Moved!

While were were visiting Mexico in January, Eduardo got a job offer back here in Mexico City. While we loved our time in Prague and met so many great people, we felt like it was time to head back to our side of the continent and start to try to settle somewhere. Mexico City was an easy choice for us because that is where Eduardo is from and where his family lives. Also, In Mexico gay marriage is legal and this extremely catholic country offers full rights to gay couples. Since we are a bi-national gay couple, living anywhere is difficult. We can't live in the US without the constant worry that a company won't renew or sponsor (for work visa) Eduardo the following year. So we took the plunge and moved away from our awesome apartment in Prague after three years and back to Mexico City.

Mexico City is HUGE, this is my second time living here and I am always amazed at it's size, culture, sound, movement, and unfortunately pollution. Mexico City has an estimated 22-23 million people. The Metro here has 11 lines and 16 stations, plus an extensive metro bus, and bus system. Moving around in the city takes patience as does most things here. While we get settled, save money, and find a place we want to live, we are living with Eduardo's mom. She lost her husband about a year and a half ago so she welcomed us without question. She is so happy to have us here.

We have been here for almost 6 weeks now and things are moving slowly but surely. Eduardo will FINALLY get his company car at the beginning of next week, which will greatly improve our lives. Our papers for our wedding our almost ready, job searching is progressing but at a painfully boring pace, and we have internet and our own phone line. Next on our to do list is to submit the papers for my permanent immigration forms, finally get a job, and start slowly looking at places to buy. I say slowly because it is still about a year away from the time when we will actually buy a place, but this place is huge and we want to pick a great area, on a quiet street, with a large patio or balcony, must have 2 parking spaces, and if it is an apartment it must be on the top floor because I have people living above me.

All in all we are happy about the move. It has been stressful and expensive but we are beginning to feel settled and like at home. Now I just need a job!

Christmas Day so far.....

It is 6:00am on Christmas morning and we are getting ready to leave for our month long vacation. Our itinerary includes; Mexico City, Phoenix, San Diego, A cruise to Cabo San Lucas, and Puebla, Mexico.

I am nervous wreck right now for the possibility of one or more of our flights being cancelled. Yesterday, 50% of the flights in and out of Paris were cancelled due to weather and shortage of the de-icing fluid. Right now all of our flights are "on-time" but I think it is too early to tell how the day will go. Fingers crossed!

Besides that I am sooooo excited. Excited A) Because I love flying! While most people can't stand the idea of sitting in an economy seat for 12+ hours....I rather like it. I mean, I would much prefer to be in Business or better yet First but I still love flying. Flyings mean that you get to go to the airport and I LOVE THE AIRPORT! It is filled with people from all over the world going all over the world. There are restaurants, bars, shops, and lots of opportunities for people watching. Also, going to the airport mean that you get to go on vacation (usually) B) I am really excited to see my parents in person for the first time in 4 years and for them to meet Eduardo for the first time. I am really excited about this one and maybe even a little nervous. C) I am excited to see Eduardo's family and spend Christmas day (evening if the flights go OK) and New Year's with them. Since meeting them they have accepted me into their family and always treated me like one of their own and for that I am truly thankful for! D) To speak and practice my Spanish more. I am pretty good at speaking Spanish now and even get to practice it here in Prague at my job but sometimes I think I feel it slipping away...but that is always the case and after a couple days in Mexico, it all comes right back. (Eduardo doesn't have the patience to talk to me in Spanish...really!) E) To see Lola. I haven't seen Lola in almost 3 years. Considering that she is 4...that is pretty significant. I feel like this time I will be meeting her for the first time. I would also be excited about seeing Bella but sadly she is not coming on the cruise. F) To feel warm weather! Winter started nearly 2.5 months ago here and I am tired of snow, - temperatures, putting on and taking off the tons of shit that is required to stay warm out there. It will be so nice just to feel the sun, get some rays and not feel like my face is going to fall off!

I am also so happy that I will get to spend so much time with Eduardo. He is my partner and best friend! I love you Eduardo!

30 minuets until the cab is here! Fingers crossed!!!

Paris!!!

Today Eduardo and I are going to Paris for the weekend....My Birthday weekend. This trip actually wasn't supposed to be for my birthday weekend. It was originally planned for May. However, the stupid volcano reeked havoc all across Europe during that time and our flights were cancelled. So we re-booked everything for this weekend. When our flights were cancelled in May, we had the option of getting a refund or moving our dates. Before we moved our dates, we checked the prices for the dates we wanted and they were cheaper than the ones we had originally bought. So we chose to get a refund and then re-booked the flights. The hotel was more than accommodating and just moved the dates without any fuss or fees.

I have been to Paris multiple times but this is Eduardo's first time there. It will be really fun to see his expressions when he sees all the sights for the first time. Plus, I have never been to Paris with someone who I am in love with ;)

I am excited about strolling the streets, seeing the sights, drinking coffee, drinking wine, eating the pastries, smelling the wonderful fresh bread that seems to engulf the streets of Paris every morning, shopping, eating creme brulee, meeting up with our friend Colleen and her new husband Robert, being on vacation, not worrying about anything. We are going to have so much fun!!!! AHHH!

Back to school

Next Thursday is the first day of school. I am headed back after a 2.5 year hiatus. I am excited, nervous and I would say the most motivated I have ever been about doing well at school in my life. I only have 2-3 semesters left, and am looking forward to the upcoming challenges.

My latest hiatus from school was the best sacrifice I have made in my life, in fact I don't consider it a sacrifice.

I stopped going to school after the spring 2007 semester to move to Mexico. I had met Eduardo and his work visa was going to expire. He had told me about his looming departure and asked if I wanted to continue the relationship. I was having fun and am a firm believer in not to stop good things. So we continued dating, about a 6 weeks before he was scheduled to leave, we were having dinner at 'Cantina Laredo' in North Scottsdale and it hit me. I was not going to risk loosing this great relationship because of distance. So I told Eduardo then and there that I wanted to move with him to Mexico City. 6 weeks later we packed up my car and drove all the way to Mexico City. It has been the best decisions I have ever made! I Love you Eduardo!

Here are a couple photos from the road trip.

If people really new people

The last couple weeks of work have been crazy, high season is in full swing and apparently so are the idiots. The reception at a hotel is everyone's "I have a problem and please fix it" point in the hotel; the guests, the employees, the deliverers, reservations etc. However, I don't think that many people realize that there are many different departments in a hotel all which can be reached independently with out bothering the reception. In fact, for the guests there is even a 'Hotel Directory' that lists the proper numbers to dial to get you to the correct department. Even with all these well thought out devices to supposedly make the line of communication better there is still the person who calls reception and starts ordering food before I even finish my scripted and often overly helpful "Reception Josh speaking, how may I help you?" Why? This should not happen. I feel like asking the questions, "Is this the first time you have ever stayed in a Hotel?" "Did you hear me I said, THE RECEPTION, not THE 'bistro' THE 'Bar' or THE 'Breakfast room'" Most people don't even have the courtesy to say, "Oh, I am sorry I was trying to be connected to room service can you do that for me?" I once said, oh no miss, this is the reception, let me connect you to room service. In which she replied, "OH come on, your JUST a receptionist just take the order for me." I would like to find out what that woman did and then call her work and ask her to help me with something completely unrelated to her work and then when she couldn't help me I would say some melodramatic response to make her feel insignificant. This woman was probably a nice person but maybe she just has bad hotel etiquette.

Every week it seems like there is someone in the hotel that the staff avoids like the plague. When they call the reception and we see their room number come up we all go AHHH SHIT! It's 608 or "I answered last time" or "I'll buy you a drink if you answer" or my favorite, "they like you better, really they told me." When they walk in the front door we hide under the reception or in the office and the last one hidden has to help them. Just this week this over confident, stick up her ass lady was staying in 203 and every time she called it was the apparent end of her world. No hot water, too cold in the room, not soft enough pillow,(admitted, all valid complaints)but at some point dont they get tired of trying to find problems?

She had a co-worker staying in 401 and instead of dialing the simple 3+room# to connect to her co-worker. She would call reception at least 4-5 times on my shift and ask to be connected, even after I repeatedly gave her instructions on how to dial other rooms. With this type of stupidity so frequent it makes me wonder; Do I know someone that behaves this way in a hotel? If I know any 203s or 608s out there and if I did find out they acted like this would I continue to associate with this type of person? Or am I that person and I just don't realize it. Would these peoples friends and families approve of how their loved ones behave while away on a business trip. I would say probably not.

Lost in Translation

I am going back to school to finish my degree in the fall and need a new laptop as it will be done completely on-line with ASU. After many months of research and weighing my options of buying one here or having a friend bring one from the US. I decided to buy it here. It is a little bit more expensive but in the CZ all electronics come with a complete guarantee for two years and a 40 day trial period. So after feeling pretty disappointed about our flight to Paris being canceled because of the Volcano. We re-booked the trip for September and decided to head to the electronic store and boost my spirits with a new 'toy'. After finding the right model I had picked out on-line and making sure everything was in order. We headed home with my new laptop. I was ecstatic. My excitement was short lived. I turned on the computer and warily selected the laptop language settings and the operating language settings to English (Anglicky in Czech) as windows 7 prompted me to do so. Re-booted and then was overwhelmed with disappointment as everything was still in Czech. Great now what???

Eduardo and I used google translate and you tube and basically learned that it is impossible to change the visual language settings after they have already been selected on widows 7 premium. With ultimate you can change anytime. But still this made no since, I selected Anglicky, the sales man said it can be in Anglicky as long as you select it as your language when you first turn the computer (WHICH I DID) and Microsoft's website confirmed theses things. So why still Hezky Cesky???
(Beautiful Czech)

After a couple hours and a couple beers of trial and error and getting nowhere. We surrendered and the next day I went to return the lap top. 2 days and 2 big disappointments. (I don't deal well with disappointments)

The next day at 9 am I was back at Electroworld (kind of like best buy)and was searching for the guy who sold me the computer or someone else who spoke a little bit of English. Found no one and after 20 minutes of explaining the situation in cave man like sentences, the point was comprehended. The point was also given back to me that I must have made a mistake and not selected anglicky as the language. They did some research on the computer and found that I DID select the correct language and that it is some fluke. Since they had no more of the model I wanted, my options were A. To wait possibly a week to see if their other store had one and it it could be set into English?? a week???? why? B. Buy Windows 7 Ultimate C. after much discussion get a full refund. Waiting a week for a answer that could be "no" here is your money back was not really an option for my impatient personality. Buy windows 7 ultimate after I just bought an almost 1000 USD computer when I did nothing wrong was not going to happen. They said they could give a discount but still it was the point, No. so finally I got my money back. Now I just have to wait till the money is back in my account before I figure out my next option.

These are the things that make living in a country where you don't speak the language so difficult and frustrating sometimes.

The following are just little things that can cause so much confusion because of language: Grocery store shopping, getting cable installed, calling the Internet company because your Internet isn't working, wondering why that person buzzed your door 3 times and wouldn't go away even after you told them you spoke no Czech, wondering what the old woman said to you on the tram, wondering what the construction worker said to you when he saw you running out of breath in the park, Going to the doctor-dentist, getting your visa renewed, being the only person at your work who doesn't speak Czech, making friends, ordering food, buying really anything, going to the post office!!, getting your deposit back from your landlord, and so much more.

Even though these things are frustrating and difficult it is still fun and makes life a little more challenging than usual to live in a foreign country. It is never boring, that for sure.

To all of you who say, "just learn some Czech". Point taken. I am not proud to say that Eduardo and I have lived here for two years and 2 months and we can't carry on a basic conversation. We can however say some basic words, we never planned on being here for this long and why would I learn Czech if we were just planning on staying here for a year? Tell me where and how I can use Czech outside of this country? It is however getting better and I am sure when it's time to leave we'll just be getting good. However, I say proudly that I have been studying my Spanish more as it makes since for my future and I am really good. I would say at 85%

Birthday, Thanksgiving and Mexico

Wow, What a month it has been so far and it is not even half over. I have a lot to cover so I'll start with Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is also Eduardo's birthday. Since it is not a holiday here we decided to celebrate his birthday on Thanksgiving and have the actual dinner the Saturday after.

I worked the night before Thanksgiving which was a mistake. Since I work at night, I also forget to request off the day before the actual day I need off and the actual day as well. So, I was tired but couldn't sleep knowing Eduardo was waiting for me to get up. After I got up and got showered and ready, we headed out. Our first stop was this little wine place that we recently discovered. The place it self is not that interesting but the lady who works there is more than entertaining. We first went there about 2 weeks before. She entertained us for a couple hours and we probably had too many glasses of wine. She is the type that can talk and talk and when you talk she has no interest. In fact, when I was talking she was texting. Non the less, she told us her life story, why she has been divorced, how she escaped Serbia during the war, how to raise kids properly, why she smokes, how sex shouldn't be taboo, why she works at this place only part-time ETC... It was great listening to her. So this time we figured she would be working again. However, when we showed up it was empty and there was some young guy working, so we kept walking with no destination in mind. On the way Eduardo got some birthday wish telephone calls.

We ended up at this little French cafe named Chez Marcel. Eduardo had some wine and I had some coffee. While at the cafe I got a call from my mom and dad wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving. Very nice. After the cafe we headed to our favorite restaurant in Prague; Osteria De Clara (www.daclara.com The web site has some of the recipes). This place is by far the best food in Prague and BY FAR the best Italian restaurant I have ever been to in my life. It is a small restaurant owned by a Czech woman and her English husband. Not the exact nationality recipe you would expect for a great Italian restaurant. However, it is to die for. The menu constantly changes, it's always seasonal. The service is always great, even though they always act like to get a table is impossible and its not. They now know us very well and will make our favorite dishes even if they are not currently on the menu. We ate way too much and I was so sleepy after dinner, drinks and dessert. I got Eduardo a really cool lite jacket about 2 months ago for his birthday. I gave it too him shortly after I bought it. I am no good at keeping presents until the proper day. As soon as I buy it I think that person should get it. Plus, I always find an excuse why the person needs it now instead of 2 months later. This time my excuse was, "It is a light jacket that would get better use in September and October rather than at the end of November" He really liked it.

Black Friday has no meaning here in the CZ. But for me it was Thanksgiving shopping day. So to Tesco (supermarket) I went for all the fixings. Originally Thanksgiving was supposed to be held at our friends Heather and David's. Unfortunately, they broke up a week before so of course I held it. Awkwardly enough they both came to dinner anyway even though it wasn't awkward. I am still contemplating weather this whole break up thing was just a way to get out of Thanksgiving. ;)

Dinner was great. I got some help from some of my mom's recipes. Some friends from work came along with David and Heather and Lizzie showed up late and drunk. After dinner we listened to music drank some more and chatted. All is all it was a really nice night and I think everyone had a great time.

Tuesday December 1,2009

Eduardo was working early in the morning on his computer because he was on call and got a call. He got an email from his niece telling him that his dad had had a heart attack and was in intensive care in the hospital. Clearly this was a shock and a surprise. After Eduardo talked to some of his relatives, things looked positive and his dad was conscious and well. However, the Dr commented that his spirits were low. Eduardo went to work and was staying there late to be able to call Mexico on Tuesday morning there time to see if there was any news and talk to his mom. When he called his mom told him the news that his dad had died in the morning after having 2 more heart attacks.

After I heard the news from Eduardo I went into "get things done mode" and or shock and would be there for the next 6 days. I looked for tickets to Mexico, threw in some laundry, cleaned the house, packed my bag and got Eduardo's ready for packing. called my work, switched my shifts and then smoked a cigarette. Whenever something like this happens I don't think you really feel the full impact of it until much later, especially when it happens and your 4,000 miles away. The news hit us like a tons of bricks.

I wasn't able to get off work for that night and I had a really painfully slow night. My mind was somewhere else and guest's needy questions just seemed so petty and pointless to me. After my night, I went home and could really only sleep for about an hour. Did my three s's plus breakfast and off we went. On the way to the tram stop I bought some Chocolate for Eduardo's family. THEY LOVE CHOCOLATE!!! Last time we went I bought some but ate it all on the place :p (hey, its a long flight from here to Mexico) So this time I felt like I really owed it to them. Plus, anything that could maybe bring a smile. Our flight was with Air France and we went from Prague-Paris-Mexico. 2 hours to Paris, 1 hour in Paris and 12 hours to Mexico.

I have to say that no matter what the situation, I love flying. Just being in an airport is exciting. So many people from all over the wold all going to places all over the world for so many different reasons. I felt a little guilty for being excited to fly on this trip and it definitely didn't feel as good as normal.


After arrival, it was straight to the funeral. Then in the morning it was straight to the cremation place, then a lunch with a lot of family members. This was all terribly sad and after a night of working, another day of flying it was emotionally exhausting as well. Even though it was sad and the reason for us being in Mexico wasn't ideal. It felt good to be surrounded by family.

The whole trip in Mexico was a whirl wind. Our time was spent with his Mother and helping her and other family members. We sat and talked a lot and just remembered Eduardo's father. One thing that I didn't like was the endless stream of visitors coming to the house to pay their respects. In my opinion, pay your respects at the funeral. It was 2 days long and there was plenty of time for grieving. The constant flow of neighbors, friends and old co-workers just kept reminding everyone of the loss. It was painful to see his mom brought to tears every time. I am not saying that his death should be forgotten, just grieving time had passed.

I feel grateful that I met George. He was always so kind and always tried to make me feel welcome in his home. I will always remember when I first arrived to Mexico, he talked and talked and talked to me in Spanish not caring for one second that I didn't understand him. That was him though, he talked to everyone and anyone about everything. He was more than accepting of Eduardo's and I relationship even if it took him some getting used to. For him family truly came first and nothing could ever keep a family member from being welcomed in his home. I am glad that Eduardo had a chance to let his dad know who he really is and I am also glad that I knew enough Spanish so that I got to converse with George. Mexico will never be the same when I visit or live there next. He will be missed.