Parras, not Paris

Our rental car.

One of the greatest things about working at an American International school in a foreign country is that you celebrate most U.S. holidays as well of the local country’s holidays. Basically you have a lot of days off. No complaints here!

Our latest holiday was “Dia de Los Muertos” (Day of the Dead). We were able to enjoy a joyous four day weekend. Some teachers chose to take an overnight bus to the beach, I did not. Instead my friend Megan and I decided to rent a car and take a day trip to a nearby city called Parras.

This city is pronounced like Paris except you must roll the “r”. The difference to a foreign ear, such as my own, is quite minute. I made the mistake of confusing the two cities one day when one of my third grade students said to me, “Miss I am going to Paris this weekend.”

I responded, “Oh really?”

He explained, “We are leaving Friday and coming back Sunday.”

With a look of confusion I nodded my head and smiled while thinking that this poor child must have been lying. After school I ran into the boy’s father and told him what his son had told me. He laughed and explained that they were not going to Paris, but instead Parras. It all made so much more sense to me.

I was quite nervous about renting a car and driving a car in Mexico, but in the end it all worked out quite nicely. The drive was only about 2 hours each way. While in Parras we met up with four other teachers who were spending the weekend there. Together we enjoyed a hike to a church on a hill, a visit to the aqueducts, a natural spring water pool, a wax museum, and a tour of the oldest winery in North America.

Megan and I after our hike up to the church on the hill.

We got back into town around dinner time, called up some friends, and asked where they wanted to go since we had a car. It was a crazy night for the four of us girls. We chose to take a trip to Carl’s Jr. and HEB.

Rainbows, how I love you!

Yummy... gorditas!

The next morning before dropping the car off I took a detour to Starbucks. I was even able to go through the drive-thru! It was very difficult to turn the car back in. I truly miss having a car and have thought several times about having one here. Then I remind myself that it is too dangerous to have a car here especially as a foreigner, a car is not a necessity here, and I don’t want to have the cost of having a car here.

All in all a great relaxing weekend. Perhaps we’ll have to rent a car again sometime!