Tag Archives: Culiacan

Apr18

The Adventure Began Here

Posted on April 18, 2015 by iamkaren23

Standard

I am back in Culiacan visiting with my family right now. This is where my adventure all began with my first teaching job in Mexico. The plan was to teach for only one school year. Yet here it is, almost five years later, and I am still teaching in Mexico. When I left Culiacan, I taught briefly in Irapuato. But I have spent most of the past four years in Guadalajara. I lived in San Pedro, a quaint colony in Tlaquepaque. This was like living in a small Mexican town, although it is only minutes away by bus from the hustle and bustle of El Centro.

Culiacan is in the state of Sinaloa. The climate here is much hotter and humid. But the air is so much clearer here than in Guadalajara. There is no ugly cloud of pollution hanging over the city. Traffic is lighter and the streets are cleaner.

I lived in Las Quintas, and that neighborhood hasn’t changed much over the years. But what has changed is ME! Here is a photo of me in my school uniform taken five years ago. I hardly recognize myself!!!!!

When I lived in Culiacan, I taught with Juan at Instituto Senda del Rio. He helped me with my Spanish and I helped him with his English. He and his wife Lucila literally adopted me into their family. At the time, they had one child, Juan Carlos. Their family has grown and I now have three amazing nietos.

Juan and Lucila were already at work when I arrived on Wednesday, so my friend Juan Pablo picked me up at the bus station. We went to his house where his mom made an awesome breakfast of machaca, tamales and frijoles. His sister stopped by and we all went to Forum, the big mall here in Culiacan. We browsed, had coffee and then it was time for lunch. Here is a photo of Juan Pablo and his mom at Via Verde.

Later on in the afternoon Juan Pablo drove me to Juan and Lucila’s. We barely had time to unload my luggage and it was time for Juan Carlos’s soccer practice.

We stopped for raspados after. When we came home I finally had a chance to give the kids the bags of candy, toy cars and bubbles I had brought them. Here is a photo of Juan Carlos and Jose Agustin blowing bubbles.

Yesterday I went back to visit Instituto Senda Del Rio. This school will always have a special place in my heart. It was nice to see former colleagues and catch up. And a great deal of the conversation was in Spanish now. While I am not yet fluent, I have definitely come a long way.

The time here is flying by all too quickly. On Monday I leave for Mazatlan. I treasure every moment I spend with my family and friends here in Culiacan, and always look forward to coming home.

Mar20

The Countdown Is On

Posted on March 20, 2015 by iamkaren23

Standard

I can’t believe that my time is almost up in Mexico. It seems like only yesterday I arrived in Rosarito, and yet it was almost a year and a half ago.

I had fully intended to settle down in the Baja. However, after a week of unsuccessful attempts at finding an apartment, I decided that maybe Rosarito just wasn’t the place to hang my hat. While the beach definitely had its appeal, the idea of living in a poor man’s Vallarta did not.

After a spectacular bus ride through the mountains and a rather tedious journey south, I arrived in Culiacan in the face of hurricane warnings. But instead I was greeted by hot, humid and sunny weather. I spent a few days visiting with my Mexican family and then headed for Guadalajara.

I rented an apartment in the same house as I had the year before. I was home. My favorite tiendas and taco stands were still here. The neighbors were the same. The only difference was the newly paved sidewalks and streets, most welcome after having had knee surgery. I quickly and easily found a job teaching in a language institute, and the time has just flown by all too quickly.

My life here in Mexico has for the most part been comfortable and fulfilling, despite the challenges of obtaining a work visa and health care coverage. The stress level is significantly lower due to the slower pace of life. There’s always another bus, there’s always another train, there’s always another day.

I enjoy my classes and have amazingly delightful students. The learning experience has been reciprocal, and my students have taught me a great deal about life in general, not just life in Mexico. And I am so grateful to have had this wonderful opportunity over the past few years.

It was extremely difficult to book that flight back to Winnipeg. While I am excited about seeing my family and friends, as well as my book launch, I am not looking forward to the flurry of other activities that await me. After a prolonged absence, there are medical appointments and financial planning that require my attention.

But I am determined to focus on the more positive aspects of returning to Winnipeg. My son had a house built a couple of years ago and his yard is now finished. I have a lot of catching up to do with friends as a lot has happened in the time I’ve been away. There is a new museum I want to visit. IKEA is applying for a liquor licence and Target has come and gone. In lieu of my usual online church service while here in Mexico, it will be great to attend in person. I plan on going to some of my favorite restaurants with my friends. And a cemetery visit is definitely on the agenda to see family who have passed on.

But today is a beautiful, sunny day here in Mexico and my laundry is drying outside on the line. And I will venture out shortly to my favorite incense shop and then spend some time in the Jardin Hidalgo before I teach my afternoon classes.

Dec22

2014 The Year That Was

Posted on December 22, 2014 by iamkaren23

Standard

It seems like just yesterday I wrote about the year 2013, and now 2014 is drawing to a close. Once again the months have flown by, and I am now into my fifth year here in Mexico.

January began cloudy and blustery. Despite the cold temperatures in the wee hours of the New Year, throngs of people still crowded the streets smashing at pinatas and carrying suitcases in hopes of travel, both Mexican traditions at this time of year.

I took advantage of afternoon sunshine and warmth and headed for Parque San Rafael. After an enjoyable half hour walk, I arrived at the park. The swimming pool was drained, but several joggers were on the track. There were also soccer and raquetball games in progress. It may have been a cold winter day, but the park was just beautiful.

Winnipeg…….you have competition. There was a watermain break just around the corner from my house.

One Saturday afternoon we heard music and the boom of fireworks. We went outside to investigate and were amused to see a crowd of people throwing eggs filled with confetti. A woman with a huge wicker basket was handing out bags of candies and nuts. She explained to us that it was the celebration of the baby Jesus and that new godparents had been chosen. The couple pictured below received that honor. And no, that is a doll, not a real baby.

We also had a party at our house in January, complete with dancing and beer pong. Here is one of my housemates dancing up a storm.

The weather in February was considerably warmer. On Groundhog Day I ventured out to Lake Chapala and Ajijic. I played tourist and took a ride on the tram.

The following weekend I spent the day strolling the streets of Tonola.

Another day trip later in the month found me in Tequila. Samples were mandatory on tours.

My thoughtful housemate Omar surprised me on Valentine’s Day with this bouquet:

The Virgin of Guadalupe parade in my neighborhood found the streets covered with alfalfa as the procession made its way to the church.

Renovations in our house were finally complete and all the debris was hauled away.

March was highlighted by my daughter’s announcement that she and her boyfriend were now engaged. They are planning a wedding in 2015 in The Dominican Republic.

I stayed in Guadalajara the entire month teaching and writing. Spring was definitely on the way, along with some gorgeous flowers.

April arrived and I remained in Mexico rather than returning to Winnipeg as I had in past years.. Instead I made a quick trip to Texas as my tourist visa was about to expire. Upon my return to Guadalajara I visited Hospicio Cabanas and was delighted with the amazing murals, statues and other artwork on display.

I also participated in a Via Crucis before Easter where we walked approximately 5 kilometers in San Pedro and visited twelve churches.

Another day trip found me in Zapotlanejo, a small town renowned for its clothes shopping. Many of the stores featured live models. But the town also has a beautiful as well as very old church.

And of course I visited my beloved Parque Mirador.

May began with a bang with celebrations for Day of the Holy Cross. Around the corner from my house was a festival complete with rides, food , music and, of course, fireworks.

I visited my friend Omar in Tototlan, a small town close to Guadalajara. It was very relaxing and also a treat to have someone cook breakfast for me on Mother’s Day. Here is a view of the church in the plaza.

I celebrated my birthday in May as well with my friends and housemates. My actual birthday fell on a Friday, my day off, so I was also able to spend a relaxing afternoon at Parque Mirador, my favorite place in all of Guadalajara.

May was also Teacher’s Day in Mexico. Below is a photo of two of my students who presented me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

I spent the month of June checking out churches, squares and statues in Guadalajara. I also went to the Regional Museum and marveled at the artifacts, statues and art throughout the building.

July began with a fourth of July celebration at St. Mark’s Church.

It was also another touristy month for me here in Guadalajara. I visited churches, admired statues and checked out more museums. Templo Espiatorio is an amazing church not far from Centro.

At the Museo De Las Artes I was overwhelmed by the magnificent Orozco murals.

And of course I visited my beloved Parque Mirador again. I also spent a relaxing afternoon at Parque Agua Azul. The fountains were not flowing, but the scenery is lovely and it’s a peaceful place for reading.

The end of the month found me in McAllen, Texas for my interview at the Mexican Consulate.

August was highlighted by reunions with two dear friends. When I lived in Culiacan, Carmen and I were neighbors. We had brunch together when she came to Guadalajara for a conference.

Miriam returned from Norway and we went out for pizza, along with her boyfriend Cristian.

I continued exploring Guadalajara. I visited more churches, returned to the canyon, and found this delightful elephant at Centro Magno, a shopping mall.

September was an exciting month here in Mexico as Independence Day is celebrated on the 16th. A friend and I sat at The Parian sipping tequila and had an awesome view of the government building. The gritto was followed by fireworks and music.

September was also exciting as my work visa finally came through after months of documents, visits to Immigration and waiting.

October in Tlaquepaque means preparing for Day of the Dead. The streets are colorfully decorated and extravagant altars are displayed in El Refugio.

But the highlight of October was traveling to Culiacan to spend Halloween and Day of the Dead with my family. I also was delighted to meet my newest nieto.

My next stop was Mazatlan, my favorite beach. Although Hurricane Vance stopped by for a brief visit, I still had time to bask in the sunshine on the beach.

And then November arrived with blusteringly cold temperatures. Overnight lows of 0 and 1 convinced me that it was time to buy some gloves.

But there was lots to do indoors when the temperatures plummeted. El Refugio was a haven from the cold when the Oaxaca exhibit was held. An abundance of music, dancing, food and vendors prevailed.

In Centro a multitude of vendors set up in stalls to display their Christmas items.

Around the corner from my house a neighborhood celebration was held with music, magicians, luche libre, and rides for the children. And on another evening these characters came to visit courtesy of Coca Cola.

December has passed by quickly in preparation for Christmas. My favorite coffee shop, Jahanve, has these festive angels on the tables along with the usual sugar and serviettes.

I went to Sueno Magico at Clover Lawn Mansion, an amazing winter wonderland with a magnificent display of lights and awesome entertainment. Rides and activities for the children as well as a visit with Santa Claus were also featured here.

Just blocks from my house in Tlaquepaque this amazing tree shines brightly.

Tomorrow I am off to Tototlan to spend Christmas with a friend. It will be interesting celebrating this holiday in a small Mexican town. We are preparing a traditional dinner complete with turkey and all the trimmings, different from the usual pozole and ponche which is the norm here in Mexico.

As this is my last post before Christmas, I would like to wish my family, friends and blog followers a Merry Christmas. Enjoy your holiday celebrations wherever in the world you may be. May they be filled with family, friends and fun.

Dec5

So You Want To Learn Spanish

Posted on December 5, 2014 by iamkaren23

Standard

I arrived in Mexico City on a flight from Houston on November 2, 2010 and tentatively approached the Immigration area in the airport. My knowledge of “hola, adios and cerveza fria por favor” would not be of any great help here. I foolishly assumed that there would be someone here who spoke English. Consequently, I left the area without the highly coveted copy of my tourist visa. But that’s a whole other story for a different blog post.

Living in Culiacan that year was quite the experience. This is a city where hardly anyone speaks English. The principal at the school where I taught did not even speak English. Nor did the lady whose home I shared. Nor did the staff at the grocery stores or pharmacies or bakeries or convenience stores that I frequented. But it often made for some interesting purchases.

My next job found me in Irapuato, a city considerably smaller than Culiacan. Other than the other English teachers at the school, only a handful of people who spoke English. However I was unprepared for the animosity displayed by the locals because I was a gringa, especially that of the Mexican teachers at the school. They refused to make any attempt to understand English, and instead expected the English teachers to overnight become fluent in Spanish. The hilarious part was that the school provided us with Spanish classes, but they were taught by a gringa and not a native speaker. A total waste of time as she taught only vocabulary as she herself did not know the grammar.

My next home was, and still is, Tlaquepaque, a suburb of Guadalajara. For the most part, that first year I spent my time with other English teachers who were native speakers. And we usually made ourselves understood when traveling or shopping although our knowledge of Spanish was limited.

Flash ahead and I am now in my fifth year in Mexico. I am nowhere near fluent, but I am also well beyond survival. Duolingo has become one of my best friends and we spend hours together regularly. I can definitely empathize with the difficulties my students have in learning English. Learning a new language is not easy.

Spanish is a beautiful language. It has a unique melody of its own. Now, if it weren’t for all the irregular verbs and the strange rules regarding pronouns and………. Yikes! I’m starting to sound like my students!

	iamkaren23 on Smoke And Ash
	Tyronica Smith on Smoke And Ash
	iamkaren23 on Thursday Musings
	Tyronica Smith on Thursday Musings
	Tyronica Smith on You’re Never There