Random Observations

(1) Our house and yard, like most houses and yards in Oaxaca, is surrounded by a wall, for privacy and security. Kind of sad, but everyone lives behind walls, fences and gates. So, I was in the kitchen this afternoon, and I heard Amelia shouting “Hola!”, and some kids on the other side of the concrete wall were shouting “Hola!” back, and they kept doing that, back and forth and laughing for like three minutes. They couldn’t see each other. They’d just heard that someone was on the other side, and started playing that game. We’ve not even met them yet.

(2) I arrived at the Oaxaca airport Saturday night after my trip to Atlanta. I was in the parking lot waiting for the “collectivo” van to leave and take me to our house, when I saw two men embrace in a way that made me think at first that they were lovers, it was that tight and close, body to body. It slowly became clear that they were father and son, and the son had been on the plane with me from the U.S. Mother and a sister were there too, but the father kept the son all to himself, clutching him, rubbing his back, patting his chest, refusing to let go.

(3) The strangest feeling being in Atlanta for two days after 2 months in Mexico? Not to be too graphic, but the strangest feeling was how WRONG it felt to put toilet paper into the toilet!