Overwhelmed by the beauty.

Today I got to see the center of Mexico City with our PhD. candidate Mexican history teacher. She has got to be the greatest tour guide the city has ever known, and she was free, and I get to work with her. Here are a couple of the many fabulous, fascinating and truly beautiful sites I got to see today. I love my new city!

Incense, A Pink Plastic Pitcher, and a Bunch of Purple Flowers

     The first couple of days were a little rough (and let's not even discuss that horrible lady at the airline who shall remain nameless), but starting today I am truly falling in love with Mexico City. I have found my way to and from a nearby market where I go everyday to at least buy water and today's food. The water delivery man comes on Thursday, and until then I buy what I can carry.
     This afternoon it was such a beautiful day, that I decided to get a little more adventurous. So clutching my very detailed directions in my hand, I ventured down a different direction to the street market they have every week-end. I know how to ask if someone speaks English, and I know how to say that I am sorry, but my Spanish is very bad. So armed with those two phrases, along with please and thank you, and clutching my purse to me I ventured in. It was fabulous! Almost no one speaks English, but everyone is very nice. Using hand signals, smatterings of English and Spanish, and a very limited understanding of the money I managed to purchase incense (I understood the price and the lady was very nice), a pink plastic pitcher for iced tea (the lady got a boy from the next stall to help us translate- badly), and a bunch of purple flowers (I'm still not really sure how much I payed for them).
    Along the way I have discovered  several fabulous looking restaurants, a pharmacy (farmacia), and wait for it... an amazing book store that also has a restaurant and is in what I guess to be a 19th century mansion. I didn't really delve in too much because my hands were full and I wanted to get home before the rain storm, but it will definitely be worthy of an outing all on its own.
    I haven't taken the camera outside yet because I am too busy watching where I'm going, but please enjoy the picture of my purchases and my beginnings of a library. I am also posting my comfortable space where I read and blog, and a picture of what can only be described as the world's coolest apartment key.

How much does it weigh?

Once the packing is done, then there is the re-packing. Cross your fingers, weigh it, and now open it again. Okay, I can buy underwear in Mexico, so I don't need that. Cross your fingers, and weigh it again. Bless my husband's heart; he didn't give me one bit of trouble when I had him get on the scales with my very large bags for the umpteenth time. I never did get my boots in there even with the extra bag. I even had to leave a few (gulp) books behind. I am confident it will be fine. I have no doubt that I will wish for some things, and wonder what I was thinking when I packed others. And yet, with each one of those realizations I am going to be reminded how lucky I am to get this chance to change my life. I am so happy, and I am not going to pack one more thing! Well, maybe this pillow?

It's getting better all the time!

I have a bed and a giant TV now. If I can get a refrigerator installed right away, I will be living like a Queen. Well, naturally.

Packing, selling, buying- oh my!

I just can't do it. Four bags is not enough. I refuse to leave any more books or shoes behind, and with five I am still under the allowance afforded me by the school. Of course, this means my husband is limited to only one clean change of clothes! Just kidding. He can have two. The chaos is getting to me. I so many "piles" in my house, and trying to clean drawers and areas that I haven't seen the bottom of in years. I did get through most of keepsakes and pictures. I have scanned the ones I cannot live without and have them stored safely (I hope) in my Google docs. I will have a sofa, and I figure I can sleep there for a while. If I can get a refrigerator delivered right away, I can be sort of set up in our new apartment as I arrange for all the rest. Some of the staff in Mexico are being absolutely wonderful, and I am so grateful for all their help and reassurances. I am excited, scared, and nervous, but I have to say that I don't think I've felt this kind of happy anticipation in a while. It feels good!