Back To School

Yes, I still hang out on here once in a while.  We haven't been doing anything exciting lately or anything that I have felt has been interesting enough to post.

We skipped the Carnival completely this year, instead we watched the parade live on the local TV channel.  Fewer people and much more comfortable.  I think we are both past going to the parade route early enough to get a spot where I can see over people and then waiting for hours for it to begin along with watching it for over an hour or more.  We could see the fireworks from our patio and watched them there in the comfort of our chairs.  We could also hear the bands playing on the malecon at a sufficient volume for us.

Other than that it has just been the same old stuff around here for us.

One day last week a lady that we met through our landlords asked me if I would consider going to a Special Ed. type class at one of the secondary schools and doing some type of art class with the students, (I think she works for DIF here).  She assured me that my fractured Spanish would not be an issue and so I agreed.  The next day she came over with the teacher of the class and we chatted and decided on a time and a day for me to go, what she needed to get for supplies, etc..
Well, today was the day.  The teacher called this morning and asked if I needed a ride or anything, which I assured her I didn't.
 I did leave home a bit early to make sure that I found the school on time.  I arrived on time, asked for the teacher at the office and someone was taking me to her room when she walked out to meet us.  She showed me the room where she had set things up and asked if it would be OK or not.  I assured her it was just fine, big windows, lots of light, perfect.
She went to round up the kids and I got some materials out that I had prepared for a short lecture with visual aids in the form of drawings, etc..
The eight students were very still and quiet as I talked and didn't ask very many questions, very shy.  Then I told them the boring part was over and it was time to start drawing.  The teacher handed out sheets of sketch paper and pencils and we discussed how to begin.  They were all scared to put the first mark on the paper, they looked scared to make a mistake until I told them that as far as I was concerned there are no mistakes, that it comes from your heart and if you are happy with it, that is all that is needed.  I do know the feeling of staring at that blank piece of paper, I always feel the same way.
They were trying so hard to get their drawings perfect and so I told them they had another 5 minutes and then it was time to use some colour.  They looked terrified at that notion, their faces were priceless.
With lots of urging they began and started to loosen up and have fun.  They also started asking questions about how to do things.
They seemed to enjoy it, I know I sure did.  It was fun to see the "lightbulbs" go off when they tried something that I demonstrated and it gave their drawings some shape and form.  Several asked where to buy supplies and how to  do things better, etc., which was nice.

I took some photos, (with the teachers permission), and I also blurred the childrens faces a bit so they are not easily recognizable hopefully.  The teacher was also taking photos throughout the class.
After 2 hours some of the students were getting to the point of being finished and some had other classes to go to, so I thanked them for having me and came home.

The room, I would call it the library.

The teacher taking photos.

Everyone working hard.

First Project Completed

Last evening at drawing class we completed our first project.  Our teacher endeavored to teach us how to draw a face.  I have to say that I have never really had much interest in drawing people or faces so at first I was not too interested in the project.  As the class went on though the techniques began to intrigue me and I enjoyed it.  I will never be good at this as I have lots of trouble making 2 objects the same size even when using the measurements given for the standard face.  We were not allowed to use a ruler at any time during the process and had to make all the measurement lines freehand, this is a problem for me as I cannot draw a straight line, yikes.
I am still not really happy with the face as I think the dark shading on the left side of the mouth makes it appear as if the mouth is pulled over to that side, kind of like a stroke victim. I had had less shading on that area but the teacher made me add more, so I suppose he knows best.
Anyway it is finished.
Next week we begin to work with pastels, a medium I have never tried before either.  I have used oils, acrylics, water colour and water colour pencils; but never pastels, so should be fun.  We are supposed to bring a photo of a still life with vases, jars, and a variety of fruits in it so that we can work on lots of textures, shading, etc..  Sounds like lots of work and fun to come.

My first attempt at a face.

The Casa de la Cultura is getting ready to have the Festival de las Calacas this weekend for the Day of the Dead.  The building was abuzz with activity last night and it should be a fun weekend.  Music, calacas, food, altars, etc. will all be set up in the Plaza de la Pistola and adjoining streets.

Still Alive Just Not Blogging

I guess I have been missing in action on here for the last couple of weeks.  Things have been going on; but not much that is blog worthy or that someone else has not written about much better than I can.
The big celebration is over until the next one starts.  We didn't do much over the holiday, neither or us is big on crowds so we kind out hung out at home mostly and even watched the fireworks from our patio.  I did go and check out the photo exhibition that the Casa de la Cultura has on until the end of September.

We renewed our FM3 's with little fuss; although it took a bit longer than it might have as they were closed for several days over the holiday.  The first day we took some documents in with us to see what else they were going to require.  They added a couple of more things to the list and asked us to please not come back until the next week as they were out of forms.  Apparently they had more people coming to renew or get their papers than they had expected and had run out of the forms they needed.  We gave them an extra day after the holiday was over and went back.  They looked through it all and sent us to the bank to pay.  Receipts in hand for the payments we returned to the office.  They told us to take a seat and kept calling us to the counter with one or another question on a form he was filling out on the computer.  Finally I asked him why he just didn't take it off of the forms that I had filled in.  He looked through our papers again, found the form and transferred the info. into his computer.  We sat and waited for a bit and he came back and presented me with my new card.  Repeated the same with Roy and shortly thereafter we were done.  Not bad.  No more return trips to pick it up, etc., etc..  Done for another year.
  One surprise this year was that there were a couple of the staff that could speak English, other years the only one that I ever saw that could speak some English was the boss and he wasn't around a lot of the time.  We did it ourselves in Spanish other years so weren't concerned about it anyway: but it might take some business away from the people in the next town over that earn a living doing this for people.

A plus was that when they gave me my new card I noticed that I now had a CURP number, I had been meaning to go and get one; but had been putting it off.  Now no muss, no fuss one was assigned to me.  I asked the fellow if this was an actual CURP number and he assured me it was.  The next day when I was downtown I went and got one printed off and laminated just to make sure I was actually in their computer with that number and sure enough there it was.  So for 14 pesos I now have a CURP card.  One less thing to do.  The CURP number is your ID number and every time you fill out a form you are asked for it.

I have been taking a drawing class at the Casa de la Cultura since the beginning of September.  I am enjoying it, the teacher actually gives good instruction and is easy to follow.  He lectures and tells us to take notes during some of it and then he gives us hands on tasks to do, homework also.  There are 2 classes a week for an hour and a half each.  This course is definitely worth my while to take and is just what I have been looking for.  It gives my Spanish a work out as it is naturally all in Spanish, good deal drawing and Spanish class all in one.

Still going to my Spanish class once a week also though, will never be able to stop that.

We had some sad news in Roys family, we had pretty much known it was coming; but was still hard to hear.

I had another birthday, I think they are coming more often than they used to.

Tropical Depression Georgette came through yesterday and dumped some rain on us.  No problems in our neighborhood, not sure about other areas in Guaymas.  Haven't seen the local news today yet.  The news we have seen is from other areas so will see later on.  Hopefully nothing major happened, not much wind; but a fair amount of rain.  Apparently some homes in San Carlos got water in them so I am sure some of the people in Guaymas got water inside also.  One of the perks of living on a hill and also on the second floor.

Spanish And Art

Well, last night was the first night of class for the drawing/art class that I signed up for at the Casa de la Cultura.  I decided to try the drawing class as in the painting class there was no instruction and I need the basics having never had any type of classes before.
I was a little nervous as the classes naturally are all in Spanish and wasn't sure my language was up to the test; but nothing ventured nothing gained, so decided to go for it.
From sitting outside this teachers classroom while waiting for my painting class to begin in the summer session I knew that he did a lot of lecturing as well as practical hands on stuff.  I had spoken to him in July and gotten his name so that I could be sure and get the right class in fall.
After his early class yesterday he saw me waiting and came over to talk to me, asking if I had signed up for his class, I said I had and he told me to come into the classroom.  There were only 2 other people besides me so that was nice, it is possible that more will join though as that happens.
Anyway he began and asked me if I could speak Spanish, I told him a little and he said if I didn't understand something to ask him to slow down or repeat it.  He laughed and said his English is only of the ordering food at McDonalds type lol.  I told him that if I had any trouble it was my problem not his and thanked him for his consideration and class began.
He started out with a lecture about the different types of art and and told us to take notes on what he said.  I did fine, translating in my head and writing the notes down in English.  He seemed as surprised as I was with my keeping up and not holding the others back.  Thank goodness as I was dreading that.  We discussed and wrote notes about Realism, Surrealismo, and other types of art and also discussed some famous paintings and artists.  Very enjoyable.
During the practical stuff he told me I was going to have a harder time than the others because I am left handed and am using the other side of my brain and will need to train myself to do things that the others do naturally.  Great, like I need another handicap lol.  He showed us what we would be doing throughout the class until December and that was it for the first night.
  I have homework lol.  It has been a few years since I have had homework.
All in all the class was great, at the end I thanked the teacher for the class and the Spanish lesson lol.  I was walking on cloud nine when I exited the class, feeling really much better about my poor language skills.

Painting Class Art Exhibit

Painting Class Art Exhibit

The painting class that I am in is having an exhibit right now at the Casa de la Cultura here in Guaymas. I am not sure that calling it a painting "class" is really accurate though. There are no structured lessons given. Everyone just kind of works on their own and if they need help they call on the teacher. It is not what I thought it would be when I signed up for it. I was looking for a true beginners class where I would be taught the fundamentals. This is not what I got; but it has been fun anyway in a frustrating sort of a way. The majority of the "students" are definately not beginners, there are a few like me; but they seem to come and go and are not regular attendees. It seems more like people come to use the space rather than for lessons. Oh well, I have gotten some pointers and will continue going for awhile longer anyway.

Here are photos of some of the pictures in the exhibit.

This is the only painting that has a price tag next to it. The price is 5000 pesos.