Hey everyone,
Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and that you are all staying warm. I've heard that it's been really cold over the past few weeks in the US. The weather has been pretty consistent here from what I can feel. Usually overnight and in the morning it is in the 30s or 40s, but during the day it always warms up to somewhere in the mid to high 60s or warmer. It is extremely dry here and I don't remember the last time it rained - but it's been a while! The majority of the time it's sunny. Sometimes the dust or the smog is worse than others and I can't see the volcanoes, but most of the time it's relatively clear.
This past weekend I went to another ultiamte tournament. This one was in the state of Mexico. There are 32 states in Mexico, one of which is Mexico, within which is the District Federal (the DF) also known as Mexico City. Got it?! So people often say "I'm going to Mexico for the weekend" which of course sounds pretty funny to gringos and other extranjeros (foreigners). But, I've adapted, and so now I too say "I'm going to Mexico this weekend." Anyway, for this tournament there was a mens and a womens division, so I played with a team of all women. We were a combination of women from 2 or 3 different coed teams and then some randoms (me included). We did really well and were undefeated until the finals, when we lost by 3. Not bad for a team with only one sub the first day (a 13 year old) and 2 subs the second day. It was pretty amazing how well we all played together, considering most of us had never played together before. I've also learned that my favorite ultimate phrase in Spanish is "quitate" which replaces my favorite "clear the lane" in English. Literally, it means get out of the way =)
In other exciting news here in Mexico, I've been offered a "job" with the organization here. It would involve committing to 6 more months in Mexico past this June, meaning I would be here until next December. There have been/ will be some staff transitions at the residential facility and they would like for me to committ to being full time there. I would be expected to develop some therapeutic groups for the boys ranging from art activities, to bullying prevention, to personal space/ boundaries, or even trauma focused groups. So.... I would have a lot of control over what I would be doing and would also have lots of resources. It would also be a good opportunity to really strengthen my language skills. Anyway, it's been pretty stressful weighing all the positives and negatives! But, after playing frisbee this past weekend, I am feeling much more relaxed! Talking to people about this position has also really opened my eyes more to the economy here in Mexico, and I have been shocked at the salaries that people live on! For example, the lead direct care staff with seniority at the residential facility makes approximately 5000 pesos a month, which is equivalent to roughly $370 US dollars a month. I don't know how much the program supervisor makes, but I know it is less than $1000 a month. It's tough, because I really don't have a good sense of how much big ticket items cost here, but the small things that add up like food and entertainment don't seem that cheap to me. Who knows! For example, as far as clothes go, I've only bought one sweater since I've been here, and it was 228 pesos, or about $15. I bought it at a clothing store that is owned by Wal-Mart, and I think is one of the cheaper places to shop.
Ok, I think that is enough for now! I hope everyone is doing well and is enjoying the holiday season. Take care!
