :)

Portland with Hayley

&    coffee bean tattoos @ Music in the Park

 Solid Rock service and concert **photo stolen from Hayley ;)



Enjoying a delicious malt with Sarah at dinner tonight. Yummmm!


Mom and Dad across the table: cuties :)                                                          

It was such a treat to catch up and spend time with everyone! I thoroughly enjoying being a part of Erin & Fred's beautiful wedding, meeting baby Elias (Sara and Jonathan's week-old bundle of joy!), and spending time with my favorite people in Bellingham (and Lynden!), Puyallup, Auburn, Seattle and Portland.  I love you all, and will be missing you down in Sahuayo.  

Adios!! <3

Thriller! (recap)

My last day in Mexico before flying back to Washington in time for Erin and Fred's wedding was a bit of a blur, but I remember the highlights going something like this:

• Wake up early. Gotta get ready for the kindergarten graduation ceremony at church.
• From church, head to the award ceremony and graduation.
• After the ceremony, I managed to lock myself in an air-tight, cement bathroom, without any vent or window... after working up quite the sweat, banging on the door for 20 minutes, some random guy unlocked it from the outside.
• The glories of my bathroom liberation were short lived when I immediately dropped my sweater in the huge puddle of Coke someone conveniently spilled on the floor.
• Snacked on cookies and swatted at mosquitoes for an hour waiting for our "supposed" meeting.
• Walked home for a 30 minute nap before our teacher's banquet.
• Teacher's banquet= Ridiculous amounts of amazing food, and karaoke entertainment (the school hired a professional karaoke group called "Excalibur", hahaha).
• Bought my bus ticket to Guadalajara.
• Tortas for "second dinner" with Melissa.
• Waste time on Facebook, and gmail, and Facebook, and youtube, and Facebook.... I hate packing!!
• Okay, fine: Pack my bag.
• Sleep for 3 hours.
• Drink 3 cups of coffee.
• Jump on the 6am bus to Guadalajara.
• Taxi to the airport.
• Take off!

But a picture's worth a million words.... so a movie must be worth a billion. Here's an accurate depiction of my day, as so brilliantly foreshadowed by the 5th graders at the graduation ceremony:

Tirolesa en Mazamitla

Zip lining in Mexico.

 I'm sure you're imagining a scene similar to this photo. 

Now try imagining zip lining in Mazamitla, Mexico during rainy season.... Wait. Why imagine when you can feast your eyes on the reality-drenched documentation our muddy excursion?

Before our zip lining adventure, we had a lovely brunch at an adorable "Swiss Alps" Cafe in the heart of downtown Mazamitla. 

World's Best Irish Cream Cappuchino. 

Especially when paired with fried toast toppled with copious amounts of chorizo, queso, and frijoles.

I know, I know... you may be doubtful that the World's Best Irish Cream Cappuchino would be discovered in a Swiss Cafe in the middle of Mexico, but you're gonna have to take my word on it.

Here I am digesting my divine brunch, immediately before we find out what Mexican zip lining is all about.

My camera just happens to have a phobia of heights, fast speeds, mud, rain, thunder and lightning (I know, what a wimpy piece of technology, haha).
Here's a glimpse of the tame moments my camera wan't afraid to capture:

Melissa and I all geared up just in time for the rain to start pouring!

On the ride to the launch pad, the thunder began to roll.... "wait a minute? Is this a good idea??"

Back in the bus... we still can't escape the treacherous downpour!

Bags of Tequila and Juice

 wheew.... first week of teaching down! Who was I kidding when I thought a class of 15 Mexican first graders would be easier to manage than a class of 60 Thai high schoolers?? My kiddos have so much ENERGY, such short attention spans, and are needless to say, beyond adorable! Here's a glimpse of my first weekend in Sahuayo:

We stopped by Lake Chapala on our way back from Guadalajara

Sliding with bags of tequila seemed like a good idea....

Meet Katie: roommate and 2nd grade teacher from Massachusetts

and Melissa: my other roommate and Kindergarten teacher from New York

poor caged fellow we found outside of the Chinese restaurant

Sahuayo Plaza near our apartment