Mis partes favoritos

With my days here numbered (3!!) I would like to share with you a list of what I think I will miss the most:

The Awesome thunderstorms that happen at least once a week. There isn't always rain, and it doesn't help with the heat but it is still super cool to see and hear.

Food! Where else am I going to get amazing tacitos, elotes, tlayudas, and mole? Taco Bell? I don't think so.

Drinks: they have different homemade waters using watermelon, cactus, mango, melon, or oranges that are soo good. The oranges here are green and super sweet. I love it! But let's not forget agua de horchata. That drink was made to please gods. 

The animal life. It is neat to walk down the street and stir up resting iguanas. It seems like everyone owns a parrot or a turtle. Today while doing rounds the mid-wife took me to a house where the owner had at least a hundred iguanas, eight crocodiles, and several different parrots, turtles, and snakes.

The good friends I've made. Granted they're not all from Mexico (there was another student from French speaking Quebec, Canada - we could only communicate in Spanish together) but I appreciate everything they did to help me.

The commuting system. Let's just say that the US does not know how to set up a good bus system. Here, I can get almost anywhere I want, almost whenever I want for less that 50 cents. THAT is amazing. (Take that Corvallis bus route) 

How vibrant the culture and life is here. People are just happy. They don't have much but they are happy with what they have. They also proud to be Mexican and to show their heritage.

10 days

Only 10 more days in Mexico! 

With this in mind I wanted to make a list of the 10 things I miss most in the states. 

10. Vegetables. I miss being full after I eat and not having high protein/carb meals every meal.

9. Work. I miss being in the lab where people actually answer my questions. The huge walk-in freezer is also a plus.

8. Cleanliness. I am almost always covered in dirt and sweat as is everything else around me. 

7. Being able to wash my clothes myself. So I don't own my own washer and dryer but I'm spoiled and have never had to pay to get my clothes washed before.

6. Air conditioner. It is hot and humid here - all day. Even when it rains. The only reason I am not putting warm showers on this list is because cold showers are a relief from the heat.  

5. Sleep. *see point 6 

4. COOKING! I love cooking but my host mom here wont let me near her kitchen nor would I know where to find the spices I love to use when in the States.

3. Trails. Be it McDonald Forest, John's Peak, or a brief stint through Avery Park I am craving long runs on dirt trails with some good friends. Not having to run hungry and dehydrated will also be a plus.

2. Chocolate chip cookies. 'Nuff said.

1. Family. They are my best of friends, my biggest fans, and I can't wait to see them!

A la playa

I went to the southernmost beach and walked north Saturday. It was overcast and I still got a nasty burned. After about half a mile there is a stone path that follows the shoreline. The waves literally wash across it, crabs crawl across, and there's a great view. Enjoy! 

ps. I have never seen cacti in a humid and wet environment before.

CRABS! They were camera shy... 

 After the long walk we stopped at the beach closest to our house to swim and relax. I also made a new friend. His name is Herby. And he lives in a mobile home. 

My newest friend =)

From around town

I believe I mentioned before but Puerto Escondido is very much a tourist town. The water front is beautiful and there are tons of markets and restaurants to go to. As you move inland the city changes. Streets are no longer paved, there are no sidewalks, dogs prowl, and things are not as clean. I prefer this part of town as it seems more authentic. I have been going to a clinic 45 minutes away from Puerto in Copala. Today I was not able to go because it has been raining for the last 24 hours. Hard rain. I love it! Copala is in the mountains and the roads are windy and not always paved. There's a river as well with a small bridge. 

There are a lot of diabetes, pregnant women, and babies. I learned that patients can receive up to 12 condoms a month. They are really expensive to buy so they go to the doctor for them. The government sends supplies of medicines and other necessities monthly but the doctor never knows what time of the month to expect the supplies. Right now he has a shortage and has to improvise to help his patients. 

The doctor is a great teacher and really goes out of his way to insure that we are getting the most out of our time there. I have drawn blood, put in IVs, and learned how to give vaccinations. I am not sure how ethical all of this was but it was a great learning experience. 

Side note: There are a lot of palm trees here. Everywhere. Coconuts litter the streets. I have taken up a collection in my room.

Road to the beach from my house

Supporting dengue prevention at a basketball court. The other side of the court supports national vaccination week which is in January.

Construction in town

Surviving the Vomit Bus: and other classic tales

I spent my last week in Oaxaca trying to steal the newborn babies. I finally managed to swipe one before her mother came back. I then took an 11 hour bus ride through the scenic mountains to Puerto Escondido for the next 5 weeks of my life. I did not ACTUALLY take the vomit bus. That bus goes straight to Puerto and takes less than half the time. It is also well named. I figured with my history it was best to take the 1st class bus that went around. I still vomited twice. 

I know have a roommate and no internet connection. Win/lose? She is from Oregon as well and left behind her husband (we can relate!) and kid (maybe not). The first thing we did was go to one of the many beaches.   The culture here is very different. It is a tourist town. Because of this it is a lot more laid back and casual.People walk around in their swimsuits and live for surfing. 

The clinic I work at now is 45 minutes outside of the city up in the mountain. It has two rooms and one doctor. The doctor is a great teacher. One of the big diseases here is chagas and the next dengue. My host family was telling me the best ways to kill scorpions when I see them too. I think I may die of the heat before some animal gets to me. The news reported the temperature today as 86F but feels like 91F. This is with a humidity of 78%. I would like to amend this to a temperature of 103F but feels like 120F with humidity so thick you can drink the air. Esther - where is my snow? 

My roommate and I are going to the same clinic this week and we decided to walk part of the way home today. We used the time for fotos. 

There are iguanas every where here.

La Gualaguetza

Sorry for the delay. My computer kept crashing every time I tried to download pictures. (a sign that the heat is getting to more than just me). 

I went to the Gualaguetza Monday. It was Awesome. Gualaguetza is an indigenous word that means "the sharing." It is a time when the different communities in Oaxaca come together and share aspects of their culture to enhance one another. Pretty awesome. 

The big Gualaguetza held every year is in honor of Benito Juarez and is the first and second Mondays that fall a week after the day he died (18 July). It is a big dance festival. People from the different regions of Oaxaca dress in their cultural attire and perform their regions most popular dance. After the dance they throw items into the crowd like: apples, oranges, bread, tortillas, hats, ceramic bowls. The crowd really loves this part and it can get pretty intense as people fight for gifts. One dance included LIVE turkeys. They were very well behaved and stood were the dancers placed them. I don't think my dog is that well trained.

Here are some of the highlights:

La calenda de la Guelaguetza

Today there was another big parade through down town. BUT! before I post pictures of the parade there are a few from yesterday I would like to share:

This fountain is in front of the Hospital that I go to every morning. It has statues depicting 7 of the 8 regions in Oaxaca and their traditional dress (at the time it was made there were only 7). It is meant to honor the indigenous heritage. The man in the middle is doing La danza de la pluma. It is a Zapotec dance that was done in celebration of the Spanish conquering the Aztecs.

Añadir leyenda

 While wondering between stores I found this awesome map of Oaxaca. It's super helpful because people tell me they're from so-and-so region and I just smile and nod because I have no idea of where in Oaxaca that is. Now I do!

A map of the 8 different regions

Next to the map where examples of traditional clothes from the region.

As mentioned, there was a big parade through the down town this evening. I spent most of the parade with a charming two year old girl on my shoulders. She is soo much litter than my brother, Gideon, it was almost easy. Half way through I decided that her parents shouldn't have it easy and had them take pictures for me (don't worry, I know and trust them). 

Participants marching through a crowd of people

A very unattractive picture of me with Genesis

People will join the parade as it goes by and walk with the participants. At one point there was a 5 minute break because soo many people had joined the parade. Sometimes tourists will walk in and out of the dancers with their camera.

 

There was a dance from the women of Tuxtepec called the Flor de Pina. Each woman must carry a pineapple during the dance. 

The dance of the Pineapple 

I always know where I am based on the scenery. This view of the mountains means I am close to home.