Tag: mexico

How to raise multilingual children?

Our kids are 3 and 7 years old. They both speak fluently two languages, now they’re learning a third one. This post explain our approach.

It is fairly easy. Kids are like sponges, soaking up everything without any effort or even concieus idea that they are in fact learning.

There are different scenarios:

  1. The family is moving abroad for a job.

  2. Parents are different nationalities and decide to teach their children their native languages.

  3. Parents know a foreign language very well, so they speak it to their children at home.

  4. Children are sent to school that the curriculum is in a foreign language, parents not necesarily have to speak it.

I personally know many families for every scenario. My cousin Patrycja, who lives in Poland talks to her son only in Spanish that she know very, very well. Our good friends, who lived in Toronto tough their kids Polish and French which are their mother tongues. The kids learned English outside, at school. In our case it was a job transfer to the USA where our children were born later.

We were sure that we wanted to teach our kids Polish, we just did not know how. We realized pretty quickly that it was not natural for us to speak to our daughter in English (despite knowing it very well) and it did not make any sense to introduce it at home since the whole world around us spoke it.

Nadia at a very young age realized that something weird was going on. Many times she had a surprised face, asking why everyone else is speaking different then my parents and I can not understand any of it:-) It changed very quickly, playing with American children every day, she reached their language level in few months. The situation was finally clear – Polish at home, English with everyone else. Sometimes she tried to mix, but we repeatedly and consequently asked her not to.

When she went to school, we started to introduce at home writing, reading and Polish grammar.

At this point she can write, read, speak, understand both languages and she just turned 7 last month.

In the meantime, our son Alexander was born. With his language education, we applied the same approach, except it was much easier because his main teacher was… Nadia. Now, he is 3,5 years old and does pretty good in both languages.

Here in San Miguel de Allende our kids learn a third language: Spanish. We enrolled them in Spanish only curriculum school so it is complete immersion. It has been 4 weeks and they can have a simple conversation, buy groceries at a local store and order their own food at a restaurant. Pretty good as for one month of school…!!!! 🙂

Nadia often finds similarities to the languages that she already knows. That only proves that it is easier to learn another language while you already know some.

We also decided to learn Spanish and we use Rosetta Stone program along with real life practice. I have to say it is pretty good and gives me the flexibility to learn at my own schedule. Most days we learn in the morning and in the afternoon we go out and try what we learned with the Mexicans who are very, very patient. 🙂

What is your experience? Please share…..

How to make lemonade in Mexico

Alex, our youngest scamp presents an instructional video for all his fellow misfits in the World. In this short video, he’ll explain, how to prepare a ‘delicioso’ lemonade.

After a few sets with his older sister, Alex finally got promoted from an assistant to an anchor. On his mother’s birthday, he not only helped with the breakfast to bed in the morning, but also offered to prepare fresh lemonade. Taking advantage of his generosity, we turned that rather uncommon event into an instructional video for all the scamps in the World!

Fernando de la Mora

Fireworks and great music, a true feast for the senses. Fernando de la Mora gave a great concert in park Allende.

As part of the Festival San Miguel Cantador, last Sunday, one of the contemporary greatest tenors gave a free concert in front of the Parroquia, in San Miguel de Allende. As you can imagine, this drove crowds from all over Guanajuato and other parts of Mexico. The concert was televised live.

In one of the few short breaks, Fernando gave a great speech calling for a national action to show that Mexico, despite it’s recent problems, is not only a land of drugs, corruption and violence, but it’s also a great place for connoisseurs of fine art. With it’s long and rich history and talented, friendly people San Miguel de Allende is a true cultural mecca for people from all over the World.

Even though, I’m really not much into opera music, I have to admit, I really did enjoy the event. The orchestra played many classical pieces, as well as some season relevant songs by modern composers from all over the World. Rather then sitting or standing in one place, I was able to walk around, see kids break dancing in the park, grab a coffee and take a few pictures.

Fernando de la Mora on stage in front of Parroquia, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Fernando de la Mora on stage in front of Parroquia, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.04-Dec-2011 21:38, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 200.0mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 800
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Fernando de la Mora on stage in front of Parroquia, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Fernando de la Mora on stage in front of Parroquia, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.04-Dec-2011 20:21, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 135.0mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 800
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Fernando de la Mora on stage in front of Parroquia, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Fernando de la Mora on stage in front of Parroquia, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.04-Dec-2011 20:27, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 70.0mm, 0.1 sec, ISO 400
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Fernando de la Mora on stage in front of Parroquia, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Fernando de la Mora on stage in front of Parroquia, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.04-Dec-2011 20:27, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 85.0mm, 0.1 sec, ISO 400
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Fernando de la Mora on stage in front of Parroquia, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Fernando de la Mora on stage in front of Parroquia, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.04-Dec-2011 20:26, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 6.7, 200.0mm, 0.1 sec, ISO 800
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Fernando de la Mora on stage in front of Parroquia, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Fernando de la Mora on stage in front of Parroquia, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.04-Dec-2011 20:25, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 6.7, 200.0mm, 0.1 sec, ISO 400
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Fernando de la Mora on stage in front of Parroquia, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Fernando de la Mora on stage in front of Parroquia, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.04-Dec-2011 20:28, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 3.8, 28.0mm, 0.1 sec, ISO 800
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Parroquia (parisch church) at night.
Parroquia (parisch church) at night.04-Dec-2011 20:27, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 3.8, 28.0mm, 0.1 sec, ISO 800
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Break dance in the park.
Break dance in the park.04-Dec-2011 21:27, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 3.8, 28.0mm, 0.1 sec, ISO 800
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Break dance in the park.
Break dance in the park.04-Dec-2011 21:27, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 3.8, 28.0mm, 0.1 sec, ISO 800
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People gathered in Jardin Allende to watch performance of Fernando de la Mora.
People gathered in Jardin Allende to watch performance of Fernando de la Mora.04-Dec-2011 21:26, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 3.8, 28.0mm, 0.25 sec, ISO 800
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Kids dancing in a gazebo, in the back Fernando de la Mora performing on the stage.
Kids dancing in a gazebo, in the back Fernando de la Mora performing on the stage.04-Dec-2011 21:28, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 3.8, 28.0mm, 0.125 sec, ISO 800
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Parroquia at night with moon in the background.
Parroquia at night with moon in the background.04-Dec-2011 21:43, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 45.0mm, 0.25 sec, ISO 800
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Agnieszka and Estefania in Jardin Allende after Fernando de la Mora's concert.
Agnieszka and Estefania in Jardin Allende after Fernando de la Mora's concert.04-Dec-2011 21:44, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 3.8, 28.0mm, 0.25 sec, ISO 800
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Agnieszka and Estefania in front of Parroquia after Fernando de la Mora's concert in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Agnieszka and Estefania in front of Parroquia after Fernando de la Mora's concert in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.04-Dec-2011 21:45, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 3.8, 28.0mm, 0.25 sec, ISO 800
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Fireworks against a backdrop of a Parroquia.The concert concluded with a display of fireworks against the backdrop of the Parroquia. In the series, there more concerts coming, and since now we have a babysitter (or even three of them), I’m  sure we’ll take the opportunity to spend a few nights on town this winter season.

Charreria, a rodeo Mexican style

Is a cold autumn day possible in San Miguel de Allende? Apparently so. We were exposed to one recently. The one of five every year, when you wish there was some sort of heating here. To warm up, we went to a rodeo – Mexican style!

Last Sunday, we woke up with a strange feel, that something was off, different than usual. We couldn’t quite place that feeling, but eventually Nadia stumbled upon first clue: it was colder then normal. When that fact finally sunk in, we had to admit that it was really quite uncomfortably chilly. Then we looked outside. Even though it was a late morning already, something was missing… We couldn’t see the sun! The clouds covered the sky tightly – quite uncommon sight, we thought… And then we noticed the real game changer. Something unthinkable happened overnight. The streets were… wet! Well, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. There was some  moist covering the cold cobble stones. It must have rained while we were sleeping. I think, that winter finally caught up with us. Time to get that long trousers and socks out of the suitcase. At least we know, we haven’t carried them half way around the continent for nothing.

After a long and definitely late breakfast, we were ready for the main attraction of the day. A friend of ours, invited us to an event, which was taking place just outside of town. I wasn’t quite sure what was it suppose to be, but welcomed the idea of going out. Expecting for the sun to come out shortly, we didn’t put too much cloths and headed out the doors.

While trying to open the garage door, a steel latch on the gate broke off, leaving our car immobilized and forcing us to take a cab. All taxis in San Miguel de Allende are green and for the most part Nissan Tsuru, a very reliable, but small and not very comfortable cars. All rides have also a flat rate. Within town it’s $30 pesos (USD $2.5), outside town it could be up to $40 pesos (USD $3). Our 15 minutes drive turned out to be $35 pesos.

We got to the Lienzo Charro (events ring) few minutes before our host, so we had to wait in the parking lot. Fortunately, Estefania and her lovely children showed up on time and we all headed to the gate. She was also much more considerate about the weather than us, and brought with her several thick rugs.  We got to the seats and bundled tightly waiting for the show to start.

The arena, build in the shape of an “U” had all the seats on one end and an open corral on the other. There were people already in the audience, and also horsemen in the ring, but it was clear the show didn’t start yet. Curious as what to expect, we learned that we were about to witness a charrería (also known as a cherreada). In a nutshel, it’s a sports event similar to rodeo, but with some rich history.

Evolving from the traditions brought from Spain in the 16th century, the first charreadas were ranch work competitions between haciendas. The modern Charreada developed after the Mexican Revolution when charro traditions were disappearing. The competing charros often came from families with a tradition of Charreria, and teams today are often made up from extended families who have been performing for up to five generations. The charreada consists of nine events for men plus one for women, all of which involve horses, cattle or both.

As we were getting comfortable in our concrete seats, I’ve noticed that despite fairly harsh (as for San Miguel de Allende) weather, the event draw quite a number of people. Some of them were obviously family, friends and relatives of the equestrians, but there was also a fair number of tourists. They’re always easy to recognize by their large lens digital SLR’s. In San Miguel de Allende, people discover their creative sides and everyone turns painter, writer or at least a photographer…

When the show started, a group of men, women and boys, riding their horses entered the arena. After presenting themselves to the audience, they retreated to the corral and the games began. I have to admit, I didn’t find the events extremely exciting, which might be because of the cold weather. I noticed however, that despite the shivering cold, the beer vendor drew more interest than the events in the Lienzo Charro.

A boy turns a cow over in full speed pursuit

The situation changed when the boys started to chase cows in the arena, trying to turn them over in a high speed pursuit (not sure what’s PETA’s take on this one). People on the tribunes started to cheer loudly every time a cow tumbled in a cloud of dust. Again, the gradual change in audience mood might also be attributed to the much welcomed appearance of  tequila vendors. The beer vendor didn’t seem happy. Outside the main arena, vendors setup their food stands selling tacos, gorditas, enchiladas and tortas. On the audience teenage girls and boys were selling snacks. Back at the top of the tribune, a DJ has setup his gear – a loud, apparently very popular song pouring out of his large loudspeakers. Some people in the audience started to sing and dance, without paying any attention to the events in the arena. Or their neighbors for that matter…

How to spot a tourist in San Miguel de Allende?
How to spot a tourist in San Miguel de Allende?27-Nov-2011 14:03, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 8.0, 200.0mm, 0.011 sec, ISO 400
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Peopel on the tribunes before the show began.
Peopel on the tribunes before the show began.27-Nov-2011 14:01, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 28.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 200
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Estefania's boys watching the horsemen.
Estefania's boys watching the horsemen.27-Nov-2011 14:02, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 8.0, 200.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 400
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Horse women (?) in the corral before entering the arena.
Horse women (?) in the corral before entering the arena.27-Nov-2011 14:37, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 135.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 200
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Lienzo Carro, the events ring in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Lienzo Carro, the events ring in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.27-Nov-2011 13:58, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 6.7, 28.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 200
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DJ singing karaoke style, folk songs. Very popular among the audience!
DJ singing karaoke style, folk songs. Very popular among the audience!27-Nov-2011 15:03, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 135.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 800
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Young horsemen saluting the audience.
Young horsemen saluting the audience.27-Nov-2011 15:23, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 85.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 200
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I was wondering all the time what were they drinking. Half the audience was drunk, they must have had some tequila too...
I was wondering all the time what were they drinking. Half the audience was drunk, they must have had some tequila too...27-Nov-2011 15:46, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 200.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 200
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A boy riding a young bull.
A boy riding a young bull.27-Nov-2011 15:55, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 200.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 200
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Tequila vendors were very popular in the audience.
Tequila vendors were very popular in the audience.27-Nov-2011 15:56, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 200.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 400
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A boy riding (trying to) a young bull.
A boy riding (trying to) a young bull.27-Nov-2011 16:06, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 200.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 400
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A boy under a young bull. Few bruises, nothing serious.
A boy under a young bull. Few bruises, nothing serious.27-Nov-2011 16:06, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 200.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 400
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Young boy showing off his lasso skills.
Young boy showing off his lasso skills.27-Nov-2011 16:11, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 200.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 800
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The head honcho.
The head honcho.27-Nov-2011 15:53, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 200.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 400
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Lots of sombreros...
Lots of sombreros...27-Nov-2011 14:45, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 200.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 200
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There were some questionable moments during the show. Apparently, the cows purpose was to be turned over – either in high speed pursuits, or being pulled by their tails, legs or horns. Younger boys were also riding them – which happened to be exciting only when one of them fell under a cow. Cows payback…

Despite that and the cold weather, I think we all enjoyed the event. But we also welcomed the proposal to move to our hosts house even more. After few hours of this frigid cold we needed a hot drink – apparently something  that’s difficult to get during sports events in Mexico…

Jugo Verde – Mexican Green Juice

Not only the Parents, but the entire Family is now involved in creating this blog. Today, Nadia and Alex explain what is Jugo Verde and how you can prepare one at home.

Nadia and Alex on our roof top terrace in San Miguel de Allende explain what is Jugo Verde, the Green Juice and how to prepare it at home. There are no exotic ingredients to it, and one doesn’t have to go all the way to Mexico to taste it. Try it at home and let us know what you think!

Tamales, gorditas and jugo verde

Agnieszka offers a glimpse of Mexican cuisine. She talks about observed eating habits, food nutritional values and typical dishes.

I have finally decided to write about the topic that is very close to my heart (or I should rather say – stomach), the Mexican cuisine.

All my friends know how incredibly important food is for me. Not only it has to be tasty, but most importantly, it has to be healthy. I adore, love, crave, am fascinated with whole foods. I am a firm believer, that most diseases start with a poor diet so food is definitely my medicine. That does not mean, that I am one of those health nuts, that will only eat certain foods. I believe in eating everything in moderation and there are only a few things I will stay away from most of the time.

Let me assure you that it is pretty easy to eat healthy in Mexico. They know definitely how to make sure everyone eats a well balanced diet including lots of vegetables, fruits, protein and carb combo.

On pretty much every corner you can buy freshly made juices (jugos) including jugo verde (green juice) blend of fresh squeezed orange juice, spinach, swiss chard and celery. Yes, that is what their children drink on their way to school. They also drink a lot of coconut water, which is so rich in nutrients and minerals that beats 100% all the sports drinks made in the lab.

Their snacks consist of freshly cut fruits and vegetables that you also can buy everywhere, conveniently packed in a small plastic baggies. All you need is a pair of clean hands…:-)

If you like something on the spicy side, boiled peanuts and garbanzos with a little bit of paprika and freshly squeezed lime juice would be your choice. How cool is that, it is all vegetable protein that all of us desperately need!

Delicious, boiled peanuts (Cacahuates) served hot with freshly squized lime juice over.
Delicious, boiled peanuts (Cacahuates) served hot with freshly squized lime juice over.18-Nov-2011 19:59, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 13.0, 200.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 200
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Delicious, boiled Garbanzo beans (Garbanzos) served hot with freshly squized lime juice over.
Delicious, boiled Garbanzo beans (Garbanzos) served hot with freshly squized lime juice over.18-Nov-2011 20:00, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 13.0, 200.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 200
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Delicious, boiled Garbanzo beans (Garbanzos) and peanuts (Cacahuates) served hot with freshly squized lime juice over.
Delicious, boiled Garbanzo beans (Garbanzos) and peanuts (Cacahuates) served hot with freshly squized lime juice over.18-Nov-2011 19:58, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 3.8, 28.0mm, 0.022 sec, ISO 200
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As far as main meals are concerned, the day starts with eggs. I have known it for a long time but recently I read a lot of press about how important it is to start you day with protein. It just speeds up you metabolism so you burn more fat. Sounds good to me! Eggs are so versatile, so it is hard to get bored with them.

Lunches and dinners are usually meat or fish based plus lots of veggies and avocado. That is sooooo good for you! The Mexicans mainly eat pork and chicken, since beef here is not very tender.

The only thing I would change, is the corn flour that they use tons of. I am not a big fan of it because almost all corn in the world is GMO (genetically modified). Not that we do not eat all those delicious tacos, gorditas (a small, thick tortilla filled with just about anything) or tamales (corn flour dough mixed with minced meat or cheese which is steamed or boiled in a leaf wrapper) made with corn flour…..we just limit our consumption.

To my greatest surprise, I found out that there is an Organic Farmers Market in San Miguel de Allende. That is where I go every Saturday to buy the freshest, tastiest, sun ripened produce, artisan breads, jams made from nopales (cactus) and fruits, that I never knew existed. Then I pack it all on my bicycle and ride home enjoying the smell coming out of my front basket. I have to make it just in time to prepare lunch for my kids coming from the library and trust me they are very, very hungry…:-)

Nadia’s Birthday

What would you do if you end up in a strange country, not knowing the language, not having any friends and your child was about to turn seven years old…? We improvised…

Looks like we’re running this blog with a two weeks delay. Nadia’s birthday was on the 12th, but I didn’t get to write about it until tonight. This might be one of the hard to kill habits, I got from my former life – you know the one involving shirts, ties and jackets. The currently lacking parts of my wardrobe.

We arrived in San Miguel de Allende at the end of October. That means we had couple of weeks to prepare for Nadia’s birthday. The most challenging was to find her new friends and invite them to the party. We enrolled our children to a local kids club, run by two American expats. Nadia and Alex quickly conquered hearts of Roombo regulars, unfortunately none of them were available to attend the party. Fortunately there is no shortage of kids on our street, even if most of them are boys…

On the day of the party, Agnieszka stayed home, while I took the kids to the library. That gave her a chance to prepare the festivities properly and without being constantly bugged by the two pumpkins.

At the library, lured by a promise of an English language story time, at first we wandered around aimlessly, only to discover new attractions.

You need to know, that in San Miguel de Allende, but I guess in other parts of Mexico as well, agendas do not seem mandatory. Things have a tendency to happen when and where it’s suitable, not when it’s been scheduled for. We learned that lesson before, with our maid, who decided she prefers to clean the house on Saturdays, rather then Thursdays as previously agreed. Therefore we weren’t extremely surprised to find out, that for whatever reason there is no story time that day. Even though it was heart breaking for some of us, we didn’t suffer for long. Instead, we stumbled upon children’s jewelry class. Open for the public and completely unannounced…

When we got back home everything was ready for the party. Well, maybe except for pizza and balloons, so I welcomed the opportunity for a quiet walk on my own, while Agnieszka and the kids awaited the guests. Turns out, Agnieszka almost had to drag some of the guests by their ears to the party. Boys at certain age tend to be real shy… Fortunately, when I got back, the house was already full of kids. Two large pizzas weren’t enough for all of them!

The main attraction of the day was obviously the pink, Hello Kitty piniata which Nadia carried back home from the local market few days before. The problem was, that the damn thing was empty and standing in the doorways with two hot, large pizzas on my hands, I realized I only have a few moments to change that. The kids all around me were screaming “piniata”, leaving very little room for interpretation. With a pocket knife, adhesive tape and a bag of candy I disappeared in the bedroom, while Agnieszka fed the little monsters.

I was done in no time, but then there was another challenge. Or even two. First, we didn’t have a baseball bat, so we had to improvise with a broom stick (turns out in Mexico, this actually is quite the norm). Secondly,  there was no backyard and I didn’t like the idea of a bunch of kids swinging broom sticks around our nice rental house. If we ever wanted to see that deposit check back, we had to take it to the streets. All we needed was a piece of rope and a willing neighbor. We found both without problems. Our cloths line fitted nicely with the spiderweb of electric wires suspended between the buildings. And remember the party garage opposite our bedroom…? I mentioned them before in my rant about San Miguel de Allende. Obviously there was a party going on and there were multiple volunteers to swing a piniata on a line. And they were professionals too…

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Nadia and their friends playing on the floor.
Nadia and their friends playing on the floor.12-Nov-2011 15:40, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. u850SW,S850SW , 4.8, 18.28mm, 0.013 sec, ISO 800
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Nadia, Carla, William and Alex's legs...
Nadia, Carla, William and Alex's legs...12-Nov-2011 15:40, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. u850SW,S850SW , 4.8, 18.28mm, 0.013 sec, ISO 400
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Piniata hunging over a cobblestone street in Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Underneath Alex dancing...
Piniata hunging over a cobblestone street in Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Underneath Alex dancing...12-Nov-2011 16:09, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 28.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 200
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Nadia with a broom stick getting ready to hit her Piniata, while other kids are watching the preparations. The scene on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Nadia with a broom stick getting ready to hit her Piniata, while other kids are watching the preparations. The scene on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.12-Nov-2011 16:09, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 28.0mm, 0.011 sec, ISO 200
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Nadia with a broom stick ready to hit her Piniata. The scene on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Nadia with a broom stick ready to hit her Piniata. The scene on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.12-Nov-2011 16:09, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 28.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 200
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Nadia with a broom stick getting ready to hit her Piniata, while other kids are watching the preparations. The scene on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Nadia with a broom stick getting ready to hit her Piniata, while other kids are watching the preparations. The scene on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.12-Nov-2011 16:10, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 28.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 200
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Nadia with a broom stick getting ready to hit her Piniata, while other kids are watching the preparations. The scene on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Nadia with a broom stick getting ready to hit her Piniata, while other kids are watching the preparations. The scene on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.12-Nov-2011 16:10, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 6.7, 85.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 200
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Nadia with a broom stick getting ready to hit her Piniata, while other kids are watching the preparations. The scene on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Nadia with a broom stick getting ready to hit her Piniata, while other kids are watching the preparations. The scene on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.12-Nov-2011 16:10, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 8.0, 108.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 400
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Nadia blindfolded trying to hit a Piniata on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Nadia blindfolded trying to hit a Piniata on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.12-Nov-2011 16:10, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 6.7, 28.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 200
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Nadia successful at hitting a Piniata on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Nadia successful at hitting a Piniata on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.12-Nov-2011 16:10, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 6.7, 28.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 200
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Nadia with her Hello Kitty Piniata hunging suspended between building on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Nadia with her Hello Kitty Piniata hunging suspended between building on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.12-Nov-2011 16:10, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 6.7, 28.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 200
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Piniata with a broken arm after being hit by a broom stick on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Piniata with a broken arm after being hit by a broom stick on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.12-Nov-2011 16:10, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 6.7, 28.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 200
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Nadia hitting a Piniata on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Nadia hitting a Piniata on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.12-Nov-2011 16:10, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 28.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 200
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Nadia swinging a broom stick on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Nadia swinging a broom stick on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.12-Nov-2011 16:10, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 6.7, 45.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 200
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Neighbors kids helping operate te Piniata and watching the scene on the street below them on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Neighbors kids helping operate te Piniata and watching the scene on the street below them on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.12-Nov-2011 16:10, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 9.5, 28.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 200
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Our American neighbor operating the other end of the line suspending the Piniata hunging over a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Our American neighbor operating the other end of the line suspending the Piniata hunging over a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.12-Nov-2011 16:10, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 8.0, 108.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 200
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A Piniata with a broken arm in front of a spider web of electric cables on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
A Piniata with a broken arm in front of a spider web of electric cables on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.12-Nov-2011 16:11, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 8.0, 45.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 200
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Nadia still trying to hit the Piniata on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Nadia still trying to hit the Piniata on a cobblestone street of Colonia San Rafael in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.12-Nov-2011 16:11, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 6.7, 28.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 200
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Overall, despite being the new kids on the block, Nadia and Alex didn’t have any problems fitting in. For being just a few days in a complete new environment, I think we did quite well. I don’t know much Spanish, but by the look on the guest faces, I’m sure they liked it too. And I don’t mean only the pizza…

Is there really a magnet in SMA?

I do not really know, but I hear about it all the time. In fact, just this morning at my yoga class I met a couple from Sweden who got here 4 days ago and they already talk about staying.

Sounds familiar, I was quite happy to realise that we are normal……or maybe we are all nuts?

So what is it? What makes all these people want to stay?

Lets start simple….it is the weather. It is absolutely gorgeus here every single day! It has been almost a month and the sun was behind clouds for maybe 2 hours total. Pretty good I think compared to most places in the world. We all know how sun makes us feel and it is scientificly proven to almost eliminate depression:-)

Maybe it is the affordability? The prices here are hard to beat for sure. I mean mostly you pay about a third for everything of what you would spend in USA, Canada or Europe. It is nice to know that your dollar goes much further here so even if you come here on vacation you simply can afford more.

„It is affordable to try out your dreams here” I heard not too long ago. The girl who said it was a graphic designer in NYC and her husband was getting a doctorate in Anthropology. Do you want to know what they do now? She is a co-owner of a children play place/center and her hubby is a DJ at a local hotel.

Panoramic view of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico from a small parking on road 111. Parroquia (parish church) towers to the right over the city. In the distance, there is a golf course and new developments.
Panoramic view of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico from a small parking on road 111. Parroquia (parish church) towers to the right over the city. In the distance, there is a golf course and new developments.21-Nov-2011 12:31, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 8.0, 135.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 200
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Panoramic view of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico from a small parking on road 111.
Panoramic view of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico from a small parking on road 111.21-Nov-2011 12:35, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 8.0, 108.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 200
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01-Nov-2011 13:03, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 28.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 200
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Decorations hanging from a balcony on one of the streets of San Miguel de ALlende, Mexico during teh Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) celebrations.
Decorations hanging from a balcony on one of the streets of San Miguel de ALlende, Mexico during teh Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) celebrations.30-Oct-2011 13:29, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 8.0, 108.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 800
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30-Oct-2011 13:13, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 28.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 200
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30-Oct-2011 12:24, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 6.7, 28.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 200
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Yeah, people redefine themselves here. To this moment I thought that we came here by an accident but now I really start to wonder. Since the purpose of that trip was not only „physical moving from one place to another”, but mainly an inside journey I feel like I am getting inspired.

Did I ever mention that I always swore I would never express my thoughts on a blog?!?!?

School Quest

Finally, a post by Agnieszka, describing our experiences in finding the perfect Mexican school for our kids. In this article she Agnieszka shares her views on the Mexican education system and explains why a bilingual school is really not an option if you’re serious about learning a new language.

Let me just say that there are a lot of options as far as schooling in San Miguel de Allende.

It was shocking and also overwhelming in the beginning. There are public schools and private, just like anywhere else in the world. Public schools do not cost a penny, have lots of space, large palygrounds but they tend to be overcowded. 50 kids in one class is not uncommon.

The curriculum is in Spanish which we wanted, but the ratio of kids to teachers is waaaaay too high.

Private schools can be devided into Christian and nonreligious, crurriculum in Spanish, English or both. Most of the schools have very educated staff. There are schools that are run by Americans for all the gringo kids that live in town. We even found a school that not only tought English/Spanish and all the regular subjects but also sustainable/ecofriendly living. The couch in the office in that school was made of cardboard. How cool is that!

We were sure that we wanted Spanish because all we want our kids to learn is the language. The rest we can take care of 🙂

The fact of „only Spanish school” became a little difficult to understand for some. People started refering us to schools that were mostly bilingual thinking that it will be better for our kids. I know from experience that complete emersion is the best. We already did it once with English so we know it works!

Anyway, after quite a few visits to different schools we found one that seems to be perfect….so far.

There is only preeschool and primary school kids in the building. The classes are so small that Nadia has 8 kids in her class and Alex has 9. The principal speaks good English so if there is a need the kids can always comunicate with her. Their classrooms are very close to one another. That was very important to me since it is the first school for Alex! As far as costs go most of them are not expensive, especially coming from North America or Europe. Our school costs about 860 pesos a month which is about $62 per child. We also had to pay one time coop fee of 1500 pesos ($107) and pay for books and supplies (roughly about $200). That is a pretty good deal for 5 hours of education 5 days a week. Did I mention that they also teach the kids martial arts there?!?!?

Another great thing about Mexican schools is that 99% of the kids wear uniforms. It is different in every school but they are all very cute. So far I have not found one that I did not like:-) My children were very excited to wear one and I have to admit that they look adorable. They are very affordable because we paid $60 for both.

So here we are in SMA walking to school every day at 7:30 am. Yes, we walk just like most people here, holding hands for 25 minutes one way observing town coming to life. I drop them off, Robert picks them up.

It is bonding time with our children, without any distractions besides cars passing by and belive it or not they never complain about the walk:-)

Rant about San Miguel de Allende

It’s not only roses here in San Miguel de Allende. This town has it’s problems and I’m about to disclose all of them (whether I want that or not).

It’s only been few hours since I published a rant about San Miguel de Allende on my Polish blog. I wrote about my troubles sleeping in a hostile night environment, full of barking dogs, crowing roosters, loud cars and festive neighbors singing melancholic songs well  into the night. Now, it’s six in the morning and I’m up already, woken up by… a cannonade of fireworks and church bells.

Mexico likes to party, there is no question about it. But who in a civilized World would start fireworks at 6.00 am on a Sunday morning…?!? I guess, this has something to do with the anniversary of the Mexican Revolution of 1910 and the whole town was already celebrating yesterday and the day before. Reading properly the signs, they’ll also celebrate today, and since there is no school on Monday, the festivities will prolong well into next week.

And this weekend isn’t really that much different from the other ones. Looking at the official calendar of events, there are more holidays and festivals here in San Miguel de Allende, then there is weeks in a year. And that gives yet another opportunity to party!

I won’t even pretend to understand what’s going on around us, but there are people singing and dancing in different parts of town at various times of the day, almost every day of a week. No wonder this town draws in tourists in hundreds of thousands every year. No wonder so many Americans, Canadians and Europeans decide to retire or move their lives here. This city is alive, it’s heart constantly (and loudly) beating…

The cannonade of fireworks and the church bells are done waking people up. But I don’t think I’ll be able to go back to sleep. The bulb in the street lamp hanging right in front of our bedroom window, which (fortunately) had been broken for the past three weeks  just yesterday got replaced with a new one boosting several thousands watt of lighting. Now, that the shooting is over, there is some real loud folk music mixing in with thousands of rooster crows all around us. Our neighbor, like every morning has been already up for a few hours watching television and cutting jalapeno peppers for his breakfast burrito…

God, how I hate San Miguel de Allende! And I love it here…