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Published: July 22nd 2005
Well, this will probably be my last blog from Oaxaca. I am leaving for Chiappas Sun night. Back to the joys of the overnight buses (the triple threat for those of you in the know). The topic of todays blog, boys and girls, is family in Oaxaca.
Well, as you probably know, I have been living with a very nice, helpful family here in Oaxaca. Its been quite a trip though, with the small details. For instance, about 7 people seem to live in this small house, bc the son and his wife and their son are staying there so that the four year old can attend a special school here in Oaxaca. They all live in this small room in the front. There there are the senor and senora, who pretty much take care of me. The senora makes wonderful food, and the senor sits and speaks with me in spanish. Often they give us little peices of advice like, dont eat hot dogs when its raining bc they will give you a stomachache. Then there is the 25 year old daughter who sleeps in the same room with the senora and senor. Strange, bc there are other rooms in the house, and there is another student staying at the house now, and we could technically, share a room. Also, there is a front room that you could be used as a bedroom but instead is used for all of the sewing equipmet (she sew her own clothes, its pretty cool.)
So Bertha, the 25 year old, finally graduated from Tourism school today, after four years of waiting for a signature, so really she graduated four years ago. She is really nice, and i couldnt attend the graduation because i was in school, but fortuanatley i was able to go to the party this afternoon. So we get there, to the house for the party, and theres a whole bunch of guys sitting there eating. Bertha was busy serving them at her own party, and barely got to sit down and eat. These guys werent even friends of hers, they know her Mantenido brother, the one who has no job, and stays at the house with his wife and son. But they dont even really know him. They are studying to be priests, (it took me most of the meal to even understand that, they talked REALLY fast and used a whole bunch of vocabulary I had never heard before.) It was really embarassing bc they said that they were here taking a class on art restoration to go back to their town and clean up the religious art. I thought they said that they were in art school, and then I thought they were taking cooking classes, bc i thought they said restaurante when they said restoracion. You see my confusion. So apparently they met the flojo brother bc he and his wife are taking the class too. Who knows why! It was a strange meal. After my restaurante mistake and the whole table laughing at me, I pretty much just kept my mouth shut. They were nice enough, but it sure was strange. The whole time I was trying to figure out why they were at Berthas party! Then some girls came, but she didnt really seem to know them either. All very strange. I dont think shes really allowed to go out and hang out with her friends being a single female.
Other funny things about this house is that although im allowed to come and go as I please, i pretty much am looked down upon when i go out late at night. Last night i came back at 3Ñ30, after a wild goose chase after Erica who had my keys, and apparently the senora told the other student at my house that I came back that late. Julie had actually come back at 3Ñ15, but she feigned shock at someone coming home that late bc she didnt know what else to do. And last night around 9 I was about to leave, and Julie told them she was going to meet some friends at a cafe. Well, they knew that I was leaving, but when she was going to go out walking at that hour, well, my goodness are you seruios. The senor litterally didnt believe that she was going, both she and i were like, yes shes leaving now. I dont know why it was such shock that she was going out but not me. Maybe Im already labelled as a party girl for going out twice the whole time ive been there. Who knows.
The senor also tries really hard to keep up the conversation and asks lots of questions about my life at home and what I am learning and everytihg. But I think that he is very used to people who dont speak much spanish (i guess i could be put in that category too), and so he has these really hilarious faces that he makes to show what he means. Like if its raining, he asks, tienes tu paraguas, and shows me with his hands putting up and umbrealla and getting wet from the rain. Or like if its really hot, pantomimes sweating a lot and being very tired. Its all quite amusing.
Anyway, cant really think of many other annecdotes for you right now. Oh, one other. They love to tell me about how they had to female students staying with them who were taking the salsa class. And the girls loved to practice every night at home together, and, can you belive it, two girls dancing together, one was the boy part, the other the girl and then they would switch. and they used to go around and around the table. I mean, this is like completely crazy behavior to them!
Well, Ill let you all know about my trip to chippas and then to the forbidden land.
Beses,
Dina
BTW, all the emails and comments on my blog are great, keep em coming!
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chelsea
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hey din i love your descriptions of your family, so funny. i will be sure not to ever eat hotdogs when it rains (unlike most ppl we know, i actually really love hotdogs) i'm sure i've told you this story, but when i was living with my host family in cholula, my fat and curious host brother once snuck into my stuff and ate a whole months worth of ortho tri cyclen. imagine me trying to use my beginner spanish to explain to my ultra-christian family a) that, yes, i took "anti-conceptivos" and b) that, yes, felipe now did also. hilarious. i love getting your pictures, i'm v. jealous of you, and i'm glad you're having a good time. good luck with the overnight bus!! i recommend a double dose of tylenol pm if you can get your hands on it. take care of yourself! besos, c