Saturday, July 2, 2011

El Dia de ME!!

Today is my birthday! and what a great day it's been thus far...
          but first, here's yesterday! The last day of my teenage years...
Kelly y yo with Memo our very...colorful zumba instructor! sorry about the fuzziness mom, the lady we asked to take the photo didn't know how to work my camera, and her friend kept poking her arm!
to celebrate our nineteennees (yes that is now a word), we drank jugo from a bag! oh yeah!
in our wandering around our town, Brittan and I found this building and I just loved it!
Kelly wanted to make sure that I missed out on nothing during my teenage years, so she came up with this list of things to do on my last day before entering my twenties!
we found this graffiti on our walk to mi fiesta de pizza and thought it was just perfect!
me being nineteen standing in line nineteen at the grocery store!
mi fiesta de pizza at Hannah's amazing house!
I made my delicious, peanuty, peanut butter bars! delectable!
riding in the back of the truck, in the rain, in the night! woo!
this is a slightly goofy picture of me and kelly waiting en frente de shoe store to go to Chilac to find Mexican dresses!
and this is us hiding around the corner of the dress place in Chilac to see if Lupita and her madre can get a good deal on dresses before the crazy (and loud) American girls show up! ha ha
and we made it inside! this is where these nice people hand sew and decorate beautiful, traditional Mexican dresses and shirts! awesome!
mi door obsession...
and again!
these cages were in the middle of the sidewalk in Chilac... filled with all sorts of animals. but mostly chicks and bunnies! like Easter in a cage!
 I rode a combi in Zacatlan, but was told that that was not a "real" combi because the driver was great...
but I had quite the combi experience today! Kelly called this 'total cultural immersion' ha ha it's like where's Waldo... where's Paige??
eating in un mercado gigante, these are not moldy tortillas... they're blue corn and they are muy rico!!
Swiss Family Robinson...


and now mi otra fiesta!
we all piled in the back of the truck to ride to el jardin!
'my best friend!' but really... ha ha we got these shirts in Chilac this morning and had to wear them to mi Mexican fiesta!
mi familia decorated in mi favorite color! yeah!
the party planning people! and my other best friend!
and my other best friend! and zumba buddy!
i have the best family ever! this is us having some fun on the trampoline that was at mi fiesta!

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Validation...

Today I feel validated. The other day I saw this video on youtube and just loved it! Wouldn't it be great if everyone could just be kind to everyone else... maybe if the world saw this video we would be! I know it made me want to be nicer! and now I'm noticing more and more how great the people I'm in Mexico with are! they are amazing and I never leave them without feeling validated! they make my bad days great and I'm so lucky to be here with them! So please... watch this video and remember... you are great!!
Another huge part of my Mexican experience is... du du du! The Color Code! Everyday without fail, our conversations lead to the Color Code..
The Color Code shares four personality Colors:
RED (Motive: POWER)—These are the power wielders. Power: the ability to move from point A to point B and get things done, is what motivates and drives these people. They bring great gifts of vision and leadership and generally are responsible, decisive, proactive and assertive. 

BLUE (Motive: INTIMACY)—These are the do-gooders. Intimacy: connecting, creating quality relationships and having purpose, is what motivates and drives these people. They bring great gifts of quality and service and are generally loyal, sincere, and thoughtful.

WHITE (Motive: PEACE)—These are the peacekeepers. Peace: the ability to stay calm and balanced even in the midst of conflict, is what motivates and drives these people. They bring great gifts of clarity and tolerance and are generally kind, adaptable, and good-listeners.

YELLOW (Motive: Fun)—These are the fun lovers. Fun: the joy of living life “in the moment”, is what motivates and drives these people. They bring great gifts of enthusiasm and optimism and are generally charismatic, spontaneous, and sociable.


I've taken the test and am equally Blue-Yellow-White... so I want to know what color you are? Take the test then let me know! Because I find it super interesting and I'd love to know!! 
http://www.colorcode.com/about/

Saturday, June 25, 2011

una carta de la Casa Brown!

Muchisimas gracias para mi carta!
Yeah for mail!!!
Thanks Leah, Henry and Mary!! I love my card and miss you guys!! and Jeremy... I miss you too even though you didn't write in my card! ha ha

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Pasó el fin de semana en Veracruz

No teaching on Friday! So instead... we went to the beach!
               Woke up early... super early to catch our bus at 2:40 AM!! and stopped in Tlapacoyan for some rafting...
from there we took another bus to Casitas en la Costa Esmeralda!
on our bus ride, we accidentally ran into another bus and the mirror broke off!
hooray for the beach!
and hooray for the most delicious gringas!
our cute and colorfully Mexican hotel!



Team Mexican Dress!!
our delicious Mexican meal... made by two Grandmas!
ending the day with some hand made ice cream!!