August 31, 2006
Foreign Interference?
I am in Oregon for the next 10 plus days...running errands and picking up my car to drive back down to Oaxaca. The night before I left Oaxaca a Mexican...Read this update
August 26, 2006
Oaxaca Signals
When the planton (encampments of strikers) feel they are being attacked, it will signal the campers to gather together to help. Fireworks will sound throughout the city. One bang means...Read this update
August 25, 2006
Willing To Negotiate
Protest leader Roberto García told The Associated Press on Thursday that demonstrators would accept an offer earlier this week from President Vicente Fox´s government to sit down at the negotiating...Read this update
August 24, 2006
Return Visit To Huayapam
August 24, 2006 Two days ago I made a return visit to Huayapam...with Francisco... Fortunately, the taxi driver was able to negotiate around a blocked road for the 20 minute...Read this update
August 23, 2006
Letters From A Teacher
A University of Kentucky professor received an email from a Oaxacan teacher who took his undergraduate classes in Oaxaca. Teacher's Letter Tuesday August 22, 2006 "I received your message and...Read this update
August 22, 2006
News From An Email Friend
Francisco just came to my apartment this morning Aug 22 for coffee...he said he heard in the Centro this morning, August 22, that the "church people" are upset that the...Read this update
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August 21, 2006
Getting Visa At Immigration
Went to the zocalo at 7am...burned out car half a block from zocalo on Bustamante. Wanted to go to immigration to get my visa...waited half an hour for bus on...Read this update
Voices On A Loudspeaker
I live on Fiallo about 4 blocks from the zocalo... at 4am I woke up hearing what could have been semi-automatic gun-shots in the direction of the zocalo. Then I...Read this update
August 20, 2006
Red Alert Again
Notice from the Oaxaca Study Action Group yahoo discussion site posted in the evening of Sunday August 20: "Friends this is a red alert indicating that Noticias (newspaper) warehouse was...Read this update
Speaking To The Future
APPO (the popular assembly) held a national forum to discuss ungovernability and a new constitution last Wednesday and Thursday, August 16th and 17th in Oaxaca that was reportedly attended by...Read this update
Sunday Morning
I am cranky this morning. I was up all night because of a very noisy wedding party in the courtyard below my apartment window. So I went to my favorite...Read this update
August 18, 2006
Lovely Oaxacan Family
Last night I visited a gentle sincere Oaxacan family that lives about 20 minutes in the mountains northwest of the city in San Andreas Huayapan. The couple roasts fragrant locally...Read this update
Democracy Now Interview
You can view a video of an interview of Jill Friedberg, who made a documentary video of the teacher's union movement, called Granito De Arena, and several Oaxacenos and other...Read this update
August 16, 2006
Teachers Close Banks
Today all the banks were closed by teachers who were blocking entry. Teachers sitting on the sidewalk...all in a row...blocking buildings. A familiar sight by now. Today, maybe ten to...Read this update
Shirin Ebadi
In Bangkok, in April of 2005 at the Thailand Foreign Correspondent's Club I listened to a talk by Shirin Ebadi...a strong brave woman lawyer who won the 2003 Nobel Peace...Read this update
August 15, 2006
The Women
I have been hanging out with Francisco who is from Mexico City but loves Oaxaca and comes often to sell books in Spanish at a cut rate to the teachers....Read this update
A Hidden War
The last few days, just to see what tourists see, I have deliberately not checked in with www.narconews.com, a leftist web site that often posts summaries of actions in the...Read this update
August 13, 2006
Why Blog
It's a quiet Sunday morning...as Sundays are in Oaxaca...people home with their families. I often think of this blog...and other blogs...and wonder what is the value of putting so many...Read this update
August 12, 2006
Whats To Love About Oaxaca
Juanita, the Mexican-American woman I met at Pachote Market, will ride down here with me in my car in September...a road trip to Las Vegas to see Greg, to Phoenix...Read this update
August 11, 2006
Funeral In The Zocalo
I was sitting on a sidewalk in the Zocalo today trying to read my Spanish language notice from the post office when all of a sudden hundreds of people started...Read this update
August 10, 2006
Teacher Killed Today
El Universal.com reported tonight that a teacher was killed and several injured shortly after five armed men approached a teacher march that began in Oaxaca City today at 4pm. The...Read this update
August 09, 2006
Long Bus Tour
Took a tour of Colonial Reforma today...in the northern part of the city. Went to immigration to get my year-long visa and on the way the bus driver got into...Read this update
August 07, 2006
More Actions
APPO is planning on blocking roads into Oaxaca City...when I don't know..supposedly today. But La Jornada newspaper has reported this morning that 500 national military troops came in on buses...Read this update
Search For Truth In Oaxaca
There has been an on-going dialogue. so to speak, between some expats in Oaxaca City who are trying to understand, from the outside of course, what is going on here....Read this update
I Could Be In India
I was reading through some of my blog entries about India the other day and then I came upon this Slate.com article about India and laughed so hard I nearly...Read this update
August 06, 2006
Early Morning In The Zocalo
Vendors with hot chocolate, atole and red and green tamales stood at each end of the Zocalo at 7am...one giving free pan (sweet bread) and chocolate to two indigenous women...Read this update
August 05, 2006
One East On Third
On the e-hotelier.com web site a friend found this description of son Josh's restaurant in the Hilton Hotel in Beijing where he is the Chef de Cuisine: Hilton Beijing stars...Read this update
Francisco
Francisco wears a red T-shirt and straw hat and sells books in Spanish on the sidewalk in the Zocalo. Yesterday I noticed that some of the books were by the...Read this update
August 04, 2006
Serendipity
When I was in China a couple years ago, I met a lovely British woman in her 30's using an internet next to me in the bar at the Camellia...Read this update
August 02, 2006
Update on Living In Oaxaca
I have almost finished my application for a Mexican FM3 year-long visa. Forms have to be filled out exactly right...with copies...and money paid to a bank. About $200 for the...Read this update
July 28, 2006
A Complicated Business
Did I mention anti-Americanism? I'm not aware of any anti-American feeling toward me here in Oaxaca...and I'm sure I don't "pass" for anything other than American. Of all the thousands...Read this update
July 27, 2006
Who Are The "Porros?"
A well-placed resource gave me this explanation of the porros which is consistent with everything else I have heard: "Porros" is a term used to describe students [sometimes they are...Read this update
July 26, 2006
Unexpected Adventures
At Pachote Organic Market while sampling Mezcal, an alcoholic beverage made in Oaxaca from the agave plant, I met Juanita, a lovely Mexican-American woman, who was here visiting her daughter....Read this update
No One Died On June 14
Good news! The magesterio announced yesterday on Radio Universidad that nobody died in the June 14 attack on striking teachers by the police in Oaxaca City. Immediately after the attack,...Read this update
July 25, 2006
Response To Associated Press Article
On July 21, an outrageously slanted AP article "Protesters Take Over Oaxaca Mexico," appeared all over the U.S. press. Copy & paste this url: http://www.topix.net/content/ap/3571852116376727780802906133932155632365?threadid=V7KHE66NQ1FFIJ1S People who live here, especially...Read this update
U.S. Consular Advice
I picked this up on TripAdvisor.com...a travel site: As I've posted in a couple of threads, my wife and I are planning a trip to Oaxaca next week and had...Read this update
July 24, 2006
Oaxaca Open Art Studios
Today, friends Sharon and Sueki, a woman visiting from Tucson Texas who we met at Pachote Oganic Market, and I joined a tour of Mexican artist's homes in San Agustin...Read this update
July 23, 2006
Radio Universidad Attacked
Government reprisals are escalating. This is a report by Nancy Davies who listened in on an attack on Radio Universidad last night. This was posted by her on Yahoo Groups...Read this update
Teachers Forgotten?
Lois M. Meyer, Ph.D. Associate Professor Language, Literacy & Sociocultural Studies at the University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM gave this report to Nancy Davies of the Oaxaca Study Action...Read this update
July 22, 2006
What I Do Every Day
People ask me what I do all day! It is different every day. The first six weeks, since I arrived May 30, all my time was spent running errands and...Read this update
July 18, 2006
Marriage Blessing
My sons Josh and Greg have flown onto the island of Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands from Beijing and Las Vegas respectively. Josh and Amy will have Malcolm Miner, a...Read this update
Guelaguetza "Postponed"
The Asemblea of teachers and social groups succeeded in shutting down the indigenous dance festival, the Guelaguetza, that was scheduled for the 17th & 24th of July. Governor Ruiz announced...Read this update
July 16, 2006
Guelaguetza Tickets
I am still trying to get my tickets. Another goose chase. All week last week the entry to the Tourist Office was blocked by demonstrators. I received a calll from...Read this update
Early Morning In Oaxaca
The first picture is out the back...trees full of singing birds. The second picture was taken outside in front of my upstairs apartment. Now if the round-the-clock explosions up...Read this update
July 15, 2006
Groups Continue Disruption
For the last three days, I have gone to the Tourist Office opposite Parque de Llano to pick up my ticket for the Guelaguetza that I bought on ticketmaster.com only...Read this update
July 12, 2006
A Global Refugee
I receive an email from the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand today. This will definitely be my next book to read. Paiboon Publishing presents "A Chameleon's Tale: True Stories of...Read this update
Day To Day In Oaxaca
For someone living in Oaxaca City, the experience is much different than the political headlines might indicate. The Asemblea, that meets now in the building pictured above, decided last week...Read this update
July 08, 2006
Update On Teacher's Strike
Oaxaca Initiates Alternative Government Popular Assembly Reclaims Government Palace for the People By Nancy Davies Commentary from Oaxaca July 7, 2006 The Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca (APPO,...Read this update
June 29, 2006
Megamarch Draws 500,000
Photo From "Oaxaca Noticias" The local "Oaxaca Noticias" newspaper estimated 500,000 marchers at the 4th Oaxaca Megamarch...a historic event that included supporters from several neighboring states. Starting with a...Read this update
June 26, 2006
One Oaxacan Migrant Family
Yesterday I went to Tule...a small town of about 15,000 near Oaxaca City. What a charming place. Most of the men are gone up north, my driver said (as a...Read this update
June 24, 2006
Other Groups Move In
The following information was sent out in an email on Friday, June 23, by a volunteer with one of the indigenous activist groups: The week following the early morning police...Read this update
June 23, 2006
The "Governor's March"
Since he cannot run again the Governor of Oaxaca, Ulises Ruiz Ortiz, is intent on installing his "man" from his own PRI party into power during the elections July 2....Read this update
June 22, 2006
Asamblea Popular
In the meantime the teachers have reorganized and two community assemblies have been held which many see as an extremely important development for Oaxaca. According to a recent report by...Read this update
June 19, 2006
Market In Tlacolula
Yesterday my friend Sharon and I hopped a diesel-spewing bus for the hour ride to Tlacolula, southeast of the city, where vendors from multiple little villages around the Oaxaca...Read this update
June 18, 2006
My Friend's Trip To Oaxaca
This is an eye-witness narrative written by my friend Patricia Gutierrez from Querataro who, with her luck and mine, visited me the night of the attack on the teachers in...Read this update
June 14, 2006
Police Try To Rout Teachers
Patty Gutierrez, my long-time friend from Oregon, recently married a Mexican national, Jose, from Queretaro, north of Mexico City, and is now living there. They made the 6 hour drive...Read this update
June 11, 2006
Mexican Salsa Dancing
I had forgotten how much fun it is to dance to Mexican music! I think I am a Mexican trapped in a gringo body! Last Friday, Gerardo and his mom,...Read this update
June 05, 2006
A Field Guide To Getting Lost
My son, Josh, the little weasel, asked me what it felt like to be living alone in Oaxaca. It got me to thinking. Then I picked up a book at...Read this update
June 04, 2006
El Pochote Market & Cinema
North and east from my apartment on Fiallo St., through the Zocolo, under tents and guy-wires, I walked to meet my new friend, Sharon, at an organic market called El...Read this update
El Pochote Market & Cinema
North and east from my apartment on Fiallo St., through the Zocolo, under tents and guy-wires, I walked to meet my new friend, Sharon, at an organic market called El...Read this update
June 02, 2006
Oaxaca City
After three weeks in Salem sorting through 40 years of junk...one pile for St. Vincent de Paul, one pile for the dump, one pile to sell at the Assistance...Read this update
Oaxaca City
After three weeks in Salem sorting through 40 years of junk...one pile for St. Vincent de Paul, one pile for the dump, one pile to sell at the Assistance...Read this update