Last day huh? Well technically I'm returning for a few days before I head home but I consider this to be the sentimental-last-day. I think the weather agrees - for the first time in 29 days it is cloudy.
What a month it has been. My spanish between the 1st January and 29th has immeasurably improved . From the first night phrase: "I'm so tired, I need to sleep" to where I am now - makes me think I've learnt more in a month than I did all year at uni.
Said adios to the family this morning - although I'll probably drop in and say hi in the few days I have here on the return journey. Nancy - one of the mums - told me Jorgito and Andrea (7 and 5) spent last night crying because Matteo and I were leaving. Matteo suggested kidnapping Andrea because she's just so god damn cute.
Harry and I are off to Puerto Escondido tomorrow for 10 days on the coast. I'm craving some ocean time and hoping my ankle is up to some surfing as well - we will see.
And on a semi-unrelated sidenote, I decided I'm going to try and convince UNSW to get an exchange partner here. At the moment, they only have exchanges in Monterrey (which apparently is really big, quite industrial based and also varies a lot in climate) and Mexico City (too big for my liking.) This trip has really made me reconsider whether I'd rather Spain or Mexico (why not both?) Anyway, don't how well I'll go being only one of UNSW's 40,000 students. I'll try and get Harry onside also - shouldn't be too hard.
Things I'll miss about Oaxaca:
FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD
Tlayudas, Plato Mixtos, Empanadas and Memelitas from-that-street-stand-one-block-from-my-house, Breakfast Tortas, Breakfast fruit, Torta stands, Bananas at school
BARD crew
My Mexican family
Joel - our maestro. What a guy!
Octavio - the crazy Tlayuda cook
Roberto - the Salsa teacher (and yes, it is true that at one stage I was "demasiado suave")
Hernesto at Alvaro's
Conversation Hour
Cheap beer - and the knowledge that Corona is, more or less, the worst beer in Mexico
Cheap everything else
The language
The Oaxacan people - such a strong sense of culture in this city
Salsa nights (believe it or not...)
The following phrases "¡Mira!", "¡Esperame!", "¿Quieres jugar?", "¡Más suave!"
Halo with the boys (and the word rookie)
Mezcal
Fireworks
Baresito
Siestas, and of course;
FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Mezcal
I've always wanted to be that guy in the corner of the bar who sips whiskey on the rocks and automatically looks ten times cooler. But I've never really liked spirits. Correction: I've never been able to afford spirits that actually taste nice. Jose Cuervo is bad enough to make anyone gag, that (insert stereotypical russian name) vodka that costs $25 from Dan Murphy's also doesn't do me any favours either.
So when I finally got to try some decent spirits in Oaxaca I was suprised when, at first sip, I didn't gag. And spirits with nice flavour? I didn't think that existed?
For those who don't know, Mezcal is pretty similar to tequila - but as a Oaxaqueño would tell you they definitely aren't the same. It orginates from the Corazon de Agave (heart of the Agave plant) which is unsurprisingly ubiquitous in the state of Oaxaca.
It's extremely common to see Oaxaqueños sipping it at any time of the day. It - like nearly everything in Mexico - is done slowly and enjoyed. Last week, at an open-mic night in a small bar called Nueva Babel, a woman who spent most of the night announcing suddenly sprung onto the stage with the most insane voice and admist the booming notes she sipped on mezcal. Re-reading that, I don't really think I even slightly conveyed the effortless beauty of the scene but I can't be bothered to rewrite it.
I digress, I've frequently indulged in the local poison and have now come to realise that one Mezcal glass is actually twice as big as a normal shot glass. That explains a bit. But with anything of a higher quality, I haven't had a hangover since I've been here.
Rant finished. I want to keep the stream of conciousness flowing, so I thought it was worth writing another. I'm sure I'll enjoy re-reading these when I am engulfed by piles of paper and blank screen where my 3000 word essay should be. So, assuming I read this - I'd just like to say - uni, you suck sometimes.
Sidenote: After 4 days of meaning to, Emma (NY crew) told me yesterday that I looked like a young Abraham Lincoln. Not sure if that's good or not but he did free the slaves so it can't be all bad.
So when I finally got to try some decent spirits in Oaxaca I was suprised when, at first sip, I didn't gag. And spirits with nice flavour? I didn't think that existed?
For those who don't know, Mezcal is pretty similar to tequila - but as a Oaxaqueño would tell you they definitely aren't the same. It orginates from the Corazon de Agave (heart of the Agave plant) which is unsurprisingly ubiquitous in the state of Oaxaca.
It's extremely common to see Oaxaqueños sipping it at any time of the day. It - like nearly everything in Mexico - is done slowly and enjoyed. Last week, at an open-mic night in a small bar called Nueva Babel, a woman who spent most of the night announcing suddenly sprung onto the stage with the most insane voice and admist the booming notes she sipped on mezcal. Re-reading that, I don't really think I even slightly conveyed the effortless beauty of the scene but I can't be bothered to rewrite it.
I digress, I've frequently indulged in the local poison and have now come to realise that one Mezcal glass is actually twice as big as a normal shot glass. That explains a bit. But with anything of a higher quality, I haven't had a hangover since I've been here.
Rant finished. I want to keep the stream of conciousness flowing, so I thought it was worth writing another. I'm sure I'll enjoy re-reading these when I am engulfed by piles of paper and blank screen where my 3000 word essay should be. So, assuming I read this - I'd just like to say - uni, you suck sometimes.
Sidenote: After 4 days of meaning to, Emma (NY crew) told me yesterday that I looked like a young Abraham Lincoln. Not sure if that's good or not but he did free the slaves so it can't be all bad.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Las mañanas en Oaxaca
How Oaxacans sleep, I will never know. 6am. The cacophony of sounds begins. Church bells, which triggers the birds in my house, which triggers the dogs in my house, which triggers the dog next door, which triggers the dog-next-door-to-that dog. Yesterday, I'm certain I heard the progression from house to house. And this isn't once a day. This is every half an hour from 6am till 9am. Sleeping in till 8 is an achievement in itself.
Nights function in the same way. Fireworks, which triggers car alarms, which triggers dogs in their hundreds. I'm sure there hasn't been a night so far where I haven't heard fireworks. I asked my abuela:
What are they celebrating?
The day of a patron saint.
But aren't there hundreds of patron saints?
Yes.
Nights function in the same way. Fireworks, which triggers car alarms, which triggers dogs in their hundreds. I'm sure there hasn't been a night so far where I haven't heard fireworks. I asked my abuela:
What are they celebrating?
The day of a patron saint.
But aren't there hundreds of patron saints?
Yes.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Salsa
I have two left feet. Anyone who knows me well enough (or has seen me in a nocturnal situation) should know this. So why, two nights ago, did I find myself in Candela, a salsa club in the centre of Oaxaca. Who knows? I certainly didn't. A few beers and a bit of coercing I guess. A certain girl put her faith in my attempts to dance and I'm sure she was being nice but said I was definitely improving. So as of tomorrow, instead of electing to do weaving for my cultural activity at school- I'm doing salsa. I know a few people that would pay money to see me dance, but this is a "when in Rome" moment and I can't see it happening again. Wish me luck!
Friday, January 13, 2012
Semana Dos
Near the end of the second week already. Shit. Time flies. This week has been just as eventful as the last, and the more I think about it the more I realise I´m settling into the way of life of this place. Oaxaca's self-proclaimed motto stands true - it really is the place of enternal spring.
As I've been saying to Harry - I keep having these moments where I just have to stop, laugh and try and take in how insanely great this experience and this place has been and is continuing to be.
Two nights ago by a twist of fate our favourite little eatery was closed. We tramped for maybe - I dunno - twenty more metres and discovered one even better. Run by our new mate Octavio - an eccentric Mexican dude- it's as legit Mexican as you could hope for. Last night I had one of those moments descibed above.
Haz and I sitting on a wooden bench in the street; Octavio cooking his especial de la casa; some abuelo playing guitar and serenading the restaurant. I kicked my head back and laughed because at that moment I couldn't believe how fucking good everything was, if only for that moment. At the time I wanted my camera but in hindsight it wouldn't have done the experience justice - nor does it ever seem to. I guess a photo is an attempt to reinvigorate or initiate memories from times that were so damn good (or bad I guess). It wasn't the best moment of my trip by any means, but it was one of those moments of realisation.
Anyway, that was one of those moments where all you can do is laugh - and they are becoming all the more frequent.
Things I want to remember from this week:
- Last night, as I went to leave the house for some beers with everyone Andrea spots me. Puppy-dog-eyes-and-all: "Come over here. You have to watch the rest of this telenovela (soapie) with me or else." Who can argue with that?
- Our favourite bar (partly because it's across the road from my house) has, in the last week, been covered in slang in Russian, Korean, American English, Spanish and Polish. I´m yet to decide what to write in Aussie slang without it seeming to vulgar. Suggestions welcome.
- Once again, conversation hour was hilarious this week. I want to record the conversations, translate them to English and then give everyone a copy. It would seem so stupid. Today's was about love - and there were some pretty weird takes on it from some people I must admit.
- Joel is the man! (our maestro). Ali ran into him in the Zocalo and said he has an amazing looking girlfriend. No surprises there Mr. Mysterious.
- I mixed up the word casado (married) and the word cansando (tired). Made for some interesting interpretations and responses.
- Markets always seem better overseas than at home. Most of the time that's probably due to the fact that they are.
- Fuck vosotros
- A bar the other night had beers for 13 pesos. That's like 90 cents. What the?
- Yesterday (I'm pretty sure) was the first meal in my time in Mexico that didn't have meat. I don't think salads actually exist.
- Quesillo is better than queso.
- Good tequila does not, in fact, make you gag.
- There are a surprising amount of flavours of Mezcal. I counted (drank) 20 different types - which leads me to my next point:
- Apparently eating chocolate and sampling 20 flavours of Mezcal consitutes "cooking class"
- Don't get cocky about how improved your Spanish is - all you have to do is sit down at the family table for lunch and after 20 mins you still aren't sure what they are talking about. I thought the Spanish were the fast talkers?
As I've been saying to Harry - I keep having these moments where I just have to stop, laugh and try and take in how insanely great this experience and this place has been and is continuing to be.
Two nights ago by a twist of fate our favourite little eatery was closed. We tramped for maybe - I dunno - twenty more metres and discovered one even better. Run by our new mate Octavio - an eccentric Mexican dude- it's as legit Mexican as you could hope for. Last night I had one of those moments descibed above.
Haz and I sitting on a wooden bench in the street; Octavio cooking his especial de la casa; some abuelo playing guitar and serenading the restaurant. I kicked my head back and laughed because at that moment I couldn't believe how fucking good everything was, if only for that moment. At the time I wanted my camera but in hindsight it wouldn't have done the experience justice - nor does it ever seem to. I guess a photo is an attempt to reinvigorate or initiate memories from times that were so damn good (or bad I guess). It wasn't the best moment of my trip by any means, but it was one of those moments of realisation.
Anyway, that was one of those moments where all you can do is laugh - and they are becoming all the more frequent.
Things I want to remember from this week:
- Last night, as I went to leave the house for some beers with everyone Andrea spots me. Puppy-dog-eyes-and-all: "Come over here. You have to watch the rest of this telenovela (soapie) with me or else." Who can argue with that?
- Our favourite bar (partly because it's across the road from my house) has, in the last week, been covered in slang in Russian, Korean, American English, Spanish and Polish. I´m yet to decide what to write in Aussie slang without it seeming to vulgar. Suggestions welcome.
- Once again, conversation hour was hilarious this week. I want to record the conversations, translate them to English and then give everyone a copy. It would seem so stupid. Today's was about love - and there were some pretty weird takes on it from some people I must admit.
- Joel is the man! (our maestro). Ali ran into him in the Zocalo and said he has an amazing looking girlfriend. No surprises there Mr. Mysterious.
- I mixed up the word casado (married) and the word cansando (tired). Made for some interesting interpretations and responses.
- Markets always seem better overseas than at home. Most of the time that's probably due to the fact that they are.
- Fuck vosotros
- A bar the other night had beers for 13 pesos. That's like 90 cents. What the?
- Yesterday (I'm pretty sure) was the first meal in my time in Mexico that didn't have meat. I don't think salads actually exist.
- Quesillo is better than queso.
- Good tequila does not, in fact, make you gag.
- There are a surprising amount of flavours of Mezcal. I counted (drank) 20 different types - which leads me to my next point:
- Apparently eating chocolate and sampling 20 flavours of Mezcal consitutes "cooking class"
- Don't get cocky about how improved your Spanish is - all you have to do is sit down at the family table for lunch and after 20 mins you still aren't sure what they are talking about. I thought the Spanish were the fast talkers?
Friday, January 6, 2012
MEXICO
After approximately 96 hours in transit I arrived in Oaxaca. Understandably tired, attempts to speak more than the most basic spanish that first night were futile. I went to sleep.
It's been four days and I feel like I'm already settling in. The hardest thing at the moment (apart from spanish) is remembering the names of my whole extended family and all their friends (I must have already met at least 30 to 40 people.) Even today, I was caught out at the market when a woman approached me, obviously knowing who I was and I didn't have the faintest idea. She had to explain who she was. Awkward
Things to remember so far:
- Discussing globalisation in spanish is hilarious. To translate our group's conversation to English would go something like this:
"Globalisation is happening currently. It is important. I think that globalisation is forever changing." (for an hour)
Other conversation hours included Sport, Systems of education and extraordinary travel experiences
- Andrea, my five year old honorary cousin, tells the most obvious lies to Matthew (my american housemate) and I purely to tease us for our lack of spanish.
- Last night there was a hardcore band playing in the park, remarkably similar scenario to somewhere in Byron. Harry and I thought it was hilarious
- Pork fat tastes suprisingly good with beans and cheese on a tortilla
- Playing triival pursuit in Spanish isn't that much harder than in English.
- Ali definitely didn't kill a pack of wolves to survive in Siberia.
- Improving at a second language is definitely detrimental to your ability to speak your fluent language.
- Oaxaca is definitely a city worth living in.
It's been four days and I feel like I'm already settling in. The hardest thing at the moment (apart from spanish) is remembering the names of my whole extended family and all their friends (I must have already met at least 30 to 40 people.) Even today, I was caught out at the market when a woman approached me, obviously knowing who I was and I didn't have the faintest idea. She had to explain who she was. Awkward
Things to remember so far:
- Discussing globalisation in spanish is hilarious. To translate our group's conversation to English would go something like this:
"Globalisation is happening currently. It is important. I think that globalisation is forever changing." (for an hour)
Other conversation hours included Sport, Systems of education and extraordinary travel experiences
- Andrea, my five year old honorary cousin, tells the most obvious lies to Matthew (my american housemate) and I purely to tease us for our lack of spanish.
- Last night there was a hardcore band playing in the park, remarkably similar scenario to somewhere in Byron. Harry and I thought it was hilarious
- Pork fat tastes suprisingly good with beans and cheese on a tortilla
- Playing triival pursuit in Spanish isn't that much harder than in English.
- Ali definitely didn't kill a pack of wolves to survive in Siberia.
- Improving at a second language is definitely detrimental to your ability to speak your fluent language.
- Oaxaca is definitely a city worth living in.
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