Pardon, Señor

...  hablas Inglés?


I'm studying my language tapes, trying to recall my Middle School Spanish classes, and the semester of LBL Community College Spanish I took with my friend Susan and her very smart 11-year-old... It's rusty, but I hope to return from a month in Mexico with a much larger vocabulary, where I won't need to ask, "Excuse me, do you speak English?"


I am ÜBER excited (I remember a lot more of my German; maybe I can find a German tourist in Guadalajara)... 
Here's The Plan:


1. We (Jerry and I) fly into Guadalajara on July 5, using the last few dollars of our United Airlines Funny Money, earned by allowing ourselves to be bumped several times returning from DC in the summer of 2010. I had to make the reservations by phone (because of the Funny Money), and asked the very patient man to book whatever flight would put me over a major city around 9:00 PM on July 4. I have always wanted to be in the air and watch the fireworks from above. Fingers crossed, it won't be completely clouded over.

2. Wander the city for three days (oh, that reminds me, I'll need to book a room -- probably through AirBnB.com *). Then on Sunday, we'll move into a host family's spare room for the next 7 days. Monday through Friday we'll be in Language Class from 9:00 to 1:00, then have the afternoon for a siesta and wandering.

3. That next Saturday (July 14), we'll start wandering toward Morelia, a city in South central Mexico, in the mountains. NOT in Mexico City (I'd like to keep my head on my shoulders). We'll get ideas from folks in the class, our host family, the local coffee shop. And practice our Spanish.

4. On or around July 23, we'll end up in Morelia, to Host Family Numero Dos, and a second week-long Language class. That will end on the 27th. I'll need to figure out how and when to return home - we only have one-way tickets right now, leaving the return trip a bit open. We may visit the Pacific Coastline, or maybe stay in the mountains. I'll return sometime between the 27th and August 4. Sidney and I have a grant we'd like to submit August 5, so I may be home closer to the 30th than the 4th.

 * Booking rooms through AirBnB... I earned a TON of money these last two weeks, hosting folks who were in Eugene for the graduation or the Olympic Track & Field Trials. For several nights, all 4 rooms were full AND a lovely pair of young ladies on a Road Trip even rented my Gazebo Bed for four nights. Currently, one of the Ladies Heptathalon athletes is staying in my Master Bedroom. She competes tomorrow and Saturday. Root for Bettie Wade... Last week, Vicki Dull, mom of David Verburg, stayed in the Master Bedroom. David was a finalist in the Men's 400 at the Trials.