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
73 Aventuras 