The Pre-school Surf

We started our day today paddling out to the Playa Linda Point reef break before dawn. It was our first time in ¨real¨ waves, instead of surfing mostly whitewater. Even if we still aren´t very good at surfing yet (this was our third lesson), it was great to watch the sun creep over the palm-lined beach from the vantage point of the warm blue water.
Out of the water at around 9:30 after more than two hours of surfing, we rinsed and changed in the parking lot and drove to school.
This week in our English conversation class we´re reviewing our introduction conversation with a game. Games in the classroom are a very rare occurance for the children, so the 3rd and 4th graders were all quite ecstatic. Even after we took the time to explain that we couldn´t play games if the class got rowdy, we still had the whole group jump to their feet to present the answer instead of the person writing raise their hand like we had asked. We´ll see how the 5th graders take to it tommorow.
Some domestic news: we put up wall hangings yesterday (square swatches of different patterened cloth that matches our apartment). They make the apartment seem less empty than white-washed cement walls on most sides. I bought a classical guitar from a man named Pepe. it should be nice to have some chords floating around in the warm nights after dinner. Also, we have further delved into Mexican cooking by making our own refried beans (with onions and garlic) instead of buying them in a can and by trying our hand at Agua de Jamaica (an iced tea made from dried hibiscus flowers), a very common refreshment at restaurants here. We may have to try our hand at Mexican dishes other than tea and tacos later.
This last weekend we had the oppurtunity to attend the 2007 Catcha La Ola Surfer Reunion Competition. That is, we sat on the beach (the same place we surfed this morning) and watched the 40 and older category compete. I must admit, for old men (some of who looked more like 60), there were quite a few who could really rip up the waves.
El Dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe (the day of our Lady Guadalupe) started last night at 12 and ends tonight at the same time. What we have noticed so far are parades, (increasing in frequency, but seemingly at random times with small or non-existant audiences) and fireworks. We haven´t actually seen fireworks, but we are often shaken at the table frequently by explosions that seem more like larger seal bombs than domestic fireworks. I´ve read that the main festival takes place in the north of Mexico City, but I´ve also heard there is a big parade here as well, but I don´t know how long we will stay up tonight because we have to walk the hill to school tommorow morning.
If you haven´t been able to comment because of a lack of a Google account, you should be able to now. I found the setting (which I thought I had already changed), to allow all comments.
Thanks for tuning in,
Ben and Sarah