My school sent me to a training in mid-July for the IB program (International Baccalaureate). It is a great program that gives students an international diploma they can use at universities around the world. Here in the states, an IB diploma often translates into 2 years of college credit, depending on the college. Anyway, they sent me to New Mexico to be trained.
I was not ready to leave my newborn, so Joel and Alexa tagged along for the ride. I had heard both good and bad stories about UWC, the location of the training. I had no expectations. The castle, where many of the classes were held was truly beautiful.
But that's where the beauty stopped. I had never been to New Mexico, but wow is it ugly. I didn't see one single patch of alive grass anywhere. Not at the college, not in front of any houses, not even in the town's center by the shops. Just dirt and weeds.
But that's where the beauty stopped. I had never been to New Mexico, but wow is it ugly. I didn't see one single patch of alive grass anywhere. Not at the college, not in front of any houses, not even in the town's center by the shops. Just dirt and weeds.They put us up in dorms, so Joel's bathroom was down the hall, and mine was upstairs! There was no AC, just a little fan we paid $5 to rent (and Joel BROKE it).
The college was set on the only hill in all of Montezuma and had a billion stairs up to the castle. Of course, they put baby and me in the LOWEST dorm building. So we trudged up these bad boys every day to get to class. Free weight loss is what they called it. And this is the last stair case. We were in B4, which was 4 buildings down from this little flight of stairs:
Poor Joel had to scale those stairs each time I had a break or lunch so I could feed the baby. But Alexa truly loved all the daddy-attention. And the attention of all 147 teachers attending the training, for that matter. She was the star of the show and everyone LOVED her. She hammed it up:)
Check out her sweet dimples:
The school did offer some "field trips" if you were willing to pay. But $30 each just to sit on a bus to Santa Fe with the baby didn't sound super-appealing. But one afternoon Joel and I decided to venture out to the nearby town of Las Vegas! Yes, it's really called Las Vegas, NM. It was a mere 6 miles away. We figured we could walk there in 2 hours or so and then take a taxi back.
Then, when we were just 2 blocks from our destination, it began to downpour! I am not sure which word would best describe it...monsoon or deluge...they both don't capture the extreme weather, just as this picture doesn't:
We did finally make it to the city center:
The college was set on the only hill in all of Montezuma and had a billion stairs up to the castle. Of course, they put baby and me in the LOWEST dorm building. So we trudged up these bad boys every day to get to class. Free weight loss is what they called it. And this is the last stair case. We were in B4, which was 4 buildings down from this little flight of stairs:Poor Joel had to scale those stairs each time I had a break or lunch so I could feed the baby. But Alexa truly loved all the daddy-attention. And the attention of all 147 teachers attending the training, for that matter. She was the star of the show and everyone LOVED her. She hammed it up:)
Check out her sweet dimples:
The school did offer some "field trips" if you were willing to pay. But $30 each just to sit on a bus to Santa Fe with the baby didn't sound super-appealing. But one afternoon Joel and I decided to venture out to the nearby town of Las Vegas! Yes, it's really called Las Vegas, NM. It was a mere 6 miles away. We figured we could walk there in 2 hours or so and then take a taxi back.It was hot. Really hot. We nearly died. There was only dirt and weeds to look at. We passed by a building that had a weird fence. "Honey, why does that fence have barbed wire on it?" I wondered aloud, after 1.5 hours walking. "Because it's a prison," was Joel's response. I didn't stop to snap a picture, I just got out of there as fast as I could!
Las Vegas was lovely. They had one stop light. And every once in a while, they even had a sidewalk:
Then, when we were just 2 blocks from our destination, it began to downpour! I am not sure which word would best describe it...monsoon or deluge...they both don't capture the extreme weather, just as this picture doesn't:
We did finally make it to the city center:
We shopped at the one clothing store, and then discovered that there is not one taxi in the entire city of Las Vegas. Thankfully, a helpful worker from the college came to get us.
The training wasn't all bad, despite the complaining above. In fact, the French IB training was very well done. Our presenter was fabulous, and for me, it was just nice to hear French all day for 5 days. It was a much needed boost to my language skills, which lately have consisted a lot of "Je m'appelle... Je voudrais... Ou est la bibliotheque?" Also, the food was all included and it wasn't half-bad.
The training wasn't all bad, despite the complaining above. In fact, the French IB training was very well done. Our presenter was fabulous, and for me, it was just nice to hear French all day for 5 days. It was a much needed boost to my language skills, which lately have consisted a lot of "Je m'appelle... Je voudrais... Ou est la bibliotheque?" Also, the food was all included and it wasn't half-bad.
The last night there the students who work there in the summer put on a program for us. This is the boys dancing to "Thriller":
After the program, there was a dance. Everyone was drinking and having a good time. Some of my co-workers who have been to this training told me that I had to stay for the dance, just to observe the hilarity of the drunken teachers going wild. Well, I have to say I was disappointed...because the wildest teacher out there was probably me. No, I wasn't drunk. I've never had a sip of alcohol in my life. But it all began with the Macarena. I was trying to sit back and watch like I had been told, but the teachers were doing it wrong. So I had to set them straight. And from there, it snowballed. I was suddenly the ring-leader, throwing out my best Zumba moves and having a great time. Man, I love to dance. Am I good at it? Certainly not, but neither were these teachers, so it was all good.
I have rambled on way too long, so I'll make the birthday part short. We were returning home on July 15, my birthday. My day began with class that morning, and then a 2 hour busride from Montezuma to the Albuquerque airport. The Le Bus bus was full, so we got to ride on the hot school bus, with everyone's windows rolled down and wind flyin' everywhere. We arrived at the airport at noon and our flight left at 5:30 p.m. so we "shopped" around at the airport and Joel bought me a present there. Then we flew home. Lamest birthday ever. Don't worry, Joel made up for it the next day by making me a Dutch Oven dinner. Yummm.
After the program, there was a dance. Everyone was drinking and having a good time. Some of my co-workers who have been to this training told me that I had to stay for the dance, just to observe the hilarity of the drunken teachers going wild. Well, I have to say I was disappointed...because the wildest teacher out there was probably me. No, I wasn't drunk. I've never had a sip of alcohol in my life. But it all began with the Macarena. I was trying to sit back and watch like I had been told, but the teachers were doing it wrong. So I had to set them straight. And from there, it snowballed. I was suddenly the ring-leader, throwing out my best Zumba moves and having a great time. Man, I love to dance. Am I good at it? Certainly not, but neither were these teachers, so it was all good.I have rambled on way too long, so I'll make the birthday part short. We were returning home on July 15, my birthday. My day began with class that morning, and then a 2 hour busride from Montezuma to the Albuquerque airport. The Le Bus bus was full, so we got to ride on the hot school bus, with everyone's windows rolled down and wind flyin' everywhere. We arrived at the airport at noon and our flight left at 5:30 p.m. so we "shopped" around at the airport and Joel bought me a present there. Then we flew home. Lamest birthday ever. Don't worry, Joel made up for it the next day by making me a Dutch Oven dinner. Yummm.
Oh yah, and on the way out of NM, our pilot said to look out the window at the huge NM fire:
crazy, huh?
crazy, huh?
