Give or take a few hours.
My brother Nate recently came back from a trip to Tokyo, and will soon be going to Singapore for another business trip this week. He and his wife Jessica (who is currently carrying my very first ever niece!) have a cute little blog about their adventures in Chicago that Nate occasionally posts on. He posted a Lessons Learned blog about his experience in Tokyo so I thought I would steal that to document things that I have learned in the past 4 weeks that I have been here.
1. The Spanish word for 'tired' is one letter off from the word that means 'married'
I can't tell you how many times my Dad has tried to get me to say 'I'm married' as opposed to 'I'm tired'. He thinks it's the funniest thing in the world. I also can't tell you how many times I have mixed those up in public settings. I have decided to just stop telling anyone that I am tired.
2. You always eat more tortillas than you think you are
Our family eats tortillas with every single meal here. It doesn't matter what we're eating, there has to be tortillas on that table so you can put whatever your main entree is inside of the tortilla and stuff your face. You may think that you've only eaten one when actually you might have just put away 10 of those small little flour demons.
3. Don't take anything personally.
If you are light skinned and don't have dark hair in Mexico- you are going to be stared at. It's just a fact of life. If you are light skinned, don't have dark hair, and have blue eyes- it's worse. I have decided to just take this as a license to do any sort of silly, random thing I want whilst walking on the street because they will still continue to stare at me the same as if I hadn't done anything at all. It's kind of liberating...
4. When someone whistles, it does NOT mean you should turn around.
I feel this doesn't need an explanation
5. Leave the seller someone irked.
If you see a trinket at a local market that you really really really want- you should always leave having paid less than they initially tell you. They start the prices out really high any way, so if you are able to get the price low enough that the seller seems a little peeved, that means they made far less of a profit than they wanted. It doesn't mean they didn't make one, you just got a good deal.
6. Get really good at taking 2 minute showers.
I have this down to a science now. Because if I am lucky enough to get a hot shower, I am never naive enough to assume it will stay that way. I wet my hair in the sink first to save me that thirty seconds of soaking my head. Forget about doing those little extras like washing your face or brushing your teeth.
* I am so grateful for shower shoes.
7. Over prepare, and then go with the flow.
Teaching has been one of the funniest experiences of my life. My kids are SO adorable, and I love them to pieces. But one thing I realized quickly is that lessons rarely go exactly how you plan when you are teaching English to 6 year olds. One class I had that was supposed to be about Big Cats and Little Cats somehow turned into a 10 minute game of Bubble-gum. Don't ask me how. So I immediately came to the conclusion that the way I initially planned on teaching wasn't going to work out. I had to plan for every possible re-route or U-turn that my lesson could take, because when your teaching method is based purely on the concept of speech- it can run wild. So I decided that even though the preparation would take longer than the actual class, it was worth it to see a class that went smoothly and was filled with good conversations.
* I have a little girl in my class named Aylen. Whenever I ask her a question and she gets it right, she does a cross over her body then kisses her hand and puts it towards heaven and says "Oh! Tank you teacherr.". One of the cutest things ever.
8. If a Mexican ever offers to make you a hamburger, LET HIM.
Last weekend we went to see the Pyramids in Teotihaucan
Anyway we had to get up at 2 to catch our bus and we didn't get home until about 8. So, needless to say, we were STARVING after. So we went to this cart close to our school and saw this guy making hamburgers! They didn't look very exciting at first, until he proceeded to put salsa, jalapenos, diced carrots, bacon, ketchup and mustard on top. I realize this might repulse some people, but lemme tell you- it was heaven.
9. Sometimes, all you need is a hug.
It has been a crazy experience being here. The culture shock, the distance from America, trying to get my handle on teaching kids who speak a different language, sometimes even trying to figure out which bus to get on is a huge struggle. I have probably only cried once, but I have had several times where I just think to myself, "What am I doing here?"
Needless to say my other group members have had their moments as well, and my roommate Carly has been a huge asset to adjusting to this transition. And one day I was having a really hard day, and my head teacher Kate just pulled me into a nice big hug. It was very familiar, and made me realize that I hadn't hugged anyone for a while! It's something I did all the time in the States (for all of you people recoiling at the mushiness of this subject, I'm sorry, I'm emotional like that). And it helped a TON.
10. You can never have too many cathedrals.
They are everywhere. Especially in city centers (which are called Zocalos here), they are on every corner. A lot of them have incredibly beautiful architecture, with really elaborate designs and murals and such- most of them depicting Christ being crucified.
They are all beautiful in their own way, but you know what Church I still love most?
It's the one with the little room that I meet in every Sunday with just enough room for about 40 people.
The one with very little decorations on the walls.
Where I sing Hymns that I don't understand very well.
Where I get a hello and a handshake from every person I pass.
Where even though I don't understand the words, I still understand the feeling.
The one with some of the most humble, faithful people I have ever met.
And the one that I plan on sticking with for as long as I can fathom.
This is my Church. And it's the same in any country.
And that is the only consistency that I need.
So, here is to a great month of lessons and many more to come.
Love you all,
McKenna
