FINALLY!! Summer Vacation

It's SUMMMMMERRRR!!! It came a little later than usual, not just because Mexican kids are in school until the beginning of July, but swine flu pushed the closing of school back one week. So, as I sit here on my first official day of summer, I'm pleased by the blank palate in front of me. And I'm really trying to make the most of it because, who knows, this blank palate may not be so blank next summer :). 

One of the major differences about this summer is that I'm now married. That makes it harder to jet-set off by myself without feeling bad or lonely without my husband (and also my bestest friend and travel companion). Without a care in the world, I used to fly out to faraway places the week school was out and stay out until the last possible week. Oh, the joys of youth, singleness, and paid summers off. 

The second major difference is that, instead of two, I'm down to one month of summer vacay. I know, pobrecita me! For the one month, I've come up with some tentative plans:

• Do some schoolwork ('cuz I can never get it fully off my mind). I have a grand plan of making big songbooks of annoying, but great, ESL songs. And perhaps learn to the play the guitar well enough to make merry music in the classroom.

• Prepare an ESL training seminar about teaching English through the usual (songs, poetry, games) but also through the use of amazing children's literature as a springboard to writing. Schooling here is still very traditional and textbook-heavy. 

• Travel un poco. I can't be here in Mexico and not hit up the beach or Oaxaca. In 2007, I arranged to be in Oaxaca for the summer, learn more about the indigenous arts, and study Spanish. Then, the love bug bit me, and I cancelled those plans and followed my love to wherever he was. So now's my chance, and I'm hoping to go to Guelaguetza. Know of any other exciting festivals in July and August?

• Study Spanish. I've felt a lag in my Spanish, as communicating with children can be rife with repetition and command forms, i.e. Hazlo! Dámelo! Escuchame! I need to work on preterite vs. imperfect, future hypotheticals, and general fluency. 

• Read, run, cook, and be crafty cool. Take a look at Etsy and be acquainted with some of the coolest crafters ever born.
  

Oh, and by the way, we completed the "My Life Project" this week, and the kids were very proud of their work. I did take digital photos of the prints to show you, but the images were erased off my camera. I learned a thing or two about giving cameras to kids who have a questionable sense of responsibility, but the final products were fantastic and worth it!