Stuff I miss about Mexico

Language - trying to decipher it, picking up different accents, attempting to communicate.
slang - de que lado masca la iguana (that's the side the iguana chews?? or something untranslateable, =the way it's done), la tira (the cops), tira la esquina ( throw a corner =give a break/give me a break?), codo (elbow, =stingy), fresa (strawberry =snobby, upperclass), que onda? (what's up?), padre (cool), no manches! (no stains, I think? =no way!), hijole! (no way, that sucks *can be more vehement depending on context), orale (ok/there you go/wow/sounds great), lana (wool, =money), cuate (fraternal twin, =friend, mate), chile mole pozole (the whole lot/mix), que la cancion (bother, you're/it's such a nuisance)..........
that's all I can remember for the moment!
little street stalls
little shops that all sell the same thing (bikkies, chips, lollies, drinks) but are very handy when you´re thirsty
the way everyone hangs out in the plazas/zocalos/town squares.. especially at night.
mamey (rough brown-skinned fruit which is bright red inside and tastes so rich, smooth, sweet and creamy)
the best papaya
salsa with everything
fresh corn tortillas with everything (especially if they´re handmade)
copious amounts of drinking yogurt
various exciting mexican dishes, like pollo poblano and mole verde and tasty asadas (barbequed meat)
piles of culture - indigenous people in their many different traditional dresses, speaking their many different tongues
piles of ruins dug out of the sand/jungle/desert
people I met, friends I stayed with...
nicknamers and the nicknames (you know who you are!)

So this place, in the mountains...

So this place, in the mountains...

It was called El Refugio, a cluster of wooden buildings on the side of a hill in a breathy, sighingly fragrant forest. A forest of oaks and pines and assorted trailing things. Of birdsong and wildflowers and creepy clouds sneaking through the valleys. Of stars blazing out of the night heavens..

People go there for help of all kinds - physical, mental, spiritual. Some stay a long time. Some just a few weeks. Many come and go. Most do not go away unchanged.

I was lucky enough to spend 10 days there, living with the family at the centre of this community. I spent a lot of time listening, trying to find out how it all worked, hearing stories (as much as I could understand), playing with kids, walking, thinking, washing up... I even went to school a couple of times with little Ester.

I felt like truth and goodness were very much alive there, but also that there was a very real battle for these, which was raging behind the scenes.

I left with much to reflect on.

10 days with a pair of playful niños

This is what it sounds like:

"oye, oye, oye" (listen, listen, listen - or hear me)

"mira, mira, mira" (look, look, look)

"ven, ven, ven" (come, come, come)

"ten, ten, ten" (take, take, take)

Me (or other adults present):

"dame tu mano" (give me your hand)

"esperate" (wait - or 'you wait')

"come" (eat)

"Que estas haciendo??!!" (what are you doing?!)

etc.

I had a lot of fun playing with them. It wasn't always easy, as these two little cherubs were rather competitive and didn't always get on so well, and the 5yrold was quick to tears, but it was fun.

We played crazy animals on the 'brincoline' (trampoline), and hide and seek, and cop & robber type games and shooting games and memory games and goodness knows what else!

I got a lot of practice with the imperative tense :)

Querido Hugo

Another love-themed post, I'm afraid!

A few days ago I was hanging with a bunch of 14yrold girls. We took turns singing songs in our various languages, teaching eachother the spanish-english-Zapotec names for things, talking about Australia.

Then they got me to write a love letter for them in English. It was dictated in Spanish, or course, so I did my best to translate it as they went along. I wish I could remember it all, because it was a real gem, partly beautiful, partly just over-the-top-hilarious.

Of course once it was done they were all madly threatening eachother about writing the name of one of the other girls' crushes at the top. I don't know who ended up with it, but Hugo was one of the options.

Dear Hugo,

I write to you, in English for the first time, to tell you how much I love you. I adore you. I can't stop thinking about you. I can't forget you.
You are my moon. You shine like the stars. I exist only to think of you.
You were born for me, I was born for you. We were made to be together. You are for me, for all of my life..
When we are together, it will be for the whole of our lives.
I love you.
Sincerely,
___________