Los duendes de las estadísticas de WordPress.com prepararon un informe sobre el año 2015 de este blog.
Aquí hay un extracto:
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Hello all!
Remember that time I went to Oaxaca and visited Teotitlan del Valle? Remember the impressive and beautiful tapetes hand dyed and woven by the women and families in that area? Remember how badly you wanted to book the next flight to Oaxaca and appreciate all of the talent from those wonderful craftswomen yourself?
Well, you’re in luck! Handcrafted laptop bags from artisans in Teotitlan del Valle are available here. One of my friends is working with a family of artisans to sell and distribute their crafts outside of Oaxaca. Check out the website for more information. I look forward to seeing memoirs of Oaxaca across the U.S. in the near future 😉
Besos y abrazos,
Caitlyn
Teotihuacan-climbing the Sun Pyramid
I am blessed to have enjoyed 10 weeks in Mexico this year. Thank you to my family, friends, loved ones, and God for making this trip possible and wonderful.
Throughout my study abroad experience, I was unusually aware of my environment. Small things, such as the silver-blue spray paint on my dresser, or the natural sweetness of the mandarins, caught and held my attention. For a while, everyday everything seemed new to me. I moved slowly day to day, trying to take everything in.
There was something majestic about the way Santo Domingo stood, glowing golden rays in every direction. There was something exciting about getting up every morning to catch el camion to class. There was something irresistible about the richness of quesillo. There was something empowering about the politically-charged graffiti lining the streets.
I moved slowly in Oaxaca. I saw a lot and I understood a lot. I appreciated a lot and I questioned a lot. I felt small often. But still, I did not rush. Perhaps for fear of missing the white cochineal turn to pink dye in between my index fingers? Or perhaps for fear of forgetting what it smelled like when my host mom made platanos con crema? Or, perhaps for fear of missing an opportunity to make a new friend? Perhaps for these reasons I did not rush. As a result I learned to slow down my state of being, and this has brought me a peace that I did not know before.
As a third year undergraduate, sister, daughter, friend, coworker, and so much more, I can easily feel overwhelmed with responsibilities. Too often I have felt unable to keep up with all of my duties to myself and to others. Too often I have stretched myself too thin and come out exhausted and unhappy. As things spiraled out of my control, it had been easy for me to resort to anger, frustration, or hopelessness. Unable to see the good in what I was doing, I worked for the sake of work and felt unable to release the tension inside of myself.
While abroad I practiced patience. Mexico was so new to me that I felt compelled to pay very close attention in order to learn my surroundings and feel comfortable. I was attracted to the culture, the people, the land, the food, the language-everything about my experience drew me in and held my attention. I opened my mind to all of this newness. Then, I was rewarded. My most wonderful memories grew from experiencing life, rather than rushing through tasks, during my time abroad. And the greatest feeling of all is knowing that this experience is not exclusive to Oaxaca.
I feel a sense of peace knowing that there is always something to look forward to. While I may not wake up to huevos ranchero every morning, I do have so much around me that deserves my care and attention. My 73 adventures taught me to seek the greatness in all that I encounter, every time.
I am writing this two months after leaving Oaxaca. (We can joke here about how I didn’t rush to finish this blog either but that’s not the point I’m getting at.) I am writing this two months after leaving Oaxaca and I still feel part of that beautiful place with me now. While I am not a perfect, patient person (and likely never will be) I am grateful to still maintain that healthy sense of peace within me, and look forward to continuing to grow in such a positive manner.
So, «Why travel?» There are a million and one answers one could give. In addition to the somewhat cliche responses of wanting world exposure, loving people and food or history and all that good stuff, I have learned something new about myself from my time in Oaxaca. I travel because it forces me to slow down. Being thrust into new environments absolutely requires that I am present at all times and truly aware of where I am, how I got there, who is with me (physically and non-physically), and so much more. As a result I am aware of how small I am and constantly in awe of how blessed I am. With every adventure my world grows. But with every adventure I become more and more conscious and grateful of how beautiful every small detail of my life is.
Mitla
Pues, fue un placer conocerte. Gracias por permitirme compartir mis aventuras contigo, amigo. ¡Espero que vayas a Oaxaca! Y ojalá te agrade como me agrada.
Besos y abrazos,
Caitlyn
a street in Oaxaca
Day 70: Thursday, March 12
Our final day of classes. Saying good-bye to ICO was definitely tear-jerking, but I am comforted in knowing that I will return someday.
That night my program had our final good-bye dinner at the beautiful Restaurante Catedral. My housemate and I were so excited about this semi-formal group event that we spent a good chunk of time prepping out hair, makeup, and outfits.
Speaking of hair, I got mine done in Oaxaca on this day! My ends were in need of some trimming, but I was afraid to let a hairstylist other than someone my mom suggested touch my hair. I was also worried that the hairstylists wouldn’t be used to dealing with hair as curly as mine. Most of the Oaxaquenos I met had very straight or nearly straight hair and were always so intrigued by my curls. (As usual I had to explain to dozens of people that, «no, I don’t want you to pet my head or run your hands throughout my hair without my permission.») But after about 15 minutes of interrogating my host mom, she finally convinced me to let Pedro trim my ends. She drove me to his salon, just a few blocks from her house, and Pedro and his assistant got to work. They washed and cut my hair, then convinced me to let him shape my hair as well. I was left with a curly bob and was absolutely in love with his work! But of course, that wasn’t the end of this adventure. I was also convinced to let him straighten my hair. I hadn’t put heat on my hair in many months, and anyone who knows me knows that I take the health of my hair very, very seriously. But, alas, Pedro worked his magic and I went from scraggly split ends to a cute curly bob to straight hair laid to the gawds. I also learned that, while most Oaxaquenos hair may not be as curly as mine, people with curly hair get treatments to straighten their hair and people with straight hair get treatments to make their hair more wavy. This is all so similar to my experiences in the U.S.
the final product
After we finished getting ready we arrived to the restaurant. (and were about 30 minutes late because of all the time we spent dressing to the nines [and waiting to catch the bus of course]) The food was absolutely delicious, Restaurante Catedral is beautiful, and the company was wonderful, as well. My house mate and I were surprised to find out that we were the only ones dressed up, but I believe it is always better to be over than under dressed. 😉
After dinner Professor Lucy joined us at Txalaparta. Unfortunately the Bachata instructor couldn’t make it that night, but we did enjoy salsa classes. At Txala we ran into some of the artists from Espacio Zapata and some of their friends, as well. I spent the night dancing to cumbia and hip-hop music among new and old friends.
Day 71: Friday, March 13
Friday!!!!! We had no assignments, no excursions, no obligations what so ever. The rainy season was beginning in Oaxaca towards the end of our trip, so it rained on and off on Friday. I spent the day walking around the streets, taking in the beauty of this city. I also began packing. Fortunately, my tummy loved Oaxaca so I had plenty of pepto-bismol and tums leftover. Also, a student that went to Oaxaca two years before me had advised that I under-pack my suitcase so that I’ll have plenty of space to bring things back. That was such great advice, because after separating things that I would be bringing home from things that I would be leaving, I was literally at the 25 kilogram weight limit for flying.
Later that night I went to Biznaga, a restaurant in El Centro, with some students from my program and their intercambios. The food was pretty good. After dinner we headed to Txalaparta. It was their anniversary so there was a cover and they gave us fun masks and balloons and stuff. The club was super crowded. Although I enjoyed spending time with friends, I still felt a bit of sadness from knowing that my last hours in Oaxaca were approaching rapidly.
Day 72: Saturday, March 14
Saturday. I finished packing. This day was so sad. I cried at the thought of having to leave Oaxaca. The gray skies and light mist that covered this usually vibrant city did nothing to help my sadness. On the bright side, I ran into Saul later that night. He definitely brought some much needed joy into my life. We went to a few bars and danced, spoke with old and new friends, and enjoyed our last few moments together (at least until I return next year). I love my friends and Oaxaca and eagerly await our reunion.
Day 73: Sunday, March 15
The departure. I headed to the airport and slept through all the flights. It was very uneventful because I was so tired. But then I finally saw my family and felt a great swelling of happiness in my heart.
My 73 adventures have ended.
a street in Oaxaca
Day 67: Monday, March 9
On the Monday of our final week in Oaxaca we visited Teotitlan del Valle to speak about usos y costumbres with members of the cabildo. The cabildo is made up of men that govern Teotitlan. The president spoke to us about his role in the village and how the village operates. As mentioned before, the village operates largely independently of the nation and state. Their government is led by men elected into positions every few years. Only men serve in the cabildo. The president told us that the people of Teotitlan start preparing for their adult responsibilities as children. Therefore, boys follow their fathers, perhaps learning how government works, and women follow their mothers, perhaps learning how to sew. Women are not expected to aspire for political leadership rules. The president told us that it is best for people to stick to their roles, and this statement went along with the idea that women should be contained to the domestic sphere.
The views that he expressed are not specific to Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca, or Mexico. The idea that someone’s gender can determine their societal role/abilities is common. However, this idea does take a special shape in Latin American communities, often times known as machismo. In Oaxaca I witnessed the effects of machismo. Machismo is derived from the word macho, which means male, specifically in reference to animals. Machismo is the idea that men are protectors and defenders. This type of masculinity takes pride in aggressiveness, braveness, and dominance over women. Throughout my time in Oaxaca I was constantly catcalled. Men whistled at me, drivers flashed their lights, other men called at me, taxi drivers, waiters…the list goes on and on, but basically I encountered dozens of men every day that called out for my attention. All of the women I encountered in Oaxaca, except maybe two, also experienced this street harassment. Fortunately, unlike in the States, men did not grab at me or tell me to smile. However everyone was aware of the liberties men took when it came to expressing themselves.
While machismo encourages gender stereotypes just like sexism in the U.S., the way that machismo and U.S. sexism are countered differ. In the States, feminism centers around promoting the idea that men and women are capable of doing the same things. For example, American feminism says that the ability to be a defender, a nurturer, a nurse, or a marine, are not biological or gendered abilities. Rather everyone-regardless of their gender-is capable of pursuing whatever they want. In Mexico, and Latin America in general, the issue of gender roles is looked at different. Multiple Latin American countries have had female presidents. Women serve on various governmental offices as political leaders. Women are business leaders and academics, as are men. Therefore, feminism ideas in Latin America are more focused on destroying the idea of machismo. I saw posters challenging machismo in Latuvi (where I went horseback riding). The posters called for an end to sexual violence by encouraging people to respect consensual sex. Other PSA encouraged respect among people and shamed men that exhibited machismo culture. Rather than encouraging women to protect themselves from gender-based violence, Latin American anti-machismo, or feminism, encourages men to not commit gender-based violence.
I think that is worth repeating.
Rather than encouraging women to protect themselves from gender-based violence, Latin American anti-machismo, or feminism, encourages men to not commit gender-based violence.
Through my experiences day in and day out it is obvious that machismo is alive and well. However it is encouraging to know that at least some people are concerned with stopping-rather than simply avoiding-violence.
Day 68: Tuesday, March 10
my art!
Espacio Zapata is an art collective in Oaxaca, Mexico. It is such an awesome space!!!!!! The young artists create graphic prints, murals, stencils, and other forms of art. Much of their work is motivated by their political opinions on the state of Mexico. They believe in the right of free artistic expression and denounce capitalism.
art from Espacio Zapata
Originally opened in 2006 as ASARO, or Asamblea de Artista Revolucionarios de Oaxaca (Assembly of Revolutionary Oaxacan Artists) they changed their name to Espacio Zapata in 2008 to better represent their values. The artists believe that many other artists give in to the horrors of capitalism. But, like Zapata, they believe that the people should not be under the dictatorship of the corrupt state and capitalism. Both perpetuate inequality and work to primarily serve the bourgeois. Recently, Ayotzinapa has been an important part of their work. They combine ideas associated with Zapata and the Mexican Revolution with modern day issues. For example, as mentioned before, Zapata advocated for indigenous land rights. Artists symbolized his work through images of Zapata leading groups of people on horseback through indigenous lands. Similarly, this art collective uses imagery associated with indigenous groups to express their support for the underrepresented and dissent of the Mexican government.
art from Espacio Zapata
Espacio Zapata offers art classes, talks, and events to educate people on their beliefs and art. They also sell their art. During our excursion we spoke to an artist and then made our own stencils. During a question and answer session, one of the artists was asked if he believed that capitalism could work if the rich weren’t so corrupt. He answered that «El capitalismo es un cáncer.» It cannot be corrected or serve the working class appropriately. By its very design, and it is very successful at this, it works to improve the standard of living of the wealthy by exploiting the poor and disadvantaged. History has shown this, as have its leaders in business, the government, and other areas. (Fun fact: This person went on to stencil a huge dollar sign.) I stenciled a puppy. One of the artists helped me take my stencilling a step farther-we made three different stencils from one design! It was very fun! Also, many of the people we met at Espacio Zapata were people that we ran into in El Centro throughout our time in the program.
Such fun times 🙂
Later that night I met with my friends Diego and Saul. Saul helped me prepare my Spanish presentation. After taking care of business we spent the night requesting throwback jams for the DJ to play on the big screen. I also ran into a University of Michigan graduate from Chicago. He was taking a few years off to travel before heading to work. What a small world!
Day 69: Chill Wednesday, March 11
After so much excitement on Monday and Tuesday I took Wednesday day to chill and focus on my homework assignment. But we only had like four days left so I went out again that night and enjoyed what little time I had left in beautiful Oaxaca.
The Penny Black!
Day 64: Mexican Banking
This day was crazy! I had to find a Western Union to pick up money, but the adventure that followed made me so grateful that this was a Friday and not a week day because my patience was not very pleased with the strenuous activity of the day. Finding the Western Union was not difficult. There are multiple locations in El Centro. So I went into a bank where one was located and asked an employee where I could go to speak to someone about receiving a payment. They told me to take a number and wait. I took a number, something in the 50’s, and proceeded to sit down and wait my turn. The teller was helping someone in the 30’s so the wait wouldn’t be too long. I thought. Well I waited for about twenty minutes and the teller called someone in the mid-30’s. I looked from my ticket, to my watch, to the number on the big board, and promptly decided that sitting there for the next two hours would not be the best option for me, personally. So I walked around El Centro, used the bathroom, got some ice cream, and stopped by the pharmacy to pick up a few toiletries. I returned to the bank and saw that I still had about an hour wait left. At this point I considered seeking out other Western Union locations in the area. All of the nearby ones had even longer lines than the one I had been in. I did not expect the banks to have long lines today because it was March 6th, not the 1st or 15th, which are usually pay days. One of my professors and Oaxacan friends both told me that people in Mexico generally do not trust banks to keep their money. It is expected that banks will have long lines on the 1st and 15th of every month because people are waiting to withdraw their paychecks in cash from the banks. I have definitely noticed this on my trip here. Therefore I chose to not handle my business on the 1st or 15th. But,there were still long lines for reasons that I am uncertain of.
After returning to Western Union I only had about a 30 minute wait before my number was called. I was entertained by some kids running around and a game of Sudoku on my phone. There were also a bunch of employees with seemingly nothing to do talking, so I people watched as well. When it was my turn I went up to the teller to begin my transaction. Her held tilted and her eyebrows furrowed. I prepared to repeat myself, assuming that my poor Spanish skills had thrown her off, but she spoke before I could. The teller pointed to my right, at an office by the wall. She instructed me to go into the office, where my my types of transactions are conducted. She signaled one of the employees with seemingly nothing to do and they promptly led me to the office and began to assist me. I hadn’t needed to take a number. Or walk around buying ice cream and bars of soap. Or people watch the employees with seemingly nothing to do. I’m pretty sure my eye twitched in the moment just at the thought of spending two unnecessary hours wandering around a bank and convenience stores in the hot Oaxacan sun. It doesn’t matter if I’m in Farmington Hills, Chicago, or Oaxaca-waiting for bank tellers is definitely not on my list of hobbies.
But at the end of the day I got done what I needed. I returned to my home say and did a bit of work before heading out to dinner with some friends. At dinner we ordered this plate of nachos that was bigger than my face. They were delicious! I went to dinner with two other girls from my program and a friend from Oaxaca. We talked about his plans to spend six months studying abroad in America this coming year! He also told us about his job at the Museo de Filateria, which we visited the following day.
Day 65: Museo de Filatelia
El Museo de Filatelia is awesome. I had never thought much about stamp collecting, but this was quite an impressive introduction. We saw stamps from all over the world in a host of different languages. Some stamps were political cartoons, other comical, and others could be put together to tell a story. We also saw the Penny Black, which is the first stamp in the world. It was first used in Great Britain in 1840. The stamp’s image is a profile of Queen Victoria. Her image was chosen over all others because she was seen as an unarguably important and regarded figure.
In addition to stamps, the museum also holds letters from prominent figures and memorabilia from world-renowned events. For example, original letters from Frida Kahlo, with her lipstick-stained kiss mark, are in this museum, as are collections from World Series baseball games.
The museum also has a gift shop with tons of stationary (I love sending hand-written letters so I did a bit of damage in there…) and a seated garden area for relaxation and work. We saw our friend hard at work preparing materials to be put on display and he gave us a quick tour of some of his favorite items in the museum.
Day 66: Homework
homework day yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
graphic print by Luis Arenal
Day 59: More Homework!
How exciting! I did more homework this Sunday! We have been studying the Mexican Revolution, which lasted from about 1910 to 1920. The Revolution began, at least in part, due to the people’s unhappiness with the rule of Porfirio Diaz. He ruled Mexico from 1876-1911, serving as both the president and puppet master of various presidents. Many people were upset with the corruption of the country’s election system. Diaz also went against his own slogan, «No Re-election,» when he served a number of sequential terms during this period.
During the Porfiriato, as this period is now known as, Mexico developed a railroad system and other infrastructural developments that opened Mexico up to foreign investments and increased migration from Mexico the the US. On one hand this made it easier for Mexican migrants to access temporary work in the US and send money back to their families. People, goods, and ideas were exchanged between the US and Mexico more easily because of the railroad system. It also provided jobs related to infrastructure in Mexico. On the other hand, the US was a primary foreign investor in the railroads and therefore influenced Mexican political and business leaders. Furthermore, Mexican farmers and peasants were exploited for their work as business leaders and investors were more important to Diaz’s goals than the general population.
Another factor that influenced the Mexican Revolution was the great economic inequality throughout the country. Not only did the wealthy own unreasonably large amounts of land, but the government continued to take land away from indigenous populations and peasants without offering proper compensation or regards to their livelihoods.
Different parties in the Revolution wanted different things. Some, like Zapata, wanted land rights for peasants. Others, like Francisco I. Madero, wanted Diaz to stop being re-elected and to unify the country. (He didn’t exactly put up a strong fight, however, and was ultimately unsuccessful throughout his short president from November 1911 to February 1913.)
At the conclusion of the Revolution, many of its strongest leaders had been killed. Leaders such as Obregon and Cardenas took the country in a more socialist direction. Land reform, education reform, and the separation of church and state were a few of their focuses.
Day 60: Tummy Woes
I did not feel well this day. I was unable to eat for a few days, but after resting all day I felt a lot better.
Well, allow me to clarify: I wasn’t able to eat any substantial food for a few days. Later that night I went to the microbrewery with a few friends and had no trouble eating a brownie sundae. But someone offered me a bite of their dinner and my stomach immediately started turning. After a few days I was fine, thanksfully. It’s kind of funny how the body works, isn’t it?
Day 61: Free Day Street Food
My stomach felt better after just a couple of days. And it was perfect timing because I discovered a food stand outside of ICO shortly afterwards. The woman at the stand sold flautas, chicken sandwiches, and jamica. Flautas are fried tortillas wrapped around pulled chicken or other types of meat or cheese. The chicken sandwich was wrapped around a corn tortilla. Both had cheese, guacamole, salsa, and lettuce. The jamaica was delicious, per usual.
I also went to a market on this day since we didn’t have classes. This market (I don’t know the name of it) took up blocks and blocks in every direction. Vendors sold artisan products, souvenirs from other countries, and random objects produced in bulk in some factory. Of course there was also food! Many vendors sold ice cream or paletas, Mexican popsicle, due to the heat.
That evening I walked around El Centro with a friend. We ate at a pizza place that sells pizza to passersby. They had thin crust slices in various flavors. Although we’d be returning home in less than two weeks, it still felt nice to have a slice of home.
Days 62-63: Art and the Mexican Revolution
In class we continued studying Mexican history. Post-revolutionary Mexican art is a way to understand the opinions and experiences of the Mexican people during the time period. The period’s art can be divided into a few categories, all of which are still widely used today: photography, print making, paintings, murals, architecture, music, dance, film, and fashion. Print making and murals are some of the most well-known forms of Mexican art. Mexican print makers Leopoldo Mendez, Luis Arenal, and Alfredo Zalce founded the Taller Grafica Popular, or TGP. TGP is a print collective dedicated to furthering the goals of the revolution through art. Revolutionary goals such as respect for indigenous populations, land rights, and agrarian reform are all common subjects in these artists’ work. Mexican muralists Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Sisquieros all have work featured in Mexico City, which I saw up close and person just a few weeks ago.
Some of the stenciling techniques used by members of TGP are still used to day by members of the art colectivo ASARO. More info on this to come soon…
Day 57: Study Party
Please, do not be fooled-I am still a full-time student, taking classes, writing papers, doing homework, and all that good stuff. So I spent this Friday in a cafe writing about Emiliano Zapata’s impact on the Mexican Revolution. Zapata was known as a «revolutionary» and «southern rebel» because he fought for the rights of peasant land owners. In 1911, he spoke in Nahuatl to the people of Morelos, asking them to support his ides and counter the new Mexican government. The Zapatistas were less concerned with overthrowing the Mexican government and more concerned with land rights. Although they represented a minority opposition group during the revolution, Zapata and his followers won enough battles in the south to distract the Mexican government from their efforts in the north. Zapata was assassinated in 1919 and is remembered as a symbol of «land for the humble.» Policies aimed at agrarian reform have been inspired by him. He also inspires activists today that advocate for indigenous people’s rights and the end of Mexico’s corrupt federal government.
Today, Zapatista Army of National Liberation is a leftist group based in Chiapas, a state in southern Mexico. The group declared war against Mexico in 1994. It views the state as an enforcer of systemic discrimination and violence. After NAFTA was enacted, Zapatistas expressed their disgust with how capitalism and globalization disadvantage indigenous populations and exploit the poor. It is also well known for its beliefs in anarchy, women’s rights, and pride in indigenous heritage. Later in the quarter I will visit Espacio Zapata, an art collective that contributes to the Zapatista movement through various art forms.
That night, a friend and I ate dinner at La Gran Torta before heading to La Santisima, the microbrewery. At the microbrewery I ran into about half of the people in my program and also saw my Spanish professor on a date. Oaxaca is a pretty small city. After leaving the microbrewery a few of us walked around the Zocalo and listened to a group of teens playing instruments and singing a variety of English pop songs.
Day 58: Birthday Party
During the day I did a bunch of homework. Professor Lucy is an advocate of the work hard, play hard lifestyle. We are assigned a bunch of reading and then decompress from all of that studying in the evenings.
My friend’s birthday was today! We celebrated with her and her friends at a bar before heading to Txalaparta. At Txalaparta I ran into just about every friend I had ever made in Oaxaca! It was a great, fun night. Good dancing, good drinks, good conversation, and lots of laughing.
Day 53: Civilizations III
Civ III. The beginning of this course marks our last three weeks in Oaxaca. During this course we will learn about post-Revolutionary Mexico. Zapatistas. Porfirio. Kahlo. NATO. Ring any bells? Hang on tight adventurers, we’re coming to the present.
Day 54: Benito Juarez’s Home
Our first excursion of the quarter was to Benito Juarez’ home. How incredible is that?! Right in the very city that I spent 10 weeks in is the home of one of Mexico’s most revered presidents! Juarez was of Zapotec decent and is known as a symbol of Mexican identity and indigenous pride. Despite his small stature (Juarez stood at 4’6″, or 1.37m) Juarez led Mexico to defeating the French when Maximillion commanded his troops to invade, and worked to modernize the country throughout the latter half of the 19th century. His home is full of photos, writings, and other memorabilia. Most of the item descriptions were in Spanish so I am very grateful that this stop was scheduled for about we’d spent two months in Mexico.
courtyard of Benito Juarez’ home
Day 55: American Sniper
On this Wednesday I went to see American Sniper. (The cinema is BOGO free on Wednesdays.) The movie was full of action and definitely invoked a lot of emotions. However it was also heavy on the Islamophobia and good ole’ patriarchal American values. I am happy that I saw the movie with friends because for all the Bush-era propoganda I saw in those two hours or so, our friendship made up for it with laughs and warm hugs. 🙂
Day 56: La Jicara, Txala, New Friends!
Thursday means Txalaparta!!! But before Txala, I ate dinner at La Jicara. It is a restaurant/book store that is known for its very chill, yet academic vibe. The service wasn’t so great, however, and I have actually come to expect that from Mexican restaurants. Generally, the waiters and waitresses I encountered in Mexico did not seem as pressed to show up to your table every three seconds wondering if you would like more water or ketchup as American waiters do. There was an expectation that if you needed something, you would flag the waiter down. It is understood that if a patron waves their hands and makes a motion that they are signing a piece of paper, they are asking for the bill. One of my friends noted that when he went to America and did that, it was considered rude. I think there are pros and cons to my Mexican restaurant experiences. On one hand, waiters aren’t hovering over my food all night and I can enjoy my meal and conversation. On the other, if the waiter doesn’t see me and I don’t have a fork for my pasta, I’ll be waiting a bit. Also, in Mexico I had some great conversations with waiters and even made a few friends. We were able to get over the pleasantries quickly and begin having real conversations.
After dinner I headed to Txala for bachata lessons! But, sadly, the beautiful Bachata teacher was unable to attend classes that night and they were canceled. I was bummed until I caught up with my friends and met some new people. It was so much fun to talk and dance the night away. At one point we were about ready to leave the club, but the DJ came out of nowhere with ‘Lip Gloss’ by Lil Mama, so obviously we had to stay for at least one more song. We danced the night away and had a great time.
chillin at Txala
Day 51: The Finish Line
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Saturday was my last full day in Mexico City and I wanted to spend the day enjoying life in a big city. So, naturally, I slept until about noon. At one of the hostel restaurants downtown I had a delicious two-course brunch. First I ate a breakfast soup and then had a brownie sundae. I washed it all down with a glass of orange juice and loved every bite.
the best ice cream in the world
Afterwards we searched for a local nail salon. We were directed to a block that had warehouses full of salon chairs, foot baths, nail polish, and other nail equipment. Only one nail salon was open but even that one was full of salon equipment! We didn’t end up getting our nails done that day, but we did explore the area. For about 5 blocks in every direction people were outside selling various goods, but mostly clothes and shoes. There were literally blocks and blocks of clothes being sold outside and the streets were crowded with people. We finally found our way back to the historic center, or centro historico, which is where we spent most of our free time during the week and could easily navigate the streets. Since we were in a major city we did major city things: shop and eat. Forever 21, MAC, Starbucks, and Krispy Kreme donuts entertained us for the entire day until we were ready for dinner.
city streets
Condesa y Roma is a neighborhood in the city known for its delicious food and boutique shops. It is easily accessible by the metro, however it was so unbelievably crowded that nearly everyone was sweating from the heat. We walked a while and saw dozens of great looking restaurants serving all types of food before deciding to eat at a small Italian restaurant. My pasta and wine were muy rico and accompanied by great conversation, which was the perfect way to end evening.
Day 52: The Return
Sunday, February 22, 2015
On this final day I spent my time walking around the historic center, which allowed me to explore Mexico City’s diverse architecture before heading back on the bus. DF’s architectural styles span over 2000 years and include influences from a number of continents. I loved seeing a building with tiles from Pueba (a state in Mexico known for its tiles) contrasted with buildings built in the New Spanish Baroque style.
Mexico City is very large-both in terms of physical size and population-and just like many other large cities, it has a pollution problem. Due to the air quality my allergies really gave me a run for my money this past week, and some people even had visible films of dirt on their skin at the end of the day. The pollution did result in sunsets and sunrises that were breathtakingly beautiful, albeit foreboding.
That evening we headed to the bus station for our trip back to Oaxaca. World War Z and Escape Plan were the two movies they played on the bus (in Spanish, of course) so it was a bit difficult to sleep. But fear not, the second I got back to my homestay I slept very well before the next day’s adventures.
73 Aventuras 