My temporary home in Massachusetts

I'm staying in an old victorian house for the next two weeks. It reminds me of the house I lived in in Belfast. Huge (four floors), seven bedrooms, a laundry room, five separate entrances, wooden creaky floors, and fire places in each room with tons of doors leading to huge closets and crawl spaces. A professor of a top university lives here and is away for the summer. I wont say who he is (he is pretty well known), but I now see that I am going to experience a whole new world.

beginning my writing journey

I'm on my way to Massachusetts. I mean-- right now, I'm on the bus-- on my way. I think I'm somewhere between NYC and Yonkers, but not too sure. Its irrelevant anyway...

I'm heading to a professional development workshop for the next two weeks. Someone from my organization sponsored me so that I can become a better writer. Its worth thousands of dollars, so I feel very blessed and special to have been chosen. Whenever you have a clear investment in someone, they believe in you. So I wont let anyone down. This particular place is a prestigious New England school where George Bush senior studied. Someone told me yesterday, "you're getting sent to the best place to become the best". This really had an impact on me, because coming from basically nowhere in life, I've really grown and feel so successful and like I'm making an impact in this world. I couldn't ask for much more than that.

My personal goals for this workshop are to become a better writer, and for my ideas and stories to flow in a more organic, creative way. I want to publish more. When I was younger I published a few articles in national publications, and wrote a chapter for a book on children, media and democracy for an international Swedish publisher, but since then I haven't done much in terms of writing, besides this blog, which, don't get me wrong, I'm very proud of, but theres no aim its just documenting my life and writing my thoughts, theres no real structure, which I'm okay with because thats not the intention.

My professional goals for this workshop are to bring new strategies into my classroom and pass on the knowledge I've gained to my staff and students so that they can become active citizens. Language is powerful, and when you use it correctly you have the capacity to make positive change.

Lets see how it goes!

ending the Spring 2012 running season

I ran my last race of the Spring 2012 season today. I'm very proud of myself. I had a few friends out supporting me too, it was sweet.

A Sick Parent

Today is a very sad day for me. My mother will be starting treatment for a deadly disease. I am going to stay positive, but I cant help but think about what my life would be without her. I hope that I still have many years before I have to deal with that. I enjoy our text messages, the silly things we say to each other. I love how she has always supported every decision I made, I love how she lifts me up when I'm down. No one can replace a mother. I have faith that she will get through this. The best I can do is continue on with my life to be the best that I can be while supporting and encouraging my mom, just like she does with me.

If this isn't synchronization, what is?

We are a good team.

Happy first day of summer. I plan on living it to the fullest this year and absorbing the sun, excitement, and opportunities like a sponge!

Training harder

I ran a race this weekend and I didn't do the best that I could have. I'm staring to train long and hard this week, because this isn't the Mendoza that I know... 

She is competitive and a great athlete!

I'm putting myself on a strict diet of fruits, veggies, beans and nuts -- close to nature! Also, I will be running five days a week, increasing my miles as each day passes, in addition to my fight club & strength training classes at the gym. 

Its time to get serious! 

run Mendoza run!

When family lives far away

Its sort of a win/lose situation when you have family living far away, bad because they are not there to share the special everyday moments with you and good because you are able to get away and spend days at a time with them... I’m just back from a trip to Florida to visit my cousin and boy-oh-boy was it a dream! We did things that one would think are only in fairy tales! On our second day there we visited a farm and got to play with baby animals: baby ducks, pheasants, chicks, horses, cows, and to really interact with them -- milk the cows, feed the animals, and learn about where they are from and how they live.

 Our last day in Florida, after partying in Downtown Disney, going to a local beach, and having great dinners, we went to Honeymoon Island and spent the day at the beach, and then rented a kayak… SPANISH GUY AND I TOOK THE KAYAK TO A PRIVATE ISLAND where the water was so shallow getting there that we had to get out and pull it at times. The water was beautiful, full of wildlife and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. When we got to the island, well… it was very romantic…

All in all, I had a great time with my family, I spent time with my six year old cousin, just being silly and playing all day and it was great for my hubby to bond with my family… but I do miss them a lot and wish they were closer. Its sad, but Im blessed to be able to have these experiences.

moving along

I've been back in NYC from Spain for two years now (the same amount of time I spent in Spain) and I have to say, this causes anxiety for me. Mainly because I'm not a static person, two years in one place with no plans to leave stresses me out. I've been on tons of trips/vacations, but I would like something more. A new life somewhere else, or at least a plan -- a concrete plan -- to start a new life somewhere else, maybe in the next year or two? Let me try to make that happen... life isn't so difficult, you just need to plan and go for what you want!

The crisis we avoided

So, Spanish guy and I feel very blessed with the way things are going recently. While we enjoyed an AMAZING two years in Spain together, after we got married, the plan was always to return, until recently when we realized how bad things were there. Spain has the highest unemployment rate in all of the European Union at close to 25%. Thats absolutely INSANE!

Today my hubby started a new job. A position that is related to his university degree, a position that is a few blocks away from where we live and a position that he has dreamed of for a long time! And I want to venture to say, a position that would have been MUCH more difficult to get if we were living in Spain (with a lot less pay as well).

Its the first job he applied for, he went on an interview, then he went on a second interview with the ED -- he was hired that same day. From an international perspective, in NYC the crisis doesn't seem to exist for some... even though this is where it began...

We have to count our blessings and be grateful every day for what we have and what we have worked for.

adults at play

So, hubby and I threw a house party last night and about 20-25 adults played what are traditionally considered games for children! I'm a big fan of fun, adventure and bonding, so we pulled out all our chairs and played musical chairs (I won the first round, might I add, haha). People might think, WHAT!?? How old are you, but theres actually lots of research behind the benefits of playing. According to the non-profit website, Helpguide.org, "Play is as important to our physical and mental health as getting enough sleep, eating well, and exercising.". Normally people stop playing as they enter into adulthood, but its actually counterproductive to stop playing. Adults focus on work, TV and the occasional week-long vacation. This causes a pile-up of stress, anxiety and even sadness and loneliness at times. "Play teaches us how to manage and transform our 'negative' emotions and experiences. It supercharges learning, helps us relieve stress, and connects us to others and the world around us." Last night we were all connected, joking around and having a ball! We danced as we weaved around the chairs, sang along with the music and played around with each other. We cheered on the finalists and congratulated the winners! PS: It helps when there are beverages involved as well!

Cheers to fun, games and house parties! 

"What do most Nobel Laureates, innovative entrepreneurs, artists and performers, well-adjusted children, happy couples and families, and the most successfully adapted mammals have in common? They play enthusiastically throughout their lives."

~ Stuart Brown, Institute of Play