First off, I apologize to those of you who have actually been trying to keep up with me via this blog - I realize that I'm quite inept at updating things like this. And as far as photos go, I've actually tried several times to upload them! The internet connections must just really despise my pictures and hence, refuse to share them with the world.
I will work on both of those issues.
My last post was in late October, when I was just about to hop out of Mérida for a trip around a bit of México. So let's start there.
We left Mérida that Saturday night ("we" being three of my intercambio amigos: Carter, Carolyn, Ray, and I), October the 24th, on a night bus to Palenque. We arrived in this tiny town at 4:00 am on Sunday, just in time to check into a little hotel room and catch some zzz's before breakfast (chilaquiles verdes & coffee - yum!). The day was spent in a mad rush around the area to visit the three "most important" (or so say the Lonely Planet and Rough Guide) sites in the area: the ruins of Palenque, Agua Azul, and Mishol'ha (please, somebody correct my horrid spelling of that word!). By this point I've been to at least six or seven different ruinas en México, but they amaze me still! Palenque was special to me because of it's location: to visit the ruins, a walk through the jungle is required. The ruins are uncovered enough to see and understand them, as well as climb on most of them, but the jungle is not cut back and away - the adventure of trying to get past giant trees and vines adds to the fun! The archaeological site is massive, with only 5% of the ruins uncovered. With new technology, archaeologists are able to "see" what lies beneath the surface of the earth, but they've chosen to let it be, not for lack of funds as we saw at some other sites (notably Ek Balam), but for the conservation of the local flora and fauna that make the site what it is.
Our second spot of the day was Agua Azul (Blue Water), cascadas (flowing waterfall cascades) that get their name from the many beautiful colors that they display... in the spring. We arrived to find a blue-grey-brown waterfall that was still absolutely stunning (see the pictures...that are not yet online...but are coming soon to a computer near you!). Our final destination of the day was Misol'ha (again, I apologize for the spelling) - an INCREDIBLE waterfall that was even better because of the time of the day, right before dusk, a sort of twilight in the jungle. I really must get these photos online...
The next morning we got on another wonderful ADO bus to San Cristóbal Chiapas, arguably my favorite city in México thus far. This average-sized city in the mountains of Chiapas is reached by traveling through Zapatista territory, where road signs still warn that the Zapatistas - not the Mexican government - rule here. It was very interesting to me how different things still are in some regions of Chiapas due to the Zapatista movement; we spoke to some people about the activity in the 90's...verrrry interesting stuff I hope to learn more about. The culture of San Cristóbal was noticeably different from Mérida; mountains vs. beach, cool vs. tropical, relaxed vs. upbeat, smiles vs. catcalls, sweaters vs. tanks... I always thought I would prefer the tropical salsa-filled life of lowland México, but I can see myself living in a place like San Cristóbal, isolated in the mountains with a few hundred thousand friendly faces and lots of culture to boot. Our residence for the 5-day stretch was the coolest hostel I've ever stayed in: we met some of the friendliest people (or so we thought, until Ruthie's backpack was stolen a few days after I left) who shared food and such with us, and stayed in a not-quite-room with our new buddy, Steve, from Ireland (it was more of a cardboard-wall-type-structure, with a door that we accidentally broke by trying to shut, and a ceiling made out of tapestries). We visited the amber museum (Chiapas and Russia are the two places in the world to find quality amber!), the museum of Mayan medicine (mama & daddy - you'll find this stuff interesting when I come back and chat), climbed to the top of huge hills to visit the churches of the city, bought crazy-strong Chiapas coffee, ate Chiapas cheese (only the best cheese in the WORLD in my opinion), and shopped some of the best markets I've come across in Mexico (Christmas shopping!!!).
The best part of the San Cristóbal experience was a tour with my "uncle" Alejandro (Alex), to two of the neighboring pueblos, and throughout some very interesting areas of town... more on that later. The first pueblo we went up to was verrry interesting for their take on religion. Like 99% of Mexico, the people there consider themselves Catholic. However, since John the Baptist "came first," he is the central figure in their faith (not Jesus, as in most Christian faiths, nor Mary - la Virgen de Guadalupe - as in most of Mexico). They also took out the priest, as they didn't see his function, and the seating in the church - the floor is covered with pine needles, and the walls are lined with shrines to different saints. We witnessed a ritual by a local healer being performed in front of one of the shrines in order to heal an infant child.
The principle tools needed for this healing ritual? Coca Cola and Cerveza Sol (beer).
The method of healing? burping.
By provoking a burp with these beverages, the soul is cleansed and "bad energy" is let out, like sending prayers and spiritual healing out from the body.
In the second pueblo, Alex (the super-star of San Cristóbal's villages; he walks through the streets and every child from 2 to 15 years comes running asking for dulces and to play) brought us to María's house. She invited us into her traditional one-room house, where she quickly whipped up some hand-made tortillas on the fire, and along with beans and pox (a strong strong strong alcohol - one sip and you die! ...almost), and showed us some of her incredible textiles :) Great, great trip.
I'm getting a liiiitttle bit sleepy so the next part of this may be short and sweet and not nearly as entertaining - just to warn you. We did another over-night bus to Oaxaca Wednesday night, during which I surprisingly slept very well (we didn't have 4 screaming babies in front of us like the last bus ride - joy!). We spent the next four days in Oaxaca, exploring by day and celebrating the Day of the Dead (days...) by night, following and dancing with the street celebrations, enjoying the music, dance, and costumes around us - rather, being FORCED to enjoy, pulled in by the masked monsters who had a little too much mezcal in their systems (the Oaxacan cousin of tequila).
Oaxaca was beautiful, but by the end of the trip, we were all anxious to get "home" to Mérida. It was then that I realized that Mérida has become a home to me. I no longer feel like I'm abroad in someone else's country... México has become part of me, and I part of it.
The comfort lasted almost 24 hours. As soon as I arrived home, I found no lights, no water, and no people in my house, and quickly learned that I had to move - my family was tired of dealing with electrical problems and had decided to change houses themselves, so I was set up with a new family in Montecristo. The next day, I said adios and moved in with my NEW host family!
I just keep finding more family I never knew I had...
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
End of October Trip
Tomorrow, Saturday 24th of October, I will depart from Merida for a ten day trip. First, we may or may not stop in the city of Campeche, known for its repeated attacks by English pirates due to its wealth and strategic location. From there, we will take a night-bus to Palenque, famous ruins, waterfalls, jungle, and lakes of Chiapas. Then, we will spend four days in San Cristobal in Chiapas, moving on to Oaxaca for the last part of the week. We will spend the first day of the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca (Sunday) and use Monday to travel back to Merida!
That was probably one of the more boring posts, but I promise to write interesting details about said trip upon my return!
That was probably one of the more boring posts, but I promise to write interesting details about said trip upon my return!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Cumpleaños en Playa del Carmen
To celebrate a handful of birthdays (including my own - I am now at the ripe old age of twenty...), twelve (plus two a couple of days later) of us shipped off Friday after class to Playa del Carmen. This is a city on the Caribbean coast just about 40 minutes from Cancún, with all of the beauty, less partying, and European and South American tourists in place of the US tourists. Upon arrival at our hotel, we were told that they had accidentally overbooked their rooms, and that they had upgraded us to a five-star hotel down the street (oh, bummer!). We spent four days and three nights in the Fiesta Azteca Wyndham resort for INCREDIBLY cheap prices for two reasons: the bad economy and swine flu scares have made promotions a necessity. The birthday celebration weekend was a success all around - I'll be sure to put pictures up soon!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Hoy en tu comunidad
This past Saturday (the 26th of September) was my first excursion with Hoy en tu comunidad. I spent the day in a pueblo about two hours outside of Mérida, named Tikit, with a team of doctors and medical students, providing free health services to the members of the community. The UADY medical students were very helpful, and the docs certainly taught me a great deal. I worked in triage, taking down medical histories and figuring out what the specific problems were we had to deal with; I took blood pressure, heart rate, did ear and eye exams, and helped out a little bit in the treatment room as well. What interested me was how incredibly different, yet functional, the little clinic was. Set up next to a dirt road, there were stray dogs running through all day, crowds of people gathered around a little collapsible table trying to get someone to listen to them (though some spoke only Mayan and needed translators to speak to the Spanish-speaking docs), suffering from conditions easily treatable in other parts of the world. What confused me was that Mexico is supposed to be excellent as far as the social security system and other public health services, providing free medical attention and medicine to many of its citizens, yet so many problems exist! It was explained to me that so many people in the pueblo suffer from easily-treatable conditions not because the medicine isn't free for them, but because it never arrives. With a shortage of medicines and so many people in need of them, a small pueblo like Tikit is one of the places that almost never is reached by the medicine vans. It was great to see so many people being helped in one day, and we were able to give out a lot of medicines that we brought with, but the sad thing is that this is a once-a-year event for them; if they get sick the rest of the time, the likelihood of getting any sort of healthcare is slim to none, let-alone medicines.
My anthropology of health class (la antropología de la salud) is teaching me a lot about other forms of treatment in México. The majority of Mexicans, according to my professor and other students I've talked with (nearly 99%, they say), hold a lot of traditional beliefs about sickness and health. For example, "mal de ojo" (the evil eye) is an acceptable reason for sickness: someone looked at someone else funny, and now they're sick. The first thing mentioned when someone gets sick here is the energy in the air, or the spirits (I'm not kidding - this happened just yesterday again). Few people result to biomedical treatments as their first option. Instead, herbolería, plants, acupuncture, even Mayan prayer rituals, are still held as practical and reliable treatment options. The general feeling I get from this class is that doctors are perceived as impersonal and robotic, not delving into the cultural aspects of treatment. Alternative treatments (that have existed here thousands of years before Westernized medicine came into the picture) are still alive and strong in Mexico.
My anthropology of health class (la antropología de la salud) is teaching me a lot about other forms of treatment in México. The majority of Mexicans, according to my professor and other students I've talked with (nearly 99%, they say), hold a lot of traditional beliefs about sickness and health. For example, "mal de ojo" (the evil eye) is an acceptable reason for sickness: someone looked at someone else funny, and now they're sick. The first thing mentioned when someone gets sick here is the energy in the air, or the spirits (I'm not kidding - this happened just yesterday again). Few people result to biomedical treatments as their first option. Instead, herbolería, plants, acupuncture, even Mayan prayer rituals, are still held as practical and reliable treatment options. The general feeling I get from this class is that doctors are perceived as impersonal and robotic, not delving into the cultural aspects of treatment. Alternative treatments (that have existed here thousands of years before Westernized medicine came into the picture) are still alive and strong in Mexico.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
And then I was offered as a trade for a drum...
Two-and-a-half weeks later, I finally get a chance to blog... Yet, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, so I'm going to let most of them speak for themselves.
The majority of the "exciting" parts of the past couple of weeks have to do with traveling around the Yucatán to explore the Mayan ruins. Saturday, September 12, I departed on a trip which they call "El inframundo" (the underworld), so named for the theme of the route - Mayan ruins that portray entrances and/or connections to the spirit world. Our guide, Memo, is a professor at UADY (la Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Facultad de la Antropología), the university I attend in Mérida, and throughout the four-day trip, he was able to show us some of the most interesting archaeological finds of the world.
Our first stop on the trip was Cobá, where we rented bicycles to travel through the jungle (where we also found some really neat animals - I think there's a picture up of one of them). Among the many ruins we explored were the stones with "prediction dates" on them - which some people have construed, unfortunately, to be the date the world ends - AND we climbed the tallest Mayan pyramid! The view from the top was, to date, the most incredible sight – only to be challenged days later by what I took in while visiting Tulum. From the top of the pyramid, all I could see was jungle, speckled here and there with another temple, pyramid, or cenote. Climbing the pyramid was actually not too challenging, though the way down proved to be a bit more of an obstacle (last year, actually, two people died falling down the steep steps).
After Cobá, we went to a cenote (pronounced say-no-tay, please!!! Not say-note). Cenotes are found only in the Yucatán Peninsula, which is basically a giant slab of limestone (the biggest in the world), in which no rivers are found. Instead, there is a vast reserve of water deep underground, and every so often, geologically speaking, a hole opens up to the “above-ground” world. The first cenote we visited, which I cannot remember the name, horrible as it is, looks like a small 4x4-ft. hole in the ground. In this hole is a stairwell, which, over a period of 5 or so minutes of descending, brings the traveler from a world of 118 degrees (F) and 95% humidity to a brisk and chilly cave, lit by a single lamp. In this cave is the clearest water I’ve seen in nature – the cave was huge, and the cenote very deep, but one could easily see to the very bottom. We swam in that chilly cave for a few hours before tiring out and venturing to our “rustic camp.”
What we were told was a rustic camp actually turned out to be little cabañas on a deserted beach of the Caribbean, right next to Tulum, one of the most impressive Mayan ruins I’ve seen, if only for its juxtaposition to perhaps the most beautiful beach in the world. Sleeping in hammocks in small palm-covered huts, falling asleep and waking up to the sound of the waves splashing on a pristine beach: this is paradise, I tell you. If you look at only one of my pictures, this is the sight you have to see – the water is the most perfect shade of turquoise-blue, and not a better temperature could be dreamt of, and the sand is not only white but flawless in every way. I do believe I saw a little piece of heaven that weekend.
The following three days were spent exploring the jungle, venturing to remote and spectacular ruins of the Mayan people. What interested me was that though these structures were build over 1700 years ago, many inhabitants of the Yucatán still hold on to the traditional belief systems associated with them. For instance, Memo led a few of us into a small bat-filled cave that was used for religious rituals, and one of the girls in our group asked if it was safe to be in there. His response was “Sí, por lo menos si no toques esta cosa roja por allá” (Yes, as long as you don’t touch that red thing right there). What he had pointed to was a small red bag, about the length of my thumb, tied tightly with a cord. He explained to us that it was modern-day witchcraft, a common spectacle even today. Although the villagers appear to have integrated themselves into modern belief systems and practices, their Mayan traditions still hold strong. A family could have Catholic imagery all over their houses, a cross around their neck, and be avid Church-goers, but when they really needed help in a matter, would not be opposed to taking to the forest to beg the ancient gods for intervention. Most interesting to me is that even those who do not still take part in these rituals definitely believe in them , or at the very least have a great respect for them– even my host family speaks of the “energy” associated with places, times, objects, and people, associating everything with the spirit world.
The last place we visited before coming home (after two more cenotes, neither of which were underground, but both of which provided excellent cliffs to dive and jump from) was Ek Balam. It almost seemed like a dream, how well this ruin was preserved. Uncovered very recently, the original plaster, murals, and sculptures seem like they were crafted just weeks ago. One of my favorite things to do when I’m observing a new ruin or archaeological area is to imagine it as it once was, with the original inhabitants going about their daily business. At Ek Balam, it was not only easy to imagine it as it once was, but even difficult to remember what time we were living in, thousands of years after the Maya. Again, we climbed to the top of the structure (most of the great ruins have some way of getting to the top, a steep stairway with tiny steps for tiny Mayan feet, usually). This time, I saw something strange. Instead of the flat jungle, from the top I saw two very distinct hills, covered with vegetation. When I asked Memo about them, he replied that underneath, there are two more structures waiting to be uncovered. The excavation team awaited money from government and other sources to fund the project. How exciting is that?! There are STILL things TODAY that we haven’t seen, that we know are there, and just haven’t been uncovered! That absolutely blows my mind – that we were standing next to magnificent buildings, well-preserved by the earth, I’m sure, hidden from human eyes for over one thousand years. Just yesterday, actually, at Chichén Itzá, I learned that Memo was awaiting permission to scuba-dive to the bottom of a very famous cenote to explore what may be hidden at the bottom: most likely gold, silver, and human remains, long ago thrown to the underworld.
After a long journey back to Mérida, we quickly pulled ourselves together because, lo-and-behold, it was the 15th of September – Mexican Independence! The Mexican tradition to celebrate Independence is that in the center of every city, the zócalo, the governor (or, in the case of el D.F., the president) comes out and rings a big bell and shouts VIVA MÉXICO three times, just as was done in the Grito de Dolores in 1810, kicking off México’s fight against Spain for their independence. Coincidentally, the Yucatán was actually an independent country, apart from México, for a short chunk of time, but that’s another story for another day. We stood in la plaza grande for hours, listening to the live music, el grito, and being showered with both burning embers from the fireworks and some lovely gifts from the many birds that inhabit Mérida’s central park.
The following day, the 16th of September, was also a holiday, and Thursday we returned to “normal life” of classes, the beach, and, of course, plenty of salsa dancing. Sunday, though – and Daddy, you’ll be proud of this – I went with some of my new friends to a concert at el Teatro de Mérida, called Dancing the Beatles: Give Peace a Chance, in honor of el Día de la Paz (Day of Peace), which was Monday. Though some of my friends spoke not a single world of English, nearly all knew the words to the songs. The performance turned out to be less professional than we thought, more of a recital, with dancers aged 5 to maybe 16 years, but it actually turned out to be an incredible performance, even more so by the audience (and hey, that’s an authentic representation of the 60s, isn’t it?). Between my university the concert, and what I did Tuesday (which I’m about to tell you), I’m certain I’ve met the majority of the hippie population of Mérida by now (and yes, here they are called “hippis” as well).
Tuesday morning, I decided to skip class with some of the archaeology students, but for what I believe to be a very important reason (and, thank goodness, my professors agreed). Chichén Itzá, only an hour-and-a-half bus ride (or 2 and a half, if you take the cheap bus that goes through every pueblo on its way, which we did) from Mérida, is one of the best places in the world to experience an equinox. At a certain hour (5:00, yesterday) on the equinox, the light from the sun hits the temple in such a way that it “slithers” down the slide, illuminating a great serpent all along the side of the pyramid. The serpent, in fact, along with the jaguar and eagle, is one of the central symbolic animals of the Mayan people. Though global climate change sent a terrific storm through so we couldn’t quite see the spectacle, we DID have the pleasure of having three very intelligent archaeology students to show us our way through the ruins, which is actually a bigger blessing than one might think: many of the tour guides actually provide false information to the tourists both because they are not well educated on the ruins and because a lot of tourists want to hear about the human sacrifices and incredible things, so stories are made up for pure shock value. **side-note: my friend I was walking with was offered a drum for me – apparently my trade value is equivalent to a Mayan drum
After eating out in el centro, where I actually found a delicious vegetarian sandwich, I again returned to the somewhat-real world of classes and family. Soon to come, and sorry if this is a little too nerdy for some to handle, but I’m excited to tell some of you fellow latino-culture-lovers: starting a term paper for la literature latinoamericana sobre el libro “Los cuadernos de Praga” sobre Ché Guevara, que escibió después de la revolución cubana, y para mi clase de la antropología latinoamericana, empiezo a investigar el tema del tráfico humano en Latinoamérica (empezando temprano para Perú, chicas!!), también para un ensayo final. This Saturday, too, I’m very excited about, because it’s my first trip as part of the group “Hoy en tu comunidad” (meaning, Today in your community). It’s a group of medical students, doctors, nurses, and other students, who meet every Saturday to travel to small pueblos in the Yucatán where there are limited or no health services. We set up a great big tent for the day, and provide free medical care for the entire village. I am SO excited to go on these trips – the first one is to a place called Tekit.
I hope all is well with everyone in the States (or, actually, anywhere in the world from where you are reading this) – keep in touch, let me know what’s happening in the world outside of México!
The majority of the "exciting" parts of the past couple of weeks have to do with traveling around the Yucatán to explore the Mayan ruins. Saturday, September 12, I departed on a trip which they call "El inframundo" (the underworld), so named for the theme of the route - Mayan ruins that portray entrances and/or connections to the spirit world. Our guide, Memo, is a professor at UADY (la Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Facultad de la Antropología), the university I attend in Mérida, and throughout the four-day trip, he was able to show us some of the most interesting archaeological finds of the world.
Our first stop on the trip was Cobá, where we rented bicycles to travel through the jungle (where we also found some really neat animals - I think there's a picture up of one of them). Among the many ruins we explored were the stones with "prediction dates" on them - which some people have construed, unfortunately, to be the date the world ends - AND we climbed the tallest Mayan pyramid! The view from the top was, to date, the most incredible sight – only to be challenged days later by what I took in while visiting Tulum. From the top of the pyramid, all I could see was jungle, speckled here and there with another temple, pyramid, or cenote. Climbing the pyramid was actually not too challenging, though the way down proved to be a bit more of an obstacle (last year, actually, two people died falling down the steep steps).
After Cobá, we went to a cenote (pronounced say-no-tay, please!!! Not say-note). Cenotes are found only in the Yucatán Peninsula, which is basically a giant slab of limestone (the biggest in the world), in which no rivers are found. Instead, there is a vast reserve of water deep underground, and every so often, geologically speaking, a hole opens up to the “above-ground” world. The first cenote we visited, which I cannot remember the name, horrible as it is, looks like a small 4x4-ft. hole in the ground. In this hole is a stairwell, which, over a period of 5 or so minutes of descending, brings the traveler from a world of 118 degrees (F) and 95% humidity to a brisk and chilly cave, lit by a single lamp. In this cave is the clearest water I’ve seen in nature – the cave was huge, and the cenote very deep, but one could easily see to the very bottom. We swam in that chilly cave for a few hours before tiring out and venturing to our “rustic camp.”
What we were told was a rustic camp actually turned out to be little cabañas on a deserted beach of the Caribbean, right next to Tulum, one of the most impressive Mayan ruins I’ve seen, if only for its juxtaposition to perhaps the most beautiful beach in the world. Sleeping in hammocks in small palm-covered huts, falling asleep and waking up to the sound of the waves splashing on a pristine beach: this is paradise, I tell you. If you look at only one of my pictures, this is the sight you have to see – the water is the most perfect shade of turquoise-blue, and not a better temperature could be dreamt of, and the sand is not only white but flawless in every way. I do believe I saw a little piece of heaven that weekend.
The following three days were spent exploring the jungle, venturing to remote and spectacular ruins of the Mayan people. What interested me was that though these structures were build over 1700 years ago, many inhabitants of the Yucatán still hold on to the traditional belief systems associated with them. For instance, Memo led a few of us into a small bat-filled cave that was used for religious rituals, and one of the girls in our group asked if it was safe to be in there. His response was “Sí, por lo menos si no toques esta cosa roja por allá” (Yes, as long as you don’t touch that red thing right there). What he had pointed to was a small red bag, about the length of my thumb, tied tightly with a cord. He explained to us that it was modern-day witchcraft, a common spectacle even today. Although the villagers appear to have integrated themselves into modern belief systems and practices, their Mayan traditions still hold strong. A family could have Catholic imagery all over their houses, a cross around their neck, and be avid Church-goers, but when they really needed help in a matter, would not be opposed to taking to the forest to beg the ancient gods for intervention. Most interesting to me is that even those who do not still take part in these rituals definitely believe in them , or at the very least have a great respect for them– even my host family speaks of the “energy” associated with places, times, objects, and people, associating everything with the spirit world.
The last place we visited before coming home (after two more cenotes, neither of which were underground, but both of which provided excellent cliffs to dive and jump from) was Ek Balam. It almost seemed like a dream, how well this ruin was preserved. Uncovered very recently, the original plaster, murals, and sculptures seem like they were crafted just weeks ago. One of my favorite things to do when I’m observing a new ruin or archaeological area is to imagine it as it once was, with the original inhabitants going about their daily business. At Ek Balam, it was not only easy to imagine it as it once was, but even difficult to remember what time we were living in, thousands of years after the Maya. Again, we climbed to the top of the structure (most of the great ruins have some way of getting to the top, a steep stairway with tiny steps for tiny Mayan feet, usually). This time, I saw something strange. Instead of the flat jungle, from the top I saw two very distinct hills, covered with vegetation. When I asked Memo about them, he replied that underneath, there are two more structures waiting to be uncovered. The excavation team awaited money from government and other sources to fund the project. How exciting is that?! There are STILL things TODAY that we haven’t seen, that we know are there, and just haven’t been uncovered! That absolutely blows my mind – that we were standing next to magnificent buildings, well-preserved by the earth, I’m sure, hidden from human eyes for over one thousand years. Just yesterday, actually, at Chichén Itzá, I learned that Memo was awaiting permission to scuba-dive to the bottom of a very famous cenote to explore what may be hidden at the bottom: most likely gold, silver, and human remains, long ago thrown to the underworld.
After a long journey back to Mérida, we quickly pulled ourselves together because, lo-and-behold, it was the 15th of September – Mexican Independence! The Mexican tradition to celebrate Independence is that in the center of every city, the zócalo, the governor (or, in the case of el D.F., the president) comes out and rings a big bell and shouts VIVA MÉXICO three times, just as was done in the Grito de Dolores in 1810, kicking off México’s fight against Spain for their independence. Coincidentally, the Yucatán was actually an independent country, apart from México, for a short chunk of time, but that’s another story for another day. We stood in la plaza grande for hours, listening to the live music, el grito, and being showered with both burning embers from the fireworks and some lovely gifts from the many birds that inhabit Mérida’s central park.
The following day, the 16th of September, was also a holiday, and Thursday we returned to “normal life” of classes, the beach, and, of course, plenty of salsa dancing. Sunday, though – and Daddy, you’ll be proud of this – I went with some of my new friends to a concert at el Teatro de Mérida, called Dancing the Beatles: Give Peace a Chance, in honor of el Día de la Paz (Day of Peace), which was Monday. Though some of my friends spoke not a single world of English, nearly all knew the words to the songs. The performance turned out to be less professional than we thought, more of a recital, with dancers aged 5 to maybe 16 years, but it actually turned out to be an incredible performance, even more so by the audience (and hey, that’s an authentic representation of the 60s, isn’t it?). Between my university the concert, and what I did Tuesday (which I’m about to tell you), I’m certain I’ve met the majority of the hippie population of Mérida by now (and yes, here they are called “hippis” as well).
Tuesday morning, I decided to skip class with some of the archaeology students, but for what I believe to be a very important reason (and, thank goodness, my professors agreed). Chichén Itzá, only an hour-and-a-half bus ride (or 2 and a half, if you take the cheap bus that goes through every pueblo on its way, which we did) from Mérida, is one of the best places in the world to experience an equinox. At a certain hour (5:00, yesterday) on the equinox, the light from the sun hits the temple in such a way that it “slithers” down the slide, illuminating a great serpent all along the side of the pyramid. The serpent, in fact, along with the jaguar and eagle, is one of the central symbolic animals of the Mayan people. Though global climate change sent a terrific storm through so we couldn’t quite see the spectacle, we DID have the pleasure of having three very intelligent archaeology students to show us our way through the ruins, which is actually a bigger blessing than one might think: many of the tour guides actually provide false information to the tourists both because they are not well educated on the ruins and because a lot of tourists want to hear about the human sacrifices and incredible things, so stories are made up for pure shock value. **side-note: my friend I was walking with was offered a drum for me – apparently my trade value is equivalent to a Mayan drum
After eating out in el centro, where I actually found a delicious vegetarian sandwich, I again returned to the somewhat-real world of classes and family. Soon to come, and sorry if this is a little too nerdy for some to handle, but I’m excited to tell some of you fellow latino-culture-lovers: starting a term paper for la literature latinoamericana sobre el libro “Los cuadernos de Praga” sobre Ché Guevara, que escibió después de la revolución cubana, y para mi clase de la antropología latinoamericana, empiezo a investigar el tema del tráfico humano en Latinoamérica (empezando temprano para Perú, chicas!!), también para un ensayo final. This Saturday, too, I’m very excited about, because it’s my first trip as part of the group “Hoy en tu comunidad” (meaning, Today in your community). It’s a group of medical students, doctors, nurses, and other students, who meet every Saturday to travel to small pueblos in the Yucatán where there are limited or no health services. We set up a great big tent for the day, and provide free medical care for the entire village. I am SO excited to go on these trips – the first one is to a place called Tekit.
I hope all is well with everyone in the States (or, actually, anywhere in the world from where you are reading this) – keep in touch, let me know what’s happening in the world outside of México!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Beach, Salsa, & Mayan Legends
Keeping up a blog is harder than I thought it would be - everything has been so busy in México!! Today is the first day of my second week of classes, and I'm definitely enjoying them all, especially la antropología de la salud (the anthropology of health), in which we explore how different cultures and people approach the subject of health and healthcare. I'm also taking literatura latinoamericana, antropología latinoamericana, a US-Mexican relations course (which I find extra interesting because we've always learned it from the US perspective - our ideas are definitely being shaken up), and a Spanish language course as part of the program.
Getting around the city and out to do things has become much easier now that I'm used to the layout and am able to use public transportation efficiently. Apart from reading for classes, last week my new friends and I spent time salsa dancing, celebrating a birthday, a day at the beach (Progreso, a 20 minute drive, and absolutely gorgeous...though I forgot my camera, I'll be back this week and I'll be sure to take pictures then), and yesterday @ Uxmal, one of the most famous and well-preserved of the Mayan ruins.
I don't think I can fully describe in words and pictures how incredible being @ Uxmal was. Learning about the Mayan people and seeing such well-preserved buildings and structures that they created was fascinating, but what amazed me most was climbing to the top of one of the pyramids and simply taking in the view of the ancient city surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. In talking with the locals about Uxmal, I discovered legends and superstitions that persist strongly today. For example, the great pyramid of Uxmal was said to be built in one night by a Mayan bruja (witch) for the ruler of the kingdom in exchange for the life of her son. In actuality, the pyramid seems to be built in five separate stages, incorporating new and experimental forms in architecture seen nowhere else in the world. The mysterious disappearance of the people of this city, added to their brilliance in science and technology, has many people believing that the Mayans were actually extraterrestrial beings. My host family, interestingly enough, believes a great deal of the Mayan legends, so conversations with them are super-interesante. For example, the prophesies of the Mayans, according to them, have come true for hundreds of events that have occured over the last thousand years. On December 12, 2012, the day that several ancient caledars end, they believe will be the Great Awakening of the world - suddenly there will be no more sickness or violence; people will live in peace and have complete understanding of the world. I think that's what I'm enjoying most about Mexico: that there are so many interesting ways of thinking (most less fantastic than this, but not less intriguing), and everyone's willing to share their opinion with you.
Abrazos de México, Megs
Getting around the city and out to do things has become much easier now that I'm used to the layout and am able to use public transportation efficiently. Apart from reading for classes, last week my new friends and I spent time salsa dancing, celebrating a birthday, a day at the beach (Progreso, a 20 minute drive, and absolutely gorgeous...though I forgot my camera, I'll be back this week and I'll be sure to take pictures then), and yesterday @ Uxmal, one of the most famous and well-preserved of the Mayan ruins.
I don't think I can fully describe in words and pictures how incredible being @ Uxmal was. Learning about the Mayan people and seeing such well-preserved buildings and structures that they created was fascinating, but what amazed me most was climbing to the top of one of the pyramids and simply taking in the view of the ancient city surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. In talking with the locals about Uxmal, I discovered legends and superstitions that persist strongly today. For example, the great pyramid of Uxmal was said to be built in one night by a Mayan bruja (witch) for the ruler of the kingdom in exchange for the life of her son. In actuality, the pyramid seems to be built in five separate stages, incorporating new and experimental forms in architecture seen nowhere else in the world. The mysterious disappearance of the people of this city, added to their brilliance in science and technology, has many people believing that the Mayans were actually extraterrestrial beings. My host family, interestingly enough, believes a great deal of the Mayan legends, so conversations with them are super-interesante. For example, the prophesies of the Mayans, according to them, have come true for hundreds of events that have occured over the last thousand years. On December 12, 2012, the day that several ancient caledars end, they believe will be the Great Awakening of the world - suddenly there will be no more sickness or violence; people will live in peace and have complete understanding of the world. I think that's what I'm enjoying most about Mexico: that there are so many interesting ways of thinking (most less fantastic than this, but not less intriguing), and everyone's willing to share their opinion with you.
Abrazos de México, Megs
Sunday, August 30, 2009
a quick update...
more photos:
http://s854.photobucket.com/albums/ab104/beddowme/?albumview=slideshow
Anyways, time for an update - It's been a full week since I've had both time and internet connection, so this is going to be the abbreviated version of events...
We had orientation all week, consisting of guest lecturers and some trips around Mérida to learn about its history & see the sights...
Monday after the lecture, we went to el centro, la Gran Plaza (navigating the bus system alone!) and had a great meal (for 23 pesos, the equivalent of $2...awesome). Every night since then we've either worked on some menial task that seems to take hours, finding out way around and waiting for those buses (that don't even stop for you to get fully on or off), or gone out to hang out/explore. Yesterday we had a day @ Los Dos Cooking School, learning how to cook traditional Yucatecan cuisine, which was really awesome (and delicious). We also went to our first soccer (futbol) game here, got rained on and completely soaked through and - ah! I have to leave now - but more later!!
http://s854.photobucket.com/albums/ab104/beddowme/?albumview=slideshow
Anyways, time for an update - It's been a full week since I've had both time and internet connection, so this is going to be the abbreviated version of events...
We had orientation all week, consisting of guest lecturers and some trips around Mérida to learn about its history & see the sights...
Monday after the lecture, we went to el centro, la Gran Plaza (navigating the bus system alone!) and had a great meal (for 23 pesos, the equivalent of $2...awesome). Every night since then we've either worked on some menial task that seems to take hours, finding out way around and waiting for those buses (that don't even stop for you to get fully on or off), or gone out to hang out/explore. Yesterday we had a day @ Los Dos Cooking School, learning how to cook traditional Yucatecan cuisine, which was really awesome (and delicious). We also went to our first soccer (futbol) game here, got rained on and completely soaked through and - ah! I have to leave now - but more later!!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Salsa, comida, y el camión...
Where to begin?! First off, I finally got to go to an authentic salsa club - Thania & her friends Marisol & Paulina brought Paige (another international student) & I to Mambo Café on Saturday night (and by night, I mean NIGHT night... they don't even think about going out here until 11, and stay out until 4 or 5 in the morning!). It was a ton of fun, and even though I know only the most basic of steps, it wasn't too hard to follow along and get the hang of it - soon, though, I hope to start salsa classes! Sunday, my host mom Lesvia, Talía, and I went to Mérida en Domingo (this means Mérida on Sunday). All of the streets are blocked off downtown during the day, so that people may walk around as they wish. The cathedral was closed because we didn't get there until after two o'clock in the afternoon (but I hope to see that sometime - apparently it's gorgeous inside), but we got to see a traditional Yucatecan dance that is performed there weekly (along with beautiful music, of course), and plenty of street vendors with food and goods. A few of us shared an esquinate - this thing is surprisingly amazing. It's served in a little styrofoam cup, and you have to eat it with a spoon because it's the consistency of soup: made of boiled corn, mayonaisse, cheese, and the spiciest spices I can imagine - INCREDIBLE! Most all of the food here is incredibly, actually. We're going to Los Dos Cooking School on Saturday with the program, so hopefully between that and observing the cooking going on at home, I'll be able to make some of these for you when I get home! We visited a museum of la artesanía of different areas of México, from different time periods (I've posted some of these pictures on the photobucket site that's linked in the previous post - I'll figure out how to put a slideshow on here eventually). My favorite thing was what is called un árbol de la vida (the tree of life). Made of clay, these are sometimes very large trees that have little cositas - little tiny figurines - that represent all parts of life: from Adam & Eve & the serpent to cooking wares and toys. Afterward, we went to one of the central theaters of Mérida and got to sit in on a rehearsal for something; also, we went to the central building of UADY (the university at which we study). It soon started to rain, so we stopped at a little café and drank Jamaica - it's like tea, but cold, made from a flower, and has a brilliant purple hue - also very delicious. Afterward, continuing our city walk, we came upon the house/mansion of the original conquistador (el mojo?) who founded the city in 1542- very impressive building. Later in the day, after a big lunch (we eat lunch around 3 or 4, and dinner at 10, although it's more of a snack), Jonathan, Shoshi, and I went to a nearby mall to explore a bit more - what was NOT expected was that Jonathan found, inside of his ice cream, a piece of chewed gum!! Que horror, como dicen aqui. So much more to write, but I have to get ready to go to el centro - pues, mas tarde, amigos!! Que todos se vayan bien - adios!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Fotos
http://s854.photobucket.com/albums/ab104/beddowme/?albumview=slideshow
^^until I figure out how to put pictures on here, this shall do :) Just a few from the first couple of days...more soon!
^^until I figure out how to put pictures on here, this shall do :) Just a few from the first couple of days...more soon!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Mi primer día en la República de México
Hola a todos!! I arrived in Mérida at nearly one in the morning today, as my flight was delayed for over four hours out of Houston due to the stormy weather. My host parents, Lesvia and Alberto, were waiting for me right outside of the airport, and after a quick snack, I fell right to sleep in my cute little (and very hot & humid) bedroom. This morning I met more of the family: Thania (their 21 year-old daughter, who studies the business of tourism AND to my great delight, is a salsa-dancing teacher), Talia (their 19-year-old daughter, a student of graphic design at another university in Mérida), Lupita (Alberto's mother, who lives here as well), and Lesvia's extended family who live just about a block away, in the same neighborhood: los Jardínes Coloniales de Mérida. Lesvia's sister, Gloria, is also hosting a student, Paige, from Minnesota, so the four of us (Lesvia, Gloria, Paige, and I) spent the morning throughout Mérida, doing various grocery-shopping chores, etc., and showing us the places we'll have to find for bus-stops, program offices, and how to get to la Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, where orientation will begin on Monday and classes a week after that. Tonight the extended family will have dinner together on the terrace (in this big beautiful backyard of theirs), and afterward Thania and her friends will bring Paige and I to Mambo Café to enjoy a night of salsa!
I hope that all of you Miami students are having a great move-in weekend, and good luck with your first week of class; to my family back home, I love you and don't miss me too much! I'll put up pictures soon (but first I have to take them...) - adios, amigos!
I hope that all of you Miami students are having a great move-in weekend, and good luck with your first week of class; to my family back home, I love you and don't miss me too much! I'll put up pictures soon (but first I have to take them...) - adios, amigos!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Un poema para el viaje... (A poem for the trip...)
Caminante son tus huellas
El Camino y nada más;
Caminante, no hay camino:
Se hace camino al andar.
Al andar se hace el camino,
Y al volver la vista atrás
Se ve la senda que nunca
Se ha de volver a pisar.
Caminante, no hay camino,
Sino estelas en la mar.
-Antonio Machado
(This poem translates roughly to:
Walker, your footsteps are the road, and nothing more.
Walker, there is no road, the road is made by walking.
Walking you make the road, and turning to look behind
you see the path you never again will step upon.
Walker, there is no road,
only foam trails on the sea.)
El Camino y nada más;
Caminante, no hay camino:
Se hace camino al andar.
Al andar se hace el camino,
Y al volver la vista atrás
Se ve la senda que nunca
Se ha de volver a pisar.
Caminante, no hay camino,
Sino estelas en la mar.
-Antonio Machado
(This poem translates roughly to:
Walker, your footsteps are the road, and nothing more.
Walker, there is no road, the road is made by walking.
Walking you make the road, and turning to look behind
you see the path you never again will step upon.
Walker, there is no road,
only foam trails on the sea.)
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