First day at Salud y Paz

Today (Monday) was my first full volunteer day in my clinic, Salud y Paz (http://saludypaz.org/). Salud y Paz is a nonprofit organization sponsored by the Methodist church that runs 3 clinics year-round and 2 other clinics with medical mission trips visit rural areas. Monday and Tuesday I will be with the clinic in Cocomanuj (Chichicastenango), Wednesday in Xela, and Thursday in San Antonio (Sustantepequez). Today I met Korrin at the bottom of her hill at 620am and we walked to the Rotunda to pick up a microbus at 635am. Five minutes later we departed next to the orange wall under the overpass where Erika, our coordinator, told us to wait for the blue micro that would take us to the clinic. We arrived plenty early and watched chicken bus after chicken bus and micro after micro pass until we saw a woman across the street with a Salud y Paz jacket. We raced across the street to catch the bus, only to find it that it would truly make a u-turn and come back to the same place we waited for nearly 20 minutes. Tomorrow we are going to leave our houses a bit later to avoid the long wait time.

Our micro ride was uneventful at first. Jose, the eye glass specialist, drove the micro. Maribel, the clinic cook, rode in front with him. There were also two dentist, Dr. Fredy the GP, one nurse, two Guatemalan student volunteers, and us. About an hour into the ride, we came to a dead stop. There was a human blockade across the freeway to protest the crappiness of the freeway. Buses, trucks, and cars could not pass and would not be able to pass all day. Dr. Fredy, Korrin, and I walked through the blockade to the other side. The others followed shortly after. Jose parked our micro in some man’s driveway and we all waited together for about another hour. Korrin and I had a chance to talk to Dr. Fredy a little about ourselves. He presented the current state of Guatemalan public health to us a few weeks ago (shitty, as you can imagine). An ambulance from the town’s firestation came to pick us up and drove us the next hour into the clinic.

When we arrived Korrin and I met Sarah, a 4^th year med student at UVA, and Cheryl, a nurse practioner from the States who is our coordinator. Sarah gave us a brief tour of the clinic, which she had just received herself that morning. The clinic includes a few exam rooms, a pharmacy, a laboratory, a storage room, an eye exam/surgery room, an operating room, multipurpose room, and kitchen. We spent our entire day in the multipurpose room. After our tour, we watched a presentation about the clinic and its expectations for us. Then Korrin and I helped Sonia and Maria count pills from big bottles and sort them into individual prescription sized amounts in zip locks. Sonia and Maria spoke Quiche (one of the top three most common Guatemalan dialects) to each other and spoke Spanish to Korrin and I. We want to learn some Quiche because the majority of the patients at the clinic speak only Quiche.

Just after 1pm we ate lunch as a staff. Roasted chicken, chicken soup, tortillas, and pineapple. Korrin and I ended up at what Cheryl called the “bilingual” table at lunch but Korrin and I spoke more Spanish than any of the other American staff or volunteers. Dr. Fredy sat with us as well but spoke in broken English (I assume he wanted to practice). I felt bad for two of the women who sat at our table and did not understand any English. Somos Hermanos has done a lot of prep with us about not speaking English in front of people who don’t understand it. I spoke some Spanish to Maria who sat next to me and translated some of the conversation for her. I was surprised by how much Cheryl struggled to speak Spanish despite her time in Guatemala and Honduras. The other visiting doctor turned out to be from Everett, WA. He did not understand any of the Spanish I said to him. Sarah has been in Guatemala for 3 weeks taking Spanish classes but Korrin and I will be spending part of our volunteer time translating for her during patient consultations (OMG but totally awesome for us). After lunch, the English-speakers continued on discussing a patient and medication, alternative birth control methods (alternative to condoms and pills because Guatemalan typically won’t use either), and how Cheryl does a lot of research to learn more about patients needs outside her expertise (way cool for her).

Around 230pm we left the clinic in anticipation of another delay after our ambulance ride back to the micro. Luckily, we had no further delays and arrived back in Xela around 4pm. We took another micro back closer to home. I had time to go to yoga after and reflect on the day. It was a great opportunity to stretch out all my soreness from Tacamujlco. Ready for bed after a long day!

Tajamulco

This weekend I sumitted the tallest volcano in Central America, Tajamulco! Hannah, Rachel, Sarah, and I went with a local NGO called Quetzaltrekkers (really awesome people – check out their website: http://www.quetzaltrekkers.com/guateabout.html).

At 4:15am Saturday morning, we walked to the Quetzaltrekkers office at Casa Argentina with our packs ready to go. We had met the night before to fill our water bottles and borrow some gear. After a brief check in, 13 of us piled in the back of a pick up and headed for the Minerva Terminal. The 13 of us included us 4, a couple from Israel, a man from Ireland, a man from Idaho, two people from California, and 3 guides (1 British, 1 Canadian, 1 Guatemalan). We loaded into a chicken bus for San Marcos and left about 6:30am. Two hours later we arrived in San Marcos and ate a typical breakfast at a comedor at the bus station. Another one hour bus ride later we arrived at the trail head and started to hike around 9:30am. I received my backpack from the rooftop of our bus with several blood stains. I do not know if someone was bleeding on top of the bus or some dead animal was splattering about up there. I would rather not know. At this point, I was starting to feel the affects of the altitude. I had a runny nose all week as I readjusted to Xela climate after our free week in warm weather and the congestion was greater with the altitude. We started out at 3000m and headed up. The trail was well dug in but a bit muddy. A few places were quite steep and the rocks were easily dislodged from the trail. The altitude, grade, and 35-pound backpack made a difficult start to my first backpacking/camping hike. I spent most of the uphill climb breathing heavily and resting every so often while taking photos. All around the mountain you can see small villages in Guatemala and across the hills in Mexico. There were many green trees and farms. I also spent part of the climb chatting with Pete, one of our guides. Pete is from the UK but has been living and working in Central America for a few years. He is the most experienced of the guides and does most of the coordinating for the NGO because he has the strongest Spanish skills (you should hear Spanish with a British accent :).

Around 1:30pm, we arrived at base camp at 4000m. We hustled to set up the tents because the fog had come in around the mountain and the thunder was overhead. We knew rain would be upon us so we were quick to raise the tents. Fortunately, the girls and I got our own tent. Everyone joined us inside for lunch as the rain began. We eat peanut butter sandwiches and chips with hummus, a tomato and corn salsa, and a potato and veggie salad. This was some of the most flavorful food I have eaten in a while. After lunch, we made our sleeping bags and climbed in. The rain was coming down hard and it was quite cold. We bundled up and snuggled in. We spent the rest of the afternoon giggling, sharing stories, and feeling a bit loopy from the altitude. After night fell and the rain paused for a moment, we stood around a hot pot of Tang. Our spice kit with the tea bags and hot chocolate did not make it up the mountain but somehow the Tang did! Henry, our 15-year-old-looking Guatemalan guide, was having a panic attack about the forgotten spice kit and continued to remind us to look in our bags through the night. Amazingly, hot tang is not as bad as one would expect – anything warm to drink will help. This warm refreshment was followed by a garlic, pesto pasta dinner. The noodles were incredibly flavorful as well. Around 8pm, we climbed back into the tent as the rain began again and called it a night.

I slept well through the night despite the cold and my gurgling stomach. My new sleeping bag was a huge success in comfort, warmth, and maneuverability. When we woke up at 3:45am Sunday morning, my stomach was in a bad place. The pasta was not sitting well and I felt quite nauseous. Despite my discomfort, the clouds had cleared and you could see a million stars and the lights of the homes below. We piled on the layers and packed a few bags with more clothes for the summit. I quickly fell behind from the back and was overcome by my sickness. The combination of altitude and garlic resulted in a few leftover along the trail. Ben, another guide from Canada, stayed back with me. His encouragement included a combination of reminders to watch the colors change in the sky and details from his experience summitting Kilamangaro in Tanzania (I might be brazen enough to attempt this one day). The last hundreds of feet were mostly rocks which we had to climb and scramble. After my last expulsion of dinner and water, I felt like a champion and completed the final burst. The reward of an amazing sunrise at 4222m or 13,900 feet could not be captured in my pictures. I felt like I was on top of the world! The wind blew in cold and many people sat wrapped in their sleeping bags and the sun creeped over the horizon. The clouds looked like ocean waves rolling of the lower mountains. From the top we could see Santa Maria and Santiaguita, which surround Xela, the volcanos around Lago Atitlan, Antigua, and Tapachula, Mexico. The sun changed colors from red to orange to glowing yellow. We could even see the eruption at Santiaguita (commonly bursting with smoke and gases). The view was vale la pena (worth it) but I am not sure how ready I am to complete another huge altitude change with the leftovers of a cold and new food.

The descent was much simpler. We returned to base camp around 6:45am and enjoyed a hot breakfast of oatmeal/granola/cookies/mush. The walk down to the base took about two and half hours with a few breaks. At this point, my legs were sore from all the climbing the day before (and Baul on Friday – bad idea to climb another hike the day before). In my experience, the downhill is always more painful. Pete, Ben, and I chatted all the while on our way down. It was great to hear our people’s travel stories. I was more and more tempted to continue traveling and working abroad as I listened to their stories (sorry, Mom). At the bottom of the trail, we ate lunch at a local restaurant. The servings were huge and well deserved. My appetite had not quite returned but I felt significantly better than breakfast. We boarded a passing chicken bus back to San Marcos after lunch. At the bus station we had a quick transfer facilitated by the ayudante throwing our backpacks from the rooftop to the next bus’s ayudane – can you say, holy flying backpacks, Batman?! This was a Guatemalan first for me. The ride back was uneventful. We went back to the Quetzaltrekkers office as the rain back and unloaded the gear we borrowed and packed. We then walked home. I showered, snacked, and went to a café to check in with life after. Sunday was an early night to bed.

Semana Libre

One week traveling in a microbus aka an oversized mini van through Guatemala and Belize with my new family results in way too many individual stories to write about. The following is a list of highlights from our trip in chronological order. We spent 2 nights in Semuc Champay, 1 night in Tikal, 3 nights in Belize, and 1 night in Rio Dulce. If you want to know more about one or another, google it first for some awesome images (my camera died day two) and then I get share the full details with you.

1. Traveled for 8 days with my new family
2. Swam through the “Cave of Death” while holding a candle over my head in Semuc Champay
3. Climbed up a ladder while a waterfall poured down on me in the same cave
4. Jumped off a cliff into a running river in the same cave
5. Visited a rural clinic in Lanquin with no anestia or x-rays after Korrin dislocated her shoulder in the cave
6. Drank Nutella vodka shots with the hotel dueno/geologist who mapped the cave of death
7. Climbed temples in Tikal that were built over 2000 years ago
8. Saw monkeys, toucans, and other jungle animals living in the wild
9. Crossed the border to Belize – country number 5!
10. Slept 50 feet from the ocean
11. Enjoyed the stars, moon, and lightening on a lounge chair in Placentia, Belize
12. Snorkeled off Silk Caye, an isolated island chain (think island screensaver picture) with white sand beaches, no people, 30+ varieties of fish
13. BBQ lunch on the same island
14. Swam with sea turtles, nurse sharks, and eagle rays at the Belize Barrier Reef (second largest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef)
15. Visited the private island of Hatchet Caye for drinks with our new Belizean friends
16. Drank pineapple daiquiri and margarita while staring at the ocean
17. Boated into the sunset after a great day on the ocean
18. Sang along to music and drank with friends in our beach cabana
19. Stayed the night in a jungle tree house above Rio Dulce
20. Ate delicious food including creole shrimp, chicken quesadillas, Bolognese
21. Returned home feeling exhausted and totally fulfilled from a great week

Despite a few hiccups here and there, this was a trip of a lifetime, which I hope to repeat. We learned a lot about each other and shared an amazing experience. I did things that many people can only dream of and saw sights that are far more beautiful than can be captured in a photograph. There are many places I would like to visit again and new places I have been inspired to visit from this trip. If you need any more reasons to visit Guatemala or Belize, you must be crazy. This trip was unbelizeable!!!

Oaxaca Summary

After 30 hours of transit, 1700 pesos, gallons of rain, and warm days …

Things I learned in Oaxaca

1. A community can rise up against the government when united
2. Dresses fair better in the rain
3. Rain jackets are only impermeable to a point
4. Mezcal makes for a worse hangover than tequila (I did not experience this only watched)
5. Toilet seats are a luxury

What I am going to do with what I learned

1. Share information with other people
2. Move to Oaxaca if I don’t get into medical school
3. Look into forensic anthropology and archeology programs
4. Read more about architecture
5. Take more time for myself to relax and reflect

Oaxaca Day Six: Clinic and Wrap Up

After a brief night sleep, we work up extra early to travel to a free clinic. The chicos returned to the hostel just in time to join us. We took a short bus ride and drove past a canal that is usually dry. The canal was a rapidly flowing river as a product of the rain.

Clinica del Pueblo provides free or low cost consultations to Mexicans who cannot afford the public and private clinics. It was started by a church member from Philadelphia and is not supported by some 75 workers. They have a few full time generalists and many specialists who donate their time in the clinic. There are also several nurses and social workers who are here as well. The clinic appears to be well-run and organized with resources for all their patients. The majority of the patients are females and they have a special delivery space. They have a really cool delivery chair that allows the mother to be reclined or upright during delivery. Another great feature of the clinic is the family space. Since some people travel far to come to the clinic and their family is poor, the clinic has a dorm and kitchen available free of charge to families of patients. As far as our guide knew, this was the only clinic of its kind in Mexico. Our guide was the president of the board of directors and was an orthopedist. While he did not work as a physician at the clinic, he used his time in the administrative aspect. They have mostly Oaxacean doctors and staff members who speak a few of the local dialects and a few volunteers from other regions and countries. We didn’t get a good summary of public health in Mexico but it sounds worse than the States. This clinic seemed to be a step in the right direction. The mission is to provide care to people who need it and not to profit from them.

After the clinic we returned to the CASA Chapulin to wrap up our experience. We shared a few criticisms and things that we enjoyed so they could make changes for the next group. In all, I think most people really enjoyed the trip. I really liked the diversity of the topics we discussed and how open people were to sharing their experiences with us. The community of Oaxaca appears to be working to elevate itself and find alternatives to the current constraints of the government.

Before lunch, I went to the market to make some last minute purchases and headed back to the hostel for a shower. I organized my bag and got ready for the last free afternoon.

After lunch, Jefe, Logan, and I went to the museum at the cultural center at Santo Domingo. We saw a special exhibit about the eagle and walked through long hallways of Mexican artifacts. The museum traces the history of Oaxaca from its beginnings as a Zapoteca region, through Spanish colonization, and into present. Our primary purpose for going was to see the gold and treasures from the Monte Alban ruins. I was amazed by the detail and precision in the gold, turquoise, and bone. The thing I enjoyed most about the museum was the museum itself. It has long hallways with natural lighting, many courtyards, and small rooms. It reminded me of a castle. I took a lot of pictures of the architecture and natural framing by the stone windows. We watched the rain storm come in over the valley and looked at the botanical garden below the museum. We did not anticipate the size of the museum and ended up racing through the last rooms. I could definitely have spent a few more hours wandering and reading. It was good practice for the Spanish and culture integration.

In the downpour, we raced across the plaza to the mezcaleria. The boys had bought a really cool book with photos, descriptions, and maps of the food, culture, and customs of Oaxaca. They ran back to the hostel with the books under their tshirts; they had not planned for the rain. I ran back covering my bag with my rain jacket, holding my sandals in my hands. The rain was so powerful almost at hail status. I ran through the puddles of warm rain and arrived at the hostel soaked through. I changed again for dinner to anticipate another wet walk.

After a delicious dinner of quesillo and steak tacos with guacamole, we returned to the hostel for the final time. We took taxis and a truck to the bus station and awaited the beginning of our long journey. This time we took an even nicer bus. They offered us coffee, tea, and cold drinks before the trip. There were two bathrooms and they placed movies the whole night. About ten minutes into our trip, I was asleep. We had more leg room and Rachel and I snuggled again with my sleeping bag. When I awoke in the morning, The Karate Kid was just starting so I watched that. I imagine it is a terrible movie in English because I did not enjoy it in Spanish. I could not help but think how bratty the child was and how much he reminded me of my students.

In Tapachula, we ate breakfast at the same restaurant. I used my last few pesos to splurge on tortillas, eggs, and beans with coffee. Oscar picked us up and we headed to the border. We crossed back to Guatemala much easier than into Mexico. I have my new travel visa and life is good. On the final leg, most of us slept again into Xela. In Xela, Carlos was waiting for us with pizza on his homemade bread and strawberry licuados. After lunch, I returned home for a shower and rest.

Oaxaca Day Five: Limpia, RASA, y Mezcal

I woke up early to run a nearby hill to see the sunrise. Sarah, Rachel, Hannah, and I ran past a giant outdoor auditorium covered by this white techo feo tent and to a mountain trail. It reminded me of Runyan Canyon in LA with its vista, the type of plants, and the steepness of the trail. When we started, only the twinkle of city lights cut through the darkness and slowly the sun emerged from the clouds. It was an incredibly impressive sight with mountains emerging above the clouds and the sky changing colors.

After breakfast and a shower, we headed to Promotores de Salud al Servicio del Pueblo. This is another organization for local healthcare providers to share information about traditional medicine practices. We learned about some local herbs and plants, saw the pharmacy were these medicines are available, and talked about cleansings. It is common practice to use herbs or saunas to cleanse the spirit. After the presentation, some of stayed to participate in a limpieza (cleansing). We all sat in a circle with our palms up and watched. A promotora came with herbs to perform the ceremony. One by one we moved our chair to the center of the circle. The woman rubbed our body with branches and leaves of the basil plant to wipe clean our bad energy. She started on your face then head and arms then down your back and legs. When you returned your chair to the circle, she placed the branches under your feet. During this time, I thought happy thoughts for each person. In the second portion, the woman used charcoal and coban (a tree-sap I think) to create a strong smelled smoke. We each entered the circle again she blew the smoke around our body. We then used our hands to wash ourselves in the smoke to symbolize a renewed energy. Lastly, we all stood and hit ourselves with fists to reenergize our bodies. Ultimately, the experience was very calming. It was soothing to think only positive thoughts about my new family.

In the afternoon, we took a bus to a middle-class neighborhood. At the local university Unitierra, there is an organization called RASA (Red Autonoma por la Soberania Alimentaria). Their mission is to allow people to choose the food they ate and know where the food they buy comes from. With the Free Trade Agreement and negotiations between the US and Mexico, most food purchased in supermarkets is not from Mexican farmers and comes subsidized from the US. There are also concerns about the US testing genetically engineered food in Mexico and other Central American countries. This raises a lot of questions about the quality of fruits and vegetables, how the land is treated, and how sustainable this process is. The people of RASA work to educate local Oxacena about growing their own food, especially in an urban setting. We visited the garden on the school’s roof, which is filled with tons of vegetables and herbs. They promote composting, recycling plastics as garden pots, and sharing information and seeds. My experience here inspired me to want to garden more and ask more questions about the food I eat. It is not just to say that you bought something at Trader Joes or a farmers market, but more to know who grew your food, how it was grown, and why it is better. This also promotes a community of people who share ideas and food. We also discussed water issues. In Oaxaca, water is not readily available and the local water is very high in chlorine and other metals. At RASA they utilize a dry outhouse to initiate the compost and use a bicycle to pump collected rain water from the lower level of the building to the water tank on the roof. They are working to make low energy solutions with all the high tech expenses. As we were summarizing our afternoon on the roof, a crazy rain started. We felt trapped under an awning and were completing drenched in the two minutes it took to descend the staircase to the bottom floor. Rather than return in the bus, we waited for several taxis. However, the rain created a high demand all around the city. I squeezed in the back with Diana, Rachel, and Hannah and Sarah sat up front. The streets were flooded and we drove through some “rivers.” We learned a common problem is for the sewers to get backed up in high rain and the streets will flood and the toilets stop running.

Our taxi was the first to arrive back at the hostel. We changed into dry comfy clothes immediately. The second taxi arrives some twenty minutes later. We waited nearly an hour for the remainder of our group to return. They ended up taking the bus because the taxis never returned for them. For our last night out, we dressed up. I realized dresses are much more functional in the rain than jeans. My legs dry much faster than pants. We initially wanted to eat dinner at the steak place but when we arrived they said the kitchen had already closed (at 830? what?) so we headed back toward the town center. As we passed the mezcalaria, we saw that it was open. Jefe, Logan, Sarita, and I stayed to do the tasting while the rest continued on for Tlayudas.

At the mezcalaria, we met the owner. He was a Oxacean man but also had a mezcal store in New York called Casa Mezcal and a friend had one in Antigua, Guatemala called Antigua. We began our lesson about how mezcal is made. There are several varieties of the agave plant but they grow predominately in high mountains with just the right amount of heat and humidity – Oaxaca. The agave plant can only be used once. After several months, a giant flower shoots into the air and then you know the plant is ready. You cut off the flower and peal away the leaves to the heart of the plant. You then cook the hearts in an earthen oven. You dig a hole in the ground, fill it with agave, and cover it with hot stones and leaves – just like barbacoa. The plant will absorb the smoky flavor. After it is cooked, the agave is smashed by a giant rock rolling over the top. This rock is pulled by a horse around in a circle. Lastly, the agave is distilled in a copper device or another device. The second of the two creates a richer smoky flavor. During this lesson, we sampled six different mezcal. One called Santo Domingo (named for its source) and comes from the most commonly cultivated species, one called Madre Ceviche (made from a rare species that cannot be cultivated), another from the common species called ____, two different blends between the common and the rare, and another from a third variety. In each the smoky intensity varied as did the after taste. Each of these is considered a “blanco” because it is drank within 6 months of production. The “reposado” is drank within 6-12 months. The “anejo” is drank up to 7 years after production. According to the owner, the reposado and anejo are not good mezcals because the flavor has been altered by the wood barrels they are stored in. In response to my question about the numerous flavored mezcals we found (coffee, strawberry, cream, mint, and some 40 others), these are just really bad mezcals whose flavor is covered by something else. Although I can appreciate the craft, I was not a fan of the smoky flavor in the blanco. I will say that the cappuccino flavor goes down very smoothly.

After our tasting, we met up with the group and ordered tlayudas. A tlayuda is essentially a giant tortilla filled with cheese, veggies, beans, and meat. It can be served open faced on folded in half. I, of course, had one with steak. I generally enjoyed it but these beans had the anis flavor as well. As a whole we then continued onto the Baracuda, emphasis on the Bar. There were a few guys playing live music with guitars and a piano. Mostly of the classic rock and alternative variety. The drinks were terrible but the ambiance with neat. We sang along to the music and decided we needed some dancing. At this point, five of us remained. We went just down the street to the Cantinita. Every time we passed it before, it seemed sleepy, but tonight is was popping. We were definitely among a different class of people here. I didn’t quite blend in in my sundress and sandals but it didn’t matter. The music was great! They had a live band playing Mexican popular music (some of which I recognized) and everyone was singing along. During their break, they played the same Latino pop we hear in Guatemala. I mostly stuck with Aeja and Sarita for the night. We danced with some new friends and we were generally approached by 3 Mexican guys the same time. I felt like the guys here were much more polite than in Guatemala and every single one was taller than me! Around 230am, we chicas were exhausted. We left the chicos with their new Mexican ladies and headed home. It was nice to feel safe walking home on a well-lit street instead of depending on the chicos to escort us in the dark.

Oaxaca Day Four: Monte Alban

Wednesday was our super tourist day. We woke up a bit earlier and walked to a bus. We spent the entire morning exploring Monte Alban, the ruins of the Zapoteca culture. They were built by hand around 300 BC and include many different buildings. We walked through the ruins, read the informational plaques, and climbed the steps of the temples. I wish we had a guide to explain all the details of the buildings but you could kind of predict the uses of each building. The most beautiful thing about this visit was the view of Oaxaca. Monte Alban is located on the mountain above the city and you can see grand vistas of the surrounding state. I think I took just as many pictures of the city as I did the ruins. If we are together in the future, you can spend as much time as you like scrolling through my pictures : ) Another interesting aspect of the ruins are the carvings. There are hieroglyphs on the sides of the buildings and many descanzas our block carvings of people being sacrificed. There were also stelas around the site, evidence of the Zapotecas used of astronomy and sky to predict time of year and time. In the museum on site, we saw artifacts and jewelry from the tombs. This trip reminded me of how much I enjoyed archeology as a child and my obsession with Egypt. Turns out Harim shares a similar interest – we are going to visit the pyramids together one day!

After trekking through the ruins, we walked back to the bus stop. Swarms of people emerged with jade, jewelry, and crafts. The group took a detour for a table of hats. We looked like tourists. A few girls bought these ridiculous hats with different colored bows. I am not a hat person so I resisted. However, I may need to get one before our epic free week adventure on a microbus. We have been discussing a need for travel outfits.

We had the afternoon free following lunch and I took the opportunity to continue my tourist ways. I borrowed a hat from Sarah and we all headed to the market. I bought a bag and some chocolate covered raisins. I looked at some leather sandals but decided against it. I returned to the hostel to read and nap before a night out.

Mezcal is a local speciality liquor derived from the agave plant. It is a different species than the agave used for tequila and is produced in a different way. We had plans to visit a special mezcal bar for a class and tasting after dinner. For dinner, we ate in two shifts at a restaurant specializing in tortas, Mexican sandwiches. The first shift ate dinner than was going to the mezcal tasting and the second shift ate dinner later. The plan was to meet up after and go to a bar together because not everyone wanted to go to the tasting. After a delicious torta with tosajo (grilled steak), we walked to the mezcalaria. To our dismay, the windows were open but the door was locked. The bar had unique hours and decided to wait at a bar across the street in hopes the owner would return. The nearby restaurants did not seem to know much about the bar or were eager to share their phones with us to call the owner. I drank some sangria and enjoyed the company of the group. Turns out sangria in Mexico is lemonade with vodka and red wine poured on top – delicious in some places and gross in others.

Regrettably, the man never showed up so we reunited with the group and headed to a club we saw on a flyer. The flyer advertised 10 peso drink specials and live salsa music. We arrived around 915pm and were told the music would start at 11pm. In the meantime, we sat around the high top tables and chatted. We celebrated another interview invite for Logan and there were lots of shots passed around. Part of the group headed home early and the rest of stayed to enjoy the live music. Unfortunately, we were all exhausted and the club never filled in. In total, some 12 people were in the bar. I danced a bit of salsa but the partner options were limited. After the mezcal started to get the better of a few people, we headed home. A forgettable walk home again in the rain.

Oaxaca Day Three: COMI and Nueve Lunas

We started today with a trip to the Centro de Orientacion al Inmigrate (COMI). This is a shelter for migrants who are traveling through Mexico. Many thousands of people leave Central America and Mexico every year in hopes of a better life in the US. This journey is incredibly dangerous. The migrants risk their lives and leave everything behind they have ever known and loved for the chance at making some money. These people travel on foot, ride on top of trains, and risk robberies and abuse from police, gangs, and immigration officials. I know immigrants in the US get a bad rep but think about it, who would risk it all and travel so dangerously if they had no other options? Fortunately, the Catholic Church in Mexico has created some 55 safe houses. The immigration officials cannot enter these houses and weary travelers can rest and receive a few meals. At COMI, migrants can stay for up to three days. If they are sick or injured, they can receive free health services from the Mexican system and stay longer. If they need money, they can stay for up to a week to work. The COMI house provides beds, meals, and a change of clothes to migrants. They said mostly men are traveling but they are an increasing number of women, children, and whole families. When they arrive at the house, they are interviewed and the center documents where they are from, where they are going, and ages. Nancy, the director, said that many people arrive and do not know where or how they will travel. They have a destination in mind but it is usually a state in the US, not a specific address, and they do not know how far it is or where to find it on the map. The center provides them with information and the location of other houses like this along the way. While here, I met a 23-year-old Honduras man. He was traveling back to the US to work as a painter in Houston. He had worked there before and made plenty of money to send back for his 6-year-old son and family. He was deported, could not find work in Honduras, and felt his only choice was to risk the journey again. He had already been traveling for 8 days and had learned about the center from another center in Chiapas. He planned to travel by train but he said the journey was very dangerous, especially for women. He said many people will hold you at knife point or with a machete to your neck and want your money. He did not know how long the rest of his journey would take. He was generally very meek and said you could not trust anyone along the way. Anyone you met could take advantage of you or report you. I cannot imagine how hard his life must be to leave his family and risk his life to help his son? Some other people met some other men who were also staying at the shelter. One man would be there for another month. He had fallen from a train and lost his foot. He was awaiting a prosthesis from a woman named Olga. I read about her in Enrique’s Journey (an interesting read about a boy’s immigration story). She is a woman who has committed herself to helping immigrants. She works to save money for surgeries and prosthesis to people who have been injured along the way. We spent our morning learning about the center and organized the clothing donations. They have clothes of all shapes and sizes to donate to migrants as they pass through. Often people do not have much with them and this provides an alternative.

After a lunch of chicken with a cream sauce and steamed carrots, broccoli, and green beans (these are so rare in Guatemala), we trekked through the down pour rain to our afternoon meeting. Somehow in traversing the flooded corners and the speed of the front of the pack, we lost our way. Five of us walked to the CASA house in hopes that someone would have Andrea’s number or know where we were supposed to go. Fortunately, an adorable old woman lent us her phone and we were able to call Kate (our Guatemalan phones do not work in Mexico). We found our way and arrived sopping wet. This presentation was from an organization called Nueve Lunas. They are a group of 3 women who work with local promotores de salud (midwives) to educate them, provide services to the community, and advocate for the mother’s rights. In the medical system in Mexico, the birthing process is very impersonal and limits the connection between mother and baby. A campaign of Nueve Lunas is to promote the mother’s choice in birthing position and to put the baby in the mother’s arms before the umbilical cord is cut. They have research that shows positive correlation between this and the baby’s health. Just like in Guatemala, the indigenous communities and midwives have years of experience that show success in alternative approaches.

In the ongoing rain, we returned to the hostel. I was eager to change out of my wet clothes and took a nap. During our trip, we developed the tendency to eat dinner quite late. We ate lunch at 2pm everyday and usually had a conference until 6. With the cold and raining evenings, most people were eager to change into comfy clothes and go to bed. For dinner, we checked out a few places Molly and Sarita found. We ultimately ended at a place called Buenas Marias. I ate a wonderful quesadilla with quesillo (the local Oaxacan cheese – so gooey and wonderful) and drank two margaritas. Mezcal is the local liquor of choice in Oaxaca but I am still crazy about my tequila. Aeja and Logan ate some tender steak (so delicious) and Jefe ate tongue (actually not too bad). Sarita ate a quesadilla with flor de calabasas (flower of pumpkin plant) and Diana ate stuff flor de calabasas – both of which are local specialties as well. We left in the rain when the kitchen stopped serving and headed out to find a bar. Unfortunately, Tuesday nights are not hopping in Oaxaca (not a surprise, they aren’t in Xela either). We found a bar that made super sweet brightly colored drinks. We didn’t stay too long and headed home for bed, yet again in the rain.

Oaxaca Day Two: CASA Chapulin

I started off day two with a group run (Jefe, Logan, Sarah, Sarita, Rachel, and Hannah). We followed Jefe for a good 45 minutes. Hannah told me, “running is the best way to see a city” and I believe it. Although we look a bit ridiculous running in a line down the street, it was nice to travel to different areas and see the morning in a new city.

We returned back for showers and breakfast. I can say that breakfast throughout this trip was never something I looked forward to. The beans here have anis (black licorice) flavor in them so I often avoided them. The eggs were not much better either. I usually mix beans with crappy eggs but I just couldn’t handle the licorice flavor. That being said, I will not be emphasizing much what I ate for breakfast.

After breakfast, we headed to CASA Chauplin. They are our host organization for our entire trip and set up all our conferences. Andrea is our host. She is originally from Uruguay (an interesting accent to listen to) and has lived in Oaxaca for two or three years. Side note: all our presentations and conferences are given in Spanish and not translated into English. CASA is a coop of organizations for solidarity in Oaxaca. We started the presentation with a general overview of the week and by watching a TED Talk video (I need to get the name from someone because it was awesome). This video emphasized how one story about a people or place can skew your understanding of that people or place; there are multiple stories that represent a people or place. I found this to be very true as we saw different aspects of Oaxcaca. The second level office of CASA has a nice view of Santo Domingo and the surrounding city (see Facebook).

Before and after lunch, we had some free time to wander and explore the market and socala. Lunch today was steak fajitas – so yummy! After lunch, we returned to the CASA house for a conversation with Simon. To start, Simon is the type of radical chicano who participates in protests and advocates for workers rights that my parents would not want me to bring home as my boyfriend but is the same youth activist who would suck you into the struggle for solidarity and the lucha of the people. Bottom line: I am a fan. He grew up in Houston with few opportunities and spent some time working on the streets. He spent some time working in Oaxaca and was fully committed to the Oaxacan people’s movement after being arrested in rally in Mexico. He was outraged by police brutality and the system. He was arrested for participation in a peaceful protest rather than anything illegal he had ever done before. He was shocked that when he finally did the right thing, he was punished. He spends a lot of time working with youth organizations to talk about their rights, organize police brutality watch and documentation, and prefers to live in the community he feels protects him in Oaxaca. He talked to us a lot about bureaucracy and how life was difficult for the average Oaxacena. The Mexican system is incredibly corrupt and the people of Oaxaca have been rising up in resistance. In 2006, spawned by a teacher protest, the entire state of over 1.5 million people took to the street in protest of the state governor. He was incredibly passionate and shared his story with us. He spends some of his time traveling in the states to share his story and his fight with college students to advocate and watch out.

For dinner, we went to a fancier restaurant recommended by our tour guide. He told us there was fish so that was incentive for some people. Unfortunately for some, shrimp was the only fish option. Jefe and I shared a giant meal for two. It included a giant tamal with chicken, three mini tortillas with shredded meat and minced onions, four empanadas, four fried platanos, shrimp salad/ceviche, and this amazing braised pork. So so delicious! Thankfully Jefe can pack away the food so there was not much to waste. Other people sampled the mole, a sweet and spicy salsa, and some of the individual items that came in our combo plate. I am really glad I got to try everything. It was definitely worth it!

Oaxaca Day One: Introduction

I have decided to divide my Oaxaca adventure into days because we did so much that it is easier to discuss. I also thought it would be less overwhelming in multiple posts than one long, enormous chunk of text.

We arrived to Oaxaca early Sunday morning. After breakfast, we had the morning free to explore and rest from our journey. The sun was out and we were ready. With a recommendation from Don Antonio we were off. We first headed to Santo Domingo, a few blocks away. Santo Domingo (see Facebook for a ton of pictures) is one of the original Dominican churches in the area. The inside is all plated in gold. The walls and ceilings of the cathedral are incredibly ornate and beautiful. Adjacent to the church is a cultural museum. We were told it was free on Sundays – turns out only for Mexican residents. I was excited though because the worker asked me if I was Mexican – maybe my Spanish is improving? We decided to wait for another day and continued to walk around the plaza. We were bombarded by women and children selling wooden spoons and necklaces. When you say “no” to one, another with the same stuff appears. I enjoyed the rest of our walk with a blended granita (called a capuchino frappe) from the Italian Coffee Company. Next we headed to the mercado. The boys were interested in sampling the chapulines (grasshoppers). On the way to the market, we got separated but ultimately ended up back together. The market is full of leather products, artisan crafts, fruit, meat, and lots of crap that says Oaxaca on it. I decided to keep my eyes out but come back at the end of the week to make purchases.

For lunch, we met back at the hostel and walked together to the restaurant. We ate every lunch at the same restaurant because it was related to the hostel. The restaurant was located in the socala (town center) and we sat outside. Each meal included a fruit juice, soup, and meal. Our first lunch was a basic chicken breast with rice and veggies. We were all eager to add limon (lime) to our food but this brought the bees out. People were scampering about to avoid the bees – they were everywhere. Sarah is allergic to bees so we were trying to get her away from them too. Who knew bees liked lime? I decided to finish my lunch and enjoy an ice cream cone – cookies and cream.

After lunch, we met a local guide who gave us a walking tour of the city. We talked about the cathedral next to the socala (much simpler than Santo Domingo) and the history of the city. We then walked up the pedestrian pathway – an amazingly long street closed off to traffic but filled with art galleries, restaurants, and shops. We stopped a beautiful white house which is now an art galley and visited a fancy hotel. Camino Real was initially a covenant for nuns, then a jail, then a school, and is now a hotel. The property was gorgeous and they had pictures of before and after the renovations. We asked about the pool and they said only hotel guests could use it so I asked how much for a night. Turns out 4000 pesos will get you a night here and a swim in the pool – damn, this is Mexico! We continued on our walk past Santo Domingo and looped back past a bunch of restaurants. We began to realize that every recommendation from our guide was the high class life here. This was interesting contrast to the families we saw begging on the street or the women who kept approaching us to buy their goods.

Things were pretty quite on Sunday, as they are in most cities, so we kept it quite. We ate dinner in the market – a sampling of local food – tlayudas (giant tortillas), quesadillas con quesillo (local cheese), and chile relleno. After dinner, we went to a second level bar on the recommendation of some guys on the street. The drinks were overpriced and the service was terrible. Needless to say, we left early. We all slept well that night in our giant room. The girls shared a 12-bed sleeping room next to the boys’ room. Each person had a locked cubby to keep their bag. My giant backpack and sleeping bag fit well. I slept easily.

Oaxaca Day One: Introduction

I have decided to divide my Oaxaca adventure into days because we did so much that it is easier to discuss. I also thought it would be less overwhelming in multiple posts than one long, enormous chunk of text.

We arrived to Oaxaca early Sunday morning. After breakfast, we had the morning free to explore and rest from our journey. The sun was out and we were ready. With a recommendation from Don Antonio we were off. We first headed to Santo Domingo, a few blocks away. Santo Domingo (see Facebook for a ton of pictures) is one of the original Dominican churches in the area. The inside is all plated in gold. The walls and ceilings of the cathedral are incredibly ornate and beautiful. Adjacent to the church is a cultural museum. We were told it was free on Sundays – turns out only for Mexican residents. I was excited though because the worker asked me if I was Mexican – maybe my Spanish is improving? We decided to wait for another day and continued to walk around the plaza. We were bombarded by women and children selling wooden spoons and necklaces. When you say “no” to one, another with the same stuff appears. I enjoyed the rest of our walk with a blended granita (called a capuchino frappe) from the Italian Coffee Company. Next we headed to the mercado. The boys were interested in sampling the chapulines (grasshoppers). On the way to the market, we got separated but ultimately ended up back together. The market is full of leather products, artisan crafts, fruit, meat, and lots of crap that says Oaxaca on it. I decided to keep my eyes out but come back at the end of the week to make purchases.

For lunch, we met back at the hostel and walked together to the restaurant. We ate every lunch at the same restaurant because it was related to the hostel. The restaurant was located in the socala (town center) and we sat outside. Each meal included a fruit juice, soup, and meal. Our first lunch was a basic chicken breast with rice and veggies. We were all eager to add limon (lime) to our food but this brought the bees out. People were scampering about to avoid the bees – they were everywhere. Sarah is allergic to bees so we were trying to get her away from them too. Who knew bees liked lime? I decided to finish my lunch and enjoy an ice cream cone – cookies and cream.

After lunch, we met a local guide who gave us a walking tour of the city. We talked about the cathedral next to the socala (much simpler than Santo Domingo) and the history of the city. We then walked up the pedestrian pathway – an amazingly long street closed off to traffic but filled with art galleries, restaurants, and shops. We stopped a beautiful white house which is now an art galley and visited a fancy hotel. Camino Real was initially a covenant for nuns, then a jail, then a school, and is now a hotel. The property was gorgeous and they had pictures of before and after the renovations. We asked about the pool and they said only hotel guests could use it so I asked how much for a night. Turns out 4000 pesos will get you a night here and a swim in the pool – damn, this is Mexico! We continued on our walk past Santo Domingo and looped back past a bunch of restaurants. We began to realize that every recommendation from our guide was the high class life here. This was interesting contrast to the families we saw begging on the street or the women who kept approaching us to buy their goods.

Things were pretty quite on Sunday, as they are in most cities, so we kept it quite. We ate dinner in the market – a sampling of local food – tlayudas (giant tortillas), quesadillas con quesillo (local cheese), and chile relleno. After dinner, we went to a second level bar on the recommendation of some guys on the street. The drinks were overpriced and the service was terrible. Needless to say, we left early. We all slept well that night in our giant room. The girls shared a 12-bed sleeping room next to the boys’ room. Each person had a locked cubby to keep their bag. My giant backpack and sleeping bag fit well. I slept easily.

To Oaxaca

Saturday morning we left for Oaxaca, Mexico. But before we could leave, I had to organize laundry, get coffee with Korrin, go to Sarita’s to get jelly for my bagel, and be at school by 10am. Oscar, our trusted bus driver, picked us up at school at 1030am. We loaded our bags like a wall through the aisle of seats – as is our usual custom. I shared a seat with Korrin. The bus ride lasted for about 3 hours west through Guatemala to the frontera (border) with Mexico. We discussed the boys’ strengths and weaknesses to help them strategize for their upcoming medical and dental school interviews. Kate surprised us with a delicious snack lunch from Carlos (Kate’s boyfriend). We ate bread stuffed with cheese and veggies, kind of like a pizza bread. We are all coming to appreciate Kate’s connection to the bakery and how well he cooks). After lunch, I listened to music and took a nap. About 5 minutes before the border, we were all hurried awake with “Eat your fruit! You have five minutes!” We were told we would not be able to bring fruit across the border so we were scrambling to eat bananas, apples, and oranges from Guatemala – no one ended up checking our bags so it was all for nothing but laughs.

As our bus pulled up to the border, we were immediately surrounded by men with huge wads of cash. Everyone wanted to exchange our quetzals for pesos. However, most of us knew we wanted to wait for a bank in Mexico. We waited sweating in the heat for about an hour as Kate took all our passports to the window. Luckily, I planned well and wore a dress. Everyone was dying. Jefe laid on the floor of the office to try to get cold tile (just like a dog) – very funny. We walked with our bags across the border, reboarded to the bus, and we were off to Tapachula, Chiapas (city, state). My first impression of Mexico was that it looked just like Guatemala with different street signs. As we pulled into Tapachula, the city began to look more like East LA. We had a three hour “lay over” here until our big bus would arrive. We also had to change our clocks. Mexico uses central time whereas Guatemala uses mountain time. Some people walked around the city but I chose to stay in the bus terminal and read. I ate an ice cream bar and watched our bags. We all ate dinner at a restaurant across the street from the bus station. I had delicious steak tacos with onions and cilantro (much like you would expect from a Mexican street vendor). We then took all our crap back across the street to board the bus. We used a company called ADO, much like a fancy Greyhound bus. We checked our bags, had assigned seats, and watched a movie. Just as we boarded the bus, the rain began. I sat next to Rachel and we shared some snacks and chatted a bit. The first movie was “Away We Go,” which I really enjoyed in English but was not nearly as funny in Spanish. The second movie was “Bride Wars,” but I fell asleep as it was starting. Two Dramamine, a sleeping bag, and a fully reclining seat later I awoke in Oaxaca. The bus stopped a few times in the night to board more people, a few guys were escorted off but I’m not sure what the issue was, and the bathroom was a bit stuffy. In Oaxaca, we were met by Andrea, our host, and took taxis to the hostel around 8am. We stayed at Hostel Don Antonio near the center of town and ate all of our breakfasts there.