Thursday, May 22

We found the paper store!!!!

Per my usual routine, I had Spanish Class at Solexico from 9-12, can you guess who showed up in the courtyard as I was getting out of class?  Paco!  He apparently did not take the hint that I don’t want to see him. In fact, he just wanted to check to see if my plans had changed and maybe I could go get lunch with him.  I just told him no and will have to brainstorm a better way to make him stop asking permanently…

After that wonderful surprise encounter, Rocky and I navigated the streets to find a paper store to just buy some notebooks and note cards and other school stuff.  Then we made copies of our passport photos so we can have an ID made at Solexico.  Apparently being a student in Mexico means getting in to many museums and other tourist attractions for free J  I was very proud of Rocky’s and mine ability to communicate in Spanish.

washing the strawberries I bought at the market.

We had a couple hours left before our scheduled Salsa Dance Class, so we decided to wander over to the market.  IT IS CRAZY IN THERE!  Think of the largest flea market you’ve ever been to, now double it, divide it into 4 parts, and create a pathway that doesn’t make sense so people are sure to get lost inside, and that’s the market.  Before you enter there are a bunch of stands outside selling food and crafts, items here are cheaper because more people go inside the market than shop on it’s outskirts.  This is where I bought a large bag of limes and a ton of fresh strawberries and plums. (I had to settle for limes because the market didn’t have lemons either L)

Women basket weaving at the market.

Then you walk in and there are many crafts and knick knacks to purchase.  Many of the items in Oaxaca are hand made.  Oaxaca is actually known for it’s crafts, in particular their green ceramics.  But there are many other crafts, such as basket weaving and wood carving and many textiles to choose from.

These bags with little people look
very familiar....

A little further in you finally reach the food.  You have 2 options, prepared food or food you want to cook yourself.  I have been staying away from the prepared food because there are flies galore over there.  And the meat they use is open to the air and not refrigerated and flies land all over it.  It definitely doesn’t look sanitary and for now, I will stick to cooking the food myself.  I have never seen so many spices and options.  There was a pile of chilies 3 times the size of me and there are huge bags of seasonings.  I’m still not quite sure what mole is, but they have so many different kinds in bowls for you to scoop and they have Chapulines all over the place. (Chapulines=fried grasshoppers that come in 3 different sizes with 3 different seasoning options…).  I told you about this yesterday when Rocky tried one at Solexico.

 

Chapulines....hop, hop, hop

What kind of chili were you looking for?

Maybe I could interest you in some spices instead?

Rocky cooking dinner on our little stove top

After our adventure in the market, we headed to dance class. Unfortunately, it had to be canceled due to a family emergency.  I am dying to learn how to salsa because many of the nightclubs around here are salsa clubs…and this is going to be a valuable skill since I’m here for 2 months.  Instead Rocky and I went home and cooked dinner.

My new gym!

I decided to go to the gym and sign up for Zumba classes.  The gym is only 2 blocks away and a 2 month membership was less than $50 US dollars.  The class was fun, but the people in the class are kind of old…and I’m by far the youngest person there.  But zumba is zumba and I had fun doing it.

Rocky and I finished off our night watching “Cheaters” in Spanish… trash TV is even funnier when you can’t understand it!

Shout out to Mairead!,

Maria Katerina