Teacher’s Appreciation Day in Mexico
(Originally posted May 2016)
Mexico celebrates big for its Teacher’s Appreciation Day. From school wide to classroom celebrations and even a day off of school, it made for a fun week!
On Wednesday, in lieu of our regularly scheduled after school meeting, we had a catered luncheon with the whole staff. Everyone gathered in the auditoriums that had been decked out with hanging decorations, round tables with cloth coverings and flower centerpieces. We were served plated meals while teachers were celebrated for their years of service and retirements. The director ended with raffling off a seemingly endless list of gift cards to local establishments, including our own cafeteria. All of the elementary teachers received a gift card a bookstore; teachers are so predictable.
Another great way to celebrate a teacher? Give her a day off and a long weekend at the beach. Thursday afternoon, we packed up two carloads of tired teachers and headed to Sayulita, a small beach town on the Pacific coast that I had also visited last fall. We checked into a small hotel with a little pool, AC, hot showers and even a little kitchenette. Best of all, it was just a block from the main stretch of beach. We enjoyed hours of beach time on a relatively empty stretch of sand. I, along with several of the gals, enjoyed massages in a mini spa tent while listening to the waves. We read books, swam and ate during the day. When I had enough sun, I laid out in the hammock in the garden of the hotel, accompanied by two old dogs that delighted when visitors opened the gate. Along with the dogs, the garden had rabbits, ducks and chickens, together with a few iguanas and hummingbirds that choose to hang out.
Nights in Sayulita mean good food, strong drinks and lots of music. On Friday night we went to a beach bar that played outstanding dance music till all hours. It was amazing to find quality dancers with all best cumbia and salsa music. As I’ve mentioned, the Guadalajara dance scene can leave something to be desired at times. We danced so much that according to my Fitbit, I did enough moving to just sit for a few days. So that’s what I did. The next morning, I was back on the beach, sipping my morning coffee and reading my book.
What lovely company for the weekend trip. Several of us arrived to ASFG almost a year ago and others were already established and welcomed us to Mexico when we began. We went to Sayulita with the purpose to celebrate Vicki’s departure at the end of the school year. Although we have each discovered our own paths in Guadalajara, it was neat to spend a weekend together relaxing and playing at the beach together.
Back at school on Monday, my students and their families celebrated Teacher’s Day for Maria Laura and I. The moms arranged a special lunchtime treat for us and for the class with decorations, a song and cake. Our students gifted us orchids and sweet gifts to show their love and appreciation. My favorite little note from a student says “Thank you for always explain the math again to me.” Thanks for thinking of us, kiddos!
