We have been in Puerto Morelos for 2 weeks now. After my brother and his wife returned home we had to wait for a boat part to arrive by fedex. We were concerned it wouldn’t make it through customs, as that often happens, but our part was small and inexpensive and made it to us, although 2 days later than fedex expected. We have fixed our stabilizers and were ready to head south, but as we checked the weather and planned where to go over the next week we realized a northern front was headed our way and we did not want to be out during it, so we are still here in Puerto Morelos at El Cid Marina waiting out the weather. It should be clear and calm in a few days.
Since we are stuck here we have been taking advantage of the resort amenities. They have a great pool that we frequent and a fun kids club for the kids. They have enjoyed going to the kids club after their school work and chores are complete to join in the games and activities. It is a vacations day care. We have never put our kids in day care, and because of that, the kids club seems like a fun day camp to our kids. Because we are constantly on the move, our kids often miss out on playing with other kids, so this has been a fun few days for them. They especially love staying for lunch or dinner b/c they go to the buffet restaurant at the resort. Because we are staying at the marina the meals at the restaurant are not included with our dock fee. But because the kids are attending kids club, even though there is no charge for them to attend, the meal is free. They love the buffet and getting to pick what they want to eat and always getting dessert.
We have enjoyed getting to know the kids club staff. They have shared different tidbits with us about what it is like to live in Mexico. Most of the resort employees that speak good English are not from the Cancun area. They come here from all over Mexico for a better job because they know English. Those that are maintenance or behind the scenes staff, that do not speak English, are locals. So the resort employees that the vacationers chat with our usually young adults from all over Mexico. The resort provides a housing building for them and they usually stay 1-2 years. To learn English in Mexico costs money. It is not taught in the public schools; they learn it in private school or by paying for lessons with a tutor. Most young adults do not attend university as it is very expensive, so they look for work instead.
We have attended church here in town twice. It is a nice branch with several families in attendance. The people are kind and have a great spirit. Although we do not understand any of the church meetings we can tell that they have a love for the gospel and a strong desire to live righteously. I enjoy following the lessons as best I can. I know I miss out on great comments and testimonies being shared among the members but I can see it in their eyes and feel it by just being with them. The kids enjoy their primary classes even though they don’t understand what is being said. We all enjoy singing in Church. We can sing the hymns with a Spanish hymnal and participate that way.
This week after church one of the members asked if she could arrange a play date for our kids that evening. She has spent many years here and now spends several months every year here, although she now mostly lives in San Diego. She invited our kids over and a few of the kids from the branch to play games together. The kids had a great time running around her condo grounds together checking the area out. Even with a language barrier they managed to get along fine. The boys made grasshoppers out of palm leaves together, Mateo had shown Calvin how to make them after church and he, Miguel, and Calvin made more together, the 2 boys helping Calvin when he’d get stuck. And the girls raced each other and shared snacks. We then played a memory game and a few rounds of UNO together. We had brought cookies to share and Leticia shared some local snacks with us. She made chilled coconut water and had fresh coconut meat. A toasted tortilla and dip, and some candy and chocolate. We had a lot fun and it was almost like there was no language barrier at all. Leticia sent us home with a fresh cracked coconut to experiment with. I made coconut milk to use for a dinner recipe the next night.
Hopefully we will stop here on our way back north and the kids will be excited to see each other again. Calvin loves his new skill at making grillos (grasshoppers) and will probably have a bunch made to bring home when it is time to return to Idaho.
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