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Oaxaca Living

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

Well, today I put some wax on the tile on the veranda tiles hoping to make it easier to sweep up the dust (polvo) from the air and the road work they are doing near the apartment.  Cars and trucks have been detouring by the apartment and the dust flies up on my veranda.  Daily fight to keep it looking nice.  I had some cariso (1.5 inch banboo “sticks” ) put up on that ugly plastic “wall” that separates my veranda from the apartments on either side…at each end of the veranda. Really looks nice now and you can see it through the windows when you are in the living room. I put a rug out there and more plants.  Cozy.

My maid works 4 hours a week…and often cooks so I can learn to cook Oaxacan food…for about $15 a week.  The big thing is picking up the rugs and sweeping and mopping the dust off all these floors which I pick up on my feet and track onto the sheets. Quite a luxury.

I’ve been saving $ for travel.. Living among people who have little to spend kind of rubs off.  I get huffy when the taxi wants to charge 5 pesos more than he should. (about 25 cents.)

I have a friend, Paula, from Minneapolis, who has been here a year teaching English to 2nd graders in a private school.  She has this week to go and then she’s finished so we are planning on a couple overnight visits to mountain villages.  Will be nice to get out of the city.  These mountains are beautiful and besides I miss being in the mountains. But she’s going back on July 15 so will miss her when she’s gone.  Maybe it’s time to sign up for some language classes.:((

I got my visa…unlimited coming and goings…if I want to renew at the end of a year I have to go back to immigration 30 days before the end date…which will be sometime in May of 2010. I saved $200 again this time by doing it myself instead of using somebody.

People were practicing indigenous dancing in the park today along with music from a band to get ready for Gueleguetza in July.  So I got serenaded for free.

Looks like the Iran thing will peter out for the moment…but guess there is a split among the clerics. And looks like  Amadinejad will still be the one Obama will have to deal with.