Mexico, Mercados, and Meditation

My mom keeps pleading with me to not go to Mexico. What I think she doesn't understand is that there is really no difference between here and just over the border in my sister town called Progresso. I went to the market this weekend and asked my friend, what exactly the difference was between here and across the border, as I couldn't imagine any. "Basically just the pharmaceuticals." Touche.

At the market everyone was packed around us closely, jabbering in "Tex-Mex." People laid out tables selling everything you could possibly imagine--and I mean everything: live chickens and puppies, fresh fruits and vegetables of all kinds, music, DVDs, kitchen and household appliances, clothing: new and used, mechanic tools, cleaning products, furniture, school supplies, cowboy boots: buy some or just get yours shined, toiletries and over the counter medications, and probably anything else you can imagine. Some tables appeared to literally be selling garbage.

And who'd have guessed; my favorite part was the food (see my Peru entries detailing my reckless consumption of all street food all the time). At this market there were Tamales; Elote: big kernals of corn usually served with mayo, lime, and chili; Hochatas: a yummy and very sweet drink made with rice milk, sugar, and cinnamon; "Chitos" which are cheetoes covered in nacho cheese; enchilladas; breakfast tacos; fried potatoes on a stick with ketchup, mayo, and lime; big styrofoam cups of fruit sprinkled with chili; Aguas frescas: juice with fresh fruit, water, sugar, and sometimes some kind of flavoring or koolaide; Raspas: the snowcones I talked about earlier; and all kinds of little sweets.


The markets by far are my favorite thing ever.

Yesterday we had a big rain, which was incredibly refreshing. I had hoped that the drop in barometric pressure would have some babies dropping too! But alas, no births. We've got women due, but the midwife is going out of town for a few weeks this week, so I'm going to Dallas on Tuesday and hoping I won't miss out on too much excitement here.
Though actually, my trip to Dallas will be all about avoiding excitement. I will be doing a 10 day Vipassana meditation program. It's at a meditation center outside Dallas that offers free meditation programs in striving to make the world a more peaceful place. I am looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity to re-center myself. No talking, reading, or writing for 10 days. I'm carpooling with 4 other people from Austin, so it will be interesting to see how we react in the 4 hour ride back together.

Keep on breathing!
xoxo, Rachel

The Art of Living

PERU en resumen

I can´t believe I´m leaving Peru...
It´s my last day here after 3 months of backpacking, bus hopping, parasite dodging, conversation fumbling and so much eye opening... I don´t know how to feel about my return, but I do know I´ll be happy to give everyone an enormous hug and kiss, throw some toilet paper down the toilet, drink from the tap, and dance some good salsa with my much missed friends in IC.

To wrap it up, I have some notes on Peru and tips for your trip which I encourage you to take :)

The people here are fabulous. I had numerous people offer to take me into their home for a meal or a stay. I had strangers walk me to bus stations, help me find hostels, and give me advice of all sorts. I found too that opening myself up to these opportunities is the very best way to experience the culture.

Peru is incredibly diverse in culture, landscape, food, and well, everything...even 3 months was not enough time to see my fill of the coast, the jungle, and the mountains... someone told me there are 50-some different climates in Peru, and there are 4,600 types of potatoes!

Bring toilet paper with you (or let go of the idea of a pristine bum) and learn how to squat.

Peruvian germs are different than American germs...in fact, forget germ theory because no one else lives by it, so you´ll probably be just fine eating food that has been sitting out/fallen on the ground/has bugs on it... but on that note, take a good supply of probiotic pills and grapefruit seed extract with you to ward off the intestial ickies.

Bodily discomfort is not relavent. Let go of the desire to react to feeling cold, sweaty, dirty, crampy or otherwise unpleasant...it will only hinder your enjoyment of Peru.

If you have an allergy--they do NOT get it. You have to be very clear and very firm. And forget being vegetarian...welcome to South America, it´s part of the culture, eat your meat.

Bring a headlamp and earplugs.

Travel by bus...it can actually be quite elegant and you can learn all sorts of Spanish by watching the interesting assortment of movies they show.

NEVER forget that the concept of pedestrians having the right of way absolutely does not exist here...get ready to be on the look out and dart!

Peruvians have all sorts of ideas on safety...I´m not sure I agree with them all, but some include: don´t sit in the first row of the bus, don´t sit near the entrance of a restaurant, lock your doors (car and room) at all times, let the man walk on the street side of the sidewalk, and wipe off your silverware on a napkin before using.

Release expectation of time and schedule and enjoy life around you as it naturally unfolds.

I have mastered the scary electric showerhead...what you need to do if you want a hot shower is first flip the switch outside the shower up, then turn the knob only slightly--you´ll have absolutely no water pressure, and you might get shocked a few times, but it´ll be warm!

When plunging down a rocky hill to your apparent death on a horse, remember that the horse doesn´t want to die either and they have probably done this a time or two before. Just close your eyes and trust. (that goes with a lot of things actually)

Never call anyone back using a number they called you from unless you know it´s their number. People often use people´s phones on the street who ¨rent¨ them for a single call...I did this once in Lima, thinking it was my friend´s phone, and ended up having a virtual stalker.

Bueno...that´s it I guess! If you do go to Peru, let me know...I happen to be the queen of street food (so named me my friend Jon) and I know a thing or two about getting around by bus.

Thank you so much for being a part of my adventures with me. I´ll update again when I am back, but then I plan to end this blog thing, as I´ve always thought blogs were a little pretentious... :)

So much love, can´t wait to see you all.
XOXOXO, Rachel