Denise's Oaxaca Service-Learning Blog

We arrived in Oaxaca last night, and it´s good to be back! We´re staying at our same hotel, La Casa de La Tia, just two blocks from the zocalo (main square). Oaxaca looks much different without the teachers´ makeshift tents, and it´s nice to have a clear view of the buildings and not to have to duck. Ana Maria, our Oaxaca coordinator, met us at the hotel. After we stored our things in our rooms, we went for a walk downtown to find something to eat. The filmmaker of Granito de Arena, which documents the teachers´ struggle, said that we shouldn´t eat at the restaurants lining the zocalo, because their owners aided in the repression. We headed over to the market. By then it was pretty late, though, and not much was open. We decided to break into smaller groups and fend for ourselves. Blair and I stumbled upon Mila, Mel, Melissa and Gail at a restaurant not far from our hotel, and they said it was their favorite place to eat this past June. Blair and I had tacos al pastor. Ricos! By then, it was time to hit the sack, but we decided to pulse out some cash before going to bed.

Here´s where the story gets interesting. We went to one bank with five ATMs, and the first ATM said out of service. We figured that because we were asking for $200 and it was late, that machine was out of money. We went to the next. Same message. And the next. Same message. Five machines later, we gave up and thought we´d just try again in the morning. Well, Blair did try this morning, and the maching kept our card! In a panic, we sent an e-mail to our bank, telling them what had happened. Meanwhile, we were supposed to take off with our group at 9 a.m. for our tour to Monte Alban and its surrounding villages. The group told us to go to the bank that ate our card, because maybe we could get it back. If we didn´t go, they might destroy it. We were the first in line when the bank opened at 10 a.m. One of the tellers listened to our story and said that we wouldn´t be able to get the card back until Monday morning at 9 a.m. I asked if we could have an e-mail address of someone at the bank so our bank could be in contact with them. She sent us to one of the branch managers. After hearing our story, she said that our card would be cut up. No exceptions. That´s what they did with all cards that weren´t from their bank. After a more-than-slight panic, the branch manager spoke to someone else who told her that we coud get the card back on Monday. So, we´ll be there at 9 a.m. with bells on. Meanwhile, we´re living off the kindness of our fellow travelers. Plus, what would a trip to Oaxaca be without a little drama? (I´ll take no money over tear gas any day.)

We got back to the hotel by 10:30 a.m. and took off for Monte Alban. Our guide, Eloy, knows a lot about this amazing archeological site, begun in 500 B.C. The Zapotec natives planed the top of the mountain and used the rock to build a rather impressive city. Blair and I climbed to the top of two of the pyramids, and the view was spectacular. You could really see the valley of Oaxaca, which is in the shape of a Y. After Monte Alban, we went to a village, San Antonio Arrazola, that´s famous for its whimsical carved wooden animals and figures. We met several of the artists and loaded up. From there, we had lunch (at 4 p.m.!) in a nice open-air restaurant, La Capilla, situated in the middle of nowhere. Eloy then took us to Cuilipan´s outdoor cathedral built by the Dominican friars. Gorgeous views of the mountains through the Romanesque arches. Finally, we went to the city, San Bartolo de Coyotepec, that is known for its black pottery, and we were given a demonstration by the grandson of Doña Rosa. He whipped out a water pitcher in less than 30 minutes. More shopping, then back to the hotel. Now, we´re down the street at an Internet Cafe.

Stay tuned...and say prayers that we get our ATM card back on Monday!

Labels: alebrijes, Arrazola, black pottery, Coyotepec, Cuilipan, Monte Alban