Goodbye Hello

This morning I was sitting on the covered patio of the dining area at Mar de Jade about 75 feet from the ocean. Each wave rolling in seemed to bring with it memories of the past four weeks in Mexico. Friday was our farewell “Casa Contenta” fiesta. The day began with Azlyn coming into our bedroom to let us know that her tummy hurt. Four hours and several barfing episodes later, she began to turn the corner and my worries about hosting a party with a sick child began to dissipate. We had no way of contacting people to cancel. I then tried to visualize and attract as much health as possible as well as fervently prayed that her troubles were food born rather than viral. I didn’t want three other barfers on the bus ride to the beach the next day.

We hosted a party with 40 people counting our family plus Lamberto, the school dog. There were people from HP, the school, new friends from local shops and the market, Pablo, Guadalupe and her nephew, Luis. It was raining hard and the roads were treacherous so it is amazing that the turn out was so good. I know that the family from Zapopan that gave us the ride home from Trompo Magico had a hard time getting to the party. More accurately, a dangerous voyage due to flooded roads. They were persistent and finally arrived a little after 10:00 p.m. The flooded roads were so severe that they made the front page of the newspapers the next morning.

I had cooked most of day preparing pork and two cakes, doing laundry and packing for our departure. The menu consisted of pork, bread for tortas ahogadas, tostadas, guacamole, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, tossed salad, refried beans, fresh salsa and the desserts. Guadalupe had Maria clean the house earlier in the day so that it was fresh for the party. I had printed out a picture that Jaydn took of Maria (our housecleaner) and I a few days earlier. I gave it to Maria as a gift during our final day together. She presented me with two pillow cases that she had embroidered with a beautiful floral scene. This gift from her brought me to tears.

I had purchased fresh flowers, candles and the girls picked out a lovely piñata in the shape of a star to suspend over the courtyard. Things looked perfect. Unfortunately the guests didn’t get to see the set-up before it started to rain. We had to take down the piñata and bring the tables inside.

It was still a very lovely evening. Lorenza’s sons presented me with an exquisite bouquet of flowers upon their arrival. This was after they had already donated thirty loaves of bread from their bakery for the tortas ahogadas. Maria, the woman from the dollar store, and her daughter Brenda, presented me with a lovely necklace that they made. Generosity, once again, showering down on me stronger than the torrential rains.

Everyone ate too much and stayed up until 1:00 a.m., but we were happy. I milled about the party visiting with all of the guests. At one point, I sat down with Guadalupe, Pablo and Luis. Guadalupe said “I think you are meant for Mexico.” This was her way of telling us that we really fit-in well here and would be welcomed back. Several times during the day as we prepared for the party, Guadalupe used a Spanish term, which I cannot remember, to describe herself as my “almost mother” and me as her “almost daughter.” I think the sentiment behind the term is similar to calling your mom’s best friend your “aunt” in the United States. When I can’t have my own family, Guadalupe and family proved to be the next best thing!

At one point during the evening, it was raining particularly hard. Lorenza told me that the “sky is crying because you are leaving.” More generosity from Lorenza.

We finally re-hung the piñata in the rain because we had no choice. All of the kids took their whacks and the candy mixed with the rain as it fell from the sky only to be quickly collected by the eager kids.

The guests began to leave, making their long journeys home. Lots of hugs and “muchas gracias.” As the family from Zapopan left, Angelica (another Angelica) the teenage daughter whom we had not met before said, “Please e-mail me. I hope that we can be friends.” Martha, the mother, said “Next trip no California. Next trip – Idaho!!!” I look forward to that day.

Pablo arrived the next morning to take us to our bus. We quickly said “goodbye” to Manuel and company of “Tacos Manuel.” He looked sad. We were sad. Guadalupe wasn’t with Pablo due to space restrictions with all of our luggage. I insisted that he drive us by their house because I couldn’t bear leaving with out giving her a hug. I wore my sunglasses so she wouldn’t see my tears.

We arrived on our very air conditioned (52 degrees) Mercedes bus and began our next journey with ease. About an hour into the beautiful bus ride our driver stopped under and underpass on the highway and picked up a man carrying two coolers. The man boarded the bus and began selling tacos that were being kept warm in the coolers. At first we weren’t going to buy any but he convinced me when he said “I bilingual. Good food. Good price.” The tacos were four for $2 US and they were simply delicious. The man rode along for about 20 miles, serving food in the isle like an airline flight attendant. When we were all full, the bus driver stopped and let him off. I wonder how he got home. The busses to the beach pass by this stretch of highway about every hour so I’m sure he would make the round trip several times that day serving tacos to hungry travelers. This kind of unrestricted freedom is something I love about Mexico. There doesn’t seem to be as many rules and regulations and if a man chooses to wonder the highway boarding busses to sell tacos it is his right. Everyone seems pretty content and I haven’t seen any dead people due to lack of health inspections.

We got off the bus at Las Vares and went from a 52 degree freezing bus to 100 degree stifling humidity. As soon as Jaydn stepped off the bus she said “It is hard to breath!” She spoke the truth.

We hailed a cab and made the 10 kilometer trip to Mar de Jade. This place is remote, secluded, literally “where the jungle meets the ocean,” and really damn hot. Mar de Jade’s owner is a doctor who runs a medical clinic and after school program for kids in a building about a fifteen minute drive through the mango groves from here. Mar de Jade is a for-profit business that supports this non-profit organization. A lovely concept.

The food is amazing here although it feels like eating is all we do. The stretch of beach is wonderful although not long enough to get very much exercise on. Besides, who can exercise in this heat?

The only other people here are an older couple from California who are both educators and world travelers. They are trying to convince us to move somewhere with an international school for our girls. There is a single woman from California staying here too. She is also a teacher and the purpose of her trip is to volunteer at the children’s center attached to the clinic. We might join her on Friday although she said it is kind of a rough group of kids. Translations: “Are you sure you want your girls around them?” I think it will be a great learning opportunity for them and we’ll be there to help.

There aren’t many people here because, did I mention it is hot?!!! Also, there are lots of mosquitoes. Our first night, we shared our room with two tap dancing crabs that we had to lead out of the room, and a dog that broke-in and refused to leave. One of the men who works here literally had to carry the 80 pound over-heated canine out of our room.

I am having a hard time getting into the extremely slow-paced way of being here. I don’t want to move because I am so hot but feel sloth-like from my lack of movement. We are trying to limit our sun exposure today because we are all sunburned from yesterday.

Yesterday, we began our day with a trip to the beach. Chad’s prescription sunglasses were stolen by a wave. Two hours later, I found them 4 feet deep and 30 feet out. Truly a miracle. I just kept visualizing one of us finding them and thankfully, the sea cooperated. No prescription sunglasses would have made a rough week for Chad and caused a $300 sting to our checkbook upon return.

We share the pool areas here with large iguanas, crabs, hummingbirds and an assortment of insects. Last night, we had lizards on the ceiling in our room. I had a hard time sleeping thinking of lizards falling on me, the girls falling down the spiral staircase from the loft, and the sound of the waves in my insomniac state kept bringing images of the big Tsunami of a couple years ago into my mind’s eye. I think the heat is affecting my brain!

I will do my best to enjoy the beauty through the heat for the rest of our stay here. The other couple is contemplating leaving early due to the heat. I think that I am simply a bit homesick at this point. I will look forward to our return home on Saturday. Our return to high temperatures but at least it will be a dry heat. And, it will be home.