I should be grading tests...

I should be grading tests, but instead of being a responsible teacher I feel inspired by the 5 comments (!!!) on my last blog to write an entry.

I am currently sitting in the air conditioning drinking a frappuccino and looking at all the poor folks suffering outside in the sun, silly people!! have they never heard of the unnatural, polluting and yet delightful technology of air conditioning? I can honestly say, that with the arrival of 'hot season' in Tuxtla, which really just means hotter than the rest of the year, hot as hell to be exact, i try to spend as much time as possible at the air conditioned mall, in air conditioned coffee shops, in air conditioned grocery stores.

I'm certain that its been 100 degrees for the last few days, and yet, as I look out the window, I see the old people dancing in the park. Here at Parque de la Marimba, my favorite Tuxtla spot, there is a committed group of old folks who probably used to go out dancing, the women in their big flowing skirts with flowers to tie up their hair, and the men in guayabera shirts and cuban style hats. They stop around in a giant gazebo surrounded by all sorts of tropical trees, sweating at midday, remembering the days of their youth when perhaps the very same men courted their spouses. Its delightful to watch. Especially from my insulated bubble here in the cafe.

The cafe I am in is called San Carlos and edwin and i have sort of become regulars. Its to the point where they give us discount cards and free San Carlos calenders, and they know exactly what we want most of the time. It's a local place with local Chiapas coffee and I appreciate that.

Well, a lot has happened recently. My friend Mckinley and her boyfriend Oscar came to visit, and we had a blast, although the gods of luck, whoever they are, were against us. We went to San Cris, we went to the ruins of Palenque, and the Lacandon Jungle, and also to Chiapa de Corzo. I say we had back luck, because it seemed that nothing could go right. In the jungle it rained, I was sick, we didnt find a nice hotel, in Palenque we also didnt find a nice hotel, and in san cristobal our hotel had uncomfortable beds. the food in chiapa de corzo was bad, and the night we wanted to go out to the bars, nothing was opened!!! I was worried and hoping mckinley and oscar wouldnt think that chiapas totally sucked, but they didn't! they said it was awesome and they want to come back!! woo! I had a lot of fun just having them here though.

The following week, I started work AND moved apartments, and on top of that I had a terrible cold and headaches. Imagine, I was stressed out, but after a lot of hard work, cleaning, moving furniature, taking medicine and sleeping, my life is getting back to normal and happy.

I'm so happy in my new apartment. I have a roomate from Belgium named Els, she is a very nice girl and also really cool, she teaches art classes to kids here, and shes a vegetarian so we can cook together because she eats soy chorizo and weird things like that that i like. my new apartment is huge, has a lot of light, im going to paint it turqoise and it is connected to my school and very much in the center of town.

so im getting back to my normal life, but now without major changes.

ill update more soon, im off to grade papers.