I am a Canadian writer currently living in Aguascalientes, Mexico. When Glad Becomes Sad was published in 2009. Alive Again was published in March of 2015. Both are self-help books. I am currently writing fiction. The first book in the trilogy introduces the reader to a troubled child. In the second book he is diagnosed as being bipolar in his late teenage years. The third and final book in the trilogy follows his struggles as an adult. Estimated publication date is the spring of 2026.
I had just about completed another blog post when I received an email from my son last night. I decided to put that one on hold and write this one instead.
My son is a man of few words and very seldom do I receive an email from him. He asserts that he is fine, everything is fine, nothing is new so there is no point in sending emails. He doesn’t quite get that his mother treasures these rare messages of sparse wording. Or maybe he does.
The message last night was that the arcade in the Columbia Mall in Grand Forks, North Dakota had closed. A flood of memories overwhelmed me. Flashbacks of weekend trips to Grand Forks over the years filled my head. My son was never into shopping in the mall when he was younger. The highlight was always the time spent in that arcade. And last night I was really moved that he had taken the time to send me that short message about the arcade.
That also brought back another memory. When I was pregnant with my son I spent a lot of time in bed for health reasons. I was determined to carry him to term and that required a much more sedentary life than I usually led. A friend introduced me to soap operas in order to pass the time. And I became a faithful follower of The Guiding Light. That meant that my son in utero was drawn into the drama of Josh and Reva as well. Shortly after my marriage ended, this show was cancelled. My son heard the news and phoned me. I was really touched by that phone call.
And then a third memory surfaced. When I was pregnant with my son, I used to read to him, sing to him, listen to music and dance with him. A bond between mother and child begins long before the actual birth of the baby. Some years later, in his teenage years, my son made me a CD with some music he thought I’d enjoy. To my amazement, many of these songs were the very ones he had heard in utero. Many of these had been long forgotten by me, and I’m sure that my son hadn’t heard these since he was in my womb. After all, it was the 90’s now and he was born in 1980.
Nothing lasts forever. Or does it? That mother-son bond remains strong. It just manifests itself in different ways. Perhaps because we live thousands of miles away in different countries, I have become more sensitive to this as I grow older. Love you Kyle!
Where do you picture yourself five years from now? This is one of the most common questions asked in a job interview. Five years ago at this time I was living in Winnipeg and teaching ESL in a program at Red River College. I recently came across some old journal entries and this was my response in July of 2010.
“I expect to be teaching ESL here in Winnipeg possibly even in this college. My roots are here, my children are here and my friends are here. These are all very strong ties.”
However life intervened and God quite obviously had other plans for me. I left Winnipeg in the fall of 2010. Other than returning for two surgeries and a book launch, Mexico has pretty much become home to me. My daughter moved to Ontario three years ago and my son built a house in Transcona, which to me may as well be another city as I’m not familiar with that area at all. And I discovered a lifestyle in a foreign country that is very appealing.
I enjoy teaching here in Mexico where students are eager to learn and are appreciative of the efforts of native English speakers. They are not demanding and do not possess that sense of entitlement which so many of the students in Canada exhibited. Pictured below are Adriana and Cecelia, two of my students last year in Zapopan.
My friendships here are very different. I don’t have the same close network of girlfriends. There is no-one here to share the memories in the same way, although people are curious about my past. Most of my friends here in Mexico are decades younger than me, as are the men I date.
Since moving to Mazatlan, this has changed. I’ve met some new friends at church and most of them are considerably older than I am by more than a decade. While I do enjoy having friends closer to my age, I do miss all of my younger Jalisco friends, especially Monica and Claudia pictured below.
As I sit here on a rainy day pondering my future, I can’t quite fathom creating a reply to that five year question. I appear to be firmly rooted in Mexico, but can’t quite pinpoint exactly where. I have an awesome Mexican family in Culiacan. I miss so many things about Guadalajara, but I really love the beach here in Mazatlan. I have met amazing people and made wonderful friends from all over this vast country. There are also so many fascinating places I have yet to discover. And I agonize over the fact that my own children refuse to come and visit me here. I wonder where I will be five years from now……………….
I heard a song the other day that I hadn’t heard in decades. The tune keeps running through my head and the words haunt me. I’m referring to “Let Me Be” by The Turtles.
As a teenager, this song had been one of my mantras. But then marriage and life set in and I fell into the common trap of trying to be the person everyone else wanted me to be, but not the person that I really wanted to be. And I am now at a stage in my life where I have the opportunity to find that person who had lost her way for so many years in the gargantuan abyss of others’ expectations.
I graduated from university in May and got married in June. I was only twenty-one, but then that was expected back in the seventies. Pre-nups? Unheard of in those days. My trust fund bought our first house. My husband became firmly ensconced in a business run by my family. And I soon found myself sucked in as well. Strong and ugly words to describe that one. But in those days I always put everyone else first. My dad was ill and it made it easier on everyone if my husband and I were involved in the business. And it did provide employment for both of us. But growing up I always resented the fact that my dad was consumed by this business. He was always working. I remember packing up my homework and going back to the office with him at night so that I could spend time with him.
And then my own children came along. Fortunately I was able to move my office home and I had the luxury of being a stay-at-home mom. Of course when my babies napped, I never got to relax. Payroll, month-end, year-end, taxes………..there was no end to it. And I had also gone back to college to obtain business administration and accounting certifications. Yes, that business had indeed sucked me in over the years.
I look back at my life and have no regrets. My happiest days were those spent with my children while they were growing up. And I know that I have instilled upon them the importance of getting an education. Both of them are established in professional careers and are thriving. I am so very proud of them, and they are the loves of my life.
When the opportunity to sell the business arose, I jumped at it. Of course it also marked the beginning of the end of my marriage. But more importantly, it also was a time of personal growth for me. I continued to pursue my university education despite the lack of support from my husband. And then once the marriage ended, I completed my degree and created a new and exciting life for myself here in Mexico.
I am finally now doing what I want to do. I don’t care what others expect of me. I am constantly criticized because I have chosen to live in Mexico and lead the lifestyle I do. Personally I feel that it takes guts to do what I do. And I am quite content with the simple life I have here. I teach, I write and I do volunteer work. I wake up in the morning with a smile on my face and eagerly anticipate what the day will bring. I am happy.
Now, if only my children would come here for a visit…………..that would make me even happier.
It’s Thursday afternoon, August 13th, and I’ve been living in Mazatlan now for about 2-1/2 months. It’s still holiday time here which means I’m not teaching at all this month. But I have found other activities to occupy my time.
My focus has been primarily on my writing. I am now in week 7 of a 9 week writing course from Duke University in North Carolina. I had not anticipated such a heavy course when I enrolled, but it has proven to be a great learning experience. Analyzing a visual image, writing a case study and an op-ed, learning about citation and plagiarism, evaluating the works of others——-it’s been intense but also very informative.
I’ve also being working on my next book. Although it will be a work of fiction, I will be drawing on some of my own life experiences. Right now I’m developing characters and plot lines. This is most enjoyable after having written two self-help books, When Glad Becomes Sad and Alive Again.
I belong to a writers’ group online called An Author’s Tale. I enjoy the weekly writing prompts as well as the camaraderie of other writers.
I am excited to learn that there is a writers’ group right here in Mazatlan. Meetings begin again in the fall and I look forward to meeting other writers and sharing ideas.
I have also become an active member of La Vina in Zona Dorada. As well as attending services on Sunday mornings, I have become involved in an outreach program. And I have also made some new friends here as well.
Although I haven’t found a bridge club yet, friends have introduced me to a game called “hand and foot” which I now play twice a week. This is the view as we sit by the pool and play cards.
I have also joined an organization called Vecinos Con Carino. This group is involved in supporting students and schools and also involved in the Lids For Life program.
Exploring Mazatlan fills my time as well. Before I moved here, when I visited I would stay at the Hotel Playa Mazatlan in the Zona Dorada and spend most of my time in that area or strolling along the malecon. Now that I live here, I have discovered a variety of other interesting places to check out, and my list is growing daily. I have mastered some of the major bus routes and navigating this city is less stressful than in Guadalajara.
My favorite place is still the beach, especially at sunset. I no longer merely bask on the beach all day as I did when I was a tourist. I read, I write and I gaze out at the magnificence of nature. There is something very calming about the ocean. I love the sound of the waves pounding or lapping at the shore, depending upon the weather. I love that salty sea smell in the air. The sand beneath my feet is a cushion of velvet. I have walked beaches from Hawaii to the Atlantic coastline, but Mazatlan surpasses them all. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever envision myself living in this magical paradise.
I do admit that in the soaring temperatures and high humidity I often take refuge in an air-conditioned mall, theater or restaurant. By bus, Galerias is ten minutes away, Gran Plaza is about 15 minutes away and Sendero is about 20 minutes away. These malls all have theaters and restaurants which I frequent.
Tomorrow is an open day and I plan to visit the art museum and the English speaking library, followed by lunch and a walk along the malecon. Weekend events include a pool party and an anniversary dinner.
Here in Mexico, I am constantly bombarded with questions by my students. Where is your favorite place in Mexico? What is your favorite Mexican food? What is your favorite Mexican music? These are the three most common questions. It is obvious that they are proud of their country and their culture as they eagerly await my answers.
I have a lot of favorite places in Mexico. Culiacan will always have a special place in my heart. This is where my new life began almost five years ago. This is where I started my new career. This is where I found my Mexican family.
I took an incredible train trip through the mountains up in the Copper Canyon during Christmas break. The view was breathtaking and I made some really great Mexican friends.
Next came almost four years in Guadalajara. My favorite place there is definitely Parque Mirador. I spent hours gazing out at the canyon, sipping a Negra Modelo. This was also a great place to read and to journal. I also loved going to the zoo and exploring museums and parks.
I traveled to several smaller pueblos all over Jalisco. I enjoyed visiting magnificent old churches and sitting on benches near the kioskos in the plazas. Puerto Vallarta was the local beach although it was five hours away by bus. I also checked out Manzanillo, but it was just a little too quiet for me.
I traveled up in the Baja Norte. Rosarito was quite disappointing and Tijuana was ugly. I have yet to visit Cabo or La Paz in the south, which several of my friends have raved about. But there is a ferry out of Mazatlan, so perhaps that lies in the future.
Favorite food is definitely a tough one as there are so many amazing dishes to try here. I’m allergic to fish and seafood so I can’t comment on those items. Tacos here are fabulous and do not resemble the ones offered by Taco Bell in Canada. I adore the many stands on the streets that offer chicken, birria, tortas, burgers, roasted vegetables, mullettas, hotcakes and hot dogs. The fresh fruit juice is always welcome in the heat of Mazatlan. I enjoy the tortillas made fresh daily instead of the packaged ones in Canada. Pizza is also popular here although I can’t quite bring myself to put salad dressing, ketchup or crema on it. I have also come across some awesome Chinese restaurants as well.
Mexican music is definitely different from what I used to listen to in Canada. I was first introduced to Banda when I lived in Culiacan. I enjoy the lively style and it is most conducive to dancing. Then when I moved to Guadalajara, Mariachi strains filled the air. I lived very close to El Parian and Calle Independencia, so this type of music constantly filled the air. Interestingly enough, English rock music is very popular here among my students. Often when I am on buses the drivers have English music blaring as well. Many of my students enjoy metal and rap, but these are definitely not my faves.
But my big faves are the people and the culture here in Mexico. Smiles, hugs and kisses are the norm here. Holiday celebrations are amazing, filled with music, dancing and fireworks. People here are very proud of their country despite the political unease. When the Mexican national anthem is played, voices ring out loudly.
It goes without saying that the beach here in Mazatlan is definitely one of my favorite places. The sunsets are magnificent, as are the sunrises. I don’t miss the snow in Winnipeg winters or the torrential rains of Guadalajara. Although the temperatures and the humidity soar in Sinaloa, I am quite content to call Mazatlan home for now.
Today is July 31st and I finally had mug shots and fingerprints done at INM. The card will hopefully be ready next week and I will once again live and work legally in Mexico. But only for one year, and not the three years I requested.
The renewal process has been somewhat of a gong show. In actuality, the original application for a work visa a year was less tedious.
I accepted a job offer in April from a school here in Mazatlan. While I had been assured that I would have the school’s support in renewing my work visa, this was not the case when it was time for action.
This necessitated retaining a professional to assist me with all the documents. He had come highly recommended. However due to his inefficiency and ignorance, the proper documents were not filed requesting a three year renewal. Instead documents were filed for a one year renewal.
I wanted a three year renewal for two reasons. The first is that I would not have to deal with Immigration again for three years. The second is that one year costs 3500 pesos and three years only $6600.
This morning at Immigration, the staff there explained to me in perfect English that they were willing to renew for three years. The mistake was not theirs. Of course the person I had retained tried to blame it all on Immigration. Scrambling to save face, he actually told me that Immigration had told him that it couldn’t be renewed for three years because I had moved to another city and changed jobs. That really took nerve on his part, seeing as we were all standing in front of staff in the Immigration office.
I had a fabulous immigration lawyer when I lived in Guadalajara. German Pajarito, you need to open an office here in Mazatlan. I highly recommend German to anyone requiring legal advice in Guadalajara. He is one of the most honest and trustworthy people I have ever met in my life, and a talented musician as well.
As to who I do NOT recommend here in Mazatlan, he shall remain nameless for now…………
Aside from stressing out over my work visa, I have really enjoyed the time I have spent here in Mazatlan so far. I teach part-time and I write. I’m also in the midst of a university course online. Despite the scorching temperatures and high humidity here, I venture out exploring every day. i used to come to Mazatlan, check into a hotel in the Zona Dorada, and bask on the beach all day. But now that I live here, I am discovering places other than government buildings associated with renewing my work visa.
On Saturday I spent some time at Plazuela Machado. I was there during the day and I look forward to returning at night when this area comes alive with music in the many bars and restaurants. I’m a people watcher by nature, so I parked myself close to the kiosko on a bench in the shade. Shortly thereafter, I was inundated by vendors selling jewelry to toys and everything in between. The women often had a baby in their arms or young children in tow. I also watched groups of tourists posing for photos in front of the kiosko. Although they spoke predominantly in English or Spanish, I did hear other languages too.
Growing thirsty from the heat, I sought refuge at a small cafe at a table outside with two enormous fans creating a most welcome breeze. Never was an ice cold cerveza in a frosty mug more appreciated!
I then ventured down the street to explore the Teatro Angela Peralta. Built in the style of a European opera house in 1874, this building has been restored as a performing arts center after it was almost destroyed in a hurricane in the 1960’s.
I opted to leave the upstairs museum for another visit, but I did view the small display of artwork in a hallway outside of the theater.
Future excursions will include museums, the lighthouse, churches, the aquarium and the 20 kilometer malecon. I’d also like to watch the cliff divers and the surfers. And of course there are the boat excursions out to the other islands. And did I mention the incredible sunsets?
It’s mid-July and my work visa expires next week. A month ago I retained someone to help me with it. I was assured that all that was required was a photocopy of my passport, a photocopy of my migratory card and a photocopy of a utility bill. A simple process. After all, it’s only a renewal.
Two weeks later I messaged the office to find out what was happening. Oh, more information is needed. I provide all of the information. A messenger arrives at my home the following day to obtain my signature on some documents.
Then the following day I receive a text that the messenger will be back to get my passport and migratory card as the originals are now needed to file the documents. This was on a Thursday. The messenger promised I’d have my passport back on Friday.
True to his word, the messenger returned my passport to me on Friday, along with the migratory card. The papers had not been filed. Why? They required three types of documentation from the school where I now teach. Except that they have also asked for documentation from the school I no longer teach at which is in Guadalajara. I now live in Mazatlan. And the director of the school where I teach here in Mazatlan is out of the country. OK, we still have two weeks to get this done before the visa expires.
This past week brings us closer to the deadline and the entire process has now been revised. The school cannot provide me with the documents I require. On Monday, I registered at El SAT and was assured that everything could now be filed with INM. I would just be registering as an independent worker rather than an employee at a school.
Instead of the messenger arriving in the morning on Tuesday, with the revised documents, I got a message asking for more details of my last employer in Guadalajara. And now more documents have got to be filed.
To my surprise the messenger arrived with the new documents a couple of hours later. So once again I signed my life away to documents in Spanish that I did not completely comprehend. Yes I got the main idea. But even with English legal documents, there is legalese that is not possible for a layman to decipher. At any rate, everything will be filed at INM this afternoon and then I can breathe again.
Wrong! Nothing was filed! More documents required! Daily the messenger arrives with more documents that require my signature. And because I moved to another city and am teaching at a different school, there is now a monetary penalty. And of course there is now a new fee to file these documents as well.
It is now Friday and time is running out. Will this visa actually happen? Stay tuned for Part 2……………
It’s the end of the first week of July, the first week of summer and it appears that Winnipeg has been riddled with violence.
On July 1st celebrations were held at The Forks in Winnipeg to mark Canada Day. The news reported that a vicious stabbing had taken place. The violence continued with a bombing at a law office that seriously injured a woman. And the news last night reported another bomb at a law office in Winnipeg.
This second bomb at a law office hit home for me for two reasons. This is the office of a lawyer I had used for years in the past. And this office is also located across the street from the building where my son works.
Then this morning there were reports of suspicious packages at City Hall and at a Canada Post depot.
I remember growing up in Winnipeg and never locking doors at all. My own children grew up decoding alarm systems. And I am thankful that I am not now a mother raising young children in Winnipeg today.
In the neighborhood where I live here in Mexico I watch the children playing freely in the streets. People sit outside of their homes and visit. Pedestrians far outnumber the vehicular traffic. Memories of my own childhood spring to mind.
What has happened to Winnipeg? It has become a hotbed of danger. I read the headlines in The Winnipeg Free Press and they are constantly filled with assaults, murders and other reports of criminal activity. I was astounded to read a couple of months ago that a student had been fatally stabbed at a high school I attended. And just recently the airport was closed due to bomb threats.
Is media hype the true culprit responsible for the increase in crime in our society? Look at some of these recent headlines from The Winnipeg Free Press:
Andrea Giesbrecht, the woman who is facing six charges of concealing the remains of infants found in a storage locker last October, will go to trial on unrelated fraud charges against her.
The media selectively chooses to embellish the news in the hopes of attracting more readers. The worldwide exposure makes it easy for people to not only learn about crime but also to attempt to copycat the crimes they read about or see on television.
I recall the numerous festivals and activities that occur during the summer in Winnipeg. What will be the effect on tourism this summer with all this bad press? Let’s hope that the media will focus on more positive aspects that will attract visitors rather than scare them away. I have fond memories of Winnipeg in the summer.
I am shocked and saddened by the headlines this past week, and I hope that this coming week will be a better one.
I have quite a few letters after my name already. Throughout the years, depending on positions applied for, I’d selectively include those on a resume. Once I obtained my CTesl at University of Manitoba back in 2010, I swore I was done. No more courses, certificates or degrees! But I just started an online writing course this past week with Duke University.
Why do this now? I have already published two books. The answer to this question is simple. I have a thirst for knowledge and I love to learn. Although I have taken courses in a variety of subjects ranging from Psychology to Economics, this is the first time I am actually taking a course in writing. There is always room for improvement in my writing. Additionally, After focusing on self-help books, I am now eager to try my hand at fiction, a genre completely foreign to me.
Almost a year ago I joined a group on Facebook called An Author’s Tale. Created by an enterprising young lady from Texas, Cayce R. Berryman, this group has now swelled in number to more than three hundred aspiring writers around the world. I tentatively began submitting short prose and poetry. And I began voraciously reading the contributions of other writers. And I became intrigued with fiction.
My dilemma right now is just where to begin. Characters and plots are making my head swim. I need to figure out a way to organize all this. And of course the most sensational ideas always seem to appear in my dreams or at other inappropriate times when I can’t put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard.
I enjoy writing posts here on WordPress and try to write about a variety of issues, experiences and adventures in my life. I am forever indebted to Sean Roberts and Omar Ramirez who introduced me to this site and encouraged me in my writing. I’d also like to thank all of my followers and readers for taking the time to read my posts here on WordPress.
iamkaren23 