"Independent."
Over a month. Yikes. I'm really sorry for not updating this. Where to begin? I've been keeping busy with a lot of different things to take care of on top of my classes. For starters, I was a 6th grade substitute teacher in the mornings at a bilingual school. My friend's sister got married, and she needed someone to substitute for her while she was on her honeymoon. That was an incredibly difficult week. I was there from 7-11 every morning and then went on to my normal classes from 1-9 in the evening. Carlos was really helpful, though, and brought me to and from the school every day.
I've also been working on getting my work visa. I've been working...um, the opposite of legally, so we'll see how much of a fine I'll have to pay. The process is pretty time consuming, and my poor father has had to do some driving around to take care of getting my diploma notarized and stamped with something called an apostile. Thanks, dad, I owe you big.
Aaaaaaaand, what else? Today, November 11, is a Korean holiday called "Pepero Day" because pepero is the brand of a type of chocolate covered straw-shaped stick. So it's called "Pepero Day" because it's 11-11, which is like 4 peperos. Apparently it's a holiday akin to Valentine's. So that's your cultural knowledge for the day.
My parents are coming down in one week! OOOoooOOOOooohh! I hope they don't get me sick with swine flu.
(haha, I made a joke)
Ok, well, that's enough of a superficial update for now. God is good, I'm seeing more of that every day.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Friday, October 09, 2009
Currently Eating
I've been eating peanut butter by the spoonful lately. Actually, a glob almost fell on my keyboard. Not the healthiest, I admit.
Photos
Well, I thought I'd put up some pictures of the apartment. Enjoy.
These are the flowers Carlos gave me. When I came in June he gave me the tulip (which currently has no blossoms) and a few days ago he gave me the daisies (which are currently dying; my guess is lack of sun).
These are the flowers Carlos gave me. When I came in June he gave me the tulip (which currently has no blossoms) and a few days ago he gave me the daisies (which are currently dying; my guess is lack of sun).
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
INTERNEEEEEET
I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET I HAVE INTERNET!
Anyway, I'm just excited.
So, I wanted to post about Mexican Independence Day. Our church had a little get together on Tuesday night and we played games and had contests. My friend Ingrid's dad brought some big poles and some rope and started setting up what looked like a large ring. I asked him what it was for and he just said, "It's for a cock fight later!" So I let the matter drop and just decided to wait to see what he had planned with it. Turned out it was for a cock fight, but one in which the people were the roosters. The pastor called out two people who had to enter the ring, tie a red balloon to each ankle and slap a beak on their face. Then the first person to pop the other person's balloons one. It was a riot. Ingrid took pictures but she hasn't gotten around to sending them to me yet.
Then later they had a contest to see who could do the best "Mexican shout." The Speedy Gonzales "Ai ai ai ai ai!!!" I was impressed.
And what else? My apartment rocks. Soon I will take pictures.
I was walking home a few weeks ago, and was looking at my feet because the sidewalks are pretty uneven and broken up (and I was talking to a short friend) when I smacked my head on a metal box covering an electricity meter that was on the side of the wall. It hurt, but aside from the small goose egg and possible tetanus, I'm fine. I felt more ridiculous than anything else. Carlos and my friend Lila say that I live in "Stephenie's World" and don't really pay attention to anything else. Like that time I stepped in an enormous poop dowtown, Carlos commented, "You thought you were looking at a pretty rock with butterflies on it instead of a pile of poop covered in flies."
What else is new? I picked up a few more classes. Right now I'm still teaching at the UAQ two hours a day. I'm also teaching a couple Korean girls, and now I'm giving a TOEFL prep. class in a language school close to the UAQ. Tuesdays and Thursdays are long days, but I enjoy having lots to do.
I think that's all I'm going to write for now.
More later.
Anyway, I'm just excited.
So, I wanted to post about Mexican Independence Day. Our church had a little get together on Tuesday night and we played games and had contests. My friend Ingrid's dad brought some big poles and some rope and started setting up what looked like a large ring. I asked him what it was for and he just said, "It's for a cock fight later!" So I let the matter drop and just decided to wait to see what he had planned with it. Turned out it was for a cock fight, but one in which the people were the roosters. The pastor called out two people who had to enter the ring, tie a red balloon to each ankle and slap a beak on their face. Then the first person to pop the other person's balloons one. It was a riot. Ingrid took pictures but she hasn't gotten around to sending them to me yet.
Then later they had a contest to see who could do the best "Mexican shout." The Speedy Gonzales "Ai ai ai ai ai!!!" I was impressed.
And what else? My apartment rocks. Soon I will take pictures.
I was walking home a few weeks ago, and was looking at my feet because the sidewalks are pretty uneven and broken up (and I was talking to a short friend) when I smacked my head on a metal box covering an electricity meter that was on the side of the wall. It hurt, but aside from the small goose egg and possible tetanus, I'm fine. I felt more ridiculous than anything else. Carlos and my friend Lila say that I live in "Stephenie's World" and don't really pay attention to anything else. Like that time I stepped in an enormous poop dowtown, Carlos commented, "You thought you were looking at a pretty rock with butterflies on it instead of a pile of poop covered in flies."
What else is new? I picked up a few more classes. Right now I'm still teaching at the UAQ two hours a day. I'm also teaching a couple Korean girls, and now I'm giving a TOEFL prep. class in a language school close to the UAQ. Tuesdays and Thursdays are long days, but I enjoy having lots to do.
I think that's all I'm going to write for now.
More later.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
In a fix, in a bind, call on us anytime. We'll appear from nowhere; mighty are we
I'm feeling a few pangs of regret for not purchasing a plane ticket home this weekend. I don't have to work until this coming Thursday, but I thought I would save the money instead of taking the trip home. :/
Things are going well in the new apartment. I haven't seen any cockroaches since I cleaned the place and put out like 3 different kinds of poison. I DID, however, step in a giant poo downtown about a week ago. I suspect it was human. My shoe hasn't been the same since. I cleaned it like 12 times but it's been raining so much that it hasn't had a chance to dry.
Carlos is doing well. He's been crazy super busy lately with school and work but is still putting aside time to hang out. He's a good guy.
Right now in school they're working on Italian food and different types of bread. In the next few weeks, he told me they're going to teach them to make gluten free things.
Now that I'm closer to everything in the city I'm going to start tutoring some Koreans in English. Through the gringo network here, they got a hold of my phone number and called me and said, "When you teach us English?" I was confused but we worked something out.
One of them is a five year old and I'm looking forward to tutoring this little lady. I miss preschoolers!
Well that's all for now.
Come visit?
Things are going well in the new apartment. I haven't seen any cockroaches since I cleaned the place and put out like 3 different kinds of poison. I DID, however, step in a giant poo downtown about a week ago. I suspect it was human. My shoe hasn't been the same since. I cleaned it like 12 times but it's been raining so much that it hasn't had a chance to dry.
Carlos is doing well. He's been crazy super busy lately with school and work but is still putting aside time to hang out. He's a good guy.
Right now in school they're working on Italian food and different types of bread. In the next few weeks, he told me they're going to teach them to make gluten free things.
Now that I'm closer to everything in the city I'm going to start tutoring some Koreans in English. Through the gringo network here, they got a hold of my phone number and called me and said, "When you teach us English?" I was confused but we worked something out.
One of them is a five year old and I'm looking forward to tutoring this little lady. I miss preschoolers!
Well that's all for now.
Come visit?
Friday, September 04, 2009
Friends for life through thick and thin, with another tale to spin
Whoa. It's been a month since I've written. Yikes.
So, I'll try to make this entry educational.
I know. You're welcome.
Well, I'm moving to my own apartment (departamento) tomorrow. Where I was living was waaaaaaaay too far away and I was spending two hours daily on the bus. So yesterday Carlos and I looked at a few different apartments and found a pretty nice one for 2,600 pesos a month ($200) with gas and electricity and water (agua) included. I'm looking forward to having more time and more privacy but I'm not looking forward to sweeping up dead cockroaches and I definitely will miss hanging out with Diego (Diego). He started crying when I told him today and started sobbing things like "No te vaaaaaayas!!! Hablaré todo el tiempo en inglés solo que no te vayas!" ("Don't goooooo! I'll speak all the time in English, just don't leave!") It made me tear up a little bit too, but then he started laughing when he realized that he was acting like someone in a telenovela.
In other news, I still haven't gotten the package my parents sent me like a month ago. (This included the letter Carlos sent me back at the beginning of May) I'm a little disappointed.
Right now they're selling Mexican flags on every street corner because September 16 is the anniversary of Mexico's Independence Day. This was back in 1810, which means that Mexico's BICENTENNIAL is next year. Just in case you wanted to keep up with the times.
I made carrot cake the other day. It turned out awesome. Now that I know what ingredients are called and where to find them (well, most of them), I'm having some fun baking. Unfortunately, my soon to be apartment does not have an oven.
English class is going well. I still think my students are adorable and some of them are pretty funny as well. The joke in Spanish is to add "-ation" to the end of any Spanish word to make it English. So, "no te preocupes" ("don't worry") becomes "no te preocupations." One of my students loves doing it to a lot of different words.
Well, that's all, I suppose. I'll try to write more before the month is over. Remember, September 16, INDEPENDENCE DAY. Break out your Christmas decorations if you don't have anything else that's red, white, and green.
So, I'll try to make this entry educational.
I know. You're welcome.
Well, I'm moving to my own apartment (departamento) tomorrow. Where I was living was waaaaaaaay too far away and I was spending two hours daily on the bus. So yesterday Carlos and I looked at a few different apartments and found a pretty nice one for 2,600 pesos a month ($200) with gas and electricity and water (agua) included. I'm looking forward to having more time and more privacy but I'm not looking forward to sweeping up dead cockroaches and I definitely will miss hanging out with Diego (Diego). He started crying when I told him today and started sobbing things like "No te vaaaaaayas!!! Hablaré todo el tiempo en inglés solo que no te vayas!" ("Don't goooooo! I'll speak all the time in English, just don't leave!") It made me tear up a little bit too, but then he started laughing when he realized that he was acting like someone in a telenovela.
In other news, I still haven't gotten the package my parents sent me like a month ago. (This included the letter Carlos sent me back at the beginning of May) I'm a little disappointed.
Right now they're selling Mexican flags on every street corner because September 16 is the anniversary of Mexico's Independence Day. This was back in 1810, which means that Mexico's BICENTENNIAL is next year. Just in case you wanted to keep up with the times.
I made carrot cake the other day. It turned out awesome. Now that I know what ingredients are called and where to find them (well, most of them), I'm having some fun baking. Unfortunately, my soon to be apartment does not have an oven.
English class is going well. I still think my students are adorable and some of them are pretty funny as well. The joke in Spanish is to add "-ation" to the end of any Spanish word to make it English. So, "no te preocupes" ("don't worry") becomes "no te preocupations." One of my students loves doing it to a lot of different words.
Well, that's all, I suppose. I'll try to write more before the month is over. Remember, September 16, INDEPENDENCE DAY. Break out your Christmas decorations if you don't have anything else that's red, white, and green.
Friday, August 07, 2009
New Post
So I started teaching at the UAQ on Monday. SUMMER VACATION IS OVER!!!
Ok, so you guys still have a little time left but how depressing it must be to think that summer is practically over. AH HA HA HA HA HA HA
*ahem* Sorry about that.
Anyway, so my English class started on Monday. We meet Monday through Friday from 1 to 3 in the afternoon. At first I was super sure this was going to be a drag but after the first day, I've been really enjoying it. I think my students are adorable. The class is "Basic English II" so we're talking about the present simple and the present continuous, basic grammatical structures, but I'm talking most of the time in English. Today my students presented me with a whiteboard eraser as a gift because I had been using one of Carlos' old socks. :) Have I mentioned how adorable they are?
Things with Diego have been going....less than dreamy. I loooooove hanging out with the kid, but I kind of get the impression that his parents thought that being in my presence is like magic and after a month of hanging out, he would jump from a basic level to advanced. They say things like, "Just talk with him all the time and then we'll all learn English" as though by simply listening to the language you improve in your abilities. I mean, it can help, but it requires a lot of self-motivation and studying.
Which, while we're talking about this, is the assumption that a lot of exchange students have. That by being in Mexico, they'll be so "exposed" to the language that they'll come back speaking like a native. So they get wasted and speak in English with their American friends and leave speaking the same, if not less Spanish than before. You do not have to go to another country to learn another language.
Unless it's...Swedish.
Um what else? I'm bummed I can't go to Family Camp this week, but I think I'll go buy a glass of horchata and I won't feel so bad. Also Krispy Kreme did a promotion a month ago where the first 50 people in line to buy a dozen donuts would get a free dozen every month. So, Diego being as addicted to sugar as he is, we went and waited in line and got our dozen donuts. Mmmmm, tomorrow we're going to go pick up the dozen for the month of August.
Was I sad about missing something in Michigan? I don't remember anymore....
Anything else? Last week Saturday, Carlos and I and 6 other friends went to a dam to go fishing. It was pretty fun, and really pretty but we didn't catch anything. Supposedly the hooks we were using were too big. Also, I never knew that you didn't need to use a professional fishing pole to go fishing. We used Gatorade bottles and wrapped the line around them to serve as the.....what's it called? Thing. I don't remember. But anyway, it was sweet.
I'm really hungry so I think I'm going to get going. I haven't been eating so many tacos lately so, mom, you'll be happy to know, I don't have swine flu diarrhea anymore.
Heh, I just put that online.
Lots of love from Querétaro!
P.S. The cookies turned out GREAT. I didn't even have measuring cups or spoons. Rosalie, please be proud of me. :)
Ok, so you guys still have a little time left but how depressing it must be to think that summer is practically over. AH HA HA HA HA HA HA
*ahem* Sorry about that.
Anyway, so my English class started on Monday. We meet Monday through Friday from 1 to 3 in the afternoon. At first I was super sure this was going to be a drag but after the first day, I've been really enjoying it. I think my students are adorable. The class is "Basic English II" so we're talking about the present simple and the present continuous, basic grammatical structures, but I'm talking most of the time in English. Today my students presented me with a whiteboard eraser as a gift because I had been using one of Carlos' old socks. :) Have I mentioned how adorable they are?
Things with Diego have been going....less than dreamy. I loooooove hanging out with the kid, but I kind of get the impression that his parents thought that being in my presence is like magic and after a month of hanging out, he would jump from a basic level to advanced. They say things like, "Just talk with him all the time and then we'll all learn English" as though by simply listening to the language you improve in your abilities. I mean, it can help, but it requires a lot of self-motivation and studying.
Which, while we're talking about this, is the assumption that a lot of exchange students have. That by being in Mexico, they'll be so "exposed" to the language that they'll come back speaking like a native. So they get wasted and speak in English with their American friends and leave speaking the same, if not less Spanish than before. You do not have to go to another country to learn another language.
Unless it's...Swedish.
Um what else? I'm bummed I can't go to Family Camp this week, but I think I'll go buy a glass of horchata and I won't feel so bad. Also Krispy Kreme did a promotion a month ago where the first 50 people in line to buy a dozen donuts would get a free dozen every month. So, Diego being as addicted to sugar as he is, we went and waited in line and got our dozen donuts. Mmmmm, tomorrow we're going to go pick up the dozen for the month of August.
Was I sad about missing something in Michigan? I don't remember anymore....
Anything else? Last week Saturday, Carlos and I and 6 other friends went to a dam to go fishing. It was pretty fun, and really pretty but we didn't catch anything. Supposedly the hooks we were using were too big. Also, I never knew that you didn't need to use a professional fishing pole to go fishing. We used Gatorade bottles and wrapped the line around them to serve as the.....what's it called? Thing. I don't remember. But anyway, it was sweet.
I'm really hungry so I think I'm going to get going. I haven't been eating so many tacos lately so, mom, you'll be happy to know, I don't have swine flu diarrhea anymore.
Heh, I just put that online.
Lots of love from Querétaro!
P.S. The cookies turned out GREAT. I didn't even have measuring cups or spoons. Rosalie, please be proud of me. :)
Friday, July 17, 2009
Copy and Paste
I'm basically copying and pasting this from the email I sent my mom a couple days ago. (Sorry mom)
A week ago Tuesday I moved into the new house. I'm really enjoying it, even though it is crazy far away from everything. It takes me about an hour on the bus to get to Carlos' house, but riding the bus is fun, cheap entertainment, you just can't ever be in a hurry. Sometimes the bus drivers like to stop at convenience stores to pick up water or soda or chips. I don't blame them.
The mom and dad are always working, so in the mornings I hang out with Diego and we talk in English and do different activities. We've been wanting to make chocolate chip cookies, but I can't find any brown sugar! It doesn't exist here!! But, thanks to Betty Crocker, I found out that you can use regular sugar and add a couple tablespoons of molasses to substitute. So I went confidently to the store to pick up some molasses only to find that they didn't sell that either. :( My next option was buying dark corn syrup but they only had that with maple flavoring. Being desperate I bought some, but, after adjusting for altitude and using an unfamiliar oven, I have no idea how they'll turn out. Updates later I suppose.
My friend Ingrid, who was doing her 'social service' for her school (cutting beer bottles and polishing them to make glasses) told me about a school here in Queretaro that is trying to give oral education to the deaf. Apparently, sign language is the only thing taught to the deaf, and it's "general knowledge" that it's impossible for a deaf person to talk. I get the idea that in Mexico, there are little to no opportunities for people with disabilities to integrate into society. Special education, while it exists, is very limited. So Ingrid was telling me about this school and said that she thought of me because of my degree. I told her I know nothing about giving therapy in that context, but that I would be fascinated to volunteer. I met with the director this week and she was really excited that I would be willing to volunteer and told me to come back August 18.
Speaking of....not being able to integrate into society: I don't have internet at the new house. So I apologize for rare and short updates. I'm still alive.
How's life in Michigan? I miss West Michigan's summer. :)
Much love from Querétaro!
A week ago Tuesday I moved into the new house. I'm really enjoying it, even though it is crazy far away from everything. It takes me about an hour on the bus to get to Carlos' house, but riding the bus is fun, cheap entertainment, you just can't ever be in a hurry. Sometimes the bus drivers like to stop at convenience stores to pick up water or soda or chips. I don't blame them.
The mom and dad are always working, so in the mornings I hang out with Diego and we talk in English and do different activities. We've been wanting to make chocolate chip cookies, but I can't find any brown sugar! It doesn't exist here!! But, thanks to Betty Crocker, I found out that you can use regular sugar and add a couple tablespoons of molasses to substitute. So I went confidently to the store to pick up some molasses only to find that they didn't sell that either. :( My next option was buying dark corn syrup but they only had that with maple flavoring. Being desperate I bought some, but, after adjusting for altitude and using an unfamiliar oven, I have no idea how they'll turn out. Updates later I suppose.
My friend Ingrid, who was doing her 'social service' for her school (cutting beer bottles and polishing them to make glasses) told me about a school here in Queretaro that is trying to give oral education to the deaf. Apparently, sign language is the only thing taught to the deaf, and it's "general knowledge" that it's impossible for a deaf person to talk. I get the idea that in Mexico, there are little to no opportunities for people with disabilities to integrate into society. Special education, while it exists, is very limited. So Ingrid was telling me about this school and said that she thought of me because of my degree. I told her I know nothing about giving therapy in that context, but that I would be fascinated to volunteer. I met with the director this week and she was really excited that I would be willing to volunteer and told me to come back August 18.
Speaking of....not being able to integrate into society: I don't have internet at the new house. So I apologize for rare and short updates. I'm still alive.
How's life in Michigan? I miss West Michigan's summer. :)
Much love from Querétaro!
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