I like waking up in the morning,
and being nobody's teacher,
nobody's colleague,
nobody's friend,
nobody's daughter,
nobody's girlfriend,
nobody but me.
I like making plans to do
whatever I want,
when and where I want,
because I have no one to answer to
but me.
I like reinventing myself.
"Where are you from?"
"What do you do?"
"Who are you?"
"Contextualize yourself, please!"
And I answer as I please.
As the moment suits me.
But,
of course,
this is also lonely.
Sometimes I hunger to talk to someone who knows me.
To have to compromise.
To eat at that restaurant that you like,
but I'm not that crazy about
because it makes me happy to see a smile on your face.
And of course,
there's the inevitable,
that to be a petite young woman
in this world
means I have a curfew.
An hour or two after dark,
I begin to feel afraid.
I need an escort.
I've heard the horror stories.
I'm smarter than to tempt fate.
And traveling alone,
nobody's teacher,
nobody's colleague,
nobody's friend,
nobody's daughter,
nobody's girlfriend,
nobody but me
means nobody's obligated to walk me home.
And so,
some nights,
I stay "home"
in my rented room
alone.
P.S. Before you start to feel too sad for me... I have friends now, I promise! But, you know, it takes a while to get there. For me anyways. It is what it is. :)
Sunday, November 9, 2008
A bus ride in the mountains
Some folks feel afraid on Latin American buses, on those windy mountain roads.
I guess I felt nervous in Peru sometimes, in the windiest of the windy, mountainiest of the mountains, the Andes.
And I guess I'm also getting a bit bolder.
These days, I enjoy a bus ride in the mountains.
Let go of fear,
of control over my fate.
Enjoy slip-siding round the edges
of steeply slanted earth.
As a lover's fingers
might caress the curves
of hips,
of lips,
of the earth's
breasts.
I enjoy a bus ride in the mountains.
I guess I felt nervous in Peru sometimes, in the windiest of the windy, mountainiest of the mountains, the Andes.
And I guess I'm also getting a bit bolder.
These days, I enjoy a bus ride in the mountains.
Let go of fear,
of control over my fate.
Enjoy slip-siding round the edges
of steeply slanted earth.
As a lover's fingers
might caress the curves
of hips,
of lips,
of the earth's
breasts.
I enjoy a bus ride in the mountains.
Don Quijote
I went to the Museo Iconografico de Don Quijote with my mom.
Guanajuato is really in to Cervantes, and Don Quixote. Cervantino Festival, statues, drawings everywhere, of both Cervantes and Quixote. I don't know how the association started, but it's a strong one now, all right.
And I don't know the story of Don Quixote as well as I should, but I knew enough to make at least some sense of the museum, of visual artists' responses to and representations of Quixote, the quixotic. And I found it rather fascinating that one figure could simultaneously be...
hero
fool
dangerous
villain
messiah
artist
scholar
dreamer
prophet
warrior
victorious
defeated
explorer
colonizer
a legend
a joke
Wow. That's crazy, right?
Or maybe we're all that complex, if somebody takes the time to really look.
Guanajuato is really in to Cervantes, and Don Quixote. Cervantino Festival, statues, drawings everywhere, of both Cervantes and Quixote. I don't know how the association started, but it's a strong one now, all right.
And I don't know the story of Don Quixote as well as I should, but I knew enough to make at least some sense of the museum, of visual artists' responses to and representations of Quixote, the quixotic. And I found it rather fascinating that one figure could simultaneously be...
hero
fool
dangerous
villain
messiah
artist
scholar
dreamer
prophet
warrior
victorious
defeated
explorer
colonizer
a legend
a joke
Wow. That's crazy, right?
Or maybe we're all that complex, if somebody takes the time to really look.
What I like about El Jardin, and... exactly where I stand
Guanajuato's main plaza is called, colloquially, El Jardin.
It is a tree-lined square bounded by the magnificent Teatro Juarez, a church whose name I shamefully do not remember, and rows of restaurants and shops. There's a gazebo in the middle. Benches abound.
What I like about El Jardin is that, unlike the main plaza in a place like Cuzco, it doesn't feel overrun by American tourists. Now, don't get me wrong, Guanajuato is a site of significant tourism, and concessions are obviously made, in the Jardin and all over the city: menus are in English too, kitschy toys and trinkets abound, and particularly in the center of the centro, the Jardin.
However, many, I'd say even most, of those tourists are Mexican. And, I don't know, that makes a difference. I could wax philosophical about the colonial gaze or something like that... but, long-story-short, I don't feel so... dirty? when sitting in the Jardin as I did in Cuzco's main plaza.
In Cuzco's Plaza, I felt so painfully self-aware. It hurt to think that I was part of the process of making the city's historic center inaccessible to its own residents; what cuzqueno could pay those restaurant prices? And I winced when approached, sometimes even bombarded, by vendors who spotted my foreign garb, Chaco's, North Face knapsack, a poorly-rolled-r. I was even more bothered when those same vendors worked so hard to convince me of how very "old" and "authentic" and truly "Inca" were there wares. I tried to imagine what this would be if it were me, in my own context; dressed in a garish sombrero, hawking maracas to well-meaning rich white folks... I didn't think I would like it, this particular variation of selling one's self.
Now, not to idealize Guanajuato, but it just doesn't feel like that. Selling Mexico to Mexicans does not give me the heebie-jeebies that selling Peru to Americans/Europeans seems to. Mexicans who come to this part of the country, to beautiful Guanajuato, historic Dolores Hidalgo, are proud. (Well, ok, some come for a good time, no mas, but many are proud.) I've watched tour guides beaming, chests puffed, as they lecture in local museums to visiting Mexican tourists. The comments in museum guest books say things like "God bless you for safeguarding our nation's heritage." On Saturday I saw a tour guide scold a group of rowdy tourists for their lack of respect in a museum! He flashed his official badge with - there is no other word for it - pride.
And the difference is simple, I suppose. There is less of a power differential. The Guanajuatense are not begging for approval from their visitors; they're not begging at all. They are dealing with folks of similar socioeconomic standing. In Cuzco, however, I felt a... desperation in the hands, the voices, the gestures of those who sold to me. Begging.
So what I like about El Jardin... is that it is nice to be here and not feel so... guilty... so conscious of my unjust place in the world order... It's nice. Sometimes a person, and perhaps especially a sensitive do-gooder like myself, wants, needs, and even deserves... to forget.
But I'm glad I wrote this post, to remind me, regardless of a pleasant afternoon in the Jardin, exactly where I stand.
It is a tree-lined square bounded by the magnificent Teatro Juarez, a church whose name I shamefully do not remember, and rows of restaurants and shops. There's a gazebo in the middle. Benches abound.
What I like about El Jardin is that, unlike the main plaza in a place like Cuzco, it doesn't feel overrun by American tourists. Now, don't get me wrong, Guanajuato is a site of significant tourism, and concessions are obviously made, in the Jardin and all over the city: menus are in English too, kitschy toys and trinkets abound, and particularly in the center of the centro, the Jardin.
However, many, I'd say even most, of those tourists are Mexican. And, I don't know, that makes a difference. I could wax philosophical about the colonial gaze or something like that... but, long-story-short, I don't feel so... dirty? when sitting in the Jardin as I did in Cuzco's main plaza.
In Cuzco's Plaza, I felt so painfully self-aware. It hurt to think that I was part of the process of making the city's historic center inaccessible to its own residents; what cuzqueno could pay those restaurant prices? And I winced when approached, sometimes even bombarded, by vendors who spotted my foreign garb, Chaco's, North Face knapsack, a poorly-rolled-r. I was even more bothered when those same vendors worked so hard to convince me of how very "old" and "authentic" and truly "Inca" were there wares. I tried to imagine what this would be if it were me, in my own context; dressed in a garish sombrero, hawking maracas to well-meaning rich white folks... I didn't think I would like it, this particular variation of selling one's self.
Now, not to idealize Guanajuato, but it just doesn't feel like that. Selling Mexico to Mexicans does not give me the heebie-jeebies that selling Peru to Americans/Europeans seems to. Mexicans who come to this part of the country, to beautiful Guanajuato, historic Dolores Hidalgo, are proud. (Well, ok, some come for a good time, no mas, but many are proud.) I've watched tour guides beaming, chests puffed, as they lecture in local museums to visiting Mexican tourists. The comments in museum guest books say things like "God bless you for safeguarding our nation's heritage." On Saturday I saw a tour guide scold a group of rowdy tourists for their lack of respect in a museum! He flashed his official badge with - there is no other word for it - pride.
And the difference is simple, I suppose. There is less of a power differential. The Guanajuatense are not begging for approval from their visitors; they're not begging at all. They are dealing with folks of similar socioeconomic standing. In Cuzco, however, I felt a... desperation in the hands, the voices, the gestures of those who sold to me. Begging.
So what I like about El Jardin... is that it is nice to be here and not feel so... guilty... so conscious of my unjust place in the world order... It's nice. Sometimes a person, and perhaps especially a sensitive do-gooder like myself, wants, needs, and even deserves... to forget.
But I'm glad I wrote this post, to remind me, regardless of a pleasant afternoon in the Jardin, exactly where I stand.
Guanajuato dogs
So, there are a lot of stray dogs running around the narrow, cobbled colonial streets of Guanajuato.
From my experience in the cities of Peru, I'd say this is pretty common in Latin America. Dogs run around everywhere. Messy, kinda mangy looking dogs. They're generally not mean, or menacing to people though. They've got their own thing going on. Lots to do. Trash to dig through, food to find, fleas to itch. (I'm sure some folks out there have got some Latin-American-stray-dog horror stories, but I haven't personally witnessed any.)
Guanajuato dogs, however, are special. A remarkable amount of these dogs are actually very pretty. I mean, these dogs look like purebreds of some kind. I really think if you caught one and tried to sell it you could make quite a bit of money in some markets. I've even seen a couple with cute-looking haircuts, but no collar... maybe they got lost? Maybe the well-to-do of Guanajuato aren't too good at holding on to their fancy dogs? Or perhaps the UNESCO regulations that keep eyesore McDonalds and WalMarts outside of Guanajuato city limits also apply to ugly and unfortunate-looking dogs? I just don't know.
The other striking thing is that some of these dogs are also incredibly nice! I've met several who just loooooooove people. One, nicknamed "guera" by my classmates at Academia Falcon because of her fair complexion, trotted right into our school and into our classrooms, curling up at professors' feet during their lectures, skipping through the hallways, then flopping on her back, head lolled adorably to the side, belly exposed and begging for scratches.
And of course I couldn't help but think of my own dog... my chick's best friend who would never abandon me to run off to another country! Ooooh! She followed me (and boyfriend at the time) in a similar manner, like she just decided that she belonged where we were. And she also happens to be an exceptionally beautiful dog.
Is Gobo a cousin of Guera? Is she secretly a Guanajuato dog?
From my experience in the cities of Peru, I'd say this is pretty common in Latin America. Dogs run around everywhere. Messy, kinda mangy looking dogs. They're generally not mean, or menacing to people though. They've got their own thing going on. Lots to do. Trash to dig through, food to find, fleas to itch. (I'm sure some folks out there have got some Latin-American-stray-dog horror stories, but I haven't personally witnessed any.)
Guanajuato dogs, however, are special. A remarkable amount of these dogs are actually very pretty. I mean, these dogs look like purebreds of some kind. I really think if you caught one and tried to sell it you could make quite a bit of money in some markets. I've even seen a couple with cute-looking haircuts, but no collar... maybe they got lost? Maybe the well-to-do of Guanajuato aren't too good at holding on to their fancy dogs? Or perhaps the UNESCO regulations that keep eyesore McDonalds and WalMarts outside of Guanajuato city limits also apply to ugly and unfortunate-looking dogs? I just don't know.
The other striking thing is that some of these dogs are also incredibly nice! I've met several who just loooooooove people. One, nicknamed "guera" by my classmates at Academia Falcon because of her fair complexion, trotted right into our school and into our classrooms, curling up at professors' feet during their lectures, skipping through the hallways, then flopping on her back, head lolled adorably to the side, belly exposed and begging for scratches.
And of course I couldn't help but think of my own dog... my chick's best friend who would never abandon me to run off to another country! Ooooh! She followed me (and boyfriend at the time) in a similar manner, like she just decided that she belonged where we were. And she also happens to be an exceptionally beautiful dog.
Is Gobo a cousin of Guera? Is she secretly a Guanajuato dog?
Getting up to speed...
So I'm back in Guanajuato, this time for just about a week and a half.
My friend in Austin is doing well. She's kicking cancer's butt, responding to treatment really well, much better than most folks, really. I'm enjoying getting to spend some time with her, regardless of the circumstances.
And I found myself very happy back in Austin. I thought I would feel kinda lost, and I guess sometimes I did, but I managed to keep myself busy. I was substitute teaching with Theatre Action Project, and also found myself with lots of time and energy to invest into developing my one-woman performance, "Muntu." I did a performance in San Antonio's Teatro Fest, and put together an application for city funding to do more performances in Austin. I also started to lay the groundwork for an installation that will feature audience responses to the piece; I'll be applying for funding for that project when I get back. And then, I was also cast in a new play, "by a quiet sea," that will premiere in Frontera Fest Shortfringe; aaaaand I was asked to direct another new play, "T.A.G.," also premiering in Shortfringe! The artists involved in both of these pieces are amazing; they are women I've been hoping to get to know, and I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to collaborate with them. So when I get back in Austin on the 17th, I'll be busy!
I never would have planned on coming back to Austin in the middle of the semester, since that's an awkward time for me to find teaching work. However, being forced to come back, and unable to work as many teaching hours as I did before, did open up some time for me to focus on projects that I had been wanting to develop, but never seemed to be able to get to when I was teaching almost full time. I guess things happen for a reason, and we find ourselves where we are meant to be. I'm making plans now for the spring, treating my art more as a profession than as a "hobby" or something I do "on the side," which, ultimately, is what I want; this unexpected time that was granted to me allowed me to lay the groundwork so that I can do that. I don't think I would have ever allowed myself to just "take off" work and concentrate on working for myself had things not happened the way they did.
At any rate, I decided I did want to go back to Guanajuato to be there with my mom when she was visiting (since she already had her tickets booked to come visit me!), and as long as I was going, I might as well spend a little time there. So, I've just finished a fun weekend with my mom, and I'm about to start a new week of classes at Academia Falcon - a few that I was hoping I'd get to before but didn't quite have time for.
Photos and stories will be forthcoming!
My friend in Austin is doing well. She's kicking cancer's butt, responding to treatment really well, much better than most folks, really. I'm enjoying getting to spend some time with her, regardless of the circumstances.
And I found myself very happy back in Austin. I thought I would feel kinda lost, and I guess sometimes I did, but I managed to keep myself busy. I was substitute teaching with Theatre Action Project, and also found myself with lots of time and energy to invest into developing my one-woman performance, "Muntu." I did a performance in San Antonio's Teatro Fest, and put together an application for city funding to do more performances in Austin. I also started to lay the groundwork for an installation that will feature audience responses to the piece; I'll be applying for funding for that project when I get back. And then, I was also cast in a new play, "by a quiet sea," that will premiere in Frontera Fest Shortfringe; aaaaand I was asked to direct another new play, "T.A.G.," also premiering in Shortfringe! The artists involved in both of these pieces are amazing; they are women I've been hoping to get to know, and I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to collaborate with them. So when I get back in Austin on the 17th, I'll be busy!
I never would have planned on coming back to Austin in the middle of the semester, since that's an awkward time for me to find teaching work. However, being forced to come back, and unable to work as many teaching hours as I did before, did open up some time for me to focus on projects that I had been wanting to develop, but never seemed to be able to get to when I was teaching almost full time. I guess things happen for a reason, and we find ourselves where we are meant to be. I'm making plans now for the spring, treating my art more as a profession than as a "hobby" or something I do "on the side," which, ultimately, is what I want; this unexpected time that was granted to me allowed me to lay the groundwork so that I can do that. I don't think I would have ever allowed myself to just "take off" work and concentrate on working for myself had things not happened the way they did.
At any rate, I decided I did want to go back to Guanajuato to be there with my mom when she was visiting (since she already had her tickets booked to come visit me!), and as long as I was going, I might as well spend a little time there. So, I've just finished a fun weekend with my mom, and I'm about to start a new week of classes at Academia Falcon - a few that I was hoping I'd get to before but didn't quite have time for.
Photos and stories will be forthcoming!
Monterrey
So, on my way back to the States at the end of September, I spent a day in Monterrey. This caused my dear, loving mom endless anxiety, but it was actually a rather uneventful, not-at-all dangerous day. It was raining all day, and the ground was soaked and all covered with puddles since it had been raining like that all week, but I insisted on walking around anyways since I was only going to be there for a day. You can see my umbrella in the picture above. :)
I went to a couple of museums, tooled around the Macroplaza, ate, and rested in the hostel. I found a hostel right by the Macroplaza and the Barrio Antiguo, so I didn't have to walk more than two or three blocks to go anywhere. Photos are here.
For anybody going to Monterrey, I highly recommend the Casa del Barrio! Good price, location, very friendly and helpful staff!
Monday, September 22, 2008
A cute/funny mini-essay I wrote for one of my classes here
El despertador
Si hubiera sonado mi despertador, habría terminado mi ensayo. Habría escrito un ensayo tan brillante, tan profundo, de la cosmovisión prehispánica en Mesoamérica que a Eva le haría llorar. Habríamos publicado el ensayo en las paredes de Academia Falcón, y después, cuando todos los alumnos de Academia Falcón lloraran, habríamos ido a la Universidad de Guanajuato, en donde yo defendería mi tesis en frente de los académicos más respetados de México. Ellos, llorando con emoción también, me habrían llevado en sus brazos al Pípila, donde yo habría proclamado la verdad del quincunce en voz alta, para que toda la ciudad, todo México, la oyera. Yo habría sido una heroína. Pero, como no sonó el despertador, ninguna de estas cosas va a pasar. Soy la vergüenza de Academia Falcón. Voy a salir con la cabeza baja.
change of plans
So, I'm going to be back in Austin starting this Thursday. I'll be there for at least a couple of weeks, perhaps longer, I haven't decided yet.
One of my best friends in the whole world was diagnosed with cancer last week, and I want to be with this friend while they're getting ready to start chemo, starting chemo, if not longer. The doctors think everything will be ok in about six months; the cancer is in an intermediate, not advanced stage. But, you know, chemo is not fun. And what are best friends for?
Many of you have already sent well wishes and virtual hugs; thank you so much. I have never been through anything like this with any of my closest loved ones before, and I really appreciate your support.
See you soon. Perhaps sooner than I expected...?
One of my best friends in the whole world was diagnosed with cancer last week, and I want to be with this friend while they're getting ready to start chemo, starting chemo, if not longer. The doctors think everything will be ok in about six months; the cancer is in an intermediate, not advanced stage. But, you know, chemo is not fun. And what are best friends for?
Many of you have already sent well wishes and virtual hugs; thank you so much. I have never been through anything like this with any of my closest loved ones before, and I really appreciate your support.
See you soon. Perhaps sooner than I expected...?
I have discovered Skype
My user name is nataliemgoodnow.
I've got unlimited calls to the States - landlines and cell phones, so now I can call you too! Or, if you have Skype, we both talk for free, of course.
Why did I not know about this before??
I think I thought I would have to buy an expensive webcam or something... but all you really need is a microphone and headphones... not nearly as complicated as I thought.
At any rate, feel free to Skype me. And I just may be Skype-ing you one of these days.
I've got unlimited calls to the States - landlines and cell phones, so now I can call you too! Or, if you have Skype, we both talk for free, of course.
Why did I not know about this before??
I think I thought I would have to buy an expensive webcam or something... but all you really need is a microphone and headphones... not nearly as complicated as I thought.
At any rate, feel free to Skype me. And I just may be Skype-ing you one of these days.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Do you know any buena gente in Monterrey?
Do any of you bloggers know some buena gente in Monterrey?
Let me know!
I will explain why later, I promise.
Thanks,
Natalie
Let me know!
I will explain why later, I promise.
Thanks,
Natalie
Sunday, September 7, 2008
New cell phone number - call me!
I bought a cell phone here in Guanajuato! So I have my very own GTO number now. It is:
473-738-75-88
To call from the US, you would dial:
011-52-473-75-88
011 is the prefix for all international calls, and 52 is Mexico's country code.
Aaaaaaaaaaand the very best part: my incoming calls are free, even from the states! It's hard for me to call you, but if you get a calling card, it might be very easy for you to call me!
473-738-75-88
To call from the US, you would dial:
011-52-473-75-88
011 is the prefix for all international calls, and 52 is Mexico's country code.
Aaaaaaaaaaand the very best part: my incoming calls are free, even from the states! It's hard for me to call you, but if you get a calling card, it might be very easy for you to call me!
One week in...
Well, I made it, I'm doing well, I'm settling in.
My mood has been up and down and all over the place, which is probably to be expected. I've felt intensely happy, extremely guilty, delightfully busy, simply carefree, unbelievably worried, horribly lonely, unbearably excited... sometimes all in one day. At some point, the ups and downs will become less severe, more level, I know. Until then, I'm doing my best to enjoy riding the waves, both the swells and the crashes.
What have I been up to?
I started classes at Academia Falcon, a private tutorial to review tricky grammar points, and Pre-Hispanic Art. My mind is spinning from what I learned in just a short week in my art history class... I don't feel ready to write about it now. For now, a quick preview: el quinque.
Next week, I'll be in a writing workshop, and also taking classes in Mexican history and music. Haha, I got a tutorial last night, from one of the brothers in the family with whom I'm staying, on Mexican music. We'll see what Falcon can add!
Something new: I've decided to teach English classes at Academia Falcon as well. The school was in desperate need of teachers for their Saturday classes, and I was in need of a little cash, and so, I taught my first English class yesterday! The pay isn't much, by American standards, though Falcon's English teachers are also compensated with the opportunity to earn free Spanish classes as well; so, all in all, a good deal for everyone. Not to mention that the class could be a good way to meet people, and a way to gain teaching experience that I'm sure will serve me in the future, of course.
Something else new: I met some volunteers working with a group called Centro Las Libres, a sexual health information provider, working to advance and defend reproductive rights in Mexico. However, they do much more than that, offering workshops to rural communities around Guanajuato in whatever subject or technique the community members want or need to learn. One of their newer projects is a series of classes for the children of the women who come to Las Libres' workshops, because of course they bring their children with them. One of the volunteers is hoping to teach about subjects such as self-esteem, cooperation, friendship, and family through the arts. She doesn't have teaching experience, and when she heard about my work with Theatre Action Project and the Teen Arts Puentes Project, I was soon roped into helping to lesson plan and teach. I'll be heading out to San Jose de la Luz with her on Tuesday afternoon, to meet some 6- to 8-year old boys, and play theatre games with them! I'm excited to see more of this area, and to see a side of Mexico that I most likely wouldn't as only a tourist/student. I'm also happy to have found a group of people with similar interests and values as mine; sitting in Las Libres' office, I felt at home.
I've made some plans for October; at the end of this month, I'll move from the house where I'm living now to a hostel: Casa Mexicana. This will be a bit cheaper, and I'll be closer to the center of town, which will make my life easier during the Cervantino festival. I'm hoping to soak up as much as I possibly can!
I also bought my tickets to several Cervantino events: Noche de Campeche, The Aluminum Show, La Orestiada, Poema silencioso, Manon Lescaut, and Makossa and Megablast - Instituto Mexicano del Sonido. Holding my tickets in my hand, and seeing that I was really going to see ballet folklorico from Capeche, an Israeli modern dance troupe, the Theater Berlin, Japanese puppets, the opera, and one of my favorite DJs, all in a matter of weeks, I couldn't help but feel truly blessed.
My plans for November are still nebulous. I'm hoping to get things a bit more figured out this week, sort out what I can afford, what is safe, fun, do-able. But, more or less, it's looking as if Guanajuato will be home base, and I'll venture out from there to Oaxaca, then, a few weeks later, the Yucatan, and finally Monterrey on my way home. I would like to visit Chiapas as well, but I'm not sure I know anyone there... anybody reading this have any connections in Chiapas? I'd like to see Palenque!
And, with a heavy head, drooping eyelids, and tired-of-typing fingers, I head to bed. Tomorrow I start a new day, a new week. You do too! I hope you all are well. And thank you for taking the time to read this. :)
My mood has been up and down and all over the place, which is probably to be expected. I've felt intensely happy, extremely guilty, delightfully busy, simply carefree, unbelievably worried, horribly lonely, unbearably excited... sometimes all in one day. At some point, the ups and downs will become less severe, more level, I know. Until then, I'm doing my best to enjoy riding the waves, both the swells and the crashes.
What have I been up to?
I started classes at Academia Falcon, a private tutorial to review tricky grammar points, and Pre-Hispanic Art. My mind is spinning from what I learned in just a short week in my art history class... I don't feel ready to write about it now. For now, a quick preview: el quinque.
Next week, I'll be in a writing workshop, and also taking classes in Mexican history and music. Haha, I got a tutorial last night, from one of the brothers in the family with whom I'm staying, on Mexican music. We'll see what Falcon can add!
Something new: I've decided to teach English classes at Academia Falcon as well. The school was in desperate need of teachers for their Saturday classes, and I was in need of a little cash, and so, I taught my first English class yesterday! The pay isn't much, by American standards, though Falcon's English teachers are also compensated with the opportunity to earn free Spanish classes as well; so, all in all, a good deal for everyone. Not to mention that the class could be a good way to meet people, and a way to gain teaching experience that I'm sure will serve me in the future, of course.
Something else new: I met some volunteers working with a group called Centro Las Libres, a sexual health information provider, working to advance and defend reproductive rights in Mexico. However, they do much more than that, offering workshops to rural communities around Guanajuato in whatever subject or technique the community members want or need to learn. One of their newer projects is a series of classes for the children of the women who come to Las Libres' workshops, because of course they bring their children with them. One of the volunteers is hoping to teach about subjects such as self-esteem, cooperation, friendship, and family through the arts. She doesn't have teaching experience, and when she heard about my work with Theatre Action Project and the Teen Arts Puentes Project, I was soon roped into helping to lesson plan and teach. I'll be heading out to San Jose de la Luz with her on Tuesday afternoon, to meet some 6- to 8-year old boys, and play theatre games with them! I'm excited to see more of this area, and to see a side of Mexico that I most likely wouldn't as only a tourist/student. I'm also happy to have found a group of people with similar interests and values as mine; sitting in Las Libres' office, I felt at home.
I've made some plans for October; at the end of this month, I'll move from the house where I'm living now to a hostel: Casa Mexicana. This will be a bit cheaper, and I'll be closer to the center of town, which will make my life easier during the Cervantino festival. I'm hoping to soak up as much as I possibly can!
I also bought my tickets to several Cervantino events: Noche de Campeche, The Aluminum Show, La Orestiada, Poema silencioso, Manon Lescaut, and Makossa and Megablast - Instituto Mexicano del Sonido. Holding my tickets in my hand, and seeing that I was really going to see ballet folklorico from Capeche, an Israeli modern dance troupe, the Theater Berlin, Japanese puppets, the opera, and one of my favorite DJs, all in a matter of weeks, I couldn't help but feel truly blessed.
My plans for November are still nebulous. I'm hoping to get things a bit more figured out this week, sort out what I can afford, what is safe, fun, do-able. But, more or less, it's looking as if Guanajuato will be home base, and I'll venture out from there to Oaxaca, then, a few weeks later, the Yucatan, and finally Monterrey on my way home. I would like to visit Chiapas as well, but I'm not sure I know anyone there... anybody reading this have any connections in Chiapas? I'd like to see Palenque!
And, with a heavy head, drooping eyelids, and tired-of-typing fingers, I head to bed. Tomorrow I start a new day, a new week. You do too! I hope you all are well. And thank you for taking the time to read this. :)
New Favorites
by Jose Chavez Morado
Click on the image above to see more! Desgraciadamente, I didn't write down all the titles of these paintings. If I get a chance to drop by the museum again, maybe I'll post the titles later?
Click on the image above to see more! Desgraciadamente, I didn't write down all the titles of these paintings. If I get a chance to drop by the museum again, maybe I'll post the titles later?
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
First Impressions
I expected to feel culture shock. That is what I experienced in
For a high-quality GTO shake, mix:
one part Cuzco
for mountains, a la Andes, although not quite so high this time, as my lungs, my face, my skin can tell
don't take unmarked taxis
settle your fare before you get in
I wonder if my olive skin will camouflage me here, today, with this person, this time.
Does my skin speak louder than my clothes, my attitude, my accent?
¿De dónde eres?
and don't drink the water
el papel en la basura, por favor
not all the toilets flush
stray dogs in the street
stray tourists too
I am privileged. I am reminded. I know.
Cultural imperialism
What should I do?
Radio Shack
next to
street vendors
el mercado
masks
puppets
fiesta
la misa
el sincretismo
el serpiente
esta interrelación entre la naturaleza y la humanidad
I take my notes in Spanish now.
I am a student now.
One part San Anto
for portraits of Frida Kahlo
hot and bright, glowing, sweet hues
a kaleidoscope of color spilled across a ceramic frog
these flowers painted on the tile
ni modo
¿Mande?
¡Si se puede!
murales
Blockbuster
taquerías
tortillas
¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!
frijoles
hot cheetos
limón
dos xx
negro modelo
chelada
diabetes
aguacate
guacamole
wireless internet
salsa:
the spicy stuff and the dance
esa mujer con su mantilla
con su rebozo
ese hombre con su cowboy hat, sus jeans bien pegadas
Converse
the mall
ipod
iphone
Spanglish
nopal
maguey - with yellow stripes here
la misa
I am oppressor and oppressed.
One part Austin
for the students who come and go
chacos
birkenstocks
locks
hippies
coffee shops
wireless internet
a festival
frogs
yoga
joyas in the street
hand-made
"y tú vendrás, marchando junto a mí"
bougainvillea
muntu
ubuntu
Then sprinkle on top
tunnels
mining legends, lore, and pain
¿mmmm hmmmm?
and much more that I have yet to see, taste, feel
that I have yet to see
is not merely sprinkled on top,
but rather
vital parts
of a living,
breathing
organism.
as deliciously mixed up as I am.
P.S. Please forgive the strange formatting. I tried to fix it, but it doesn't seem to want to be fixed!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Aqui estoy!
I am here! Safe and sound.My flights went smoothly, no big issues or complications. I started to feel nervous (the first time all week, really!) once I landed in Monterrey, but felt at ease as soon as I got to Guanajuato and saw where I'd be staying. I lucked out!
My host family is used to having students and travelers in and out; they have two bedrooms and a bathroom, set aside from the rest of the house, that they rent out. The little 2-bedroom, 1-bath "apartment" rests on a gorgeous terrace. There are flowers all over, and views of the city and nearby mountains. Check it out: photos here
I share the apartment with another American student, studying at the University this semester. I was relieved to see that I'd have a fellow traveler around, so we can share the experience of being abroad, watch each other's back, etc., all the things that good travel buddies do.
And the dog, Ringo, is a doll! He's big, fluffy, and friendly. I haven't been able to steal a picture yet, but I will soon!
La mama de la casa is very sweet, very friendly. The brothers are both kind and helpful, one particularly chistoso, and gregarious. El papa, so far, is quiet. He's from Irapuato, where the Montecinos hailed from a century ago.
My new roommate and I visited a couple of museums this afternoon, which gave us a chance to get to know each other a little, and me a chance to see a bit of the city. It's so beautiful here! Everyone told me it would be, and they were exactly right. I was too busy gawking to take pictures, but hopefully I'll be posting some soon. I got a crash course in Guanajuatan folklore at La Casa de Leyendas, and found a few new favorite paintings at Museo de Arte Olga Costa-Jose Chavez Morado.
I've got another day tomorrow before my classes start, and plan to spend it wandering, getting my bearings, getting to know the city. Who knows, maybe I'll even get a chance to do some of that tonight. We'll see!
Thank you so much for all the well wishes you've sent me off with! Hope to be in touch with more stories soon!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The Essentials
Warning: Some of these details may be painfully boring! Just wanted to have them up here so that family and friends who need to know have easy access to the information.
So, I'll be in Mexico for about three months. I'm leaving this Friday, August 29, at 4:05 pm for Mexico. I get back to Austin on Thursday, December 4, 8:10 am.
I fly into Monterrey with VivaAerobus, and from there to Leon. Then I'll take a taxi to Guanajuato to meet up with my host family at Academia Falcon (the language school where I'm taking classes).
What I know about my host family so far: They have two sons, roughly my age, and a dog. I hope the dog likes me! Oh, and the family too... (I'm a dog person, and I will miss my dog terribly; she's staying with my parents and their dog in Austin. I can't help myself!)
I'll be taking classes in Guanajuato during the month of September: Spanish language, Mexican literature, arts, and culture.
In October, I'll ease up on the classes a bit and spend time soaking up the Cervantino Festival.
In November, I want to travel to other parts of Mexico: Oaxaca, Mexico City, Monterrey. Maybe I'll squeeze in a couple of other destinations as well? However, this last chunk of the journey is pending travel buddies, as I don't want to be wandering the country all by myself. I'm hoping to meet some fellow travelers in Guanajuato. Or... anybody reading this want to come travel with me for a week or so? Let me know!
Other things I'll be up to: working on grant applications for a project I want to do in Austin this spring (a continuation of Muntu), doing research for Albany Park Theatre Project, photography, writing, working on my next solo performance piece.
Or, at least that's the plan so far. :) I expect there will be changes.
How to get in touch with me while I'm in Mexico:
Let me know if you know of any people I should meet, places I must go! And let me know what you're up to, too!
And the next post will be more fun to read, I promise.
So, I'll be in Mexico for about three months. I'm leaving this Friday, August 29, at 4:05 pm for Mexico. I get back to Austin on Thursday, December 4, 8:10 am.
I fly into Monterrey with VivaAerobus, and from there to Leon. Then I'll take a taxi to Guanajuato to meet up with my host family at Academia Falcon (the language school where I'm taking classes).
What I know about my host family so far: They have two sons, roughly my age, and a dog. I hope the dog likes me! Oh, and the family too... (I'm a dog person, and I will miss my dog terribly; she's staying with my parents and their dog in Austin. I can't help myself!)
I'll be taking classes in Guanajuato during the month of September: Spanish language, Mexican literature, arts, and culture.
In October, I'll ease up on the classes a bit and spend time soaking up the Cervantino Festival.
In November, I want to travel to other parts of Mexico: Oaxaca, Mexico City, Monterrey. Maybe I'll squeeze in a couple of other destinations as well? However, this last chunk of the journey is pending travel buddies, as I don't want to be wandering the country all by myself. I'm hoping to meet some fellow travelers in Guanajuato. Or... anybody reading this want to come travel with me for a week or so? Let me know!
Other things I'll be up to: working on grant applications for a project I want to do in Austin this spring (a continuation of Muntu), doing research for Albany Park Theatre Project, photography, writing, working on my next solo performance piece.
Or, at least that's the plan so far. :) I expect there will be changes.
How to get in touch with me while I'm in Mexico:
- Comment on this blog (best way)
- Email me: nataliemgoodnow@gmail.com (second best way)
- MySpace: here's a link to my profile
- Facebook: friend me!
- Call me at Academia Falcon: o11-52-473-731-10-84
- Send me mail at Academia Falcon:
Academia Falcon A.C., Paseo de la Presa 80, Guanajuato, Gto., 36000 MEXICO
(You know how mailing stuff internationally goes... not always guaranteed it'll get there! But still worth a try for postcards, care packages, if you're so inclined :) )
Let me know if you know of any people I should meet, places I must go! And let me know what you're up to, too!
And the next post will be more fun to read, I promise.
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