XOOK SHACK

Say cheese!
Xook is the mayan word for "teaching" and is pronounced "shock".
Very appropriate due to the workload and pressure of learning how to teach English and being part of a team running and expedition base!
First lesson to local people was on day 3!
We have geckos all over the walls and they have a great vocal call, bats fly in and out, I have watched ants carrying grains of rice from the bin and I have seen my first scorpion, which I successfully removed from the building. Oh and of course cockroaches.

ZAMA

6:15am. Awoke with the Sunrise on my first morning in Tulum, the "City of Dawn" (Zama is Maya for Dawn). Very meaningful after a late night of ´deep´conversation with new friends.
Breakfast of fruits and yoghurt.
Spent the day on my bit of Caribbean beach soaking up the sun and a bit of swimming.
Looking forward to starting my real working adventure on Monday.
Nos vemos alrata!

Hasta luego Merida

Interesting and colourful Spanish colonial buildings crowd the main plaza, just as they were at the founding of the city on January 6th 1542, although unfortunately built upon the blood and sweat of thousands. The newly restored houses look great painted in white with pale blues, yellows, reds and greens. The great haciendas of the 19th century Sisal magnates are truly beautiful in their ostentatious display of wealth.
With many museums, the oldest cathedral on the peninsular and numerous market stallholders to browse, one´s time can be spent in a most leisurely way, when not trying to learn Spanish. But for me the most interesting place is the Governor´s Palace with a display of murals by Fernando Pacheco showing the Mayan history of the peninsular.
A city is a city, they are the same the world over, people living their daily lives as best they can, the same feelings and desires for themselves and their children. These thoughts mark the time for me to move on.
Thanks to everyone for friendship shown.

So begins 2006

New Year, New Country, New Language, New Friends.
4 Days in the city of Merida, Mexico. My head is exploding! trying to balance taking life easy with learning a new language and meeting fellow travellers, made enjoyable by new friends who understand; Rafael from Merida, Gerard from Barcelona and all the staff here at the Nest Hostel - stay here if you visit.
People say one must think in Mexican - thinking in English is hard enough!