Dreams. We all have them. They may be fleeting or they may be vivid and haunt us for days. These nocturnal visions are often indicators of what is to come in our lives as well as what has already happened in our past.

And there are the other dreams we have. These are aspirations of what we hope that someday will become our reality. On many occasions we feel that these goals are impossible to achieve. Yes, subconsciously sometimes they have become goals. And if we allow feelings of defeat and helplessness to consume us, we continue to stagnate and become stuck.

As a young child, I recall many of my playmates stating that when they grew up they wanted to be a teacher or a mother with lots of children. These were never my dreams at that age, but interestingly enough that is the path I followed.

I got married very young and went from being a carefree teenager to a conservative and bored housewife. Several years later my children came along, and that was when I began to thrive again. Every single day brought new adventures into my life, and it was exciting to see my children grow through the various stages of life.

And it still is. But it’s from a very different perspective. I watch them flourish in their respective careers. Because I live in a different country miles away I have lost that feeling of constant involvement in their lives. But they have their dreams and I have mine.

And the time is now for me to follow my dreams. After years of putting my family first, I am finally learning to elevate myself to that status. And I sincerely hope that nobody out there pinches me and forces me to awake from this dream.

This is my fourth year teaching in Mexico. What began as a one year venture has blossomed into so much more. Despite the many challenges I have faced, I have grown and discovered incredible things about myself.

I have embraced a new culture and a new language. I have met amazing people and have had mindblowing adventures. I awake each morning with anticipation of a new and wonderful day.

My faith in God has been restored. And forgiveness now plays an important role in my life. This beautiful feeling of peace and tranquility fills my heart as I eagerly deal with issues that no longer have the ability to cloud my day.

I often reflect on the dreams I have today for myself, and ponder how to make these a reality. Many of them seem so remote and unattainable at the moment. But then I remind myself that just five years ago today I was stuck in an extremely unhappy and unhealthy relationship. And here I am now living in Neverland!

“Don’t be afraid to dream. Without wishes and dreams, life is a narrow road leading nowhere.” Anonymous.

And so I continue to dream. I know that I have the ability to direct the course of my life. And with faith and perseverence, I can make my dreams come true!

Another year has come and gone, and Christmas is fast approaching.

As a young child, my family did not celebrate this holiday as we were of the Jewish faith. Nonetheless I do have many happy memories.

On the last day of school before the holidays, our teachers in elementary school would give us candy canes. In junior high school we had concerts.

But there are other wonderful memories that I treasure. The one that stands out the most is one I shared with my father. He owned a small business and when the holidays approached he always remembered his loyal customers. He would individually wrap bottles of liquor, cartons of cigarettes and boxes of chocolate. And I would go with him all over the city delivering these gifts. I really treasure the hours I spent with him. We would listen to Christmas music on the radio and enjoy the colorful Christmas decorations lining the streets. And when time allowed, we would stop at the beautiful Christmas display that Carlings used to put on at the corner of Redwood and Main. What a magical sight that was! And of course there was always a box of my favorite Laura Secord cherry chocolates.

On Boxing Day we would visit my mother’s friend Florence. I was always given the honor of making a star for her tree. I also enjoyed playing her old pump organ. And her Christmas cookies were so yummy!

When I had children of my own, we still continued to celebrate Chanukah instead of Christmas. But as they grew older, 8 days of lighting candles became impossible with their hectic schedules. And we began to celebrate Chanukah on Christmas Day and even decorated a white tree. And then it somehow evolved into Christmas, complete with unwrapping presents placed under the tree. Of course the dog always received the most gifts!

On Christmas morning I would prepare a breakfast of bacon and eggs. My children would humor their mother and build a gingerbread house together. And we would play friendly family card games. After a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, we would watch Christmas Vacation together.

I also recall vividly the last Christmas concert I attended. My daughter was taking voice lessons and the students all performed holiday music. My daughter sang the most amazing rendition of O Holy Night, and it still brings tears to my eyes today. Her performance was definitely the highlight of the concert that day.

Here are two of the rare old photos that are on my computer. My son and I were about the same age when these photos with Santa were taken.

Christmas for the past four years has been a very different celebration for me. After having spent every Christmas of my life in Winnipeg, I have spent the past four holidays amid palm trees and cacti. I have been in Varadero, Culiacan, Mazatlan and Lake Chapala. And this year I have decided to stay in Tlaquepaque. And I must admit that at times I do miss that white Christmas, but only for fleeting moments. I took this photo of the tree in the plaza near my house, wearing only a sleeveless tank top instead of a parka.

The plazas often have beautiful nativity scenes, as does El Refugio right here in Tlaqepaque. This photo was taken at Plaza Del Sol in Zapopan.

Tlaquepaque’s skating rink has been open for a few days now in the Jardin Hidalgo. There are constant line-ups for this winter activity. Ice skating is quite a novelty here, and the rink is open for a limited time only during the holidays.

In Mexico, Christmas Eve is the true celebration for families. Ponche and pisole are traditional fare. Children parade around with sparklers. Music, dancing and fireworks are also very common. And there are pinatas filled with candy!

Because Christmas is so family-oriented here in Mexico, I really miss my children at this time of year. They live miles apart from each other in different provinces, and I live in a different country.While I have adapted to the idea of spending the holiday with friends, I really wish that I could spend Christmas with my own children. I long to show them my world and I hope that maybe someday this will be possible and we will all be together again.

Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad!

This is my fourth year in Mexico and I have decided that it’s time to begin writing a blog.

This is my third year in Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, a very quaint suburb of Guadalajara. I enjoy the idea that cars whiz by my living room window on the same street as horses and buggies.

I share a house with four other people. At the moment, there are two Canadians and one American who are studying Spanish. There is also one American who teaches ESL. In the past I have also lived with people from Ireland, Norway, Sweden and England. We are all different ages and from different backgrounds, and it makes for very interesting conversations and experiences.

As I write this, Christmas is a mere two weeks away. It is amazing to see all the poinsettas that grown in gardens at this time of year. In Canada our poinsettas are always potted plants. Yesterday I was in Zapopan near the Basilica, and enjoyed the beautiful

flower beds filled with poinsettas.

A mass was being held in the Basilica so my photo opportunities were limited. The church was crowded to overflowing with people, even on a weekday morning. I have been to several churches throughout Jalisco, and this has always been the case. Mexico is very much a predominantly Catholic country.

In the area surrounding the Basilica, there are vendors in abundance. Many of these specialize in religious items such as rosary beads, calendars and jewellery with images of Christ and the Virgin Mary. Other vendors sell everything from bottled water to churros to balloons and everything in between.

As you walk away from the Basilica, there are several small cafes serving traditional Mexican fare, as well as the infamous hamburguesa. I enjoyed my enchiladas con pollo for lunch.

There were also some other vendors scattered about the area, mostly selling jewellery and food.

I continued walking until I arrived at the ornate archway. It was difficult to get a decent shot without stepping into the traffic on a very busy avenue. There are intricate designs on the arch, as well as statues on either side. And of course they boasted Christmas decorations.

I really enjoyed my day in Zapopan, and look forward to exploring other sights in that area.