Sunday, September 19, 2010

Early Fridays...the best thing ever

DISCLAIMER: Half of this post was written on Tuesday afternoon and half this morning. That's why I say that today (Tuesday) is my Friday...so sad it's already over...

Just to let everyone know...I am actually in computer class with my kids right now. We have a weird computer time where we have to go to computer with them, so I check gmail and update my blog...so weird. Anyways...

I have made it through another week!! I say that because...today is my Friday!

Little known fact: Mexican Independence Day is not actually 5 de Mayo. For all of you who didn´t know that...now you know! El día de la independencia is celebrated all through the night of September 15th and into the morning of the 16th. Into the morning=literally ALL morning. It will be a party to remember because this year Mexico is celebrating it´s 200th year of Independence. I remember saying like 2 years ago in 2008, Yuyo...if I move to Mexico when I graduate, I will be here for the 200th Independence celebration...and now it´s here...it´s so weird how fast time flies.

Another little known fact: one of my faves, Robert (his name is Roberto, but he wants me to call him Robert) informed me that the BEGINNING of the independence was in 1810, and Mexico actually gained independence from Spain in 1821...so in 11 years, I´m sure Mexico will have another huge party. It´s also super weird to think my kiddies will be in their 2nd year of college in 11 years...I don´t like to think about that! haha.

Every week at school, we have something called a Saludo on Monday. It´s basically like a really formal pledge to the flag where 6 students march the flag around the blacktop and all of us are standing in 2 lines (boys and girls), one behind the other, saluting the flag and being really quiet...or at least me threatening all the bad boys so they´ll be quiet...it´s really cool though. We sing the national anthem and get announcements, it lasts about 20 minutes. Anyways, we didn´t have that this week because today we had a general ceremony where all the kids from the primary, secondary, and prepa came here for a grand flag ceremony. Pictures will definitely follow. Needless to say...this morning was a big celebration with the grito "¡Viva México!", men riding horses in Mariachi uniforms, Mariachis, typical dancing...basically Mexican overload, but in the best way ever. I loved it. Besides the fact that everything was very disorganized and I had no clue what to do...it was great. But...that was expected honestly. I´ve learned that I just have to go with the flow here, because most of the time, I don´t know what I´m doing, and a lot of either people don´t either. My kids are pretty good with it though. I´ll give them credit.
Charros (Mexican cowboys) performed the Saludo
One of my classes.
On Tuesday, they could come dressed in typical
Mexican clothes, or as a Independence hero, apparently...
Robert as a Charro and Claudio as a Mariachi
My sweet girls and Robert
hahahahaha.
Small Mariachi singer.
Apparently he goes to the school and has some CDs.
I asked the kids about him and they were like...
"His voice is not good..." haha. It wasn't.

Um...yeah. haha.
Yuyo says I look like one of them.

The Grito happens every year at midnight on the 15th. It's when the president says all of these different things like "Viva Hidalgo. Viva Allende. Viva la revolución. Viva la independencia. Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe...[and finally] Viva Mexico. Viva Mexico. Viva Mexico." But after every "Viva whatever", the crowd shouts "VIVA!" So, the superintendent said all of the vivas, and the kids shouted back. It was awesome. (I'm trying to add the video of it, but it won't let me...I'll try again later.)

I seriously got like 5 presents yesterday, a chocolate sucker, a small hand woven purse, red/white/green beaded earrings to wear today, a Mexico slap bracelet, drawings, the list is just neverending. Haha. They really do love me. It´s kinda weird. But it´s good I guess. Some of them really are cute and always do what they´re supposed to...others...not so much. Because this week was a holiday week too, they were insane today and yesterday. 

Last week, I survived my first field trip. We were supposed to be at the museum at like 10 am, and of course we didn't even leave the school until about 9:50 (and the parents that were supposed to go with me, weren't even there yet...). So we leave 20 minutes late only to arrive to the museum  only to wait in the courtyard area for an hour and a half. Luckily the museum was a fort that was completely walled in, so the kids literally ran around the whole time. Finally it was time to go in the museum...it was boring. haha. The parents that were supposed to come had already been there for like 30 minutes when we got there because the security guards at the school mistakingly told them to follow the other class's bus that left 30 minutes before us...I felt bad, but I'm glad they were there. Overall, it really wasn't that bad, just very unorganized, and at this school, that is to be expected. 
Pretty much sums up my class
The bus ride...
...Ohhhh the bus ride...

Last weekend, Yuyo and I went to Mexico City (also known as DF or simply Mexico to the Mexicans) partly because he had a football game on Sunday there and partly because I wanted to go to this huge market they have on the weekends there. His sister, Pilar, lives in a neighborhood of DF called Chapultepec. It's SUCH a cool part of town. If I lived in that huge city, that is where I'd want to live. It has a real artsy vibe...it's actually a lot like Little 5 Points, except a lot bigger and a lot more unique. There are all kinds of people living there and the markets and restaurants are great. There are small, independently owned coffee shops and cute little restaurants and book stores. I love it. We also went with Yuyo's cousin Gabriel and his soon-to-be wife in like a week because she had to go pick up her wedding dress in the center of town. Oh. My. Goodness. The centro was seriously insane. It wasn't even time for the Independence Day celebration (in which 1 million people were expected to attend) and there were thousands of people...I am NOT exaggerating...walking on the sidewalks, in the streets of these tiny, one-way roads around the zocalo. SIDE NOTE: For those of you who don't know, pretty much every Mexican town has a zocalo. It's basically like the town square. It's a big open square, usually with lots of greenery and benches and restaurants and cafes lining the outside. It seriously took us an hour to go around the block. AN HOUR. It should have taken 5 minutes, tops...and to make matters even worse, I was hungry. Haha. We alllll know how I get when I'm hungry...But on Saturday, we went to the market...I bought a purse and some sunglasses...and on Sunday, which happened to be Pilar's birthday, we went to watch Yuyo play football (she's such a good sister watching her bro play football, after a night out, on her birthday...). Of course, he was the star of the game. 3 TDs, 1 interception, 2 extra points, and the list goes on. haha. No...but seriously, he played really well...I even have a jersey with his number on it!! He loves it.
Numero 84!!

TD!
Yuyo and Pily
I love the guys on the right side of the picture.
This is Palacio de Bellas Artes in DF.
It's where all the fine arts go down.
This is Pily's new dog, Luna.
She cried. All night. So did I.
Yuyo's head after his game.
This can't be good for the brain cells...
This was me at 7 am after Luna cried
all night and I slept for 2 hours...
Oh you know...just a car with a killer stache...
And finally, this awesome dog I see sometimes
walking around the neighborhood.
His eyes and face are amazing.
I still need to write about going to Mexico City for the Independence celebration. It was unbelievable. I want to post tons of videos and pictures, but I don't think it will be possible to post everything I want to post, so some of them will have to wait until Christmas...bummer.

Thanks for reading, and sorry it's been so long. Tar has been bugging me about not posting enough. I really am going to try to be better about posting!! Thanks for all of your continued prayers and support. It really does help. I'm completely sure of that! Besos! <3 

3 comments:

  1. Looks like you're having a blast!! Love the pics!

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  2. since you posted for so long...my comment may be long as well:: 1. are those little boys riding those horses? 2. all outfits=amazing! 3. your class= also amazing. 4. you're such a good novia!! 5. yuyo looks presh in his football uniform (i know he wouldn't want me to say presh but he does) 6. dog=so cute/ you after 2 hrs of sleep=not so much lol 7. other doggie=absolutely presh! 8. i for reals love you and reading your blog and everything about you being there!!!!

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  3. love this all! especially the pictures of your students!

    ReplyDelete