The travelling Welshmouse

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Finished TEFL teaching

I finished teaching English at the language school on Friday which was an excellent experience and sad to leave. I made loads of good friends which I will be able to practice my Spanish with in the future via email. This will be particularly useful as I intend to study for an A level in Spanish once I return to the UK.
So, this weekend has been a relaxing one with visits to the cinema, shopping in Zara for cheap clothes ready for my return to teaching, all night partying with friends and now recovering in the sun from last night (another 4.30 am night). The days are lovely and warm here but the nights are still very cold (below zero). I fly back to the UK on Friday and will be in Wales for a week before heading over to Cambridgeshire the week after. I would love to catch up with everyone so drop me an email if you want to meet up somewhere.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Job

I have a job!!! Hooray!! I will be teaching at Swavesey Village College in their Science department as from January. It's part time (Mon to Wed) which is perfect for me to reacclimatise back into the teaching world and visit people for long weekends. I will probably try and do supply work to earn a bit of extra cash when I can.

So, this means I will be definitely be back in the Cambs area until at least the summer. Thinking about basing myself in the Cambourne area to be closer to Cambridge and friends in the south. Will keep you posted on when the house warming will be!!! Off to celebrate tonight now.

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Pacific coast


Had a busy few weeks teaching (new classes started, so extra lessons) and travelling the 2 hours back and forth to work...but all enjoyable and I feel my students are actually learning, which is the main objective for any teacher.
In Acapulco at the moment, typing this from the balcony overlooking the bay. Unfortunately there is yet another storm hanging over the Pacific coast and so still no sunshine on the beach for me. However, I'm here until Tuesday and sunshine has been promised. Only two weeks until I will be back in Wales and catching up with friends and family yet again. But this time I will be back for a longer spell and I am currently busy applying for teaching jobs for January.

Anyway, here are a few pics taken last night and at sunrise this morning.

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Crazy city!

Just one of the many bizarre things you see whilst driving through Mexico city.........

Monday, November 06, 2006

Remember, Remember the 5th of November

No bonfire night here in Mexico, but there have been a fair share of fireworks following the day of the dead celebrations this week. We did however build a little fire at the apartment.......

There's yet another great thunder storm going on outside as I write this, even though the rainy season is supposed to be over here in Mexico!!

Spent today recovering from a fun evening partying at the landlord's 40th birthday party until sunrise. A very interesting evening as the guests (100 of them) were mainly male but certainly weren't interested in chatting any females up! The music was great though...lots of Kylie, Erasure and Village People. Free drinks and entertainment all through the night. They certainly love to party in this city!

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead

Some of the sugar skulls on sale to celebrate Day of the Dead

The Day of the Dead can be traced to the festivities held during the Aztec summer month of Miccailhuitontli, though Spanish priests moved the celebration to coincide with Halloween in a moderately successful effort to 'Christianise' it. The day's activities begin with visits by families to the graves of their close kin.

Families clean the graves then settle down for a picnic and a round of stories about the dearly departed. The meals at these picnics are sumptuous: spicy meat dishes, egg-batter bread, chocolate and sugary confections in a variety of animal or skull shapes.

Traditionally, the day begins with a feast during the early hours of 2 November - the Day of the Dead proper - though urban families usually celebrate with a special family supper featuring pan de muerto (Bread of the Dead). It is good luck to be the one who bites into the plastic toy skeleton hidden by the baker in each rounded loaf. Friends and family members give one another gifts such as sugar skeletons or other items with a death motif. These have been on sale in the shops for the past month.

I went to the main Zocolo area where there were loads of artistic altars set up and many people dressed up in scary costumes. There was a great atmosphere but rather a lot of people. The cathedral was packed out with people remembering their loved ones and I lit a candle for my grandma who passed away exactly a year ago, but is always in my thoughts.

Here are some of the wierd things I saw in the city.

Day of the dead photo's












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