Life at Sherwood

We call the room front and center the "Backgammon Room." I feel this needs no explanation.

     As promised, today I will be telling my readers a little bit about my home life here in Mexico City. I am one of seven people who occupy the classic 70's home you see above. We come from all over the United States, with two from the D.C. metro area, one from California, one from Ohio, one from New England, and myself from New York. I know what question your asking yourself right now- is this guy tired or can he not count? The other gentleman I have yet to mention is from Spain; to be more specific, The Canary Islands. Despite the overwhelming number of English speakers, we operate as if there is no official language for the house. The seven of us are always practicing our second language, be it English or Spanish, so if you were to observe us interacting, you would find that we switch between languages throughout the day.

     You might have noticed from the post title that the house has a name. The seven of us agreed on this name, taking inspiration from the legends of Robin Hood in English folklore. In the majority of early ballads, the famed outlaw and his "merry men" inhabited Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, England. Robin Hood was a complex literary character, viewed by some as brave and thoughtless or arrogant and treacherous by others. As he is known as someone who stole from the rich to give to the poor, one's opinion would likely have something to do with one's income level. The name of our house doesn't really come from any particular identification with Robin Hood or his followers, but rather the over-arching concept of adventure that the seven of us agree should define life.

     Back when I was in Mexico City at the end of last school year, my roommates and I moved from another location to this house, designated by NSM as a residence of the school. As a result, a number of co-workers and school families joined us for a small gathering to celebrate the official opening of the house. The school pastor was in attendance, and as you can see below, he offered us thoughtful words before taking time to bless our home.

       

     Below you can see a variety of Mexican desserts brought as housewarming gifts; for me, I remember this day fondly as a pleasant afternoon of food and fellowship. It is at this table that my roommates and I share dinner each day. As there are seven of us in the house, it is quite easy to follow a daily cooking schedule. Each of us purchases separately the food necessary to cook our individual group dinner per week, as well as whatever breakfast or lunch items we personally want. Things like cleaning supplies and paper goods we buy as a group. We used to buy everything as a group, but we quickly discovered that each of us differed in willingness to spend on food and adjustment to Mexican cuisine. As you might expect, typical local dishes are much cheaper to prepare than foods we typically eat back in the U.S. Cheese, fish, and meat are inordinately expensive, as are quick-to-prepare frozen foods that we all know and love. But as for tortillas...I could buy fifty for twelve pesos, or two US dollars.

     I like the house as a sort of social experiment. In our initial days together back in June, we put together a stringent code of conduct for behavior in the house. For example, we wear our suit-and-tie throughout the day during the work week, opting to wear gym or street clothes on the weekends only. One's willingness to stay active and alert is often influenced by what they are wearing, and by remaining in professional attire after work, we put ourselves in the mindset to keep ourselves engaged rather than wasting time. We also laid ground rules for the common areas, established a schedule for chores, and made a commitment to forthright, honest communication with each other. I was skeptical at first of the House Director's policies, as they seemed outdated and puritanical. Nevertheless, I remained open-minded and found that our code of conduct keeps us in the mindset of being productive rather cutting corners or not doing our best work.

     The school provides us with a number of services that would otherwise be beyond our income level. Sherwood is located in a very prestigious Mexican suburb called Bosques de las Lomas, one of the safest, wealthiest areas in the entire country. As such, the school substantially subsidizes our rent, and permits us to use a school vehicle to make the thirty to forty minute commute to work. In order that we may focus on our own self-enrichment and study outside of school, we are provided maid service two days a week, including ironing and laundry. Each of us has a government-issued food stipend card which is replenished each month with an amount of pesos equal to five percent of our annual income. The school recognizes us as foreigners adjusting to a novel and strange culture, and provides assistance accordingly so we can remain committed and energized as elementary and middle school teachers.

     I'm personally quite happy with my living situation. As someone who just graduated from a college out-of-state, communal living is still the norm in mind. My roommates and I enjoy our meals together, and our discussions are always lively, be it about culture, our students, or our favorite college courses. We hold ourselves to high standards, but that is because we all have lofty goals and are willing to work diligently to achieve them.

Until next time,

Trevor