Marimba!! Tehuantepec, Oax. 25 September 2005

Dancing Tehuanas, wearing "halos." Tehuantepec, Oax. 25 Sept. 2005

My neighbors' kid on the beach, running away because I wnted to take her picture and she didn't think her hair looked good. I'm serious. Playa Azul, 17 Sept. 2005

It was really hot, poor babies. I went to the beach. Salina Cruz, Oax. 16 Sept. 2005

My friend singing with the mariachis. She was feeling no pain, either. Salina Cruz, Oax. 15 Sept. 2005

My co-workers and I went to a pueblito to drink beer and eat fried fish when we got out early on Thursday. Have I mentioned life is good? Lalloraga, Oax. 15 Sept. 2005

Independence Day

Hey, y'all,

Everything is still good here in the centro de nada. My classes start in October and it seems that I have been selected to teach a special class of English to the executives from the local petro-chemical plant. I'd like to think it's because I'm a great teacher, but I think it's more that the director of my school wants money from this program and has an inflated opinion of my charms. Regardless, I'm looking forward to teaching again as I'm bored silly with preparation.

I just got through a long weekend as we had Thursday afternoon and all day Friday off to celebrate the Mexican Independence Day. I kicked it off by going out with my co-workers after work on Thursday to a little village with good food and cold beer. Then I went back to Salina Cruz, thinking to catch a nap and then go to the plaza to see the festivities then to the restaurant of my neighbors to hear the mariachis and whatnot. They have the parties for Independence Day the night before the actual fiesta. Across the nation, the mayor or other head-dude comes to the plaza around 11 pm and yells a bunch of ¡Vivas! (Yay, Mexico! Yay, Virgin! etc.) and then have fireworks. However, I didn't make it to the plaza as Flor, my neighbor/owner of the restaurant, saw me darting past and yelled that I needed to get back there by 9:30 to come and sit with the family during the party. (Keep in mind it was 8:30 and I'd been drinking since 3.) I'm weak, though, so I agreed and ran home to change and threw on my "Mexican peasant blouse." I sat with the family consisting of big, multi-generational group who all seemed thrilled to have a random guera sitting with them. The ones that I didn't know from before told me that Flor had said what a lovely girl I was. I can't quite imagine how I managed to get that description as almost everytime I talk to Flor or her husband, José Maria, I'm having some type of problem. "Pain the ass" sure, "lovely?" not so much.

The party did rock, though. There was a great Cuban band to get things going and later dancers and mariachis. The tequila and fine wine was poured down my throat. I made a few, feeble protests but then they would look reproachful and tell me how this was a bottle of of very special wine that they don't open for customers and since I had lived in Spain (José Maria is from Galicia) I would appreciate it . . . what could I say? They had opened the bottle for me! By the end I was handing out tequila like I owned the joint. The family was also trying to set up with some family friend who was visiting from Mexico City. He was blandest Mexican man I've ever met in my life. Quite nice, fluent in English, tall and apparently well-off--if the aunts are to be believed. However, couldn't dance to save his life and was rather constrained. To my shame, I preferred the adorable 17-year-old who- if my sister was here- I would definitely be setting her up with him and then demanding to live vicariously through her.

The next day I caught the middle of the parade but watching sweaty children march in formation didn't really do it for me so I headed to the beach. Afterwards, I swung by Casa Flor to say thanks and make sure I'd been forgiven for breaking two glasses and handing out their liquor. Everything was good, they still loved me, though still for reasons I don't understand. I ended up hanging out with the family, drinking more wine, and agreeing to go with them to the beach the next day. They are so nice to me it makes me a little uncomfortable.

Beach was great, fish was great, I played with Flor and José Maria's kids, Santi and Maria José, and didn't look Family-Friend-With-Whom-I-Didn't-Hook-Up in the eye once. A lovely day. Hope y'all are good. I'm having a party for La Fiesta de Gracias (i.e. Thanksgiving) and you're all invited. Take care!

Love,

kca