Days 1-2 of MEXICO!

Well then. First things first-- I´m using a Spanish keyboard, and I don´t like it because none of my punctuation buttons are in the right place. So.... get used to the weird punctuation, because it has taken a LOT more effort than I´m willing to give in order to get these first few sentences grammatically correct.

Secondly, I´m sorry this will be lame words instead of filled with exciting pictures-- I haven´t had the chance to take any pictures yet-- I need to get on that!!!

Okay, so timeline:
Tuesday of last week I heard about this job for the first time.

3 days later on Friday of last week I accepted it.

I spent the weekend in Salt Lake with a VERY loving mother who helped me sell all my belongings.

Four days after accepting the job, and about 7 from when I first heard of it, I left AZ, on Tuesday, flew to Dallas, had to land halfway through the flight because of weather, but got back up and arrived safely.

Yesterday morning, Wednesday, I flew to Mexico city, took a bus from there to Cuernavaca, and arrived in Mexico City yesterday, and took a bus to Cuernavaca, then got a cab to the school. I still haven´t figured out if I{m supposed to sit in the back seat or the front seat of the cabs. I should probably be sitting in the back, shouldn{t i... oh well. At the school the director met me, took me around a quick tour of the campus, gave me my assigned laptop, and sent me home with a teacher. She{s 29, Swiss, extroverted and has been very helpful and kind. She even started the house hunt for me (which I think is partly selfish so she can have me out of her spare bedroom). All the teachers appear to live either alone with their dog, or with their significant other. Roommates do not appear to be a normal thing. We{ll see if the institute can enlighten me further... Last night after Angela brought me to her house, she and her boyfriend invited me out to the movies. She said she knew how I felt just showing up and knowing no one, so she wanted me to get out and feel like I have friends. Her boyfriend sensed, i think, that I would have rather been sleeping, but it was nice of them all the same.

Today we went to an all day training at the school. Half the teachers were Swiss or German, half Latino of some sort. There are 3 other Americans there, two of which teach English with me. When I first walked up to the meeting (which had a social coffee time before it started) some lady just kept asking me who I was replacing. I kept telling her I had no idea, but she kept asking again and again as though my answer would change... Perhaps there are some language barriers with some of the teachers... :)

I got my schedule and I´ll be teaching 6 hrs/wk of 5th grade English, 1 hour/wk of remedial 6th grade Spanish. After 6th grade they have 3 levels of secundaria (junior high) and 3 levels of prepa (high school). I{ll be teaching 5 hrs/wk of Sec 1, 5 hrs/wk of Prepa 1, 5 hrs/wk of Prepa 2, and 5 hrs/wk of Prepa 3. (7th grade, sophmores, juniors and seniors)

All the Sec and Prepa levels have been split into two groups. The way advanced, and the slightly less advanced. I have the less advanced for all my sec and prepa classes, except in Prepa 3 they gave me BOTH levels in one classroom. They keep insisting that this will be very difficult and was a grave mistake on their part, but make no suggestions for how to go about it or how to get through it. That´s okay though-- it´ll be an adventure!

Today they served wine with lunch-- that was a little bizarre for me... Not used to seeing alcohol in a primary school...