Conversation Club

During our first week in Mexico, Fulbright introduced us to a great resource here in the city: The Biblioteca Benjamín Franklin. The library was originally established in 1942 to promote friendship and understanding between Mexico and the United States by providing access to information on the relationship between the two countries. It is supported by the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, and it serves all people living in the Mexico City area.

A few months back, my friend Cammie and I approached the library about doing some sort of volunteer work in addition to our teaching at the Politécnico. Benjamín Medina and Claudia Mendiola, two wonderful and talented individuals who work for the library, came up with the idea of an English conversation club. In order to publicize the opportunity, they contacted people using e-mail, Facebook, and word-of-mouth. The response was overwhelming and more than 100 people showed up to be interviewed for the class. Although we would have liked to accept all of the students, we had to limit the class size to about 20 individuals per class.

The course took place over a period of 7 weeks, and in that time I got to meet some incredibly kind and gifted individuals. My students were truly dedicated to not only improving their language skills, but also learning more about my culture. It was so rewarding to watch them grow as English speakers, and I cannot thank them enough for opening their minds and sharing their knowledge and opinions with me and the rest of the group. In addition, I am very appreciative that they taught me about their culture, too.

Last night, the library had a ceremony to congratulate all of the individuals who took part in the two conversation clubs. David Connell, the Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, gave a short talk on the benefits of the club and future aspirations for it. He then presented Cammie and me with certificates of recognition for our work. Afterwards, I got to chat with all of the students while snacking on some cookies and juice. I am so grateful to have been a part of this wonderful experience, and I look forward to continuing to help the library with this great activity.

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Abrazos, Nicole
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My Little Sanctuary

If you asked me if I were country girl, I would probably tell you no. I don’t wear cowboy boots; I don’t live on a farm, and I don’t have a country accent. (I know...all stereotypes.) But, I will tell you that I definitely grew up among nature and the outdoors. I like taking walks through the woods; I love walking through the creek on summer days, and I enjoy observing the various animals that visit our backyard.

But for as much as I love the outdoors, I often find myself living in the city. During college, I lived in clean and wonderful Oakland, PA (please note the sarcasm.) And now, I am living in the monstrous and smoggy Mexico City. Don’t get me wrong…the city can be lots of fun. There is always something to do. But, I am very appreciative when I find little green oases that I can escape to every now and then. In Oakland, these getaway spots were Phipps Conservatory and Schenley Park, and in DF my favorite little place to slip away to is Parque México.

Parque México is about 15 minutes from where I live, and when you stroll through the park it is almost hard to believe that you are in one of the largest cities in North America. There are trees, fountains, flowers, and dirt walking trails. It is so calm, and I always feel like my mind and body can really breathe there.

So the other day when I was venturing by Parque México, I saw something that completely made my day and made me appreciate this place so much more. The park’s gardeners planted hundreds and hundreds of poinsettias (flores de noche buena) throughout the park. I don’t think I have ever seen that many poinsettias in my entire life. It is simply breathtaking! I have been back to the park several times this week just to meander through the splashes of color that now adorn the park. It is wonderful! Although it may not be a white Christmas for me this year, it is certainly beginning to feel very festive around here.

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Abrazos, Nicole
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Our Mexican Thanksgiving

I know Thanksgiving happened last week, but I really wanted to share how we celebrated the holiday here in Mexico. On Thursday, my friend and fellow ETA, Andy, was kind enough to invite myself and some other ETAs to his school in Ciudad Neza. Each of us brought along a dish and Andy’s students also contributed some delicious food to the feast. Before eating, Will gave a great presentation on the history of Thanksgiving. Afterwards, we dug in. It was very fun eating a combination of classic American dishes and Mexican food.

Andy’s students were so nice and one of them, Alejandra, brought along her adorable daughter. Little Gabi’s eyes were so big and beautiful, and I couldn’t help but take lots of pictures of her.

On Thursday night, Roberto took me out to a very nice yummy dinner. Even though we ate Mexican food, we did it in the spirit of a U.S. Thanksgiving…we ate lots and were very full by the end.

On Friday, fellow ETAs Renee, Alexis, and Will (Alexis’ boyfriend) joined Cammie, Andy, Will and me in DF for a Thanksgiving feast at Andy’s place. Andy and Will cooked the turkey and did an amazing job. (Pat yourselves on the backs, guys.) Cammie brought along a delicious pecan pie and some bread. Renee catered to our sweet tooth and came bearing banana bread and apple crisp. Alexis and Will brought along the cranberry sauce, and I contributed to the spread with some pumpkin bars. We certainly chowed down on all the delicious food, and it was so wonderful to have everyone together for this celebration.

Even though I was far away from home for this Thanksgiving, I am very thankful that I still got to celebrate the day with some awesome people. Thank you to everyone who made it special!

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Abrazos, Nicole
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