In February, I participated in LitWorld’s World Read Aloud Dayby visiting several local kindergartens. Check out Kindergarteners are Super to learn more about those school visits. Through Microsoft Educator, I connected with teachers in Pennsylvania and Canada and Skyped with their students. Not only did the kids actively listen to books or chapters, they met my adorable dog, Lucy. (Curious how adorable she is? Click here to see for yourself.)
I’m not usually one to toot my own horn, but…
…if I don’t, who will?
Guess what came in the mail?
A thank you note from 4th and 5th graders. Shout out to French teacher Madame Diaz who invited me to meet her students. She said, “Thanks for the card and the Skype session Naomi! I think you were by far their favourite Skype guest this year!”
That makes me so happy.
Another big shout out to librarian Ms. Killian. She took these pics and sent me an unexpected review, “On a scale of 1-10 your lesson received a resounding 10!!”
Whew!
She also said, “We had a fantastic time hearing you read the story to us, listening to your experience as a writer, and we love your dog!”
College Girls. Are we headed to Cancun on Spring Break or a Girl Band named “Big Hair & Denim”?
Who can forget Spring Break?
My son and his college buddies recently returned from Spring Break in Cancun, a tourist destination known for beautiful beaches, turquoise water, and American students having a lot of fun.
When I told my college girl friends where my son vacationed, they all remembered our Spring Break in Cancun. How could we forget it, especially our last night there?
Here’s the lowdown on the slowdown that caused Cancun Chaos!
Who: Approximately 200 college students.
What: Departure of a charter flight back to the U.S.
Where: Cancun International Airport.
When: 8 pm (late ’80’s–could you tell from the hair?)
Why: Good Question!
What Happened?
Shortly after arriving at Cancun International Airport, the shops brought down their gates. Then, some airport employees left. Then THEY ALL left! Two hundred college kids were like, “What just happened?” and “Where’s our plane?” and “Holy Moly–we’re locked in!”
Apparently, our flight was cancelled or postponed or whatever! So, the airline workers went home. Guess what we didn’t have? Cell phones (gasp!). I remember being tired and angry. If we’d known the flight was cancelled, we could have either stayed at our hotel another night or hung out with my childhood friend, who also happened to be in Cancun. Ugh!
We had no way of letting anyone know we were stuck and no way of finding out when we might leave. It was chaos! Those who had bought Mexican blankets were in high demand. The rest of us climbed on top of X-Ray scanner belts, pretended to be airline attendants and, basically, got delirious wondering if and when a plane would arrive.
And then?
Around 8 am, airline workers unlocked the airport doors. They weren’t in a hurry and they didn’t apologize. What did they care if a couple hundred American students had practically eaten their sombreros in desparation?
At 9 am, a charter plane arrived. What I don’t remember is if we all cheered upon takeoff or immediately fell asleep!
Open air market.Lots of hair and high-cut swimsuit–so Eighties!Tanning in turquoise water.
Shout out to my childhood friend.Hanging out on the X-Ray scanner belt and, yes, crawling, through the machine at Cancun International Airport.
Hon, do you have a ridiculous travel experience? I’d love to hear about it.
Nice, France, 1988, I’m on the right in the black whole piece. Ilene is wearing a white t-shirt. The blonde guy in the Speedo was someone we met that day. The other three people are other student backpackers. Peter is not pictured in any of these photos.Sunbathers in summer of 1988. Nice, France
Rating of this post: somewhere between PG-13 and R, depending on which country you live in, what year you were born, if you are a direct descendant of Puritans, your Zodiac sign and personality traits.
Warning: If discussing the body makes you uncomfortable, you can find recipes under the category “Call Me Cook.”
Intro: If you read about my trip to Jamaica in April, then you might remember how surprised I was when I met a couple of nudists. After I posted “Birthday Plus Suit Equals ?, I comprised a list of my Top Ten Questions For Visitors To The “N” (as in Naked) Resort. The whole subject reminded me of one of the most embarrassing moments in my life. Friends, if you’ve already heard this anecdote, skip it!
Back story: In 1988, after graduating from college, a girlfriend (shout out to Ilene) and I backpacked across Europe. We wound our way to Nice in the south of France where we planned to sunbathe and relax. For the entire backpacking trip, we asked each other one question: “Should we or should we not go topless in Nice?” We spent much emotional energy discussing this topic.
You know the whole “When in Rome” argument? Well, a lot of French women don’t wear bathing suit tops and we wanted to be like them. Then again, our modesty combined with skin that had never seen the light of day weighed heavily on our minds. But, we were on an adventure (Writer friends, can you name which one of my characters is on an adventure? But, I digress.) and were young.
Scenario: Walking to the beach, we stopped at shops to browse.
Me: “Look at the baskets of bikinis!”
Friend: “There are only bottoms! That’s it. Let’s do it.”
Me: “Okay, but we’re wearing whole pieces.”
Friend: “Once we lay down, we’ll roll them down. At the same time! Anyway who are we going to see?”
Me: “You’re right. Who are we going to see?”
I interrupt this story to tell you that we had met up with some other students (pictured above) backpacking in Europe. The girls were having the same dilemma as us and we weren’t interested in the boys “like that.”
After we set up our beach towels…
Friend: “Tell me when you’re ready.”
Me: “One the count of three: one, two, three!” (Much giggling ensued!)
After awhile we got used to the exposure (pun intended) and sat up. Then from a bunch of beach blankets away…
Peter (former football player and biggest jock in my high school): “Naomi, is that you? Hi!”
I lookeded in his direction and half-waved, half-covered my now burnt-to-a-crisp upper body (applying sunscreen would have been doubly mortifying so, alas, we didn’t). I realized not only was Peter sitting a few blankets away, so were some other boys from Baltimore!
Two thoughts went through my mind:
1) “What are the chances boys from Baltimore are sitting on the same beach I am at the same time I decide to roll down my top?!?
2) The biggest jock from my high school, who I was never friends with, never had classes with and who I hadn’t seen since high school graduation, knew my name? Wow!
Friend: “You know him?”
Me: “I can’t believe it!!”
Peter: Waving and pointing me out to friends.
Me: “Cover me!”
Friend: Blocked view of me while I quickly rolled up my top.
Me: I stayed on my towel and waved back, but I did’t go over and say hi!
Friend and I decided it was best to be occupied. We ran to the water, grabbed a paddleboat and stayed out in the water for a long time.
That was the beginning and end of my “When in Rome” adventure!
Two more things happened after that:
1) Peter gave me a big hug when we ran into him in Monaco the next night. (OMG!)
2) My friend and I were in pain for a week.
Moral of the story: Don’t roll down your top if you’re too embarrassed to apply sunblock!
Do you have any embarrassing moments you’d like to share?
My friend and I went paddleboating after the embarrassing incident. We stayed out in the water a long time!Sexy sand sculpture!
Naomi M. Gruer 