Well folks, this has officially been the easiest and most exciting week in Tehuacan thus far. I gave my students a practice version of the TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language), and that took all of class Monday and Tuesday. Today, we don't have classes because it is Halloween and there is a school-wide party tonight. Not being able to afford a costume (or all that jazzed about the idea of dressing up), I am going as the Spirit of Halloween. My "costume" consists of a black shirt, the cute new orange sweater that my wonderful mom mailed me from the States, and lots and lots of black and orange face paint. I was going to be an American Football player, but as I started putting my costume together I began to look more and more like Troy Polamalu, and I decided that this costume would be best worn in an environment where it could be rightfully appreciated (read: Pittsburgh or some other football town).
Tomorrow and Friday, school is closed in honor of El Dia de Los Muertos (the Day of the Dead). To help David's family prepare, the boy and I went to La Purisima, which is Tehuacan's largest market. It brought me right back to Costa Rica. We bought yellow candles made of honey, decorative paper to hang in the bar, candies, some dried fruit that was so sweet that it tastes like pure sugar, a skull-shaped coffee mug, and pan de muerto (bread of death) which tastes like challah, but is drier and has cinnamon in it. (Doesn't "bread of death" sound like it belongs in an Eddie Izzard standup routine?)
At the market, I saw a ton of cool candies shaped like household items (kitchen tables, bedroom furniture, trees, pets, etc.) which people traditionally use to make dioramas representing their dead ancestors in celebration of the holiday. But David's family isn't really into that, nor is mine, so there will no diorama-making for me this year. (frown)
On Friday, I'm headed to the mountain town of Coyomeapan with Mary and Andrea, Estefano, David, and one or two of his friends. There are cabañas there that are supposedly quite comfy. There is also a lake and lots of pretty things to see. Three meals a day are included in the $25 nightly fee. We will be staying there until Sunday, and my wonderful gentleman friend is helping me out by paying for one of my nights in the cabins. So I'll be taking a 3-day, 2-night all inclusive vacation for $25. All right, maybe it's not quite that posh. We are bringing our own snacks and imbibements, and we have to pay for the gas to get to our spot (it's 3 hours a way), but the whole trip still seems like it will be a great value even if I was going to be paying full price.
In other travel news, I'll be making a brief Stateside appearance in November thanks to my incredibly generous and loving mother, who has purchased a round trip plane ticket for me for the 4-day weekend I have in mid-November in honor of the Mexican Revolution. Since I was expecting a number of familial and platonic visitors over the holidays (all of whom have since canceled), this trip home will be extra special. I am still UTTERLY excited that my splendid sister is coming to visit in December, but now going to Maryland for 3 days is icing on my passport-carrying cake.
I'm sorry for the lack of Tehuacan pictures, which have been requested by a number of people. But batteries here are expensive, especially the long-lasting lithium AAs for cameras. During my brief visit to Maryland, I'll be hoarding lithium batteries and go on a photo-taking tear when I return to Tehuacan.
Finally, an update related to the previous post entitled "Sighted in Tehuacan." Before Game 3 of the recent World Series, the announcers did a retrospective report on the '97 World Series (Indians versus Marlins). They made a comment about the Indians tough closer and, no joke, referred to him in English as JOE TABLE! So it's offical: Jose Mesa has the most chuckled-at name in baseball on both sides of the border.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Fotos (episodio 3)
...in which I appear in the local paper, and behold, the boy smiles...
Every week, the paper prints a page about stuff that happened over the weekend. It's sort of a "Happening in Tehuacan". Two weeks ago, we ran into this well known reporter at our favorite bar/club, Dharma. Well, he had his camera, but we thought there wasn't a chance that the pictures he took would end up anywhere but on his laptop. We were wrong. Check out the bottom, right corner.
A close up. (Right to Left: Me, David, Estefano, and Andrea). Note that the caption reads The "Horse" accompanied by his friends. David is "el caballo." Back in the day, he had really long hair and his ponytail earned him a nickname that stuck. So he gets in the paper with his nickname, while the rest of us are nothing but "companions." However, I really shouldn't complain seeing as I look like a prom date while 'Fano and Andi look like sloppy drunks. So it goes...
We had a party last weekend at David's family's empty house. We made a campfire and camped out in the yard and everything. Here are a bunch of people being ridiculous. I enjoy that. (Left to Right: Oswaldo, some guy, Luis, another Luis, Pepe, and David).
David, Pepe, and me. I heart Pepe. He and David have been friends since elementary school. See how the Mexicans don't smile?
Every week, the paper prints a page about stuff that happened over the weekend. It's sort of a "Happening in Tehuacan". Two weeks ago, we ran into this well known reporter at our favorite bar/club, Dharma. Well, he had his camera, but we thought there wasn't a chance that the pictures he took would end up anywhere but on his laptop. We were wrong. Check out the bottom, right corner.
A close up. (Right to Left: Me, David, Estefano, and Andrea). Note that the caption reads The "Horse" accompanied by his friends. David is "el caballo." Back in the day, he had really long hair and his ponytail earned him a nickname that stuck. So he gets in the paper with his nickname, while the rest of us are nothing but "companions." However, I really shouldn't complain seeing as I look like a prom date while 'Fano and Andi look like sloppy drunks. So it goes...
We had a party last weekend at David's family's empty house. We made a campfire and camped out in the yard and everything. Here are a bunch of people being ridiculous. I enjoy that. (Left to Right: Oswaldo, some guy, Luis, another Luis, Pepe, and David).
David and his bud Luis (and me). Luis is in love with Mary (see previously posted picture of us being in love with our hot chocolate). Unfortunately for Luis, Mary is seeing someone. Fortunately for Luis, most of the time "being in love" in Tehuacan means thinking someone is goodlooking and not an idiot.
David, Pepe, and me. I heart Pepe. He and David have been friends since elementary school. See how the Mexicans don't smile?
Wait, what is that? Is it the beginning of a smile? ...
VICTORY!
Some random notes. I watched games 4-7 of the ALCS. Go Sawx. Those last two games were particularly satisfying since David's family was rooting for the Indians, and they implied they know more about baseball than I do. Oh, silly fools. Now they know better... Despite my great joy over the Mediorojos victory last night, there is a black cloud in my heart. Losing to the freaking Broncos by 3 points with 2 seconds remaining in the game is NOT how I imagined the triumphant return of the of-injured Ward and Polamalu. But the world keeps turning....
I am running out of Mexican things to talk about, so email me at smallwonderblog@gmail.com, and let me know what you want to know. I'd love to do a mailbag, but like I said -- I don't have anything to write about.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Fotos (episodio 2)
>
I'm sorry that the boy doesn't smile. It's a macho thing. It's also 2:30 in the morning and freezing cold outside. Thank goodness for campfires. (Puerto del Aire)
In the morning, the fog begins to lift. Sorry I don't have better pictures... next time. (Puerto del Aire)
Mary and I are in love with our hot chocolates... or are they in love with us? (Italian Coffee Company)
I'm sorry that the boy doesn't smile. It's a macho thing. It's also 2:30 in the morning and freezing cold outside. Thank goodness for campfires. (Puerto del Aire)
In the morning, the fog begins to lift. Sorry I don't have better pictures... next time. (Puerto del Aire)
Monday, October 8, 2007
Sighted in Tehuacán
Although homogenity rules the coop here in the City of Health, this past weekend I spotted a gay couple openly flirting in the town square. It was incredible... score one for diversity! Other unusual things spotted this week -- two apparently pure bred stray dogs (yellow labs); three healthy, vibrant kittens; license plates from Utah, Minnesota, and Iowa.
In other news, I watched the Steelers game yesterday. It was a blast, not only because the Black & Gold won 21-0, but because I could actually hear the commentators who really know their stuff. Here is a direct translation of the commentary during a Steelers drive in the 3rd quarter:
Also, on a quasi-related note, my family and I watch the news everyday before lunch. The anchor's name? Jorge Salsa. If we translate that to Pittsburghese, the dude's name is Georgie Ketchup. Almost as good as everyone's favorite Latino pitcher, Mr. Joe Table.
In other news, I watched the Steelers game yesterday. It was a blast, not only because the Black & Gold won 21-0, but because I could actually hear the commentators who really know their stuff. Here is a direct translation of the commentary during a Steelers drive in the 3rd quarter:
He's past the 35, the 30, the 25 yard line. And he's down at the 20. TheYup, he said ketchup. Well, he said "salsa de tomate," but somehow that makes it even cooler.
Steelers are in the Red Zone, the Ketchup Zone!
Also, on a quasi-related note, my family and I watch the news everyday before lunch. The anchor's name? Jorge Salsa. If we translate that to Pittsburghese, the dude's name is Georgie Ketchup. Almost as good as everyone's favorite Latino pitcher, Mr. Joe Table.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
La Limpieza
I know it's been a while since my last entry, so I apologize for the apparent banality of my chosen topic, but I just have to get his off my chest: cleaning in Mexico is hilarious.
Sure Mexicans are notorious for sweeping the sidewalks and the streets in front of their homes. But I doubt that this actually achieves the goals of removing dirt -- instead it just moves the dirt from the ground to the air where one of two things happens. 1) The dirt is enhaled by passersby like me, who sneeze appoximately 25 times a day. 2) The dirst blows around until a draft of cool air carries it into a home, where it settles on bedsheets, kitchen counters, hallway floors, and oven burners. The result? Everything needs to be dusted once a day. But people dust with the same rag everyday, resulting in the creation of a muddy paste of dirt and water. When wiping doesn't suffice anymore, people use laundry detergent to wipe down the counters in the kitchens and bathrooms. So everything smells linen fresh, but nothing is actually disinfected! This is all fine by me because everyone's clothes smell great, but sprinkling powdered laundry detergent on my bathroom coutner every Sunday still seems a bit bizarre. However, I am building up a grand immunity to Mexican germs.
And I do have to admit that I have come to love cleaning here. All the floors are tiled. In fact my entire bathroom and kitchen are tiled up to the ceiling. So when it's time to clean, we just thrown buckets of water everywhere and after an hour it all drains away or evaporates. Sometimes I think it would be best to do it all carwash style -- in my bathing suit with music blaring and a gang of friends. But then again, I clean with laundry detergent so whatever splashes onto my clothes only makes them fresher!
On another, completely unrelated note -- someone kidnapped my family's little dog, Frida, last night. She was small and gray and had a curly tail that wagged in circles. She shall be missed. Her owner, my hostsister Jossie, is unaware of her disappearance because she is away at university and only comes home on weekends. I fear her reaction when she discovers this tragedy. I plan to strategically avoid my house this Friday afternoon. The kidnapping occurred sometime between 5 and 9pm. She is afraid of the street, so she couldn't have run away. But one of the painters who was working on the front of the house left the gate open and my host mom is certain that someone came in and took her. ¡Pobrecita, Frida! I hope she has found a new, happy home.
Sure Mexicans are notorious for sweeping the sidewalks and the streets in front of their homes. But I doubt that this actually achieves the goals of removing dirt -- instead it just moves the dirt from the ground to the air where one of two things happens. 1) The dirt is enhaled by passersby like me, who sneeze appoximately 25 times a day. 2) The dirst blows around until a draft of cool air carries it into a home, where it settles on bedsheets, kitchen counters, hallway floors, and oven burners. The result? Everything needs to be dusted once a day. But people dust with the same rag everyday, resulting in the creation of a muddy paste of dirt and water. When wiping doesn't suffice anymore, people use laundry detergent to wipe down the counters in the kitchens and bathrooms. So everything smells linen fresh, but nothing is actually disinfected! This is all fine by me because everyone's clothes smell great, but sprinkling powdered laundry detergent on my bathroom coutner every Sunday still seems a bit bizarre. However, I am building up a grand immunity to Mexican germs.
And I do have to admit that I have come to love cleaning here. All the floors are tiled. In fact my entire bathroom and kitchen are tiled up to the ceiling. So when it's time to clean, we just thrown buckets of water everywhere and after an hour it all drains away or evaporates. Sometimes I think it would be best to do it all carwash style -- in my bathing suit with music blaring and a gang of friends. But then again, I clean with laundry detergent so whatever splashes onto my clothes only makes them fresher!
On another, completely unrelated note -- someone kidnapped my family's little dog, Frida, last night. She was small and gray and had a curly tail that wagged in circles. She shall be missed. Her owner, my hostsister Jossie, is unaware of her disappearance because she is away at university and only comes home on weekends. I fear her reaction when she discovers this tragedy. I plan to strategically avoid my house this Friday afternoon. The kidnapping occurred sometime between 5 and 9pm. She is afraid of the street, so she couldn't have run away. But one of the painters who was working on the front of the house left the gate open and my host mom is certain that someone came in and took her. ¡Pobrecita, Frida! I hope she has found a new, happy home.
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