by Harry Robert Brake on Thursday, August 4, 2011 at 1:35am

Okay..Tuesday – I walked starting at 7:00 AM from my hotel to the apartment – I made it to my apartment for the second time around 7:40, dropped some things off, then walked back to catch the group readying for a tour bus at 9:00 and it was 9:15, they actually did not leave until 10:00, but this trip….wow…
We went to the Presidencia Square – it reminded of of Red Square in Moscow, it was huge surrounded by all the government buildings, and what an open market for items…I mean, EVERYWHERE…,maybe the largest indigenous market and all openmarket for any item you can imagine, original tamales, all kindsof hand craved toys, originally made shirts, blankets, jewelry, the oldest cholocate still still operating, the nuns of the convent help to make the baked goods there, DELICIOUS, a famous tiled building, there is a trivia question on that, and I have to tell you, the highlight was tourin the Presidencia building and seeing the fsmous murals, they were so succinct about Mexician history all of us had a tear in our eyes and could have stayed there all day drawn into the murals…AMAZING….

We toured famous cathedreals, the opera house, the day itself was beyond description….Also, we actually saw Aztez pyramids and artifacts uncovered in main Mexico, amazing to see the sacrificial pyramids of the Aztecs and the passage ways, living quarters, and so much more, again, cannot describe!

At home, around 7;00 PM, then ventured out at night to get a bite to eat and just tried McDonald’s….lol, the Coke is stronger here like more sugar when you drink it? I got lost but happened across the map above the rent a bicycle rack and found my way promptly back no prob. My visual of the streets is getting better….:)

Wednesday, to the school! 🙂 Picked up and toured local stores nearby, toured the school, I can describe better with pictures which I will make available to you next week at the latest….ghad my first meetng as a librarian and wow! Our school is hosting a conference for U.S. and Mexican technology teachers, librarians, and teachers of all disciplines, guess who will be presenting? lol…I got thrown into seeingmany projects needed and will be off and running in 2-3 days….:) They will provide us new computers tomorrow, all use MAC’s in the school….the school is all open aired and awesome! 🙂 Similar things like a cafeteria, they have an outdoor area which is great! I began looking at furniture, I found masseuse that is a friend of my boss, thje best in Mexico City allegedly! – who showed me around and I found antique and furniture places that are not mainstream – they are stores that have tons of furniture piled in them…AWESOME though, I found a bed stand ( no boxsprings here, instrad like a wood stand that the mattress goes on…..), a bookshelf, dining room table, and drinking water stand and container to hold large bottles of drinking water, two side tables, sofa, for 500.00, and really like 4500 pesos, so a bargain as all in unique and antique, yet cheaper than furniture in the stores…

Problem – my new debit card fell out and I had my money, had my receipt, no card….scary in a foreign country, right? Soooo, retraced my steps, of course, nowhere, so I went back to the original store, nd the one gentleman who spoke some English, helped me call and cancel the card, I will get a new one tomorrow, so fnds were tken out as we cancelled out immediately. They are delivering the furniture to the apsrtment for 50 dollars, or 500 pesos, Thursday! Finally! Furniture starting to come 🙂 I say WE lightly, this gentleman, who met me for the first time, buying furniture in his store, called and talked to the bank directly for me! WOW!

I have a stronger perspective on learning a language, it is so important as it opens your eyes to a new culture….it will take me a long time to learn so much, but I love it….just hard NOT knowing it now but working through it makes you stronger, and many I find do not have the courage to even try! I got caught in the rain, coming home, but loved it! Stopped at a road side vendor for dinner, this one was reputable it seemed, and was delicious! Learning so much in such a short time, aand missing all of you, here in Mexico City….:)