You Gotta Keep Busy

SUNNY DAYS ARE ALL alike, but every rain is different. Some rains come through my bedroom window, some come with winds that threaten my trees, some come down heavy and others light. During thunderstorms I disconnect my laptop and watch downloaded episodes of the Sopranos in bed. When I decided to retire to Puerto, after 20 years as a high school Spanish teacher and a previous career in journalism, I asked Joanne of the Hotel Flor de María for advice. She said the most important thing for living here was to have "a project" to occupy my time. Wise words. A friend has noted that during their first year in Puerto, many people build a house, the second year they plant a garden, the third year they drink, and then they move away.

I am fortunate in that I came here with both long term and short-term projects. I built a house and planted a garden, but I also continued to teach and to write. Which is not to say that retirement is not challenging, at least for me. I may be the captain of my ship, but I sometimes sail into the doldrums.

Yoga and physical fitness classes help keep mind and body going, and are a good way to meet new people, but teaching has been a real lifesaver for me. Beyond the obvious, but not to be discounted, satisfaction of helping a person to communicate in another language, through my work I have connected more deeply with both the Mexican and the foreign communities. One of the attractions of Puerto for me was the nightlife. I've always enjoyed going to clubs, hanging out with friends and new acquaintances, and listening to live music. As a contributor to El Sol de la Costa I have gotten to know most of our local musicians, and I've even written a song, Mariposas Negras, for Proyecto Mandala.

My introduction to getting around in Puerto and enduring friendships came from joining the International Friends of Puerto Escondido. (Amigos Internacionales de Puerto Escondido, A.C.). The meetings are on the second Saturday of every month at the Hotel Fiesta Mexicana in Bacocho. They also have a library in Rinconada that is open from 10 - 12 on Wednesday and Saturday.

One pleasant surprise about finding myself with so much free time is that I have actually developed new interests. I am presently teaching myself how to make music videos to put on YouTube. My son, 33, says I'm a typical 15-year-old. So be it; I have passed through the difficult years of child raising and careers, and now like a school kid on perpetual summer vacation, I look for ways to pass the time.

I can stay in bed as long as I want, but it's so much more satisfying to get up and do something before I go to bed again. (You can see my videos by going to YouTube and searching "Barbara Schaffer, Puerto Escondido" or by visiting my website.)

Barbara Schaffer is a poet and language teacher: barbaraschaffer.com