Cast of "Characters"

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(I am writing this on the last day I am in Queretaro. We are going back to Agoura because the classes offered by my JFK in Queretaro were not the same as Agoura, causing him to be behind schedule. But we still love Mexico.) But...

At the end of a movie, show, or book, there are always acknowledgments about who helped create the experience.

So, it is with our experience in Queretaro. There are countless people who our family have met along the way who have kept us safe, fed, interested and were just plain fantastic.

We-our family--agree that the people in this country is what makes the difference. Oh,yes, the food is fantastic, the cobblestone streets and the century-old churches and buildings help. As does the sheer beauty of the sunrises, sunsets, greenery, and the combination of modern and ancient in Queretaro.

More Neighbors and Friends

But, without a doubt, the people matter.

So, I would love to name ALL the people
who have influenced us,but that would be impossible. Invariably, I will leave someone out. So, I will TRY to just name the people who had the greatest impact on us.

Paola, Thalia, Diane...and Rudy..

Barry (realtor)-our first connection and the man who got us our wonderful apartment. And Jewish. One of 14 Jews we found in Queretaro.

Paola (Lorena)-Always with a smile and a positive attitude, she was our “landlord.” But Diane and she bonded and our friends for life now. She cherishes life, and loved when we invited her over for Yom Kippur dinner.

All of the neighbors in our apartment building. Many times, it was like an episode of “Friends,” where we just invite people over to sit and talk. That’s it.

Thalia, Roberta, Aldo y mi familia...

Michelle, Alessandro, Rebecca and Sebastian--a true international family; a mixture of intelligence and charm.  We learned so much from them, and will miss seeing them.

Thalia, Roberta, Aldo--like our second family. So inviting and helpful. Always smiling and happy, especially little Roberta, who loves everything. Always!

All my colleagues at my school--where I tried my hardest to speak Spanish. Brenda is a perfect blend of hard work, intelligence and fun. The kids love her. I will also miss our linguistic talks with Marianna, who taught me some basic, basic Spanish. A great teacher and friend.

Ulises--He would have been my best friend in Queretaro, but he left in mid-year, without saying where or why he left. He just left without a trace. We think he’s somewhere south of the city.

Monica--She wasn’t even my student, but an 18-year-old senior. When I found out she played tennis (ranked #45 or so? in Mexico for juniors), we started playing. Another blend of intelligence, athleticism, and always happy and smiling Like so many, she tried to teach me

Uli, star tennis player Monica y Yo.

Spanish in tennis: “red” means “net”, right? When I think of students in Mexico, she is a great example. One of the brightest in her class, but the educational system is not set up for applying to an American University.

My students.. Are so full of fun and laughter. I will miss ALL of them.

Vicki, janitor at school, who worked so hard, with a huge smile. She came into my classroom everyday and we talked--which was funny because she knew little English and I less Spanish!

Leila and Edu - Leila like a sister to Diane and Edu was my “first time”--er, eating at the mercado and trying to speak Spanish.

Gavin, Edu, Leila, D, and Yo.

Rebecca- our little kid sister, who was always telling us stories, and her adventures.

Jake- probably our first “friend” from JFK--he picked us up at the airport, and helped us in a million ways.

Stores--We made friends with all kinds of shopkeepers and restaurant owners. From Pamela who made the best tamales on 5 de Mayo to the around-the-corner pregnant Heladeria owners or Sergio at Panaderia de la Cruz, they all gave us smiles and helped us enjoy the city.

From the corner Lavanderia: Jose Luis, Elise, Anna y Carlos. 

Lavanderia-Gavin and I went into the the corner lavanderia, and started talking to the owners. Before long, we were friends with Jose Luis, Carlos, Anna and Elise. We went out for dinner, talked on What’s App, were invited to their house,  taught each other Spanish and English, and now consider them good friends.

On 5 de Mayo, Hana’s Tacos are famous. Marina, a woman who must scorch her hand every night as she flips sopes y tacos, will be indelibly etched in our memory. Hana is usually patting out the fresh tortillas every night.

My dentists, especially Frederici Baena, where I probably spent more hours in his chair than I did eating dinner. Yes, I took advantage of the inexpensive dentistry here, but these doctors are perfectionists and excellent. Robert Sanchez Lara specializes in root canals (I had 4), but each one was painless. (I fell asleep once).

Mike and Joanne and Luna--Good friends from JFK, but we never really got to know them as well as we would have liked. We went to some events with them, had them over for dinner, and became friends.

Sarah, Joanne, Mike, D, Gavin

We met this very talkative woman named Sarah Ash during one of our trips to San Miguel de Allende. We loved her enthusiasm, and she told us of a Newcomers Club for people new to Queretaro. Ma Luisa was always charming and helpful, giving us all kinds of tips about the city. She was a treasure of information .

At our first "football" game: Diane, Kim, Chip, Pierce, Gavin

Chip, Kim, Nicole, Sierra and Pierce Wall-We connected with them because, well, they spoke English and were from the U.S. We later found them to be one of our closest friends in the city, sharing Christmas and other important occasions (Ohio State games). Chip took us to our very first Gallos game, as he told us to be careful when they threw beer in the stands when any team scored (later, we questioned if it was beer or something else with a golden tint)

Jeff Lewis and family-Yes, we actually cooked a Shabbat dinner together and celebrated. I think this might be a first for Queretaro.

JFK Soccer moms--who cheered on Gavin’s 9th grade team. Their cheer of “Yaguars, Yaguars, Roar, Roar, Roar” is hysterical.

I know I’ve left some people out. There are a lot of people who we have talked to. But this has been a great experience for 11 months. We’ve seen a lot, but it’s the people we will remember and love.

Friends and Neighbors in our apartment..again!

--Eric

Next Chapter: TeachingytacosdelNorte?