Mexico Road: Brothers at the FM4
Originally posted for Teachers Latin America The doorbell buzzes a bzzz-bzzzt as I move to open the small window in the large black door. I look through a window stenciled with the logo of the FM4 Paso Libre. We are here at a shelter for migrants and refugees in Guadalajara. The young man on…
Campervan through Iceland
Five ladies for five days packed into a campervan while we explored Iceland. Let’s go! I had two shocks when I first landed in Reykjavik. First, the immigration official told me that my passport wasn’t valid because she didn’t have room to add a stamp. While I was freaking out on the inside, she eventually…
New York, New York
Has it really been three years? The last time that I was sipping coffee in the sunny window seat of my brother’s home in Brooklyn Heights was exactly three years ago. Both PJ and Julia were still in high school and I was getting ready to move to Guadalajara. Now, we’re all back here again,…
Chacala Beach Weekend
May 2018 While living in Mexico, I’ve been so fortunate to be surrounded by a group of strong and supportive women. Whether we are sitting around the plastic tables of Res publica for our favorite steak dinner or on the sandy beaches of the Pacific, these friends fill my heart and soul. This weekend, the…
En el camino…On their way
Each person that passes through the doors of the FM4 is received as a part of the family “in the house that keeps dreams alive” and is treated with respect and dignity. With over 5,000 migrants and refugees passing through our house each year, I want to share with you all a part of their…
Colombia
Colombia 2018 Nimsi, Thalia and Megan Cartagena Our first day of the trip was just travel from Guadalajara to Cartagena. It was a long day; albeit with smooth travels, from the alarm at 1:36am, then to the airport for migracion and security. We first stopped in Mexico City, as the sun was dawning over the…
Literacy Conference in Ohio
(Originally posted February 2018) Last week I attended a three day literacy conference in Columbus, Ohio with three other elementary teachers from ASFG. Teachers discover new and inspiring ideas at these conference. We leave full of fresh strategies and revived excitement for old standbys with a new validation after listening to the latest research. We…
Posadas and Other Holiday Fun
(Originally posted January 2018) The holidays are a busy time with traditions and celebrations. People come together to spend time, eat and drink and celebrate the friends, families and communities that shape their lives. In Mexico, the month of December is filled with posadas, gatherings of the various factions of our daily lives. Children have…
Reunion in Ensenada
(Originally posted December 2017) Three years ago we formed our little friends’ circle, Mandy, Ale, Vicki and I. Our friendship grew over evenings of laughter and tears, trips to Chapala and the beach, and several bottles of wine. At the time I was new in Guadalajara, but I knew I found a family away from…
Safari in Tanzania
July 2017 After the intense experience of climbing Kilimanjaro, I relaxed the next week on a safari camping experience. Some of the same hikers continued on this leg of the trip, along with new arrivals. Leaving Arusha, we visited three protected areas while on the five day safari. We started at the Lake Manyara National…