Day 19: Celebrating the Fourth of July in Mexico! A photo blog…
We were not expecting 4th of July celebrations in Playa del Carmen and were taken completely by surprise! What a fun, heart-warming day. We are so thankful for the country with which we have been blessed and it was neat to have time to reflect on these things during the evening. Happy Fourth of July, America!
Day 18: Reflections Two Weeks In…
Last evening, we had the opportunity to take another walk on the beach as a family. We strolled north for a while and then stopped and set up house. The kids jumped right in and had a blast playing with each other and throwing sand “snowballs”. Finally, when they were exhausted, they sat at the edge of the water, half submerged, just chatting. Their silliness and laughter was infectious and we eavesdropped for quite a while, taking it all in. Ryan and I enjoyed watching them interact with each other and their environment. We… Read More
Day 15: Friends and Fun
One of the things we made sure to tell our family and friends was that they were welcome to come visit us as we traveled. Of course, we meant it sincerely, but wondered if anyone would actually be able to make the trip to Playa del Carmen. We know life is busy, and schedules are packed. So…imagine our surprise when we had not one…but TWO separate visits from dear friends! On Sunday afternoon (yesterday), our friend Linda, also from Chicago, met us at a restaurant close by. We finally got to introduce our… Read More
Day 12: Learning to Make Guacamole
Part of our 3-day resort training included a Mexican Cooking Class! We learned how to make one of our favorite foods…Guacamole. The ingredients? 1. Fresh Avocados 2. Cilantro 3. Habanero Peppers 4. Freshly squeezed Lime Juice 5. Salt & Pepper Time well spent!
Day 7: Venturing Out to Shop
After attending our first church service in Playa, we headed over to Sam’s Club, just down the street, to stock up on many needed supplies and food. We assumed this would be the best place to shop but after looking through the prices and talking to several locals, we have determined that shopping at La Mega or Walmart may be just as cost effective, in addition to searching out little specialty shops like Dak (on Constitution and 30th, near La Mega) that offers fresh produce as well as Gluten-Free products. The first… Read More
Day 6: Ryan’s First Impressions
Along the streets in Playa del Carmen, there are no speed limits, no lanes, and no lights. Motorcycles glide in and out of groups of people, as do cars and taxis. People walk everywhere, usually not heeding the vehicles right behind them. Jaywalking laws don’t exist in Playa Del Carmen. Thankfully Starbucks does.The tour people here will ask you, “ Have you been with your kids to swim with the dolphins?”You’ll say, “No, not yet.”They’ll say, “How ‘bout now, amigo?” You’ll say, “No thank you.” They’ll say, “Come on, amigo, I give you… Read More
Day 6: Dinner Tonight…
After meeting our Spanish teachers for the first time at Kava Kasa tonight, we headed back home, hungry but not in the mood to cook. We opted to steer clear of the more expensive Fifth Avenue restaurants, and opted instead to explore the non-touristy areas of Playa. While walking, our paths intersected with a “salesman”, trying to draw us into the restaurant he worked for. We explained that we were not tourists and were more interested in finding a place where the locals ate. We were not too convincing at first,… Read More
Day 5: And the Internet is Alive!
Did I mention we finally have Internet? They got it up and working on Day 5 (Friday), just a little longer than their promised 24-72 hours. We are thrilled, except for the fact that we no longer have an excuse to head over to Starbucks every day. And no, the flower has nothing to do with this little update, just thought it was pretty. We pass it on our way up and down the steps to our condo.
Day 5: Kathryn’s First Days
Kathryn’s Blog & Photos: We arrived safely in Mexico on Monday afternoon and have seen a lot already. One interesting thing I observed is the way vendors are so eager to earn money they never stop pressing you to buy something until you are out of ear-shot. It’s always tempting to buy fun, colorful items, but sometimes they’re pretty pricey. One time I asked how much a miniature marble elephant cost and was told I could only buy the whole family of elephants for $20! A few sellers always lower prices so… Read More
Finally Here!!!
A small stream of light hit my eyes, rudely awakening me from a deep sleep. “Mikayla…” I mumbled something inaudible, too tired to care if the loud voice could understand me. How could they have had the audacity to rouse me from my ever-so-needed beauty sleep? And then I remembered. It was Monday, June 16, the day of our departure from Illinois to Mexico. This was the day I’d been anticipating for months! Now it was finally here. “C’mon, Mikayla. It’s time to get ready. We’re already running a little behind,” my… Read More
Deena Gainor
Six Hearts One Journey 
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