Teacher in Mexico

Mexico City Going Green

2011-12-19T22:04:00.000-08:00

Continuing a long process under Mayor Ebrard, the latest large project is to close the city's largest dump, which has been receiving less and less refuse as recycling programs started several years ago begin to have an effect. I've seen this dump - huge does not describe it. I remember reading a stat some time back saying that Mexico City produces enough garbage to fill Estadia Azteca each day. That's a lot of garbage.BBC has the story.

Mexico City has closed its main rubbish dump, Bordo Poniente, which is one of the world's biggest open-air landfills. At its peak, hundreds of lorries were dumping more than 12,000 tons of waste each day. That figure had already been cut in half this year by new recycling and composting plants, officials said. Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard said the closure would significantly help reduce the capital's greenhouse gas emissions. Mr Ebrard said his government would seek bids to establish a plant to turn the methane gas given off by the accumulated waste into energy. A cement company has agreed to buy 3,000 tons of dry waste daily to burn as fuel.

more stroy at the link above.Note: I've been away from posting for awhile, I apologize. My son was born two months ago and with family visits, work, a new baby, and holiday dinners and gatherings, it's been hectic. A new post to introduce Felix Joshua is coming soon.

Alebrije Parade Mexico City

2011-10-22T16:38:00.000-07:00

Went to the 5th annual Alebrije Parade from the Zocalo to the Angel of Independence today, put on by the Museo de Arte Popular. This is one of my favorite events in the city and my daughter now 2 years 4 months old is starting to appreciate it too. She was a little too young for the previous two parades.

There were some 250 floats this time around, getting larger each year. The parade begins in the Zocalo and marches up to the Angel of Independence monument on Reforma Ave where each float is parked for a week while viewers vote for the best alebrijes. If you missed the parade today, take a stroll down Reforma any time this week to see them for yourself.

Some of my favorites...

A Bigger Family

2011-10-20T08:12:00.000-07:00

Finally! Our son Felix Joshua Courchesne Dixie was born at 9 AM October 17th, 2011, coming in at 8 pounds (3.75 kg), just two days before his due date. Another Mexican Canadian as I work on my hockey team.

His timing couldn't be better. My in-laws flew into town to give us a hand with the dogs and our 2 year old daughter during the hospital stay, arriving a mere 4 hours before the contractions started. They've been a big help.

We had our first night home from the hospital last night and as can be expected with a newborn, no one got any sleep. I'd forgotten about the sleepless first night with a newborn.

More pictures and posts to come!

Work Visa For Mexico - The New Process

2011-10-15T19:28:00.000-07:00

All kinds of changes have been happening at the Mexican immigration department on policy and in technology for applying for and obtaining a work visa which was formally known as the FM3 - it is now simply called No Immigrante, and with fewer categories to apply under. Those which affect most foreign TEFLers in Mexico are Independent status, employer-sponsored status, and rentista which is what most retired snowbirds have.

All in all there have been few changes. Instead of a passport sized booklet, the visa in now a photo ID card. Some of the application process has been moved online and it generally takes a little less time now to process the visa.

There's a discussion about the new process over at Dave's ESL Cafe.

djpresidente begins:

I'm newly-arrived in the DF and in the process of applying cold turkey at a number of schools. In an interview yesterday, I was told that the process has changed so that you don't need a sponsor and there is one visa/permit for everyone not applying for permanent residence. I haven't found anything on the forum or the internet about this, so I thought I'd ask here, as it looks like a lot of people are going through the application process right now.

As I understand it, the old book has been replaced with a card, but that is the only change I've found so far.

Thanks!

PS If you know of any good job openings in the DF, be sure to let me know!

I reply:

I'm going into migra on Tuesday to renew my visa and to help someone get their first independent visa (no sponsor as you note). I'll post the most recent checklist here for new visas. At last check, the paperwork for the card is not much different from that for the old booklet.

There are apparently going to be more changes coming later this year though.

and I continue with:

For the moment, nothing has changed regarding the independent visa. You still need to pay for the visa at the bank using a form they give, and bring in the receipt, original and copies of your passport, original and copy of the application printed from the migra website, copy and original of your degree and/or teaching qualifications, and a letter in Spanish outlining what you intend to do independently and how you are qualified to do it. File that and they summon you back to complete the process bringing in photos and another short application, proof of address, take your fingerprints and it's done.

I asked some staff at DF migra about the upcoming changes but they had very little concrete to say. They did confirm that the rumour of no longer being able to turn tourist or business visas into work visas from within Mexico is not true.

The discussion continues, adding detail on bank deposits, taxes, and apostilles for foreign documents. More at the link above.

Success in TEFL

2011-10-09T19:30:00.000-07:00

"The person who gets the farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore."
-Dale Carnegie

Success in teaching abroad - a not so easy goal to achieve it seems, after reading through some of the comments on popular TEFL web forums such as The ESL Cafe and ELT World. TEFL is not exotic beaches, easy money, and a 24 hour a day party. If you found my article thinking it was, then stop reading now. I'm going to talk about WORK.

Teaching abroad is a very select set of challenges to thrust yourself into. A new language, a different culture, strange food, and unknown risks are not what most people call fun. It takes a particular brand of daredevil or world-beater to see these hurdles as attractive. That particular brand of person is common among those that succeed in teaching abroad but the most important factor that each one knows is that it is imperative to have goals to succeed on, and the willingness to see them through.

I meet a lot of different people in my line of work in TEFL. Young recent college graduates, out for a year abroad to work on their Spanish. Retired folks from a variety of fields settling into a warmer climate. Career teachers looking for a different country. Thrill-seekers and people who just can't settle in one place. Many find their niche and do well in Latin America. Many others don't.

Defining success in teaching abroad has to start with defining your goals and finding the means to achieve them. The two most common goals I see - improving one's foreign language skills and turning EFL work into a meaningful career - are difficult and worth examining here.

"I want to improve my Spanish, so I think teaching in Mexico or Chile will help".

Teaching abroad is often seen as a means to earn your way through a year-long stint in a country while learning the language. While this is true, it's very easy to lose focus on improving your language skills by getting lost in teaching English. Leaving aside that much of your day is spent working in English, your social circle can sometimes remain in a rut - an English-speaking rut - of co-workers and students. It takes effort to find opportunities outside the class (and sometimes inside the class) to work on your Spanish.

The first thing you can do before setting out for travel and work is to restrict your job searches to schools that offer free or subsidized local language classes as part of a job offer or as an option. Many language institutes offer this to teachers if you ask. If such classes aren't available, your next bet is to look for local language course providers in your chosen country that offer classes at a price and schedule that fits with your EFL class teaching.

Think about expanding your social circle and trying out new activities. Learning the local language doesn't always need to come from sitting in a classroom. Look for local groups around other interests you have, such as sports, art, or museums. Think about things going on around you and have a willingness to dive in.

"I'm thinking of getting into teaching back home but I'm not sure it's the right thing for me. I don't want to invest years of study and a lot of money in this field and find out I don't like it. I think a year abroad teaching English will help me decide."

A common jump off point for teaching abroad is a TEFL or CELTA course - a four week intensive set of classes and teaching practice designed to cram a large amount of information into your head and get you out working at language institutes and schools as soon as you pass the course.

From here, it is again easy to lose sight of the goal. A lot of people see their initial course as the end of training. Spending a year in the classroom will give you a good idea as to what it is to teach, but building towards a career in this field means constant study, more courses, and finding the right ladder to better jobs be they at home or abroad.

When looking at your first job, it's good to ask about professional development. Some schools can connect you to further training such as TEFL for young learners or diploma courses such as the DELTA. Beyond EFL, the international school circuit is a great place to seek opportunities. IB training (International Baccalaureate) and workshops can be found everywhere and some schools will help pay for higher degrees through their international networks.

Teacher organizations and associations are great places to network and locate further training or leads to better jobs. MEXTESOL is an example for Mexico though there are dozens of others to choose from, not only locally but online as well.

These are the practical tips to success in teaching abroad but the real effort is in staying focused and working hard. The opportunities are there if you take them.

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will." Vincent T. Lombardi

This entry contributes to the ESL/EFL Roadshow, a blog ring of ESL/EFL teachers and TEFL teacher trainers around the world. October's project is hosted by Ted at TEFLTips. Here is the Roadshow Roundup that shows TEFL Success as other teaching bloggers see them.

What's with the price of avocado?

2011-09-11T10:31:00.000-07:00

Ridiculous. 80 pesos a kilo...80 PESOS! I think it's cheaper to get avocado now in Canada where it of course does not grow in the 11 month long permafrost.

Mexicans scream CONSPIRACY! According to the BBC anyway...

Recently, it's felt as if the whole country has been talking about the same thing - and for once it's not football or the latest hit telenovela. Around dinner tables, in street markets and at work, it's the price of avocados that has been on everyone's mind.

From costing a couple of dollars per kilo earlier this year, avocados went on a constant price climb which appeared to know no end - rising all the way up to $5-6 per kilo. I heard of sightings of a kilo of avocados for more than $8.

In a country that takes its food seriously, this was a recipe for disaster.

Soft as butter and slightly sweet, avocado was first grown around 12,000 years ago in the south of Mexico. It's now a delicacy prized the world over.

But the origins of its name are not so elegant. The word avocado comes from "aguacate" in Spanish, which in turn comes from the Nahuatl Mexican native language "ahuacatl", referring to a certain intimate part of the male anatomy. **

In Mexico - where 40% of the world's avocado crop is grown - this fruit is sacrosanct. In fact, Mexicans are estimated to eat up to 8kg of avocado each, every year.

Avocados go with everything: they are a key additive to the delicious tortilla soup, a layer in the Mexican multi-level sandwiches known as tortas and - last but not least - they are the basis of that most famous of Mexican dips - guacamole.

And you don't want to mess with Mexicans and their food. Back in 2007, the rising price of tortillas - the flat-corn bread that is a key source of calories for the poor - sparked a series of protests around the country known as the "tortilla wars". So, with prices through the roof, was I about to witness an "avocado war"?

If I was, I had to find out the reasons for the price hikes. And here I discovered that there is something else aside from food that Mexicans seem to enjoy - urban legends.

Anger brewing

I talked to a security expert who claimed he knew the reason for the spiralling price. The great majority of Mexican avocados come from the state of Michoacan, in the west, a region badly affected by the presence of drug cartels.

The cartels, the expert told me, are expanding into the business of extortion, and are targeting avocado growers. The criminals demand a fee for every kilo that is transported through the dangerous roads of Michoacan, and that fee forced up the final consumer price.

Nonsense, the head of the local avocado producers' association told me. The cause of the price increase is simply a bad harvest.

Carmen, our cleaning lady, had her own conspiracy theory. "I blame the gringos," she told me. "Americans have taken a liking to guacamole, so all our avocados are heading north." Social networks were brimming with comments about how "aguacates" were quickly vanishing from Mexican dinner tables - and the anger seemed to be brewing.

But then, an epiphany. I was sitting in the back of a cab, silently hating Mexico City traffic, when an ad burst on to the radio - from a local supermarket, promoting a kilo of avocados for just over $2. Was it over?

At my local food market, I confirmed it. At most stands, avocados now are around $3 per kilo, and the prices still seem to be falling. But if there's something I learned over the last few months, it's that I can't always be sure that I'll be able to have my avocado - and eat it.

Thankfully, yes, the price has come down. I saw some at the local market for 30 pesos a kilo...still a bit high, but a much more reasonable price.

The TEFL Job Interview - Latin America

2011-09-07T17:16:00.000-07:00

Here is an article I had published some years back, about the typical job interview you can expect when coming out of a CELTA or TEFL course and looking for that first job in Latin America.

Congratulations! You just finished your EFL teacher training, those grueling four weeks of sweating over coming up with interesting ideas for classes, of pouring over page after page of theory, of juggling type three conditionals.

Well you're all done. So what’s next? All this time, you've been dreaming about what wonderful new things you'll see and do in Santiago de Chile, in Buenos Aires, in San Miguel de Allende. You've also been worrying about apartments, about plane tickets, about work permits, but the most important event has yet to come: the job interview.

There's still a job interview? Yes, and all that hard work you did is about to pay off. But what will it be like? What will they ask me? Do I have to talk in Spanish?

Don't sweat it. It's probably nothing like what you are expecting. Knowing a little about what a DOS (Director of Studies) looks for in a teacher will help you do well in an interview. First, did you know that most Directors of Studies are from the UK, or the US? Your average DOS started out just like you are – teaching abroad after an initial intensive training course. Even if he or she isn't a native-speaker, it's a job requirement for them to be very good speakers of English, so either way, your interview will be in your own tongue.

You might now think that the next question has something to do with modals, or with communicative approaches, or inductive reasoning. You would be wrong in this case. Invariably, every DOS has the same worry – how long is this person going to commit to my students? This is easily the most difficult part about managing human capital. Too often, the pile of resumes on a director's desk is littered with the same acronyms and objectives. John Doe, CELTA, looking for a summer position, Jane Teacher, TEFL, can stay 8 weeks, and so forth. Most school directors know that it takes time for a teacher to develop a good rapport with students. They also program classes by semester or by level, lasting anywhere from 3 months to a full year. What they don't want to see is a teacher who can't complete a semester or level, since it is quite difficult to rebuild rapport with a new teacher halfway through a student's studies.

Should you be serious and professional or casual and open in the interview? The best answer is simply to be you. The person on the other side of the desk wants to know what you'll be like in front of a group of people - so be that person. An overly serious person may give the impression of having difficulties getting students to open up and communicate in the classroom while someone who comes off as too casual or not serious enough gives the impression of disorganization and sloppiness. The ideal? Don't be afraid to ask questions and make comments on what you see. Be friendly and smile, but stay focused. This is the person the students will see and a DOS simply must be sure that you aren't on either extreme.

What about grammar? The fear that most EFLers have when completing a training course is remembering all those grammar terms and rules. Yes, you need to know them. You are going to teach them after all. Most likely, you'll be asked to write up a demonstration class, or perhaps even deliver one to a few students or other teachers. You may be given a grammar point and asked to develop a class plan around that – introducing the point in context, running a few practice drills using it, then finishing with an output exercise that demonstrates student comprehension.

Know your students. Having knowledge of who your students will be will go a long way. During the job interview, you can win over any DOS by showing great interest in the types of student the school attracts. Aside from the obvious questions as to age groups and proficiency level, ask from where the school draws its students. Are they professionals, university students, exchange students, etc? Getting to know your student shows an interest in people and tells a DOS that you can connect on a personal level with your students, and most importantly, that you are flexible – ready to teach from a variety of platforms.

Sound simple enough? Of course, don't ignore the obvious stuff. Dress smart, be confident, and let this DOS know that you are the right person for the job.

Now, with that out of the way, you can focus on the important stuff. Getting your plane tickets, arranging accommodations, and discovering a new corner of the world. Good luck!

This entry marks my first article contributing to the ESL/EFL Roadshow, a blog ring of ESL/EFL teachers and TEFL teacher trainers around the world. September's project is hosting by Sharon of TEFL Tips fame. Here is the Roadshow roundup that shows Interview Tips as other teaching bloggers see them.

Teacher Get Together Sept. 24th

2011-09-07T07:37:00.000-07:00

Several of us are meeting up al centro Mexico City on Saturday, Sept 24th and you're welcome to join us, same place as the last meet up since it was easy for everyone to find.

We'll add the book swap to it this time. If you have some books you're willing to part with, bring them. We frequently end up with piles of books to exchange, everything from paperbacks to EFL texts.

Saturday, September 24th, 4 PM

Restaurante Gante Cafe, corner of Madero and Gante streets al centro. Bellas Artes is the closest metro stop. We'll be on the patio. Feel free to contact me by email if you need better directions.

Google map link

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=203754431106371122432.0004a8fe7453d7f800460&msa=0

-ed Endings for Spanish Speakers - Pronunciation

2011-09-05T10:22:00.000-07:00

A discussion developing over at ELT World on how to get spanish speakers to properly pronounce the varieties of words in English that end in -ed. The three sounds - Ed, /d, and /t are all usually rendered as -Ed, as found in the words ratED, sportED,and dreadED.

The ELT World discussion.

Teresa Lopez begins:

I am preparing some lessons on the different sounds that the -ed ending can produce, but I was wondering if any one knows if there are any rules about when it sounds like ¨t¨, when it sounds like ¨d¨ and when it sounds like ¨ed¨. I have a class of Upper Intermediate students that stuggle with that and aside from going over lots of words and how they are pronounced I can´t come up with anything else. Well, I kind of figured out on my own that the -ed is more pronounced when the word ends in ¨t¨ or ¨d¨ because of the difficulty of the same, or a very similar sound, right together.

NCTBA offers links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-EC_kk0Lso

http://www.azargrammar.com/assets/intermediate/FEGTeacher-CreatedWorksheets/Worksheets2/FEGCh2PronunciationRegularPastTenseVerbs.pdf

Enjoy, Teresa! And always remember, Google is your friend!

Melee offers:

I'm not sure if its in the links already posted, but I have my students put their hand infront of their mouths and say a verb in it's base form
If they feel a burst of air at the end, they will put a /t/ at the end to make it the past. If they do not feel air on their hand they will put /d/ at the end of the verb. If the verb already end in a t or a d then they will put /Id/ at the end of it. You can use the words voiced and unvoiced if you want, or you can not use them if you think your students aren't interested in the metalanguage. I usually do use them when teaching at the university because I say something like "those of us who study language call this voiced" because my engineering students never seem to realize linguistics is a science, and I think they should.
Either way I always ham it up a bit. Tell them they shouldn't be feeling any spit on their hands just air, getting them to try to put the opposite sound on (its not easy to change from voiced to unvoiced at the end of the word--the whole reason for this in the first place.)

Old English File one has a lesson on this that I really like, about a woman leaving her husband. it uses all regular verbs and is arranged in three collums so the students can notice the sounds. And as an extention it uses the song Yesterday on the premise the husband is singing about his wife who has left him (Now you gone and it looks as if their here to stay...)

See the full discussion at the link above.

Too Many Pigeons? Get an Eagle

2011-08-30T05:36:00.000-07:00

Mexico City has started using Golden eagles tasked with overflying some of the city's subway installations in order to scare away pigeons, whose poop can cause damage to electrical systems and infrastructure.

El Universal has the story in Spanish.

Para evitar que el excremento de las palomas causen daño a los techos e instalaciones eléctricas de estaciones del Sistema de Transporte Colectivo (STC) Metro, un grupo de águilas sobrevuelan los inmuebles para “espantar” a las aves y así evitar que formen sus nidos.

Francisco Bojórquez, titular del organismo de transporte capitalino, confirmó que se utiliza la presencia de estos depredadores con la intención de “asustar a las palomas para que no aniden y prevenir el desgaste prematuro de las instalaciones”.

Detalló que las águilas sobrevuelan estaciones como Ciudad Azteca, en la Línea B, o La Paz, que es la terminal de la Línea A Férrea que recorre la calzada Ignacio Zaragoza.

I've seen one of the fantastic birds up close when a handler brought one to my girlfriend's school to show off to the kids. Pigeons have a reason to be scared.

Mexico City - Drivers vs Bicycles

2011-08-24T10:32:00.000-07:00

Things are heating up in Mexico City between bicyclists and drivers. As the city pushes its Green Plan, including encouraging more bicycles and installing more Ecobici systems, driver frustration was given a voice through Radio 13 Noticias' announcer Ángel Verdugo when he suggested that bicyclists that fail to follow the rules of the road should be 'run over'. El Universal online has the story, in Spanish.

Ernesto Corona, vocero de Bicitekas, dijo que la asociación de ciclistas urbanos levantó una denuncia ante la Comisión de Derechos Humanos del Distrito Federal (CDHDF) en torno a declaración del comentarista Ángel Verdugo, quien criticó a los ciclistas que no respetan el Reglamento de Tránsito Metropolitano.

Ángel Verdugo, comentarista radiofónico, aseguró que los ciclistas "son la nueva plaga que está a punto de causar daños severos en el Distrito Federal", debido a que muchos de ellos no respetan los códigos de Tránsito.

Corona dijo que revisan otras acciones en torno a lo que consideró "incitación a la violencia" y añadió que la declaración contra los ciclistas es algo muy grave, sobre todo en la situación de violencia que enfrenta el país. "Empezar a generar más violencia en realidad no es nada bueno para la situación que estamos viviendo y sobre todo para la gran cantidad de gente que esta empezando a utilizar las bicicletas en la Ciudad de México y en el resto del país".

The Language of Rioting

2011-08-12T07:54:00.000-07:00

The BBC has an interesting piece covering the language of riots...language driven by social media, social underclasses, and mayhem.

BBC article online

From shot 29-year-old Mark Duggan referring to the police as "feds" to the nuanced use of the word "community", the language of the riots and the response can tell us something.

It may have been England that was shaken by violence, looting and disorder.

But many of the terms used by its perpetrators came from a very different place altogether - and, due to coverage of the rioting, they have found a wider audience than ever before.

"If you see a fed... SHOOT!" read one message circulated on BlackBerry Messenger, imploring readers to riot.

Another, widely reported in the aftermath of the chaos, urged everyone to "up and roll to Tottenham [expletive] the 5-0". There were myriad references as well to the "po po".

"When kids talk about the feds, it's obvious that they're not talking about the FBI," she says. "They know that's not how things work over here. It's like a code - politicians and the media don't understand."

She highlights home-grown phrases like "bully van", meaning police van, and "shank", meaning knife, as evidence that UK street culture is not just passively replicating the language of the US inner cities.

Indeed, Jonathon Green, author of the Chambers Slang Dictionary, points out that many of the messages which circulated during the riots included non-US phrases.

These included exhortations to defend one's "yard" - used in its Jamaican-derived sense, meaning home - or one's "end", a home-grown term referring to an area of a city.

Metrobus Line 4 - Mexico City

2011-08-04T12:04:00.000-07:00

Mexico City began work this past month on the next metrobus line - number 4 - to run cross town east/west between Buenavista (the train station) and the airport, crossing the heart of the city in the Centro Historico. I assume they are grabbing 2 or 3 lanes of Eje 1 Norte to do it.

Bravo! Another good project by the city that seems dedicated to favouring public transport over private. Drivers will moan about it for a couple of years then get used to the faster flow of people and cars through the area.

Looking forward to lines 5, 6, 7...

Mexico City Expat/Teacher Get Together July 30th

2011-07-26T13:28:00.001-07:00

We'll be having a teacher and expat get together in Mexico City this Saturday, July 30th at 1 PM. Meet up is at the patio of Restaurante Gante Cafe, at the corner of Gante and Madero streets.

Most of us are EFL teachers but the meet up is open to all. No need to RSVP, just show up!

Here is the google map link.

View Restaurante Gante Cafe in a larger map

Closest metro is Bellas Artes. See you there!

Mexico City Foodie

2011-07-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

I found a new resource!

The Mija Chronichles, by Leslie Tellez a Texas expat living in Mexico City. She is ALL about the food (as I am) and has a blog covering a wide range of food topics for the grand capital of Mexico.

I'll be a regular reader...

ESL vs EFL in North America

2011-07-19T13:49:00.000-07:00

An interesting discussion developing at the ESL Cafe, which started out talking about a preference in Canada for non-native ESL instructors but distilled out to a talk on some of the differences EFL and ESL teachers find in their craft. One to watch.

The full discussion is here.

dmocha begins:

When I came back to Canada after teaching for several decades overseas I knew it might be tough to break into the ESL market. One university English language programme told me flat out that overseas EFL experience was of limited benefit in getting an ESL teaching job in Canada. Another decade later and I know that they were right.

While on the hunt for ESL jobs I began to encounter another barrier to employment. I’d never even considered: anti-native-speaker-ism in the immigrant English language teaching sector. The premise is that having native-English speakers as instructors in immigrant oriented ESL programmes sends the message that ‘native is best’ or conversely ‘non-native is second rate’. As a result I’ve seem programmes (federal government funded programmes no less) which have zero native English-speaking teaching staff. (Male staff? Since most of the immigrant learners are women, having men in superior roles would send the wrong message too.)

For those of us who rely on our native speaker status to open doors overseas, who see how non-Caucasian native English speakers are often less employable and are paid less when they are just as good, this can come as quite a shock!

Speaking for myself, I doubt very much I’d enrol in a Chinese language programme in Beijing if I knew the instructors were not native speakers of 北京话.

My purpose in writing this is not to complain but to provoke a discussion on the issue of ‘anti-native-speakeristic’ approaches to language teaching, in terms of language learning, acculturation and teacher (un)employment.

PS If you think your many years of successful teaching overseas, your published papers and higher education count for much in Canada (at least) think again. Plan on retraining for a new career right from the get-go. Don't waste time; time is money.

nomad soul responds:

dmocha, I wonder how much of this comes from the belief that you're supposedly out of touch with the culture because you were overseas for a lengthy time. Even though you’re a native speaker, employers may perceive you to be similar to an immigrant in that you now have to acclimate back into the culture---that is, you’re estranged from the culture, which is essential for teaching ESL. Additionally, I think TEFL is misunderstood by TESL folks because of the “foreign” component. For example, I know several ESL teachers who have said they can’t fathom going overseas to teach because they’d be teaching on foreign soil and in a foreign context. Geez, and having "suspect-sounding" countries (e.g., Yemen, Sudan, Uzbekistan, Togo, New Guinea...) on your resume/CV could be an issue. Your TEFL experience would probably be more appealing if you'd taught in Mexico, China, Japan, Poland, etc.

johnslat adds:

"Additionally, I think TEFL is misunderstood by TESL folks because of the “foreign” component."

From my experience, I'd say that there is a fairly widespread prejudice among ESL employers in the States against EFLers.

I'd also say that, like all other prejudices, it's wrong-headed. Would we all agree that EFL students usually have it harder in learning English than ESL students? After all, the ESL students are generally surrounded by English whereas for many EFL students, the classroom is the only time they may get to speak English (the enterprising ones can read, write and/or listen to it outside the class, though I'd say, many don't.)
And when the students have it harder, doesn't it logically follow that the teachers have it harder, too?

Again, I can speak only from my background - 22 years as a EFL teacher and eight years as an ESL teacher. And I would have to say that in my estimation, the EFL colleagues that I had were/are (generally speaking) more competent than most of my ESL colleagues (the main exceptions being ESL non-native speaker teachers.)

But again - that's just my experience.

Regards,
John

spiral78 chimes in with:

I've worked in a couple of places in North America providing classes for immigrants: the teachers were 90% native speakers.

Non-native speakers were employed primarily teaching lower levels, not due to any lack of proficiency (they were all very high level English speakers) but because their teaching methods tended to the more traditional. This is what many newcomers seemed to expect and to respond best to - they were then 'weaned' up through higher levels to more participatory/learner centred classroom styles.

nomad soul agrees:

The ESL teaching situations I've observed in the US mirror spiral's description but with native and non-native speakers teaching all levels. It's probably relevant to the demographics of the area. But employers will hire whomever they want for whatever the reason.

The job market for ESL teachers is competitive and one way to make sure you're not forgotten or ignored is by networking. Teachers who head overseas for a time and then return to their native shores especially need to keep a connection with their home teaching community. TESOL events are a good venue for meeting and networking with one's peers. Linkedin is another way to network and it's free.

follow the rest of the conversation at the link above...

Internet Changing the Way We Remember

2011-07-17T20:02:00.000-07:00

BBC has a story...

Computers and the internet are changing the nature of our memory, research in the journal Science suggests.

Psychology experiments showed that people presented with difficult questions began to think of computers.

When participants knew that facts would be available on a computer later, they had poor recall of answers but enhanced recall of where they were stored.

The researchers say the internet acts as a "transactive memory" that we depend upon to remember for us.

Lead author Betsy Sparrow of Columbia University said that transactive memory "is an idea that there are external memory sources - really storage places that exist in other people".

"There are people who are experts in certain things and we allow them to be, [to] make them responsible for certain kinds of information," she explained to BBC News.

Co-author of the paper Daniel Wegner, now at Harvard University, first proposed the transactive memory concept in a book chapter titled Cognitive Interdependence in Close Relationships, finding that long-term couples relied on each other to act as one another's memory banks.

"I really think the internet has become a form of this transactive memory, and I wanted to test it," said Dr Sparrow.

Now, where did I leave my car keys?

Mexico Wins Sub 17 Tourney!

2011-07-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

I don't often get excited about football - soccer, but Mexico is having a banner year. A couple of weeks after defeating the US for a win in the Copa de Oro, Mexico's under 17 squad tonight came away with the championship after defeating Uruguay 2-0. The tourney was hosted in Mexico.

These are difficult times for many people in Mexico, fighting both negative world opinion and a cartel war at home. The sub-17 win is exactly the kind of thing Mexicans need to lift the spirits and keep the pride shining.

Guadalajara hosts the Pan American games in October giving the Mexico side another chance to shine in sport in 2011.

Mexican Trucks Across the Border

2011-07-07T11:14:00.000-07:00

Mexican truckers will finally be allowed across the US border past the 40 km limit they previously had. This ends a 17 year NAFTA dispute and ends Mexican tariffs against a range of US products coming into Mexico.

BBC has the story.

US and Mexico have signed a deal to allow their trucks to use each other's roads, after a 17-year dispute.

The 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement called for Mexican trucks to have full access to US highways, but they were kept to a border buffer zone.

In 2009, Mexico imposed higher tariffs on dozens of US products in response.

Officials said the deal would address safety concerns over Mexican vehicles. Business groups welcomed the accord but US trucking unions have condemned it.

Under Nafta, US and Mexican carriers were authorised to cross the border.

But the the US refused to allow Mexican trucks full access, citing concerns of their ability to meet US safety and environmental standards.

Mexican vehicles have generally been allowed no further than 40km (25 miles) into the US.

The Mexican side has pushed hard for Mexican trucking to have full access to the US as agreed upon in the NAFTA agreement in 1994. The US has put up legitimate concerns but slow to propose solutions in areas such as cross-border checks and safety regulation compliance. Trucker unions in the US have put up the biggest objections fearing loss of jobs and income for US based truckers.

Home Alone Dad Day 8

2011-06-26T19:19:00.000-07:00

One day to go...mommy arrives tomorrow.

We spent the morning at Parque Mexico with my cousins who pitched in to entertain the hellion.

Mommy had better be bringing me some duty free Crown Royal...I have earned it.

Untitled from Guy Courchesne on Vimeo.

Home Alone Dad Day 7

2011-06-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

We're in the home stretch...today was all about partying! Mexico City's annual gay pride march starting at 11 AM and we arrived to find that it didn't start until about 1 PM. Stella fell asleep in my arms so I only got the barest of footage.

Mommy's colleague the Fongster held an end of year BBQ at her place which got rained out to some degree. Hamburgers, music, and busting up some furniture was still the order of the day however.

And how could you top it all off better than with a 4-2 Copa de Oro final victory by Mexico over most hated rival USA?

Mommy is home in two days...

Untitled from Guy Courchesne on Vimeo.

Home Alone Dad Day 6

2011-06-24T18:35:00.000-07:00

Some relief today when the nanny came by to take Stella to the park and to help clean up around the pad. It started raining around 2 PM and stayed that way so Stella the Artist and I remained inside, colouring, tickling, and reading.

Miss you lots, mommy.

If that video doesn't load for you because it's blocked, here's the Vimeo version.

Stay at Home Dad Day 6 from Guy Courchesne on Vimeo.

Home Alone Daddy Day 5

2011-06-23T19:41:00.000-07:00

Rain put a damper on our outdoor plans today. After downloading Dumbo and Pinocchio, calling Domino's Pizza, and serving up ice cream, we hardly noticed the rain.

Home Alone Daddy Day 4

2011-06-22T19:06:00.000-07:00

Someone gave us a tea set for Stella's birthday (thank you whoever you are!)...oh, why didn't I unpack this three days ago? Stella loves it!

We went super girlie today, playing dress up, having tea, frying ants with a magnifying glass...oh no, that last one was my childhood as a boy. We had fun nonetheless.

Special note to Kristen - wish I could have found the original blue dress.

Home Alone Daddy Day 3

2011-06-21T18:49:00.000-07:00

Daddy's Log, Playdate June 21st, 2011 - the Longest day of the year. We docked at Port Velarde today for some much needed R and R. The base commander was more than happy to provide swimming and babysitting services. This is Day 3 of our journey with 5 more to go. I think we may just make it after all.

Home Alone Daddy Day 2

2011-06-20T17:12:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I can make it. 6 more days and I am utterly and completely OWNED by this little hellion.

Send help.

Home Alone Daddy

2011-06-19T17:20:00.000-07:00

Today I embarked on a perilous journey...perhaps the most challenging challenge in the history of challenge. Today, mommy left for an 8 day conference in Washington DC leaving daddy, home alone, with a monster.

I've faced tough battles in my time but this one will test my limits. I plan to keep a log, for future generations of stay at home dads, in case I don't survive to tell the tale.

Day 1.

Go the F*CK to Sleep!

2011-06-15T07:05:00.000-07:00

Not actually for kids, but EVERY parent can appreciate this running away best seller.

See it on Amazon.

This book was actually leaked early and Internet piracy has vaulted into must-read and cult status. But the best has only just arrived with a Samuel L Jackson narration of an audio version.

Listen to Samuel read. (you probably don't want your children listening)

Canadian Senate Page Brigette Marcelle

2011-06-03T19:32:00.000-07:00

I have to give a shout out for this young woman, Brigette Marcelle, who was up until today a page for the Canadian Senate. Ordinarily, it is humdrum quiet in the House of Commons in Ottawa (for anyone but a politico) and pages are usually university students or young people interested in the parliamentary system. I have to imagine that young Brigette thought that being a page would give her insights on government perhaps looking at a future in the government. No longer.

Some are going to say that this was opportunistic, or a mere expression of youth that caught the media lens. No way, says I. This young woman worked to get to where she was and I think it took a great deal of courage to make the statement she did knowing full well that all of her dreams were the cost of making the statement.

Yesterday, a simple page. Today, on center stage.

Mexico City Markets - Foodie Paradise

2011-05-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

A friend had a story of hers published recently over at PeterGreenberg.com and I thought I'd share it here. The topic is one of my favorites - Mexico City markets, which range from once-a-week farmer's street markets, to permanent neighbourhood level traditional markets to the gigantic (600,000 sq feet!) Central de Abastos. Her story can be found here. Some exceprts...

As we always say, one of the best ways to explore a place is to mingle with the locals at the market, and that's especially true in a dynamic destination like Mexico City.

Locals Leigh Thelmadatter and Alejandro Linares Garcia share their insider market guide to Mexico City.

"I went from market to market for years, because Mexico is in its markets." - Pablo Neruda

The beauty of Mexico City's markets lies in the diversity. From antiques to livestock to authentic cuisine, there's something for everyone.

For the foodie ...

At the more food-centric markets, you will find small dishes called antojitos (cravings) which include tacos, quesadillas, filled tortillas, local specialties like barbacoa, huaraches, Mexican-style shrimp cocktails, fried bananas, fruit salads with tropical fruits and fresh squeezed juices, even beer and aged tequila.

MERCADO SAN JUAN

This is the city’s high-end food market, offering the freshest produce and the widest variety of fine cheeses and meats. With imported and domestic products, there's everything even exotic meats and seafood like ostrich, alligator, manta ray, snails and more. Fine bottles of aged tequila can also be found and chefs roam the stalls daily.

LA MERCED

One of the city’s of the oldest, and the largest of the traditional markets, is in the old La Merced monastery. From food to housewares, this market offers a variety of goods.

The market sits near what used to be the docks that received most of the foodstuffs from all over the Valley of Mexico, when it was still filled by five lakes and the city itself was an island.

MERCADO JAMAICA

Jamaica is pronounced ha-mai-ka, and named after the hibiscus flower. It is one of the largest vendors of produce but is best known as the city’s and country’s largest cut-flower and ornamental plant market.

MERCADO SONORA

This market specializes in live animals (including some illegal species), dishes and party supplies.

However, what makes this market notable are the aisles dedicated to herbal medicines and the occult, including paraphernalia related to Santeria and a skeletal figure known as Santa Muerte (Saint Death).

I've been to all of these, with La Merced being my favorite. I always find something new every time I go.

Mexico City Transformed

2011-05-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

Something I've been saying for quite a number of years living here in Mexico City...nice to see some recognition from abroad. Transformation doesn't come overnight...it's been a long series of steps, some large some small.

The Toronto Star writes:

MEXICO CITY—Why can’t Toronto be more like Mexico?

Not the country. The city.

Just a few years ago, the question would have seemed absurd.

After all, Mexico City has long been written off as a hulking urban disaster zone — too big, too violent, too crowded, too dirty.

Don’t even mention the traffic.

The motorized madness can still be horrendous, and the Mexican capital faces many other stubborn problems. But under visionary Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, the most populous city in the Americas has been transforming itself in numerous and surprising ways, most of them jarringly at odds with the place’s recent and mostly dire reputation.

Poverty remains widespread, but the city that goes by the name of Mexico now boasts a host of improvements, including extensive dedicated bike lanes, a highly popular bike-sharing system, much winsome public art, handsome pedestrian malls, enhanced public transit, reduced crime levels, diminished corruption and even improved air quality.

“This is not to say we have turned into Vancouver,” concedes Jorge Fuentes, spokesman for the Mexico City Secretariat for the Environment. “But, each year, the indices get better.”

Meanwhile, the metropolis that began life seven centuries ago as the Aztec city-state of Tenochtitlan has become an oasis of liberalism in a largely conservative land.

“Mexico City has become more tolerant,” says Jorge Carrasco, a reporter for the weekly newsmagazine Proceso. “Everyone goes around as they wish. Everyone dresses as they wish.”

Toronto’s legions of bike-riding “pinkos” — to use Don Cherry’s felicitous epithet — can only look on in envy and, perhaps, despair.

During his five years in office, Ebrard has de-penalized abortion within the capital region — this, in profoundly Catholic Mexico — while also passing laws that legalize same-sex marriage, authorize adoption by gay couples, and permit euthanasia in some circumstances.

Rob Ford would be horrified, of course, but Rob Ford was not singled out this past December as the world’s best mayor by the City Mayors Foundation, an international organization that promotes sound local government.

Ebrard was.

Nor was Rob Ford’s city honoured last year by the Green Index for having a top environmental management plan.

Mexico City was.

Can we possibly be talking about the huge, fuming, cacophonous conglomeration that only a decade ago seemed to be hurtling pell-mell for urban Armageddon, where upwards of 20 million people were shoehorned into a toxic valley haunted by armed thugs, where 3.5 million cars daily befouled the thin highland air, and where almost everybody suffered from chronic bronchitis?

In a word, sí.

It’s the same place, all right — but the place has changed.

Rest of the story at the link above. I'd love to hear your comments if you're in Mexico City, have ever visited, or want to know more.

Mexico City Cantinas

2011-05-08T06:50:00.001-07:00

Here's a great story from the BBC looking at Mexico City's forgotten cantinas. I'm not a big cantina goer myself but I do enjoy visiting when out with new arrivals to the city. There are some low-down fun places in the centro historico, crumbling away.

BBC Travel has this one.

Clustered around the historic centre of Mexico City are hundreds of old and crumbling cantinas. Following years of neglect, the cantinas and city centre are now staging a comeback.

"The government has rescued the centre. The streets are cleaner, safer and customers are returning," said the Ricardo Mancera, the operator of the La Ópera cantina. Cantinas are a cornerstone of Mexican cultural heritage and the emergence of a young art and design scene in the centre is helping to keep the cantina tradition alive.

Cantinas were historically a private space for men to drink, talk and play dominoes. Now a refuge for men and women, cantinas are busiest between 2 pm and 5 pm, but stay open until midnight. Beer and tequila are the drinks of choice and many cantinas serve botanas (appetizers) after a few rounds of drinks. Music is part of cantina life and wandering guitarists and singers ply their trade for around 30 pesos a song.

The best cantinas in the centre are within blocks of each other and easily visited on foot.

See the story for a review on some of the best hidden gems in old Mexico City, including:

El Tío Pepe (Independencia 26, at Dolores)

La Ópera (5 de Mayo 10, at Gante)

El Río de la Plata (República de Cuba 39, at Allende)

Chimp Gestures

2011-05-06T17:41:00.000-07:00

My, my, turns out chimps will use up to 66 different gestures to communicate with each other. I've been able to get away with maybe three or four to cover all scenarios.

From the BBC

Wild chimpanzees use at least 66 distinct gestures to communicate with each other, according to scientists.

A team of researchers from the University of St Andrews in Scotland filmed a group of the animals in order to decipher this "gestural repertoire".

The team then studied 120 hours of footage of the chimps interacting, looking for signs that the animals were intentionally signalling to each other.

The findings are published in the journal Animal Cognition.

Previous studies on captive chimps have suggested the animals have about 30 different gestures.

"So this [result] shows quite a large repertoire," lead researcher Dr Catherine Hobaiter told BBC News.

"We think people previously were only seeing fractions of this, because when you study the animals in captivity you don't see all their behaviour.

"You wouldn't see them hunting for monkeys, taking females away on 'courtships', or encountering neighbouring groups of chimpanzees."

Dr Hobaiter spent 266 days observing and filming a group of chimpanzees in Budongo Conservation Field Station, Uganda.

more of the story at the link above

Impressive. Mexico City residents - also known as Chilangos - have a good repertoire of gestures at their disposal as well, most often seen while driving. Here are some of the more common ones.

Thank you.

Sometimes seen while driving though it is rare to thank someone for doing something nice. Usually you are being cut off or cursed for something you did to someone else.

Gimme a second.

This doesn't refer to a male member - oh I've seen some foreign guys put off when a Mexican woman did this to them on the dance floor. Need a second before responding to someone's request? Show them the little inch.

That's it, that's it, that's it!

Trying to remember something but can't then someone says it? That's it! Extend your index finger and wag it like scratching an itch.

Easter Week - Mexico City Passion Play

2011-04-16T09:10:00.000-07:00

It's here, it's finally here! Semana Santa - Easter week break, the second most important holiday period in Mexico after Christmas. For many, that means a week (or two) of fun in the sun. 22 million strong Mexico City practically empties out as Chilangos head to the beach.

Not everyone leaves though and in fact quite a number of people from other parts come to DF to witness the famous re-enactment of the last days of Christ. The Passion Play in Iztapalapa district has been running for decades and draws many hundreds of thousands of the Catholic faithful, as well as tourists. I have been once and it is quite the experience. Here are some videos.

MEXTESOL Mexico City Conference April

2011-04-07T18:20:00.000-07:00

Otherwise known as an Academic Saturday. The Mexico City chapter of MEXTESOL will be holding this conference this Saturday, April 9th, 2011 at the Museo Britanico-Americano from 4:00 to 7:30 PM. The Academic Saturday is open to members and non-members alike, with non-members paying only 40 pesos at the door. Yearly memberships are available for 200 pesos.

Visit MEXTESOL at their site for more information.

The bulletin for this Saturday's event can be found here.

Texcoco Fair - Mexican Rodeo

2011-03-31T06:41:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Texcoco Fair is set to begin soon, running from April 8th to May 1st. I've never been to this fair but have always wanted to go, especially with it being so close to Mexico City.

2011 Texcoco Fair Program

The Texcoco Fair is heavy on music with many artists of the norteño variety (northern Mexican music, something like country/western).

As well as music, the fair features great food, a rodeo, horse show, bull fighting, and cock fighting (unfortunately).

Sexism in Spanish Language - Mexico

2011-03-23T20:54:00.000-07:00

From the BBC

Mexico's interior ministry has published a guide on how to reduce the use of sexist language in a nation renowned for its machismo.

The Manual for the Non-sexist Use of Language is being distributed to government offices across Mexico.

It seeks to reduce comments that enforce gender stereotypes, as well as the default use of the masculine form in the Spanish language.

The manual was written by a body that tackles violence against women.

In its introduction, the manual describes itself as "a tool to familiarize federal public workers with the use of non-sexist strategies in the Spanish language".

It discourages the use of phrases such as: "If you want to work, why did you have children," and: "You are prettier when you keep quiet".

Interesting indeed. Mexico is quite the macho country, in language, attitude, the home, and everywhere else though I've always experienced it here as a two-sided coin with good and bad. Mexico City is not nearly as macho as the countryside can be what with a fairly liberal and modern mindset in its populace. I am curious as to how to eliminate the default use of the masculine though as I know of no neutral form for some words, such as sibling or parent (hermano/a and padres/papas).

Mexican Economy

2011-03-22T14:22:00.000-07:00

is set for a strong bounce upwards, according to the BBC and the Mexican finance minister.

BBC story...

Mexico's problem of drug violence is serious but there is no evidence investors are being put off, Mexico's finance minister has said.

Ernesto Cordero told the BBC that the tourism sector also seemed unaffected by concerns over violence.

Mr Cordero, speaking in London, said that Mexico was set to continue its strong economic performance, with growth this year set for 4% to 5%.

The effect of rising oil prices on the US recovery is a key concern, he said.

The minister said that Mexico was facing and solving the problem of criminality, a reference to the drug-related violence that has seen high murder rates in some regions of the country.

"There is no evidence investment is not coming to Mexico or that investors are being put off because of violence," he said.

The drug war has undoubtedly harmed the tourism industry in many places in Mexico, including Acapulco, Mazatlan, and others. But it isn't hurting the rest of the economy strangely.

Carlos Slim - Rich and Gettin' Richer

2011-03-09T18:03:00.000-08:00

Carlos slim, already the world's fattest fat cat, got fatter. 38% percent richer this past year as a matter of fact.

BBC and forbes report:

Mexico's Carlos Slim has topped the latest Forbes magazine rich list, as his wealth grew by more than a third.

The telecoms magnate's fortune rose by $20.5bn (£12.65bn) to $74bn, again beating Microsoft founder Bill Gates ($56bn) into second place.

More than 200 people joined the billionaires list as their numbers rose to a new record of 1,210, Forbes said.

Six billionaires connected with Facebook are now on the list including, Mark Zuckerberg and Sean Parker.

They are joined by Facebook investors Peter Thiel and Yuri Milner as well as co-founders Eduardo Saverin and Dustin Moskovitz, who is the youngest person on the list at 26.

Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad was the biggest loser, down $17bn to $6bn.

I could certainly use a handout...

It's mango season!

2011-02-24T07:02:00.000-08:00

Oh how we love mango season here in Mexico. There is a good variety of mango that grows here, but the juiciest, tastiest, mango-juice-running-down-your-elbow mango is the Mango Manila, pictured below.

Mango season in Mexico runs from early February through to about June, with the Manila type first one off the trees. When I lived in Acapulco, we had four mango trees on the property, one of Manila and three of the Paraiso type, which I don't like very much. Come February and March it was positively raining mangoes.

The paraiso mango. I don't find them nearly as juicy.

My daughter loves mangoes and it was one of the first fruits she tried. Full of iron, mango fruit is rich in pre-biotic dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and poly-phenolic flavonoid antioxidant compounds.

Mangoes can be a bit of a pain to cut up and serve. I'd normally just peel them and chew around the pit but that's extraordinarily messy for a 20 month old. Here's a way to cut mango into cubes to more easily serve to children...in a bowl with natural yogurt and granola in our case.

The 100 favourite fictional characters

2011-02-23T07:40:00.000-08:00

From The Independent, The 100 favourite fictional characters as chosen by the literati.

The story is from 2005 but I just found it. Some interesting choices in the list.

Flashman

Chosen by Terry Pratchett (the Discworld series)

Harry Flashman, that fictional reprobate - wenching and dodging his way through the major military engagements of the 19th century - is funnier, more honest and certainly less harmful than many of the real brave fools whose paths he double-crosses. You just can't help liking the amiable cad.

Gandalf

Chosen by Mary Hoffman (Stravaganza City of Flowers)

JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings boasts the best white wizard in fiction - not morally ambiguous or neutral like Merlin, but not infallible either. Always wise when present and strangely comforting even when predicting doom and destruction.

Dr Watson

Chosen by Judith Kerr (The Tiger Who Came to Tea)

There is something appealing about a man who stows his stethoscope under his top hat. Modest to a degree, Watson does not bother us with facts about himself, since Sherlock Holmes is so much more important. His only irritating habit is the way he refers to some of Holmes's cases without telling us the full story.

God

Chosen by Michael Marshall (The Lonely Dead)

Polymorphic, unpredictable, unaccountable; omnipotent yet negligent, kind yet vicious. Suitable to any genre or period. Able to hold centre stage in plot, or work subtly in deep background. Never requires a deus ex machina. A character you can immerse yourself in, forever.

See the full list at the link above.

Hottest Chili Pepper - A New Record

2011-02-19T09:48:00.000-08:00

The hottest chili pepper in the world is not from Mexico, despite the regular scorching I get at local taco stands. It is not from India whose military apparently uses chili peppers in hand grenades. No, it is British.

The BBC has the story.

Experts have pronounced a chilli grown in the market town of Grantham, Lincs, as the hottest in the world.

Tests have revealed the "Infinity Chilli" to have a Scoville Scale Rating of 1,176,182 - hotter than chilli reportedly used in hand grenades by the Indian military. But what is the attraction of this insanely hot ingredient?

The story of the world's hottest chilli begins not in Mexico or Bangladesh, but next to the barbed wire at RAF Cottesmore in Leicestershire.

Nick Woods, working shifts as an RAF security guard and considering his growing family, decided he had to do something more entrepreneurial with his life.

That was five years ago. What was Nick's hobby - cooking up hot sauces in his kitchen - developed into his Fire Foods sauce business, and now the 38-year-old Grantham man finds himself literally in possession of hot property.

Like many great discoveries Nick says he developed the Infinity Chilli accidentally.

Stella and Dog Training

2011-02-07T12:53:00.000-08:00

My significant other and I have two dogs, Tequila and Chela (I didn't name them!). Tequila was picked up as gift in Honduras as a pup and is better traveled than I am. Chela was a Mexico City street find. Both have been great though not without some housebreaking problems.

When Stella came along, I was something nervous as a new and overly protective father. How would the dogs adjust and would they present a danger to newborn Stella, either by being rough with her or from allergens in the air. None of my concerns was ever warranted thankfully and Stella loves them both.

Stella is old enough now at 19 months to help daddy put out the dog food dishes and pick them up, in fact she insists on helping. She likes to give treats to the doggies and is learning hand signals and commands, to tell the dogs to sit and lay down.

Here's Stella learning how to do it.

Museo Papalote Mexico City

2011-01-30T18:11:00.000-08:00

The happiest place in Mexico City! I can't believe I went 10 years living here without having visited, though since it is for kids I guess I didn't have a good reason until now.

http://www.papalote.mx/

The museum in Chapultepec park is geared towrds kids and features hands-on science, tech, and cultural exhibits. There's an IMAX theatre inside and constantly changing feature exhibits. What impressed me most were the dozens of workshops run every hour by great staff, everything from how paper is made, to working with electricity, to art and more. Stella is too young for the workshops, so we stuck to the under-3 displays and exhibits but we'll be back every year I think. 12 dollars gets you in.

Mexico and Canada - A Comparison

2011-01-26T15:38:00.000-08:00

Thanks to The Mexile for this find, who compared Mexico to his native United Kingdom (fact: you are 400 times more likely to drink tea in the UK!). While Mr. Denness is just about to leave Mexico to return home after about 6 years in Mexico and is understandably looking into his options, I'm staying put.

But, it might be fun to see what differences there are, using If It Were My Home...a nifty website that compares any two countries, presumably by using widely available statistics.

So let's see how the old country stacks up against Mexico.

The Results

I would:

Use 9.8 times more electricity living in Canada. and pay a lot more for it too! Win for Mexico.

consume 4.2 times more oil in Canada.. I don't drink oil. I also don't have or need a car. Win for Mexico.

spend 4.7 times more money on health care in Canada. Eh? What about universal health care? I guess it's not free. Win for Mexico.

make 2.8 times more money in Canada. Actually, it's probably much higher than 2.8 Win for Canada.

have 72.03% less chance of dying in infancy in Canada. Since I'd already been born before this survey, I'll call this one a draw.

have 51.79% more chance of being unemployed in Canada. Ouch. So I guess I wouldn't be earning 2.8 times more money being unemployed now would I? Win for Mexico regardless.

have 46.8% less babies in Canada. I have one child now, born in Mexico. I'm not sure how I would explain things to folks in Canada if I'd had 53.2% of one baby there. Let's call this sill category a draw.

experience 33.4% less of a class divide in Canada. Wonderful, I'd have to mingle with the great unwashed. A win for Canada, badly needed at this point.

live 5.03 years longer in Canada. I should hope so paying so much for health care! Win for Canada.

have 11.99% more free time in Canada. Not sure I believe this one. Christmas season alone in Mexico would seem to scotch this stat. We'll give it to Canada pending an appeal.

be 33.33% more likely to have HIV/AIDS in Canada. Whoa! Another dubious stat. Win for Mexico.

Final score Mexico 5 Canada 4

Mexico city taxis - fares going up

2011-01-24T12:02:00.000-08:00

Taxi rates in Mexico City are on the way up, after many years without an increase and near constant complaints by DF taxi drivers, whose rates are fixed by the city.

Story at El Universal

Taxis rides are already very cheap in DF - cheaper than anywhere else in the country, and the rise is modest.

New rates are now as such:

2-door taxis (such as VW bugs) now start at 6.40 pesos (up from 5.80) and go up 1 peso every 250 meters or 45 seconds.

4-door taxis start at 7.04 pesos with the same per-meter rate.

Sitio taxis start at 10.56 and rise 1.25 pesos per 250 meters.

Overnight taxis will still tack on 20% to the fare, as before.

To put it in simpler terms, a ride to the airport from my area in Escandon will rise from a total of 60 pesos to 68 pesos. I can deal with the rise as taxi drivers deserve the break.

Teaching Mexican Teenagers

2011-01-21T17:42:00.000-08:00

Are they all gruesome to teach? Spoiled little brats? Let's find out.

A discussion over at the Cafe Mexico section is raging.

Doublethinker begins:

I just started a job two weeks ago as full-time sub for secundaria and prepa (eventually as other teachers leave I'll get my own classes). I was super excited to get the job because it pays a lot and I really, really wanted to work with youth. Also, the principal, vice principal and all other staff are really nice and they do a lot of professional development. It's one of the more expensive private colegios in the city (I'm not going to mention the name.)

I knew it would be hard and there would be behavior problems, but I am shocked, just shocked at how bad the kids are. I wish I could just be the laid back teacher, but if I don't discipline 75% of each class just talks over me and completely ignores their work. So (encouraged by my principal) I've decided to be strict so the students will actually work and pay attention. Not "sit down you little *beep*" strict, but "Juan, Maria, it is really frustrating to try to teach with you two yelling, this is the third time I've asked so you need to go down to the office." Nice but firm... so I thought. Instead the kids are revolting and calling me a bitch and threatening to tell their parents.

Now, there are some nice groups, but others are devils. Today one class was so rowdy I asked a few people to leave but the behavior continued. I needed to show consequences so I called the principal in (a very nice lady.) She gave them a quick talk about respect and told them they have to stay in for recess. (With a few exceptions, the 6 good students could leave.) As soon as she left I started hearing a lot of "que tonteria de puta" and as soon as recess started they literally swarmed me and yelling at me and pushed me out the door.

I really want to teach, and there are a lot of nice students at the school and it brings me a lot of joy talking to them and encouraging them and hearing their opinions. But I just don't know if I have it in me to be good at classroom management.

Soooo... I'd like to ask, for those that have taught in Mexico (preferably at a similarly fresa school) and abroad, are my students really bad or are all adolescents so impossible to control? I'd like to think that if I can get through a couple years here that if I go back to Canada or another country to teach that the behavior will be a little better. Like, is it all uphill from here? Or perhaps my personality would be more suited to returning to adult ESL or even primary school.

Thanks for your opinions!

EP adds:

Secundaria and especially prepa in Mexico will either make you or break you as a teacher. It's not a nice experience per se, but you do learn a hell of a lot. I hated it too but after I taught prepa for a year, everything else was much easier and funnily enough, my prepa students are the ones that remember me most when I see them around the city.

Follow the discussion at the link above.

When Si Means No

2011-01-11T07:42:00.001-08:00

Navigating a new language in a country not your own is difficult to say the least. Sorting out a new culture along with the language can be frustrating. What do you do when you arrange to meet someone at 4:00 PM let's say and they show up at 4:30 or 5:00, as if there was no difference?

Welcome to Mexico!

We're having a good discussion about the ins and outs of communicating and language in Mexico, trying to sort out the subtle signs that indicate a cultural difference, over at the ESL Cafe.

I wrote:

One of things I think is difficult to get used to arriving in Mexico for the first time is the cultural cues in communication that tell you what a person is really telling you. Little things like ahorita to tell you to wait awhile (or dismiss you) or how to schedule a meeting when time is flexible.

So what are the cues - verbal and non-verbal - that tell you what to expect?

In a job context, I can think of some English phrases we use to be polite, or to dismiss someone 'nicely'.

Q. Hey boss, how about a raise this year?
A. Let me get back to you on that or I'll look into it

After 10 years here, I still don't have it all down to the science of Mexican, though I can spot a lot of hidden meaning. Ideas?

EP responds:

I think I'm at the point (after nearly 6 years here) where I accept the way things are done here, and even do those things myself. I may not like certain things (like lateness or that annoying signal for 'wait a second') but I don't get offended anymore. Time is not used in a productive way in Mexico, and probably never will be.

fieldsofbarley adds:

Yes, I was thinking about this the other day. When I first arrived the "si-no" issue pissed me off big time, as well as the lack of formality (you make arrangements to meet with someone, then they cancel at short notice).

Mexican Spanish is full of "subtleties" like these. I´ve also noticed the way people start asking questions: "no tendria...?" (wouldn´t you have...) or "le molesto con..." (I bother you with...). It´s as if they anticipate a negative answer and they try to mitigate the psychological effects of a "no".

Strange...

Reyes Magos - First Time for Stella

2011-01-08T14:46:00.000-08:00

Stella got her first visit from los Reyes Magos in Mexico City this year, after we decided to start observing the tradition, alongside Santa. Los Reyes visit Mexican kids on the evening of January 5th. Some kids write a not to the Three Kings and leave it in their shoe. Other kids tie the note to a helium filled balloon and launch it into the sky so that it reaches the home of the Three Kings, behind the stars.

We decided to try the balloon method.

The tears dried up when we found out the three kings answered our letter super quick!

TEFL Inspired Haiku

2010-12-15T18:59:00.000-08:00

Mexico City and teaching here once inspired me to go on a Haiku binge..here is some of the stuff that came out of me. I am sorry to inflict this upon you, dear reader!

From the streets of Mexico City...

Officer wanders
Body armor itches, it seems
Wanting to go home

Talking to himself
Frantic knuckles and fingers
Insanity plea

Sitting on the bench
Hunched, wrinkled old old man
Checks an ancient watch

Dust and grey concrete
are gravestones but green living
things find a way

On the metro, line 3

Balderas tuna can
Shuffle poke is that my hand?
or yours on my bum

Blind vendor arrives
with something salsa. Good thing
she can't see herself

Sweat metro Juarez
we swim in each others wet
Heat! I am a slut

A flash! An empty seat!
Who will win the precious chair?
Old lady, no fair!

Hurtling underneath
Metroman writes poerty

Random Mexico City

Desmadres are why
nothing opens on Sunday.
Even words are tired

Montejo beer mug
and no-eyed fish are somehow
not what I wanted

Nobel Peace Prize

2010-12-10T18:56:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Liu Xiaobo. Fight the good fight!

http://nobelprize.org/

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2010 to Liu Xiaobo for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has long believed that there is a close connection between human rights and peace. Such rights are a prerequisite for the "fraternity between nations" of which Alfred Nobel wrote in his will.

Over the past decades, China has achieved economic advances to which history can hardly show any equal. The country now has the world's second largest economy; hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty. Scope for political participation has also broadened.

China's new status must entail increased responsibility. China is in breach of several international agreements to which it is a signatory, as well as of its own provisions concerning political rights. Article 35 of China's constitution lays down that "Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration". In practice, these freedoms have proved to be distinctly curtailed for China's citizens.

For over two decades, Liu Xiaobo has been a strong spokesman for the application of fundamental human rights also in China. He took part in the Tiananmen protests in 1989; he was a leading author behind Charter 08, the manifesto of such rights in China which was published on the 60th anniversary of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 10th of December 2008. The following year, Liu was sentenced to eleven years in prison and two years' deprivation of political rights for “inciting subversion of state power". Liu has consistently maintained that the sentence violates both China's own constitution and fundamental human rights.

The campaign to establish universal human rights also in China is being waged by many Chinese, both in China itself and abroad. Through the severe punishment meted out to him, Liu has become the foremost symbol of this wide-ranging struggle for human rights in China.

Oslo, October 8, 2010

Goodbye, Leslie Neilsen

2010-11-29T13:33:00.001-08:00

Canadian actor Leslie Nielsen passed away yesterday. He will be missed. One of my favorite comedians of all time, Leslie headlined some of the best comedy of the 80's and early 90's. The Naked Gun series and Airplane! are some of the finest examples of slapstick comedy.

http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/blog/2010/11/leslie_nielsen.html

Heroism in American movies always lives a whisker away from self-parody, and Leslie Nielsen was blessed with the skill and the opportunity to play in the cracks between the two. Would the actor, who died Sunday at 84, have been as mindblowingly funny in 1980's "Airplane!" if his Dr. Rumack had camped it up and played for laughs? Of course not: The genius of the performance is that it's the exact same one Nielsen had given eight years earlier as the ship's captain in "The Poseidon Adventure" -- same stoic deadpan, same wooden professionalism, same earnest cluelessness. The only differences were the surrounding madness and the star's knack for timing,

Unifying Spanish Writing

2010-11-29T06:07:00.000-08:00

The directors of 22 Spanish language academies from around the Spanish-speaking world have met in Guadalajara, Mexico to discuss changes to the language with some points on writing.

Precisó que se determinó eliminar los acentos en las palabras “solo”, “este”, “ese” y “aquel”, porque no existe una diferencia fonética, por ejemplo, entre el adverbio “solo” y el adjetivo “solo”, y consideró que la diferencia de significado puede definirse perfectamente en el contexto del texto.

“Pero si en algún país, alguien dice, a mí me gusta, yo necesito acentuar estas palabras, ¡pues hágalo, no hay problema!”, dijo Moreno de Alba, quien insistió en que la ortografía razonada de la lengua española —cuya publicación estará disponible en México y España en diciembre— es la propuesta que los académicos de la lengua hacen para unificar el uso del español en los países hispanohablantes, y no un tratado de prohibiciones.

Removing the need for a few accent marks here and there will save me some trouble when writing.

The directors have come to the idea that the language needs a bit of modernization and some type of standard between countries, but was careful to indicate that countries should be free to choose their forms to maintain unique traditions.

Now, if someone can help me find the enye on my US standard keyboard, I'd be feliz.

Mexican Food - A World Heritage

2010-11-20T13:04:00.000-08:00

The U.N. Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization has placed 'Mexican food/cooking' on a list of important intangible cultural heritage bringing a recognition and protection to the culinary art in the country I call home. Of course, this is something every ex-pat living in Mexico simply takes for granted as one of the top reasons to live in Mexico.

Yahoo News on the story.

MEXICO CITY – The quesadilla had more zip Wednesday and the taco tasted just a bit sweeter as Mexico celebrated its food being put on the United Nations list of intangible cultural heritage, alongside the lofty art of eating in France.

The U.N. Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognized everything from the growing of corn, beans and chilies to Mexican dishes prepared with grinding stones and mortars as an ancient process worth safeguarding in the face of encroaching global influences.

"Collectives of female cooks and other practitioners devoted to raising crops and traditional cuisine ... express community identity, reinforce social bonds, and build stronger local, regional and national identities," said the committee of 24 countries that determines the list.

The group, meeting in Kenya this week, announced additions to the list Tuesday that also included flamenco in Spain and carpet-weaving in Azerbaijan.

UNESCO, known for designating world heritage sites such as Peru's Machu Picchu and India's Taj Mahal, also lists traditions such as performing arts or social practices as activities worth preserving.

"I heard about the UNESCO thing this morning on the TV, and I was drooling all morning," Martin Tellez Romero, 45, said as his snack of beef-and-cheese quesadillas sizzled on the griddle of a sidewalk stand. "I couldn't even wait until lunchtime."

I was captured by Mexican food long ago...it is easily the number reason I live here and not in Canada (with the much better climate being a close second). Every time I make a trip home, I can think of only one thing...the good food I'm missing. It's difficult for friends and family back home to understand since first-world Canada offers just about every dish one can imagine, but it is never quite right. Far from right, actually.

Deported - From Mexico?

2010-11-19T05:31:00.000-08:00

Here's an interesting story of reversal...an American deported from Mexico back to the US. "Crash" is not exactly your average American business traveler or tourist, but here is his story of being deported from Mexico back to the US, which is surprisingly similar to the stories of many, many thousands of Mexicans experiencing the same fate each year.

From the New York Times.

TIJUANA — The two men could barely communicate. One was a Mexican laborer, the other an American wanderer, neither with any pesos in his pockets. But they bonded, having just gone through similar ordeals.

“The migra got me,” lamented the downcast Mexican, using slang for the United States Border Patrol.

“I know what you mean,” said the American, sitting on a bench near Tijuana’s seedy Avenida Revolución, strumming his guitar in the hopes someone might toss him some change. “I was deported, too.”

The United States government formally deported or otherwise returned more than a million foreigners — most of them Mexicans — according to immigration data. That figure has risen steadily over the years. But much to the surprise of many Americans, there is a trickle of deportees that flows north from Mexico to the United States as well.

Between January and September, the National Migration Institute, Mexico’s immigration service, deported 350 Americans, some of them lawbreakers who had finished prison sentences in the country, but others merely travelers who were found to be without proper paperwork.

Mystery Missile Launch

2010-11-09T10:17:00.000-08:00

Weird story on the wire right now about the launch of a ballistic missile off the coast of Los Angeles. No one seems to know where the missile came from. A story to watch today. North Korea? China? Secret US missile launch?

Aliens?

More at the Globe and Mail.

The Pentagon says it's trying to figure out whether a missile was launched off the coast of southern California and who might have launched it.

Officials with the navy, air force, Defence Department and North American Aerospace Defence Command say they are looking into a video posted on the website of Southern California television station KFMB.

The video appears to show a rocket or some other object shooting up into the sky and leaving a large contrail over the Pacific Ocean.

Pentagon spokesman Colonel Dave Lapan said Tuesday that officials can't confirm that there was a launch and if there was, by whom. He says officials are talking to civilian and defence authorities who control and monitor air space.

They Gave It Away?!!

2010-11-05T07:28:00.000-07:00

If you won 10.9 million CDN dollars in a lottery, what would you do?

Travel the world? Buy a fancy car, or several of them? Retire?

How about just giving it all, or most of it to charity?

From the BBC...

A Canadian couple who won $10.9m (£6.7m) in lottery winnings in July say they have given away $10.2m of the prize to groups in their community.

Allen and Violet Large said they were plain country folks who needed no more than "what we've got".

The two said they had donated about 98% of the cash after helping their family.

The elderly pair gave the money to churches, fire departments, cemeteries, the Red Cross and hospitals, where Ms Large has undergone cancer treatment.

"We haven't bought one thing. That's because there is nothing that we need," Mr Large, 75, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Mr Large, a retired welder from Canada's Nova Scotia province, added that he and his wife were quite content with their 147-year-old home and everything else they already owned.

"You can't buy happiness," he said.

Noble. I'm not so sure I'd have it in me to do the same...

Teaching in Mexico - When Problems Arise

2010-10-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

There's a good discussion (well, argument might be the best word) developing over at the ESL Cafe between a teacher and a school owner, with the school in question being Culturlingua based in Los Reyes, Mexico. A recently departed teacher is airing her grievances on the Cafe about the school and the owner of another branch of the same school (someone I happen to know fairly well) is responding. It's gotten a bit testy but there is also a lot of good information there about some of the problems both new teachers and language schools face working in this industry. A recruiter with an interest in this case has also chimed into the thread.

Good read, I leave you to it.

The Discussion

This is a feedback on Culurlingua, an English institute in Los Reyes, Michoacan

I worked for Culturlingua for two months (September and October 2010). My goal was to work in Mexico, therefore I didn’t mind the low salary given that TEFL market was extremely stagnant in August 2010 in Latin America. Most job offers are not posted on-line in Mexico, one would need to live here and find connections in order to find his/her ideal job. Therefore Culturlingua is a gateway into Mexico, a stepping stone for better jobs. But here is what you need to know if you are considering an offer from their institute:

The institute is extremely business-oriented. All policies are set to bring about profit. If a student registers a month after the semester has begun, they would not hesitate to place him/her in your class. You have to think of how she/he can catch up. Students are not allowed to fail; they would be allowed to re-take the same tests multiple times until they pass it. No materials are provided. The bookshelf where their materials from the age of Joseph Stalin are stored is always locked. If you care about your students, develop your own materials, you may be reimbursed. We were not.

Teaching: if you are looking forward to being challenged as a teacher, this job is not for you. You can only work within the structure of the book. Textbook comes first. The objective is to finish it, whether students learn or not. However, if you are a beginner teacher and are looking for a job where you can experiment without people breathing down your neck, this job is for you. The director, Ms. Cecilia Belmont, visits the school once in a blue moon. She may or may not sit in your classes. When she does, she will not offer any constructive feedback. She will isolate a few students and will criticize them for not participating or speaking Spanish in front of the entire class. That is why students do not have a good relationship with her.

Accommodation: The house is old, the T.V belongs to the World War I era, mattresses are uncomfortable, and there is a leak in most rooms. The kitchen has every gadget needed for cooking which is convenient, and a cleaning person comes every Friday to clean the house, paid by the school. This semester we had rats, the school did not take initiatives to remedy the situation until we threatened to leave. Cable, internet, cleaning materials, and gas are all paid by you. Services are relatively cheap.

Benefits: Money is sufficient for a simple living and traveling. However, you need to exit Mexico for your visa will expire in 6 months. The school will not provide visas. The whole program is structured in way to bypass immigration laws (yes! You work for them illegally), it’s been registered as a “language exchange program” where you teach English and receive Spanish lessons in return. Spanish classes were the highlight of our stay in Los Reyes, our teacher was wonderful.

Privacy (or lack thereof): the administrative staff of Culturlingua has some severe paranoia issues with their teachers. I understand that some teachers in the past might have given ammunition to this paranoia, but we were a group of professional teachers who went to work and came back to the house. No parties, no guests, no binge drinking. In spite of that, the receptionist would drop by unannounced to check around the house. We also suspect that she had come when we were in class and entered our rooms. The cleaning lady had been advised to spy on us while she was cleaning. Our Spanish teacher was admonished every time she spoke with us outside of class. She was advised never to interact with us after class.

Immersion into Mexican society: I came here thinking I would be guided to get to know this marvelous country by the school. The staff does not bother giving any sort of guidance, tours, maps, and tourist info. to their teachers. They maintain a healthy distance with their teachers. We worked here for 9 weeks not knowing exactly where the receptionist lives in this small town. We had to search everything on our own. I never felt a belonging to a group or an educational team, there were never any gestures made out of hospitality or mere friendship to ensure we are happy. Knowing how warm-blooded Mexicans are, this behavior surprised me.

We voiced out our problems from the beginning: lack of incentives, lack of materials, lack of openness and trust. They never listened. The entire system is set in a way to bring teachers from English-speaking countries (to sell their ‘native’ image) keep them for five months, and adios! There is a myth about past teachers. They deny that numerous teachers have breached their contract and left in the middle of the night without informing the school. You might want to ask them for a recent reference. They do not have any, with the exception of one or two teachers who somehow survived. There were four of us here in Los Reyes and Periban. We gradually lost motivation; we found better jobs and left the school in the space of five days. I take with me the wonderful memories of my interactions with my amazing students. Overall, I do not recommend this position to anyone.

Best of luck,
Los Reyes Teachers, 2010

A quick question- did you get to see the contract BEFORE you accepted the job and came? OR was the first time you saw the contract when you arrived in Los Reyes?

Another comment- maybe the secretary was visiting the house because she was concerned about the rat situation that occurred?

I am the owner of Culturlingua in Tlaquepaque and I wish to state my connection right now- to be up front and open.

Hit the link above for the rest of the conversation.

Legal, After 101 Years

2010-10-13T06:01:00.000-07:00

I will never again complain about long waits at immigration in Mexico for my visa renewals.

From the BBC.

More than a century after she crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico into the US, Eulalia Garcia has become an American citizen at the age of 101.

"I feel really good about what I have accomplished - at my age and with my health," she said.

Ms Garcia, who entered the US on 12 October 1909, became a citizen on the 101st anniversary of her arrival.

She said the first thing she wanted to do as an American was vote in the mid-term elections on 2 November.

"Sure, I do - for the best [candidate]," Ms Garcia said.

The naturalisation ceremony took place on Tuesday in a federal courthouse in Brownsville in the US state of Texas, where Ms Garcia has lived almost all her life.

She now joins an elite list of only 15 immigrants over 100 years of age who have been naturalised as citizens, according to the US Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Chilean Miners Rescue - Watch it Live

2010-10-12T16:06:00.000-07:00

In about two hours, rescuers will begin winching up the first of 33 miners trapped for 2 months 700m underground. You can watch the rescue live at the link below.

http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=90642&catid=37

Chilean Miner Rescue

2010-10-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

Hours away. The rescue shaft is a mere 34 m from reaching the thirty-three miners, trapped some 700m below ground since August 5th.

It will still take three to eight days to rig up the rescue bucket and winch and those last days may feel like weeks to these brave souls. This most incredible story of fear, hope, and salvation in one of the world's most dangerous industries is at 64 days now, but the final chapter is upon us.

Godspeed.

Tlatelolco Massacre, 42 Years On

2010-10-02T08:06:00.000-07:00

Today marks the 42nd anniversary of what is known as the Tlatelolco Massacre where on October 2nd, 1968, Mexican government forces opened fire on protesting students and killed many dozens of people. Numerous attempts have been made at seeking justice, most recently under the last Mexican president Vicente Fox but to no avail.

Every year, students and ordinary folks alike march to the Plaza de las Tres Culturas to mark the event.

Wiki background on the massacre.

On October 2, 1968, “La Noche de Tlatelolco” (the Night of Tlatelolco), around 10,000 university and secondary students gathered in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas to protest the government’s actions and listen peacefully to speeches.[14] Along with the CNH members, many men and women not associated with the CNH gathered in the plaza as spectators of the demonstration. The students had congregated outside an apartment complex in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas in Tlatelolco for what was supposed to be a peaceful rally. Among their chants were ¡No queremos olimpiadas, queremos revolución! ("We don't want Olympic games, we want revolution!"). Rally organizers did not attempt to call off the protest when they noticed an increased military presence in the area. 2 helicopters, one from the police, and another one from the army, overflew the plaza. Around 5:55 P.M. red flares shot from the S.R.E. (Mexican Ministry of Foreign Relations) tower. Around 6:15 P.M. another 2 flares were shot, this time from a helicopter (one was green and another one was red) as 5,000 soldiers, 200 tanks and trucks surrounded the plaza.[14] Much of what proceeded after the first shots were fired in the plaza remained ill defined for decades after 1968; however, much has been corroborated by since released information from American and Mexican government sources.

Today's march begins at 1:30 PM with more details at El Universal in Spanish.

The government of Mexico City today is also offering an apology to the families of the students killed in 1968. Again, El Universal reports.

This apology is coming from the wrong people as the federal government was responsible, not the city government, which didn't even exist in 1968 as Mexico City was directly ruled by the federal government at the time. This is more about current Mexico City mayor Marcelo Ebrard's run for the presidency in 2012...he seems to be out apologizing for everything and making grand proclamations about national affairs a lot lately. I like the guy as mayor but think he would not make a good president.

Coup Fears in Ecuador?

2010-09-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

BBC reporting...

Ecuador's president has denounced a "coup attempt" after mass protests by members of the security forces against his government's austerity programme.

After being forced to flee a rally at a barracks in Quito, Rafael Correa said "the opposition and sections of the armed forces and police" were to blame.

Mr Correa said they would have to kill him first to achieve their goals.

Sigh. The turmoil never ends in Latin America. It just shifts around from place to place.

Chilean Miners Update

2010-09-29T07:07:00.001-07:00

Good news out of Chile for the 33 miners trapped 700m underground. Rescuers expect they'll be out sometime between mid-October and early November. Previous estimates had the rescue hole drilled by Christmas.

From the BBC.

Thirty-three miners trapped underground in Chile for nearly two months could be out sooner than thought.

Rescuers digging to reach the men say one of their drills has cut through 50m (164ft) of rock in 24 hours.

At that rate they could be ready to bring the men to the surface by the middle of October.

But they have warned that they could yet run into problems, and the government still says it could take until early November to get them out.

One of the three drills digging rescue shafts - the T-130 - has now penetrated more than 300m (984ft) of the 630m (2,066ft) of rock separating the miners from the surface.

"This headway is some of the best we have had and it is due to the better continuity we have had with this drill," Andrew Sougarret, the head of the rescue operation, said.

"We have reached 300m, which is the area where we have had the most unfavourable geological conditions, so hopefully we can think about maintaining this rhythm of drilling."

Chilean Miners

2010-09-25T19:39:00.000-07:00

The story of the 33 Chilean miners trapped some 700 meters underground has had me on edge for weeks now. It was with jubilation that we heard they were found alive and with trepidation we heard it may be months until they could be rescued.

I read of their story every day, knowing that there will be that story one day, sometime before Christmas, where we see them emerge finally from the depths. This is one of the greatest human triumph stories of our times.

Today, the cage that will eventually pull the miners to safety one-by-one was delivered to the mine site.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11412845

A cage specially built to help rescue 33 men trapped underground in a mine in Chile has arrived at the mine head.

The steel capsule will be used to pull the men to safety one by one, once a rescue shaft wide enough to haul them up has been drilled.

Relatives of the miners were allowed to get into the narrow cage, which is little more than 50cm (20in) wide.

It is expected to take between 20-30 minutes to pull each miner up from their shelter at a depth of 700m.

Waiting for Superman

2010-09-24T10:11:00.000-07:00

A new documentary is due out soon covering the complex and divisive topic of public education in the United States. The film is directed by Davis Guggenheim famous for his work on An Inconvenient Truth.

http://www.waitingforsuperman.com/

The film promises to move you and this blogger is certain that many teachers in the US will feel quite uncomfortable with many of the messages the film presents.

Time magazine also recently ran a special on the film and on US public education in general.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2016978,00.html

Mexico City Earthquake - 25 Years On

2010-09-21T05:40:00.000-07:00

On September 19th of this year, Mexico City observed the 25th anniversary of a devastating earthquake that in 1985 killed between 6000 and 35000 people and flattened numerous buildings, schools, and a major hospital. Every year since that quake, the Mexico City government has run major earthquake drills at all public buildings. Many businesses also participate. This year's simulation involved over 6 million people.

Living in Mexico City means I'm sure to feel another big one sooner or later. I've felt a number of smaller tremors over the years and one good sized shake in 2003. It's not something one can get used but nor is it something you live in fear of everyday. You just hope you know what to do when another big shake comes along.

The most recent simulation generated a report that some 3000 buildings in the city are at risk of serious damage should another monster 8.1 quake occur as did in 1985. At risk are buildings in Iztapalapa, Cuauhtemoc, and Venustiano Carranza districts (none of which I live in) as buildings in those areas are quite old and both underground and overhead infrastructure present particular risk in these high-density areas.

10 Most Unswerable Questions

2010-09-20T07:23:00.002-07:00

Courtesy the BBC and Ask Jeeves

1. What is the meaning of life?

2. Is there a God?

3. Do blondes have more fun?

4. What is the best diet?

5. Is there anybody out there?

6. Who is the most famous person in the world?

7. What is love?

8. What is the secret to happiness?

9. Did Tony Soprano die?

10. How long will I live?

and I'll one of my own...11. Where is this guy's head?

Ah Here's a REAL Bicentennial

2010-09-19T18:32:00.000-07:00

Oktoberfest turns 200! Celebrating drinking beer for 200 years...oh yeah!

From the BBC

It all started with a “yes”. On 12 October 1810 Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria (the future King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen exchanged their marriage vows, thus kicking off a mega-bash that culminated five days later with a spirited horse race. The party was such a rip-roaring success that the Munich magistrate decided that it warranted an annual repeat performance.

Over time, many other traditions were added. Carnival booths appeared in 1816, the folk costume and riflemen's parade followed in 1835, while the brewers first paraded in 1887. And since 1950, the Oktoberfest has officially opened with the tapping of the first keg by the Munich mayor.

And so it will be again this year. At noon on 18 September 2010, Mayor Christian Ude will launch the world's biggest collective drink-up with the magic words: O'zapft ist! (It is tapped!). For the next 17 days, more than six million normally prim and sober citizens from every country in the world will descend upon the Theresienwiese festival grounds (Wiesn, for short) to guzzle towering mugs of beer and engage in good cheer and outright debauchery. This year is the 200th anniversary of the tankard-clinking marathon and the city of Munich has come up with some unique ways to mark the occasion.

For a primer on the Oktoberfest, report to the Münchner Stadtmuseum (Munich City Museum; www.stadtmuseum-online.de), where a special exhibit tracks its evolution from Bavarian royal wedding gala to beery extravaganza. There are plenty of fun displays, like the oldest beer keg, an epic painting that graced the festival entrance on the 100th anniversary, and fancy dirndl (traditional women's dress) designs through the ages.

Mexican Independence Day!

2010-09-15T13:38:00.000-07:00

Today and tomorrow, Mexico celebrates its bicentennial - 200 years of independence and 100 years since the Mexican revolution. Parties abound throughout the country.

Having a 15 month old daughter means I won't be able to join the evening festivities, which culminate tonight with el grito - the president of the country reciting the famous cry of independence that started this whole Mexico thing. It's at 11 PM so Stella will be fast asleep. We've decided to spend the evening at home with friends and drinks, but we're taking in some daytime activities today and tomorrow as there is much music, dancing, and fiesta-making all over town.

Here's how we celebrated a few years ago, back before I became a father.

28th Annual Mexico City Marathon

2010-09-12T10:40:00.000-07:00

and there's not a chance I'll be in it!

From El Universal

La celebración del 28 Maratón Internacional de la Ciudad de México desquicia el tránsito vehicular en la zona centro y poniente de la capital del país.
Con la participación de más de 15 mil atletas, a las 7:15 horas inició la carrera en la avenida 20 de Noviembre, con un dispositivo para garantizar la seguridad de corredores y público en general.

La ruta de 42 kilómetros que siguen los competidores esta mañana nublada y de escasos espectadores comprende 20 de Noviembre, José María Pino Suárez, Doctor Río de la Loza, Chapultepec, Sevilla, Thiers, Ejército Nacional, Homero, Horacio, Presidente Masaryk y cruzará la Segunda Sección del Bosque de Chapultepec.

Los maratonistas continuarán por Salamanca, Durango, Oaxaca, Tamaulipas y Alfonso Reyes para incorporarse al Circuito Bicentenario, Revolución, Río Mixcoac y regresarán por Insurgentes Sur, Avenida Juárez, Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas e Izazaga, para volver a la Plaza de la Constitución.

Además de esas calles, las autoridades capitalinas mantienen cerradas al tránsito vehicular avenidas como Juárez, Hidalgo y el Paseo de la Reforma.

15,000 people participate in the annual event which closes off many major streets in high end Polanco, down Reforma Avenue, past my place, and through Chapultepec park. I'd forgotten about the event until I took te dogs for a walk this morning and found Revolucion avenue closed off and cranky car drivers honking their displeasure.

Mexico City Marathon 2010

What to do with a wild 15 month old in Mexico?

2010-09-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

Take her to gymboree, of course! Burn off some of that energy.

For the last 6 weeks, mommy and daddy have been taking Stella Olivia over to gymboree for 45 minute sessions in playgym (instructor lead activities), music (instructor lead banging on things and dancing), and open gym to use the facilities as parents see fit.

It's been a blast and both a great outlet for Stella's growing energy and a way for her to socialize with other toddlers her age.

Some video from today's open gym.

EFL Jobs in Kabul. KABUL??!

2010-09-08T06:38:00.000-07:00

Someone at the ESL Cafe is asking about jobs in war-torn Kabul. Hard to believe. Anyone have a job lead for this person?

Reading Arabic 'hard for brain'

2010-09-04T17:20:00.000-07:00

according to the BBC.

Israeli scientists believe they have identified why Arabic is particularly hard to learn to read.

The University of Haifa team say people use both sides of their brain when they begin reading a language - but when learning Arabic this is wasting effort.

The detail of Arabic characters means students should use only the left side of their brain because that side is better at distinguishing detail.

The findings from the study of 40 people are reported in Neuropsychology.

When someone learns to read Arabic they have to work out which letters are which, and which ones go with which sounds.

It is the ability to tell letters apart that seems to work differently in Arabic - because telling the characters apart involves looking at very small details such as the placement of dots.

Professor Zohar Eviatar, who led the research team, said: "The particular characteristics of Arabic make it hard for the right hemisphere to be involved. When you are starting something new, there is a lot of [right hemisphere] involvement."

Homeless man calls 911 from hot tub

2010-09-02T07:05:00.000-07:00

asks for towels, hug, hot chocolate!

Oh my this is funny...

From CBC.

BEAVERTON, Ore. - A homeless man who called 911 from the hot tub of a suburban Portland, Oregon home and asked for towels, hot chocolate and a hug.

He didn't get any of those items — he got arrested for trespassing instead.

Beaverton police say Mark Eskelsen called 911 from his cellphone, identified himself as "the sheriff of Washington County," and asked for medical help.

He later admitted he wasn't the sheriff but informed the dispatcher he'd been in the water about 10 hours and his towels had gotten wet.

As he put it, "I just need a hug and a warm cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows in it."

The Oregonian newspaper says arriving officers arrested Eskelsen for investigation of second-degree criminal trespass and improper use of 911.

Mexican Federal Cops Shown the Door

2010-08-30T09:08:00.000-07:00

and don't let it smack your pompis on the way out.

According to a BBC report, some 3200 federal police officers of varying ranks have been sacked - some 10% of the force - for corruption or incompetence. Adios! Of course, many will now probably find work with the cartels, which is little more than a change of uniform since the job is the same.

The federal police force in Mexico has sacked almost 10% of its officers in an effort to combat corruption.

The 3,200 fired officers had either failed to do their job properly or had been linked to corruption or organised crime, said Commissioner Facundo Rosas.

Mr Rosas said more than 1,000 others faced disciplinary proceedings and might also be sacked.

He said none of the officers would be allowed to work in police forces at local, state or federal levels.

More than 4,500 officers have been sacked since May, said Mr Rosas - many had been charged with crimes.

At a news conference, Mr Rosas, said some of officers had been accused by subordinates of having links to drug cartels in Ciudad Juarez, the country's most violent city.

The commissioner said this was only the first stage of a purge of Mexico's forces and that more than 1,000 others faced disciplinary proceedings and may also be sacked.

Paternity Leave?

2010-08-26T10:24:00.000-07:00

A story from the BBC caught my eye.

The politics of paternity leave

It is those precious early moments with a new child that so many fathers treasure. A time to bond with their offspring and offer invaluable assistance to the mother.

After welcoming new daughter Florence into the world, Prime Minister David Cameron is taking his statutory paternity leave to be with his wife Samantha.

But it is an experience that not all his fellow fathers feel they can justify. Thanks to decades of shifting attitudes, their reluctance is not based chiefly on chauvinism or a belief that childcare is woman's work. The problem, instead, is money.

Some 45% of new fathers said they did not take paternity leave, according to a 2009 report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Of those, 88% said they would have liked to have done so, and 49% said they could not afford it.

As it stands, new fathers with long enough service are entitled to £124.88 a week for two weeks, or 90% of their average weekly wage if that is lower. Assuming a 40-hour working week, it is a figure that comes in well below the minimum wage.

Fathers can take an additional 13 weeks off, unpaid, before the child turns five and, from April 2011, new mothers will be able to transfer the second half of their year-long maternity leave to the father. But this too will be unpaid, thus, again, of little help to those without the necessary savings.

For many families, the situation reinforces the traditional norm that the father is the breadwinner and the mother the homemaker.

Self-employed in Mexico, there is no government scheme I could have taken advantage of. As parents, we simply took the decision to reduce my schedule and workload to stay at home more while mommy went back to work. Mexico doesn't offer very much by way of maternity leave as it is, so I wouldn't expect there to be anything for fathers.

Maternity leave in Mexico (for those employed and paying into the Mexican social system) allows 100% paid leave for a full 88 days. That's all. Half of those days must be taken before the birth which is absurd as many women, including my girlfriend, are just fine working right up to almost the last moment. After the birth, mommy is tossed off paid maternity leave a mere 5 weeks later.

Some people get better packages through their work and private insurance, which we could have done as well. Had it been impossible for me to adjust my schedule, mommy would have certainly taken a full year off work.

I think Mexico hasn't made any changes to the maternity leave system simply because no one is pushing for it. Mexican families are much larger as a rule than their British or North American counterparts, and at every age a child is almost always in the company of aunts, uncles, and grandparents who usually live in the same neighbourhood. While women are certainly a large and important part of the Mexican work force (to varying degrees around the country), families are generally close and it is not common to see a women select career over family.

Google as a Recipe Book

2010-08-24T06:52:00.000-07:00

The google wonders never cease to amaze. Yesterday, I heard about a trick any bachelor can use to whip up a delicious meal using very few ingredients, which is often the state of a bachelor's fridge.

Got nothing but pickles, mustard, and a can of beer? Google it up and have a fine meal. Well, maybe not in those extreme circumstances...here's how to do it.

Go to your fridge and try to identify as many edibles as possible. Do check expiry dates and mold as google can't fix everything.

Get online and over to google. Now, simply key in the stuff in th fridge and let's see what comes up.

I tried mustard, ham, peas, apple juice and got back 520,000 hits, with the first page being all recipes. Of course, you'll need a few more ingredients from any recipes you get, but a least you have an idea what to pick up at the store or locate elsewhere in the kitchen.

Give it a try...no need to call for pizza.

Raising the Kids to be Bilingual

2010-08-22T08:32:00.000-07:00

You might think that a pair of Canadians raising a child in Mexico means the achieving bilingualism is automatic - taken for granted. That was my thinking when we chose to have a baby. After 14 months, it's proving to be more work than I thought, but not an impossible challenge.

We speak mostly English in the home with Stella, though reading time is a mix of both as we've collected an enormous library of children's books written in both English and Spanish. I've been using select programming from Nick Jr, a channel carried on Sky (Mexican satellite tv provider). Dora la Exploradora and a few other programs that are 90% Spanish. We also have a nanny that watches Stella when both mom and dad are at work (about 40% of the year) and she speaks 100% Spanish. So, it looks like we have all the right tools in place.

Stella is not talking yet...a few words here in there, and lots of ba-ba-babble. I'm told that kids raised in a bilingual environment will normally take a bit longer to start speaking so no worries as yet. What I'm most impressed with is her ability to understand either language.

Whether it's Spanish or English -though mostly English - Stella demonstrates a very understanding of what's said to her. "Please bring daddy the ball" is answered quickly by her looking for the ball (among a mountain of toys) and bringing it to daddy. Using some Spanish like "donde esta la pelota?" is producing the same result.

It will be interesting to see what her first phrases are, beyond the yes/no, hi/bye, mama/papa words she's already using. I am hoping it won't be something like:

"Papa, here's the pelota. Donde esta my bottle of leche?"

But even if it is, I'll still be happy.

The End of Plastic Bags in Mexico City

2010-08-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

Mexico City is joining the ranks of many of cities in the world by trying to eliminate the use of plastic bags at grocery stores. After two years of preparation, grocery stores caught issuing plastic bags to customers will be fined.

The idea is to of course reduce or eliminate the scourge of plastic in our environment, which remains for long periods of time.

For two years now, all the major grocery store chains in Mexico City have been pushing "la bolsa verde", green bags mde of recycled plastics or other environmentally friendly material. I have a good stock of them myself though I'll admit, I've still been collecting the regular plastic bags to use in small waste bins in my home and for doggie poop bags.

El Universal story

Desde mañana, lleve sus bolsas al supermercado

El gobierno capitalino anunció que la ley para erradicar el uso de bolsas de plástico que dañan el ambiente entra en vigor como está previsto, por lo que a partir de mañana jueves existe la posibilidad de sancionar a los establecimientos que regalen esos artículos.

La consejera jurídica Leticia Bonifaz manifestó que la mayoría de las tiendas de autoservicio ya entrega bolsas hechas con materiales biodegradables, por lo que evitarían eventuales multas.

La funcionaria señaló que la Ley de Residuos Sólidos no representa “una persecución ni cacería de bolsas”, sino que busca crear conciencia para que se reduzca el consumo de plástico y regrese el uso de los morrales y bolsas de tela.

Mexicana Airlines - No Hay Vuelos

2010-08-16T16:40:00.000-07:00

When I fly back to Canada for trips home, I usually fly Mexicana. There's a direct flight Mexico City to Montreal at a good price - under $600. Not any longer it seems.

Mexicana started scaling back its international operations as it seeks bankruptcy protection.

From the Vancouver Sun...

Ailing Mexican airline Mexicana on Monday suspended a string of international flights after last week seeking bankruptcy protection in Mexican and U.S. courts, a company statement said.

At least 15 international flights would be affected, including between Mexico and Vancouver, Montreal, London, Madrid and cities in the United States and Latin America, the statement said.

Mexicana, one of Mexico's biggest airlines, blamed its financial woes on the high cost of labour, after failing to reach a deal with unions on major cost-cutting.

The 89-year-old airline said in a statement Sunday that it would gradually reduce operations after its financial situation had seriously deteriorated. It said it would give priority to passengers returning from summer vacations and would release information on its website, mexicana. com, and on Twitter.

Grr...just as I was about to buy tickets to go home for Christmas. There isn't another airline or route that comes close in price or flies directly to Montreal. Not only that, but Mexicana is the last civilized airline out there - one that doesn't kick you in the teeth for carrying more than a tote bag. An airline that serves reasonably edible food, without charging you extra for it. An airline that send the drink cart down the aisle with complimentary drinks including alcohol.

Hopefully it will get sorted out soon, but I fear that the last great airline will not be the same creature when it comes out from Chapter 11.

Driving in Mexico

2010-08-14T19:24:00.000-07:00

Nuts. Bonkers. Drive you round the bend and back again after running you over and leaving you for dead.

Sometimes anyway.

Mexico City has something like 4 million cars on the road and I swear not a single one has a driver that knows what he or she is doing. Here's a video I took to illustrate it, from a pedestrian bridge that passes over a major thoroughfare in the central west end of the city.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRTpla3XiFo

Raising Children in Mexico - A Canadian's View

2010-08-12T20:14:00.000-07:00

14 months old is my little Mexican-Canadian daughter...frijolera and canucka, all rolled into one little ball of joy and smiles.

My girlfriend and I are both Canadians, living and working as teachers in Mexico City and when we decided to start a family, we made the decision to have our baby here. That choice entailed lots of questions and research, not only on hospitals and doctors, but on legal questions of nationality and long term factors like education. We're happy with our decision while our daughter reaps the benefits of being dual-cultured well on the way to being bilingual.

Here are some thoughts I have on the challenges and benefits of having a child in Mexico as a foreigner, in case you've stumbled upon this post looking for information on the subject.

Health care. Canadians often take health care for granted, given our universal coverage. Mexico is a good example of what happens to a country that has a two-tiered system and little oversight. A mixed and confusing bag of all levels of care, ranging from very low-cost state care to high-cost private care with anything and everything in between. We had some specific traits we were looking for in a hospital and doctor and after awhile, we found what we wanted.

While we had access to nearly-free care, the state system didn't meet our needs. We wanted to ensure that mother and baby would be together at all times, instead of baby being in the nursery all day and night. We didn't want formula to be given to the baby - breastfeeding only. As the father, I wanted to be in the delivery room and stay with mother and baby in a private room.

After looking at several hospitals, one finally fit the bill and the delivery went smoothly. It certainly cost money, but not an unreasonable sum. The doctors we'd chosen were unbelievably good - attentive and available. All in all, it was a better experience than we could have found in the Canadian system.

Nannies, diet, and playtime. We also needed to make some decisions on work, childcare, and schedules. I am lucky to be able to set my own hours at work over the course of the year, so the decision was made for me to play stay-at-home dad for much of the first year. A nanny would help out for the times I did need to work.

Choosing a nanny turned out to be easy. We live in a mixed neighbourhood with plenty of families and have gotten to know many of our neighbours over the year (we bought an apartment in central Mexico City just before Stella was born). Our nanny lives with several of her family members half a block away and has a three-year-old son of her own. She has been a dream and an inexpensive one at that. Stella is quite happy with her and we rest easy knowing she is in good hands while we work.

Nutrition and diet for Stella are other important factors of course. Both my girlfriend and I are big foodies and healthy eaters and the food in Mexico is the top reason we both choose to live here. We wanted to ensure that Stella ate as healthily as possible right from the get go so access to whole and natural foods was important. Local fruits and veggies are a year-round thing and very low-cost here. Very little processed foods are to be found in my cupboards or on Stella's plate. We started her on solids at 6 months of age, introducing fresh avocado, peas, carrots, and a few other usual suspects and haven't looked back. It amazes me thinking back to my own childhood how many things I refused to eat and here's Stella, gleefully trying everything we offer - and none of it has ever come from a jar, a can, or a tetrapak.

Nationality and Education. Having been born in Mexico, Stella was automatically given Mexican citizenship. The hospital provides a record of the birth which one brings to the Registro Civil (civil registry) to obtain a birth certificate. Super simple. Getting her Canadian citizenship was a little more time consuming, mostly due to a change in laws in Canada right around the time of her birth. Nonetheless, after a couple of trips to the Canadian embassy and a number of documents, her citizenship card arrived after 10 months. Strangely, the embassy was able to issue her a Canadian passport with few questions asked, and in less than 15 days whle she was still still a few months old.

Education is probably our biggest concern - and paying for it. Like health care, education in Mexico offers a dizzying array of choices, from state-provided to all levels of private. Stella will be able to attend my girlfriend's school at a significant discount, but it's still expensive. Pre-school and kindergarten will be our first proving ground and both quality and cost will be concerns. Down the road, there is university to consider and while we'd like her to attend a Canadian university, Stella will have to be a resident to avoid the costs of enrolling as a foreign student. That may mean doing at least 2 years at a Canadian high school, complicating matters. I guess we'll see.

All in all, raising Stella here in Mexico is the best thing we could have done for her. She gets the best of both worlds and leads a happy, healthy little life.

Until the terrible twos, at least.

Back to Shcool

2010-08-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

Uh-oh. How embarrassing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-10936604

Workers have misspelled the word school on a road approaching a high school in North Carolina in the United States.

Crews painted "shcool" on the approach road to Southern Guilford High School.

The road had been recently repaved and crews were working to mark out the school zones.

The company which was responsible said it had "made a mistake" and it would be fixed. A spokesperson said the paint was "interim paint" that is used before the final paint is applied.

2010-08-10T14:47:00.000-07:00

An American friend and wiki-freak in Mexico City has been working hard to update some wiki sites and her latest effort has to been to catalogue famous and historical buildings in the Centro Historico area of Mexico City.

Her work can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Historic_buildings_of_Mexico_City_Centro

Big thanks to her for making it easier to find and list these gems.

Blog's Back!

2010-08-09T19:15:00.000-07:00

After a disaster with my last long running blog, I took a break from blogging. I lost so much really good material that it was really disheartening to try to get back to it.

But I couldn't keep away. ;)