Busy Girl

Whew. This week I began teaching a kids class so my schedule has really gotten busy. Between teaching at the Academy and doing lesson plans, I am definitely working more than 40 hours a week. Who would've thought my first full-time job would be in Mexico? I'm not complaining too much though - the kids are adorable and teaching is very rewarding.

Thursday afternoon I went to the Feria (Fair). Every year, Leon has a month-long city fair to celebrate its foundation. It is very similar to any American county fair: lots of food, farm animals, rides, and stuff to buy. The only difference is that Leon's also includes a huge outdoor stadium (called the Palenque) that hosts cock-fighting (legal in Mexico) followed by live entertainment (singers, comedians, etc.). It's a unique lineup that I would've liked to see, but was unable to because I teach during the evening.

Earlier I mentioned that teaching was rewarding. That's because of things like this...I asked one of my classes to tell me the first thing that came to their minds when they thought of the USA. This was their list:

• hamburgers and french fries
• Hollywood
• fat people
• blonde people
• skyscrapers

Unfortunately, their list is pretty accurate. Speaking of the USA...the other day I saw a Mexican wearing a shirt that said "Redneck: It's a state of mind." How funny - I'm sure the man had no idea what his shirt meant.

I haven't eaten too much new food lately, but here's what's worth mentioning:

• Pan de Feria (Fair bread): different types of dense, sweet bread sold only during Fair month
• nopales (cactus that is shredded and soaked in juices): it is actually pretty flavorless
• mole: a delicious sauce that is generally served over chicken
  

There's no school or work on Monday because it is Constitution Day. That means tomorrow I'm going on a day trip to a charming nearby town called Guanajuato. Stay tuned!