The good news is...

I´ll be moving to a new place of residence tomorrow. After living in a furnished studio apartment for the past several months, I have decided to move into a house with a colleague from UNO. Funny enough, her name is also Sylvia! Another coincidence is that she is from Monterrey (Mexico, that is). She is a librarian but she is also studying to get her degree from UNO. She rents a two bedroom house a little bit outside of town, so there will be lots of room and there is a really pleasant patio in the back of the house. She and I get along well and I am happy with the change. There will be some trade-offs, of course: I´ll have to find a new lavandería to take my laundry to, I won´t have internet (at least initially), and I will have to get used to sharing a living space again, but the rent will be a lot cheaper - only $750 pesos, or approximately $60 USD. Yes, you read that right, sixty dollars a month. Además, it will be interesting to live in a different neighborhood. I´m sure I will discover some new restaurants and there is a juice bar on the corner that I am excited to try out. Living with a native Spanish speaker (who also speaks English well) will undoubtedly be a benefit to my language skills and I am sure I´ll learn un montón about Mexican culture, too. I´ll even be sleeping in a Yucatecan hammock, which is supposed to be amazingly comfortable and great for your back, but I have yet to try it. A new experience for a new year!
I will be packing up my things tonight and tomorrow, simultaneously preparing for my trip back to the States. At the moment, they are predicting snow for Saturday night, though the forecast looks much less dire for Newark, NJ than it does for Bethlehem, PA. Let´s hope the snow can hold off until my plane lands!
It sounds like next cuatri I will again be doing some teaching at the Mesón del Marques Hotel, this time teaching a course with the upper-level management, and it is likely that I´ll also be teaching an online Moodle course in Public Administration and Marketing. We are presently working out the schedule to figure out who´s teaching which classes - a process that is always fairly painstaking, particularly for my boss, Miguel. It doesn´t look like I will be teaching the same groups as last cuatri, which is sort of disappointing to me because I really enjoyed my 1st cuatri students, but that´s part of teaching and part of life, I suppose.

Tonight is the big UNO fiesta, which is going to be lots of great food, lots of music and dancing, and some giant piñatas filled with dulces. Everyone is ready to have a good time after working hard all semester-long.

Al final, this is probably my last blog entry of 2009! I have enjoyed writing about my experiences and sharing them with you in this forum, and it has been really nice to know that people are interested in what I´ve been up to and to feel like we´re connected, albeit virtually. Keeping in touch has been comforting to me as I adjust to life in Mexico. So, thank you for being part of my experience and please continue to do so in 2010!
¡Que el año nuevo les traiga mucha felicidad y prosperidad!

+ feedback

I am happy to share with you that after sending my students their grades via email, I received some very nice emails back from them. It really feels good to hear from them that they learned a lot in my class, they appreciated and enjoyed the course, and that they hope to have me as their teacher again next cuatri. We have yet to receive our formal student evaluations from administration, which I´m sure will bring a more balanced perspective, and I will be anxious to see what all the students have to say. But until then, I am glad to know that at least a few of them got something out of the class. That really is the reason I do what I do.
I was thinking today (since things are pretty quiet here at UNO) about when I lived in Spain, and about how I felt after several months of living abroad. I recall that just at the point that I left Spain, I was beginning to feel comfortable with my Spanish and with my understanding of Spanish culture and was just starting to really connect with the family I lived with and the people I met. I have looked back on that and wondered how things would have changed had I stayed longer. At this point, I´ve been in Mexico longer than my 3 months in Cercedilla, and I am beginning to feel that I´m actually in that more comfortable place, both linguistically and culturally.
For me, learning a second language has very much been a driving force in my life. The goal of improving my Spanish has led me to take a number of risks and make significant life changes, in the hopes that it will help me continue to grow and, in some way, provide me with more opportunities and greater security in the future. But these risks have not been without growing pains and, inevitably, they bring with them the feeling that I have plateaued in my language learning. On those days, one can feel discouraged, but when you´re in a foreign country, you have to just keep pushing and ride that discouragement out. Then, eventually, you arrive at another level, noticeably different than where you were before. For me, it can be as simple as using one phrase that has been eluding me in social interactions, a trivial interaction between me and a native speaker that goes more smoothly because I feel more prepared, or the triumphant realization that I´ve been able to express myself using my "true voice" in my second language.
As you can tell, the Spanish language is something that I have put much energy into and the study of second language acquisition was a large part of my MA program at MIIS, so I guess reflecting on my experience has become second nature to me. Living in Mexico (and particularly in Yucatán) is infinitely different than living in Spain, and one of my biggest challenges has been learning a very different lexicon. It seems that there is a different word for almost everything! People here have definitely noticed that my Spanish is different, pointing out that I have a subtle Spanish accent or that I use Spanish words. They are curious as to why that is, and it´s funny to me that after 5 years, I´ve retained an accent!
Of course, culturally, Mexico is a different ball game as well. Something that I think would be surprising to many Americans is that Mexico, our neighbor to the south, is very much it´s own country and Mexicans have a very strong cultural identity. With the exception of some of the border towns, perhaps, Mexico does not strive to be like America. Mexicans do not necessarily care to learn about American culture. In fact, there are hundreds of indigenous languages and cultures in the country, and in some ways Mexico is more progressive than the U.S. because all of the 400+ indigenous languages are recognized as national languages! How would the U.S. be different if it recognized Hopi and Cherokee and Abenaki as national languages?
I think I can say that after almost four months here, I have achieved a modest level of cultural competence. Having a foundation in two cultures and in two varieties of Spanish is something that I feel will serve me well in the future, and I am curious to see how much things will change during the next phase of my time here when I return from the States.

On another note, tomorrow is the LAST day of work in 2009! I will have a couple of weeks off, and I am very excited to get on the plane to the US this weekend! I´ve said it so much on this blog already, but I´ll say it again: I can´t wait to see everyone (including dog and cats)...and I cannot wait to eat some good, non-Mexican food. I´m even excited to put on my winter coat and hat!

TIJAAX (TeeHAASH) - a double-edged sword

Today one of the professors of Mayan Linguistics and culture, a very cool woman named Patricia, brought in a book about Mayan astrology and told me about my sign, Tijaax. It says that, from the front, Tijaax (El Kab'awil) represents the point of a knife made of flint or obsidian. From above, it represents a pyramid. Tijaax: a knife, liberation, obsidian. Obsidian, they say, acts as a mirror for the soul. Tijaax is a good day to ask for protection against enemies, temptations, and accidents. Natives of the sign of Tijaax can be doctors or healers, optimists, unaffected and peaceful, but they can also act with great force as a warrior.
Since I´m into the mystical aspects of Mayan culture, it´s all very interesting to me. Patricia also brought me some traditional incense used for rituals and blessings - it´s called copal and smells wonderful. It´s actually sap from a tree. Here is a little info I found online about the copal tree:
Similar to jade tree in appearance, copal wood sands to a smooth porcelain finish. Fresh pieces have an aromatic smell unlike copala which has little or no smell. They are two of sixty species of the Bursera tree found in Mexico. When dried this wood become light and flexibly strong. Characterized as a soft wood the tree thrives in higher elevations and is an aggressive grower. Copal branches can be very fragrant depending on the time of year they are pruned. Before wood carving became popular, copal tree resin was primarily used to make incense and it's berries were a common cure for acne. The incense was regarded as a seeing instrument for the Mayans and considered a form of protection against sorcery, illness, and misfortune. The incense still burns in many Mexican churches today for the purpose of making the body ritually clean. The dried resin, when burned, projects an odor similar to frankincense but with a lighter, citrus tone.

¡Y qué rico huele! (It smells so good!) Little by little, I´m learning more about Mayan culture. Hopefully next cuatri I will be able to learn more. Actually, today I was talking with some other UNO professors and they invited me to go visit a nearby Mayan village because they are doing research there. That should happen in January when we start up with school again. Also, Patricia has told me about some Mayan spiritual guides and healers who are located not too far away. (Hopefully I won´t be getting sick, though!) Needless to say, there is much to discover about another way of living here in Yucatán.
We have just two more work days and then a day to get packed up, because on Saturday night I will be flying home! It is going to be a great Christmas this year in Bethlehem. Tonight is our department work party at Casa Italia, a local (and deliciously authentic) Italian restaurant. It should be fun!

Another day closer

Today at work we talked about the new course packet we´re creating for next cuatrimestre. Oddly, it was really the first time we´ve all sat down and talked about our ideas about teaching and materials as a whole department. This past cuatri, it was always the intention of our coordinator to do it, but time was hard to find. Of course, it was interesting to hear where people are coming from and it was a productive meeting. Tomorrow we will continue to work on the sections we have been assigned (I am working with a colleague on modal auxiliaries), compiling traditional grammar explanations, practice activities, and content-specific applications of the material for the students´ course packet. It´s not my favorite part of teaching, but it´s gotta be done.
And one more day done means another day closer to Christmas in PA! It seems impossible that it´s the middle of December. Today was a beautiful day in Valladolid. Well, it´s time to go home and I´m going to start packing for my trip. I´ve got a lot of presents to squeeze into my luggage! ; )

Top 10

Last time, I promised you some Top 10 lists. You may not have known what I was talking about then, but today I'm going to share with you two lists: the Top 10 Things About Living In Mexico and the Top 10 Things I Miss About the U.S. Here we go!

Top 10 Things About Living In Yucatan, Mexico

10. Caribbean aquamarine waters and white=sand beaches are a $5 bus ride away

9. Old school VW beetles are the most common vehicle

8. Here in Yucatan, hammocks = beds

7. My own little apartment

6. My laundry and cleaning are done by someone else

5. Tropical fruits, exotic foliage, rainbows...and the clouds here are spectacular!

4. Learning about Mayan and Mexican cultures

3. Sunshine & 80 degrees = no winter coat

2. Speaking in Spanish every day

1. University teaching job with lots of opportunities!

Top 10 Things I Miss About the United States

10. "A hike in the woods" doesn't involve scorpions, tarantulas, copperheads, or jaguars

9. Yoga class

8. My comfort zone

7. Wegman's and Whole Foods...VARIETY!

6. Kale, arugula, hummus, goat cheese, and vegetarian options in general

5. Easy access to good, live music

4. Strict safety and health regulations

3. Drinking the water

2. "Blending in"

1. Family, friends, cats and dog!

I will be home in one week! I am so thankful for being able to come home for the holidays and I can't wait to see everyone. To me, cold is just a concept right now; I'll have to adapt real fast to the PA winter.

Christmas is coming so soon. It's a bit surreal to wander around Valladolid and see Virgin Mary decorations with red, green, and yellow lights blinking, and fake Christmas trees lit up in corners of thatched-roof houses, next to the hammocks. Today is actually the celebration of the Virgen de Guadalupe, and it's a big holy day here. For the past few days people have been gearing up, many of them making a pilgrimage to a famous church in Merida to commemorate the occurrence of a miracle. In the pilgrimages, one person runs with a torch and people follow behind, sometimes on bicycles, sometimes on buses or in cars. I saw one procession two days ago and it was very striking visually.

Just four more work days! Right now we're working on gathering materials and planning for next cuatri. And it turns out the Law Enforcement English course we had been scheduled to teach this week will be postponed until 2010 because it's a busy time of year for Valladolid's Tourist Police Force. We'll be having a department Christmas party for Departamento de Idiomas on Tuesday, and then a university Christmas party on Thursday which is supposed to be a real blow-out. Other than that, I am busy getting my Christmas shopping done and starting to prepare myself for the next round of international travel!

11 days and counting...

....until I´m back in Pennsylvania for the holidays! It´s starting to feel a bit like Christmas here in Valladolid, mostly because the days are getting shorter. It gets dark just before 6 pm here now. People have been putting up Christmas decorations and blinking lights all over town. At UNO, maintenance put up a bunch of lights in the conical shape of a tree and a manger scene at the entrance to the university, and in the office, we have a little, fake Christmas tree which adds a nice, festive touch. Next week we´re going to have an office dinner and we´ll do a Secret Santa gift exchange which should be fun.
Things sure are much quieter at UNO without the students. It´s been pretty easy to get work done, so that has been good. Other good news is that I submitted the grades for all three of my classes yesterday and today I finished making the extraordinarios - the exams that students who failed the course must take if they are to continue on in their studies without having to repeat it next year. A few of my students did fail - mostly the ones who missed class too much! Overall, though, my students did well and I am glad to be done with all that grading. Here´s an example of something I included on an exam to assess students´ knowledge of vocabulary for family members:Of course, there´s tons of end-of-semester stuff that keeps coming up: documents, files, emails, self-evaluations, etc. Not to mention, yesterday I e-mailed every single student their grade, and for some unknown reason, there was a completely horrendous computer glitch, causing all the emails to be returned to me!! I am frustrated because I told my students I would send them all their grades on Monday (and I DID, but fate stepped in and now I´ll have to do it all over again. Ugh, just when I felt like I was getting somewhere). We got notification today that we are still not able to use the university´s email system to mail externally and they are trying to fix it, and we should try to send them again later. Pero así es la vida...
Other news is that for three hours a day, for four days next week, my supervisor, Miguel, and I will be teaching basic English to a group of police officers from Valladolid. I guess the course could be called Law Enforcement English! It should be quite interesting (though I did not expect to be teaching during that last week, let alone doing something so different from what I normally do at UNO). It will be more work, for sure, but it will also be something very interesting and unique on the old resume.

The sun is starting to set now, so I´ll wrap it up here...stay tuned for my upcoming TOP 10 lists!

exams for 65

If you´ve ever designed both written and oral exams, administered them, and assigned grades for 65 students in one week, my hat is off to you. I am currently in the middle of that process and it is exhausting. Needless to say, I am getting anxious for a nice, long vacation for the holidays that is just a couple weeks away. I can smell the Christmas cookies baking...
It was pretty hot here in Valladolid today - probably about 90 degrees. It´s much cooler at night, though. Because of my upcoming visit back to PA, I have been having fantasies about sweaters and boots and I hope it´s not too much of a shock to go back to the cold, east coast winter.
Well, I am just sitting here at work waiting to catch a ride home with my colleague so I thought I´d write a few words. Buenas noches a tod@s y que les vayan bien!