Thursday, August 12, 2010
<-- Sandra taking a picture of us ;)
Great breakfast with the guys.
Really, Really HOT!
Great day with all the kids.
Alex can't go to Merida; but the guys arranged it all before they told me. Max and Gabi are going to come. I asked him if he asked her and he said yes. So I asked him if she said yes when he asked her. He said yes. He said that they would like to get to know the city with me.
They are having a get-together for me at their house before I leave :) Max said they are really going to miss me. They are accustomed to seeing me around all the time. I am REALLY going to miss them, too!
Pics:
Julio -- I don't know why, but the guys wanted to know how to use the camera, and voila.
Working on long division with Bebo
Mico de Noche -- I'm wrong... It's a torno...
Gabrielle dancing aka Michael Jackson to Beat It! -- MJ's hand was on his hat, but Gabrielle was improvising ;)
Sandra and me
Great breakfast with the guys.
Really, Really HOT!
Great day with all the kids.
Alex can't go to Merida; but the guys arranged it all before they told me. Max and Gabi are going to come. I asked him if he asked her and he said yes. So I asked him if she said yes when he asked her. He said yes. He said that they would like to get to know the city with me.
They are having a get-together for me at their house before I leave :) Max said they are really going to miss me. They are accustomed to seeing me around all the time. I am REALLY going to miss them, too!
Pics:
Julio -- I don't know why, but the guys wanted to know how to use the camera, and voila.
Working on long division with Bebo
Mico de Noche -- I'm wrong... It's a torno...
Gabrielle dancing aka Michael Jackson to Beat It! -- MJ's hand was on his hat, but Gabrielle was improvising ;)
Sandra and me
Tourists!
So, last night night, I went to the bathroom and returned to the bar (the place at the hacienda where there is internet access...) to see some random lady on my computer. I looked at Luis and he shrugged. I told her it was my computer. "Oh, I had no idea -- I thought they had wi-fi here." Yes, the router is in the store. If you have a computer, the wifi is free. So, the "lady" returned with her computer and couldn't connect. I had taken my computer out to the terrace. She waltzed past and snarled "I would let you use MY computer... You can have your desk back!" Luis said "Loca Gringa" ;) (Crazy American Lady).
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Update to Monday:
After Adrian dropped me off, he returned to Piste to help Abraham with his flat tire. They both rode from Piste to Xcalacoop (I think about 7 km.) after fixing the tire. Two semi-trucks were heading in the opposite direction, and one passed the other. The passing truck did not pay any heed to the motos, and side-swiped both of their motos. Both guys were wearing helmets, and had to leap off of the motos and roll in the plants alongside of the road. Everything is okay. No scratches on the motos, or, apparently, the guys… Abraham said "If you were on the back, you would have been plastered."
ß Photo: L-R, Luis Cancun’s wife, little sister Magali, her kids: (darn, I think) Alex, then Mayella and Sandra.
Wednesday:
5:30 PM – Jim and I walked through Chichen to get money out of the ATM for my upcoming trip to Merida. The guys at Magali’s booth were telling me that It’s a better price since I speak Spanish. I said “Oh, yes, I know. Please say hello to Magali for me.” That’s Magali ß in the photo: 2nd from left, with her 3 little ones to the right. The guys said “oh!” J And laughed. Tomorrow, Magali and I are going to the cenote nearby. I have a camera to take photos underwater. Hopefully I’ll make good use of it, but I won’t be able to develop the pics until I get home to TX.
Magali made me touch the pregnant wonan’s belly. She said it’s good for the baby’s eyes. I said that she’s going to have a blue-eyed baby. They loved that.
Update: Santos says that it's a secret; but that when I have a baby, it will be the same sex as the baby in the belly.
That picture of the little girl holding her belly is Mayella, dancing ;)
I was fed TWICE at Luis Cancun’s house: 1st, as has happened before, 2 chicken empanadas with coke around 1:30. I leave at 2. I was messing around until 2:15, at which point, I began to pack-up. One of the woman asked if I could please just wait a moment. I said “sure”. Next thing I know, she comes out with a humongous bowl of chicken stew. They also brought tortillas hot off the press in town, and a huge beer-mug of pineapple soda!!!
I was late getting home for all of the eating ;) Also, I had to wait for a taxi. I went into my room to use the bathroom (still have not had to ask to use one of the family’s bathrooms, but not sure if I’ll make It another week…), and then the air just felt so nice, so I plopped down on my bed for a tiny moment. My flip-flops flipped off onto the floor. Then, the neighbor’s door closed. I looked up to see if I could catch a glimpse of the neighbors, and there was a lady staring in my window. So, I stared at her right back. She just kept standing there. It was so weird. I told Luis and he said: ?Did you say “HOLA!!”?... Of course I didn’t. I don’t know what she was thinking. When her husband came out of the room, she told him to just go ahead (and not look in the window as she had been); so apparently she eventually had a thought. I hope they aren’t as loud as the others. Just in case, I downloaded “The Jone$es” to watch in bed. Also, in preparation for tomorrow, Moulin Rouge will also be mine in only 18 more hours…
Maybe she was looking at all of my flowers. I don’t know if the other guests were supposed to be in that room or changed at the last minute; but they don’t have any flowers. My room is like the florists’.
After Adrian dropped me off, he returned to Piste to help Abraham with his flat tire. They both rode from Piste to Xcalacoop (I think about 7 km.) after fixing the tire. Two semi-trucks were heading in the opposite direction, and one passed the other. The passing truck did not pay any heed to the motos, and side-swiped both of their motos. Both guys were wearing helmets, and had to leap off of the motos and roll in the plants alongside of the road. Everything is okay. No scratches on the motos, or, apparently, the guys… Abraham said "If you were on the back, you would have been plastered."
ß Photo: L-R, Luis Cancun’s wife, little sister Magali, her kids: (darn, I think) Alex, then Mayella and Sandra.
Wednesday:
5:30 PM – Jim and I walked through Chichen to get money out of the ATM for my upcoming trip to Merida. The guys at Magali’s booth were telling me that It’s a better price since I speak Spanish. I said “Oh, yes, I know. Please say hello to Magali for me.” That’s Magali ß in the photo: 2nd from left, with her 3 little ones to the right. The guys said “oh!” J And laughed. Tomorrow, Magali and I are going to the cenote nearby. I have a camera to take photos underwater. Hopefully I’ll make good use of it, but I won’t be able to develop the pics until I get home to TX.
Magali made me touch the pregnant wonan’s belly. She said it’s good for the baby’s eyes. I said that she’s going to have a blue-eyed baby. They loved that.
Update: Santos says that it's a secret; but that when I have a baby, it will be the same sex as the baby in the belly.
That picture of the little girl holding her belly is Mayella, dancing ;)
I was fed TWICE at Luis Cancun’s house: 1st, as has happened before, 2 chicken empanadas with coke around 1:30. I leave at 2. I was messing around until 2:15, at which point, I began to pack-up. One of the woman asked if I could please just wait a moment. I said “sure”. Next thing I know, she comes out with a humongous bowl of chicken stew. They also brought tortillas hot off the press in town, and a huge beer-mug of pineapple soda!!!
I was late getting home for all of the eating ;) Also, I had to wait for a taxi. I went into my room to use the bathroom (still have not had to ask to use one of the family’s bathrooms, but not sure if I’ll make It another week…), and then the air just felt so nice, so I plopped down on my bed for a tiny moment. My flip-flops flipped off onto the floor. Then, the neighbor’s door closed. I looked up to see if I could catch a glimpse of the neighbors, and there was a lady staring in my window. So, I stared at her right back. She just kept standing there. It was so weird. I told Luis and he said: ?Did you say “HOLA!!”?... Of course I didn’t. I don’t know what she was thinking. When her husband came out of the room, she told him to just go ahead (and not look in the window as she had been); so apparently she eventually had a thought. I hope they aren’t as loud as the others. Just in case, I downloaded “The Jone$es” to watch in bed. Also, in preparation for tomorrow, Moulin Rouge will also be mine in only 18 more hours…
Maybe she was looking at all of my flowers. I don’t know if the other guests were supposed to be in that room or changed at the last minute; but they don’t have any flowers. My room is like the florists’.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Tuesday:
* I don’t know if Celso tried to wake me up or not; but I sure didn’t notice anything until a couple of hours later.
* Breakfast with the guys: I ordered chicken fajitas from the kitchen again, and they loved them.
Julio ( the one on the photo with only his eyes showing) said: "The hotel's full tonight, except for #11 (the room next to mine) because you don't like neighbors." I am still not sure if he was joking or not; but it's true. The only empty room is #11...
* Taxi driver couldn’t get me – had to find a taxi – late again to the little girls. This time they were watching down the same street I arrived on; so I was able to watch them sprint all the way down the hill to hug me!
Wash day in Xcalacoop. The girls and I walked past Max’s mom & wife washing clothing in the yard. I wanted to take a pic; but that would have been awkward. (Plus, I was being mobbed…) Anyway, the kids took a pic of their wash. That is what every yard in town looked like today.
* On my way to the second house, I heard “Gringa!!!” from behind, and 2 of those little boys were out and about and sprinted to me and escorted me to their house.
That animal is a Mico de Noche. I’ve been trying to spy one in the trees here; but they’re really fast. This one is just a baby. It eats fruit. Hopefully everything will be fine. At one point this afternoon, it curled up under a bike tire. One of the moms said: “(I can’t remember who), you killed it with your bicycle.” Of course we all froze. One of the little boys walked over and reversed the bicycle and picked it up. We all continued to stare. Then he said “Oh, she’s sleeping. Look, she can sleep here.” And he placed her on his notebook.
(By the way, that's Pineapple soda in the Sol brand beer glass...)
* Home: Swam for a minute and laid in the hammock again. Max is the late person this week; so he came by to learn English from 4-5.
* I don’t know if Celso tried to wake me up or not; but I sure didn’t notice anything until a couple of hours later.
* Breakfast with the guys: I ordered chicken fajitas from the kitchen again, and they loved them.
Julio ( the one on the photo with only his eyes showing) said: "The hotel's full tonight, except for #11 (the room next to mine) because you don't like neighbors." I am still not sure if he was joking or not; but it's true. The only empty room is #11...
* Taxi driver couldn’t get me – had to find a taxi – late again to the little girls. This time they were watching down the same street I arrived on; so I was able to watch them sprint all the way down the hill to hug me!
Wash day in Xcalacoop. The girls and I walked past Max’s mom & wife washing clothing in the yard. I wanted to take a pic; but that would have been awkward. (Plus, I was being mobbed…) Anyway, the kids took a pic of their wash. That is what every yard in town looked like today.
* On my way to the second house, I heard “Gringa!!!” from behind, and 2 of those little boys were out and about and sprinted to me and escorted me to their house.
That animal is a Mico de Noche. I’ve been trying to spy one in the trees here; but they’re really fast. This one is just a baby. It eats fruit. Hopefully everything will be fine. At one point this afternoon, it curled up under a bike tire. One of the moms said: “(I can’t remember who), you killed it with your bicycle.” Of course we all froze. One of the little boys walked over and reversed the bicycle and picked it up. We all continued to stare. Then he said “Oh, she’s sleeping. Look, she can sleep here.” And he placed her on his notebook.
(By the way, that's Pineapple soda in the Sol brand beer glass...)
* Home: Swam for a minute and laid in the hammock again. Max is the late person this week; so he came by to learn English from 4-5.
Monday Night -- Volleyball
Monday night:
The guys lost the volleyball game. The guy that touches me all the time was there; so the second it was over, I asked Abraham if he was ready to take me home. Sure. So we hop on the moto and it won’t go – the rear tire was flat ;) So… Abraham dragged the moto to get more air, and I was worried about having to get a ride home with the guy that’s always touching me; so I asked Adrian, who brought me home unharmed.
<-- L-R: Victor, Adrian and Abraham
The guys lost the volleyball game. The guy that touches me all the time was there; so the second it was over, I asked Abraham if he was ready to take me home. Sure. So we hop on the moto and it won’t go – the rear tire was flat ;) So… Abraham dragged the moto to get more air, and I was worried about having to get a ride home with the guy that’s always touching me; so I asked Adrian, who brought me home unharmed.
<-- L-R: Victor, Adrian and Abraham
Monday, August 9, 2010
<-- The practice volleyball court. (That is not a joke.)
5:30 AM: Wake-up teacher ;) (Celso)
7 AM – dressed for the new day and drinking coffee on the patio
9 AM – Breakfast with the guys J
10 AM – Taxi arrived to take me to Xcalacoop – Max paid for it to take me and return today, tomorrow, and I don’t know how many other days, in exchange for my help with the weddingJ
The little girls were very studious because we are going to have a 5-part “examen” on Saturday. Examen = exam; but for us, it is an opportunity for the girls to get a “regallito” (little gift) for learning their lessons. Yes, a.k.a. bribery…
The little guy at the other house learned to walk over the weekend. That’s him showing off. The boys discovered my Michael Jackson video that was included in the 25th anniversary edition of Thriller and watched it whenever I turned my back; which, unfortunately, was often.
2 PM – returned home for free, and went straight to the pool.
No neighbors! Hung-out on the hammock and held court. Almost everyone stopped by to chat and learn English. It was really special. Then, Ghiberto waltzed through and said “Shelby… Vecinos L” (neighbors) – a couple did not like their smaller room and asked for a bigger one, which is the one that shares my patio.
I washed my jeans the old-fashioned way and then threw them in the dryer. I’m going to a volleyball game in town at 8 PM and I don’t want to have to be a princess and sit in a chair again…
The guys are playing against another hotel in town. The game is really late – 8:30 or 9! I am riding in with Abraham on his moto; and I hope someone will take me home. If not, my choices are: $70 peso taxi ($6 for 5 minute), or walking through Chichen Itza in the dark, again…
5:30 AM: Wake-up teacher ;) (Celso)
7 AM – dressed for the new day and drinking coffee on the patio
9 AM – Breakfast with the guys J
10 AM – Taxi arrived to take me to Xcalacoop – Max paid for it to take me and return today, tomorrow, and I don’t know how many other days, in exchange for my help with the weddingJ
The little girls were very studious because we are going to have a 5-part “examen” on Saturday. Examen = exam; but for us, it is an opportunity for the girls to get a “regallito” (little gift) for learning their lessons. Yes, a.k.a. bribery…
The little guy at the other house learned to walk over the weekend. That’s him showing off. The boys discovered my Michael Jackson video that was included in the 25th anniversary edition of Thriller and watched it whenever I turned my back; which, unfortunately, was often.
2 PM – returned home for free, and went straight to the pool.
No neighbors! Hung-out on the hammock and held court. Almost everyone stopped by to chat and learn English. It was really special. Then, Ghiberto waltzed through and said “Shelby… Vecinos L” (neighbors) – a couple did not like their smaller room and asked for a bigger one, which is the one that shares my patio.
I washed my jeans the old-fashioned way and then threw them in the dryer. I’m going to a volleyball game in town at 8 PM and I don’t want to have to be a princess and sit in a chair again…
The guys are playing against another hotel in town. The game is really late – 8:30 or 9! I am riding in with Abraham on his moto; and I hope someone will take me home. If not, my choices are: $70 peso taxi ($6 for 5 minute), or walking through Chichen Itza in the dark, again…
Sunday, August 8, 2010
The Girls singing in Matteo's Hammock
Add to blog (Friday):
Thursday, I played volleyball and dunked my clothes in the pool and wrung them out and put them on the line to re-use on Friday (I only have one pair of shorts that is short enough to properly move during volleyball). Friday morning, I was eating breakfast and my clothes weren’t on the line. I asked the lavaderios if they had my clothes, and they said “Oh, sure, we took them off the line and washed them for you. They’re in the dryer.” J
It’s really funny because Jim always hangs his on the line, and the other volunteers hung theirs on the line; but when I put mine on the line, the guys were like “Oh, no you don’t…” and washed them for me. They gave them back this afternoon…
Adrian’s little brother remarked (after I said that I was going back to the hacienda to play volleyball).. “But, aren’t you going to take a shower?” and the little girl said “you know, bathe, like this (example), with soap”, and I said, well, first I was going to play volleyball. And the little boy said, "But, you’re sweating…”
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Delicious breakfast with the guys again. That is my favorite part of the day, and I don’t even talk; and today they just talked in Maya, and I didn’t even understand. I just like the sharing and the laughing.
Spent an hour or so reading by the pool without any guests. It was sublime. I had to go in the pool about 6 times to cool off, but it was so beautiful and tranquil with the birds and the breeze.
I dunked in the pool one last time, and took my book to my hammaka (hammock). The next thing I knew, Max and Alex were walking around my pathways noisily and I woke up.
Max / Alex: You were sleeping.
Me: Yes… <pause while we all stare at each other…> I couldn’t even tell you for how long.
Max: Three hours
Me: Really?
Alex (to Max): something in Maya
Max: No, 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Showed the guys my wedding pictures, and Alex said that I looked like a princess. I thanked him and said – well, it was many years ago – 8 years. And Max said, no, you are still a princess ;)
Went to church again. Everyone shook my hand when they came in, and I have a picture with a tiny little Mayan woman who really likes me. Went over the creation story with the kids – semi-controlled chaos. We are going to perform on Saturday, and I am going to repeat today again next Sunday.
Max tried to stuff me full of pound cake and muffins after church. I told him that my husband was not going to like him. He laughed and gave me more food. So I pawned it off on the little girls when he wasn’t looking
Then we hung-out for about ½ hour, and Max brings out more food – tamales – just like at home except they cook them in banana leaves instead of corn husks. (And they cook them with masa (fresh cornmeal) that they make each morning instead of store-bought cornmeal, and they put them in a hole that they dig in the ground in the yard with hot rocks; instead of buying them at Central Market, but Almost just like home.) So I tried a piece and it was nice. Then, Max brought out more, with chicken instead of beans. So I took a piece of one of those. Then they made fun of me for breaking off pieces of the food. I guess I was supposed to eat whole ones. I don’t really understand how to be a guest. And in the mornings, we always break off food from the other people.
The little girls were just too adorable the entire evening. They wanted me to sleep over (at their houses – none of them are Max’s kids). I said to Max / Matteo’s mom that Max really likes kids. She replied: “He does. And when you leave, there won’t be any kids around here.” So, I guess that all of this is in my honor.
Max told me that his mom would like him to convey to me that she doesn’t have the words to tell me how grateful she is for all of the help with la boda (Matteo's wedding); but that she would like me to know that she wishes I could understand how thankful she is. (I know that sounds like someone talking with rocks in their mouth; but, that is exactly what Max said and she nodded. I didn't want to re-write their expressions.)
Max and Gabi rode home in the taxi with me to borrow a Sharpie fine point marker to write on the recuerdos for la boda “Recuerdo de la boda civil de Matteo y Mikaela – el 21 de agosto, 2010”. [ Gabi is going to write on each favor: A remembrance of the civil wedding of Matteo and Mikaela & the date] Gotta love those Sharpies. Anyway, it was comical, because they stood outside the door while I looked for it and I didn’t know what to do with them. I guess I should have told them to pass (over the threshold), but I grabbed the marker before I could think of the words ;) Max is in all the rooms all the time. Julio and Max share responsibilities; and Julio normally cleans my room, so Max doesn’t check-up on him; but whenever the other guys clean it, Max is in here inspecting everything. Then with Gabi and me here, it was like he never saw the place before.
Thursday, I played volleyball and dunked my clothes in the pool and wrung them out and put them on the line to re-use on Friday (I only have one pair of shorts that is short enough to properly move during volleyball). Friday morning, I was eating breakfast and my clothes weren’t on the line. I asked the lavaderios if they had my clothes, and they said “Oh, sure, we took them off the line and washed them for you. They’re in the dryer.” J
It’s really funny because Jim always hangs his on the line, and the other volunteers hung theirs on the line; but when I put mine on the line, the guys were like “Oh, no you don’t…” and washed them for me. They gave them back this afternoon…
Adrian’s little brother remarked (after I said that I was going back to the hacienda to play volleyball).. “But, aren’t you going to take a shower?” and the little girl said “you know, bathe, like this (example), with soap”, and I said, well, first I was going to play volleyball. And the little boy said, "But, you’re sweating…”
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Delicious breakfast with the guys again. That is my favorite part of the day, and I don’t even talk; and today they just talked in Maya, and I didn’t even understand. I just like the sharing and the laughing.
Spent an hour or so reading by the pool without any guests. It was sublime. I had to go in the pool about 6 times to cool off, but it was so beautiful and tranquil with the birds and the breeze.
I dunked in the pool one last time, and took my book to my hammaka (hammock). The next thing I knew, Max and Alex were walking around my pathways noisily and I woke up.
Max / Alex: You were sleeping.
Me: Yes… <pause while we all stare at each other…> I couldn’t even tell you for how long.
Max: Three hours
Me: Really?
Alex (to Max): something in Maya
Max: No, 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Showed the guys my wedding pictures, and Alex said that I looked like a princess. I thanked him and said – well, it was many years ago – 8 years. And Max said, no, you are still a princess ;)
Went to church again. Everyone shook my hand when they came in, and I have a picture with a tiny little Mayan woman who really likes me. Went over the creation story with the kids – semi-controlled chaos. We are going to perform on Saturday, and I am going to repeat today again next Sunday.
Max tried to stuff me full of pound cake and muffins after church. I told him that my husband was not going to like him. He laughed and gave me more food. So I pawned it off on the little girls when he wasn’t looking
Then we hung-out for about ½ hour, and Max brings out more food – tamales – just like at home except they cook them in banana leaves instead of corn husks. (And they cook them with masa (fresh cornmeal) that they make each morning instead of store-bought cornmeal, and they put them in a hole that they dig in the ground in the yard with hot rocks; instead of buying them at Central Market, but Almost just like home.) So I tried a piece and it was nice. Then, Max brought out more, with chicken instead of beans. So I took a piece of one of those. Then they made fun of me for breaking off pieces of the food. I guess I was supposed to eat whole ones. I don’t really understand how to be a guest. And in the mornings, we always break off food from the other people.
The little girls were just too adorable the entire evening. They wanted me to sleep over (at their houses – none of them are Max’s kids). I said to Max / Matteo’s mom that Max really likes kids. She replied: “He does. And when you leave, there won’t be any kids around here.” So, I guess that all of this is in my honor.
Max told me that his mom would like him to convey to me that she doesn’t have the words to tell me how grateful she is for all of the help with la boda (Matteo's wedding); but that she would like me to know that she wishes I could understand how thankful she is. (I know that sounds like someone talking with rocks in their mouth; but, that is exactly what Max said and she nodded. I didn't want to re-write their expressions.)
Max and Gabi rode home in the taxi with me to borrow a Sharpie fine point marker to write on the recuerdos for la boda “Recuerdo de la boda civil de Matteo y Mikaela – el 21 de agosto, 2010”. [ Gabi is going to write on each favor: A remembrance of the civil wedding of Matteo and Mikaela & the date] Gotta love those Sharpies. Anyway, it was comical, because they stood outside the door while I looked for it and I didn’t know what to do with them. I guess I should have told them to pass (over the threshold), but I grabbed the marker before I could think of the words ;) Max is in all the rooms all the time. Julio and Max share responsibilities; and Julio normally cleans my room, so Max doesn’t check-up on him; but whenever the other guys clean it, Max is in here inspecting everything. Then with Gabi and me here, it was like he never saw the place before.
Valladolid
Max and Gabi on the Plaza in Valladolid
Went in to Valladolid with Max, dragging Gabi along... [She's just straight out of the village, so it was an ordeal for her to be in the big city.] We purchased favors for Matteo's wedding. They are unpainted ceramic vases. Max says that is "tipico". Max preferred the simple designs, and we couldn't find enough of one of the few that wasn't gaudy; so we ended up with two designs: sort-of simple round vase that has a heart on the front and opens into a rosebud at the top, and two swans facing each other with a rose-shaped opening for a flower. They are both around 8" tall.
Then we went to the florist and ordered one pale pink rose for each favor. They are slightly large-size roses and will be in the vases solo. We also bought a beautiful bouguet of exclusively creamy roses (color: oceana) -- no filler, in a round shape for the bride. Gabi thought we should get plastic flowers, and Max and I looked at them. I hate fake flowers; but I was trying to be nice. Max said: They're just not nice. Yep. Since he has to pay for everything, I told him that he should just get real ones if he likes them and if the novia wants to keep the bouquet, she can just buy plastic ones herself since they are a-lot cheaper. Max agreed and that settled it.
Random fact about the wedding: They are having pava a la cochinita pibil (duck and piglet wrapped in banana leaves, and cooked underground). I've met the pigs and the ducks (3 of each); they live in the house where I work with the girls. :)
By the time I made it back to the hotel, I had enough of everything, so I took a nice nap in the hammock. Julio made swan towels for me. Actually it was really cute -- he closed the curtain, so I couldn't see into my room until I opened the door and there were huge cisnos on the bed. He knew that Max and I were favor shopping; so I don't know if my towels were an homage to the 200+ swan favors that I picked up and put back down all over Valladolid...
After my nap, I walked in to Piste and saw two different peacocks.
The gecko was just kicking it on the Bailey's bottle last night. Eventually, I had to take a pic.
Then we went to the florist and ordered one pale pink rose for each favor. They are slightly large-size roses and will be in the vases solo. We also bought a beautiful bouguet of exclusively creamy roses (color: oceana) -- no filler, in a round shape for the bride. Gabi thought we should get plastic flowers, and Max and I looked at them. I hate fake flowers; but I was trying to be nice. Max said: They're just not nice. Yep. Since he has to pay for everything, I told him that he should just get real ones if he likes them and if the novia wants to keep the bouquet, she can just buy plastic ones herself since they are a-lot cheaper. Max agreed and that settled it.
Random fact about the wedding: They are having pava a la cochinita pibil (duck and piglet wrapped in banana leaves, and cooked underground). I've met the pigs and the ducks (3 of each); they live in the house where I work with the girls. :)
By the time I made it back to the hotel, I had enough of everything, so I took a nice nap in the hammock. Julio made swan towels for me. Actually it was really cute -- he closed the curtain, so I couldn't see into my room until I opened the door and there were huge cisnos on the bed. He knew that Max and I were favor shopping; so I don't know if my towels were an homage to the 200+ swan favors that I picked up and put back down all over Valladolid...
After my nap, I walked in to Piste and saw two different peacocks.
The gecko was just kicking it on the Bailey's bottle last night. Eventually, I had to take a pic.
Friday, August 6, 2010: Shelby Claus
This photo is of me teaching math ;) The pretty lady who is standing up with the baby on her hip asked if I knew math and if I could teach a-little to the kids. We were working on multiplication and everybody was very interested. After we worked our way through the multiplication tables, they asked if I would make division problems for the little girl. Major breakthroughs: the 9's thing with fingers and that division is just multiplication, backwards.
I was late to the little girls, again, because I was talking to Max about the wedding and then I stopped off to buy "regallitos" (little gifts) aka: prizes for studying English. When I arrived, there were 3 little girls, but the others had gone to look for me in case I was lost, again... We went to find them, and 7 little kids sprinted up the street to see me. It was so magical. At the time, I was thinking what a great picture it would be, but then one of the little girls broke from the pack and sprinted with her little long hair flying behind her to wrap her arms around my legs, and I am glad I wasn't messing around with the camera!
I'm the pied piper. I had my two little followers again. Today, when I was leaving the second house, I walked past their house, and they said: Teacher! We were just talking about you! " and the ladies of the house nodded in agreement, and the little girl and boy told me to come on in... Somebody put a chair inside the front door and they told me to sit down. I thought that was all very nice, but I had no idea what was going on. Anyway, they are the younger siblings of Adrian, Max's cousin who works here at the hacienda, and it was Adrian's day off. So, when Adrian came out, everything made a-lot more sense :) [Adrian is in the breakfast picture -- 3rd from the left.]
Visited Max's family. Max and I are going to Valladolid tomorrow to buy things for la boda (the wedding of his brother -- Max has to do virtually everything -- he even bought the dress for the novia!). My customary flock of children rushed the house ahead of me and told them that I was there, and then Max's wife laughed, and ran out to say hello. The kids, parents, Gabi, and I all hung-out in the front room and talked about the wedding and the kids held things up for me to see -- really sweet. They asked if I ate tortillas (yes) and then Gabi started to sprint off to get some for me. I had to explain that I really wasn't hungry; but that I do eat their tortillas every morning and they are delicious:) [As you can see, I ate chicken empanadas and coke for lunch :) ]
Two days ago at breakfast, Alejandro said "We are really going to miss you when you leave." and today, Julio said "You are really going to miss us when you leave." :)
I was late to the little girls, again, because I was talking to Max about the wedding and then I stopped off to buy "regallitos" (little gifts) aka: prizes for studying English. When I arrived, there were 3 little girls, but the others had gone to look for me in case I was lost, again... We went to find them, and 7 little kids sprinted up the street to see me. It was so magical. At the time, I was thinking what a great picture it would be, but then one of the little girls broke from the pack and sprinted with her little long hair flying behind her to wrap her arms around my legs, and I am glad I wasn't messing around with the camera!
I'm the pied piper. I had my two little followers again. Today, when I was leaving the second house, I walked past their house, and they said: Teacher! We were just talking about you! " and the ladies of the house nodded in agreement, and the little girl and boy told me to come on in... Somebody put a chair inside the front door and they told me to sit down. I thought that was all very nice, but I had no idea what was going on. Anyway, they are the younger siblings of Adrian, Max's cousin who works here at the hacienda, and it was Adrian's day off. So, when Adrian came out, everything made a-lot more sense :) [Adrian is in the breakfast picture -- 3rd from the left.]
Visited Max's family. Max and I are going to Valladolid tomorrow to buy things for la boda (the wedding of his brother -- Max has to do virtually everything -- he even bought the dress for the novia!). My customary flock of children rushed the house ahead of me and told them that I was there, and then Max's wife laughed, and ran out to say hello. The kids, parents, Gabi, and I all hung-out in the front room and talked about the wedding and the kids held things up for me to see -- really sweet. They asked if I ate tortillas (yes) and then Gabi started to sprint off to get some for me. I had to explain that I really wasn't hungry; but that I do eat their tortillas every morning and they are delicious:) [As you can see, I ate chicken empanadas and coke for lunch :) ]
Two days ago at breakfast, Alejandro said "We are really going to miss you when you leave." and today, Julio said "You are really going to miss us when you leave." :)
