La Gatita en Paraíso (The Kitten in Paradise)

Hola a todos!

Last week was my birthday, so I took a week off from blogging. To make up for it I will be posting twice this week.

Anyway, I thought I'd take this time to share a little about an amazing creature that lives with me in Oaxaca. Her name is Gizmo, and she is my adorable 6 year-old tabby cat. She is also a very special and amazing little kitty. I know a lot of owners say the same thing about their respective pets, but I think I can make the convincing argument that in my case, at least, its very true. Let me share a little bit of of Gizmo's story with you.

I first met Gizmo in October of 2006, when in Uncle Hardy's Fun Shop I spotted a flyer advertising "Free Kittens", the only requirement being that they go to a home that won't declaw them. I remember saying "Oh free kittens!" and the lanky guy behind the counter unfolded his long body and sprang to his feet--"I'm the one with the free kittens...". And we went from there.

Oh my! What big eyes you have!

As it turned out, by the time I called only one kitten was left, but he described her to me as very beautiful kitty with a sweet character and assured me that I would love her. I went by his home (which was actually not far from parent's house) to pick up my little two month-old kitten. And that's when I met the cutest thing ever--a sweet little tiny tabby with big eyes. I picked her up and held her in my arms, and the Uncle Hardy's guy remarked "I have never seen her stay in someone's arms for so long!". From that moment I knew that she and I would have a special bond.

Little Gizmo peeking through the window.

To give a little more of an idea of the specialness of Gizmo--she has moved about 8 times in her short life. Now, the conventional wisdom is that cats are more attached to places than people. When you move a cat, there are a series of steps you take to ensure that your cat doesn't flip out and try to run back "home". But every time Gizmo has moved, she has been a trooper.

Her first move came in Chicago, when I relocated from one apartment to another. Next, after a 3-month absence and about 4 weeks of being extremely angry with me for leaving her behind in Chicago while I galavanted (sp?) about Oaxaca, she came with me on an air flight to Tucson, Arizona, where I was going to start graduate school. She settled in quite nicely and became a queen of the desert, though a slightly less campy version than Priscilla, and lived among lizards and coyotes for almost 3 years.

Her biggest adventure came next, when she was plucked from her home and placed into a kennel, until 5 days later when a friend of mine could rescue her. She stayed with him for about two weeks before being woken up one morning, snatched from a pile of blankets and sweaters, stuffed into a cage, taken to a vet where she got poked and prodded and injected, then back into the cage where she endured a 2 hour road trip to Phoenix, and then not one, not two, but three THREE flights from there to Oaxaca (PHX --> Hermosillo --> DF --> Oaxaca). Somehow she made it through being stuck in the underbelly of a dark tube just fine, and without being extremely mad at me.

However, landing in Oaxaca didn't mean the end of her moving around. I stayed in a small 1-bedroom place when I first arrived, then when Chuck came down we moved to another apartment, Gizmo in tow. Finally, once our casita opened up again, we packed her up one final (hopefully) time and brought her there. And she seems to have settled in just peachy, and in fact I suspect she is even enjoying herself. She's already brought down one bird and took out a mouse, at least that we know of, and she spends her days napping at her leisure and her nights terrorizing the neighborhood birds.

Gizmo in her favorite hiding spot in our old apartment now office.

And through all the constant moving and having to readjust to new environments, Gizmo has remained a happy, cuddly little kitten. She'll often jump into bed, snuggling with me and curling up into the crook of my arm. She's as vocal and sing-songy as ever, and she still does things that make your heart break from all the cuteness.

So this was my long ode to my lovely Gizmo. She's a sweetheart and a true trooper, and I hope she sticks around for a long time.

Stay tuned for the next post tomorrow!

Omigosh, so much fun!

Hola a todos!

Well so its been sometime since I last posted, with a promise of adventures to come. Come they did, and it was an especially good time. Since then I have been working and having more adventures. If I have not mentioned it previously, last semester was quite the busy and stressful one, and a vacation was much needed. Anyway, on to the good stuff.

Wednesday, July 14, I went with my friends Chuck and Oscar to the palanque out in Santiago Matatlan where the mezcal they import to the US and around the world is produced. The fabrica is called Don Tacho, after the owner, and he is a lovely man. We got there around nine, and were immediately offered mezcals. Heh. After a lovely and much needed breakfast, we walked around back to where the mezcal is roasted and fermented. After it is roasted, the maguey is pounded with a huge stone pulled by a horse.

Then the liquid is air-fermented and stored in huge plastic barrels.  In this picture you can see the person taking out the mash after the fermenting process.

 The meeting itself was interesting, as there were these two chavos from Guadalajara were trying to convince the mezqueleros that they needed to modernize, for whatever reason. They were trying to sell this whole mechanized process and admitted within the first two minutes that the process would change the taste of the mezcal. Eck. And of course, with a mechanized process, it stops being mezcal and just becomes tequila, which no one likes nor wants. Objections were raised of course, but who knows what will happen? Hopefully, the history we witnessed that day was resistance to modernization and a preservation of tradition rather then the conversion of mezcal to shitty tequila. Because, above everything else, if they mechanize the production process, the horse pulling the stone and the man taking out the mash will lose their jobs.

Anyway, the next day Chuck, Carolina and I traveled to Mitla to meet with Don Richard for a lecture on Oaxacan archaeology. After a lovely meal at the palapa, from which you can get an excellent view of the cave of Guila Nequitz where they found some of the earliest domestic cultigens, we went to the ruins of Mitla. And got in for free! Excellent.

Unfortunately, it began to pour so we had to jet. At least we got see the best parts of the site. Once the rain had ceased, I took Chuck--Carolina had left to get back to Oaxaca during a lull in the rain--to see other monticulos that weren't part of the formal archaeological zone of Mitla. Most tourists only see the ruins up the hill, the more famous ones, but the modern town of Mitla is actually much smaller than the archaeological town. And the best part? These other structures can be seen for free. So we checked out Patio G, and then my favorite El Magote which is where Megh and I used to go drink beers and watch the storms over the mountains. It was pretty cool. From the top of El Magote you have a view of the entire Mitla valley subarm. Chido.

The next day, after I interviewed the guantero who makes the gloves for pelota mixteca, I went to the Feria de Mezcal, which is a 12 day festival where people get to try mezcal marcas from all over the state. Chuck and Oscar, along with Don Tacho's family, had a stand at the Feria. Chuck, another woman named Blanca, and I got to participate in the calenda which opened the festival. Starting at the Almada de Leon, we walked in the calenda and gave out mezcal to people. It was a good time.

Ok, so that was those 3 days. I promise to post more, including some of the ballgame stuff I have been up to. This weekend, we go to San Jose del Pacifico up in the mountains and then onto the beach. Yeah!

Been a while, head in strange space...

Sorry for the long silence on posting. Most of the blame can be laid at the feet of simple exhaustion at the end of a long day of fieldwork and an impossibly slow internet connection during my week at Coixtlahuaca--which occupied my time from May 31-June 5. Digging there was fun, and I promise to post pictures soon of a wonderful and awe-inspiring landscapes and vistas, plus some great archaeology.

View of the valley from one of the sites we worked at.

The week in Coixtlahuaca was followed by my birthday, which was a mixture of sadness and happiness, but thankfully landed more on the latter side of the divide. I had a lovely dinner with Dr. Ron Spores and his brother and sister-in-law, then went out with friends where we danced till 2:30 in the morning! My hair was wet when I took it down before going to bed!



Sunday--the actual B-day--was rather quiet, though a friend of mine that I had met in Coixtlahuaca did come down to Oaxaca and we went out to a bar or two. At the second the bartender invited us to a free mezcal and beer, which was nice. He tried to send another one, but we said thanks but no thanks. Er. Then we went home, watched a movie and passed out. My friend left the next day to Mexico City.

And I left to go to Nochixtlan to help out a friend for the week. Unfortunately, while at the top of the Cero Jazmin, I received a phone call from Bertha, indicating that I had received an email from Dra. Nelly Robles, and that it would be best for me to come back to Oaxaca asap and get stuff straightened out and started up with her.

Well, its the second day. I'm awaiting "instructions" so I can know what the hell I'm doing. Sigh. And my mentor, Ron, is happy about it. I don't think he's going to charge in like a white knight, and I don't know if its going to do much as it seems I am being unfairly selected to be jerked around (which is right now too depressing to relate but I promise a post on this later), but its nice to know he cares. We'll see what happens.

Since I seem to be stuck at an impasse, I have decided to concentrate on what actually matters at the moment, which is my ball court project. On Sunday a friend and I are going up to meet with a Señor who seems to be heavily involved in arranging pelota mixteca or ball game matches, and there's supposed to be a tournament in this one village, which I am looking forward to. I also need to start hitting up some ball courts, though since I did limit myself to at least three, I don't think I should have too much trouble accomplishing that task.

Till next time, I promise that a post will follow this one very shortly.

The teachers did what?

So May is protest month here in Oaxaca, with the teachers leading the charge and cries of "Vive APPO" ringing around--and spray painted on various buildings. Of course, to understand some of what's going on, one has to go back to the Troubles of 2006, but that's a long and complicated topic which I would rather not get into here. Suffice to say, as Teri did "Is change needed in Oaxaca? Yes. Will it come with the teachers union in charge? No." You can't expect change when those leading the call are practically mafiosos themselves.

Today Bertha and I made the big visit to the immigration office, since all my papers were in order (ay por fin). Everything was reviewed and approved and ready to go. The only problem? The teachers have taken over the banks all over the state. You see, the last thing I need is to take this form (Mexicans love forms) to the bank, make my payment, get it stamped, make copies, and then take these copies plus the original, back to the immigration office. Which would have been possible to day had the teachers not decided that TODAY, of all days (not even Friday, but that's when people get paid!) is the day they are going take over the banks. Damn. But we asked one of the professors when the takeover would be over, and they indicated that it would be over tomorrow. So I'll just take care of that tomorrow.

Sigh. But soon this visa process will be over, and I will be able to join the excavations! I also travel to Mitla today, so hopefully on the way through Tlacolula, I can find the one bank that's open (maybe) and get this stamped so I can just go to the office tomorrow and get my papers!

Anyway, the photos that follow are some of the graffiti that APPO and anarchists have been throwing up on the walls around the Centro Historico.

Sundry things

Hey, only 3 days later. Not bad--slowly getting better at this, back into the swing of things. Well, Thursday was an interesting day. I met up with Bertha in front of the immigration office and we spoke with a woman, clearing up some of the confusion I had had about what the necessary documents are for changing my status from Tourist to FM-3 Student (basically means that I can be in Mexico as long as I please, can come and go as I please, and I just need to renew every year before it expires...sweet!). The woman indicated that I just had to get what was on the list, with the exception of a letter from a school here in Mexico saying that I've been accepted, since...well, since I'm not a student here in a school but as a student archaeologist learning on a field project.

So no more apostille! Thank god, though I still plan on getting one next year any way just to be safe.

After parting ways with Bertha, I took a colectivo to Mitla to see Richard. First stop was at a Modelo store, cause you can't go to Richard's empty-handed. Then, since I had not had lunch, it was a trip over to the Mercado and a bee-line to my favorite torta stand, where I chatted with the Señora behind the counter. Lo and behold to my delight she did in fact remember me, and we chatted pleasantly about how said it was that los gringos don't like el sabor picante, qué lastíma. As I walked out of the marketplace I had a pleasant run-in with Elena, nuestra concinadora from last year. We greeted each other with loud exclamations and platicamos mucho, and she even gave me two free bottles of Yakult, the sweetheart. I promised to make a visit with I came back to Mitla.

Finally, I went over to Richard's, where we shared some beers and he gave me advice on my ball court project. Then, when he indicated that he needed to back to bed (Richard is very sick), he lent me his hat and coat and this guerita trudged it back to Oaxaca, taking the bus which thankfully stopped in Tlacolula so I could pee and, an added bonus, buy some tamales. Sweet.

Friday I spent most of the day in Teposcolula with Bertha and Willy. I got a chance to see the exposición about the site nearby, Pueblo el Viejo or Yuncundaa in Mixtec, and I also spent some lovely time in the rose garden of the ex-convento, listening to the birds and the wind. Funny enough, while I was watching a video produced for the exposición, there was a temblor or small earthquake which shook the walls of the building. For a moment there I stood up in indecision, not sure if I should run outside or stay put. Thankfully it only lasted for about ten seconds--later on I found out that the epicenter had been in Puebla, the state to the northwest of us.

Olga, the coordinator for the site, found me at one point and we walked over to where Bertha was so we could do a tour of the site. Olga mentioned my wanting to work at the site, to which I very carefully responded that I did and what I could do for them. She indicated that to her it didn't matter much and that there was a lot of work to do, and for me to give her my email so that she could talk to Dra. Nelly and confirm to me a yes or a no. Cognizant of wanting to make a good impression, I was very polite and answered her questions, asking my own in turn.

Anyway, the site visit was nice. Afterwards we stopped for dinner at the Palapa, which was only okay. Waited around for a bit while Bertha talked to some people at the municipio, then it was back to Oaxaca. Wily and Bertha dropped me off at El Centro where I met up with Ricardo, Véronica, and her sister whose name I can't recall at the moment. A few (and I literally mean only two person) beers later, we called it a night and I cabbed it back to Cinco Señores, the colonial where I kinda live but don't (our address is technically in Fernando Sandoval Gómez).

As for today? Worked more on translation stuff for my FM-3 and learned to play bridge, which I still don't quite understand and which I figure will take a few more games (or a dozen) before I can even begin to sorta grasp the rules. I think there are also plans to go out tonight, but we'll see.

Looks like I will be doing some archaeology (god willing) fairly soon. Till later!

Solicito a INM...quiero quedarme aqui!

Sorry for the long silence since the last post. Not too much exciting stuff going on, though I've been recently occupied with changing my immigration status from "turista" to non-immigrant student, basically an FM-3 that's a little easier to obtain than other immigration documents. Getting this thing is going to require jumping through a few hoops--a lot of redundant copying, tiny little passport photos, carta personal to say that yes, I do want to work and live and stay here in Mexico. Also puts me out about $300, but its well worth it. Not only do I have the coverage when I'm doing research or working on a field project, but I no longer have to deal with 6 month tourist visas that sometimes overlap, and it only takes $50 to get the sucker renewed each year.

Thankfully in this process I have Berta,la mujer extraordinaire, to help me out. She's going to help me with getting the formal letter from the Foundation's Yucundaa project and the letter proving that I have a place of residence here. So, the only big hoop to jump through is getting an apostille (Thanks Hague convention) for my master's degree to prove its legit. This is proving to be slightly difficult although not daunting--thankfully I have some people who are willing to take care of it, just not at the time I need them to do so. So I'm hunting my brother down, trying to get in touch with him to ask him the biggest favor in the world.

Travis, if you are out there....call me yah?

How strange to be back......

Ha ha. When I graduated two years ago from MAPSS I pretty much though that that would be the end, that except for the occasional party and random happenstance that I would never set foot on campus or the Regenstein Library ever again. Well, life and work has proved my very wrong.

I'm actually at the Reg, as we not very affectionately called it, right now doing research for a project proposal I plan to submit to G. Feinman. It's kinda odd being here, but thank god its the summer quarter when there are very few students roaming the bookstacks. If this had been any other quarter, I probably would have taken one look at the multitude of 18 to 22 year old college snots and fled in horror at subjecting my crone-ish self to their presence.

But in another sense it feels great to be here. There is a certain feeling of belonging, that in truth I am indeed right at home surrounded by books and learning, doing research for articles and submersing myself in the pleasures of reading about my field and interests. Though, I still feel as I did back when I was actually a student here and not some strange visitor--that I just can't wait to get the hell out of this Brutalist prison and back into the sunshine.

Er ya...so back in the States

Hah, so its been some time since I last posted. Right now I'm at my old apartment (ex-apartment?) getting started on the packing process, enjoying once again the rapid connectivity of high-speed internet. Last two weeks have been kinda crazy--the first I spent in Teposcolula, Teotihuacan and about 24 hours in D.F., the second has been spent trying to not only adjust to being in an English-speaking country again but also preparing for and being part of my friend Carolyn's wedding (this one sans elephant, unfortunately). Still trying to screw my head on right.

Anyway, obviously there will be many posts to come, catching up on the last of my adventure in Oaxaca as well as detailing the next chapter in my life which is, of course, moving away from Chicago and to Tucson for my doctorate program. And there will be pictures too! So stay tuned...

My birthday and the craft village tour

So, I had all these big plans for my birthday and it kinda turned out to be a bust. Well, it started out great...Friday night I had a wonderful dinner with my friend Steven and then we partied with other friends till the maldrugada--so I can say that the first 5 hours of my birthday were great. But as it turns out, the flu was lurking behind the corner and only need a late night and a vulnerable immune system to crash through the gates. On Saturday, I had a fever and couldn't keep food down, but I had wonderful people taking care of me.

On top of that, you can't keep a good girl down and I will be making up for my birthday like hell. That's what birthmonths are for! Anyway, as promised here are some pictures from when I took my roommates on a craft village tour of Oaxaca. We started out in Ocotlán, where we saw this lovely fountain:
Not sure what it is with fountains and young boys and their penises, but there you have it.

Once in Ocotlán, I took the girls to see God in the local church. As you can see below:
...he's just hanging out in some sun rays with the angels.

After checking in on God, we went and had lunch before going on to our first stop, Sto. Tomás, which is a craft village famous for its weaving.Here is an older woman is weaving on her loom. At this village we scored some belts and other cool things.

Unfortunately this is where the pics end. For our next stop we went to San Martín Tilcajete to pick up some alebrijes, these fantasical wooden creatures that are usually brightly colored and made of copal wood. In San Martín you visit people's workshops and talk to the artists themselves, and the pieces are very affordable and really cool. I didn't take any pictures there cause of the many signs that said not too.

At the last place we went to (first place we visited and of course went back to for some awesome stuff cause the artist was going to give us a discount), I was speaking to the artist and owner of the shop Francisco Fabian Ojeda--and we were talking about the ancient Zapotecs when he told me about this fermented cactus pear drink--tuna in Spanish--that used to be ritually prepared. Apparently there is one abuelita in town who still makes it, and he offered a copa to me and the roomies. After tasting that he asked if I wanted some mezcal he had, which turned out to be homemade and very strong. It was wonderful. So I had a few of those and some more of the fermented tuna drink, and of course since the mezcal was so strong I had to finish my roomies' copas.

Suffice to say that by the end of it, I was quite tipsy and therefore did not take any pictures at our next stop, San Bartolo Coyotepec, where we went for the barro negro, which is famous Oaxacan black pottery. I picked up some really cool pieces, including a small skull with flower designs in the cap. All in all it was a really fun day and later on in Oaxaca we sat in the zocálo and had a few beers.

Well, to end this post, here is a picture I took of myself with a flower in my hair that I picked in Sto. Tomás. Till next time!

So, I did something yesterday...

...and it wasn't as expensive as I was afraid it would be. Meg and I changed our return tickets in order to come back later, on June 30th instead of the 25th. After working so hard, I feel that I do deserve a nice vacation, especially since I'm not getting any days off around my birthday--thank god that's on a Saturday, my one day off!

Planning a trip to the beach, a visit to Tepos...and something else so special that I am afraid to talk about it too much should it not go through. But if it does, you can bet I will have really cool pictures! As for other pictures I mean to post...well, I am only here at the internet cafe for an hour, but I promise that I will have a ton of cool photos up on Thursday.

Till later!

Another quick note...

Kinda late tonight at the internet cafe. Trying to change my flight back to the States, to no avail. Will have to call United I guess. Great weekend, went on a craft village tour and I promise to write a longer post about that...with pics!

Also, my birthday is this Saturday. Plan is to go to Oaxaca on Friday, have a nice dinner with Steven, then go clubbing. On the big day, gonna eat breakfast at La Crepe, this awesome...well...crepe place that is just so delicious! Then, going for a hike in Cerro San Felipe, close to where I used to live in Oaxaca four years ago. Finally, nice quiet, simple dinner at Maria Bonita, the restaurant owned by my host parents from four years ago as well. Can't wait!

Updates and such....

Hey ya'll, thought I'd give everyone a brief update. Finally got the immunization restriction lifted on my student account (thanks ma!) and was able to register for classes! Yes, so exciting...okay I admit it, I'm the nerd supreme and picking classes is quite the thrill for lil' ol' me. I'm registered for a archaeology theory course, which should be interesting as I took something similar my last quarter at UChicago so it will be fun to compare. I will also be taking a course taught by my advisor and the professor I most want to work with, T. Inomata, on Mesoamerican archaeology, focusing on Mexico north of the Maya region. Sweet.

The last class was kind of hard to choose as originally I was supposed to register for another requirement but at the last minute an email was sent out detailing a change of plans. Shoot. So I had to rush around and try to choose another course...and unfortunately there were none that really grabbed my attention. Finally settled on a course with the topic of Anazasi archaeology (the more general Southwest archaeology course is being taught by a professor I had been just warned against) and funny enough one of the two professors teaching that course is C. Adams, who is a good friend of my Grandpa's who he worked with during a field season at Crow Canyon. Sweet! Already got the connections...

In other news, we've moved into the lab and out of the field officially. Arg, would rather be hiking up the hill than spending nine hours in silence, but that's a story best told over several beers in sympathetic company. Also, my time down here is coming to a close, which I am really sad about. Not sure if I want to come back at all, in all truth. Oaxaca is too much like home, I love it here. Plus, I'm a Mexican for all those concerned anyway...and suddenly I have become fluent in Spanish. Oh well. That's why I'm going to try to extend my ticket!

As promised....

Pictures of me with some of the workers on my last day in the field. Excuse how sweaty and dirty I look...I was shoveling dirt for 4.5 hours!

Yo y Juana la Cubana

Yo y Usiel

Yo y Teofila

Yo y Joel

Yo y Memo

Also, pretty busy weekend this weekend, but quickly running out of time! This weekend went up to Oaxaca to met up with a good friend of mine, then me and the roomies went with a friend of mine, dutch archaeologist Steven Brusse, to La Fortalezza, a Post-Classic Zapotec site a half hour hike from Mitla. I will be posting pictures of that and the story on Wednesday.

Btw, I am also officially registered as a student at UA and have picked my classes! Woohoo, I am on my way!

Gosh what a week!

Erg, its been long but very interesting. We had so much excitement at the beginning at the week with out super-secret find and after that it was...well, sorta anti-climatic but interesting anyway. Last night Meg and I went to the lab to do some work and drink beer, but had to stop halfway through because the rain had become so loud and it started hailing--again!--that we couldn't concentrate and had to shout at each other to even talk. Then we walked home, taking off our flip-flops since we didnt want to slip--I only remembered about all the dog shit later of course--and walking in a river of ice-cold water. Suddenly all the lights went out and we were in the dark, but we weren't far from the house and we were laughing the whole time.

Being at the site has been interesting. The workers have started to call me "jefa" and ask for my opinion on things. I guess they figure since I yell at them to do things that I am a boss of sorts now. And I do tell them what to do quite often, or they will ask me what they should do--which is pretty cool. They recently asked me if they should take out this rock that appeared to have fallen, but I didnt want them to do anything without consulting Gary first. And Joel was like, "pero tu eres una jefa" and I told them I didnt have enough experience but it was still pretty cool.

Went to the farm yesterday as well, where we saw the baby goats. A calf had been born that morning so it was still all wet and new. Pretty sweet. Then the mother turned around and we saw the afterbirth still hanging from her, and being silly Meg and I took pictures while our new roommate was grossed out. But its shit like that that you don't get to see everyday and as a city girl its still quite a new experience for me. I got one sweet pic of it that is so going on Facebook to gross out everyone else. Heh.

Tomorrow we go to Atzompa, which is a site near Monte Alban and I think was as sujeto of the larger city. I have never been there before so I am pretty excited. Plus, I know a few of the archaeologists that work there, having met them earlier at the director of Monte Alban's birthday party, so its a good opportunity to make connections and get my name out there. Afterward Meg and I are probably going to have lunch in Oaxaca then head back to Mitla to go check out some caves that she had visited previously. Pretty exciting day tomorrow if I do say so myself. Now we're off to drink beers at el magote, an unreconstructed temple/house/edificío of some sort. Laters.

Cena en el cerro

Normally we spend Sundays in the lab and I hit my head against the wall after spending 8 hours tracing rocks into Adobe Illustrator and suddenly climbing that giant hill doesn't seem so bad. But this Sunday things changed up a bit--we went to the site instead as we had found what we had hoped to find all season long--has to be a secret though! What we found was incredibly exciting and extremely sensitive, so los jefes felt it was best to work on it as soon as possible and not leave it open to the possibility of being looted longer than necessary.

So we spent all Sunday at the site...had a photographer from National Geographic with us so the day would pass slowly then speed up when exciting things were happening. We didn't finish till quite late and by the end everyone was starving. Thankfully, the miracle worker known as la esposa de Pedro showed up with a almond drink called pozole (which funny enough is also a red broth corn soup that is absolutely delicious!) and chicken tamales. While she passed out the tamales, Teofila, la hija de Pedro and also one of our trabajadoras, passed out the pozole. I drank at least 3 cups and ate 2 tamales and was stuffed. It was a very nice way to end a quite interesting day.

Still not sure how I did it all...

But sometimes lightening does strike, ya know? I recently received the quite excellent news that I have been awarded a fellowship from the Univesity of Arizona--I am one of three students admitted this year to get one! Can you believe it? For some reason, this university--and frankly the three others I got in to as well--believe that I am, in Takeshi Inomata's words, a top student. In my acceptence letter from UA they even said that I was highly-qualified, based on my application. Guess my MA thesis, a mishmash of Lefebrve and human sacrifice, was impressive after all.

Of course this means that there are high expectations on my shoulders. I have to prove that I am worthy of not only the fellowship but also the appellation of top student. However, having had my ass kicked but still making it out quite nicely at the University of Chicago has--hopefully--prepared me for anything that UA has to throw at me. I am so excited! Once I get the silly hold lifted of my account (stupid immunizations requirements) and can register for classes...sigh, it will all be getting very real for me. Ack! Can't wait!

What? Hail...in Méxoco?

Yes indeed folks. We got hail last Wednesday, the day before May. What started out as a rainstorm, with some gota gordas (fat drops), quickly turned into a torrential downpour. Water was starting to come under Meghan's door and the wind was fairly feirce and blowing it in all directions. Suddenly I felt something hard hit me in the leg--ow!

I looked down and saw a little ball of ice. Then more. Quickly I realized that hail was coming down as well. And did it ever! It must have hailed for some 30 minutes. We had piles of it at our doors and building up in the corners of our courtyard--which by that time had turned into a lake. Meghan and I took as many pictures as could stand to take while getting pelted--we just couldn't believe what our eyes were seeing.

The next morning a lot of the hail had yet to melt. On the drive to Matátlan I saw unmelted piles of it everywhere, along with a dense fog. Funny enough, it had rained only lightly in Matátlan y sin granizo (and without hail). What a wild storm that was--apparently something that only happens every three years or so.

¡El Santito Ipod se fue al cielo!

Alejandro, one of our trabajadores, said that yesterday and I thought it was just the funniest thing I had ever heard. Basically, it translates to "The little saint Ipod went to heaven". So yeah...my Ipod died yesterday. It had been experiencing difficulties for a while, since this past winter in fact. Typically it would freeze up and then we would have to restart it.

However, in the past week or so the harddrive crashed twice, and it wouldn't let me restart it. I had to let the battery die and then recharge it in order to get it to work again. So when it crashed again two days ago I didn't worry and simply let the battery die and then plugged it in. I let it charge overnight. When I woke up the next morning tenía ganas de escuchar a Modest Mouse (I really wanted to listen to Modest Mouse) so I unplugged it and hit the on button. Nothing. I hit it again. Still nothing. So I plugged it into the wall charger again to see what was up--and the symbol to indicate that the Ipod was charging didn't come on. In fact, nothing happened.

Sigh. So that's it. My Ipod is dead. So long, dear Ipod. You were a good friend these past 3 years. You and I have been through so much, and I will miss you dearly.

Oh yeah, and hello new 80gb BLACK Ipod. I can't wait to see you next week!

A time-honored tradition...

...of men peeing in the streets. Serious, fly down dick out in broad daylight, early morning, as the sun sets. Whenever. I have never seen so many men peeing in my life...and I lived with a guy for 5 years. Mexican men seem to have no compunction about letting it rip and drip in front of everyone.

The funniest incident occured when I was walking to Gary and Linda's to go to the field this one morning. This borracho (drunk) was leaning against the lamppost and slurred "¿Güero, adónde vas güero?" (Non-indio, where are you going?). See, at the time I was hunched over, wearing a sports-bra that squashed my boobs, workshirt and a bandana to cover my head--so in the dark concievably I could totally be taken for a joven. And honestly I didn't mind, because as he repeated his question I could hear the unmistakable sounds of him letting loose and peeing right against the lamppost. So I answered in my best guy-voice "A trabajar" (to work) and kept walking with my head down.

But seriously...hombres, lo mantienen en los pantelones, ¿por favor?

Bang! Boom! There goes the wedding.

About 6 or 7 am this morning we heard a huge bang--of course on the one day we get to sleep in. I remember mumbling "are they mining?" before rolling over and attempting to go back to sleep before hunger just took over and demanded I get up (which I did only a little while later, rising at 7:30 to make myself chorizo and eggs, yum!) As Meg and I walked up Calle Cosijoeza we saw a huge tent in the street with flowers up everywhere. What was going on, she asked and I replied that it had to be a wedding or a birthday party...quienceñera something. As some people walked past I quickly spit out "Hay boda hoy" (Is there a wedding today?) and they replied yes.

When we got to Gary & Linda's it was confirmed that the landlord of their complex's niece's daughter was getting married today (or the dead woman, as they called her, la difunta--la hija de la difunta the daughter of the dead woman). Since then its been constant noise all day, random explosions throughout the day--just a half hour ago there was one so loud that Meg visibly jumped--and right about 2pm or so the band started playing. Apparently, this thing could go all night. Around ten or so the dance music will start and they will put up amplifiers so that everyone within a 2-mile radius can enjoy the party. At that point it will be open to everyone in the neighborhood--even the goats, donkeys and chickens that are always underfoot and loud at 4am--and I plan to stop by and see if they'll let a güera get her groove on.