estoy en Merida! I am in Merida!

Well...I'm here! In Merida, Mexico where i will study spanish for 3 weeks at a language school. I arrived last Sunday evening and was picked up at the airport by my new host family---my new mexican grandparents Neyda and Enrique. They are so sweet---and cute! They have been hosting students like me for over 15 years and are highly recommended to the school by students so i feel so lucky to be placed with them for these weeks.

Everyday I take 6 hours of instruction in Spanish grammar, vocab, conversation etc.

I figure to give you a good look at what the last few days have been like, i'd do it day by day because its a little easier to explain.

MONDAY:

My first day Enrique drove me to school. He showed me how i would walk and where to stand to wait for the bus each day. How to get on and off the bus and where to catch it again in the afternoon. Made it really easy for me to remember. I am so thankful he did that because i've not ridden a public bus EVER in my life, let alone in another country where its hard to tell what the bus route is! haha.

Then i met with my first teacher Willie. He is from Mexico but is bilingual. I had class with him from 8-11 AM. Very intense grammar instruction mixed with conversation. That day i felt so overwhelmed with new things, new people, the enormity of what i need to learn and so i was fighting back tears a few times just out of frustration and overwhelming unidentified emotions. But this was NOT because i didnt like everything that was happening...its just a lot of change to happen in one 24 hour period! haha.

After Willie, we had a short break and then i had class with another teacher Bessy. In her class we also do some grammar, but she focuses more on new vocabulary, reading and conversation.

After classes on Monday, Enrique was there to take me home where i am treated to an AMAZING almuerzo (lunch) at 3:00 made by Neyda. Her cooking is great and so far i've been so happy with the food---a great balanced diet and meals sitting on the table waiting for me every day at 7, 3 and 8...how can i complain?? she wont even let me wash the dishes!!

So my first day was good, although overwhelming and lonely.

I feel really lucky because this week there are only 2 other students at the school, and they are at a lower level than me so i have individual one-on-one classes all day with my maestros (teachers). Its so nice to work on what i need to practice and repeat and repeat and repeat.

My brain is exhausted most day from all the new things and trying to remember so much, but today i don't feel like that because i feel like it's stuck in there, but i'm sure tomorrow i'll learn TONS of new things to make me feel differently haha.

Merida is such a nice city. I have visited one time before but only for an evening so i didn't get to see much. Its a beautiful place. Unfortunately we had a great deal of rain this week (especially when i was waiting for the bus hahaha) and so i haven't seen as much of the city as i would like,but i'm hopeful that this weekend will be nice and i can go spend the day at the Centro or something.

My host home is FABULOUS. Aside from the amazing food. They are just so sweet in wanting to help me practice and they are great at giving me my space too. I usually talk to them in the evenings when i eat dinner. Sidenote: I eat all my meals alone hahah...i'm getting used to it, but its a little awkward sometimes. Neyda will talk to me and ask about things in my life or day. Its great practice! They don't know ANY english so its really helpful because i have to figure out how to say everything i want in spanish. I can tell my confidence and knowledge is improving because i can talk so much easier to them today than i could even on Monday!! YAY!

Its been a good week----sooooo fast! I will be here for 2 more weeks and cant imagine how much i will learn. I'm not sure if my classes will continue to be individual all day or not...may new students will come? no idea at this point.

So things are pretty good....I could even probably write most of this blog in spanish so that makes me really happy to know that i could if i wanted to. :)

I'll try to update more often--wish i could add pictures but again, i lost my computer cord. Thankfully my wonderful mom just ordered one online so i'll get it when i go back the states in a couple weeks.

Saludos a todos!

julia

really???

Can you believe i've lived in Tampico for 2 years now? I am amazed at how fast it all has gone, but yet i feel like i've lived so long here! haha.

So here's my quick update...sorry no pictures due to the small fact that yet AGAIN i cannot find my camera cord! lol.

School: Kids have been gone since the 10th, teachers since the 15th and i have 3DAYS left and then i will be out for the summer!!:) I am soooooo ready.

It's been sad to say goodbye to a few good friends this year. I dont think it's even hit me how much i will miss them, especially Nicki and Carrie. Seriously some of the best people i've known and i am so sad to see them go, but sooo thankful for getting to know them this past year or two.

Now sadly i dont get to just relax and sleep in all summer long, but it is my own fault. Next sunday i leave for Merida, Mexico where i will live with a mexican family and then attend 6 hours a day of intensive spanish lessons M-F for 3 weeks! It's how i am trying to push myself and my confidence to speak. I am seriously shocked with how much i know and understand in Spanish after such a short time and not really needing to know it very much here in my daily life. I never thought it would come so naturally. Now i just get nervous to talk because i hate sounding dumb or making mistakes with verbs, but i know the only way to learn from now on is to practice so i decided to invest in that this summer.

I am excited but also very nervous to live in a strangers house, but i have heard great things about the couple i will be with. I'll be sure to update you all after i've been there for a while.

It should be quite an adventure for sure!!

After that i will go home to Morton for 2 weeks and then i have to be back here for work the first week of August. Again it's exciting to think of the new staff that is coming this fall...we will have 4 new ones just in elementary so it should be great!:) We are all excited to meet everyone and hope to make them feel welcome:)

So for a while my days have been nice...it's hot here so a lot of sweaty walks and jumping in the pool has been going on:) Nothing to exciting, but a good end of the year. I have survived a rough year here in Mexico and at school with so much change and new jobs, and it has been gooood.....i like that challenge. hehe

so that's it...not much else to say other than life is good and i am surely blessed.

love you all. i'll write more soon as i begin my Merida Spanish Adventure!!!!

Marzo y Abril!

So much has happened but i've again lost my camera cord so that makes it difficult to put fun posts of life here:)

It's beach season again and i've had a lot of fun with friends at the beach this year. It's so nice to be able to spend the day just relaxing, drinking, eating and laughing with friends.

Both sets of my grandparents have come to visit me here the last 2 months...first the Heins and then the Mittelbergs. It was a great time of bonding:)

The Heins on the Beach in Tampico:)

The Mittelbergs in the market in Centro de Tampico

My grandparents and I at the falls of Tamasopo.

Then came Spring Break with the Girls in Miami and then a week of home fun and relaxing!

Sweet Clara and I:) I love her little lip!

Camryn and I....how can you be mad waking up to this face?? you just cant!

Ricardo and I spent a day at the beach and decided to get fun henna tatoos! I got a butterfly and he got some symbol on his hand.

Another night we hit up the Tampico carnival---rides and food and fun:)

This was funny to see on the map of the carnival's events!! hahahaha

Sweaty waiting in line for a ride called CHAOS! and let me tell you...it was quite jolting, but in a fun kind of way:P

Then we went to eat some tacos and have great margaritas--mango and tamarindo!! yummmmmmmmmmmmmm

Only 5 1/2 weeks left with students at school, about 7 1/2 weeks of work for me and then it's summer and more adventures!

bday days and weeks of fun!

So the best month of the year has started...February!:) jajaja...My birthday this year was a fun time! See pics below for some details:

It started with a fun night out for dinner and movie with friends. Here we are at Dolce Vita.

Check out the awesome desserts they made for me and Emily (her bday is 2 days before mine so we did some celebrating together.

Just the girls out for a quick drink.

Here are the girls celebrating Em's bday---her husband Jon arranged a surprise bday dinner for her...she was surprised and the food and laughter was great!:)

and here is what i did the weekend of my bday---a lifelong dream to have a pool party like my sis could in august. my bday wish came true this year!

Looks like a Corona commercial huh?? well i guess in this case i should call it a Dos XX commercial. What a life huh?:)

house deco stuff

I LOVE my new little home...it's been fun to make it even "homier" if that is a word jaja.

Here are some pics of the decorating, painting and fun things in my house i've changed since i moved in this year.

Painted and decorated my room

Painted and decorated the guest room

view of my lower level from the stairs

Painted the hallway/stairwell

Made the landing at the top of the stairs into another little room---TV viewing

and YES i installed the fan myself!:)

random favorites

So i've not been super creative in this post, but i figured something is better than nothing:)

Here are some of my favorite things so far this year back in tampico...in no particular order:

- school kids...the good ones of course;)

- zumba and yoga class with the girls

- cooking more new things

- re-watching LOST

- new electric gate for our driveway

- sunny days at the beach

- getting a sunburn in january

- warm showers

- cute boots

- funny friends

- painting and decorating

thats all right now:) i have some pics of my decorating fun, but they are stuck on my camera until i remember to take them off...jaja. So until next time!

Hopefully since my bday is coming up soon i will have a few photos from that time and others in the next few weeks!

besos a todos!

resolutions? goals? whats that!?!?!

The new year usually brings people to reflect on the past and seek out new goals for the next year. I've never really been into setting resolutions and actually have realized i'm not much of a goal setter in life at all. In fact, I kinda despise it. I've looked at this deeply and to answer your question, No i'm not afraid of failure. I'm not sure why i hate making goals so much.

I kinda think its my way of not letting worry get the best of me. I used to be a worrier...'when i was younger (childhood through teens) I would worry about everything...little things and big things. Then one year, i think at camp, i decided to take disciplined steps to stop worrying and viola IT WORKED! I really dont worry very much at all about things in life.

What does life look like for me now because of this? For example, I overhear people talking about the economy, politics, jobs etc. Do I care? OF course! But I let myself think of it, but then know I have no control so I let it go. Why dwell on the things that are not at all dependant on me or have honestly little effect on me. I still wish and wonder and hope, but worry?? not really.

Another example that comes up almost every day here in Tampico....I hear about fear. Fear of shootings happening---the what ifs abound! Fear of people leaving. Fear of so many things. Its a weekly topic of conversation with some people. My thoughts are: #1 this drug war isnt about me...i'm not a target. #2 If i'm in the wrong place at the wrong time, then that is where i am.

I can't predict the future, so I refuse to live in fear of the WHAT IF's in life. You never know if you'll be in an accident, or a loved one will get sick, or if you'll witness a horrible crime, or if you'll get bitten by a shark"** hehehe had to throw that in*** The point is....LIVE. Fear snuffs the life out of some people.

So while I'm not a resolution maker or a goal setter I do do something: I add to my LIFE LIST. I guess it's like a bucket list...place to go, things to do, things to eat/see/touch etc. I feel like the pressure of setting a resolution would result in worry so i do this instead.

I love looking at my LIFE LIST. I'm not a dreamer by nature--much too practical for that! haha--so this is my way of dreaming. I have serious things like see the Grand Canyon or ride an elephant in India, but i also have silly things like "stay up all night"and watch a movie trilogy in one day.

So if you're not into the resolutions like me---make a fun LIFE LIST!