Blah, blah, democracy has no place in a university, blah, blah, disco, blah

Had a conference in the flagship university this past weekend in a town--perhaps you've heard of it--Huajuapan de Leon. Nothing accomplished, naturally. Did get to listen to the the head of the university system drone on interminably about how freedom of thought has no place in a university. Ah, well. Then I got to go to a disco-er-club with other professors. I went to Oaxaca City the next day. More discos-er-clubs. Have I mentioned that they call clubs "discos" in Spanish and I don't want to hear any lip when I invariably slip up on my trips back to the States? Consider it done, then.


Pretty star lamps in Oaxaca, Oaxaca. February 19, 2006

Random crumbling church on the road from Huajuapan to Oaxaca, February 19, 2006

No Students Were Harmed in the Making of This Party

I made spaghetti for my students last Friday which I was able to do because--even if they got drunk and fell off my building--Mexican laws prevent their parents from suing me. I've got to say that I figured there were two ways that this could go wrong: They could get drunk and obnoxious or everyone could be bored to tears. My fears were for naught as they came over and it needs to be said that my students are absolutely precious. (Can I say that about a group of 20 to 23-year-olds? Screw it. They were adorable.) They were all slicked up and on their best behavior. They brought three bottles of fruit wine (hello, Boone's farm!) which they drank along with the red wine I gave them (see lack of tort law mentioned above.) They had a good time and thought a home-made tomato sauce was something miraculous. They are dying for my 18-year-old sister to come here but I told them hands off.

On Sunday, I had a dinner for 14 people (grown-ups) to celebrate one year in Mexico. I made this everything-and-the-kitchen-sink traditional Mexican soup called pozole. Aaaaaand tequila, natch. My neighbor gave me the little statue of a traditional Tehuana in the picture. She and her family are so nice to me that I'm patiently waiting for when they ask me to be their drug-mule. Holy moly! One year!