Some Final Reflections

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

 

 

 

Days 70-73: The Finale

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

Days 59-63: Class, Tummy Woes, and Art and the Mexican Revolution

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…

Days 57 and 58: Study Party and Birthday Party

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.

Days 46-52: Mexico City! part 6/6

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.

Days 46-52: Mexico City! part 5/6

Day 50: The Illustrious Frida Kahlo’s House

Friday, February 20, 2015

Per usual we left for our first site at 9a.m. We spent a bit of time at Templo Mayor and its museum. Templo Mayor was a major capital in Tenochtitlan, the capital city for the Aztecs. The temple is said to be at the exact spot where Huitzilopochtli, a god of the Mexica people, placed an eagle on a nopal cactus with a snake in its mouth. This sign was how the Mexica people were to know that they had reached their promised land. Inside the museum were artifacts that had been excavated, including spear heads, jewelry, pots, pans, and other items.

We finally headed to one of the most anticipated sites of the entire study abroad quarter: Frida Kahlo’s house. Her house is located in Coyoacan. She was born in this home, lived in it, and died in it. For a few years she lived there with her husband, Diego Rivera. It is known as The Frida Kahlo Museum, or sometimes La Casa Azul, or The Blue House, for its blue facade.

the one and only Frida Kahlo’s House

The museum has a collection of work from Kahlo, her personal belongings and art that she and Rivera collected, as well as some of Rivera’s work and various pieces that have been created in her honor. There are various rooms in the house and each one has a different theme, including: some of her less popular works, her fashion, clothes inspired by her fashion, items that she used everyday, her home decor, modern art that was inspired by Kahlo, pre-Hispanic artifacts and other items that Kahlo valued, her kitchen, and her dining room. Outside is a courtyard with various structures and a screen for viewing documentaries about her life.

some of Frida Kahlo’s wardrobe on display

Frida Kahlo is very well known for her self portraits, and just about every room had one. In these portraits, and in her other works, are symbols and images that allude to some of her values. Fertility, Communism, indigenous Mexican cultures, and her health are all common themes in her paintings, dolls, home decor and even fashion.

Kahlo and Rivera hosted many people in their home, such as Leon Trotsky and other Communist thinkers, and photos from their visits are on display in the museum. Although Kahlo and Rivera shared many of the same political views, married twice, and constantly inspired and supported one another artistically, their marriage was not great. They both practiced infidelity and he was often mean and controlling. Yet they had a deeply intimate relationship and memoirs from their time together is also throughout the museum.

Her crutches and corsets, head bands, scarves, skirts, shoes and other clothing are also especially notable items on display. Having contracted polio at age six and been severely injured in a bus accident at age 18, Kahlo was left with uneven legs, the inability to give birth to children, and a lifetime of intense pain. She had to wear a brace and extra inches on one of shoes for most of her life. Kahlo used her incredible artistic ability to show her character and express herself the way she wanted to be presented, regardless of her physical condition. This is especially evident in her fashion as she used her own self as a canvas. Some of her most iconic style pieces include long skirts and scarves, corsets, floral head bands, and braided hair. Each of these items served a purpose. They highlighted some of the features she saw most prominently in herself-such as her face-and concealed her different sized shoes. The clothing had strong influences from the Tehuana culture, which she associated with her mother. A large collection of her clothing and personal belongings were released 50 years after her death, per the wishes of Rivera, and I had the opportunity to see many of the items up close and in person.

Today Kahlo is celebrated as a feminist, activist, and artist. Her biography, artistry, relationships, and political beliefs have all been heavily researched and documented. She continues to inspire people to this day and her influence is seen across a great number of artistic mediums.

“Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?” -Frida Kahlo

Friday was our last day in the city with the university. Some students headed back to Oaxaca after this evening, but I decided to stay in a hostel and explore weekends in DF. The hostel experience was an…aventura.

But before we returned to the city, we explored Coyoacan a bit more. We ate at an ice cream parlor that was absolutely superb. Every flavor had real chunks of the pastry mixed in. I had a double scoop-cheesecake and oreo with a whole Oreo to top it off. It was so delicious.

We took the metro back to the hotel. (Trying to get a not so touristy-experience by using the public transit as opposed to a taxi. Also, 5 peso transportation beats 100 peso transportation every time.) We packed up our bags and headed to the hostel.

This was my first hostel experience. There were a number of travelers from all over the world and from all ages, although most people were in their 20’s. The building had pop culture decor, with brightly colored walls and furniture and a different theme for each of the four floors. We stayed on the Teotihuacan floor (as evidenced by the giant picture of the Pyramid of the Sun and a sign, though not much else.) Our rooms looked like an Ikea college dorm spread and were very comfortable. However the bathrooms were old and communal and that freaked me out a bit (by a bit I mean a lot and by a lot I mean I am cringing as I think about it) but we only stayed two nights, so it all worked out fine.

That night we went to a club that had a reputation for being really cool and exciting. A massive dance floors, crowds of fun people, tight security, and neon lights. We were pumped! And we got there and saw that the dance floor truly was massive-and it had two floors! In fact, the dance floor was so massive that large groups of people were able to create six large circles for people to dance in in the spotlight. The lights were awesome, too. They were neon and our white pants glowed in the dark.

The music was okay. It was 70’s night so they played songs from the that era that topped various charts around the world. And the people dancing in the circles were having dance battles. The battles were actually regulated, as only two people were allowed in each circle at a time. The dancers were really getting their groove on! You could tell people were in their element, and perhaps that was because the club was filled with 50 and 60 year olds! Now that was quite the surprise. Our first Friday night in Mexico City and we couldn’t dance in the club because we would be interrupting a disco dance party from the good ol’ days. That was such a silly night, but it made for a great story and it was fun to experience something new-in Mexico City nonetheless!

After that adventure we took taxis back the the hotel. The taxis in DF are so expensive compared to the 40 or 50 peso taxis in Oaxaca. The meter started at something like 50 pesos and almost ran past 200 pesos just to go a couple of blocks! We ended up walking a bit and got back to the hostel in time to rest up for Saturday in Mexico City!

Days 46-52: Mexico City! part 4/6

Day 49: Running Up the Pyramids of Teotihuacan

Thursday, February 19, 2014

We spent all of Thursday at Teotihuacán. This gave us plenty of time to climb two pyramids, take a ton of photos, go on a tour, get lost, go to a mezcaleria, and buy souvenirs. Teotihuacán is huge, old, and hot. And for these very reasons and more it is one of the most impressive archaeological sites in the world.

The city was constructed around 100 B.C. and destroyed around the 7th or 8th century A.D. Many theories surround its collapse, but we do know that its destruction began around the Avenue of the Dead. As we walked along that part of the site, the reasoning behind its name (given by the Aztecs who found the site later on) became evident. The walk was long and completely separate from any shade, rest area, or water source. Tombs lined each side of the pathway. As we know, tombs were placed under pyramids, so the structures that were there destroyed were grand and held great significance for the people of Teotihuacan. At its peak, in 450 A.D., the city was home to around 125,000 people and was the largest Mesoamerican city we know of. So there were a lot of pyramids, a lot of tombs, and a lot of walking along that avenue.

During the tour we saw many of the things that we learned about in class. Walking across Teotihuacan, we noticed that the buildings, some of which had functioned as multi-level apartments to accommodate the city’s large population, were designed to mimic the serpent. Although generally constructed in straight lines, the levels of the walls varied so that passersby walked up and down the city, an effect that some believe was done in reverence of Quetzacoatl. The winged serpent’s temple is also in this city. It was called the Temple of the Feathered Serpent but renamed Citadel by the Spanish. This area was the religious and political center for people in the city and sat just off of the Avenue of the Dead. We climbed two pyramids at Teotihuacan. The first, Pyramid of the Sun, is one of the largest pyramids in the world, standing at 75 meters high and about 220 meters wide. It is located in the center of the city, and from its peak we saw a great view of Teotihuacan and Mexico City. Pyramid of the Moon is the second largest structure in Teotihuacan, and its purpose was for people to worship The Great Goddess. She is the mother of all creation and all life, including water and the earth. The climb up this mountain was significantly less strenuous, however we still got a great workout! All of the pyramids that we climbed have narrow, yet long and steep steps. Despite that fact that I am 5’8″, or 1.73 meters, and have quite long legs, each climb was a fun challenge. We know that people two thousand years ago were generally much shorter than people of today, so I am not quite sure who had to climb those pyramids and how often, but I am certain that they were in better shape than me!

climbed that.

At the end of the tour we ended up at a mezcaleria. No one is quite sure why our tour guide took us there since it was off of the Teotihuacan site, but there we were. I enjoyed it. At one point a couple of us got lost in Teotihuacan. We got distracted buying jewelry from vendors, and despite how ginormous the city is, the beautiful bracelet I got was worth it in my opinion. About 30 minutes later we caught up with the group and headed back to the hotel.

We passed a botanical garden that day. The gate was decorated with kids’ artwork. Most of the artists were under 12 years old, but their talent was incredible!

After a long day of exploring Teotihuacan we were exhausted, tan, and hungry (despite being filled with new knowledge and irreplaceable life experiences 😀 ). Mexico City has a Korea Town so some of us headed there for dinner. We took the metro there, which cost 5 pesos each way. Their Korea Town looked like a typical extension of the city until we started seeing signs in Korean and heard people speaking the language. A few restaurants along a block served Korean food. The menu was written in Korean with Spanish translations. We ordered a variety of meats to share among the table and dip in various sauces, along with a few soups. It was so delicious! My stomach has been so pleased with my experience in Mexico.

We headed back to the hotel on the metro and prepared for our final days of tours in the city.

Days 46-52: Mexico City! part 3/6

Day 48: Still Running…

Wednesday, February 18, 2014

9 a.m. We boarded the bus and headed to Museo de Anthropología. This museum is ginormous in size, content, and significance. The building itself, designed by Pedro Ramirez Vazquez, embraces both the pre-Hispanic and post-Columbus histories of Mexico through its modern architectural style. Its metal roof is supported by a single column, which is meant to represent a tree, and has images of eagles and jaguars on its surface. These animals were important to Mesoamerican civilizations, as minimalist designs and metals have proven to be a symbol of modern innovation in present day times.

Olmec head in the Museum of Anthropology

The museum also offers a view into multiple different time periods and peoples. From hunter and gatherer people and animals to the people of Oaxaca today, each room showcases a different exhibit. Piedra del Sol, or the Aztec sun calendar, which dates back to the 1400s, is on display there. Olmec heads, a model of Moctezuma’s headdress, and a skeleton of extinct mammals are also in the museum. Visitors came from across the globe, as evident by the many different languages that were being spoken. We spent about three hours in the museum, which was easy considering how much content was on display.

the sole structure holding up the museum-symbols from Mesoamerican civilizations are on the pole

Our next stop was the Chapultepec Castle. This castle, located in the center of Chapultepec Park, is currently the Museo Nacional de Histora. Before that, it was an observatory, a presidential home, imperial home, military academy, and sacred space for the Aztecs. The word Chapultepec comes from a Nahuatl word meaning ‘at the grasshopper’s hill.’ We learned earlier in the program that hills were often times symbols of civilization and life for Mesoamerican people, so it comes as no surprise that this sight was sacred and sits on a hill.

 

the entrance to the castle

In 1847 the United States tried to siege the castle during the Mexican-American War. However six cadets between the ages of 13 and 19 sacrificed their lives to protect the castle. One cadet wrapped himself in the Mexican flag and jumped from the castle, to his death, so that the U.S. could not take the flag and claim Chapultepec for their own. These boys are known as the Niños Héroes, or the Boy Heroes. After exploring the castle, which featured beautiful architecture and remnants from post-Columbian Mexico, we stopped by the Niños Héroes monument in the park.

monument to the Child Heroes

That night we ate dinner at Sanborn’s. I really liked this restaurant because they made me the best burger I had eaten in a long time. The restaurant was not accessible from the street, but rather visitors had to go through two shops on the ground level, walk upstairs, enter through a door and then be seated. The dining area looked like a long, large, semi-casual dining hall, with gold accents and uniformed wait staff.

Ballet Folklorico was my next stop. The performance is held multiple times a week in Bellas Artes. Musicians and dancers take the stage to showcase the dance, music, dress, and culture of Mexico. The performances follow the history of Mexico from before the Spaniards’ arrival to present day. One dance, found here, especially stood out to me. The dance showed two hunters chasing and catching their prey in Mesoamerican times. The choreography of the piece and talent of the performers was so incredible! I felt as though I could really connect with the pain of the animal (that hamburger was still the bomb though) and also the hunger and final triumph of the hunters. In addition to Danzas, Mestizos and Bailes Regionales are other types of dance performed during these ballets. Enjoy some videos from the performance here and return to this blog soon to find out how the rest of our stay in Mexico City went!

Days 46-52: Mexico City! part 2/6

Day 47 Part 2

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

In the classroom we learn about art, but I have also been blessed to able to see some of the greatest, most iconic art in the world in person. Not only am I seeing these works in person, but I am also experiencing them in the context of where they were created.

After Tlatelolco we visited Palacio de Bellas Arts, or the Palace of Fine Arts. The building is famous for its Rivera, Tamayo, and Siqueiros murals. It is also the home of Ballet Folklorico, which I saw during my time in DF and will recount here in a later post!

one of the murals

There is extensive literature written about the palace, including an impressively thorough Wikipedia page, however I will primarily focus on the murals. The artists challenged ideas such as capitalism and democracy, Mexican identity and national pride. In the 1920s, following the Mexican Revolution, Mexican murals were funded and supported by the Mexican government. They carried social and political messages. Three artists were particularly important for the mural movement: The Big Three. Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Siqueiros are known as ‘Los Tres Grandes.’ Some of their most famous works are featured in Bellas Artes.

Generally, the government supported free artistic expression and opening art to the public. Murals were painted on public buildings. However over time, the artists began adopting Marxist ideas and stressed the importance of indigenous heritage. Often times these ideas challenged the image of social order, capitalism, industrialization, and national pride that the government supported, and the muralists’ work became privatized, appearing more on the walls of private businesses than on government buildings.

The art itself can be characterized by its use of many colors and large, exaggerated depictions of people and symbols. Political messages never left the murals, and neither did cultural symbols.

After Bellas Artes, we went to the post office. The building could also function as a palace or museum. Its staircases and walls are covered in gold, and the main floor has relics from Mexico’s postal history.

inside the post office

For lunch our group went to Salon Corona. It was a pretty generic restaurant-people ordered tacos, memelitas, etc. I took advantage of the time between lunch and dinner to nap. Mexico City is about 573 square miles and holds a population of about 9 million people. We had been walking all over the city and many of us were exhausted! It felt great to lay down for a bit before heading to Hosteria Santo Domingo, a restaurant in the city that used Mexican paintings as decorations. I appreciate that large cities such as DF, Chicago, and Detroit incorporate their own history and art into so many public spaces. It really is beautiful and fascinating.

Our last adventure of the night was to taste pulque, a sticky alcoholic beverage made from fermented sap from the maguey plant. It was so gross in my opinion, but I’m sure someone likes it! I went to sleep shortly after to prepare for the next day’s adventures. Our first full day in Mexico City was busy, and that was just a preview of the rest of the week! Stay tuned for more…

Days 46-52: Mexico City! part 1/6

Day 46: The Arrival

Monday, February 16, 2014

We met at ICO to leave for Mexico City at 9am. The bus was large and comfortable so I had no problem sleeping the entire six hour bus ride. There was a short rest stop about halfway through the ride, but other than that we rode the full six hours and arrived to the hotel on time. We walked around the center of Mexico City for about an hour before heading to a group dinner at Hostería de Santo Domingo. I ordered enchiladas con mole negro. The mole was a bit different from what I have eaten in Oaxaca. Although it was very rich, the chocolate taste was strong and covered the taste of the other ingredients. Compared to the home-grown, fresh fruits and vegetables my host mom uses to make all of her food, this mole was obviously mass produced and lacked that distinctive home made touch. I still enjoyed my enchiladas, though. There were filling and flavorful!

a park in Mexico City

Later that evening I walked around DF with a friend. Generally, Mexico (another name for Mexico City) is more expensive than Oaxaca. One churro cost 10 churros, as opposed to 8 pesos in Oaxaca, and was smaller! It was still delicious. DF is a major city and it is structured similarly to Chicago, Detroit, etc. Yet my friend and I still managed to get lost. Fortunately, there are many maps around the city. We also took the opportunity to practice our Spanish speaking skills by asking people for directions.

As we walked around the city throughout the day, I immediately noticed stores like Forever 21, MAC, and Krispy Kremes. Mexico City has many international businesses and its layout is very similar to other major cities that I have been to. The buildings are mostly connected and cover entire blocks. Over time, some buildings have built up. There is a mix of old and new architecture. Some areas of the city are blocked off for pedestrians and shoppers. The city reminded me of Barcelona, Spain, which I visited in 2011 with my high school Spanish class. Both Barce and DF have similar architectural styles, a mix of Spanish and English written on signs, and also have very diverse populations.

Day 47: Hit the Ground Running

Tuesday, February 17, 2014

For our first full day in DF we woke up early and prepared to leave the hotel at 9 a.m. Our tour guide, Dr. Staples, joined us on the bus and gave a brief overview of Mexico City. Although she is American, Dr. Staples has studied and worked in the city for about 60 years. During the bus ride to Tlatleloco, an archaeological site in the city, Dr. Staples told us that Mexico sinks about 1 centimeter every year. Again, my earth science skills fail me, but I do know that means that the city is sinking quite rapidly.

Tlatleloco is an archaeological site located in the middle of the city. Walk a couple of blocks in any directions and you’ll see a corporate chain like Starbucks. But the site is about 8,000 years removed from the coffee company, as it was built in the 13th century by a group of Mexica people that spoke Nahuatl. The main site for these people was Tenochtitlan, which was located farther south. However, in the 14th century Tlatelolca separated from the people Tenochca and followed a new leader. After about a century under various rulers, Tlatelolca fought a number of wars until they again were forced to rejoin Tenochtitlan in 1473.

Tlateloco

The Spanish took the city as a municipality of New Spain and founded their Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco, the first college in the New World. Today it is located with Mexico City as an archaeological site. A cathedral overlooks the site.

A tragedy occurred at this site about 50 years ago. In 1968, in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas where Tlatelolco is located, the government used the police and military to suppress political protesters because they found their presence to be bad press for the 1968 Summer Olympics that were being held in the city that year. Over a thousand people were arrested and an unknown amount of people were murdered, although estimates say about 50 people. Dr. Staples was in Mexico at that time and she recalls seeing large tanks in the streets. After the military’s confrontation of the protesters, Tlatelolco was covered with blood and bodies. Everything was swiftly cleaned and the news never reported on the incident. This tragedy is memorialized by a stele. However a sense of distrust, anger, hate, and disgust persists.

That event was not an isolated incident, nor does it speak to the entirety of the relationship between Mexico and its people. In our third and final course of the quarter, we study the development of the Mexican government, Mexican institutions, organizations, and Mexican identities.

monument at Tlateloco

Stay tuned for part 2!