Inside the Land of Enchantment: Albuquerque

The perfect big city with a small-time feel. Albuquerque is nestled around the Sandian mountains and runs into the Chihuahuan Desert. Albuquerque's claim to fame comes through the famous Route 66 highway in 1926 which, before retirement by the US government, used to run right through the town. Now, route 66 has been relegated to a touristy scenic route, but the city has continued to grow and has become the 32nd largest city in the country with almost one million inhabitants.

By now you may be thinking, besides an old road, what exactly does this old New Mexican town have to offer. The answer is "quite a bit." Albuquerque is home to the largest university in NM, New Mexico University. Like most college towns, UNM has brought in quite a bit of local businesses including a number of delicious eateries like The Frontier, several bookshops and used bookshops (which are so underrated), and there is even a hostel. Yes, the US does have hostels.

For my stay, I resided at the Route 66 hostel. For my first hostel experience, I was pleasantly surprised. The staff and other visitors were extremely friendly. In fact, my last night there I got into a two-three hour conversation with a guy from Quebec and a guy from South Africa who were making their way across the US. The hostel provided a kitchen with limited food stuffs (cereal, bread, peanut butter, fruit, etc) which the could be used at any time. There was a fairly comfy, if small, common room. The main drawback to the place was the lack of AC in the dormitories. But, for the price and the pleasant company, I could easily put up with it.

Besides the university there are several other sites and fame claimers. First, never forget that New Mexico is huge when it comes to everything Native American. Albuquerque is no exception. Not too far away from the historic district is the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. This summer, they are featuring Zuni dances. As a historian, I find this museum (as I find most museums these days) saddening. However, as just a curious observer and tourist, it should provide at least an hour of entertainment and enlightenment. This summer they have a special exhibit from the Smithsonian on display.

Next to Old Town is the botanical garden, featuring southern and desert flora, and the aquarium. Then, there is the art. NEVER FORGET the ART. Just walking through central and downtown is an art experience, which is probably why there are several walking tours. And, if you are into movies and cinema, Albuquerque is beginning to boom as a studio and filming location. You never know, but you may get lucky enough to get caught in the background or see some filming going on. Of course, if you are in Albuquerque for any length of time and have the money, Albuquerque is also known for hot air balloon rides. Every October they have a festival where hot air balloons of all types are on display through parades, private businesses, and more.

Then, there is the Old Town. Old town has your stereotypical, but upkept, Old West type of structures which have been converted into art shops, eateries, jewelry sellers, and more. One of my best experiences of the weekend happened here. I just happened to walk into an art shop specializing in indigenous artwork by Daniel Ramirez (the owner), when he walked in behind me and introduced me to his shop. As he began explaining his work, we somehow ended up in a 20-30 minute conversation about myths, legends, cultures, and more. I found him fairly well-informed and very interesting to talk with.

Albuquerque has a little something for everyone. A large university and all that comes with it, several national and mom and pop stores and restaurants, art, cinema, nature (there are extensive RV hook ups and camping and hiking spots) are just some of the attractions. However, despite its rather large size, the city itself isn't as daunting as it may appear. While there is definitely traffic, it isn't that bad for a town of its size, and the streets are fairly easy to navigate. Architecturally, there are several adobe style buildings, but there is also a fair amount of modern architecture. There're even some Victorian styles thrown in. I know I'm not an expert on Albuquerque by any means, but I was fairly impressed with it from my short time there.

Sincerely,
Your American Nomad

Inside the Land of Enchantment, Ruidoso

Introduction: Gertrude Stein once wrote, "America is my country, but Paris is my hometown." I've loved this quote for a while now, and in many ways I relate to it. I am a native Texan. I was born there, and I have lived most of my life there. I am proud to be a Texan. I love the vastness of the state, the pride of the state. In my mind, I am and will always be a Texan. But, my heart is a true New Mexican. My family moved to NM when I was two, and we lived there until I was seven. Even after we moved back to TX, I spent almost every holiday and summer vacation at my grandparents house in NM. Now, when I have a choice of where to go when I want, need to get away, I choose NM.

Ruidoso:
I've spent at least one week a year here for the past four years. For those who are not familiar with the landscape and geography of NM, Ruidoso is in the Central to Southeast region of New Mexico. During the winter it serves as a popular town for skiers. In the southern region, its attraction lies in the natural and abundant hiking opportunities, coupled with all the charm of an art-ridden mountain paradise. Summers in Ruidoso are packed with tourists who eagerly participate in the horse races, art shows, and hiking adventures.

I have two favorite things to do in Ruidoso. To begin with I always love walking down the unending main street and exploring all the curio shops. Ruidoso provides the perfect blend of Southern flavor and mountain new-age freedom. The shops host a variety of local goodies - everything from homemade fudge to incense to dream catchers to native american artwork to vintage and second-hand clothing. The buildings themselves are colorful and varied in style and design. Victorian buildings sit next to adobe structures which are adjacent to log cabins. One of my favorite shops is an art house which showcases not only the traditional landscape pieces, but breath-taking human portraits. One artist even has the tradition of capturing extreme details in his subjects, but he always leaves out the eyes.

My second favorite place in Ruidoso is Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino. The Inn is located on reservation property and owned by the Mescalero Apache tribe. While I am not a gambler, I love the resort for its location and architectural beauty. When you walk into the front foyer, the first thing you notice is the back wall - one large window. Your gaze is captured and you walk toward the back. But before you get there you notice two parallel stair cases. In between the two stairs lies a huge, two story fountain. The fountain is painted and has a Native American design on it. At this point, you look away from the fountain and the windowed back wall. Along the walls on either side of you are paintings - painting after painting of Native American art. Gorgeous earth-toned hues blended and mixed to capture the beauty of Earth and her people. Back to the glass wall. Finally, you've found yourself at the back of the resort. What you see makes you gasp. Outside, running down the two floors to the ground is a man-made architectural wonder of a water fall.

The weather is typically cooler in the Lincoln county forest regions as the evergreens that populate the mountains provide shade and fresh air. Unfortunately, this year, drought and an over-abundance of zealous fires have ravaged the entire state of New Mexico. Even the mountains of Ruidoso provide no refuge for the tired and sunburnt peoples of New Mexico. This year when I went, I almost wept. My green trees were burned. My cool air was blistering. The streets were fairly empty. The whole country has been consumed by this massive heat-wave. But what many people don't realize is that New Mexico has been dealing with it much longer. My area of the state has seen two mini-rain falls in over eight months. Add that added to 100+ degree weather and the results are heart-breaking. People naturally assume that when you see brown plants, the plants are dead. When you are in a drought, you know that's not true. It's when you see sun-bleached blonde-white plants that hopes are lost. However, one thing NM has taught me is that even when all the life has been sucked out of the plants, there is still a wonderful, majestic beauty in the Land of Enchantment.

Summer, 2007

Summer, 2011

Sincerely,
An American Nomad

Home Again, Home Again

I've been home, back in the US, for over a week now, still trying to figure out how to end this blog. There is so much I want to say about my time in Russia, but I am completely at a loss to describe everything. In the end, I have decided that the best way to end my chronicles is to answer two questions that I have been asked repeatedly since my return and then follow them by the top 15 things I learned during my travels.

Question 1. Did you have a lot of good experiences? Was Russia really bad?

Yes, I would say about 85-90% of my experiences were good, which compared to many bloggers out there, makes me feel extremely lucky and blessed.

Question 2. Would you do it again if you could?
Yes and No. I could do Russia again. In fact, I was strongly considering staying in Zgrad. I have made so many friends there, and I loved the people I worked with. But, as much as I enjoyed my time there, Russia itself is not for me. I want to see more of the world, to experience life and different cultures. But most importantly, I want to work as more than a ESL teacher. I want to be in a place where I can use my skills to work with and help people on a more personal level.

Top 15 things I've learned:
1. Friendship is as much about being humble enough to take and accept help as it is about giving help.

2. Ice hurts. It is my mortal enemy.

3. No matter how long the winter may last, spring is always on the other side.

4. Even when you feel absolutely alone and isolated from everything familiar, the stars and moon are so much bigger than you. In fact, they are big enough to connect you and your loved ones back home.

5. It's as important to have laughter in your work atmosphere as it is to have professional respect.

6. When your AD isn't happy, no one says a word.

7. Students come in all shapes, sizes and personalities. The trick is to find out more about them than their name.

8. It is possible to have your favorite student in your class be your worst nightmare.

9. I absolutely love and adore my New English File Intermediate class and my English in Mind Intermediate class. Which basically makes me think that intermediate is the best level to teach.

10. I am extremely blessed to have such a wonderful group of coworkers and friends.

11. I don't have to feel guilty when things go well for me. When I do get gifts and blessings, I should accept them with thanks and realize that maybe, just maybe, I might deserve them after all.

12. Life is full of ups and downs, but I worship a God is absolutely in control.

13. There are no such things as coincidences. Everything is a chain of events with a purpose.

14. Sushi really is fantastically amazing!

15. When you work hard and refuse to give up, dreams really do come true, even if they're not what you expected.

Well, here they are dear readers. The faithful few who have kept up with my journey know some of the highs and lows of my life as a ESL teacher in Zgrad, Russia. Maybe I've inspired you, scared you, or just entertained you. Either way, thank you for taking this journey with me.

As for some good news. This is not the end. While I am not going back to Russia, I have wrangled a job which requires my frequent travel around the US. Indeed, from August 2011 to May 2012 I will be living out of a suitcase and motel/hotel rooms across the US as I visit schools to present Camfel Productions' videos to students. I am extremely excited about this new opportunity God has given me. I get to continue working with students and traveling. So, stay tuned as I create my new blog to capture my life as a nomadic citizen exploring my countries greatest wonders.

Sincerely yours,
Your Home-again-Russian-traveller