Mezcal, rugs and tapestries!

Day 7: June 30, 2012

Our day began by visiting a place where mezcal is made. Mezcal is liquor, similar to tequila, which is common in Mexico. It has a smoky taste- I don't 
particularly like it! Mezcal is meant to be sipped. Many eat worms then chase it 
with mescal (I didn't try one) or sip it chase it with a lime covered in worm 
salt. Mezcal has a smoky taste, but there are also different variations, some of 
which are fruit flavored (like Pina colada).

                                                                       

 

 Flat Stanley came along for the ride today! 

Next, we visited a Teotitlan del Valle, a village renowned for it's rugs and tapestries. Abigail, a woman who gave us the demonstration showed us the entire process: carding the wool,spinning it into yarn, crushing different materials such as indigo & marigolds, dying the yarn, & weaving on the loom. They create patterns on the loom, sometimes they are Zapotec patterns, but other times they use their creativity to come up with new designs. The women can work up to two years on one piece. Abigail also runs a restaurant named "Tlamanlli" de Abigail Mendoza Ruiz. Several women made our Zapotec inspired meal which was delicious! Throughout the town there are mostly women working because many of the men have left to cross the border. 


                                       

Side note: The Zapotec civilization was an indigenous civilization that flourished in Oaxaca.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zapotec

Vacation Style Living

Day 6: June 29, 2012

Oaxaca continues..... 

We had a free morning so Emily & I pranced around the wonderful city in 80 degree sun! Oaxaca is known for it's beautiful handicarfts like black pottery, wooden painted animals, textiles, and beads! We did some shopping and got a great recommendation for a place to eat lunch. For 35 pesos we had soup, some fried potatoes with cheese, rice, salad, and flan! Delicious! 

The entrance to our hotel. There are so many ornate details in our hotel, for example the hand painting above the door way. 

Emily & I decided to spend some time exploring the city. She bought un arete! (one feather earring- Courtney Gerics you'd love the fashion here)

This afternoon we met with Margarita Dalton, Ph.D and director of CIESAS about Indigenous Organization and the Role of Women in Oaxaca. She spoke primarily about the role of women in government here and the many struggles they face. This Sunday is the presidential election here in Mexico. Fire works could be heard all over the town tonight. From midnight Friday through Sunday no alcoholic beverages can be sold, so tonight we enjoyed some wine and beer with dinner.

 A few of us ate at a delicious restaurant down the block from our hotel.
I felt like I was in Williamsburg, Brooklyn! Super trendy & chic! 

Does this typically happen on a Fulbright?

Day 5: June 28, 2012

Oaxaca, Mexico

This little city is extremely authentic. The buildings are bright colored, many with ornate doors and windows, and balconies with flower boxes. The cobble stone streets remind me of the Meat Packing District in NYC. Adults and children patrol the streets selling jewelry, wooden spoons for salt & sugar, balloons, toys, scarves etc. 

Emily, from Washington State, is my new roomie! 

Our beautiful hotel room has an amazing balcony.

I always wanted an adult size vanity.  

We spent several hours in the local market. 

 The smell of meat was one I'll never forget. Ugh! 

Crickets are a delicacy in Oaxaca. And many of my fellow Fulbrighters ate them.... I didn't!

Sarah, pimped me out! She wanted a picture of this guy's abuela so she said I'd take a picture with him... He loved me .... La rubia!

A touch of the U.S in Mexico 

El Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán de la ciudad de Oaxaca de Juárez 

This evening we walked through the streets of Oaxaca, enjoying some street art, to hear Omar Nunez a former Fulbrighter. His organization Ollin Tlahtoalli: Spanish Center in Oaxaca, Mexico. His work children and the arts is amazing. He volunteers to help children in Oaxaca express themselves through photo journalism, painting, and collaboratively working on murals in the neighborhood, just to name a few. He is also very involved in assisting children, whose parents have been deported and forced to move back to Mexico, with language, identity, and social skills. Check out his website:

http://ollinoaxaca.blogspot.mx/

An authentic Mexican dinner 

Left to right: (Emily, Patria, Deb, Courtne, Erin)

Left to right: (Jessica (sicko), Leo (the Colombian comedian), Sarah (my clone), and me! 

Mole negro con pollo 

 guacamole 

Traditional music 

And now we are on the roof top of our hotel drinking Mexican Cabernet Savignon & Indio beer, eating quesillo (the Mexican mozzarella), and enjoying the conversations of some of the most interesting people I've ever met! We are all getting along extremely well and one of the girls asked, "Does this typically happen on a Fulbright?" And someone else responded, "Yes, because it's only the first week!" lol 

A Whole Lot of Travel

Day 4: June 27, 2012

A whole lot of travel!

Austin to Houston.....
Houston to Mexico City....
Mexico City to Oaxaca....


Courtne from NJ, (my new buddy) originally from Riverdale, in the Bronx had a lot of luggage......

But yes.... I had more... The most out of all 16 Fulbrighters!

 Sister & Jackie you were right, I should have packed light!

Mom, expect a package in about 2 1/2 weeks because I'll be shipping some stuff home! 

Welcome to Mexico City! 

All of my carry on luggage... Notice there's mostly snacks! 

“I’m only in this for the money,” said no teacher ever!

Day 3: June 26, 2012

Today we began our day at the university. We took another group photo (our third so far because we keep missing people) in front of the head of this warrior. We will get a full explanation and see the “real” thing in Mexico.

We spent the morning at The Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection. 

Sharon from Hawaii brought all of the Fulbright presenters and our tour guides each a lei along with a hug, to thank them for organizing the trip and helping us so much thus far.  

Thanks to Jackie and the coloring skills of my student Rahat, Flat Stanley will be my companion on this trip.

Today was a  long day of work & lectures! We found out some very interesting things from the lecturers who work for Fulbright. This summer our group is the only group that is traveling abroad. Usually there are 9 groups that participate in the summer seminars abroad. Because of budget cuts there was supposed to be only three groups traveling and due to lack of funding only the elementary group was able to get the opportunity to take part in this program. Over 300 applied for this grant and only sixteen were chosen. The budget for this trip per person is estimated to be about $17,000- not bad! I am honored to have been chosen for this wonderful opportunity.

One of our presenters shared this quote with us: “I’m only in this for the money,” said no teacher ever!

But finally I'm taking advantage of one perk!

 I attempted to take a bike ride with some of my new friends but after 35 minutes of looking for the bike rental shack in 106 degree weather I decided to go back to the Radisson & once again lay by the pool!

Each member of the program brought gifts from home (pencils, books, shirts, hats, etc.) to give to the presenters we will be listening to and also the students and teachers of the schools we will be visiting. My roommate Joan has been on two Fulbrights before and had a great idea of making our room the drop off and we put together the gift bags! 

All I wanted tonight was some good old fashion Texas cooking. A few of us went to Threadgill’s to eat where I had chicken fried chicken, mac and cheese, corn off the cob and tasted crawfish and collared greens for the very first time. These are some of the things that you can’t get in NY! 

My roomie Joan & I

Funny story… So my roommate Joan said that the Friday before she left she got her ticket for the flight to Austin and noticed there was a letter D as a middle initial on her ticket. She doesn’t have a D middle initial so she contacted Jacques, one of the organizers of the program to see why it said that. Well, when she sent Jacques her information she sent her name, Date of Birth, and passport #. For whatever reason the lines on the email got mixed up and Jacques thought her middle name was Dob & did not realize that it was supposed to be DOB. So Joan Dob Boyle, as we now refer to her as, is praying that she can get on the three flights we are taking tomorrow and all the others that will follow..lol

Tomorrow the REAL JOURNEY BEGINS.....

MEXICO HERE WE COME!!!!