I’ve been struggling with a very difficult parenting decision. And I thought I’d made peace with it, until we came out of a weekend where we were beautiful, model unschoolers. Or homeschoolers. Or whatever term makes you happy. I really want to continue to live the unschool life in a go to school world.
I wandered downstairs one recent Saturday morning. The house smelled deliciously of coffee, which was normal for a weekend. My husband (almost) always brews coffee for both of us. He feels it’s in his best interest, but I’m not usually a cranky-ass mess before coffee anymore. I’m more of a zombie.
The day before, he’d told me, “There were some tiny cockroaches in the coffeemaker.” My face want from normal to full on eww in 0.001 seconds.
“There are cockroaches in the coffeepot???” I said incredulously. I’ve been drinking coffee! Everyday. Like always! Had I been unknowingly consuming cockroach poop or corpses?
Technology keeps us closer than ever before. Also, let’s be candid. I doubt I would have considered the move from the US to Mexico if we didn’t have the technology we have available today. In the short time we’ve been here, I’ve missed my grandmother’s 100th birthday party, my Aunt and Uncle’s 50th Wedding Anniversary party, and several immediate family gatherings. You know, the usual when you choose to travel long-term or move far from family.
But technology helps!
Right away, it starts. Only you don’t realize you’re in the midst of culture shock because it starts with a honeymoon phase. It truly feels like being a newlywed. Everything is fascinating, new, and exciting! You’ve taken the plunge. You’ve moved to a different country from your home country and it is pretty wonderful. Even the annoying things can be overlooked because you are wearing the blinders of true love. Your love is real and you will not be experiencing culture shock, because you’re different, right? You are open-minded or well-traveled or both. You’re the sickening brand new couple in the corner who can’t stop making out, sitting on the other’s lap, and making smoochy eyes at each other.
I know language learning is a challenge and I still expected to be further along by now. Not fluent, no, but not feeling so much like my tongue is a fish flopping out water when I try to speak Spanish.
I hate back to school time. It’s touted as many parents favorite time of year. So why do I dislike it?
“It’s nice to meet you! You’re going to homeschool, right?” She said. “You shouldn’t homeschool. You should send your kids to school here in Mexico.”
I was taken aback. However, it ended up being the norm here. I would meet an expat and they would immediately tell me to not homeschool my children in Mexico. The two biggest (and only) reasons given?
Today’s the day! My dogs will finish up their 3 day journey from Ohio into Central Mexico today! That’s right, they went on a dog road trip!