Fall Fun

The International Balloon Festival came to town again.  It's one of my favorite times of the year.  The sky if full of balloons and just looking at all of them brings a smile to your face.  My favorite this year was the ice-cream cone.  There were also Darth Vader and Elvis balloons!

Sadly, the Leon soccer team's season came to a close today in the semi-finals.  They played well, but just not well enough to beat the other team.  Fans can't be too disappointed though, because the team got a lot farther than anyone expected.  I'll miss going to the stadium... until next year!  (Fun fact: I was featured on the post-game tv report eating peanuts! hahaha)

In less than 1 month I'll be back in the USA for the Holiday Season!  xoxo and hohoho!

Halloween

It's finally getting a little chilly here in Mexico (which means you need to wear a jacket in the morning and at night). I dont mind however, since I am sick of wearing my summer clothes for 7 months straight now.

 

The school where I work had their annual Halloween Party last week.  We had a great turnout by the students and I got to be a judge in the costume contest.  Halloween isnt traditionally celebrated in Mexico, but like most things American, it has invaded the culture. 

It was exciting for me to follow the Tigers' World Series run.  That is, until they got swept by the Giants in the end.  Since I work in the evening, it's hard to watch the games.  But even if I was able to watch them, it's hard to find baseball on tv since every channal puts soccer first.

In other sporting news, the Leon soccer team is in 3rd place in the first division and has qualified for the playoffs in a few weeks.  That's a pretty big deal since their are 18 teams and Leon wasn't even in the first division last season! 

My birthday is right around the corner and then comes the winter Holiday season...I'm excited to come home over Christmas Break and spend time with the family :-)

Summer's over

About 2 months ago I got back from my one month vacation in the USA - it was fantastic.  I got to spend a lot of time with my family, was a bridesmaid in my friend's wedding, and went on vacation to South Dakota with college friends. 

Well I'm back in Mexico now and decided I'm still not quite sure when I want to go back to the USA permanently.  I like my job and make enough money to live decently so I'm happy here for the time being. 

My last blog I had written about how the Leon soccer team had ascended to the first division.  Well, we're halfway through the new season now and the team is in 4th place (out of 17  teams) - pretty good!  And get this: I give private English classes to the coach!  He is a funny guy, from Uruguay, and very enthusiastic about everything he does.  And the best part is, he gives me free tickets to the games!  So I have enjoyed going to the stadium to watch the team. 

September 16the was Independence Day in Mexico.  I celebrated in the traditional way - going to a party, drinking tequila, and eating a traditional Mexican soup called pozole.  Check out my sombrero!  Do you think I'd pass for a Mexican?

Soccer Glory

A few weeks ago the most exciting thing to happen in a LONG time in Leon finally happened: the soccer team won the second division championship and went up to the first division. I know, not all that thrilling for non-soccer fans, but remember, people LOVE soccer down here and go crazy for it.  So, it was pure euphoria for a couple days in the city following the ascension.  And I was lucky enough to go to the game (which was crazy: non-stop chanting, screaming, cups of beer flying, and fireworks going off in the crowd (Not above the stadium - INSIDE the stadium where people were sitting).

You've gotta check out these links to see how crazy the atmosphere was:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2ac_-TJg-Q&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clh-_Y62pAA

Other than that, not much is new.  I'm excited to be going back to the US in a couple weeks.  I come back June 24 and will be staying for about a month (with a week in between dedicated to a friend's wedding and post-wedding vacation with college friends).  Lately, I've been feeling like it might be time for me to come back for good to the US in order to go back to school and get on with my "real" life. haha.  Things are still going well here and I like my job but I've been here for almost 2 and a half years (which was way longer than the 5 months I had originally planned).  I'm hoping that this trip home will help me reassess my short term goals. 

That's all for now!  Hasta pronto!
Anna

Mexico City

For Spring Break this year I went to Mexico City with a friend. I loved it! The capital has so much to offer compared to the rest of Mexico - it's modern and has tons of things to see and do. On the first day we took the 5 hour busride and arrived in the late afternoon. Later we rode a tourbus around the city. It was cool to see all the buildings lit up at night.

The second day we visited the Basilica. It's located on a hill on the edge of the city and apart from being beautiful itself, it has a beautiful view of the city. That day there was also a little earthquake in the city! Kelly and I were in the hotel room and for about 10 seconds we felt the ground move and the light fixture and doors sway. It was no big deal (no buildings fell and no one was hurt) and happens a lot in the capital since the city sits on top of 2 plates. But still - what an experience!

Another great thing about Mexico city is the subway system. Kelly and I rode it everywhere - we never took a taxi! It's very efficient and can take you anywhere you need to go. Plus, it wasn't dangerous (there are actually different sections for women and men).

On the third day Kelly and I went to 4 museums. The first one was Bellas Artes. There they had a special exhibit on an artist I really like called Botero. Look up his work - I think you'll find it humorous! Next we went to a musuem that features a mural by the famous Mexican artist Diego Rivera. Later we went to the National History Museum which is located in an old castle! It's called Chapultepec Castle and the USA fought there during the Mexican-American War of 1846-48. Finally we went to the Anthropology Museum. It's very nice, but I think Kelly and I would've appreciated it more if we were Mexican, hehe.

On the last day we explored Templo Mayor: the ruins of an Aztec pyramid that is located in the middle of downtown. It was cool to see the remains of something 500 years old, and archeologists are still excavating the site and discovering new things! After that we went to Coyoacan, a southern part of the city that is quiet and has a lot of trees. There, we visited the blue house where Frida Kahlo grew up and later lived with Diego Rivera. Finally, we went back downtown to watch the Mexican army take down the huge flag in the main plaza (they take it down everyday at 6pm and raise it at 8am). It was quite a procession.

I really enjoyed my time in Mexico City, and hope to return in the future to see even more of what it has to offer.

The Pope

A couple weeks ago the Pope came to Mexico! He was doing a tour of Latin America and his stops included Cuba and Leon, Mexico (where I live). People were really worried that the city wasnt prepared to handle a visit from a person of such status, but the city actually did a great job! After he arrived from the airport, he rode about 25 miles in his PopeMobil and all along the way people were lined around the streets to greet him and catch a glimpse. I didn't have to leave my house until about an hour before he passed by the spot where I saw him -- which is about 10 minutes from where I live - right across from the Starbucks on the corner - haha. He flew by too! He was really booking it in that Popemobil. People were really excited but everything was under control - yay Mexico! (That's something I don't say often). In the next couple of days he is giving some private masses to special people who have tickets. I wont be able to attend any of the masses, but just seeing him was pretty cool. Check out the video:

End of 2011/ Start of 2012

After a wonderful 2 week vacation with family and friends in the USA, I'm back in Mexico. Before returning to the USA in December, I went with a friend to an all-inclusive hotel in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. It was very nice - the weather was warm and the hotel wasn't too full since we went right before the big holiday rush.

This past weekend was a long one in Mexico because Monday was a Holiday (Constitution Day). I took advantage of this and went with some friends to a city farther north called San Luis Potosi. One of the friends I went with used to live in SLP, so she acted as our tour guide. We explored the downtown of the city (which is really big), toured an old jail which is now an Arts center, and then went to Chili's to watch the SuperBowl. Check out the statue that was in front of the Chili's:

Recently, I did something that had been on my "Things to do list" here in Mexico: I went to a cockfight. I went in not really knowing what to expect, but it turns out that I liked it! It's cruel (the roosters have spurs on their legs and fight each other to the death) but it's entertaining, and part of the draw is that you can bet on the roosters.

Here's to a great 2012!

Outdoor fun

The weather has gotten chillier here in Mexico but that doesnt mean it's too cold to enjoy the fresh air! Lately I've had a lot of outdoor activities...

I played paintball for the first time! Here it's called "Gotcha!" haha. And believe it or not - I won 2 out of the 5 games we played! In other words, I was the last person left on the field. I guess I'm just a natural... ;-)

For Thanksgiving this year, my work held a cookout at a teacher's ranch house. I was kind of disappointed that there was no turkey or mashed potatoes or pumpkin pie, but the tacos we had were delicious! lol

A few weeks ago I went on a Moster Jeep Rally with one of my friends here. She owns a huge Jeep and every couple of months they drive out in the wilderness somewhere to go through an obstacle course with their Jeeps. It was fun - and with me as the co-pilot - we never got stuck!

Finally, my work had the annual Christmas Party this past Saturday. It was at a really nice place for outdoor parties. We had a nice dinner, exchanged Secret Santa gifts, and later there was karaoke. No, I didnt sing anything...that only happens if I've had too much to drink...hehe

In a week I leave for Nuevo Vallarta - a really nice beach in Mexico, then return (hopefully tan) to the USA for the holidays. Hope to see many of you there!

My Birthday!

It's time for another update! Fall has turned into winter here in Mexico - which means chilly mornings and hot afternoons. The weather change is actually kind of annoying because I take a jacket with me to work in the morning and then it gets hot and I have to drag it around with me in the afternoon. Oh well - I wont complain too much for those of you who are suffering in freezing temperatures ;-) Although from what I've heard, the USA's winter hasnt been too bad, yet.

A couple months ago I went to see Mexico's version of the famous stage production, The Vagina Monologues. Yes - they have it here in Mexico! It's made up of different monologues read by three women on stage. The 3 monologues, in some way or form have to do with that female part - be it love, menstruation, female genital mutilation, birth, etc... Some of the monologues are hilarious, and some are more serious. I was pleasantly surprised by the production - I thought it was going to have a feminist bent to it - but there were many men in the audience who enjoyed it as well! I was also pleased that I understood about 90% of it.

A month ago, 2 other American teachers and I took a weekend trip to a town about 2 hours away called Queretaro. It's known for being clean, but there isn't much to do. We just browsed the streets in the downtown and later walked to the famous aqueduct. One of the best parts of the weekend was watching tv in the hotel room at night! (since none of us have tvs - haha)

Finally...my Birthday was 1 week ago! I decided to celebrate it on Saturday by going to a nightclub here with some friends. It was really a lot of fun! The music was great and out waiter brought free shots to the table! In true Mexican style, we stayed until the place closed at 3:30am - then went for a late night snack of tacos afterward. It was one of my best birthdays!

Ciao!

Hi everyone,

Well, summer is over for all of you, but it's just business as usual down here. Since my school is private, we have classes all year. There are some new things in my life though:

A month or so ago I went to my first baby shower! It was for a former student and a lot of fun. I didnt realize all the games that are played. My favorite was the one where you split into partners and one person (the mom) is blindfolded and has to spoon-feed the other person (the baby) gerber food. Lucky me, I was the baby and only got a little little mango-flavored gerber food spilled on my pants. Unfortunately my partner and I came in second.

I also started taking an Italian class. I have always wanted to learn a little of the language and am really enjoying the class so far. Actually I am also learning Spanish in that class because the teacher is Mexican and often translates things into Spanish for the students. So, I got a 2-for-1 there! haha

Some new teachers have arrived at the school and two of them are American girls from Washington and North Carolina. They are really nice and I enjoy hanging out with them. This weekend we went to the big soccer game in town. It was Leon vs. Irapuato (their big rivals). They played 85 scoreless minutes and then the other team scored. Then we scored in the final minute for a 1-1 tie. So that was a pretty exciting finish. Enjoy the pictures!

Quinceañera, Ranch, New Apartment

Hey everyone! Since I've been back in Mexico I've done some really "Mexican" things: 1) I've gone to a Quinceañera and 2) I've visited a ranch (farmhouse). The quienceañera is a celebration of a girl's 15th birthday. It is supposed to celebrate her "coming of age" from a girl to a lady. The family throws a big party in a nice event hall and the girl dances with some special selected people (like her father, etc) and then the DJ comes on! (check out the video I included) It was very nice and I can check "Go to a Quinceañera" off my list of things to do in Mexico.

I also went with some students, teachers, and friends to a ranch (farmhouse). We drove about 1 hour to get there and then another half an hour through some very hilly terrain to get to the farmhouse. We set up tents to camp and had a nice bonfire (no smores in Mexico though). The next day we relaxed, rode 4wheelers, and enjoyed the green countryside. It was nice but when I got home I was ready to shower!!

Last weekend, I moved to a new apartment! It's farther from the school, but the overall location is better and the area is quieter. I live with 2 Mexican sisters - they are really nice! So far I'm very happy with the move. The only downside is that I have a longer commute. Here's my new address:

Privada del Rocio 104 int. 102

Jardines del Moral

Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico 37160

1 year since I left

It's been 1 year now since I returned to the USA after what I thought was the end of my time in Mexico. And one year later, I'm happy with my decision to go back and continue teaching in that country south of the border. Right now, I'm back in the USA for my summer vacation - and to attend my little brother's high school graduation party...which was excellent! Mom did a great job party planning and it was very nice to see family and friends. (check out the video I included) The rest of my time in the USA was spent eating food I had missed (Jet's pizza, Panera Bread, Coldstone Creamery ice cream...) and watching ESPN. Dad and I also went to a Tigers game. It was a beautiful night at the ballpark, we won, and we even got to see Jim Leyland ejected!

About a month ago, I went to a tequila distillery in Mexico. It was really cool! We got to see the entire process of how tequila is made - from cooking the agave plant to bottling the alcohol.

The last picture is of me and some Mexican friends out one night.

Spring to Summer

Another month has passed and there's no shortage of news to report from Mexico. First of all, it is HOT HOT HOT here. In the high 90s every day. A fellow Mexican teacher told me that this past week was the hottest she could ever remember. Luckily, it is dry heat, so we dont have to deal with any humidity.

About a month ago, I went to the Estruendo (Air Show) at the local Metropolitan Park. It was just okay. I guess my expectations were higher (I wanted more tricks and death-defying dives!) but I have to remind myself to lower my expectations in Mexico.

A new ordinance has passed in the city that has left one of my fellow male American teachers quite insulted: On the city trolley, there are now separate compartments for men and women. The female section is even designated with pink silouettes on the outside of the trolley! The ordinance was passed because apparently women were sick of being "bumped" or "touched" by other men while riding. Personally, this had never been a problem, but I have to admit that I like the ease of the new ride.

So how did you all celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the USA? By eating chips and salsa and drinking a margarita? Well good for you, because that's not the tradition here in Mexico! Actually, the Holiday (which commemorates the defeat of French troops in the city of Puebla and NOT Mexican Independence Day (which is Sept. 16th)) is not really celebrated here. Students get the day off school, but that's about it.

Although Mexicans dont celebrate Cinco de Mayo, they do celebrate Taacher's Day! My boss treated all the teachers to a nice brunch at a buffet restaurant. The lunch was even followed by a prize round! (I won a bottle of wine, unfortunately, as I wanted the microwave).

A few weekends ago I went to another teacher's birthday party. It was a nice casual get-together in her front yard (which is about the size of my parents' bedroom) equipped with a karaoke machine. I impressed some of the other Mexicans at the party with my DJ selections of current regional hit songs ;-) haha At the party I also tried 2 new foods:

• tacos al vapor - these are basically your normal soft tacos, but they have been steamed in a big vat. Yes, they are a little soggy, but I actually prefer them to normal tacos! And you can put basically anything you want inside them (potatoes, sausage, beef, cheese...)
• agua loca - this is simply tequila mixed with flavored water. Not surprisingly, it is the choice of alcoholic beverage among the Mexican student population since it is so cheap to make. It's really delicious!

Happy Memorial Day! Enjoy the long weekend! Have a cookout and eat some hamburgers and hotdogs for me!

Easter Vacation

Hi everyone! Just got back to Mexico from a one week vacation in good ole' Michigan. It was great to spend time with my family. Joe, Dad, and I went to UM to participate in Campus Day (an information session and campus tour for future undergraduates). That's right - Joe's continuing the Damiani tradition and will be attending UM in the Fall! April 20th was my mom's birthday, so we stuffed ourselves at Olive Garden to celebrate. And since I dont have a tv in Mexico, I made sure to catch up on all the trashy tv shows that I miss out on (in other words, watch a lot of the Bravo channel). haha Other than that, I made a couple trips to the mall and just enjoyed my family's company. The photos are some that I took from the plane over Mexico - I thought the clouds were really cool!

Not too much new in Mexico...it's hot of course (highs are just below 100 degrees this week). Also, it's cockfighting season here. Although the sport is illegal in the US, it's popular in Mexico. There is actually a stadium here in Leon where cockfights are held (called the Palenque). I haven't witnessed a fight, but I'm reminded of the sport everyday since people buy and sell roosters on the street! My neighboors have about 8 of them in their yard and contrary to popular belief, roosters don't just cock-a-doodle-doo in the morning, they do it all day! It's quite annoying.

Start of 2011

It's about time for a blog update. They are becoming less frequent since things that used to be brand-new for me have become normal and part of my daily routine. Nevertheless...

I learned how to drive a stick shift! This is quite an accomplishment I think - it's difficult. Most of the cars in Mexico are standard so it's a good skill to learn. The reason I learned is that the company car my work is going to buy is a standard, so if I want to use it I had to learn to drive a stick. The problem is that I took the stick shift driving course over a month ago and we still dont have the company car. So now I've gone a month without any practice and am afraid I'm going to forget everything I learned...

I went to a bar down here to watch the SuperBowl. What a good game and half-time show. The only bad thing was that in Mexico we don't get the American commercials - so I had to watch those later. I learned from watching the game on Mexican tv that the broadcasters down here think that if you say anything twice, it sounds better. For example, one broadcaster would say "And that's the end of the first quarter." Then a second later, another one would say the same thing. Is that really necessary?! haha they did that throughout the entire game.

I've tried 2 new foods in the past month... The first is called a torta ahogada. The name literally translates as "drowned sandwich" and is called so because the pork sandwich is submerged in a spicy salsa. The bread is really crunchy so the salsa makes it softer. It was good!

I also tried a flavored michelada. You may remember from an earlier post that a michelada is a drink made with beer, tomato juice, lime juice, and salsa. Sounds horrific but it's actually good. And recently I tried a flavored one! Mine was tamarindo, but you can also have mango, strawberry, pineapple, etc... It's delicious with the flavors!

P.S. The girl in the first picture with me is a Mexican friend and the girl in the second picture is my American roomate.

Holiday Time

Well - its been quite awhile since my last posting. I spent the Holidays at home in Michigan and really enjoyed relaxing and visiting family and friends. Happy New Year to everyone! I'm back in Mexico and it's hard to believe I've been here for over a year now...

In December I went to a concert of the Mexican Pop group "Camila". It was fun. Their songs are really catchy and they sing really well - if only they spoke English I think they would be a hit in the USA.

My work also had a Christmas Party. I was surprised at how fun it was! It was in a banquet room of a nearby hotel and we enjoyed a really nice dinner, followed by an exchange of gifts and dancing. I got some pajamas that have a picture of the Disney Snow White dwarf "Grumpy"on them (!!) - it was a joke since I guess I'm never grumpy...haha just ask my family if that's the case.

In Mexico it's traditional to celebrate the week leading up to Christmas with "posadas." Posada literally means "Inn". Neighborhoods will host small get-togethers with each house taking a turn to host a posada. The hosts act as innkeepers and other neighbors act as pilgrims who come to request lodging. This sequence is supposed to represent the biblical story of Mary and Joseph being refused accomodation at an Inn. At first, the hosts refuse entrance to the other neighbors, but eventually let them in (how else would the party start?!). Once inside, neighbors pray together, sing Christmas carols, children break open a piñata, and there's a feast. Typical foods at the feast include tamales, atole, and punch. The punch here is warm and served with fruit chunks (Don't worry - the Mexicans tell me it's still possible to spike it). I think posadas are a pretty cool tradition!

On a bad note, I finally got food poisening (I say finally because it usually happens to foreigners within their first couple of weeks in Mexico). I went almost a year without getting sick thanks the my iron stomach, but it finally happened. The culprit was some street-side nachos with some bad cheese (I think). Within a few hours, food was coming out both ends and I couldn't walk or open my eyes because of the horrible headache I had and pain throughout my entire body. It was the worst I've ever felt and I had to miss a few days of work because of it. Thankfully, I fully recovered and am back to my normal, stuffing-my-face-with-food self.

Lastly, I got my ears pierced for the first time! One of my friends down here couldn't believe I didn't have my ears pierced so it was her Christmas present to me =) I'm still wearing my starter earrings, but in a couple weeks I'll be able to start wearing my big-girl earrings. haha

Hot Air Balloon Festival

A couple weeks ago, the annual International Hot Air Balloon Festival came to town! The festival is held in a park, and the balloons go up over a lake. It is really cool - some of the balloons are characters, like Spongebob, Darth Vader, a panda, and Coca-Cola bottle! Check out the photo of me in front of the stinger of my high school mascot: the hornet (the butt was all that was left of the balloon by the time I walked over to its landing spot. lol)

Earlier this week, one of my fellow teachers and friends here, Corie, left to go back to the USA. She only planned to stay for about a year, and her year is up, so she's returning to her job as a manager at a Target branch in Reno, Nevada. It was sad to see her go: she was one of my roomates and since we arrived on the same day to Mexico this year (Jan. 4), it was easy to bond over our experiences here.

In 2 weeks I'll be back in Michigan to visit family and friends for the Holidays! I can't wait to see everyone and I'm dreaming of a white Christmas!