This isn't a Circus, it's a Freak Show

Our car finally arrived last week, and with it came the exhilaration of being able to properly explore our surroundings. I was ecstatic to discover on a recent trip to Wal-Mart that the circus is in town. The CIRCUS! How much fun is that?

Sure, some people are terrified of clowns (like my friend, Shalinn, who I e-mail or text a photo of a clown to every chance I get), but for the most part, everyone loves a good circus. And what could be better than a circus in an exotic foreign locale?

How about a circus that doesn't feed their lions with stray dogs?

While doing an Internet search for pricing info and hours of operation (I was hoping to catch tonight's evening show), I stumbled across this gem of a news article.

It's in Spanish, so for those of you that don't speak the language and are too lazy to run it through Google Translate, let me just say that, while performing in Cancun last March, el Circo Do Portugal was found guilty of not only feeding stray dogs to their animal performers, but also encouraging children and the lower class to steal dogs and sell them to the circus for 150 pesos.

Guess I'm gonna make it a Blockbuster night.

We have plans to visit the zoo tomorrow. I hope that turns out to be a little less horrifying.

Third Time's the Charm

So there I was, relaxing on the couch at 4pm on Thursday afternoon, having experienced my second Early-Release in two weeks as a result of a holiday weekend (first Christmas, now New Year's)...I swear, I won't know what to do this week without a holiday...

So anyway, there I was relaxing, when this chick comes along and ruins it all. I haven't even met her in person. I'm not quite sure how we became friends on Facebook, but I think I sent her a pity-add after she started blog-stalking me. Or maybe she sent me a pity-add after I started blog-stalking her. I don't remember. But her hubby was in A-100 with TJ, so I guess she's okay people.

So anyway, she starts demanding pictures of our new house. Anyone that follows this blog regularly knows we lived here and then here before finally moving into our permanent digs on December 10th.

What? You DON'T know that? You mean she was the only one?

Wow. I guess I should be nicer to her.

(And, for the record, for anyone that doesn't understand my humor...ESPECIALLY the chick in question...please take my biting sarcasm with a grain of salt. It's all said out of love.)

Anyway, here are the pics of our permanent Guadalajara address. Well...permanent for the next two years.

Pretty fountain-wall in front of the house.

You can't see the actual front, though.

I don't know all of you people. :-)

Same couches from the last place. Ah. Consistency.

Mi cocina.

Notice how the only diff in the two bedrooms is the size...

both have the same fugly furniture...

Master bath. That's right. I have a jacuzzi tub.

...but it doesn't work. Ha!

The Backyard...

The view from upstairs...

A family beating the hell

out of Minnie Mouse today...

Great view from upstairs!

All of this is subject to change, however. In fact, since these photos were taken, we have already dismantled the living room and moved it upstairs to a room that was so boring I didn't even bother taking pictures of it. It is now our tv room, and looks fairly awesome. The actual living room will be renovated, following the upcoming delivery of our newly purchased leather couches and the as-of-yet unknown arrival of our ginormous television from DC. This house is merely a work in progress, people. I'll keep you updated as the situation progresses.

2010: The Best of the Rest

2010 was filled with more twists and turns, highs and lows, smiles and tears, endings and beginnings, and hellos and goodbyes than any other year of my life. These was the most incredible 365 consecutive days I have ever experienced.

They weren't all happy. In fact, some were downright unbearable. But they were all incredible.

And the mind boggling thing is that this is only the beginning. In a year filled with so much change, it is sometimes hard to comprehend that the majority of that change, the nine months we spent living in Falls Church, VA, was only a precursor to the lifetime of change ahead of us.

I've been blogging off and on since February, but as I look through a year's worth of photographs, I realize that I only scratched the surface. I would like to end 2010 with a few of my favorite memories (in no particular order, but mainly chronological) that, for one reason or another, never made it into this blog.

Tequila! with Brad and Tristan;

Winter Park boat tour with Nisrine and Maya

Saying goodbye to Alfie and Sylvio

Lunch with Minnie and Ryan;

1st EVER Dumbo ride;

Meeting the cast of my fave Disney flick

Last night out in Orlando and TJ makes a new friend;

TJ hamming it up right before getting assigned to Guadalajara;

Yann and Charles drop in from Fance

Patrick comes for a visit gets mugged, er, hugged on the Metro

Meeting the Peanuts Gang at Kings Dominion;

Turning 30 in a new city

Wizarding World of Harry Potter with Kris and Troy;

Universal's Rising Star with Craig, Dan, Marciano, and Kristyn

One last visit with my parents before starting my new life abroad;

TJ posing at the Consulate Posada seconds before a pinata stick almost clocked me in the head;

The pets arrive safely in Mexico

What a crazy year it's been! But well worth all of the headaches that come with any life transition.

I hope that the New Year finds all of you healthy, happy, and living the life that you've always dreamed of.

The Year Without A Santa Claus

What do Jews do on Christmas? Well, according to Judaism 101, there are a few options:

• Go out for Chinese food
• Go to your local Matzah Ball
• Go to a movie
• Get together with family
• Go to work

That might be great for American Jews holding non-government jobs, but for us US government employees living abroad, that proved to be a bit tricky.

• In the US, non-Christian Chinese-Americans run the Chinese restaurants. Here in Mexico, they are run by Catholic Mexicans, who are most likely not working on Christmas.
• A Matzah Ball is a dumpling made from matzah meal. But in this case, it also refers to a singles dance. Doesn't really apply to us. Maybe next year. Ha!
• We've seen all of the Engish-language movies that we want to see that are currently available at the cinema
• Family is far, far away
• Consulate = government = closed

So, what were a couple of recently converted, newly displaced Jews to do?

Well, thanks to ustvnow.com, we did manage to watch the 27th Annual Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade hosted by Ryan Seacrest.

We joined a coworker for drinks and a holiday film (Four Christmases) last night, and will be joining them again this evening for a delicious Christmas dinner.

Wait. So why, as Jews, are we celebrating Christmas at all? Glad you asked. There are three reasons that come to mind as of this writing.

First, it is perfectly acceptable for people of different faiths to appreciate the customs (music, movies, foods, decorations) of others and to celebrate those customs with family and friends of different backgrounds. Jews do the same when we invite friends and family to our Passover seders.

Second, Christmas is impossible to escape, especially now. In our pre-Jewish, pre-Foreign Service days, TJ and I would decorate an artificial tree, buy each other a few presents, and cook a large meal on the 25th of December. There would be the occasional Secret Santa exchange at the office, but for the most part we kept to ourselves. This year, we have found ourselves attending the Consulate's Christmas Posada, the Consul General's Christmas Party, a wonderfully moving charity Christmas dinner at an orphanage, and a tree-shopping excursion with friends. We have politely declined offers to attend a Christmas potluck dinner, another Christmas party, and two other Christmas Posadas. A large percentage of this occurred in early December, as we fumbled through our first Chanukah by ourselves. The Jewish community in Guadalajara is small, and although we converted under the Reform Movement, there is no Reform Congregation to be found.

Third, it's almost impossible to disassociate with 29 years of personal tradition, especially in light of reasons one and two. I am not just newly Jewish. I'm newly religious, too. In my family, Christmas was always about decorating, gift-giving and overeating. Like many that celebrate the holiday, Christmas for me was never more than a good excuse for a fun party.

Okay, so thanks to the Consulate's Posada,

Santa wasn't totally absent this year...

Perspective must change when one considers religion, though. Even though many Christians don't necessarily associate the holiday with the birth of Christ, Jews must. To celebrate Christmas is to either insult your own religious background by honoring a figure not central to your faith, or to insult the religious background of others by making light of a figure (that should be) central to theirs.

Religious holidays are a no-no. Secular and civil holidays are perfectly fine. That means New Years Day, Columbus Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc. are perfectly acceptable.

Except, for most Jews living in Israel, and Orthodox Jews in general, December 31/January 1 are just ordinary days. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and occurs much later.

Columbus Day opponents in the 19th century saw the holiday as a tool for further expansion of Catholic influence.

Halloween finds its origins in the pagan holidays of Pomona and Parentalia, or perhaps the Celtic festival of Samhain. Celebrating Halloween is considered taboo by certain branches of Judaism and Christianity.

There is even evidence to suggest that the first Thanksgiving was inspired by the Jewish Festival of Booths (Sukkot), which occurs in the autumn and celebrates the gathering of crops. Is it possible that the entire country has been unknowingly celebrating a Jewish holiday since 1621? Would it even matter to anyone if this was the case?

I've seen many discussions online asking why Christians don't celebrate Jewish holidays. There's certainly Biblical basis for it. The answer of course is that Jews stick to the Hebrew Bible (known as the Old Testament by Christians) whereas Christians draw inspiration primarily from the New Testament. That is what the New Testament says to do, after all.

Holidays are a tricky business for the religiously inclined. For all any of us know, we turn into traffic lights in western Arizona when we die. And yet, if you have made that commitment to follow a certain faith, you should hold yourself accountable for your actions. Where do you draw the line between fun and sacrilege? I certainly don't know. Well, yes, I suppose I do. I should leave Christmas in the past and find pleasure in all of the new holidays I have gained:

Purim. Passover. Rosh Hashanah. Yom Kippur. Sukkot. Chanukah.

Heck, in Judaism, every Friday night is considered a holiday (Shabbat).

Over the past year I have been able to experience each of them to some degree, and have found them to be quite wonderful.

So why, then, do I care so much about Christmas? I mean, Easter certainly never meant much to me (which, since it is the more important of the two to Christians, is definitely a good thing for my Jewish identity).

I'll tell you why I love Christmas.

I love the fact that every year since birth my mother would buy me a dated ornament for the tree.

I love the fact that every year since we met TJ and I have had an ornament personalized for our tree at Disney's Days of Christmas.

I love the fact that, when we were forced to move on Christmas Eve, Santa was kind enough to bring my 5-year old self a new present every time we returned to our old house for a fresh load of boxes. I got Castle Grayskull that year.

I love the fact that, when we had no plans last Christmas Eve, my friend Alfie shared his family dinner with us.

I have studied Judaism for over a year now, and the only thing that gives me pause is Christmas. Not the story of the Virgin Birth. No, it's the memories of days gone by, where Christmas was a huge, secular ball of joy.

But giving up Christmas doesn't change the past. The past is precious, and will always exist in our hearts, photos, and personalized ornaments.

So what changes without Christmas? Let's see.

I love the fact that I can still treasure the Christmas ornaments from my childhood, though stored in the closet they may be.

I love the fact that this year I was able to purchase an ornament for personalization at Disney's Days of Christmas that was completely secular. I was also able to purchase a "Happy Hannukah" plate featuring Mickey Mouse and a pile of presents.

I love the fact that I'm old enough and solvent enough to buy my own Castle Grayskull if I want to. And that I am able to bring some small amount of cheer to those less fortunate than I ever was or will be.

I love the fact that, even though we are far from home, we still have friends who will invite us over to share their holiday dinner.

When I look at it that way, I guess nothing changes without Christmas.

So, I encourage lots of discussion on this one. Christians, how do you feel about the current state of Christmas? Lifetime Jews, how do you feel about the "Christmas Dilemma?" Converted Jews, how have you adapted your love of the holidays to more suitably match your new lives?

....and would it be such a bad thing if I wanted a Chanukah bush next year?

Some Cosas Never Cambio

Why do language instructors spend so much time telling their students that proper names will never change?

Do they know how much confusion this causes a person when he walks into a Mexican McDonald's to order a Happy Meal, only to find that it is called a Cajita Feliz?

Or when he learns that not only are "The Flintstones" really "Los Picapiedros," but that Fred is actually Pedro? Remarkably, Pebbles, Bam-Bam, and Dino escape unscathed.

This is something that I am noticing with increasing frequency. Things that should change, don't (Hunt's Classic Italian Garlic & Herb Spaghetti Sauce). Things that shouldn't change, do ("The Jetsons" become "Los Supersónicos"). What does and doesn't change is inconsistent ("Friends" is still "Friends," while "The Super Friends" are "Los Amigos Super". And some translations are just plain weird ("Jennifer's Body" becomes "Diabólica Tentación" instead of "La Cuerpa De Jennifer."

Just an observation. It doesn't bother me at all, and in fact I take immense pleasure in it. Part of the adventure of living in another country is never knowing what stuff is called or how to find it.

At least we had "Los Picapiedros" last month. State-side, I believe you were subjected to "Hola, Gato." I mean, "Hello, Kitty."

And before anyone asks why I have these plushies, I can assure you that it was purely to act as a visual aid in discussing today's blog.

Yup. That's it. For real. I promise.

Guadalajara's Top 20, Number 1: Lake Chapala

Started working at the Consulate this week. It's great because now I get to escape the house for several hours a day, have lunch with TJ, interact more with the people that we will be living among for the next two years, and make a little bit of fun money. Oh! And I get to avoid paying third party pirates for my health insurance! Standard EFM (Eligible Family Member) position, but so far I'm enjoying myself.

Yesterday I had a bit of downtime and found myself reading through the CLO (Community Liason Office) section of OpenNet. I found a link to something called "Out and About in Guadalajara." It's a list of the twenty must-see places in and around the city. What a great idea for a blog series, I thought.

In fact, I was so eager to get started that I apparently went to one of the places on the list two days before I even found the list.

Lake Chapala is located approximately 25 miles (45 kilometers) southeast of Guadalajara, and is the largest freshwater lake in Mexico. The lake sits on the border between the states of Jalisco (where we live) and Michoacán (where we don't). The town of Chapala and her neighbor Ajijic have become home to a large number of American and Canadian retirees thanks in no small part to the amazing weather and beautiful scenery. Rumor has it that if you visit Ajijic (not yet, on the to-do list), you will find that most signs are in English.

Beyond the novelty of being among Americans, there's not a whole lot to do here, but it's very relaxing. Lots of local restaurants and shops, weekend markets, boat excursions, and pony rides!

Sepia. Because all good cowboy pictures are in Sepia.

This was very exciting for me, as I had never ridden a horse before. Ok, so I sat on Sharon Trojan's horse once in high school. But she didn't know how to fasten a saddle correctly. I basically hopped up on one side and slid off the other. This was different, though. Of course I was the only newbie in the group, so my horse got lead around town by a leash. Or is that a lead? Choke collar? Hell, I don't know. I just told you I've never ridden a horse before.

Although I enjoyed myself thoroughly, I won't lie and pretend I wasn't a little nervous at first. In fact, when we left the safety of the horse pasture and stepped out into the city street, my horse pooped and for a split second I actually thought it had been me.

Other than what you see here, I didn't take many photos. I wasn't aware at the time that Lake Chapala was the pilot episode for a new blog series. Although there's not a lot to do, there's certainly a lot to photograph. I look at this first visit as more of an exploratory mission, and hope to post "Lake Chapala, vol. 2" in the not-too distant future.

Men Just Don't Understand

One thing I can say about Guadalajara is there sure are a lot of Nativity Scenes set up during the Christmas holiday season. There's one in practically every mall, store, town square, yard, and church that I've come across.

But this one's my favorite.

We stumbled across it today while waiting to meet a friend in El Centro. At first glance, it's really no different than any other Nativity. Or is it?

Something is...missing.

Joseph: "Don't cry, Mary. WE can try again soon."

Mary: "Ugh. Men."

.