Acapulco! Teacher Training Re-Visit: Day 1, Sunday

Back in Acapulco! It's surreal in a way...but let me start at the beginning.

I got here around 2:30 p.m. or so and Bikram had been on my flight. It was fun to see him right off the bat. After arriving at the hotel, I found Todd in his usual spot by the pool and got settled into a really nice room in the main tower, facing the ocean. We hung out by the pool and caught up. I almost immediately met a handful of folks who are blogging this time, as well as a few people who read mine. Super fun to put faces to names and facebook pages. Anyhow, we then headed to dinner at 100% Natural (a TT favorite) and then took a crazy cab ride to the Mega (big local grocery) whereby Todd insisted on sitting upon MY lap in the front of the tiny car that had 5 Mexican packed in the back already. Upside, it was just a buck for the lift. :) (See photo)...

We grabbed water, Pedialyte and some limes and headed back for the 9 p.m. teachers meeting. I'm psyched about the bevy of cool senior teachers here this week - including Lynn W., Diane D., and Mike W. - along with others I don't know very well. The format for helping out was gone over, as well as staff roles and responsibilities. A lot has changed, and fundamentally, a lot is the same.

It's hard to write without comparing. I don't wanna be all, "We walked uphill to the hot yoga room both ways in the snow" about this training versus mine in Spring. And it's not that way - so I'll call it out now: It is not comparative, rather, it's just different, and overall, I have minor-to-no opinions about the differences. Some are downright good things though, I will say that.

So, those who went with me are dying to know the changes, I'm just guessing, because I was. So, here's what I've got for ya, in no particular order:

- They sell not only Bikram Yoga clothes - but SHAKTI!
- You have to carry your towels to the top of the stairs and outside now. Hot and heavy, and not in a good way :)
- They play music *before* class as people are getting set up...random artists...
- You are not permitted to puke or cry (heavily) in the room. You are required to leave and talk to staff in the lobby. Todd wondered what it would've been like to leave each and every episode ! He said, "I'd have never been in the studio!"
- Posture clinics are very supportive (like ours) and more focused on - specifically - 1 or 2 things to work on for next time. It seems more about learning to teach the dialogue than making sure you didn't forget to say "nicely" in "feet together nicely." Again - not complaining - it just seems like a positive change.
- The food is better - the Asian-esque food is way better.
- People, it seems, are not out and about as much - seems they are studying in rooms or secret places we have yet to find. The lobby and pool seemed stark in comparison to how it was for Todd and I.
- The staff is a 100% change - no one on staff from our training. We keep trying to figure out who is in what role, exactly "is she the new Rowena?" :) They're all great, just a totally new lot.
- The hotel staff don't seem as overwhelmed and many of them are the same (the old taxi guy at the front; the woman with funky glasses at Chula Vista).
- There is a new mall out this way! Todd seems especially excited - there is a movie theater which would have been cool to be able to see a flick without having to go all the way into town.

Otherwise, the Wal-Mart and Mega are still standing :) I plan to do classes tomorrow and help with posture clinic and just see how it is from the other side of the table. Being open, and seeing how it all unfolds, just like my own training :)

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Below: Me, our view, and Todd.