Starting up the blog again...

So I’m finally starting up my blogspot again! So I hope there are people out there that still remember me and want to hear from me. ;)

What’s the scoop?

So, I was hoping to take a SIT TESOL course which would get me a teaching certificate back in July but unfortunately due to the swine flu scare, the course was cancelled and rescheduled for September. I was really disappointed because I had wanted to get a teaching job started by August or September (when I assumed a lot of semesters were starting). It was somewhat of a stressful summer because of this because I felt like I had no purpose and yet couldn’t enjoy what should’ve been an obligated vacation time after four years of college. (I have this US mentality still that I just need to be busy busy busy!)

When the TESOL course started, it was SO nice! This was a bit stressful and very busy – my days were from 9am until 7:30pm with homework and lesson planning to do afterwards! I did get an hour and a half lunch break, but I was usually working on assignments rather than eating. But I loved it! I absolutely loved it. I met a group of really great people who, the majority of, are looking to work and stay in Oaxaca. In just a month, a lot of us grew very close and it’s nice to have a little community here to support one another during the job search. (Well … and compete with a little!) One girl, like me, has a Latin American boyfriend, but her boyfriend happens to be in Cuba! So, I realized maybe Mexico isn’t the most complicated country to fall in love in. haha

Speaking of… Daniel has been working really hard on his final business project. He’s going to (hopefully!) be graduating this December which is really exciting. I was very shocked the first week he went back to school and realized I should’ve appreciated the time I had with him before the semester started. The very first week he was leaving at around 9am, he would get back around 7pm, and then he’d be on msn messenger with his “business partner” working away at their project. Since this was before my TESOL course had started, I was left thinking, what the heck am I supposed to do with my time?! J So I’ve started to learn how to knit! It’s been somewhat postponed since I’ve started my course and now the job searching process, but my goal is to have a poncho made by December (and a poncho that will be cute enough to wear in public).

So now… job searching. It’s a LOT harder (as I expected) right now due to it being mid-semester. There are some private language schools that are hiring, and I gave a practice lesson this past Monday and will be hearing back from them on Wednesday (tomorrow). So I’m keeping my fingers crossed!!! But ultimately I’d like to work in one of the universities. There’s one in particular within the city that I’m going to go visit tomorrow, but there are also a few which are set outside the city that I’m really interested in. That would mean I would be leaving in a smaller town but they’re pretty close (like an hour or two) from Oaxaca the city and it’s really cheap to travel back on the weekends. From what I’ve heard, the programs are really great in these universities, the pay is better, and I get benefits! At the language schools, it’s an hourly wage (meaning I don’t get paid for the time I’m actually planning my lessons), and definitely no included benefits. So I’m hoping to get a university that would like to hire me for their next semester!

In the meantime, gueeeess what?! I have started working in a little Bed & Breakfast where the innkeeper (who is also a well-known Oaxacan chef) has called me her personal, bilingual assistant. The pay is absolutely horrible but I’m having a lot of fun working there. And it’s been really challenging my Spanish skills. I’m writing emails mostly in English to the foreigners who want to come stay at the B&B, but all of the phone calls are in Spanish. I’ve had some stumbling moments, but learning quickly. Also, the innkeeper, Pilar Cabrera, is so much fun to talk with. She’s got her own restaurant and two B&Bs.

Ok well, obviously there is so much more that I need to catch everyone up on but here’s a little fun note to end with:

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten???

Well here’s my new list:
- Fish eyeballs
- Cooked blood from a goat (this is the only one I didn’t like!)
- Pickled chicken feet
- Tongue tacos
- Brain tacos (the first thing my parents said was “Mad Cow disease!”) – they’re called tacos de sesos
- Gourmet fungus that grows off corn cobs (very expensive here) – called huitlacoche
- And I’m sure there are more but weird dinners have become normal now so it’s hard to remember!

Well, I hope everyone is doing well. I’m sorry I’ve kind of disappeared for a while. It’s been an interesting adventure getting accustomed to living here in Oaxaca and not just studying abroad here, but also an amazing experience. I really do feel at home here and I love the people here. One of my favorite things to do is just walk down the streets of Oaxaca during the day and seeing/hearing the life around me, although there’s always those boys yelling “Ch! Ch! Güerita!” (Instead of whistling, the boys say “Ch! Ch! and güera means light skinned girl.) They now receive dirty looks and Daniel has taught me appropriate Mexican slang to say at the bothersome ones. Hehe

Ok, I promise for more updates to come! Take care, and if you find some time, send me an email! I’d love to hear from you. My new email address is michelejean_002@msn.com or heggmj@yahoo.com. I’m not sure how I ended up with two.

Saludos desde Oaxaca!
Love, Michele