Este lunes, comencé mi clase de español en la Academía Hispano Americano. Es un lugar muy amable, como se ves en la fotografías arriba y abajo. Me gusta mucho a mi maestra, quien se llama Aidé. Ella es muy expresiva y nos enseña sobre la cultura además de gramática. Soy en el tercer nivel y estoy aprendiendo mucho. Hay tres horas de instrucción intensa, incluyendo escribiendo, hablando, y escuchando. Después de clase hago mi tarea en una café. Este programa incluye la opción de quedarme con una familia. Me estoy quedando con una familia quien vive en el centro de la ciudad en una casa grande y bonita. La casa tiene una tienda que la Señora maneja, y el Señor trabaja en la Universidad local. Los dos son muy atentos y nos hablan durante las comidas. Comemos desayuno a las 7:30 am, la comida a las 2:30 pm, y las cena a los 8:00 pm.
This Monday, I started my Spanish class at the Academia Hispano Americano. It is a beautiful place, as you can see by the photographs above and below. I really like my teacher, named Aidé. She is very expressive and teaches us about culture as well as grammar. I am in the third level and I am learning a lot. There are three hours of intense instruction, including writing, speaking, and listening. After class I do my homework in a cafe. This program includes the option of staying with a family. I am staying with a family who lives in the center of the city in a large and beautiful home. The house has a store that la Señora manages, and el Señor works at the local University. Both are very attentive and talk to us during meals. We eat breakfast at 7:30 am, lunch at 2:30 pm, and dinner at 8:00 pm.
The entrance to my classroom 
The inside of my classroom 
A corridor to a patio in back of the Academia.
The outside of my bedroom 
The inside of my bedroom 
The downstairs patio of the home that I am living in.
Let’s Talk About That Hail!
On Sunday night, I awoke at midnight by the scariest sights and sounds a storm could make! There was the obvious thunder and lightening; but in addition, there was the howling of the wind and the deafening pounding of the rain! It went on for quite a while before I decided to get up and take a look. All my clothes were packed, as I was leaving in the morning, so I didn’t have my flashlight, my bathrobe, nor my slip on sandals that I wear as slippers. When I put my foot down, I felt water! Yikes, there was about two inches of water covering the floor of my bedroom. I found that it was coming from under the doors to the patio outside! And when I looked outside, I find that it was not just rain, but hail as well! About four inches had accumulated on the table and the floor. The largest hail was about 1/4 inch in diameter. By this time, I realized that it was quite cold, too! I was alone in the house but started to investigate. It appeared that my room was the only one flooded. I quickly emailed the owner about three emails with my discoveries! The water began traveling down the stairs and accumulating by the front door. So I started using my feet to move the water from my room, down the stairs, and then out the front door! I’m not sure this was helpful, but I felt I had to do something to get the water out. It was very slippery, so I quit after a while. Now there was only about one inch of water covering the floor. The hail had stopped and the rain decreased to a consistent pitter patter. I decided to go back to bed to try and get some sleep before I began my Spanish class. I took the following photos the next morning. This storm was unusual for SMA, and everyone I spoke with acknowledged it was due to climate change. Rooftops caved in on several businesses and homes. Trees lost their leaves. It in no way compares the several feet of hail that Guadalajara got, which they are still digging themselves out of.
This was taken early the next morning after a nigh of rain – the hail is persistent! 
The green door in the upper right hand corner belongs to my bedroom, and where the rain came in.
Happy Fourth!?!?!?
I have mixed feelings about this holiday, with anger, frustration, and sadness being the top three. We had an interesting conversation in our Spanish class today about this holiday. The conversation quickly turned to our mutual struggle and challenges with the current US administration. The five of us were in agreement that we felt fortunate to be outside the US at this time.
Later in the day I went to a party hosted by a lovely US ex-pat who has lived in SMA for ten years. The party gathered a beautiful and lively bunch of ex-pats – all older women from the US! The women next to me stated that she moved here (about 10 years ago) because of the higher standard of living at a lower cost. There seemed to be general agreement that SMA has exploded in size, in fancy eating places and is getting more and more expensive. Here too was discussion of climate change related to the recent hail storm, and utter disbelief in the downward spiral of American politics.
My México Travels 
Dear Kathleen. What an adventure. Hail. Big Storm, water covering your floor, going to a 4th of July party at an exPat’s house, going to Spanish School! I absolutely love the pictures. You are a glorious photographer. Part of me wishes I could sneak inside your pocket and travel along. Love, Love, Love how you are portraying this country.
I got your email about my new site. I lost the email (g-mail – still don’t always get how it conglomerates conversations). Thanks for showing interest.
Those are big questions that you are coping with. I went to the Sedro Woolley 4th of July parade, it has always been like watching small town Americana. This parade – a first happened. There was not one, but two Army tanks rolling down the route. I hurt inside as I watched. On the back of the tank was an American flag, and a russian flag. I was so stunned, I didn’t know what to do or say.
I came home, bought some corn and a watermelon. I ate them and went to bed. My partying was done for the day. I write as I blog, that it doesn’t matter who the President is, that what we can do is stay connected to the people we care about, and the causes we love. You are making a difference. You are representing Americans as you travel through Mexico. You are demonstrating that there are people who are thoughtful, who care about the environment, who care about other countries. That’s a huge gift you are giving them, and those of us back home. Thank you.
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Fantastica! I so appreciate that you put the Spanish first in your post. Hail is always an intense experience but yours sounds over the top. I love hearing about and seeing your adventures. Here’s to the Buena Vida!! BJ
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