Veracruz

Veracruz is a vacation D and I took on a long weekend. We took an overnight bus Friday night at 9:00 pm(or that's when I got on, she got on earlier) and then cuddled under her blanket until 5 am when we arrived in Veracruz. I must say that I enjoy Mexico a whole lot more when I am not in Ixtepec...probably because when we go to other towns, the hotel room have more furniture than I do in my new apartment.
Anyway, it's a colonial city and more well-known than Ixtepec, and much safer than Oaxaca is right now. My favourite part would have to be the shopping mall, Plaza de las Americas...or something to that extent because it was basically like the Mall of America...though probably smaller with wonderful restaurants that those of us living in non secluded areas like Winnipeg, Bundang, or Colima take for granted, such as Subway or McDonald's. I had Pesto Ravioli and it was fantastic! Onto the show!

The bell tower of the Cathedral. It kept time just like the cathedrals in Europe and made my heart ache for the bells of Colmar or Würzburg.

Another view of the Cathedral, really beautiful.

The old lighthouse on the coast. Forgive me, but D has the tourist book because it's all in Spanish, so my descriptions are less than stellar.

The big oil company in our area and possibly all over Mexico is called Pemex. This is the Pemex Tower. I don't know what it does, but it is a nice landmark.

Here is a view of the two of them from one of the main streets. I was also trying to dodge a bus, so the picture is not as nice as I would have liked. Oh what I won't do for my blog!

Here I am in the VIP movie theatre to see Babel which is extra special to people here in Mexico because of Gael Garcia being in it. In this VIP theatre, you can go to the bar and have a drink, or ten while you wait for your movie to start and check your purchases as well as recline in one of the leather sofas and read a magazine. In the theatre there are massive leather seats with cup holders and tables right beside the chair. As you see I am holding a menu and from there you can order your popcorn, soda, daiquiry, french fries or sushi to be brought to you once the movie has started...no more eating all the popcorn before the previews!

This is the fort at San Juan de Ulua. You might recognize it from the end of Romancing the Stone. It was built by the Spanish to protect against pirates and then became a notorious prison where most of the prisoners sent here never lived to be released. (How's that for info?)

A replica of the street trollies that were only taken off of the roads in 2001. This one is for the tourists.

Mom, look away! This was a sign along the road that we walked to get to the old city center. I thought it was hillarious.

D and I spent most of our time enjoying the things we don't get at home, such as Chedrouille a store similar to Target or Zellers, and basically heaven for us. We spent numerous hours there on Sunday as that's when we got thunder, lightning and rain from a typhoon passing by. We hated to leave but had to make our way back to the train station so that we could catch our overnight bus at 11pm.

More Huatulco Pics

So here are some more pics from Huatulco, the trip I took at the end of October. I am putting these up because I also want to put up the pics from the past couple of trips I have taken, one to Veracruz and one to San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas, where I bought many a Christmas present. However, if I put them up out of sync, it might confuse some of the older people viewing this blog...ahem Mel Burkett...just kidding, those two days make you even sharper than a tack. So here are the cliffs that help to form the bays of Huatulco. This is taken from the same viewpoint as a couple of my other pics previously posted behind me is a lighthouse which you will see in a bit.

Here is the group that went down, minus Mark, who is taking the picture. From left to right are Eliot, his wife and my co-worker in Ixtepec Jessie (who have since left me...boo-hoo), Mark's wife Lily, me, and Dahmnait (another teacher from Tehuantepec campus, like Mark. She's Irish and has since become my travel buddy).

Irish D (as I nicknamed her...I.D. or D for short when I am too lazy to pronounce her whole name) and I preparing to embark on an all you can drink tour around the bays of Huatulco...sadly it was only beer so I wasn't throwing it back.

Jessie and Eliot preparing for the cruise.

The sun setting over the lighthouse that I told you about before. Wow, check out the photography on this one.

Up?

They say that once you hit rock bottom, the only place to go is up so hopefully that's where I am off to. Yesterday has got to be my worst day yet what with the stress of not quite moving; the stress of planning three lessons a day for bratty students; trying to be a good person while the family I live with continue to take advantage of me by borrowing money and getting after me when I buy food for myself and not invite them...yet they don't reciprocate; trying to stay away from some of the said family members and other random Mexican men who think that because I am lighter and a young woman that I must be wanting some action from every Mexican man; and of course, as Punk so cunningly put it, doing the aorta tap dance. Let's just say that yesterday was a day of bawling in my office, texting Jason and messaging my friend Damhnait for any support either of them could offer me all the while wondering is feeling like this really worth it?

Jason said it best when he said to me, "You should be in Mexico and not in Hell!" which some of you might think is really melodramatic, but then you hopefully have not ever had to wonder if that person's hand just slipped?

Huatulco

Here are some pics of Huatulco, my four days as close to fake Mexico as I can get...for now! The top one is where I went snokeling, then it's me in the foreground at a lighthouse and Eliot, my friend's husband in the background.

Good Days and Bad Days!

Like everyone I have good days and bad days. Yesterday was a good day because I found an apartment that I loved because it is close to the areas that I know and it is clean and comes with a stove (a very rare occurence here)and it is just really nice.
Today would be a bad day because I am realizing that all the money I had managed to stock pile is going to be gone what with my need to furnish this new castle away from home. It's also a bad day due in part to the fact that I am freaking out over my new classes that I am going to teach since I am taking over for my co-worker who escaped to a better life in the United States. It's just a lot of work and stress that I have on top of everything else with moving and such. I want to go back to Huatulco where fake Mexico was rampant (yes I truly do want to live in fake Mexico...the option of eating later, the idea of having a fish bowl sized Long Island Iced Tea when you really need that extra pick-me-up, a shopping mall with my own gay hairdresser named René who is an artist...as opposed to the chair and Pablo the esthetician/barber who looks like he enjoys torturing people for pleasure).
It's funny how when things suddenly seem clear and you think you have finally figured out what you are doing, life throws you that curve ball. Some people say stick it out, others say leave if you're not happy and it's a really hard decision to make. There are those who value responsibility and there are those who value happiness. Me? I bounce between the two because I am not too sure what I want to do anymore and I hate this downer thing that I have been doing. But I must get back to work as I have a ton of classes to plan for.

Trying to Add Some Pics

Here are a couple of pictures of the mountains behind my campus. The statue is of a Oaxacan hero and the exact same statue is at the Tehuantepec Campus...and I have heard, all over Oaxaca....he must have only posed once.

Boo-urns!

It is much easier to change the attitude when one has friends to help out. My partner in crime here at this campus just informed me that she is making a run for it, much like how I was ready to do it last week. Her husband couldn't find work here that would help out their financial crisis that just popped up and our supervisor not being very helpful at all in scholastic matters definitely sent my friend over the edge.

Things are looking bleaker and bleaker out here in Ixtepec. With her gone who knows how things are going to work. I am not stressing anymore, just accepting that things are not going to go as smoothly here in Mexico as I had hoped. I don't know what to say. Jason asked me what my gameplan is and I have no clue. At least he is having a blast, but he deserves it. I think karma is just coming to find me.

Now the Canadian government re-iterated it's travel warning for the city of Oaxaca...not the state. Please know that I am some five to nine hours away from the capital city. Yes, I do get protests here, but only twice since I have been here, and they clear out after an hour. I have been sent a letter by the consulate and I have the emergency contact numbers on a post-it on my computer and in my phone and a return ticket should I need to get out of here fast, but it shouldn't come to that. So there is no need to worry. At least it makes for some excitement...finally.

Miss Me?

http://www.ssc.ac.kr

Just in case anyone was missing me, they can go to the link above which is for the Suwon Science College Website. It is where I last worked in Korea and because I was one of the younger looking professors, they wanted me to be in their ads for the next semester...even though they knew I wasn't coming back. Some might call it false advertising...but Mark (the one with the globe and Scott...the other foreigner are still there...and will probably never leave).

Change...

So, because I believe in giving people and things a second chance, I am trying to get through my first contract here in Mexico. I am trying to switch my outlook to positive so that I am not a downer for everyone around me and that I try to enjoy the good things about Mexico.

That being said, I am trying to find an apartment in one of the bigger towns around the town where I currently live because I could possibly die of boredom or depression if I stay in the town where I am currently living. This past weekend I visited the only other teacher here who is alone here (her husband is still in the U.K.) and who likes to socialize. She works at the other campus and thus gets to live in the bigger port town of Salina Cruz where furnished apartments are aplenty and they just got a Burger King...which shows just how thriving it really is. I was so proud of myself because I made it there and back on my own with my still very quasi beginner Spanish and knowledge of the area. At least I wasn't bawling in a computer room like the previous weekend.

This past week I worked six days in a row, had Sunday off and was back here to work until Wednesday at 2pm when I am let go and I have a four day weekend. I was originally going to visit Jason in Colim...where he is blessed with a swimming pool, McFlurries and all the luxuries of the United States (ahem {cough} fake Mexico{cough}ahem). Just kidding Ace:) But sadly, due to recent events, he thought I wasn't coming so booked a trip to Manzanilla when he would leave Saturday and return Sunday. He offered me the chance to spend Saturday with his friend who I am sure is super cool but the 17 hour bus ride seems a little more worth it when I can spend more time with the friend I know...especially after the past few weeks I have had.

So I am going to go to Huatulco with my friend from the U.K. and another teacher and his wife. Everyone is older than me (not hard) but they seem cool and hopefully we can all just forget about work and enjoy the Day of the Dead.

One Month In

This is the facade of the compound where I currently live. It is fenced in and there are three houses there in total.

Being Away

Being away can have its advantages, it can be an opportunity to see and experience new things and new people. It can also be a time to reflect on oneself and the things that they have done and have been done to them. I have been fortunate enough to meet some very cool people throughout my travels and some very rank ones. I managed to find some things I was looking for and lose things I didn't know I had.

In Mexico right now, I will honestly say that I am not enjoying things. I lost my footing along the way back in Canada and almost decided not to come because I had some things to work out. I did though, because I knew I had a very true friendship waiting here for me. One that might be no more and without it makes being here even harder than ever.

Before I really wanted to go home for Christmas, now I just want to go home. I managed to conquer France and Korea, I can accept defeat from Mexico.

The Beach

Hey guys here are some pics from the beach. I went on the night that there was a full moon and slept in a hammock listening to the sound of the waves.

Weekend Hijinx

Well, this weekend I am hopefully off to the beach to get some fresh air...but not too much sun, because I will be sensibly putting on the sunscreen. On the topic of weekends, I forgot to mention two of the most important things that happened last weekend. One would be that I got to experience my first earthquake ever and the second...equally as exciting as the first-if not more so-would be the discovery that MEXICO HAS CLAMATO!!!!

I had just finished watching some CSI at around 1 am Saturday night when I decided to get some sleep. As I lay awake thinking about what I had to do this week, my bed started to shake. Now, my first thought was that someone in the next room had fallen out of bed because the couple I live with have a mentally challenged daughter who doesn't have movement of her legs. However, when the shaking persisted for an extra few seconds and then suddenly stopped...I knew it was something different. It only lasted a minute and wasn't anything big enough to topple any houses...but it was freaky...that's for sure.

Then of course, there is the discovery of Clamato in the Bodega Aurera which is the name for the Wal-Mart. I felt like it was Christmas! After living in Korea for two long years when I would have to get my Clam and Tomato fix on base, I realized that Mexico could possible be a sensible place to live forever... then I remembered the scorpions and tarantulas and quickly changed my mind.

You Thought Korea Was Random!

Before I begin, I would like to give a shout out to my peeps in the 'Dang, both past and present, and of course to my fellow Peggers round the world (luckily for Jamie and Lisa...you get to be in both categories).

Now, a quick show of hands... how many people have had to cross a couple of sets of train tracks on their walk to work?

Now, who has ever needed to be on the other side of those tracks when a train is fast approaching?

Last question...who has ever had the employee standing next to you radio the engineer and had the extra long train stopped so that you can climb a ladder on one of the cars, walk on the platform and down the other side of the train car?

That was my day last week as I got to was on my way to work. Being a veteran of the most random countries...aka Korea, I just made a mental note to blog about it in the future and e-mailed the details to my parents. I thought that it was just one of those unusually random things that happen to regular people...but to my surprise...Mexico had more to offer me!

This country gets better by the second...now, keeping in mind that I live in a smaller town, when the have fiesta's, or velas as they are called here, there will be horses as part of the parade. You will also see them practicing for the parade as you go for lunch the same day of the parade, or parked outside of the bank? Yep, the lone ranger needed the ATM!

Or what about the view we had from my friend Jessie and Eliot's window when the pigs from down the way decided to cross the road?

Then today, I had a salesman of some sort come to my office and when I told my supervisor via messenger, she asked that I put him on...so there they were, two chatty Cathys...just talking away. If this is how life here is going to be like...it will certainly never be boring!

Once Upon a Time in Mexico...

Number of Weeks in: 2
Number of Freak Outs: Around 5
Number of Scorpions Seen: 0 (and it had better stay that way)
Total Tarantulas Seen: 1 and it was dead...luckily
Days until Christmas Vacation: Too many to count!

You might ask yourself what I have been doing for the past two weeks that might make me freak out...especially since I only started teaching yesterday. Well, dear friends, I would have to say that all this planning for students I have never met would be a good start...that and the ongoing fear of encountering a scorpion.

It has been a little harder for me to adapt here because I feel so much more isolated due to my own lack of Spanish. It has of course improved greatly since my first day of arrival, but I am far from fluent. One thing that helps me is living with the Mexican family I am currently boarding with. I don't have too many other options of communicating to them through Spanish.

Lately, though, I have found that I have kind of hit a plateau, and I am not trying as hard to learn it...possibly because I am so wiped when I get home from teaching...all that thinking tends to do a girl in. I just hope that this is only a temporary situation...because it could make for a long six months if the only Spanish I have to go on is the present tenses of eat, sleep, and have!

The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship

I figured that since I am now officially always close to a computer with internet, why not start up a blog? I think the question is more, why haven't I done it sooner...and I would have to answer...laziness.
In truth, I felt that my daily observations and interesting thoughts about life abroad were not being given the attention they deserved because they rarely made it into my not-too-frequent mass e-mails. Here I hope that I will inspire you to travel...or vent as I confide to you the things that are going on in my life...and my head...next lunch break:)