The Ultimate Field Trip

I'm getting more and more nervous as I'm trying to get us all ready for our trip to...Mexico!! My Mother-in-law has invited all of the family on my husband's side to go down with her to Cancun. Who are we to refuse such an offer? I might be buying new things down there--we'll see. As it is, in getting ready for the trip, I got a sheer, flowey blouse--great with a skirt or shorts--a kicky colorful printed skirt, a simple cotton brown wrap dress all from Goodwill. I felt very lucky to find things that will work, and they will work! I had to get a pair of sandals as my leather strappy sandals that I did have finally broke and I think that with the cost of the repair, it would make more sense to buy a new pair. So, I did.

I had those sandals for at least 20 years. I bought them from J. Crew back when I bought things from J. Crew and they were very well made and lasted me for all of those years. They were a classic hippy design that didn't go out of style in that it was so not trendy it could be classic. My look.

The area we're going to is not far from Mayan ruins--the kids are getting very excited. We're going to go there, we're going to explore the jungle, we're going to hang out on the beach for days. It will be extraordinarily decadent and exactly the kind of place that I find appalling. We'll be staying at a resort area full of demanding Americans who can't speak a lick of Spanish, lo siento. And where we will be, there is no "there" there. We will be surrounded by other resorts and no towns or locals or museums or interesting street life. We will be segregated from reality.

It will be a wonderful time with our relatives and we will all have fun in the sun and climbing the ruins and exploring the jungle. I love my mother-in-law for being so generous in this. So, that's what I'm going to think about and enjoy while we're there. I won't think about the incredible waste and arrogance of going to another country and then setting yourself up in a compound separated from the very people who inhabit the country you've gone to visit; especially a country where there is so much poverty and corruption.

Lolling on the beach for days is good. Playing with my kids in the pools is good. Visiting with relatives is good. Decadent ugly American behavior is bad, and embarrassing.

When I get back from our trip, I'll see how my kefir grains are gowing and I'll start sending them out to people who've requested them. Tamsen, I got your info--thanks.

I've got a new-to-me/hand-me-down camera for Christmas and I'll take lots of pictures while I'm there. I've already taken a few pictures here around the house, but I need a new cord to get them onto the computer. When I get a used cord from somewhere, I'll get more photos on here.