Sunday, July 31, 2011

Ultimo dia con la familia Cruz

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Frida y yo Antonia, Melani, yo, y Frida


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Abish y yo Melani, Abish, y Frida


Last night (11:00) we made crepes for dinner. I ate 5 of them covered in Lechera (sweetened condensed milk).


It was a great day with the Family yesterday!


Less than 4 hours and I should be off to my next destination.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Last Day at HELP (The English School)

Today was a pretty good day overall.

I attempted to get my hair cut and made three attempts but the place I had gone to before was not open.  I may try tomorrow and then again maybe not.

Natalie and I had one last date at noon at the Bakery.  She has been a great person to have as a friend.

last day at HELP 021Saying Goodbye at the end of the day was hard, although it was only “hasta luego” vs. “adios” since we will be seeing each other in a couple weeks.  She is not thrilled to have 3 more weeks left at the school but it is good we will both be in Puebla.

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For class today, we combined our 2 classes of 10 kids and just had a party.  We popped popcorn, drank coke, ate cookies, played games and made collages.

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Diana and Valeria                                        Gabo and Javi

After school Darian and I went out for Molletes and Pelonas.  After that Darian took me out for a Paleta (I am an addict).  I had the 6 flavor one, which had horchata, grosella, limon, mandarina, strawberry, and rompope.  Yum!!  It was raining and so we took the bus home. 

Tomorrow I will be packing for my Sunday departure. 

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Nook vs Kindle

 

I love my Nook.  I chose it due to the fact that I can download library books for free.  Which is a huge plus and saves me a lot of money.

Nat has a kindle as well as do several of my friends.  However I have not spent so much time side by side with anyone until Nat to realize more of the differences.

The battery on the kindle lasts a lot longer, maybe 3 weeks compared to my one week with the Nook.  The kindle is lighter and smaller but not by all that much.

Nat has been downloading books from Amazon the whole time we have been in Mexico.  Yesterday I tried to purchase some books from B&N, but they can only download if you are in the US or Canada.  That is a bummer.

Girls are so easy

movie nightAnother Great Date with Nat!! Girls are just soooo easy.  In this photo we are all ready for the movie but we had to wait 20 minutes to get in so we did a little reading while we waited.  And Nat took me to the movie.  What a great date! 

Tonight I am taking her to dinner and to the Paleteria.  I might even have to go get one before lunch.  They are so delicious and cheap.  Night before last I had the flavor grosella.  It is a little red fruit and the flavor is so unique and delicious.

I just finished my laundry (by hand) and ringing out my jeans and my bath towel is a nightmare.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

DFWMM

Sending a package to the US proved to be quite complicated.

I went into town on Friday to the Post Office.  Of note is that mail is delivered to the houses and businesses but cannot be picked up from there.  The only way to send outgoing mail is to go to the post office or a paqueteria which I only found one of those.

OK Friday I show up at the post office with my package.  It was all sealed and ready to go.  They made me open it which I did and they looked through the contents.  Then I was told I would need my passport to send a package to the US.  I did not have it with me so I carried my 2.045 Kilo package 50 minutes back home.

Upon arrivng home I got online to look for a DHL or UPS location of which I found neither.  I asked Amer about a location that I thought might be UPS and he told me that a man in his ward had a paqueteria (package center) where I could send it.  He drew me a map and I walked there.  This paqueteria is actually a parking garage type business.  It was a bit confusing to find but find it I did.

There I learned that it would cost me 865 pesos which is roughly $78.00 US.  The price at the Correo (post office) was 195 pesos.  Of note is that the contents of my package are worth about $13.00 US.  Also at the paqueteria, I was told that the majority of my package may not pass customs.  I would like to tell you what the item is that would have issues at customs but at this point I do not want to ruin the surprise for Nick.

Saturday AM I did some more searching for a UPS office.  Aren’t they everywhere???? One location came up that is not too far from me but when I looked at the picture on Google Maps, there is no way this was a UPS location.  So next I went directly to the UPS Mexico website and confirmed that there is not a location near me.

Nat and I headed back into town with my passport on Saturday (after a stop to get a French pastry).  I went to the counter with my passport to be told that I was .045 over the 2 Kilo weight and should remove something.  I removed one item (sorry Nick).  Then I was instructed that I needed to have the package wrapped in brown paper and sent across the street to a store to do so. 

I returned to the counter all ready to go and was informed that I needed to present to them a copy of my passport so back to the copy center I went.  After returning with my copy, it was basically smooth sailing.

I would like to take this moment to thank those of you who have sent me a package since I have been in Mexico.  I REALLY appreciate it.

Sending postcards and letters and even manilla envelopes with candy and such does not require a passport and jumping through all of the hoops.  I do not know or understand the regulation.  On the UPS Mexico website it also states that you need a valid Mexico picture ID to ship things.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

La Dentista

I have had two appointments with the dentist this week.  On Tuesday I had a cleaning which cost 400 pesos and then today I had some fillings which cost 350 pesos each.  I hate having cavities.  I feel like I take such good care of my teeth that it doesn’t seem right.

The dentist is a woman and she was awesome.  Her brother also is a dentist in the same office which is out in front of their house.  Their mother was a dentist too but she died last year.  The mother had to have been awesome.  Just think to be a woman dentist in Mexico in the past.  I can’t imagine their would have been many of them.

I am sure missing everyone!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Weekend

Friday night I went out with friends to an Italian-Argentinian restaurant.  I had awesome pasta and delicious red wine.  My belly was really happy.

Saturday morning Nat and I went to our new favorite French bakery and just hung out on their patio eating pastries and reading.  It was so nice.  We are loving finding quiet places.

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The rest of the day was awful.  I thought I could make it through this day but one thing led to another and I was a mess.  So many memories of Brad, labor, delivery, that sweet little baby, the last time I spoke with him, the call that he was gone, seeing his perfect beautiful body in the mortuary.  The emotional pain comes and goes but this time it turned into physical pain that was so intense.

 

Today, Sunday, I went to Cholula with friends.  We had planned to go through the pyramid which is full of murals but it was closed so be walked around the outside that has been uncovered and walked around Cholula.  When we returned to La Paz, Natalie showed me that we have a Palateria Carmen right by our house.  I ate two, first a Mango Chili which had my mouth burning, so then I was forced to have a strawberry one which was made with milk to cool things down and it was so amazingly delicious. When I got home there was leftover mole with shredded chicken.  It was muy rico!

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Friday, July 15, 2011

Girls just want to have fun

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I spent the  night at the Ramirez house.  This is where Natalie lives.  We watched Burlesque, ate popcorn with Valentino sauce and danced until 2:00 AM.

They rest of the family were away for the week.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Nanci yaga Part III

 

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Natalie and Beto dancing.  Of note is that all the windows and doorways are covered with rows of snail shells.  You can see them in the background of this picture.

 

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At the bus stop in Catemaco.

We also had amazing massages which were also included with our stay.  I could feel that at times she used an egg shaped ball.  After the massage she gave me the egg which was just a regular egg and told me it was my bad ju ju or something like that and that I needed to go to the aguas crocodillos and throw it in the lagoon over my shoulder and so I did.  I walked back over to the crocodile waters with Natalie and watched a crocodile jump up to get her egg when she threw it in.  I hope that croc knew what he was getting into when he grabbed my egg.  The bus ride home was 8 1/2 hours.  I have no idea why it was so much longer than the trip going out.  It was a miserable ride back just like so many other introductions back to the real world after such a peaceful vacation.  The driver had the music cranked as loud as possible and a kid in front of us had music ( without earphones) on about as loud as he could get it.  Argh!!!  neither one of us were ready to leave nanci yaga.

Well if you get to this neck of the woods, then lookup www.nanciyaga.com

I highly recommend it.  I would love to go back.

Nanci yaga Part II

Crocodiles, Turtles, and Iguanas.  We could hear the lizards and iguanas jumping from the trees and scrambling across our roof.  It was awesome.

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This is a giant turtle looking structure that I believe is used for ceremonies.  My idea is that it is similar to a Native American Kiva.  We did not take the actual tour so this is only a guess.

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There were canoes and kayaks available to use.  Friday we went out in a Canoe and then Saturday we went out in a Kayak.  The Kayak actually belonged to the guys in the cabin next door.  We did not know that until we were ready to head out.  They insisted we take it for a spin.  It was new, so with a bit of apprehension we headed out.  We are on Lake Catemaco which is a big lake.  In the afternoon I was lucky to be invited out again since Beto’s cousin Ernesto had a bad sunburn and was avoiding the sun.  This was an awesome kayak trip of about 3 hours.  We went to one island that is a project of the University.  They have put 60 monkeys on the island for study.  I was able to see 4 of them.  They are different from the Howler Monkeys that are near the cabins.

 

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This is the bano de Fango Mineralomedicinal (mudbath).  We painted ourselves with the mud and then rinsed off in the mineral waters.  It still looked like we had tattoos so we went into another hut that had loufahs and water with patchouli leaves in it.  We washed in this. The water smells wonderful and our skin felt so good.

Nanci Yaga Reserva, Catemaco Mexico Part I

Nanciyaga Catemaco 005After a long night we arrived in Catemaco.

We had purchased bus tickets to leave Puebla at 11:40 Wednesday night.  The bus arrived in Puebla an hour late due to problems on the road coming from Mexico City.  It was a bus ride of 6 1/2 hours.  We were able to sleep a little but not so much.  There were maybe 5 or 6 different stops on the way to Catemaco.  We arrived in Catemaco at 7 A.M. and caught a taxi to the reserve.  The reserve was 20-25 minutes from the bus terminal.  When we arrived at the reserve we were told that our cabin would not be ready until 1 P.M. but we already knew that was the check in time.  So we climbed into the hammocks to take a nap.  About 8:00 A.M. they took pity on us and took us to our cabin which was the Rana (frog) cabin.  We stowed our belongings and went for a walk through the reserve.  There are lots of stone paths, statues, a hanging bridge, crocodiles, iguanas, etc. 

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Our first toast inside our cabin.  Our cabin was a matrimonial cabin but with 2 single beds.  Perfect!!  That is about all that fit in our cabin.  We had shelves up above for our gear.  After the self-guided tour, we took a nap.  The nap lasted for 5 hours but was so amazing.  No stereo, TV, computers, telephones, etc.  Only the noise of the jungle.  It was  heaven.

 

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Here are some of the statues and the medicine wheel.  The original people here where the Olmec's.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Estoy Contenta

Today I met with the director of the Spanish School in town and signed up to start August 1st.

The gave my notice to the English School yesterday.  I am now the 4th out of 5 teachers to quit early this semester.  They need to make some serious changes!

This will put me home around the first week of September, unless I decide to go somewhere else.  Ya just never know.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

First day with a “little” sun in days…..

It lasted for close to an hour.  Now it looks like like it will start raining any minute.  I went for a morning walk and found a CafĂ© Europeo.  I sat outside and had a French pastry and coffee.  It was fabulous.

Yesterday I went to a movie with an amigo.  I am helping him with English and he is helping me with Spanish.  It has been great fun.  There were several movie options, so we choose the one in English with Spanish subtitles.  That was great for both of us.  As soon as we got off the bus on the way home it started pouring.  I was soaked when I arrived home.  With all this cold weather there is no way to dry clothes.

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These kids are playing inside these bubbles in a pool.  I worry about there being sufficient oxygen in there and also about water getting in but it seems to work and the kids are having a great time.

This Thursday I am going on an excursion to Catemaco with a friend for 4 days to a reserve in the jungle.  I am really looking forward to this!

Friday, July 1, 2011

The Mall is off limits

004Well except for the movie theatre.

I could not decide which pair of shoes I liked more so I can’t believe I bought both of them.  I really needed 1 pair, but 2???  It has been so rainy  and cold here with the Tropical Storm that I am freezing in sandals.  I am very thankful that the Hurricane was downgraded to a Tropical Storm.

I found a new friend to do an inter-cambio with and I am having FUN!