Some vignettes and report on trip to CDMX..ciudad de Mexico

 Our cohort recently completed three days ( actually one day there and two days traveling) but they called it three days of a counterpart workshop in Mexico City  I traveled with two of my colleagues from UTEQ who I like very much so I enjoyed the whole time.  I'll include some photos of Chelo and Mayela and some of me in various places in CDMX  Ciudad de Mexico)

This is an apartment complex we could see from the sidewalk near our hotel.  Its very charming but that doesn't show up in this photo.  The buildings are very old....colonial times.

In back is Arturo, Asst. Program Manager and a really bright charismatic fellow,,  In white is Melissa, asst. Country Director. In blue is Chelo and with me is Mayela from UTEQ

Chelo and Mayela on a cool bench in downtown Mexico City.

A view of a main avenue in CDMX called La Reforma...its wide and beautiful with a green space between the lanes.

One night before the dinner at the hotel we indulged in some street food...Chilangas...yummmmm

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Our team won Trivia game.  The guy with the beard is Seth , a volunteer, who turned out to be a huge Star Trek fan.  The Green jacket and red jacket women are with me....in green is a volunteer , Rachel, and Chelo. from UTEQ,   The other two are Mexican English teachers at Rachel's school.

 

One of the really great teachers at UTEQ retired last week.  She and her husband threw a party for her and some pictures follow.

Carrie, Bere, Esthela and Eduardo ( nickname Lalo) at one of the tables for guests.

Juan Luis, the retiree's husband is also an English teacher who plans to retire in 2 years.  But meanwhile he plays in a rock band in his free time and they played for the party.

Esthela and Deyanira who is the retiring teacher.  They have been long time friends and are both great teachers.

This is my table starting with Ricardo, Julio, me Fernanda and Chelo.

They provided some delicious food....tacos with some amazing fillings.  The location is a party place that is available for rental for this type of event.  The chef is standing to the side.  She appeared to do it all by herself as I watched her closing down and carrying the containers to the car.
 

The group photo...Deya in front in the white blouse and other teachers and related staff.  I am the glowing white one....I had not realized how very WHITE I am. 

We also had a training on "inclusion."  This was an activity we did to demonstrate the feeling of being blind.   With me is Veronica and above us are Sergio and Ricardo.  They are just now introducing the concept of inclusion and have several trainings planned for the entire campus.  I am not sure whether the lower schools have been more aware of inclusion or not.  

 I also want to record the conversation I had with a bank customer service person today..   It was sort of amazing.  She and her boyfriend moved  fairly recently to Queretaro from Vera Cruz because it is safer here.  Their parents and siblings are still in Vera Cruz even tho they don't feel safe but their businesses are there and they don't feel they can leave.  She and her family all lived in North Carolina for 10 years but were not documented so came back to Mexico a few years ago and have been living in Vera Cruz where they don't feel safe but also feel unable to leave.  She said they visit back and forth about twice a year.  They also came back to Mexico because the grandparents in Vera Cruz were aging and wanted to be closer to them.  Travel back and forth from the US  was not possible since they were not documented in the US.  She said all this so easily, just takes it for granted and did not show any remorse or fear over the safety differences between Vera Cruz and Querataro.  Also, she speaks English very very well so I contacted the PC office and encouraged them to try to recruit her to work for PC...she is a very bright young lady....also speaks French, btw.  

I am currently in the last few days of the current break between quatrimestres ( they have three terms of 4 months each) in an academic year.  During the last 4 weeks of each term they administer a lot of tests so I am told that I don't need to be there as students don't come to campus unless they need to do make up tests so there is nothing for me to do....so I stay home with Gringo and find little projects to keep me busy. I hated it at first but now  I kinda like it and I've actually gotten a lot done. 

Today was Labor Day here so no school for anyone and many small shops were closed.  The shopping malls were packed.  I thought it would be a great day to go to the center and look for a wedding gift for Katy and Spence.  The one Jardin where I was told the artesanal things were featured is Jardin Guerreo.  When I got there....it was empty...all the artesans were celebrating Labor day....as well they should.  Anyhow I got some other things done and saw a lot of new places in the historical center.  I'll go back on a Saturday when they'll all be there.  

Now its May 12 and I go back to school tomorrow.  I am not sure what my schedule will be but I'll know more tomorrow.  Earlier last week, I tripped over an uneven part of a sidewalk and ended up with a small scratch but a HUGE black eye and bruised side of my face.  Looks awful..but three very lovely ladies helped me to my feet.  I called PEace Corps and went there in a DiDi.  The doc on duty took me to a very fancy hospital where they did an MRI of my head and an xray of my knee and both passed....no real injuries.  When I go back to school, I'm sure the students will notice and hopefully question.