Ohh, Mexico

Long time, no blog

It's been a while since my last update because for some reason or another, the past few days have been really difficult for me. I felt like I had gone back to how lost I felt when I first got here with all the moving around and not knowing anyone in a foreign country; in general, just feeling pretty lonely. I didn't want to post anything for fear that I end up writing something that I regret (so I've saved that for the venting I've done in e-mailing my family... sorry, Gretch).

BUT, today is a beautiful day and I feel so much better and altogether more back to my optimistic old self. I've been making a point to explore the center of town a little more everyday, taking different routes just to get myself oriented around here and know the city better. Today, for example, instead of going back to the house for a few hours before my afternoon classes, I decided to stick around town and discovered this amazingly beautiful, peaceful park that's literally two blocks away from the school. I had no idea it even existed! It's on the other side of the river and is surrounded by bunch of really fragrant eucalyptus trees, and inside there are basketball courts, skating ramps, shelters with picnic tables, and all these paths to walk along. I think that today I realized just how much I miss being outside all of the time, which is one thing I tried my best not to take for granted while I was working for Camp Kern. The traffic and pollution in Mexico can be pretty awful, so it's really reassuring to know that there are places to get away from it and take in some fresh air--and it's within walking distance of the school!

I'm taking on another class this week, too, so altogether I am teaching 3 classes in the afternoon at the school, plus going to the automotive company twice a week. I'm still not keeping as busy as I'd like, but I think tomorrow I'm going to a school for kids with special needs to see if there's any sort of volunteer work I can do there in the mornings when I don't have anything else going on. Carlos and Mariela have a neighbor whose son has Down's Syndrome, and so this is who will be taking me to the school. I told Carlos that I've been thinking about wanting to do some volunteering while I'm down here, and this was his suggestion, so we'll see how it goes. I'm excited to meet the students of this school and see if there's anything I can do to help out while I'm here.

I think that I'm going to be staying with Carlos and Mariela for about another month (through the end of March) and will then make plans to move into an apartment with Anne Sophie, the French teacher I've been talking to about the possibility of living with. I was pretty disappointed at first that I have to wait another month and a half before we can do this, but she has family coming to visit her from Africa next month for like 2 weeks, and she was planning on giving up her apartment so they won't have to get a hotel, so it wouldn't make sense for us to set up something until after they've come and gone. But, now I think that this might be for the best because it will give me some more time to save up some money and get to know my way around here a little better before leaving Carlos' and Mariela's house to live with her.

That's about all the updates I can think about for now. Things are looking a lot brighter down here (as they should, the weather is beautiful!) and I know that it's going to take some time and patience, but I'm feeling confident that I can make everything work while I'm here. I've come this far, and there's no going back now...

posted by Rachel @ 11:20 AM