I've been a bad, bad girl...

(Am I the only one who hears the Fiona Apple song "Criminal" playing in their head while looking at this title?)

I promised my mom (and thru her, my grandma) that I would post a blog update a few days ago, now that I am back safe and sound in Miahuatlán. And I didn't. So first and foremost, please let me state for the record that I am alive. And I'm not sick. I've just been quite busy and catching up on sleep after my exhausting trip back to the "other side."

I left Massachusetts in the wee hours of Sunday morning, and 2 flights and 8 hours later, I arrived in Mexico City, an hour ahead of schedule. I flew threw immigration, but was stopped at customs because of the large number of "suspicious food items" that I had in one of my bags. The customs officer was a bit skeptical as she unearthed various packages of gluten-free pasta and bread, but I explained my gluten allergy (in excessive detail), and she soon decided this wasn't worth her time.

I took a taxi to the main bus station in Mexico City, excited that I had arrived ahead of schedule and optimistic that I could get into Oaxaca city in time to catch one of the last vans to Miahuatlán. Alas, I was told that the next 4 buses leaving were totally full, and so I had to wait over two hours in the station with all of my luggage. I managed to lug it all around with me, long enough to get something to eat and then get settled in the waiting area. I befriended a couple with a small daughter, and after an hour I pretty much begged them to watch my bags for 10 minutes so I could use the bathroom and buy some water.

I had an uneventful 7-hour bus ride from Mexico City to Oaxaca, where I checked into my hostel at midnight and had 4.5 hours of sleep. I had to catch an early van to Miahuatlán in time to drop my bags off, shower, and catch the bus to the university for work.

So that was my journey back. I was totally exhausted, but Monday and Tuesday night I stayed up ridiculously late, catching up with my co-workers and friends. Last night (Wednesday) I finally went to bed nice and early, and got a great night's sleep.

I've been thoroughly enjoying all of my gluten-free goodies, it's wonderful to have pasta and cookies and bread again! I received a delicious jar of passion fruit marmalade, and I was so thankful to have something to put it on... And I'm planning a dinner of pancakes soon (maybe tonight!), made possible thanks to the special flour I brought back.

Classes have been going smoothly, but we're covering difficult material in my 3 level one classes... So I've even been busy in the hours I don't have class (normally reserved for e-mailing, blog updates and online word games), planning my classes and figuring out how to get my students on board with the present simple.

And I think that's it! I'll have time to post more tomorrow, seeing as Fridays I don't have any classes (and even I can only play Word Twist so many times)...