Alright, Alright, Alriggghhhtttt

 

HEY FOLKS!!!

So its been a while since I have written things on the world wide web and am currently writing this without internet so I am yet to find out if this will turn into an email or a blog post. Regardless of the final form, here I am, in the beautiful, misty, and corn filled/green mountains of southern Mexico. For 13 weeks I am on the Mexico Solidarity Network Fall 2012 program, where we move around Mexico with a group of 12 students, taking classes, learning about indigenous movements of resistance and seeing first hand the powerful communities that are created when groups of oppressed peoples say “Ya Basta!!”  The first week (it is currently Wednesday evening) I am staying in an indigenous autonomous (get ready for those words to repeat over and over) university, located on the outskirts of San Cristobal de las casas. San Cristobal is the capital of Chiapas, and as I discovered today, was the first city in all of Hispanoamerica built by the Spanish. Other cities were colonized by the Spanish, but they never built directly by their own hands (well more like the hands of exploited indigenous men).  Long story short, there has always been a fear in San Cristobal of the indigenous people “taking over” so the city is very much segregated with the European ancestors in the center and the indigenous people in the slum like outer neighborhoods. Until 1994 (with the occupation by the Zapatistas) San Cristobal was barely a blip on the Mexican radar. Chiapas in fact has switched between being part of Guatemala and part of Mexico many times over. But, since 1994, San Cris has seen a huge upswing in paramilitary control, indigenous uprisings, and lots of tourists which only has created more tension and more growth. There will be more to come about San Cristobal, since I will be spending every weekend for the next 5 weeks there. I want to focus right now on where I staying, because it is one of the most beautiful (physically and conceptually) communities I have ever seen.

Bear with me as I try to explain Universidad de la Tierra (UniT) in the most logical sense…but its hard as sometimes my brain doesn’t work logically and I have a lot to describe.  UniT was founded in 1989 and is a school for only indigenous young people. The ages range from 12-18 but since everyone is relatively small, everyone looks young.  We were given a tour of the campus, which is a huge foresty piece of land with brightly colored buildings, with each color corresponding to a different service. Pink means dining/food, orange means farming/agriculture, green means something else. The classes taught are mostly manual skills, such as sewing, car mechanics, farming, cooking, music, iron welding…with open seminars weekly to discuss the more theoretical side of learning. It is a very self sustaining place, meaning a lot of things on the campus are made by the students. Benches are painted with lots of little murals, the curtains are made by the sewing classes, windows and other iron bars are made in the welding class. There is huge rabbit farm (the CUTEST RABBITS IN THE WORLD) that are sold for meat to communities (not so cute), as well as chickens, and sheep, also sold at markets.  Although it is not an explicit Zapatista community, there are EZLN signs, murals, slogans all over the campus, reinforcing the idea of solidarity and resistance. UniT has few “luxury items” such as hot showers, flush toilets and as a gringa, I cannot drink the water, making things just a bit more complicated.

            Meals are served 3 times a day, breakfast at 8 am, lunch at 2 pm and dinner at 7pm. Being guests, we are served first, making it very awkward at times taking my plate of food into the dining room as 20 or so 12 year old brown peoples watch, eyes and mouths wide, pointing and laughing. The food is well, food. Beans. A lot beans. 3 times a day status with a side of tortillas (hand made of course). There is often very sweet hot tea or coffee and well as little braided breads (also hand made) sprinkled with sugar. There is often rice or pasta as well. A lot of starch and not a lot of vegetables. I won’t talk about bathroom stuff…all I will say is that I am waiting for the horrible “tourista” to hit me and when it does, I just hope that it is quick and not too painful. Anyways.   We are sleeping in bunks (girls and boys separated) with lots of blankets and a nice sleeping pad (something that will not be available at our next location). The days here are nice…structured around meal times and classes. We have a Spanish class for 3 hours and then another class focused on the assigned readings  for another 3 hours. The Spanish professor, Effrain, is one of the most interesting people I have met. He is older, with a penchant for sarcasm, philosophy and sweet neck handkerchiefs. On the first day of class, we read some pretty hardcore short stories and poems, written by “El Supe” and Eduard G. He is someone who clearly (at least in my mind) is very much aligned with the revolution, whatever that means. The other part of school is good, but so far has required readings by authors such as Paolo Fiere, Ivan Illich, Karl Marx, Immanuel Wallerstien, and David Harvey. Lots of heavy shit touching on oppression, privilege, capitalism, and development, which only brings my own strong white guilt rushing to the surface.

Fast forward a few days and now it’s the weekend! YAYYY…So I am no longer living at UniTierra and am spending the weekend in San Cristobal in a house that will be the base MSN (Mexico Solidary Network) house for the month I am in Chiapas. Starting Monday however, I will be in Oventic, an autonomous Zapatista community not found on google earth (!!) taking language classes, cultural classes, and attending workshops. The workshop I am most excited for is the boot making seminar…which is where the infamous badass not so vegan Zapatista boots are made.

I guess I should finish up where I left off…So UniTierra was a very interesting experience, and I will post photos as soon I find a cable for my camera. But I guess the main points to touch on with regards to UniTierra are; COLD SHOWERS AREN'T REALLY THAT FUN AT ALL. Being white (and a woman) in a place where there are no white people is a new experience for me. Of course all young American women who are travelling go through the discomfort of being a minority, so there isn’t really much to say there besides, well, it is uncomfortable. Especially when being in a place as secluded as UniT, I am made even more aware of how much I don’t fit in. Being in a group of 11 other Americans doesn’t help either. Generally being large groups is not so much my thing, but because that is my life for the next 3 months I have to get used to it. Or at least separate myself when walking in public places. Also, having the freedom and the privilege to leave UniTierra and continue on my merry way was also very interesting. The students staying there can leave when they like, but to go back to their communities, which are pretty similar to UniTierra. Hmm…well I feel like I have come to the end of my thoughts about my first week here. I will post more probably in a few days and then later next weekend. I only have internet Friday afternoons through Sunday nights, so we will see how much this posting thing really happens. I feel like I had more to say…but until next time

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Violet(a)

P.S. I really hope I don’t sound (to be delicate) up my own butt about my travels. It is easy to get all wrapped up in the things I am doing so sorry if I am annoying.

P.P.S My blog when I was in high school and living in Spain will probably be a lot cuter and funnier due to the fact that I was coming of age n shit, but I will try and maintain that level of stream of consciousness. Also I am not longer keeping it cutty in Cadiz, so I guess a new title is in order.But I am still little(ish) and a jew and a vegan so the URL works fine

P.P.P.S Hit me up on skype (violetmae92) 

FINAL NOTE: After the program ends (end of November) I will be a free agent until end of March, meaning, I will be hopping all around South America. If you have any recommendations, people, or really any advice, tell me!

A photo journey.

Some cousins

Lucia, Bea, and Aarron

More cousins....The blonde one is not really a part of the family, so I dont know her name, then Christina, Carlota is on top of Christina, and then Lucia. The guy in the background is Jose Luis, another cousin. 

The BIGGEST paella I have ever seen. It was vegan and organic!

The happy Violeta with the ecopaella sign....

At a birthday BBQ.  From Left to Right-- Joaquin (cousin), Carmen*sita* (cousin), Violeta (extranjera), Carmen (Aunt). Carmen (Aunt) is the mother of Joaquin (cousin).

As I sit here in the internet cafe, being surround by foreigners screaming down various international phone lines, I am in my own little world. Munchn on some chuchaay and looking at photos. I can't believe that it is June already. In a few months, I am going to be a Tam Senior, which just shouldn't be allowed. 

My family is coming in two weeks! I can't wait to show them the ways of Chiclana de la FFFRRRRRONNNNNTTTTTEEEEERRRRRAAAAAA. 

Get ready because.....

Gloria the Magnificent can't wait to stretch her legs. The time has come.

Paris, Vienna, Elissa, Eva, 17 and returning soon.

First off, I would like to apologize for the long gaps between blogposts. I don't have any excuses but will try to post more regularly as my time here draws to a close.

So, my two week whirlwind adventure. Oh yea, that's right. Paris. Vienna. Let me just say that they were some of the best two weeks of my life. Filled with little sleep, lots of roaming city streets, people watching, coffee, amazing food and seeing people who I haven't seen in quite a while.

I got off the plane in Paris without really realizing I was in Paris and still a bit worried that I was going to mess up the subway and end up not meeting Daniel (cousin). But, I made it. I did it!! That was the best feeling. Let me say, that my sense of direction is TERRIBLE. But, I didn't even get lost in Paris OR Vienna...well, maybe one time, but that doesn't count. As I met up with Daniel, my thought process was a bit nonfunctional. "I am in Paris. I am in Paris. I am IN PARIS!! and am going to meet up with friends and have total freedom................I AM IN PARIS" and I couldn't stop smiling. It just took me a while to deal with the information.

While walking to meet Elissa, I remember last year, talking about a possible Paris trip.

Violet "What if we met up in Paris for my birthday?"

Elissa "We would be the coolest people ever."

Violet "Yea, but I can see it not happening."

Elissa "But still. Just imagine."

and it happened. That part still amazes me.

Meeting up with the other Tam kids was crazy as well. We also went out to dinner with a woman from Mill Valley, which was a big slap in the face of Marin Mom. But, you know, it was all in good fun.

My birthday was a really memorable experience as well and might have been better than my Bat Mitzvah. Just kidding. It is a story for a different day.

So, after spending a week walking around PARIS and staying my father's cousins. I went to stay with my mother´s cousins. oh man. I had been to their apartment before but I had forgotten how movie like it was. Claaassssssssyyyyyyyy. A leafy Parisian neighborhood. A large expanse of nicely decorated rooms, amazing art and a feeling of being engulfed in that safety net that money always seems to provide. He enjoys pipe smoking (so classy) and explained the differences between the wood grain, shape, and make of the pipe. So, if I ever pick up this "hobby", which I just might, I am equipped with all of the information. It was there were I also had my first conversation about college. What fun! I forgot the pressure and terrible feeling I got in my stomach as I thought about where I want to go and why Ivy league schools are NOT an option.

There is not room for me to describe every single day in Paris or every emotion that was felt, but just know that Paris is an amazing city and I had a fantastic time.


Vienna. EVA. It was so good to see her. But really. Vienna had a very different vibe than Paris. While Paris was gallivanting around, Vienna was more relaxed. Eva had school in the mornings, so I hung out in various places, going to museums, chilln in the sun on bright yellow benches and it felt amazing. One of the nights, Eva and I went to this awesome hangout place where I got to meet Eva's friends who are just as cool and nice as she is. I love meeting new people and traveling with Eva and even when being alone was really amplified by meeting all sorts of interested and interesting people.

So that was my trip.

side notes.

1. Being without my family (as much as I love them.....) was amazing. I could do WHATEVER I wanted whenever. No sight seeing was allowed and I got to experience both places with locals, which is always the best. ALWAYS. Going to hidden places, such as stores, cafés, musuems, and parks that aren't filled with tourists is always a better experience

2. Elissa is amazing. and funny. and smart. and so fun to be around

3. Eva has changed a lot from when she first came to live with us (and I am sure that I have as well). She is in school and studying HARD! Cooks and is so ADORABLE with her new love.

4. BEST 10 DAYS EVER.

5. If I had more time, patenience, and skills, I would articulate my experiences better. but I don't, so this will have to do.









I still need to write about my class trip to Barcelona with 50 students, which should guarantee a good chuckle as we imagine little Violeta crying by the pool in the hotel (first time crying since December). It was THAT TERRIBLE. and SCARRING. and HORRIBLE.

I should also talk (refuse to use blog as a verb) about my amazing birthday party in the Campo, and all the love and good feelings that were shared, the mountains of Spanish candy and the all vegetarian lunch.

I should probably write about how next month (thats right!!) I will be meeting my family in Madrid and then on a plane back in Marin and then road tripping with friends. Yes Dad, the road trip is going to happen!! :)

Time is zipping by and I am oh so very happy 17.5 hours of the day. Minus the 6.5 hours that are spent in the torturous pit that they call ESCUELA.

SO. Thanks for dealing with me. I had fun speed typing this out on a Spanish keyboard.

peace.

Semana Santa--WTF??

The long awaited week has arrived. Semana Santa. Or Holy Week. The Sunday before the festivities started, people either told me how beautiful the next seven days would be OR how scary and overwhelming they would be.

My first glimpse of the parade was an accident. I was biking back from the beach with Mila when I smelled something oh so particular. Something very sweet and very musty but nothing I have ever smelled before. I asked what that sent was and Mila replied "Semana Santa" Suddenly, after a problem free bike-ride, we reached the center of town and a police stopped us to say that the streets are closed off. We hit up another street, and WHAT? hundreds of people just standing there eating sunflower seeds. Forced to get off our bikes, I almost slip with the first step. "Mila!!" I called out in panic "The ground is slippery." or "¿Mila, que ha pasado con el suleo?". "Its from the wax" is all she said. We make it to a road without people and overlooking the town. Suddenly, I see it. A large velvet float covered in candles and a HUGE statue of Jesus and Mary, both weeping. Behind the float is a 20 piece orchestra and in front of the orchestra and the float are millions of hooded figures, dressed exactly like the Klu Klux Klan. This first impression was very intense. I just didn´t expect it to be so strong and in my face.

I went out the next night, at 1:00 am (when the second parade started) and was more prepared. I didn´t have my camera, but just watched in awe. It really was something beautiful but also so strange. I felt like I was in a Shirley Jackson short story and was waiting for someone at the end to get stoned to death. As I begin to describe the procession in detail, I wish I could say that I know the names of every group or what story from the bible they are depicting but none of my Spanish friend or family wants to have anything to do with this holy week, so no one explained the names to me, but I take that as a good thing.

The first part of the parade is often young boys, dressed in the KKK purple robes, holding huge candles and two are carrying a large metal cross. Then comes older boys, about my age, wearing fancy dress clothes and strange hats, and swinging enough incense to make the whole city smell. Then more KKK members, holding bells, and then the float. Every day there is a different float, depicting a different Jesus story. The floats are incredible. But really. The faces have so much detail, it looks like they use real hair, and there are tons of gold, flowers, and candles. It looks like it must weigh mucho mucho mucho and even though it is very very heavy, it is transported through the streets for hours on end by humans. After the float, there is the band. Trumpets and other horns along with drums. The music is so loud but that adds to the intensity. Then there are old women dressed in black with veils and candles and then random people who need to feel the lord.

All of this nonsense goes on until Sunday. Last night was the one of the biggest nights, meaning it goes for 12 hours. 6 pm to 6 am. I don´t understand where it goes. Chiclana is not that big. But whatever. I was only there for an hour or so. It is really crazy. The best part is the that candy store are open until 2:30 am, which really, is the best part. The streets are all coated with a not so thin layer of wax. Every time a car turns a corner, it makes a terrible screeching sound.

Everyone tells me that the parade is much better in San Fernando and in Cadiz, but I don´t have the energy to go witness thousands of people being entranced by such things. In Sevilla, it is even bigger than the Carnival night here, which I can´t even imagine.

So yes, I have experienced my first Holy Week (but for real) and it was and still is crazy. I took pictures and will try to post them ASAP. Here is a Youtube video that I think you will enjoy. It was from last year Holy Week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyLUT581wgM&feature=related

Well that is all for now.....Paris in 5 days and my birthday in 6!

Happy Passover!

Who is that silly girl playing the warm waves of Cádiz. Why VIOLETA of course!

Well. What a good day. I didn´t go to school and instead went to go pick up my Official Spanish ID Card. Juan has an apartment that is right across from the Official Government Building, so after picking up what I needed and I dropped off my stuff at his place and went to go hit up the town.

Cádiz is split into two parts; the new city and the old city and a large stone bridge type thing marks the border. The new part is not very interesting, mostly just banks, official buildings, and the beach. The old part is much better, filled with cool stores and plazas. Walking from the new part to the old part, I saw a HUGE cruise boat in the harbor. I mean HUGE. Emblazoned on its blue walls, were the words "Holland American Tours. WELCOME!" and as the first smattering of fat, pasty, visor wearing people waddled by, I couldn't help but snicker.

Hit up some cool stores. Unlike San Francisco, there aren´t any used clothing stores and of course no Haight street, and I had to find the next best thing, which was a small store run by a silly pregnant woman who wore earrings that were tiny toothpaste tubes. I, being my mother´s daughter, tried hard to be successful at shopping, but was not. And just bought a shirt. But with a smile on my face. I also tried on a weird M.IA meets Fiest bodysuit that was SO FLY--but 300€. I almost, ALMOST, broke the famed Elson family sunglass buying rule, but didn´t.

After two hours of walking around, feeling nifty, my tummy was telling me it was time to COMER! My favorite Moroccan to go restaurant wasn´t open, so I had to find the next best things. And found nothing. I walked allll the way back to the new part and heard the beach calling me. I found myself ordering a sangwich and a pepsi and went to eat on the beach. Listening to music, soaking up the sun, and eating a delIIIIsh ´wich was quite nice. Being in my skinny jeans was not fun. I was so hot. And ended up rolling up my shirt and pants and basically rolling the sand. I got tiny little sand particles in every single part of my body and clothes. After a good hour or so, the only thing I wanted was a bathing suit. I put on my shoes (without socks) and tried to brush off as much sand as I could. I had no idea where I was. I hoped I was close to Juan´s apartment. Walking off of the beach, I found myself next a very familiar looking garage. OMG. Yes it was. The flat was RIGHT THERE. I can´t even describe the JOY and niftiness I felt to lug my ass up 16 flights of stairs, magically find my SPIDERMAN boxers in my backpack and hit up the beach AGAIN. For another 2 hours. So amazing.

And I discovered something that I always sort of knew. I love being alone. My own company is so nice. I can do whatever I want, whenever, without any questions being asked. And people are nicer when you are alone, well at least to me. I made quite lovely conversation with random people who were also on the beach. Let me just describe my feelings "I am so COOLLLLL" that is really what I felt. It was nice to have those feelings for once. And being in my spiderman boxers and tank top, looking a little sunburned and just chilln. So nice.

And that was my day.

And this month will also be amazing. Sunday I leave for Barcelona with my class (medium thumbs up) then it is Holy week (no thumbs up) and THENNNN I go to PARIS (two thumbs up) and then VIEENNAAA (a million thumbs up)

YEEEEE

and then it is May and then it is June and then I am BACK!

Ok. so I also recorded and really silly video of the Campo and will try to upload it soon.

YAY!

This is what eating home-made yogurt has turned me into....

A few days ago, I had the pleasure of going to see Cirque de Soleil in Sevilla. What an amazing show. But really. Incredible. The costumes, make-up, routines, every little detail, perfectly planned out. It really blew my mind.

After that we walked around Sevilla. The night was perfect. It was warm and without a breeze. I have been to Sevilla in the day, and I think it is more beautiful at night. i now know that i have no real desire to go back to Marin, to high school, to any of that. i would much rather travel the world, meeting cool people, and doing cool things than going back to Tam for another year. That then raises the question...do I really want to go to University? Well, yes and no. I would love to go to a place where learning is the key factor, where people want to learn, and college is an experience that has been built up to a such a grand endeavor in my life that i will end up going. But living abroad, and going to school overseas is just so much better. meeting such amazing people. I don´t want to do an exchange in college, but i have met exchange students in college and they only thing they want to do is party. I want to live, work, and be member in a community such as Sevilla, Madrid, Paris.....Places like that. I know that I am going to take a year off before college, probably work for 6 months and then travel for 6 months. But I am just so unsure of I what I want to do.

So, yes, I am someone who is always in thinking about the future. Or at least, that is what it seems. I feel like my thoughts are always pointed towards next year, towards college, or I seem to always be waiting for something. But that was the same last year as well. Every thought of mine was focused on Spain, SPain, SPAin, SPAIn, SPAIN!

But, even though my mind is in the future, I also feel really in the present. I go on a lot of walks and I spend a lot of time alone, which when added together, is the same as a lot of time to think and be overwhelmed by everything (in a good way). The other day, I was riding the bus to San Fernando, to go to see a movie. It was just around 7 pm and the sun was setting. Let me take a minute to describe how magnificent the sun-sets are. So amazing. When there are no clouds, it blows me away to see the bright red sun setting behind a church or what not. So, anyways, there I was, listening to Beirut and sitting on a bus. We passed a salt mill/farm/factory, and at that very moment, the sun was poised perfectly on top of a huge pile of salt. It was divine. A large glittering mound of particles with a large orange sun making is seem unreal. At that moment, I felt so, so, at peace, I guess. I don´t know how to describe an emotion that I have only felt here.

Last weekend, I was walking around Cádiz alone, taking picture of the Carnival festivities and got completely lost. For those who know me well, I have the shittiest sense of direction. At 10 years of age, I thought that Paradise Drive was Stinstion Beach and at 16 years of age, I tried to get drive to a place in San Francisco and ended up on Treasure Island. Well, I did not surprise me that I turned the corner and was in the middle of no where, but I wasn´t in any hurry, so I just let my self and my camera wander. I walked for a good half hour, letting my Diana + lead the way. It was so calming and once again, I had this pleasant peace. I had no hurry, no place to be, no one waiting for me to be home. I was on my own time, in a place that was almost like a fairy-tale, seeing people who I did not know and I just felt like a pleasant humming of joy through-out my body. That is what it was. A pleasant humming of joy.

I am just so checked-out of my Marin life. I have no extra-curricular activities, have no job, no car, no one who calls or texts me frequently. It is a strange 9 month vacation. I am not at all saying that I love having so much free time, because a lot of the time, I feel so lazy. I miss having events to plan, meetings to run, and a real community that I am part of.

I have almost been here for 6 months. Every time I think about leaving, I get a strange rush of dread and joy. I am excited to return and take what I have learned here to apply to my life back home but at the same time, leaving just seems too soon. I have had dreams where it is my last day here and I always wake up with a panic.

I just bought my plane tickets to Paris and Vienna. I am so excited!!! I feel like an adult, kind of functioning (but somehow fucking up important details) and travelling across Europe. What luck I have. It seems unreal.