It's All About Me

All this pretending that this experience is for the kids and the family is over. It turns out this is all about me! While Jos toils on his business intersests in the states, traveling back and forth, spending hours on phone and computer, the kids are in school all day with activities in the afternoons, and me, well, I am living the high life!

I've mentioned my zumba and my school. In addition, I have now started playing soccer and tennis. I am also part of the 4th grade moms at the school and they are very social! Here are some pics and vignettes about MY life here in GTO.

Zumba continues to be a trip with up to 30 women crammed into a room with a militant male instructor who often berates us for not being able to remember all the moves. Last time I went the floor was flooded. We all grabbed brooms and mops and swept it out, and splashed through class. I just couldn't think about where that water came from or I'd get queasy.

I spend three hours a day at a school on this charming street (pic to the left). The classes have been challenging and fun, although I feel I am at a plateau right now. There are so many subtleties I know I'll never get and I continue to mortify Price with my attempts to talk to his friends.

I recently joined a soccer team. There's a women's league here on Monday nights.

Another Gringa and I went down and got on a team. We're the only foreigners in the league and I'm afraid I'm the oldest. There's one girl on our team who is 14! They were really struggling with my name so I told them in the States I am called "E" when playing soccer. So that's what they call me but since it's the word for "and" in Spanish it's kind of a tough name to have! It is a real blast to play and the women take their soccer seriously. Last game one of my favorite players got kicked out for calling the ref an obscenity and after the game we all got a good laugh out of us Gringas trying to pronounce that word correctly.

Then there are the wonderful moms at Nanne and Price's school who seem to socialize at least weekly. They are all so welcoming and every day different moms vie for being the one to give us a ride home. I've learned the word for mooch: gorron, which is what I am when it comes to rides. Luckily, the word for ride here is "ride" so I always know what's being offered! At a babyshower last week I brought an artichoke dip that I thought would be a bit different. One of the women who tried it said (in Spanish), "I think I've had this before at Applebees!" Sigh, not exactly the place I was trying to emulate.

At a Halloween party on Thursday, one mom asked if I wanted to play tennis with her the next morning. We had a blast and I have now joined her tennis group which plays with the pro twice a week. We play at this great little tennis place where Price is taking lessons. The pro is wonderful and patient. In one session he has helped me so much! Although since it's in Spanish I'm not sure I quite get his advice but I have learned the word for backhand.

Jos just rolls his eyes at me and my life here. He's asleep on the couch right now so he's not one to complain!