Well, the hurricane passed through yesterday, and all we saw of it here in Oaxaca was a light drizzle. Luckily we were far from the strong part of the storm.
Today I had my last Spanish class, and said goodbye to many of my classmates. After my salsa dancing workshop tonight I'll join some of my friends for dinner, and then tomorrow I am off to the US!
I wish I had more time right now to reflect on my summer, but right now I have a lot to do. All I know is that when I planned out my summer adventures back in March, I had no idea how exhausting it would all be, and how ready I would be to come home. I've had some wonderful adventures, but the thought of being back in my own bed tomorrow night, of seeing my husband again, of cooking my own food, driving my own car, it all makes me very, very excited to be coming home tomorrow!
I think this will be my last entry from Mexico, hopefully I will have the energy to write a few more reflections upon coming home. I realize that my global perspective has shifted considerably this summer, it will be interesting to process it all once I am back in my own element again.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
Hurricane Update
I have recieved a number of e-mails from folks concerned about hurricane Dean, and I just wanted to let everybody know that it is going to miss us here in Oaxaca. We've had a few thunderstorms as a result of the storm, but it looks like we really won't see anything worse than a few showers and storms. We are pretty far from the coast, indeed much closer to the pacific coast, and we'll be all clear in a few days.
I am flying out on Friday at noon, and it looks like by then we should have clear skies. So, all is well, it is sunny and beautiful out right now!
I am flying out on Friday at noon, and it looks like by then we should have clear skies. So, all is well, it is sunny and beautiful out right now!
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Night and Day
It is so difficult to capture the atmosphere of a place in writing, but I will try...
Oaxaca is warm and bright and beautiful. Today a friend and I walked down the pedestrian street paved with large, uneven cobblestones in the midday sun. Short, native women in traditional dresses with long, black braids casually offered us woven scarves and embroidered shirts. We walked past brightly painted stucco buildings- vibrant blue, orange rust, sunny yellow- all with black metal bars over the windows and tall, artfully carved wooden doors. Once in a while I'd walk past an open door, and could peek into the sunny courtyards filled with green plants and bouganvillias bursting with purple and orange flowers.
In a small, open-air artisans market we strolled past colorful paintings of birds, jaguars, watermelons, and landscapes. We pawed through piles of beaded necklaces made with sunflower seeds, beans, beas, coffee beans, and wooden beads dyed bright turquoise and fushia pink. More women offered white cotton shirts with floral embrodiery in all colors.
Then we wandered in and out of little shops, staring, touching : little wooden animals painted with bright colors and stunning detail, shiny black clay pots of all sizes, sparkling tin ornaments of moons and suns, little skeleton figurines playing musical instruments, handsewn leather shoes, bottlecap earrings covered in glitter, blouses and skirts and scarves in bright blue, yellow, pink, green, ever color imaginable, potted cacti and yellow sunflowers, woven rugs with hundreds of colors, dazzling arrays of silver jewlery, and much, much more.
And then we found our way to the main open air market, which offered more sensory overload. It's narrow alleyways between the stalls were bustling with customers and roving vendors alike. The stalls offered everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to flowers, dried chilis, clothing, art supplies, raw meat, cooked meals, purses, beans, cooking flour, chapulines (fried grasshoppers), chocolate, coffee, jewelrey, housewares, and more. We wandered, and I found myself a nice little purse featuring a few of Posada's famous skeleton drawings as well as a little wooden spoon for serving salsa.
But if the daytime is for sauntering, it is beacuse Oaxacans save their energy for the nightime. These guys know how to party. The same friend and I went out last night for a festival "Noche de Luces", or "Night of Lights". Approaching the main downtown square, we fell in behind a parade. At the front was a 4 piece band, dancers in flowing skirts and flowery headdresses, and a large cloth globe lit from the inside being twirled about to the music. Green and red fireworks shot up from the front of the parade. The air was festive and loud. The spectators following the parade carried paper lanterns with candels, and before I knew it I had a paper lantern in one hand and a shot of Mezcal (tequila) in the other. We followed along with the crowd until the main square, where we found various bands performing. We enjoyed the music for a bit, and then sat down in a cantina for a drink.
Our waiter's official work uniform was a t-shirt saying: La virginidad es un enfermedad y yo curo", something like, "Virginity is the sickness and I am the cure". Someone at a nearby table was having a birthday, and a huge crowd surrounded him (friends and waitstaff alike), blowing whistles (yes, like referee whistles) and chanting "¡Borracho! ¡Borracho!" (Drink! Drink!). As if that wasn't enough, another waiter brought over a large pole with a small base and made the birthday boy pole dance. They then brought the pole around to several other tables and got more folks to pole dance. It was about 10:30, and the live music hadn't even started yet! Keep in mind that this was a respectable, even expensive place downtown, not a sketchy bar on the outskirts. They sure like to have fun, we just watched in amazement from our seats.
There was a sign on the wall that said:
"Como y bebe
que la vida es breve."
Which translates something like, eat and drink because life is so short. Not unlike, eat, drink, and be merry. Sometimes I think they have the right idea!
Oaxaca is warm and bright and beautiful. Today a friend and I walked down the pedestrian street paved with large, uneven cobblestones in the midday sun. Short, native women in traditional dresses with long, black braids casually offered us woven scarves and embroidered shirts. We walked past brightly painted stucco buildings- vibrant blue, orange rust, sunny yellow- all with black metal bars over the windows and tall, artfully carved wooden doors. Once in a while I'd walk past an open door, and could peek into the sunny courtyards filled with green plants and bouganvillias bursting with purple and orange flowers.
In a small, open-air artisans market we strolled past colorful paintings of birds, jaguars, watermelons, and landscapes. We pawed through piles of beaded necklaces made with sunflower seeds, beans, beas, coffee beans, and wooden beads dyed bright turquoise and fushia pink. More women offered white cotton shirts with floral embrodiery in all colors.
Then we wandered in and out of little shops, staring, touching : little wooden animals painted with bright colors and stunning detail, shiny black clay pots of all sizes, sparkling tin ornaments of moons and suns, little skeleton figurines playing musical instruments, handsewn leather shoes, bottlecap earrings covered in glitter, blouses and skirts and scarves in bright blue, yellow, pink, green, ever color imaginable, potted cacti and yellow sunflowers, woven rugs with hundreds of colors, dazzling arrays of silver jewlery, and much, much more.
And then we found our way to the main open air market, which offered more sensory overload. It's narrow alleyways between the stalls were bustling with customers and roving vendors alike. The stalls offered everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to flowers, dried chilis, clothing, art supplies, raw meat, cooked meals, purses, beans, cooking flour, chapulines (fried grasshoppers), chocolate, coffee, jewelrey, housewares, and more. We wandered, and I found myself a nice little purse featuring a few of Posada's famous skeleton drawings as well as a little wooden spoon for serving salsa.
But if the daytime is for sauntering, it is beacuse Oaxacans save their energy for the nightime. These guys know how to party. The same friend and I went out last night for a festival "Noche de Luces", or "Night of Lights". Approaching the main downtown square, we fell in behind a parade. At the front was a 4 piece band, dancers in flowing skirts and flowery headdresses, and a large cloth globe lit from the inside being twirled about to the music. Green and red fireworks shot up from the front of the parade. The air was festive and loud. The spectators following the parade carried paper lanterns with candels, and before I knew it I had a paper lantern in one hand and a shot of Mezcal (tequila) in the other. We followed along with the crowd until the main square, where we found various bands performing. We enjoyed the music for a bit, and then sat down in a cantina for a drink.
Our waiter's official work uniform was a t-shirt saying: La virginidad es un enfermedad y yo curo", something like, "Virginity is the sickness and I am the cure". Someone at a nearby table was having a birthday, and a huge crowd surrounded him (friends and waitstaff alike), blowing whistles (yes, like referee whistles) and chanting "¡Borracho! ¡Borracho!" (Drink! Drink!). As if that wasn't enough, another waiter brought over a large pole with a small base and made the birthday boy pole dance. They then brought the pole around to several other tables and got more folks to pole dance. It was about 10:30, and the live music hadn't even started yet! Keep in mind that this was a respectable, even expensive place downtown, not a sketchy bar on the outskirts. They sure like to have fun, we just watched in amazement from our seats.
There was a sign on the wall that said:
"Como y bebe
que la vida es breve."
Which translates something like, eat and drink because life is so short. Not unlike, eat, drink, and be merry. Sometimes I think they have the right idea!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Two stories
What to say about Oaxaca...if you have never been, go. Really, of all the places I have been, this is one of my favorites. The climate is perfect, the people are generous and kind, the streets are as safe (or safer) than city streets in the US, the food is outstanding, and it´s a very modern, hip, and clean place. I can feel the pace of life slowing down.
"Entre los naciones y los individuales, el respecto al derecho ajeno es la paz". -Benito Juarez
This is a quote by a very famous and important political leader from Oaxaca, which translates roughly as "Between nations and individuals, respect for the rights of others is peace (creates peace)." But so far, the hardest part of being in Oaxaca is "adjusting" to the machismo culture. My Spanish teacher is definetly Mexican, and definetly takes part in the the machismo culture. There is one other young, male American student in my class who seems to enjoy the machismo culture, and plays along. Yesterday, when they were joking around about one of his friends being a "specialist of women", perhaps even a qualified gynecologist, I felt my angry, jaded, feminisit self kicking in almost as strongly as I did in China. Are women really treated this way all over the world¿ The men here check me out like it´s their job, and cat calls and whistles aren´s considered "offensive". My professor won back my respect today with two really interesting conversations about a woman´s right to vote in Mexico and homosexuality and Catholism in Mexico. And that´s the thing-he´s a really good guy, and I´m sure that most guys really are-they just don´t see machismo as degrading to women in any way. So I just wonder, when Benito Juarez coined his famous quote above, whether or not he (or his audience) had women in mind.
"La cocina antigua es la más bonita" -Soledad, my cooking teacher
I had the most wonderful cooking class yesterday afternoon with an older woman named Soledad. We also had a really interesting discussion about the plight of women in Mexico, but she was most passionate about her cooking. Her quote above translates as "The old way of cooking is the most beautiful." She proceeded to speak passionatly about the importance of putting time, and above all, love, into your food. Soledad, as best I can remember : "If you don´t enjoy cooking, your food won´t taste good. You need to put in a lot of love, to enjoy what you are doing, for the food to come out its best. I never eat in restaurants, because you can tell that the food has no love in it. It doesn´t have the same kind of flavor. But made the old way, with time and love, this is the best food." She went on and on about it, in her sweet and quiet way. We made atole de chocolate, a sweet corn juice and chocolate drink, which was delicious. I look forward to cooking again with her today.
PS The keyboard in Mexico is somewhat different and spell check is in Spanish only...hence all the typos!
"Entre los naciones y los individuales, el respecto al derecho ajeno es la paz". -Benito Juarez
This is a quote by a very famous and important political leader from Oaxaca, which translates roughly as "Between nations and individuals, respect for the rights of others is peace (creates peace)." But so far, the hardest part of being in Oaxaca is "adjusting" to the machismo culture. My Spanish teacher is definetly Mexican, and definetly takes part in the the machismo culture. There is one other young, male American student in my class who seems to enjoy the machismo culture, and plays along. Yesterday, when they were joking around about one of his friends being a "specialist of women", perhaps even a qualified gynecologist, I felt my angry, jaded, feminisit self kicking in almost as strongly as I did in China. Are women really treated this way all over the world¿ The men here check me out like it´s their job, and cat calls and whistles aren´s considered "offensive". My professor won back my respect today with two really interesting conversations about a woman´s right to vote in Mexico and homosexuality and Catholism in Mexico. And that´s the thing-he´s a really good guy, and I´m sure that most guys really are-they just don´t see machismo as degrading to women in any way. So I just wonder, when Benito Juarez coined his famous quote above, whether or not he (or his audience) had women in mind.
"La cocina antigua es la más bonita" -Soledad, my cooking teacher
I had the most wonderful cooking class yesterday afternoon with an older woman named Soledad. We also had a really interesting discussion about the plight of women in Mexico, but she was most passionate about her cooking. Her quote above translates as "The old way of cooking is the most beautiful." She proceeded to speak passionatly about the importance of putting time, and above all, love, into your food. Soledad, as best I can remember : "If you don´t enjoy cooking, your food won´t taste good. You need to put in a lot of love, to enjoy what you are doing, for the food to come out its best. I never eat in restaurants, because you can tell that the food has no love in it. It doesn´t have the same kind of flavor. But made the old way, with time and love, this is the best food." She went on and on about it, in her sweet and quiet way. We made atole de chocolate, a sweet corn juice and chocolate drink, which was delicious. I look forward to cooking again with her today.
PS The keyboard in Mexico is somewhat different and spell check is in Spanish only...hence all the typos!
Monday, August 13, 2007
First Day in Oaxaca
Well, I have to write about my first meal, because it was so exciting. I got salad, real salad (washed in purified water, these guys are good), with avacados and lime dressing. Fried potatoes, and a chicken breast, a real chicken breast with no gristle or cartilage, and fresh blue corn tortillas with salsa. Wow. That was a 3pm.
The main meal of the day here is at around 3pm, and a light snack later, around 8pm. Tonight I had some toasted french bread with a bean spread and Oaxacan cheese melted on top. Wow again. It was so great.
I slept for 4 hours today and I am heading off to bed soon. So far, the language school seems great, I am in a class of 4 people who seem about my level, and our teacher is a lot of fun. We have class from 9am until 1 every day (with coffee breaks with free, tasty coffee), then I have a one-on-one "intercambio" with a local from 3-4pm everyday to practice conversation skills, then from 4-6 we have optional acvitivies such as salsa dancing, cooking, weaving, and a few others.
Around 6pm I walked around, and was happy to find that my host family's house is very close to downtown and the Zócolo, or main city square. It is beautiful here. I remember the Zócolo as being a huge square packed with people, but after China it felt more like a little corner park with a few people out and about. It is so refreshing: the clean air, the uncrowded (by Chinese standards) streets, the vendors who turn away with a simple "No, gracias", and being able to communicate with the people around me! The only drawback is that it is cold at night (maybe 70 degrees), but at least it is very comfortable during the day.
I have not spent too much time with the family yet, except I had lunch with grandma who lives here, who is blind, which poses interesting communication challeneges (no body language). She is very smart and knew a lot about China, I look forward to getting to know her and the rest of the family more.
We have internet here at the house, so I will write more soon!
The main meal of the day here is at around 3pm, and a light snack later, around 8pm. Tonight I had some toasted french bread with a bean spread and Oaxacan cheese melted on top. Wow again. It was so great.
I slept for 4 hours today and I am heading off to bed soon. So far, the language school seems great, I am in a class of 4 people who seem about my level, and our teacher is a lot of fun. We have class from 9am until 1 every day (with coffee breaks with free, tasty coffee), then I have a one-on-one "intercambio" with a local from 3-4pm everyday to practice conversation skills, then from 4-6 we have optional acvitivies such as salsa dancing, cooking, weaving, and a few others.
Around 6pm I walked around, and was happy to find that my host family's house is very close to downtown and the Zócolo, or main city square. It is beautiful here. I remember the Zócolo as being a huge square packed with people, but after China it felt more like a little corner park with a few people out and about. It is so refreshing: the clean air, the uncrowded (by Chinese standards) streets, the vendors who turn away with a simple "No, gracias", and being able to communicate with the people around me! The only drawback is that it is cold at night (maybe 70 degrees), but at least it is very comfortable during the day.
I have not spent too much time with the family yet, except I had lunch with grandma who lives here, who is blind, which poses interesting communication challeneges (no body language). She is very smart and knew a lot about China, I look forward to getting to know her and the rest of the family more.
We have internet here at the house, so I will write more soon!
Arriving in Mexico
What a long day...
As I began my long day of travel to Oaxaca, I found myself feeling homesick and wondering why I was even going in the first place. I was still sick and run down from my three weeks in China. Part of me just wanted to be home, but as they day went on, a few things picked up my spirits.
First, I asked at the United desk in the LA airport for directions to my gate (LA was a hassle, but Mexico City was a million times worse). Anyway, she happened to be from Mexico...´´Oh my dear, Oaxaca, you are going to love it, the food is amazing, and...´´ she gave me the pep talk I needed.
Then, while waiting to board in LA, I started a conversation with a nice Chinese family. They were Taiwanese, living in the US, and headed to mainland China for the first time with their kids (flying through Mexico city?). I managed to tell them in Chinese that I had been to China (Wo qu le Zhongguo) being very careful not to tell them that I ATE Chine (Wo chi le Zhongguo). Very easy to confuse. Anyway they were really nice, thrilled by my Chinese, even looked at my photo album. They cheered me up and were very excited to hear of my plans in Mexico.
And of course, the closer I got, the more my adventurer´s spirit got the best of me, and by the time I landed in Oaxaca I was pretty excited to be here. I managed to make it to my host familiy's house by taxi colectivo, and thankfully they sent my straight to bed (it was 11:30).
As I began my long day of travel to Oaxaca, I found myself feeling homesick and wondering why I was even going in the first place. I was still sick and run down from my three weeks in China. Part of me just wanted to be home, but as they day went on, a few things picked up my spirits.
First, I asked at the United desk in the LA airport for directions to my gate (LA was a hassle, but Mexico City was a million times worse). Anyway, she happened to be from Mexico...´´Oh my dear, Oaxaca, you are going to love it, the food is amazing, and...´´ she gave me the pep talk I needed.
Then, while waiting to board in LA, I started a conversation with a nice Chinese family. They were Taiwanese, living in the US, and headed to mainland China for the first time with their kids (flying through Mexico city?). I managed to tell them in Chinese that I had been to China (Wo qu le Zhongguo) being very careful not to tell them that I ATE Chine (Wo chi le Zhongguo). Very easy to confuse. Anyway they were really nice, thrilled by my Chinese, even looked at my photo album. They cheered me up and were very excited to hear of my plans in Mexico.
And of course, the closer I got, the more my adventurer´s spirit got the best of me, and by the time I landed in Oaxaca I was pretty excited to be here. I managed to make it to my host familiy's house by taxi colectivo, and thankfully they sent my straight to bed (it was 11:30).
Friday, August 10, 2007
Creme Brulee au Grand Marnier
This post is about food!
Do you like Chinese food? I did, but after weeks on end, I started to crave familiar foods from home. I was sick of salt, of warm foods, of rice, of steamed mixed vegetables. Even the noodles, which I love, lost thier appeal when I was offered them for breakfast. I had been thinking about my first meal back in the states for at least a week. I had orginally envisioned a big salad or a hummus wrap, but here is what I got:
First Meal:
Grilled pita strips with Hummus
Cheese Ravioli in Marinara
Chocolate Torte
Tonight's Meal:
Beet Salad with Blue Cheese
Fried Zucchini Flowers stuffed with goat cheese served with garlic mashed potatoes
Creme Brulee au Grand Marnier (that one was for you, David and Chris)
Both meals were wonderful.
I should also mention that I went grocery shopping in between these meals to pick up some lunch material. I had planned on only buying a few things, but entered the grocery store jet-lagged and hungry. I was immedietly overwhelmed not only with the selection, but my desire to eat everything in sight. I wandered around in a daze, and I must have looked overwhelmed, because no less than three concerned store workers asked me if I needed any help. Here is what ended up in my basket:
Emergen-C
Smoked Salmon
Vegetable Soup
A loaf of French bread
Hummus
Tea
A Bean Burrito
A strange grocery list, especially since I was so sick of Chinese food, and we'd had lots of soup, fish, and tea in China. I got home, had a bite of everything and slept the rest of the day.
Tomorrow is Saturday. My dad and I are going to the Gravenstein Apple Fair, I am running last minute errands, and then Sunday morning I am off to Mexico. Let's hope my tolerance for Mexican food is greater than for Chinese.
Do you like Chinese food? I did, but after weeks on end, I started to crave familiar foods from home. I was sick of salt, of warm foods, of rice, of steamed mixed vegetables. Even the noodles, which I love, lost thier appeal when I was offered them for breakfast. I had been thinking about my first meal back in the states for at least a week. I had orginally envisioned a big salad or a hummus wrap, but here is what I got:
First Meal:
Grilled pita strips with Hummus
Cheese Ravioli in Marinara
Chocolate Torte
Tonight's Meal:
Beet Salad with Blue Cheese
Fried Zucchini Flowers stuffed with goat cheese served with garlic mashed potatoes
Creme Brulee au Grand Marnier (that one was for you, David and Chris)
Both meals were wonderful.
I should also mention that I went grocery shopping in between these meals to pick up some lunch material. I had planned on only buying a few things, but entered the grocery store jet-lagged and hungry. I was immedietly overwhelmed not only with the selection, but my desire to eat everything in sight. I wandered around in a daze, and I must have looked overwhelmed, because no less than three concerned store workers asked me if I needed any help. Here is what ended up in my basket:
Emergen-C
Smoked Salmon
Vegetable Soup
A loaf of French bread
Hummus
Tea
A Bean Burrito
A strange grocery list, especially since I was so sick of Chinese food, and we'd had lots of soup, fish, and tea in China. I got home, had a bite of everything and slept the rest of the day.
Tomorrow is Saturday. My dad and I are going to the Gravenstein Apple Fair, I am running last minute errands, and then Sunday morning I am off to Mexico. Let's hope my tolerance for Mexican food is greater than for Chinese.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
A Different World
Well, here I am, writing from cold, freezing, rainy California.
Yesterday was a long day of travel of Shanghai to San Fransisco. After arrival, Anja, Sandy, and I stood on a sidewalk outside a Motel 8 not only wondering what day and time it was, but also wondering where the heck we were. It felt so strange to be back, so suddenly back to a world we thought we knew.
I was definitely in a different world last night my father took me to dinner with a friend at a trendy restaurant. It was dimly lit, and a soft techno beat oozed from surround sound speakers. Abstract crystal chandeliers and paintings of flowers created a trendy atmosphere. Young professionals in suits sipped martinis, while I stood staring with my 2 day-old clothes, uncombed hair and rain jacket (it wasn't raining). When they dimmed the lights half-way through the meal, I was definitely the only person in the whole place to make the sound: "Oooooooooo."
It is surreal and strange to be back. In a matter of days, we transitioned from the rural Miao village, to urban Shanghai, to home. It all happened so fast, my mind is still catching up, unable to accept the idea that I am in a place where I don't have to bring toilet paper with me to the bathroom.
I am relishing my freedom and the now decadent idea of having a whole house to myself for the day, yet missing the crowded busy streets, my travel buddies, and I can't stop looking for our guide Wen Tao! Really, after 3 weeks, I feel lost without him! How else will I know what is happening today?
Thank you Paul for all your hard work making this blog so great! Thanks to Wen Tao, Eric, and Bruce for organizing such a phenomenal trip! Thank you all my fellow travelers, I will be thinking of you and missing you. Be well and keep in touch!
Yesterday was a long day of travel of Shanghai to San Fransisco. After arrival, Anja, Sandy, and I stood on a sidewalk outside a Motel 8 not only wondering what day and time it was, but also wondering where the heck we were. It felt so strange to be back, so suddenly back to a world we thought we knew.
I was definitely in a different world last night my father took me to dinner with a friend at a trendy restaurant. It was dimly lit, and a soft techno beat oozed from surround sound speakers. Abstract crystal chandeliers and paintings of flowers created a trendy atmosphere. Young professionals in suits sipped martinis, while I stood staring with my 2 day-old clothes, uncombed hair and rain jacket (it wasn't raining). When they dimmed the lights half-way through the meal, I was definitely the only person in the whole place to make the sound: "Oooooooooo."
It is surreal and strange to be back. In a matter of days, we transitioned from the rural Miao village, to urban Shanghai, to home. It all happened so fast, my mind is still catching up, unable to accept the idea that I am in a place where I don't have to bring toilet paper with me to the bathroom.
I am relishing my freedom and the now decadent idea of having a whole house to myself for the day, yet missing the crowded busy streets, my travel buddies, and I can't stop looking for our guide Wen Tao! Really, after 3 weeks, I feel lost without him! How else will I know what is happening today?
Thank you Paul for all your hard work making this blog so great! Thanks to Wen Tao, Eric, and Bruce for organizing such a phenomenal trip! Thank you all my fellow travelers, I will be thinking of you and missing you. Be well and keep in touch!
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