Marilyn in Mexico 2008

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

We had some fun after lunch today when we invited the LDS missionaries over for a visit. Elder Eyre is from Utah and his companion is Elder Ramirez, from northern Mexico. I had bought some "chapulines" at the marketplace to try myself and to share with the gringo missionary, just to make sure he has had the opportunity to try them. What are they, you ask? They're fried grasshoppers! As it turned out, Elder Eyre had sampled them before, so he actually enjoyed them enough to make a taco out of them and gobbled them up. In fact, everyone around the table seemed to enjoy this light repast (except me).

I accompanied Cecilia to a small choir practice today for an upcoming event. The director took the time to explain a lot about music to the ladies to help them understand music better. The house where we practiced, like many others, has turned a front room into a store and they sell items out of the window in the evening. I sat there realizing what an awesome experience I'm having here, living with a family as if I were a member. They take me everywhere, they explain everything to me, I ride the buses with them, we walk everywhere together (okay, well maybe this part is a bit tiring!), we buy things in the stores they really shop at - not the tourist joints, we watch the Olympics and soap operas and other programs on TV together. It's an experience I could never duplicate as a tourist or even if I moved here into my own place. Of course I won't remember everything I've done and felt here, but I am sure that I'm having 1000 percent more of a realistic experience than any other person visiting this town for the first time.

We took a rather lengthy bus ride (but still in the city) to the Oaxaca LDS Temple. It is situated in a busy but upper-class section of the city, across from the KFC and Burger King. It is located one block from a huge super-store, giant movie cineplex, and mall. Within the Temple complex there is a peaceful atmosphere that surrounds the Temple, the chapel, and the shop where one can buy Church items. The interior is designed exactly like the Medford Temple, so I felt very at home there.

The giant supermarket sold just about everything - except for the water-bottle-stand we were looking for. With them wanting over $950 for a washing machine, is it any wonder people here stick to using their cement wash sinks up on the roof?!

The people who work behind the deli counter wear masks all the time, even when talking to the customers - certainly different standards than we encountered while buying food on the street! Which reminds me, where is my next corn-on-the-cob fix coming from?!?

The movies are rated with a letter and possibly a number here. If I have this straight, "A" movies are for everybody, B movies are probably the equivalent of PG, B15 movies are probably only for people age 15 and older, and C movies are for adults only, 18 and up.

Have I mentioned about the traffic here? Well, "CRAZY" would pretty much sum it up! There are no lines on the streets indicating lanes, so it's a giant free-for-all. Plus drivers are continually running red lights and crowding out other drivers. And please don't even ask if pedestrians have any rights - I'd have to laugh you out of the room! (or off the computer screen!) Bus drivers are daring and boss of the road, brushing right by other vehicles, including other huge buses, with nary a concern. Tonight our bus had to get around a giant semi-truck that was double-parked on a narrow street. I thought we'd prudently wait out the trucker's stay or maybe honk a bit to hurry him up. But I was too cautious. Just as I was about to see my life flash before my eyes, our driver attempted to pass on the right with no more than 2 inches of clearance! He made it, and I'm glad he did!

Often the buses have a "chalán" helper that sits in a front seat and yells out the window announcing where we are headed. I guess it's to help illiterate potential passengers that can't read the sign on the front of the bus. Today I sat by one of these "chalanes" and he was 13 years old. After school he rides the bus for a few hours, earns a (very) few pesos, and calls it a day when he has to get home. A young man even boarded our bus this evening with a back pack worn in front of his chest, and he stood in the back and tried to sell CD's (pirated, I'm sure) by playing samples of the music aloud and shouting out his sales pitch. The bus business is big here.

I've been taking a ton of photos, and only including a few in this blog. So I often ask people if I can take their picture and most say "fine", except they say it in Spanish, of course. Kids started back to school yesterday, so I snapped a few shots of kids in their darling and social-class-distinction-erasing uniforms.

But last night Cecilia and I approached two policement and asked if we could please take their photo. One had a rifle strapped across his chest, and the other only had a pistol in his holster. I thought it would make a good shot (no pun intended!), but they declined. I politely thanked them and stepped away. A minute later I realized that I should have offered the customary "mordida", or bribe, which policemen seem to live off here in Mexico. I'm sure I could have gotten a great picture then! Well, I guess I'll just have to live in this culture a bit longer before I really start thinking like a native!

We asked them to please tell us what the national emergency number was that anyone could call for police, fire or ambulance assistance. Cecilia and Juan weren't sure so we thought it was a good thing to know. They said you can dial 066 or 060, there are two lines. But I also think they said it might be different in different states.

Which reminds me, we were driving by a Chevrolet dealership tonight and saw a brand new ambulance on the showroom floor. I guess I just thought that ambulance agencies ordered those directly from the manufacturer. But I guess, this way, anybody can have their own ambulance business if they just swing by the Chevy dealership and pick one up! I've also seen casket shops - just in case you need to remember to pick up a casket while you're out doing your weekly errands! I can see it now: To Do List: drop off clothes at the cleaners, wash the car, pick up a dozen eggs, get that cute little casket in the display window, etc.

In case you have been wondering about my mosquito attack and my recovery, it has a long way to go to get better! I got a few more bites today, but the old ones still wake me up at night and I have to apply more medicine. This photo was taken several days after the last one, but they just keep getting worse. Maybe, once back home, I'll find a stronger medicine.

I'm sad that my time in Oaxaca is coming to an end - my flight leaves here tomorrow. I wish I could stay and stay and stay. The Eslama Family has been totally awesome to me, in every way. At least when I get home and have to return to work, I know I get to take advantage of the air-conditioned classroom with lovely carpet and appointments, including fresh running purified water in all the fountains and faucets (everyone here buys bottled water and it's not just a luxury). I'm glad my job doesn't involve labor like the hard-working gentlemen in this photo!