sloth

There are so many things that I need to work on, yet often times I find myself drained and doing nothing. I have a sink full of dishes, a basket full of laundry, a stack of ungraded papers, an empty week in my plan book, Spanish homework, and a completely untouched 100% un-started giant paper to write for my university. Moments ago, I found myself on the couch, watching youtube videos in my pajamas. What happened to my plan of breakfast and dishes done by 9:30 and ready to work on planning from 10 - 12, then walk to the coffee shop to work on my UW paper? I guess it has become a (boring) blog post. Where do my energy and focus disappear to? Certainly I need more yoga and vegetables in my life... Advice?

back to blogging

After a conversation with my mother (who swears she isn't just saying this because she's my mom) who was insisting (other days one might refer to this pattern of conversation as nagging) that I spend more time with my blog. And after finally remembering my blog title and URL, here I am. Reminded through past entries of my own thoughts and words that have captured some of the most interesting and challenging moments of my young life, I realize how quickly and how blurry those months have passed. The (sparse) past entries reminded me how much I needed reminding of these months I have spent so far in Mexico.

So, mom, you're right. I spend hours behind the screen of my computer writing exams and plans and homework, but not recording my own experiences in doing so. I am adapting to a new culture, learning another language, having the little adventures that seem to follow me no matter what continent I am on... in short, I am living the life I want for myself; the life I want for myself includes reflection and a meditation on these moments. To watch them pass more closely. To appreciate the beauty, the absurdity, the humor, the tragedy that I see unfolding outside my window. As I watch life and observe forms of day-to-day chaos from behind my coffee cup, I am going to do better to reflect and meditate upon them from behind my computer screen.

my neighbor

Since I last wrote, I saw more of the city than I had in all my time spent here previously, put together. Museums, neighborhoods, pyramids, festivals, día de muertos (which was amazing beyond anything I could have imagined), taking a boat to a nighttime play performed on an island, and most importantly, listening to my neighbor take up a new hobby: woodworking. Even now, in the dark, I am listening to the misguided clattering of wood and tools. The "box" he made for a Christmas gift took hours daily for over two weeks in its construction and I am fearing for my sanity as his new coat-stand project is just now underway. At the end of a busy day at school, just when all the "Medi, Medi, Medi's (phonetic spelling of Mary)" are starting to dissolve from my ears, I've relaxed long enough that grading papers at home starts to seem doable, the clacking and pounding starts literally echoing through our enclosed little courtyard. And now, upon the start-up of his power saw, I think I am going to go find a cafe.

R&R

As I continue with the final stages of my masters, this weekend I think we stumbled across the most useful component of the program yet. I don't remember what the R&R in the course title is supposed to stand for, but reconnected and refreshed was how I was feeling after 5 hours of being glued to my computer. Seeing the familiar faces of members of my cohort in their respective countries, sharing struggles, supporting each other with ideas, empathy and solutions was much more refreshing and useful than I anticipated. It was so nice to talk to people with similar training, background and language about some of the heaviest issues we're lifting as new teachers. Hearing about the successes and challenges that everyone is facing, finding out how everyone is making it in a foreign country and learning a language while being a first year teacher was truly inspiring. I feel lucky to know a group of passionate, adventurous people who are having experiences parallel to my own around the world. After a bout of school-related stress dreams, it feels pretty nice to walk into my classroom on a Monday morning with a little inspiration in my pocket.

words from a student

Last week, my 6th graders had an assignment to look at this link about the BP oil spill. They wrote some comparative statements about its size and a reflection/response with their thoughts, feelings, and ideas... Here is one that I want to share:

"The thing that happen affect us and that is why we have to work together. Because the oil spill is killing the water, the nature, the animals, and also the humans home. We have to work together to save it if we want that our sons live here because it is very probable that the world will not die because a ball of fire comes from the sun. It is more probable that we die because we kill our animals, our nature, our home, we pollute our air. It is funny we can't live without our atmosphere, air, water, nature, food and what are the things that we are killing? Do a question to yourselves: why we destroy the things that we will die without? ¿Why we destroy our home if it is the home that gave us life? Only 1/5 of the world is trying to save it, in the reality it is less than that helping. We can do it, but only together¡¡¡¡"

a list

Since I have been in Mexico, I have filled my days with the little things that typically characterize my life... things that are simultaneously interesting, boring, silly and lovely... A short list includes:

• singing with a mariachi band in front of my co-workers
• waiting and waiting and waiting for change from a machine that clearly says it does not give change
• taking the metrobus for the first time late night post-cantina (sorry mom, but fortunately it turned out to be one of the amazing women only cars)
• accidentally buying toilet paper con aroma and subsequently scenting my bathroom like a giant grandma-baby
• crying in a class meeting about racism in front of my 6th graders
• climbing through the window of a vacant house to discover the most amazing rooftop view of the city i have seen to date

After a day of confusing, stressful and broken Spanish conversations, a brand new washer/dryer unit is sitting in the middle of my kitchen and instead of trying read the directions to install it, I am going to climb back up on that rooftop.