Day of the Dead: Isla Janitzio

On the morning of November 1st, we hopped on a boat before sunrise and headed from Pátzcuaro to the island of Janitzio. We arrived at the island´s small cemetery and waited. As we watched, the residents of the island began to arrive with buckets, brooms, baskets of food, candles, and flowers galore. Within two hours, the gray, dreary cemetery was transformed into a colorful, vibrant place filled wih people and life.

Calaveras

In Mexico, for Day of the Dead, there exists the tradition of writing calaveras, poems intended to poke fun at the living. I´ve taken some liberty with the poetic structure, and please forgive my awkward rhyme. They´re not meant to be morbid or offensive, so please enjoy.

Dad
In life, John walked with his AAA travel guide
His goal? To travel the whole world wide

When it came time for his final road trip
He sure didn´t plan on giving the devil much lip

His only complaint when the judgment was unfurled?
Without a map, how will I sightsee in the underworld?

Mom
Hour after hour, Barb excels at Solitaire
Uncovering an Ace is her only care

From left to right she moves the mouse with ease
Hoping it's victory that she'll seize

But when the game is over and the screen glows black
Will her rickety bones choose a PC or a Mac?

Johnny
JJ Sabaka spent much his life analyzing the stats
Who had the best record, the best passing, the most at bats

For days, he recruited, traded, and schemed
Trying to put together the most victorious team

But when the season's over and death drafts his picks
Will JJ be passing or punting with kicks?

Julie
After a long day teaching the Knights ser and estar
Jules would come home to the hot tub, sometimes after the bar

She'd soak and she'd soak until all stress washed away
Ready to face another long, challenging day

But when her flesh wastes away and her bones are all teeny
Will our hot-tubbing calaca still fill out her bikini?

Mary Beth
One of life's great pleasures for MB was her food
A fine meal could change all, it would lighten her mood

Two courses, of course, were never enough
She'd need palette cleansers, and all of that fluff

But when Death serves up dessert, which will she choose?
Angel food cake or sinful dark chocolate mousse?

Becky
Her life, Becky lived with enthusiasm and joy
If it was wacky, she'd go there. The world her big toy.

The strangest tourist traps were never to be missed.
She'd seen them all and checked them off her list.

When her time has come and Becky takes a final breath
Will she continue on with a zest for death?

Broecklings
Monica, Kevin, and Little Baby I
Lived a happy, quiet life, never a reason to cry

When Death came for them, asking, "Heaven or Hell? You choose."
Their response? "Either way, as long as there's Ski, Ice Deli, and Horseshoes."

Emily
As fast as a pony, Em sprinted through life
She could outrun sadness, and sorrow, and strife.

But as fast as she ran, she couldn't leave Death in the dust.
I'm right on your heels, I'll pass you, I trust.

Just as the finish line came into Em's sight,
He passed on the inside and Em ran towards the white light.

Alison
If you needed your numbers crunched, Alsion was the one to call
While for most, Algebra was a drag, Alsion had a ball

The Quadratic formula, x=-b
In front of the calculator, her favorite place to be

But for all of her computation, death could not be delayed
Death after life, that order of operations must be obeyed

Jean
Jean spent her life tracking criminals' prints
Sworl, tentarch, or loop, a judge they could convince.

She visited crime scenes, places Death like to haunt
And one day Death approached her, "It's you that I want"

As he laid his hands upon her, a thought ran through her mind
Does Death leave fingerprints, and if so, which kind?

Anna
Anna B became famous for her paintings divine
She'd create one and sell it for millions online

Her style, unique, and her portraits true to life,
Death showed up at her gallery, wanting a gift for his wife

My portrait, you paint it, Death said with a grin
And your payment, extra years you will win

But make me look life-like, some meat on my bones
I'm sick of this gaunt look. Use pink and orange tones.

Jenn
Jenn never left home without her eco shopping bag
And her old T-shirt? Reused as a rag.

A healthy compost bin was found in her backyard
And for environmental legislation she would rally hard

When Jenn goes up to heaven, I'm sure we'll hear her cry,
"Angels, use those blue bins. We've gotta recycle in the sky!"

Stay tuned: Happy ànimas

Virtual Altar

Since I wasn´t at home this year to assemble my Day of the Dead altar, I´ll have to do it virtually. Here goes:

For Grandpa John, musician and snacker, sheet music and Cheetos, of course.

For Grandma Margaret and Aunt Junie, kindergarten teachers and bridge players, lesson plan books and a deck of playing cards.

For Grandma Taylor, story watcher and stoop gamer, Soap Opera Digest and a backgammon board.

And for Virginia, caretaker of my peace and smiley gardens, flower seeds.

Also remembered dearly are Grandma Celia, Grandma Gert, Ken, and Thad.

Rest in peace. We miss you.

Esperando

This just about sums it up...

¡Feliz cumpleaños, Alison!

On her birthday, here´s a few of the many reasons why Alison rocks:
1. There´s no one more intellectually stimulating with whom to car pool
2. She´s a mean first base woman
3. She´s a thoughtful, dedicated, and amazingly hard-working educator
4. She carries hard candies in her purse (Creme Savers-yum!)
5. She´s not afraid of shady lodging options (Los Pinos, anyone?)
6. She taught me my first (and only) Swedish word
7. She only has one l in her name
8. She gives wise advice and always tells it like it is

Happy day to you!

What´s so fine about art?

Here´s a glimpse of my experience during the Cervantino Festival:

Apparently, if you put 3 German women in tight dresses inside a flaming hamster wheel and call it art, the people buy it.

Ditto for choirs barking like dogs, schoolgirls doing pilates in easy chairs, and clowns telling dirty jokes.

Oh, and did I mention how I was assaulted by a mime?

Faith in Humanity, Part 2

I´ve developed a new talent in the last couple of weeks. OK, well, maybe a few new talents, if you count visiting the ice cream shop multiple times a day and getting some sleep despite raucous religious celebrations taking place outside your window as talents. But the real talent to which I´m referring is as a papel malecho artist. For two weeks, I´ve been volunteering at CITAC, a non-profit community center in Tapalpa that serves adults and children from the nearby rural areas who are "disadvantaged," either physically, mentally, or economically. While it is I who have showed up everyday as a volunteer teacher, it is truly the students of CITAC who have been teaching me. I know that many people who volunteer say this, meaning that those who they serve have taught them kindess, patience, or love. And while this is the case with me as well, the CITAC students have also literally taught me how to create beautiful papel malecho art. On my first visit to the workshop, the students, all of whom have special needs, taught me how to use recycled bottles to form a flower that would eventually become my masterpiece. Pepe patiently taught me to smooth the edges of my paper, and Mariana counseled me on my color choice and painting technique. As I worked, they enthusiastically praised and encouraged me.

In addition to the art workshop, CITAC offers physical therapy, equine therapy, computation classes, dance classes, and English classes, all free of charge. It is a truly special place, and I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to meet and learn from the beautiful people there.

Stay tuned: Karen in the kitchen?

Greek To Me

I´m fairly confident I´m the only person within several hundred, probably thousand, kilometers who is studying the Slovak language. I can also say, with a decent amount of certainty, that I´m the only tourist in Mexico toting a Slovak language textbook to my Spanish language school. While everyone else is studying their conjugations of ir, I´m still trying to figure out what all those little dots and upside down v´s over the letters in Slovak words could possibly mean. The good news is this: I´ve learned to conjugate my first verb! The verb is mat´(to have), and here it is:

ja mám my máme
ty más vy máte
on má oni majú

(I did it without looking!)

The bad news? I don´t know any nouns. What I, you, he, we, and they have is anyone´s guess.

Stay tuned: 80/20

Faith in Humanity, Part 1

This goes out to those of you who, like me, require the occasional reminder that people are, indeed, inherently good.

I spent a couple of hours the other day sitting on a rock in the middle of a cow pasture, people-watching. While it might seem like a strange place for such an activity, there turned out to be plenty of people to watch. I had hiked to a local tourist attraction, Las Piedrotas, giant rocks in a field about 5 km uphill out of town. The rock I had chosen as my resting spot happened to be located right next to a tiny stream, not more than a foot wide, and less than three inches deep, that needed to be crossed in order to see all of the Piedrotas. Despite its small size and lack of power, this stream proved to be a source of considerable consternation for a significant number of sightseers. As I looked on, time after time, the scene played out like this:

A group of people would approach the stream and examine the bank for the best possible crossing point. One brave soul would eventually run and jump and then would extend her or his hand to those on the other side, offering encouragement to those who were still too scared to take the leap. For hours, I watched as boyfriends helped girlfriends, grandkids helped grandparents, friends helped friends carrying 6-packs of beer, and mothers helped their children.

Most made it across safe and sound, and a few got a little wet, but all made it to the other side knowing that they weren´t on their own and that someone was looking out for them.

A thought: I know that I´m not always good at asking for a hand when I need it, so extra thanks to those of you who have pulled me across some streams of my own.

Stay tuned: Morning mariachi

Happy Birthday, Caputo!

Sending much love all the way to Rio. Shake it to some samba for me.

Al caballo de presente no le mires el diente

If you were to ask any Purple Knight lucky enough to have had Señora Hanson as a Spanish teacher what was learned in her class, you´ll inevitably be regaled with a litany of Spanish proverbs.



Entre col y col, lechuga.

(Variety is the spice of life, or, literally, Between bread and bread, lettuce.)




No hagas un tempestad en un vaso de agua.
(Don´t make a mountain out of a mole hill, or, literally, Don´t make a storm in a glass of water.)

and, of couse, everyone´s favorite

El mundo es un pañuelo.
(It´s a small world, or, literally, The world is a handkerchief.)

I was lucky enough to have Señora Hanson as a teacher for two years. She taught me a lot about the Spanish language (the subjunctive, commands, the dreaded vosotros conjugations), but more importantly, she modeled for me (and my best friends (all of whom happen to have become Spanish teachers, by the way)) what it meant to be a great teacher. Her dedication to her profession and her interest in her students´lives were evident every day in every class.


Monica writes, "Can I share two memories? CAUTION, ADULT CONTENT The first time I was educated in the (in)effectiveness of the rhythm method as a means of birth control was in Spanish class. I distinctly remember turning to Karen with a shocked look on my face, mouthing the question, "Does "el ritmo" mean what I think it means?" She was so subtle, but so effective. I also remember that only 3 of us in Spanish 5 were taking the A.P. test, and Senora made sure we were prepared in every way. She could differentiate before that buzz word even hit the education world. She really did care about her students and their success, and we knew it."

Julie writes, "I had Sra's room when I first got hired here and I was really nervous about filling such big shoes!!!! My most vivid memory was when she called the paper to do a story on you, me, and Em going to Spain to study abroad. I remember being so excited and proud that our teacher was so proud of us. It meant a lot that she went out of her way to recognize our effort and encourage us. I wasn't sure I could handle Spain after only a few years of Spanish but she really encouraged me to believe that I could do it. It was the most life changing decision I have ever made and she probably doesn't even realize she was influential in me deciding to apply to that program."

This week, Señora and her esposo, Dean, graciously invited me to their "retirement" home in Ajijic. While Señora certainly deserves all of the relaxation and leisure retirement has to offer, she instead is heading up a scholarship fund for Mexican students who otherwise wouldn´t be able to attend university, adopting homeless dogs, and inviting in the former student who has decided to take Entre col y col to heart.

How blessed we were to have had Señora as a teacher, and how blessed are the students of Ajijic who are now benefitting from her hard work and generosity.

I´m so glad we were able to cross paths on the pañuelo once again.

Stay tuned: I´m no Frida

Rough goin´

The rolly suitcase seemed like a good idea at the time...

What a Difference 3 Weeks Makes or Gracias, Guanajuato

You wouldn´t think that it would be that easy to fall in love with a city. After all, cities can´t bring you flowers or serenade you at your bedroom window or compliment you on your wit and the shininess of your hair. Yet I somehow fell for Guanajuato. It wooed me with the time and space to sit and think, people to teach, challenge, and guide me, and the ambiance to stimulate and inspire me.
Gracias, Susan, for your friendship and example.
Gracias, Sandi, for your coaching.
Gracias, Amanda, for your advice and sense of humor.
Gracias, Mario, for your teaching and for not getting mad about the mango juice.
Gracias, everybody, for your great stories, and for being so darn fun.
Gracias, Guanajuato.
I may be leaving you, but we´re definitely not over.

Stay tuned: Those who can, teach

Felicidad, Simplified

The other day, I was asked what would make me most happy that afternoon. After being reprimanded for being materialistic for my initial response of winning the lottery, my truthful and simple answer was an ice cream cone on a bench next to a fountain in the plaza. Ask someone, or yourself, what would make them happiest today, and make it happen. Cookies and cream never tasted better.

Stay tuned: Attack of the giant spiders

OSHA Would Not Be Amused

Speaking of jobs, this one would not make my short list.

Eat My Words, Pray, Love or What the Career Counselor Didn´t Tell You

I owe Liz Gilbert an apology. A few years ago, at a book club discussion, I bashed her travel memoir Eat, Pray, Love. It wasn´t that the anecdotes that she wrote about her year-long self-discovery trip through Italy, India, and Indonesia weren´t interesting. At the time, I just found them to be utterly unrealistic. I clearly remember these exact words coming out of my mouth: "Who gets paid to run away from their troubles and go on the trip of their dreams?" Well, me, for one, and a lot of other people, let me tell you. At least half of the people enrolled at the language school are "working from abroad" by telecommuting from across the border, although it´s not always clear to me when they´re squeezing in any work between the sightseeing, siestas, and Pacificos on the plaza. I love my teaching job, don´t get me wrong, but I can´t help but feel that a career counselor at some point was holding out on me. I remember taking those "Interest Inventories" that were supposed to point you in the right direction career-wise, but I never remember there being an option involving strolling around foreign cities by day and sipping cold beverages by night. I´m sure that sooner, rather than later, I´ll feel the need to regain a sense of structure and to contribute once again to society. But right now, I´m liking my job just fine.

Addendum: The results of my father´s "Interest Inventory" when he was young? He should have become a cowboy. How well does that pay?

Stay tuned: Mummies!

Eat your heart out, Andrew Zimmern

Most bizarre foods I´ve eaten:
3. Chapulines (Grasshoppers)-Oaxaca, Mexico
2. Cuy (Guinea pig)-Cuzco, Peru and Cuenca, Ecuador
1. Nieve de pulpo y camaron (Octopus and shrimp ice cream)-Dolores Hidalgo, Mexico

My face says it all.

Stay tuned: Tarps, and what they´re good for