Long protest peacefully blocking Calle Benito Juarez
Kathy and I crossed the street right through this long line of marchers
This is Friday and it's market day in Llano Park. Coemella and John Wilson from Fort Bragg joined us for lunch after our classes and then we spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the huge Friday market just down the street from our hotel. We bought blouses and earrings and scarves plus some flowers to give our lovely hotel owner for her birthday.
My jump into the world of the subjunctive is a bit like a roller coaster. I'm finally learning just how different English and Spanish are from each other. I receive marvelously well thought out rules and regs and overviews of this mysterious mood and suddenly feel as if I'm "getting it" and then I retire to my room to do my tarea (homework) and quickly come to the conclusion that I don't have a clue. Today I finally got up the courage to ask my teacher if she thought I was really ready for this. —Such a patient lady. She answered yes immediately and cautioned me not to worry. Poco, poco says she with a warm and encouraging twinkle in her eye. So then I remove my latest exercise papers from my day pack, totally convinced that I've done it all wrong. Only to find out that it is all right. I really couldn't quite believe it, because, in my room the night before I felt like I was only guessing the answers at best. But each day I am in wonder over the nuances and subtleties of this language mood I'm trying to get a handle on. One minute, proud and excited, the next, horrified that I'm not doing anything right. It's like being in kindergarten again. I'll let you know if there are any breakthroughs worthy of revealing.
The days here are passing quickly and there is so much to show Kathy. We haven't been to Mitla or Monte Alban yet. But tomorrow we will leave on the avocado colored bus that will take us, (Carol, Francine, Mike, Kathy and me) to the middle of Teotitlan del Valle, right next to the church. All other busses leave one at the foot of the hill below the town. Then you must catch the little "took tooks" that only carry one or two people at a time. We're going to stay overnight, which will be such fun. We'll try to take a good number of photos while there. Now that we've completed a whole week of classes I am beginning to think of all the great villages as well as spots right in the city that we have yet to see. Kath is much better than I about whipping out her phone for a good picture. So many of them that you see in my blog this year will be thanks to her.
Toasting at Las Mariposas with our friends from Teotitlan del Valle
I'm including some of the recent local protest scenes today. Protests are not unusual in this city and its surroundings, so they'll be included here and there. I know there have been some shocking events reported in the news regarding other areas of this state, but I don't know enough about them to comment. Where we are life goes on as before and it's a wonderful place to be.
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