I’m a day or so behind because my first few days here in Oaxaca have been a whirlwind! I spent my first days with Dolly and Choon (they left this morning) and they were wonderful about showing me around.
So far, Oaxaca has been about opposites (for me). Yesterday was an interesting combo of fear and utter contentment,
Right now, the teachers of the State of Oaxaca are on strike and during the strike, all 40,000 march to the Oaxaca city (where I now live). This happens every year. They barter for better wages and eventually strike a deal. This year, it’s different. There is a new governor, and instead of negotiating, he decided to tear gas them and burn their tents.
It was chaotic. People died (rumor has it).
Yesterday there was a peace march to show solidarity. And though the was no violence, people were prepared for it. We saw men with sticks, lead pipes and machetes, and I have to say that made me very nervous.
I’ve never been in anything like this before and the one thing that stood out was the anxious, expectant energy that surged through the crowd. The air rippled with it.
And the fact that is was so prevalent that it was tangible made me more nervous. People are good. Mobs can get very ugly very fast, even when peaceful. At one point, Dolly, Choon and I were on the WRONG SIDE of the barriers and the teachers were hesitant to let us through—driving home the fact that we not in a good place.
Luckily, they finally let us through. I have to say...I was a bit scared. When we walked away, I realized my heart was pounding!
From the chaos, we took a taxi to get a massage. On a side note-- in the hour that we were in the hotel before the taxi came, the march had grown. Streets were blocked with dump trucks and where there was no barrier, there was a sea of people.
It was like being in a movie—the American’s driving through the street with people on either side.
Anyway, we arrived at the location. Lovely. It’s very inexpensive and for the first hour, you sweat in a kiva. And I mean SWEAT. A shamaness comes in to pray over you and tap you with sacred herbs. Very relaxing—even in the immense heat. And when you're finished, you know you've sweated out impurities and toxins.
From there, you go out to the massage area. This is not like the States. There are no tables. You lay on a mat and they are right there with you. They put more herbs down for you to inhale while they rub you down for an hour. When I was there, there was a thunderstorm. Think about it. Massage. Herbs. Music inside and rain on the tin roof.
It doesn’t get any better.
I love this place!
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