There are no classes and the teachers enjoy their day off. Hosted by the mayor of PV, one of the hotels served a big breakfast for the public school teachers. Scheduled to begin at 8:30, parking was at a premium and the line of teachers, waiting to enter the grounds of the hotel, snaked around the corner.
The Krystal Hotel had tables set up outside in the pool area. I estimate that there were about 1000 teachers there. Our table had "number 89" on it and we were next to the pool! There were 8 people at each table. The PV weather was at its best by having a light breeze and a few clouds which prevented the sun from boiling down on us!
You can see how close we were sitting, and this photo shows only just a tiny bit of the group! We were a big crowd!
What's a party in Mexico without Mariachi? They played while the people entered the grounds and kept us all toe-tapping while the breakfast was served.
This is our table. My friend, Lety, is 3rd from the left and I am 5th.
This is breakfast. Quite a bit different from the breakfasts we eat in Georgia! We started with a fruit bowl and pan dulce (sweet rolls) with coffee. Next came a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice, a bowl of tortillas, and the main dish. On the left of the plate are frijoles with grated cheese with a tortilla chip standing up; at 12:00 on the plate are beef chunks, cooked in a very delicious sauce, (not spicy); next is a rolled tortilla; and at the bottom of the plate are pieces of chicken, grilled with tomato and green pepper slices. In the middle for looks (or for "some people" who like spicy food) is a grilled Jalapeno pepper. It was a typical Mexican breakfast which one would eat in a restaurant and very good!
The mayor of PV welcomed everyone and, of course, made a speech! Next a young student from the Normal School (Teachers' College) recited a poem about teachers which was so good it gave me goosebumps! I had heard her deliver the poem at her school, Juana de Asbeje, a couple weeks ago when I was there for a book signing by an author and was blown away by her talent. Such a wonderful gift to give to the teachers on their day.
The breakfast ended with door prizes: microwave ovens, dishes, TVs and the 3 big prizes---three 2008 automobiles to the lucky winners! Quite a nice day.
After the festivities ended, "Hizzoner (the mayor of PV) and I posed for a picture!
Mayor Francisco Javier Bravo Carbajal and retired Georgia ESL teacher: me!
Upon leaving the hotel about noon, Lety, 6 other teachers and I went to Starbucks where Lety treated us to a coffee and conversation. We made such an impression in the Starbucks employees (I'm not sure if it was a good or bad one!!), they took our picture and put it on their bulletin board! We had fun.
Then home long enough to change clothes and return to a restaurant where we had been invited by a principal to join in the festivities with some other teachers. About 50 of us ate, drank, danced and listened to what had to be "the worst band" in PV!! I'm not sure who had more fun---the teachers or the band members whom I am sure were playing together for the first time!!! The bass drum and the tuba drowned out the other instruments and the two singers who strained to be heard without a mic!
Victor, Meli, Lety and me and the band in the distance!
Dancers salsa-ing to the music!
After about 3 hours of music and merriment, Lety and I went home to relax....
And relax we did in the pool in the subdivision. Here's proof that I got wet above my knees!!
Lety received text messages and phone calls all day on her cellphone from friends wishing her "Congratulations" on Teacher's Day. And how nice that I was included in the messages from friends that we both know.
Teacher's Day is a special day for Mexican educators.
Hasta luego.
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