Welcome! Don and Leslie have been full time Realtors in Ventura County for over 30 years. It's been fun watching as "little" Victoria Avenue (and many other streets) have morphed into what they are today.
Just as our local communities have evolved, we've seriously considered for the past several years how we could someday "give back" and "finish well" - expressions that can mean a lot of things to different people.
As part of our research into opportunities for service, in early 2013 we contacted a Peace Corps recruiter who helped us start our journey. But our new path wasn't going to be as straight and easy as we thought! And so we began a transition into something completely different from the routines we've known for the past 30 years - and have begun a path that's leading into the exciting unknown. This will be our story!
Leslie and I spent all weekend studying our “pre-course” material, which consists of a heavy dose or review of English grammar and teaching methodology. We experimented with another combination of 3 Metro (subway) lines trying to find a way to escape the crushing crowds of rush hour. It wasn’t a bad trip at all – until we found out Monday was a national holiday!
There are 8 others in our new teaching class. As each of us trickled into the lobby/reception area of the school, it was fun introducing ourselves around, finding out where everyone is from, did they just come to Mexico (like us), etc. Four of us are from California, one from Maine (formerly, now living in Mexico City), one from Ireland and the rest live here. I really like our group – I think there will be a good dynamic.
From when we all got settled into our new classroom until we finished around 6:30 pm, there was no let-up. There was no “lunch break” as such. In essence, we covered what we’d be doing for the next 4 weeks and how and what we needed for teaching tomorrow (today actually!). We finished our “orientation” as it were around 2:15 and had to be back before 3 to observe our tutors teaching real students.
Around 6:45 (maybe a bit later?) we took the bus home – vice subway – and it wasn’t too crowded; found a Domino’s Pizza a couple blocks from the Casa, then – while waiting for the pizza to cook (to go), started planning for teaching our first class. We got back to the Casa around 8 pm, had our pizza in the guest lounge/dining area then worked until after 1 am this morning. Leslie was up working until 2. I was awake and up at 5:45 this morning – and turned off the alarm clock!
We both teach our first class (a total of 8) this afternoon. It’s only a 25 minute “baby step” class for most of us, but all the work is in the planning – not the teaching! So – what took me so long? Here’s my “TP 1” (pdf)!
It’s 7 am and we’re off to the races for day 2! We’re going to try the crushing MetroBus this morning…
In the short week and a half we’ve been in Mexico City, we’ve experienced a number of acts of human kindness that transcend boundaries of race, color, country of origin or any other barrier we might thing of.
A week ago, we wanted to see how “safe” we’d be riding the Metro (subway) because we’d be teaching in the evening. So around 10 pm we hit the Metro, went to a transfer station to catch another line but were standing there studying our little Metro map when a sharply dressed young man walked up to us and asked if he could help.
Aaron not only explained how the Metro worked (symbols, color codes, etc), he walked us to the correct line (going the correct direction), gave us his Metro card ($), then spent time with us in a great conversation! We exchanged emails. Leslie and I knew this was a “God moment” in our journey.
We got back to our Metro station (Revolucion) before 11 pm and found the area buzzing with people, traffic and activity. We have never felt so safe!
On another day, we’d stopped at a MetroBus station and were gathering our directions when a woman approached us and wanted to know if we were trying to figure out how the ticketing system worked (we already knew) – but her kindness and generosity of spirit deeply touched us.
This has happened to us on a number of occasions and I have been humbled by these gracious and unsolicited acts of kindness and genuine humanity.
As Don and I were leaving school on Saturday at 6:00 pm after observing the extensive class (that meets every Saturday, all day, for 16 weeks), we were walking back to the bus station and noticed movement in the intersection of a very busy boulevard that comes together at about 5 points.
A woman and her young daughter were right in the middle of the crosswalk – the mother had a piece of cardboard that she laid down on the pavement, she quickly laid down on her back with her knees up to support her daughter who did somersaults and back flips! The entertaining lasted until the light changed. Then they jumped up, waved to the cars that were stopped in front of them and began walking toward the cars to beg for money.
The little girl seemed to be having a great time and loving it. I was amazed … and concerned.
Don and I have been riding the bus and the subway (several blocks from the Casa where we’re staying) a lot to learn the best route to our school which starts this coming Monday.
We heard the rush hour on the bus is crazy packed (there are something like 5 million people riding the bus or the subway every day). So we’ve been experimenting each day leaving at various times of the morning and at quitting time. The buses are actually two buses connected with the accordion connection in the middle. They’re super packed but a direct shot south to the school. It normally takes about 25 minutes at non peak times but can take one hour during peak times.
The subway is less crowded but not as direct. Time will be our enemy as class goes from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm and several nights goes ’til 9:00 when we will be teaching or observing others teach. Then there’s several hours of homework preparing for the next day. It’s brutal. There is a rumor – ha! that on the second week, the students cry.
So, this morning we were at the dining table when it opened at 8:00 a.m. and hurriedly ate a quick breakfast with choices of eggs, fresh bakery bread, fruit, cereal and coffee. Leaving the Casa at 8:20 we headed for the nearest bus station stop.
It was amazing what the term “really packed” means!! We let several buses go by since only one or two riders got off and there where dozens of us waiting to get on. When we finally got on (pushing our way a bit), we were standing up, body next to body – like sardines in a can. At one point I was in the middle of the crowd and didn’t have a bar to hold on to so I just grabbed on to Don and we swayed in rhythm next to the others. I looked at Don who had his hand resting on a woman’s shoulder for support and whispered in his ear, “Do you think you should have your hand on her?” He quickly removed his hand as he didn’t even realize it was there – he was using her shoulder for support! People are smashed up against the glass doors as they open and close. It’s quite a experience!
We also noticed that the first car is reserved for women only (and handicapped). They too had to push and shove to get on!
Then we discovered that we weren’t able to get off the bus at our stop! We were too jammed in!The stop is also the subway hub and a “million” more people jammed onto our bus – so we rode it to the next stop and knew now to push our way out. We walked back up the several blocks.
Tomorrow we’ll do it again – this time moving to the front of the doors at the end station so we can jump off before the flood pours in! More later time on the women’s section and the pink seats …
Don's building a replica of a 1930s era biplane at Camarillo airport. Over the past several years, he's had numerous students help in building the plane. Track the Tiger Moth progress here!
Leslie and I spent all weekend studying our “pre-course” material, which consists of a heavy dose or review of English grammar and teaching methodology. We experimented with another combination of 3 Metro (subway) lines trying to find a way to escape the crushing crowds of rush hour. It wasn’t a bad trip at all – until we found out Monday was a national holiday!
