Two weeks in...

Hello hello, everyone! Well so many things have been happening and I haven’t had enough time to put it all on the blog so I hope I can remember all the details I have been wanting to tell you!

One thing that has been very interesting here in Oaxaca are all the marches. There are different groups who want to display their ideas and desires to improve the life of Mexico and so they display them by marching through the streets of Oaxaca with signs and whatnot. The first time I saw a march was a week and a half ago on Wednesday. I was heading to the library and when I turned the corner, there was a march coming towards me for a group called “Mujeres de hoy” (Women of today). The march was a silent march as women (and men as well) walked by with signs and handouts. Their goal is to improve the lives of the women here and to diminish discrimination as well as looking to improve the life of Oaxaca in general and improve those situations of poverty in the surrounding area. In this march there was maybe 100 people.

This past Monday however, there was a march that passed our school where 5,000 people participated. It was crazy! We stopped class to go watch a little while our professors explained what was going on. They were walking down the street “Niños de Héroes” which is a super busy street that eventually turns into a highway. It would be like 5,000 people walking down Division in Spokane or Pacific Avenue in Tacoma. All the traffic was stopped, people were honking like crazy because obviously some people we really angry that they had to wait for 5,000 people to pass. These people were protesting on Monday because the president was going to give a speech later that day, and they were protesting against the law “Instituto de serguridad social de los sindicatos de trabajadores del estado” or ISSSTE which is a law that was supposed to support a lot of the schools, hospitals, and other work places. But I guess nothing has happened since that law was made. For instance, the government would say that so many new schools were going to be built but yet not one school has appeared; or that the hospitals were going to receive more funds yet they haven’t received one peso… things like that. And this is why there were 5,000 people … teachers, students, doctors, nurses, and many other types of workers. They had microphones where they would explain what they were marching for and the march ended up in Zócalo which is the downtown area where they held a meeting. It was very interesting to watch and hear about it. Another big thing that has angered people here is the law IMSS – “Instituto mexicano seguridad social” which, I believe, is what Mexico depends on for the safety of their cities … what funds the police I’m guessing. But, people are complaining that the police aren’t doing enough. For instance, as of now, Mexico is number one for what they call “secuestradores” or what is literally translated as kidnappers … ahead of Colombia even. But *IMPORTANT NOTE* it is in a different manner than in Colombia. It’s not directed towards foreigners whatsoever but rather towards the really REALLY rich people in Mexico and mainly in Mexico City, I believe. (So, Mom, Dad, family and others … no worries about me, ok? I’m completely safe!)

Anyway, so that’s what I have been learning about in a more political sense. Hopefully I haven’t bored you because for me, it was a real eye-opener.

Oh and yesterday, I went to Monte Albán … which is another Zapotec ruin. It was huge! And really interesting to hear all about the anthropology of the area, which I’ll do my best to retell with my pictures! :)

I have also been meeting some more Oaxacan friends! I have an “intercambio” every day who goes to a different university in Oaxaca. We talk for a half an hour in Spanish and half an hour in English. It’s been really great getting to know her. Her name is Patricia or Paty and while at first I was kind of shy, we are already starting to tease and laugh and I might possibly go with her one weekend to visit her family who lives in a little town outside of Oaxaca. Most of the time I don’t have too much trouble understanding anyone … the trouble is with me when I have so many thoughts in my head and can’t seem to spit them out in a grammatically correct manner! Although I believe my Spanish has really improved after listening to one friend, an intercambio of another person in the group, who talks inCREDibly fast. I thought maybe it was just his Spanish and was kind of feeling bad that I couldn’t understand him very well but then we had a conversation in English the other day and he speaks just as fast in English! I was thinking, woah! I don’t even think my girlfriends and I speak that fast when we’re all excited about something that’s happened or whatever it may be.

One final thing, on Thursday night my salsa class as well as the teacher went to La Candela to dance salsa. It was a BLAST! I am absolutely in love with dancing! And it was cool that our teacher joined us (since he's usually really busy with his jobs and family) and by the end of the night, he had taught me a little bit of a Dominican Republic dance. :) Fun fun fun.

Ok, well, I think I’ve caught all you up on this past week (can’t believe it’s only been two weeks!), and hopefully it hasn’t been too much to read. I really do love it here and the second week has definitely been easier than the first and I’m already feeling at home here in Oaxaca.

Hope all is well back in the states … or for some people France, and other countries! Love and miss you all!!!

Chao!