Mailing address

Holly Stateczny
511 E San Ysidro Blvd. J-521
San Ysidro, CA 92173-3110

No, this adress is not wrong, I am living in Mexico. We just got a mail box through mail box ect. and they just ship us our mail here from California. This way when people from the states send us mail they only have to pay USPS rates...so its cheap for yall to send mail...no international fees

another day in paradise

The 2 pictures are from last night. I went for a walk by myself to our down town square are, I guess Europes equivalent of a piazza. They were setting up for this beig concert they were having at 10pm (everything is very late here, its great for night owls). I didnt stay for the concert, I would have loved to, but that is to late for a lone white girl to be walking the streets...so I took pictures of the decorations and of the church that sits on one side of the piazza. The church is the oldest thing in San Jose, it is what the town formed around. Its beautiful.

Today, I woke up at 7am (my body has decided its wants to be a morning person here...I think my mind knows subconsciously that there is so much beauty ouside our walls that it forces me to get up). After making breakfast for Kara and myself we went to the Walmart in Cabo San Lucas. As much as I hate Walmart we have to go for some basics. However, I have decided Walmarts are worse here then they are in the states. Here they employ child labor. The kids who bag your groceries cannot be older than 12. Sure most grocery stores here use little children as cheap labor but here is Walmart who claims to be so wonderful using the little kids...its just sad. After Walmart, we went to the beach where we boogy boarded for a few hours. The heat here right now is so intense that a few hours is all you need. Then we came home and I made a late lunch for Kara and Jeanne. I made stuffed, twiced bake potatoes on the grill. The stuffing was made of potatoe, chorizo, green onions, onions, peppers, fresh garlic, and some differnt seasonings. Then we grilled them and put a slice of Mexican cheese on them...they were heaven.

Job #2

So yesterday after school I started a second"job"...if you really can call it that. I am getting paid $25 an hour to go and speak english to 3 girls and help them with their homework. The 3 girls are as follows: Natalia is in first grade, Mariana is in third grade, and Ana Gaby is in fifth grade. All three of them are amazing. They are so smart, this will be a breeze. I probably will start going another night too because they want me to come eat dinner with them...this way the girls will have to practice conversational English while eating. So I get paid to eat and talk...two things I am incredibly good at... Maraiana already even colored my a picture. I love them. And, they live in a mini-mansion that overlooks the water and they have one of those eternity pools....Its amazing and its only a 20minute walk from my place. The mom was really nice to. She told me to just ignore the gardner and housekeeper and if they get too noisy to just let her know...thats right, 2 servants... But the mom was nice, she said this was my new home, and that if I ever get sick or anything to head on over and she will take care of me. So that was really nice.

Back to my main job which I am loving. My 9th graders are amazing. Its made up of 7 boys and 4 girls. The girls are prissy but sweet and the boys all remind me of James (our cousin). They are all skate boarders who like to surf. They all like guitar hero and on the weekends they like to go to the mall in Cabo and just walk around...so they are just like Denton teenagers

This picture is of the night sky right before Tropical Storm Julio hit...isnt it beautiful?

Tropical Storm Julio

Tropical Storm Julio is in our direct line... It has been raining the last 24 hours and shows no sign of stopping. The streets are flooding...really, in the states this would not be enough rain for it to flood but it is here because there is no drainage system. In the states, the water runs off the streets into those underground water drains (whatever they are called) but here there are none. The water just pulls up here on the streets. We have been given our hurrucane preparedness sheet... its so stupid though, it says things like dont go outside during the storm, well no kidding... it reminds me of one of the Daily Shows where they poked fun at hurrucane reporters out in the storm...its really stupid. Also, sand bags are starting to show up all around the condo, I guess people are getting ready for the storm...atleast its just a tropical storm and not a hurricane. Our winds will only reach 50mph... Its so beautiful right now though because the fog is rolling into town covering the mountains, visibility is very low.

Hopefully school will be cancelled tomorrow. I love having hurricane days instead of snow days...less cold

what a day..

so I have attatched some pictures of my classroom and the school...

After school, Kara, Jeanne, and I went off in search of propane. It's hurricane season and we were told we need to get our propane tanks filled because power could go out for days if we get a storm. So we drove inward, away from the beach to find Caligas, a place we were told of. It was suppossed to be real easy to find in a nearby town but it was not...We had to turn around and U-turn it about 5 times and stop at one cantina before we found it. It rained today which caused the dirt road of Caligas to be flooded. Our car, "Betty Buick," did amazing and made it through all the flooded spots. We got our gas and still made it back in time for happy hour at our local bar....all is right with the world

There is a picture of our car, "Betty Bucik" named after Super Betty. Who is the hear tof our school, she knows everything and everyone. Then there is a picture of Kara and Jeanne at Caligas...after we had forged the floods

why kissing is so wonderful...

In the states kissing is NOT allowed at school. But here in Mexico everyone kisses and it's wonderful.It is such a personal connection with another human being but there is no hidden desires of lust hidden behind it. It is just a sweet way to say hi and let someone know you appreciate and like them. Today at lunch, two different little girls just came up to me and kissed my cheek and said hi. They wrapped their little arms around me and I truely felt I belonged out here. Such a great feeling. But it really isnt just children. All adults greet each other with kisses too, a peck on the right cheek is what the cultures says is acceptable...so if you are coming for a visit expect some kisses...

Mission

So school, Mission, is gorgeous. Our kids started on Monday. SO far all of my science classes (4th, 5th, & 6th grades) have gone well. Our 9th graders dont start till next week. This week I am covering a 3hour long second grade english class. The teacher will be there next week so I just have to cover it through Friday. That class is HORRIBLE!!! I hate them, and hate is not to strong of a word. They are all hyper, little, speak very little english, they pee every 5 minutes, they are dirty, they hit, they cant tie their shoes, they copy each others answers, and they dont know anything.....I know mom, you are probably thinking I should never have kids but I promise you, my child would never act like this...

But the school is amazing. The vegetation is so lush, there is a stream the flows thorugh out it and it has ducks. The garden and the farm are smelly but beautiful. I went back to the farm today and they have newborn puppies (weinerdogs). I thought it was funny that dogs are in a farm but apparently poeple dont have pets here so its exciting to the kids that dogs are here.

I will try to get a picture of my labroom soon. It's really cute. The turtles and fish in my room are still alive. They have not yet met the same sad fate that my hermit crab did last year. I usually tap their cages a few times a day just to make sure they are still alive (I dont like it when they are still for too long.

I have attatched 4 pictures. One is of the schools sign, one is of the main office, one is the view from

Kara's room, and one is of the goats in the farm.

Jack Johnson and I would be BEST friends!!!

I LOVE SURFING!!!

So today we had surf lessons. It was me, kara, and the guy named David (he lives at our apartment and he's approximately my age) and we had two surf instructors. The two instructors just treaded water out in the waves while the three of us surfed. David was really good; he was able to get all the way up on the first try. I got up on the third try and after that I did really good. It became real easy. I started with one of the instructors and he grabbed my ass. The other instructor saw it, laughed, and after I caught the next wave he signalled for me to paddle towards him. He worked with me and David, and Kara had Mr Groper to herself. Our guy was wonderful...after 20minutes David and I had it down. We collided once but that was it. We would ride the waves almost up to the shore and then jump off at the last minute so we wouldnt get beached. But we would ride it for a long time...what an amazing rush...I felt at home out there. I loved it... After we finished we sat on the beach talking and the guys offered to take us to a differnt beach soon, we exchanged numbers so now we have surfing buddies. And we have a new friend, David, who lives really close to us.

OLA GRANDE!!!

No, I did not spell hola wrong...I wouldnt put a misspelling past me but I am actually spelling BIG WAVE!!! We went to the beach today, it is called Primaia (that could be mispelled). It was so gorgeous. When you pull up to this beach on one end is a rocky jetty and there are umbrellasa you can get under on that end. Then as you move away from the rocky end you get more to white sand area. It's all breathtaking beautiful. Kara and I rode there with a teacher from our school and her son. We met two other teachers and their children their. We had a blast. Then the lady we rode with took us to another beach where her step son is a professional surfer. He agreed to give us surf lessons tomorrow morning...I cannot wait. We didnt stay long because a surfing competition was about to get underway and tempers were flaring. You see, in the Baja, we are at the main surfing beach. There are different groups/clubs of surfers. They each stay under their hut. It is very segregated. When ever surfers travel through they are independents but all people who live here belong to a group. But apparently the really big surfers all do stop here at one point in the year. Right now the big surfers are down in Chili, it's "Chilie time" right now as they say. So tomorrow I surf...

In Mexican fashion

So... Mexicans never get anyhting right the first time but some how everything works out... so we were going to get a nissian altima, and then a pontiac gran am, and now we are 100% sure getting a Buick Regal...how grandma can we get



So.. tomorrow we are going to the beach. One of the other teachers is taking Kara and I with her and her son. Her son is a surfer and she said he will give us surf lessons, probably not tomorrow but soon...I cant wait!!! Just call me Gidget (plus another foot)



So at work we have a crazy lady..When i say crazy i dont mean shes just not the sharpest pencil in the box she is literally CRAZY!!! I cannot explain it but I think she smokes pot at work and she has become best friends with the goats...she honestly believies she communicates with them, I also think a chicken might be her great uncle reincarnates, Im not joking...she is canadian, and if she is an accurate representation of Canadians I never want to move there

St. Jude Thaddeus

Today, one of the mexican teachers told me about St. Jude. She said when women turn 24 in Mexico and they arent married they are given a small statue of St. Jude Thaddeus. They turn it upside down on their night stands and it is supossed to bring them a man. I was told I needed one. Then later, one of the other ladies told me the St. Jude was the Saint of lost causes...so apparently im a lost cause to them....special

oh, so there has been a car change...we are getting a 2003, silver, pontiac Gram AM Gt...whatever that means...so we will be mobile which is good because its just in time for hurricane season. We were told we need to go stock up on propane, bottled water, and canned foods because we will need them...this should be fun

good news and bad news

so good news... we will be getting a car.... a blue/green nissan altima 1998....dont be jealous...

so bad news...the mexican government took back their word and we are strating school on monday...they took away our extra week off...sad day

but atleast its beautiful here

No Montezumma for us

Water in Mexico can be tricky, it can have very bad affects if you drink it. So you must buy water. However, it is hard to buy water in anything bigger than a water bottle size. So when we found these big jugs (the Ozarka size ones) in our apartment we wondered out how to get them filled and then how to carry them up 3 flights of stairs....the answer...MAGIC

So we talked to locals and figured out what we do is stick a bottle with 20 pesos stuck to it and our apartment number out on the road...you might be saying wont it get stolen and it might, but its a risk you have to take...and today we got lucky, we got home from being at the school and there was a full water jug at our doorsteps...MAGIC

Iguanas are everywhere

We spent part of it at the pool, pictures attached. It is a gorgeous pool surrounded by the prettiest plants. Also, besides us humans, the local iguanas love the pool as well. There are tons of them eveywhere here. They are amazing sunbathers... Kara wanted to touch one but we werent sure if they bite. Micah, I know your brother had an iguana...so do they bite? you say no and you have made Kara's day.

After the pool the three of us went to a local side walk resturant. Our waiter fell in love with Jeanne (our fellow american). He kept trying to figure out ways to get her attention. He decided to put on a magic show for us. There are some pictures of it too.

oh, i also attatched a picture of the view from our back patio, its from when you are sitting at our little table

one night comedy show

Soas i sit here thinking of my firends who have graduated today, I can honestly say i have had a drink in your honor. Kara and I decided that we wanted to have margaritas so we walked the 1/2 mile to down town to buy tequila. Then we remembered we didnt have any ice so we went to a convenience store. So guess who was the lucky one that got to carry a bag of ice a 1/2 mile home...nearly got frost bite (micah and lori yall better appreciate our troubles...j/k). We then proceded to drink tamarindo margaritas (a mexican date) and I made us a chicken mexican taco disd...It was wonderful. The spices here are so good. For example, you cant buy plain chili powder here. You have to buy chili powder with lime. So what it does is adds a citrus lime flavor to the food thats amazing. Well, as kara and i sit here sipping on our margaitas and stuffing our faces, and listening to the geckos, I say goodnight and congrats to my best friend.

Rules in Mexico

Rule #1: Dont hurry

Mexicans are on their own time schedule (natalie and lori yall would love it here). You say I will see you there at 3:30, they mean 3:45 to 4ish...It is so relaxed but everything does get done eventually. We went to dinner tonight and we sat ont his roof top bar and grill. We had fish and shrinp tacos and the strongest margaritas imaginable. There is no fast dining. Meals take atleast an hour or two. The give you menues and then they wait atleast 15minutes to take you order. You eat chips and salsa for another 30minutes before food arrives. You eat and drink for awhile and then you check will come an hour later. I LOVE THIS!!! Eating has now become an event and not something you have to do to stay alive. If Mexicans do something they are going to make it memorable...its so nice

Rule #2: Dont worry

Mexicans have a way of relaxing. Nothing gets them upset or worried. They just adapt. Today, the secretary of education for mexico stated that all spanish teachers would attend a conference next week. So this means school is being pushed back a week so...that means I get ANOTHER WEEK OFF!!! and i get paid... School still ends at the same time next summer we just dont have to work one week. I love being an english and science teacher. Also, if I havent stated before I only teach 2 classes a day. One 50min english class and one 1hr and 30min class of science. I am done every day by 11...I have the most aamazing schedule. I am blessed.

Apartment living

I am sitting on a sewalk cafe using the internet and eating lunch...its wonderful, well, hot but wonderful...i think humidity is at 99.99999%.....

Kara and I moved into our apartment last night. It is wonderful, however, we had one bad surprise. The airconditioner units in Karas and my rooms dont work...hopefully they will get fixed soon. We had to sleep on the couches our first night because the ac unit in the livign room works....great first night

we are trying to figure out a way to "borrow" internet from our neighbors...hopefully, this will go well

today, Kara, jeanne (the other new american teacher, and I are going to walk to the markets. Jeanne wants to buy gin for her night gin and tonic...can i just say i like this lady

Yesterday, we went to our school where I fell in love. Kara can see the ocen from her room. I have this amazing lab room set-up (fully stocked). The only bad thing is that I have two class pets: a hamster and a turtle....you know that aint going to end well. I couldt even keep my hermit crab alive for a week last year. I think I mights go to our farm area where they have every farm animal you can think of and make a anonymous donation... Oh, I did find out that our goats our very sexualy active...they put on shows for the kids daily...excitement

still settling in

I have attached pictures. Some from our cute hotel and beach, and then the rest are from our amazing apartment. I love it! The pictures of it show the back porch that has a bar-b-que bit, a lounge chair, and a full patio table and chair set. Inside, we have a fully stocked kitchen with every appliance and dish we could need (very new and expensive dishes). We have a washer and dryer. In the living room and eating area we have a telescope to look at the stars (which by the way you can see every single one clear in the night sky---no pollution or smog to block them), a flat sceen television, a dvd player, a stereo, and a collection of cds and dvds the owner left them (micheal buble was included..he has good taste). The bedrooms are cute with down blankets and bog dressers. The two bathrooms have large saltio (sp.?) showers with sliding glass doors, very clean. Outside the apartment you see how lush and green it is, gorgeous foliage. We are on the third floor so we have a spiraling entrance. Right in front of our apartments are parking spots for us (we have a security guard who monitors who can pull in and park so thats good. Then in front of our apartments we have this cute little cafe which i took pictures of. SO if we ever need anyhting fast its just a minute away....so thats real nice.

Today we are going to try and get the bank situation taken care of and get cell phones here. Tomorrow we move in to our new home. I will try and call you mom tonight or tomorrow for sure.

first day

Ok, I am going to start at the very beginning. Kara and I boarded the plane. My carry-on did not fit in the over head compartment so I had to unpack it and take a lot of stuff out in FRONT of everyone…embarrassing…

So I made it in one piece..sorry amanda, your red suitcase had some difficultiies, the small zipper part on one end broke and the contents of my life were sprawled for all of Mexico to see… I recovered everything so its ok. When we got off the plane we had to walk down the little stairs onto the runway, my dress flew up, Kara pulled it down at some point, great first impression I made. When we got inside the tiny airport we got at the end of the line for immigration and customs. We saw two ladies with posters of our names and they had Armando with them (who is our immigration man). They got us out of lline and we got to go to cut infront of the people on our flight and in front of two other flights… we were happy a lot of other people were not. We didn’t have to do one thing. They had people carry our luggage, do all of our paperwork, we felt very important. It was all stress free, well excepts for my suitcase losing all of its pieces on the conveyor belt.

We are now at the hotel which is amazing. Our lady Michelle and her husband are so nice. Very nice. I have decided I want to be the general manager of a hotel. They have lived all over the world. Im so jealous. Our hotel room is on the top floor overlooking the Sea of Cortes. There are amazing views in every direction. White sand beaches, hammocks all over the beach, and its really crowded at all. It’s a dream come true. Oh, we also found out that not only is our food included but alcohol as well. So we can swim up to as many bars as we want, they are in every pool. I promise mom I wont get drunk. I probably will limit myself to one drink do to the fact I havent had anything in over a month, I will have no tolerance.

I will try to write soon mom and give you details and send pictures. We drove by the school and its amazing. Oh, we found out the lady who owns it is the daughter of a very wealthy man who ran for president here (he lost but his name is held in high regards int his country)…so her son has terets and she wanted to open a school that wasn’t pressurised by standardised testing but a place that was more relaxed and open. So she did…I cant imagine having money like that…crazy
Kara and I are off to the beach and to get food. Love you and miss you all