I Have Been Mentored

So Day One of the official shit has gone down. All the teachers, new and old, ugly and pretty, skinny and fat...they were all there. The ASF management brought us a box breakfast, and a hell of a lunch buffet; they are really into first impressions. On the first day of new hire orientation, they gave us an amazing lunch. After that, we had cookies and coffee for the rest of it.

In any event, I hopped a cab this morning with Sarah, Olie, and Bella. We headed to school and arrived right on time. I headed to the middle school and signed in. I met my mentor, Ms. Siri Berman (I will only call her Berman or The Berman). I think it is a perfect match: she is goofy, spunky, fluent in Spanish, into the outdoors, and generally just has a good vibe. She showed me the ropes and got me in the mix of things. I am really digging the people in the English Department. Our department head, Guy Cheney, sort of has a gaunt Indiana Jones look from the Temple of Doom. His demeanor is subtle and agreable. After The Berman showed me my room, we got our supplies sheet signed by Guy and headed to the Bodega.

For anyone who has worked in public education, we all know that at this day and age, what little supply money they give us, is a virtual joke. Well at ASF, these rich SOB's have a goddamn stockpile of supplies. Basically, I walk into a supply store and get everything I need for my class at no cost. I'm talking about: staplers; staples; glue sticks; scissors; tape; tape dispensers; colored paper; lined paper; thumb tacks; 5 boxes of Kleenex; dry erase markers; 10 packs of colored markers; and so on. It was like Navidad for me. I was sort of just in awe of the whole thing. After my shop-a-thon, I dropped my crap off at my room, which happens to be Siri's old room. It was nearing the end of the day, and I decided to head back home. I met Sarah and her kids, adn we hopped a cab. Little Olie was throwing a fit--he is an obstinate little fuck sometimes. Bella, who definitely can play that card, decided to be in a good mood.

I returned home, the dogs wiggled in delight, and we took our ritual collective nap. I really am a dog, and I mean that in the best way possible. We slumbered, each of us occasionally casting an eye on the other, just to make sure we were in the right to continue our nap.

After the nap, I hit the streets, and we walked through Jardin del Arte and and on down Paseo de La Reforma. Reforma has these sweet walkways and landscaped garden areas. There are well beaten paths through the wooded areas, and the dogs finally got some non-concrete love on their paws. We walked down for about a half hour, and back tracked on the other side. I made it home in a little over an hour. I am always reluctant to go walk, in fact sometimes I plain just don't want to. Whether it is my presumption that they need to go out or just a fact, I am always moved to get up and go. Everytime I get back from the walk...I feel damn good.

After the walk, Hector and I went to a cafe and I had my first Spanish lesson. For an hour and a half he is charging me $150 pesos ($11 roughly). I am going to have classes Mondays and Wednesdays. We started at square one, ser and estar. At first I scoffed, but it was definitely where I should begin. Hector is a really good teacher. He has the ability to constantly steer me on the right track, and to translate as we go. I am stoked to be studying something again. I feel as if this year is going to be about the quiet meditation of study.

As we wrapped up our lesson, the waitress struck up a convo with Hector, and apparantly I, based on my looks, am welcome anytime. I asked if my dogs could come too...they are in. STOKED! (Yes, I have a problem, but I am going to be a real good dad).

In any event here I am. Ready and willing for the moment. I think I am going to hop in bed and try to review some Spanish, and get to bed early...though my siestas are definitely giving me an unnecisary second wind.


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