Tons of guests and beautiful rain.  Not much work for me.  Today is the last full day before I leave for Elyse's wedding :)
Last night I wore the huipil to dinner and everybody loved it.
Today I walked through Chichen to buy my bus ticket for the wedding and met-up with Julio on the pathway.  He's been taking care of my room for all of these days without talking to me; and now we've hung-out the past 3 days in a row.  I couldn't buy the ticket today -- I have to wait until tomorrow.  There are only 4 first-class busses to Playa: 00:20, 07:30, 14:35 & 16:35.  As there is no way I am repeating the 6-hours-from-Cancun-2nd-class-bus-fiasco, I will be on the 14:35 bus, which I hope arrives in Playa by 18:00. 
Daniel & Elyse's welcome reception starts at 17:45; so I'll be a little late no matter what.  I want to do Thursday morning classes so that I'm really only taking one day "off", even though I have been working on the weekends as well.  Hopefully Elyse or Marissa has a sundress to lend -- otherwise I will be wearing one of the Mayan dresses.  I sent my normal dresses home with Troy and they are surprisingly difficult to find around here.  But, in a place without vitamins or floss, what could I expect?  It's crossing my mind to buy a dress on 5th ave, but I'm already going to be late -- I guess I will keep you posted ;)  My charming volunteer outfits are going to look really hokey in Playa...
Alux = sort-of Mayan leprechauns
My friends have been asking me about my nighttime walk through Chichen; and finally someone explained that they were afraid of Aluxob.  One of my friends said they have seen them in caves.  I guess it's about the same as believing in ghosts.  The entire area where the hacienda is was once part of the great city and ceremonial center of Chichen; so most of the Mayan employees are afraid / curious around here after dark as well.
So, last night, around 3:15, I heard a sound on my patio just like someone laying down in my hammock.   The hotel only had 2 free rooms -- one was the room adjoining my patio, and the other adjoined a guest.  So, I wondered if there were Aluxob outside.  Turns-out that the night watchman, my friend and illuminado, Celso, decided to hang-out on my patio since the rest of the places were occupied and of course he never imagined it would wake me up.  I didn't tell him that it did.  He is really sad to not have me around for a few days.  He said that there have always been teachers, but that nobody wants to wake-up early enough to teach the night watchman.
Thursday morning, I have a few lessons.  Celso is off.  I should have a basic lesson at 8, time with Lois at reception, and maybe Magali in the store before I take off for Playa!
Awesome ending to week 3!!!

I'm going to have dinner with senora Belisa's dog caretaker, Nelson.   He's really cool and has a great understanding of English, so I actually can talk in English with someone aside from Jim, which is novel.
I was waiting around and realized that I hadn't worn my new huipil, yet; so I went and put it on.  Obviously I went down to Jim's hut so he could take pictures for all to see.  When I returned to the bar (ha ha ... aka, the wi-fi hotspot...) I uploaded them.  My friend came in to make drinks and said "wow!  You're more juera!  It's really beautiful!"  and then the guys commenced taking turns to make drinks so they could spy on me.  I sent my beloved husband a link, and he replied "good one"...
Just another one of those days :)

We had a nice storm on Sunday and the internet was down.  Late on Saturday, I helped Senora Belisa's daughter, Isabel, with her wedding program.  I didn't do much on Sunday.
Monday, Jim needed to go to Valladolid to get pictures for his FM3 (something like a Visa).  I went along on the bus.  I had lesson with Magali and that was it.  I took a nice nap in my hammock while it rained and also talked quite a bit with Julio, who has been faithfully cleaning my room all along, but who never spoke to me until yesterday.
I had been asking around for a ride in to Playa for Elyse's wedding on Friday -- go in, attend the wedding, and come back all on Friday.  But, I am exstatic to report that somebody is not coming, and I can actually stay there with my friends!  So, I'll be going in to Playa on a bus sometime on Thursday and probably returning on Saturday.  Kathy is so wonderful.  If you're reading this blog, you already know that :)
Jose (my "boss")  said it was great that I'm going.
That was a bit of a relief for me.  As the other teachers seemed to be asked to leave, I have been kind of nervous of somehow getting fired from volunteering, so I was anxious about asking to leave during the week...  Jim says that they all love me here and that I have nothing to worry about.  I guess that's never stopped me from worrying before...
In Valladolid, Jim and I went shopping.  I bought 2 pairs of leather sandals for $150 pesos each (a total of $23 for both).  My feet are the largest size that they make sandals for ;)  Jim's feet are too big to get shoes for.  The Mayan people are small.
Would you believe that it is difficult to find dental floss here?!  I'm okay because I'm sure it will be available in Playa del Carmen and I have two days' worth on my roll; but who would think that none of these people ever floss their teeth ?!
Today I had class with Celso, the gardeners, and later Magali.  Hopefully I will have class with the evening group of servers.  The daytime shift either doesn't like class or doesn't like me.  They switch shifts every Monday and I am glad that this group is working the daytime.  During the day, I have many things to do to occupy my time.   In the evening, I like to sit around and chat.  When this group works evenings, I feel really lonely.  When the other group works evenings, I feel like I am hanging around with friends.
It's not really socially unacceptable to have mistresses here; and one of the guys had a visit from one of his mistresses.  He told me she was his wife's sister.  I figured what was up; so the next time she stopped by, I asked him who she was again.  He told me she was his cousin.  So I made a joke about all of his cousins.  The guys were really surprised that I figured it out; so now it is a big joke about cousins.  Even the gardeners know about the cousins, now.  I mentioned that this note was my cousin's address, and a maintenance worker said "Oh, you have cousins, too?!"  ha ha, I said "not the kind of cousins that ____ has... "  So, anyway, I pass the time really well with those guys and the trobadores in the evenings.
Last night, one of the guys told me that he was going to drive me in to Playa and go to Elyse's wedding with me.  I kept trying to tactfully explain that nobody else was invited, and anyway, I'm married.  Later, one of the guys would bring it up again.  They had me going for over an hour.  Finally, I actually asked if they were kidding, and they all started laughing.  They are a pretty enjoyable group of people.

Well, it's Saturday morning.  I had breakfast with Senora Belisa.  She is really sweet and interesting and she really appreciates my being here.  She was waiting for me at 8 AM.  Last night there were 20 rooms occupied, so the workers are pretty busy this morning and we aren't having classes.  This would have been a perfect day to go in to Merida, but meeting Belisa was definitely worth staying here for.
Carlos (the new maestro) wanted to borrow my Montesorri book (a translation of Maria Montessori's original book that explains the theories behind the Montessori method of teaching) and decided to lend me a book as a trade.  He lent me Adicto a la Guerra -- Por que los Estadios Unidos no puede librarse del militarismo (Addicted to War -- Why the U.S. cannot get rid of the military) With special section on Iraq...  There's a big cartoon on the front of apparently a US politician / maybe President, holding military stuff, including 4 big Air Force airplanes.  I don't think Carlos realizes that Troy spent 11 years in the Air Force, but it is a pretty odd choice nonetheless...

Later:

Well, I'm not really sure what happened, and I know that it's none of my business, but...  The other teachers left today. 

Friday @ 10:30 is Elyse's wedding in Playa! 

This morning Celso woke me up around 5:10.  Not sure how the time changed, but it was fine.  There weren't any interesting animals this morning. 
I had an awesome lesson from 8-9:12 with my camaristo friends (bellhop / maid).  They reminded me that they were very hungry (breakfast is at 9...), so I checked my watch and released them ;)
Jim and I walked in to Piste to get a new passport photo for him; but it is not possible in Piste.  He is going to Valladolid on Monday.  I might go with him.  I'm heading to Elyse and Dan's wedding in Playa Thursday / Friday, maybe Saturday.
Have an awesome week!