Life in Guanajuato

Thursday, November 23rd

I have finished my 3rd of 4 days of class and I can tell that my Spanish has improved. I’ve been able to have decent conversations over meals with my host family and I had to do some writing today in one of my classes, and I was able to write almost an entire page, needing to look up only a few words! French words still pop into my vocabulary, and I fear that whatever French I did know is slowing being pushed into the deep recesses of my brain.

I’m not sure if I’ve talked before about the general eating patterns in Mexico. People eat breakfast (desayuna) at a time similar to us, early in the morning before heading to work or school. The main meal of the day is a late afternoon meal, called “comida”, meaning “food”. This takes place around 2:30 – 4:00 and usually involves people coming home from work or school to eat together before heading off to late afternoon activities or back to work. This meal is definitely the main one of the day. With the Alguilar family that I have been staying with, the husband comes home from work and usually one or two of the grown children come with their spouse and children. This event definitely showcases the Mexican family values. Late in the evening, 8:00 or 9:00 is cena (dinner). This is a light meal, just a little snack. This week I’ve actually enjoyed eating in this way, but it doesn’t work very well with my teaching schedule in Monterrey (a break for lunch at 11:30, and then not home until 4:30 or 5:00).

This week, I’ve been returning to my “home” after classes, getting back around 3:30. I then eat with the family before Abby and I have been heading out to do a little exploring. Yesterday we went to the Diego Rivera house and museum, and today we took the Funicular up to get a view of the city. Before coming to Mexico I didn’t know any Mexican artists, but am now at least a little familiar with the work of Diego Rivera and Frida Khalo (who was married to Diego). Frida Khalo is the Mexican woman with the very strongly defined unibrow. Of course there is much more to her, but that is just about all I know.

Here are some photos of Guanajuato from the top of the big hill:


The entire week I couldn't stop comparing the downtown area of Guanajuato to some of the European cities I had seen while travelling in the summer of 2005.


However, things always happen in Mexico that quickly remind me that I live in Mexico now. This picture captures one such event:

It's important that these things happen every once in a while. I periodically forget that I am living in a foreign country, trying to get by in another language and culture. My life in San Pedro in Monterrey has in some ways become so familiar that I find I forget where I really am. The donkeys in the streets, or loose cattle grazing beside (like a foot away from) the highway help keep me grounded.

Tomorrow afternoon, after classes and la comida, Abby and I will head to San Louis Potosi, about 3 hours ago. We will stay overnight there, do a little touring in the morning and then begin the 6 hour drive to Monterrey.

Less than one month until I’m home! Yippeee!

Hace frío! (It’s cold!)

Tuesday November 21, 2006
It feels like all I ever talk about anymore is the crazy Mexican weather… But, honestly! It does seem to be something that no one could have prepared me for. I am writing this while in Guanajuato, at the end of my first day of language school (more about that later), and though I haven’t heard the official temperature from today, I am sure it must have been around 2 or 3 degrees Celsius. I spent the entire day wearing one long-sleeved shirt, a wool sweater, a THICK sweatshirt and a windbreaker – and I still wasn’t warm! While in San Miguel this past weekend I purchased a pair of mittens, thinking I would only need them for that particular evening. That was Saturday, and it is now Tuesday, and I have every intention of wearing them again tomorrow. Apparently it was -2 in Mexico City today. And the biggest issue about these temperatures is that the houses and buildings are NOT insulated. The outside temperature IS the inside temperature. Yikes!

Like I said, I am currently in Guanajuato. After spending Saturday and Sunday in San Miguel (still a favorite of mine!) and doing some serious Christmas shopping, Abby and I drove to Guanajuato. I had no idea what we were in for when driving into the city. It is amazing! Designated a UN Historical City, it has tunnels and subterranean streets, leaving much of the regular streets free from cars. It has a bit of a European feel: lots of beautiful old buildings (theatres, churches, a big university). There are several squares in the centre surrounded by cafes and restaurants with outdoor seating (though no one is sitting outside these days). Shortly after arriving in the city, we contacted our host families who we would be staying with for the week. I am staying with the Alguilar family: Guadalupe and Alberto. Guadalupe picked me up in her OLD Volkswagon Beetle (a Mexican staple) and drove me to her nearby house. The house is very comfortable. I have my own room and bathroom. The family provides all my meals and I have a 20 minute walk to the Spanish school.



We didn’t have classes on Monday because it was the Mexican Revolution holiday. Every city and town, large and small, seemed to have a parade that day. The two parades that I was able to bear witness to (San Miguel and Dolores Hidalgo – a town in between San Miguel and Guanajuato, and home to lots of Talavera pottery) seemed to consist of all the school children from the city wearing their school uniform and marching in the streets. There were no floats, though occasionally the kids twirled batons or jumped rope. Some groups, instead of wearing the school uniform, wore traditional dress.

Now, the main purpose of this trip of course is to improve my Spanish, and today marked the formal beginning of that. We were supposed to be at school for 8:30 to get our class schedules figured out. In typical Mexican style we waited a long time, not getting my schedule until 9:50, to discover that I had missed my first class and half of my second. I went up to the second class and joined it, but it was much too easy (hooray! I do know some Spanish!). After negotiating with the schedule lady I got a different schedule that was better – but not perfect. There was one particular grammar class I was hoping to take, but it is not being offered this week. To make up for it, Abby and I (who have the exact same schedule) added a semi-private lesson each day so we can hit of this verb tenses that we wanted to come away with. The makes my schedule include 2 hours of grammar class, 2 hours of conversation and then an hour semi-private class. It didn’t seem to exhausting today (but I missed 1.5 hours of class!). I definitely think I will learn a lot this week, in class and at home, where I only speak Spanish to the family.

Well, I am off to bed… I’ve got 4 blankets on, in addition to my pajamas and a sweatshirt. Here’s hoping for sunny skies tomorrow!

Apparently I've been slacking at getting new posts up on my blog. At least that means that people are checking often! I'll try to do better.

I can't believe we are beyond the middle of November and I will be home in just over a month! I arrive into Ottawa late on December 20th. I fly back to Monterrey early on January 6th. If you think your holiday plans may bring you to the Ottawa area (or Ktown around New Years!) let me know because I'd love to see you. Its going to be a whirlwind couple of weeks, but I'd love to fit in what I can.

However, I still have another month here... so, back to Monterrey! I'm trying to think what I've been up to since I last updated around Hallowe'en. As usual, I've been busy with school and my class. They are still a lovely bunch and I enjoy being with them. I've started tutoring a grade one student twice per week. She comes to my house and basically we do her homework together and play math games and read books. Its a lot of fun. She's pretty cute.

I was a little sick a few weeks ago, which was a bummer... But it was a great excuse to spend a weekend curled up on my couch. It also gave me a chance to catch up on the 2nd season of Grey Anatomy that I borrowed from my friend Michelle. This afternoon I just watched the cast on Oprah with a friend who has satellite. I am able to keep up with the 3rd season of Grey's (in case you were concerned) by having a standing-date with some friends who have Canadian satellite here in Monterrey.

Sarah Fleming is almost 100% coming to Monterrey to do her Alt prac in March and she is going to live with me! That will be super fun and I am excited to show her around this interesting place.

I can't remember if I've written about this before.. but every month at school we have a Flag Assembly, where we recognize the Mexican and American flags, sing the anthems and say the respective pledges. Well, I don't sing or say them.. I'm trying to learn the words though. Especially to the Mexican anthem - it has a very inspiring sound to it. Each month, one grade is in charge of the assembly. This month was the 2nd grade, so my class worked with their Spanish teacher to put together a poem to present. They all came dressed in traditional Mexican dress - the girls in dresses and skirts, and the boys in white shirts, black pants and a hankerchief tied around their necks. One of my moms sent me a picture from after the assembly of me with some of the girls in my class. Aren't they cute???


So.. about this Mexican weather... it is SO NOT HOT here. This week, mornings have been a chilly 12 degrees. And no, I agree, this does not sound cold - but when the buildings aren't insulated, even my Canadian endurance is put to the test. Fortunately after the first cold spell, my mom put together a box of pants, shoes and sweaters and sent them down to me, so I'm keeping warm. The strangest part about the weather is that by the afternoon it is easily above 25 degrees and you can be out in a t-shirt shorts. I'm not sure how long this will keep up for. Though I've been told that this kind of fluctuating weather is typical of Monterrey and I should just learn to dress in layers.

I am actually just begining a week-long holiday today. We get a week off because the Mexican Revolution (November 20th) and American Thanksgiving happen in the same week this year. I am off to Guanajuato with Abby (a fellow 2nd grade teacher) to spend a week at a language school. On the way we are going to stop in San Miguel (where I went in September), and on the way back we will spend a night in San Luis Potosi. I'm sure I'll have stories to tell after this... and maybe I'll even tell them in Spanish! I need to finish packing.. but wanted to let you know I'm alive and well... Eager to get home to Canada for a little visit - but still happy to be in Mexico!
xo