This and That :)

This morning as I was walking toward town, I heard the men ringing the bells as they were delivering gasolina in tanks to various homes.  A few steps later, men were delivering the big bottled water.  The air was fresh and the ambiance quite pleasant as I walked down the pebbled streets, saying, "Buenos Dias," to those I met.  I heard the now familiar tapping of the wooden looms which I had previously thought was someone hammering.  I looked up and saw a beautiful yellow bird staring down at me.  This is the MX. I love.

 The thought occurred to me that one must really step in another's steps to understand them.  Going to MX., lying on the beach is great fun and relaxing.  I'm all for it.  However, it isn't the true MX.  It is the tourist MX., which is the only MX. many tourists want to know.  My type of Mexico, allows me to know the people and feel a part of the neighborhood.  A lady who weaves at her window each night now recognizes me as I'm walking home.  I stop and we exchange greetings.  If I had more time here I'm sure I would get to know her better. 

The human race has so many misunderstandings of our fellow man, due to not knowing their culture.  I even believe there are still many differences in culture between many in the northern and southern United States.  For example, recently I attended a womans' event in my small hometown of Clarksville.  I now know that the woman I was trying to befriend saw me as nosey, too curious, and  intruding into her personal space.  Honestly, those were not my intentions.  I had never dreamed that when I asked her how long she had lived in the area, where she lived, if she enjoyed it, etc..trying to make conversation, she would say, "You are certainly asking a lot of questions.  Why are you so interested?"  Man, I wanted to shrink through the floor.  Now, I realize that what I had thought of as being friendly and trying to get to know someone was seen by her as being obtrusive and nosey.  I now think twice before asking those questions.  In a way, that is sad to me because my intentions truly were good.  Had I walked in her shoes or she in mine, we would have known each other's customs.  Hopefully she would have known I was trying to be friendly.  I have now learned I need to tone down the questions, especially while visiting in the northern states.  Anyway, to me this is a small example of why we are so polarized in this country.  We haven't walked in another's shoes.  We haven't travelled enough or stayed in a place foreign to us for long enough to truly learn the costumes.  This is why I want to step out of the box and to feel more a part of a place, to make my own decisions based on my accumulated experiences.

Well, enough of that...:)  Do you remember my stating that some of my most phenmonenal times here were by chance?  Today was another example of that.  My sister, Abby, and I decided to take a different street home.  We stopped by a little shop.  While visiting with the lady there, she told me she had classes on painting alejebres, the beautifully painted carved animals, for which Oaxaca is famous.  I love those alejebres and now have a small collection. :)  However, I never dreamed of having the chance to be instructed in painting them myself ,nor had I heard of classes for painting them.  There have been no signs, nothing in the guide books, no word of mouth notices, etc....This would not have happened had we not stopped in that shop and the woman and I had not started talking.  Sometimes it is good to talk to people, not be in a rush, and enjoy life. That's what happens here, except for the buses, taxis, and cars which seem to be in the Daytona.   I may be able to stop asking quite as many questions, but I won't ever stop noticing the small things and talking to people.  My life is so much more enriched because of it. 

Tomorrow Abby will take a cooking class.  Those of you who know me best, know I won't be doing that. : ) I will paint my alejebre.  More on that later.  :)  Hasta Luego, Bebes!  :)  Joy