First Days in San Miguel

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This are going well here in San Miguel.
I got the time wrong for my flight from Denver to Houston, I thought it was an hour earlier, so the start of my journey to Mexico was a little rough. I made it on time though and it was smooth sailing past that.
My apartment is wonderful. The land lady (which is what I call her since I have NO idea what her name is and am now too embarrased to ask) bought some new furniature, so now there's a dining room table and a book shelf, not that I use either, since I eat most of my meals at Casa Ayuda and didn't bring any books.
Things are going well at the Casa.
The land looks wonderful. They have been collecting almost dead plants from their friend's nursery and have been nursing them back to health, so the area around the house is now full of flowers and plants. It looks really wonderful.
The kids are doing well. Carmelo is so old now. 17 years! His voice has gotten deeper, but he's still really goofy. He and Mario spent the car ride home asking me to tell them bad words in English. I had to tell them the word, and then tell them how bad it was. Was it ok to say in front of Victor? Was is something that should never be said? Carmelo piced together a few nice long strings of bad words. I told him that if a gringo ever pissed him off, he'd be set.
The kids don't really understand why I'm not living at Casa Ayuda. Every other trip I have lived with them.
It's really hard to explain it to them, especially Reyna.
At the party last night she was questioning me about where I was going to sleep that night (which she does everytime I see her). I told her at my apartment. She asked if my father liked living at the apartment with me and I told her that my father doesn't live with me. Her eyes get wide, she puts her hands on her hips and almost yells "What? YOU live alone? Aren't you scared?"
I guess that's only truly funny if you know Reyna.
Anyways, I like living alone. It's so much different living in San Miguel in an apartment versus at Casa Ayuda. If I had lived at Casa Ayuda, I really wouldn't have independence. I would be living in Mexico, but I wouldn't be on my own. It is different having a bedroom to myself (at Casa Ayuda, I would have a bedroom to "myself", meaning I would be the only one sleeping there, but everyone in the house would know exactly what I was doing and wearing). I miss the kids, but I just keep reminding myself about how I felt the last time I lived at Casa Ayuda for so long. I felt like I really didn't want to see or be around the kids, since I had no break from them. I don't want that to happen again.
So I got a job, but I'm not going to take it. It's a job being a teaching assistant at the English language school here in town. I should say "private" English language school. I would be working for an American teacher in the 6 year old class room. The entire day would be spent speaking English, something I'm not too fond of. Also, the kids in the class are little twirps. I asked a girl to sit down and do her work when I was observing and she looked at me and said "No, I don't have to" and walked away. I don't want to deal with that. Also, they have 2 other teachers aids, both American, and I am completly unimpressed with them. They are fairly content with themselves for working at this school (let me remind you, it's a PRIVATE, WEALTHY, ENGLISH school).
I am not impressed.
We wouldn't have gotten along. The thing that swung my not wanting to take this job is the fact that if I took this job, there would be no way to get a dog. I figured that out, and there was no question.
Like my father said, I could live at home in Denver, have 2 dogs and walk to a school where I could teach rich obnoxious kids in English.
I didn't come to Mexico to spend my days in English, have no time for Casa Ayuda, have no dog, and hang out with Americans I don't like.
Yesterday, this kid Manolo, who is absolutly ridiculous, was walking around the party with his pants tucked into his underware. I told him that his underware was showing, but he just tucked his shirt in further. He also got two "gold" chains for his birthday. They are obviously fake, but I don't have the heart to say anything. Ever since the Jackie Chan doesn't speak English situation I've been hesitant to tell the kids anything about who does or doesn't speak Spanish or what is real or fake gold. He's also been asking me to teach him English, which has been fun. He has a good memory, but can't pronounce anything. He calls me Laowwrens (say it out loud). Also, he says thank you to almost anything I ask him in English. "Manolo, how are you?" "Thank you".
I was in the Suburban yesterday with Victor and Alicia, waiting for the boys to finish with the vegetables, and guess who drives by. Yeah, Alex did. He happens to drive down the street during one of the few times I am looking out the windoww and not talking with Alicia. Hopefully I don't hear from him.
I made "muffins" today. It took me forever to get the oven to light (I'm a chicken when it comes to gas) and I found out that there are no temperatures for the oven, it's just light and guess. I also didn't have measuring cups, so it was a free for all with ingredients. They acutually turned out really well.
The week of M exican independence celebrations started yesterday. Right now there are guns and fire works going off every few minutes. I am so excited beacuse I have never been in Mexico for this. I'm trying to convince Victor to take me to the Grito.
There is the guy (I actually have no idea what his name is) who keeps annoying me in town. I think I first saw hime when Jessie was here with me and we went to El Ring to dance. I never actually danced with him, but he kept waving. The next time I saw him was when he offered me a ride to Casa Ayuda on one of the tourist trollys that takes people around town. I said no. After that, I saw him when I was printing fotos for Casa Ayuda, if I remember correctly, he took one of me. Anyways, he works right on the main square, so anytime I go into town, I have to avoid him or talk to him. He said I looked like I neede a massage and that we should go out together on the 15th (the grito day). I made up a story and told him I had a boyfriend.
Speaking of crrepy people I have to avoid, I saw the artist David in town (I, of course, ran the other way). He was the old man artist who kept wanting to paint me. Something about it was just weird.
Nacho escaped a few days ago. The police haven't found him yet. I really hope that he's ok, he really can't survive on the streets alone. I worry about him. I remember one time when Erin (Julia) was with me, Beto escaped. He has scaled the fence and spent the night wandering the streets. Without anyone knowing, he had snuck back in and was hiding in a room near the trampoline. He started throwing rocks at Erin, that's how we found him.
Things are never boring here.

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