Welcome to Oaxaca Cultural Navigator

Oaxaca stimulates your senses.  Primary colors with all the hues and variations explode in front of your eyes on walls, textiles, vehicles, clothing, the painter’s canvas.  The aroma of roasting corn, goat buried for barbecue and mole coloradito simmering in the pot tickle the nose and stimulate your desire to taste and savor. The cacaphony of barking dogs, cackling guacalotes, and honking buses provide a backdrop to the oompahpah of the village brass band and church bells.  Oaxaca is alive with creativity and energy. Here is an introduction to Oaxaca for you — some of my favorite photos that I have taken for you to enjoy as you delve into this blog and get to know the Oaxaca I love.  The “Pages” on the right give you background and a baseline.  Use the “Search” box or Tag Cloud to find the topics you are looking for.  -Norma Hawthorne   P.S. Is it safe? Unequivocably, YES.

Film Making Workshop: Visual Storytelling — February 19-26, 2010

ONE space left!  Register Now.

Novice to Intermediate Levels Welcome!

For seven days, from Friday evening, February 19, to Friday, morning, February 26, you will immerse yourself in the art and craft of documentary film making in the indigenous Zapotec village of Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca, Mexico. There are 7,000 people and 2,000 looms in this famous rug weaving center situated 15 miles outside the colonial capital of Oaxaca City. This learning laboratory opens your eyes to new perspectives. A core aspect of this workshop is to encourage you to take the skills and insights you gain through this cross-cultural experience back home to document your own community, culture, or advocacy project with fresh vision.

Creating a documentary is much more than learning how to point, shoot and edit. Capturing the unique voices of your subjects is at the heart of the work. Topics may include the intimate rituals of daily life — making tortillas from scratch, preparing natural dyes, the voices of women, celebrations and life cycle events.

Newsflash: Artist Panteleon Ruiz, a renowned Zapotec painter who incorporates natural dyes in his oil pigments, will be one of the subjects for the film workshop!

You will work in small groups, guided by expert faculty who give you the creative freedom to produce a 3-5 minute short subject film. A celebratory final night viewing will showcase everyone’s work.

Here’s the REGISTRATION FORM: Go to the BLOGROLL for the link

Here are the three films produced at the last workshop:

Weaving a Curve (English subtitles)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxgxcMQlQZM

Dance of the Feather: A Promise & Commitment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpr4dBi-6h4

Woven Together: Entretejidos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwxuUb6fPL4

You will:

• Explore the creativity, challenges and ethics of telling a compelling story
• Learn the steps of documentary film production from start to finish
• Develop the technical skills for video and audio recording
• Edit the raw footage into a rich narrative using Final Cut Pro

This is an excellent opportunity for those who want to get a first hand experience in documentary field work — all in a great travel destination.

Being able to tell a visual story via video is a powerful and valuable
skill for staff and volunteers working to raise funds, communicate an
issue, and increase visibility.  The stories we learn to capture on film
in Mexico from an arts and ethnographic perspective can be translated to
the interests we have and issues we face in our own communities at home
or other global sites.It is also a great way to develop a professional skill.  Professional development expenses can be tax deductible (travel and workshop tuition).
Ask your tax preparer/account.

After you register, faculty will contact you to discuss your interests and skill level. Then, we’ll send you a complete packet of materials, including a list of what to bring, like your own camera and tapes.  Pre-workshop readings will address: What style of documentary do I want to make? What issues do I need to be sensitive to when entering an unfamiliar culture? What about using my video camera, microphone and lighting? How do we maximize the collaborative process with teammates and crew? What are film production stages? Can I really learn to edit? How do I conduct an effective interview?

What Participants Say…

Erica encouraged me to challenge myself and go beyond what was easy and “routine” for me.  I am really happy with the final piece.  The experience was challenging and VERY rewarding.  A wonderful experience, a beautiful place. –Sarah Kennedy Davis, Kentucky, USA

The experience helped me understand the importance of teamwork. I loved the way Erica explained things. –Eric Chavez Santiago, Oaxaca, Mexico

The instructors were delightful and able to explain to the novice very sophisticated concepts in an understandable way.  I really appreciated Erica’s wise and warm approach to the subject.  The location is picturesque and the family very friendly; the food was wonderful.  Thank you. –Betty Hutchins, Toronto, Canada

Thank you for everything. I learned a lot–interviewing skills and how to use Final Cut Pro.  The multicultural residency enhanced my filmmaking goals because it expanded my experience beyond a controlled environment.  I loved it. –Scott Switzer, Oregon, USA

Thanks for inspiring teaching.  I have an appreciation for what it takes to make a film.  ths is a unique combination of a documentary course in a multicultural setting. — Eunice Hogeveen, Toronto, Canada

When you arrive in Teotitlan, you’ll meet the faculty and we’ll give you your documentary topic. We will pre-arrange your field contacts and provide bilingual translators to accompany you on interviews. You will then work with your partner and faculty to develop the technical and creative approach that best fits your personal and professional goals for the week.

What Is Included?

· Over 75 hours of expert instruction

· “On location” in a fascinating place

· A comprehensive notebook of materials

· Lodging for 7 nights

· 7 breakfasts, plus 5 lunches and dinners

· Bilingual interview translation services

· A DVD of all the films produced during the workshop

· The experience of a lifetime!

Accommodations are in a lovely village guesthouse with bougainville and pomegranate trees. The setting is traditional, yet comfortable.  The Zapotec proprietors are a daughter-in-law and mother-in-law team — gracious hosts and excellent cooks. As guests in their family compound, you will taste delicious traditional foods that Oaxaca is famous for and live with the family during your stay.  An intimate and rewarding experience!

Your Faculty Experts:  Erica Rothman and Jim Haverkamp

Erica Rothman, LCSW, is a documentary filmmaker who uses her psychotherapy background to understand and capture her subjects with sensitivity and depth, in an intimate and compelling way. As the principal of Nightlight Productions, she has written, produced and directed acclaimed projects, including full-length documentary films, that focus on local and global health care, public policy, the arts and humanities. She received a 2007 Gracie Award for American Women in Radio and Television, and key awards at the Houston International Film Festival. Rothman teaches in the Duke University Center for Documentary Studies.

“I love the collaboration between the people working on the film, the subjects and the content.  I’m excited about this 2010 workshop because Jim and I have worked together for over five years.  Documentary filmmaking is a powerful way to use storytelling to bring people to action.” – Erica Rothman

Jim Haverkamp is a filmmaker and freelance editor based in Durham, North Carolina.  His short fiction and documentary films have shown at over 50 festivals around the world, including Chicago Underground, the Ann Arbor Film Festival, and the Maryland Film Festival. He has taught filmmaking at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University, and was awarded a filmmaking fellowship by the North Carolina Arts Council in 2000.  He teaches at the intensive documentary institute at Duke Center for Documentary Studies for six year. He hold the B.A. American Studies, University of Iowa.

Cost and Registration: $1795 per person, double occupancy, including food and lodging outlined above. A $500 deposit will hold your reservation. Workshop limited to 6 people.

Contact: Norma Hawthorne, (919) 274-6194 or normahawthorne@mac.com to register.

Presented by: Norma Hawthorne, Oaxaca Cultural Navigator, www.oaxacaculture.com and http://oaxacaculture.wordpress.com

How to Register  Workshop cost is $1795 per person, double occupancy. Single supplement is available at $300 per person.  Please print out and complete the registration form and mail it with your deposit. Registration form:  www.oaxacaculture.com

Deposit: A $500 deposit will reserve your space in the filmmaking workshop.

Final payment is due 30 days before the start day of the workshop. If the balance is not paid by this time, then we reserve the right to treat the reservation as cancelled. Any registrations made 30 days or less before the start of the workshop must be paid in full at that time. If cancellation is necessary, cancellation notice must by made in writing by email.  Deposits are refundable, as follows:

Deposits may be refunded:

*Up to 30 days before the workshop start date, less a $100 cancellation fee.

*After that, deposits are not refundable.

If cancellation is necessary, you may apply the deposit to a future workshop. We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule workshops, in which case you may choose a 100% refund or apply the tuition to a future workshop.

Personal checks are accepted. We also accept payment with PayPal. Contact us for details: normahawthorne@mac.com

Documentation: U.S. citizens traveling to Mexico are required to carry a current passport, valid for at least 3 months after your re-entry to the U.S. It is your responsibility to carry proper documentation. If you are not a U.S. citizen, contact the Mexican embassy, consulate or a national airline of Mexico for entry requirements.

Trip insurance: PLEASE consider purchasing travel insurance. Unforeseen circumstances of getting to Teotitlan del Valle could cost you more than you expected. In the event of an emergency or natural disaster caused beyond our control, trip insurance will cover any unexpected expenses.

What is NOT included

Transportation to Mexico, Oaxaca and Teotitlan; gratuities and fees; local bus and taxi fees, trip insurance, medical expenses, hospitalization, any other fees; evening dinner in Oaxaca, liquor; optional side trips and excursions; extensions to your stay.

Schedule  Upon registration, we will send you an outline of the week’s activities.

Friday: Arrive in Oaxaca and take a taxi to your B&B in Teotitlan del Valle. We’ll provide you with directions and how to get from the airport to the village. We will meet together in the courtyard at 8:00 p.m. for a welcome reception. Saturday: Meet for breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Workshop starts at 9:00 a.m. and continues through the day into the evening.  Sunday-Friday: Each day is planned with different activities to enhance the learning process. The workshop day typically begins at 9 a.m. after breakfast and continues, with meal and snack breaks, through the evening. We will take one late afternoon and evening “off” to go into Oaxaca City for comida together and to explore the sights. Saturday morning: Breakfast, summary and evaluation. The workshop ends by 10:00 a.m.

Send your registration deposit with your name, address, telephone, cell phone and email address, and a brief statement about why you want to attend this workshop and your experience, to:

Norma Hawthorne, Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC, 110 Blue Heron Farm Rd., Pittsboro, NC 27312

Questions?

normahawthorne@mac.com or (919) 274-6194

We also offer weaving and natural dyeing workshops in Teotitlan del Valle!

Among the Zapotecs of Mexico, National Geographic 1927

We bought National Geographic DVDs from the 1920’s to the 1960’s at a garage sale a couple of years ago and just got around to looking at the table of contents, to discover there was an article written by Herbert Covey in 1927 with photos of Teotitlan del Valle, our village.  I was eager to read it.

Herbert Covey’s view of Mexico was not unlike many of his adventurous contemporaries who were exploring indigenous Africa, Asia, and Central and South America at the same time.  In April 1927, National Geographic magazine published a rather lengthy first person account of his train trip from Puebla to Oaxaca and his travels around the villages, accompanied by black and white photos.

The travelogue, viewed through today’s lens, is appalling.  Covey reflects that era of colonial arrogance that we have associated more with Great Britain, France and other paternalistic colonizers who are determined to either remake the indigenous culture in its own image or to stereotype it into the “noble savage” ideation that sells exotic armchair travel.  It is a foretelling of the neocolonial relationship that the U.S. has had with Mexico since WWII, and is a retrospective of U.S-Mexican political relationship of dominance and weakness.  Moreover, it emphasizes the social, cultural and political superiority held by “more advanced” societies who look down upon the poor “other.”

The first paragraphs reveal the tone of the article.  Covey writes that there were only two eras in Mexican history that were civilized, the three hundred year period of Spanish colonization and the seventy year presidency of Benito Juarez!  The Spanish conquest is only spoken about in the most glowing terms, and Juarez is referred to as the little brown Zapotec.  Other stereotypes abound and the language includes stereotypical epithets that made my stomach turn.

I read the entire article because these images are ingrained in our world view as a nation, and it is important to know how we are acculturated to accept (or reject) our Mexican neighbors.  These writings of almost one hundred years ago influence how we treat the immigration issue today and our economic relationship with Mexico around oil and other natural resources.

Wikipedia:  Paternalistic neocolonialism

The term paternalistic neocolonialism involves the belief held by a neo-colonial power that their colonial subjects benefit from their occupation. Critics of neocolonialism, arguing that this is both exploitive and racist, contend this is merely a justification for continued political hegemony and economic exploitation of past colonies, and that such justifications are the modern reformulation of the Civilizing mission concepts of the 19th century.

Learning Spanish: Online Language Lessons

The New York Times just published a story about three of the most popular online Spanish tutorial sites:  Rosetta Stone, Tell Me More, and Live Mocha.  I decided to investigate in order to practice before I hit the ground running in Oaxaca two weeks from now.

Here is the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/technology/personaltech/28basics.html?emc=eta1

Here is my assessment of the three sites:

Live Mocha is FREE. Can’t beat that, or so it seems.  I spent a few hours on the site after easy registration.  The lessons are like using a textbook.  After my language skills were measured, I was directed to the level that was most appropriate for my learning.  I used the mouse to select my answers to the questions in Spanish and English that popped up on to the screen.  After each module, I received a score.  The lessons were clear, visual, simple to understand, and I could easily see my progress.  However, there was no verbal pronunciation exercises or feedback given for articulating words.  A huge shortcoming, in my opinion.  But, what do you expect for nothing!

Tell Me More COSTS $$, but not as much as Rosetta Stone.  The list of universities, colleges and businesses that use this online program is huge.  You can sign up for two modules for $171 (before February 5, 2010), a 25% discount.  The program is interactive and provides pronunciation practice using a graph that measures voice tone and accent accuracy, in addition to the type of learning endorsed by the U.S. State Department.  You can buy in to this program without a huge financial commitment.

Rosetta Stone = a BIG INVESTMENT.  Thousands.  My husband Stephen, who taught ESL in the Peace Corps, says that the way the lessons are structured are not conducive to easy language learning.  He is not a Rosetta Stone fan, and I trust his judgment.  After looking at the Rosetta Stone site, I could see immediately that the way the lessons are taught would not work for me, and I didn’t want to make that $$ huge commitment up front.

My best advice:  navigate these three sites and determine what feels most comfortable to you.  I’m signing up for Tell Me More.

Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca, in California

Teotitecos emigrate and settle where their friends and relatives have gone before them.  For most, the intention is to go for a few years, find good work, make some money, send it home, and then return.  I’ve often asked myself, When is the point of no return?  Meanwhile, Teotitecos have been in California for decades and generations, since at least the 1950’s when the bracero program welcomed legitimate labor from Mexico.

Today, there is a strong Zapotec community from Teotitlan del Valle living in Santa Ana, California, where young men are selected to become dancers for the Dance of the Feather, where guelaguetza and quinciniera and traditional festivals are observed and respected.  Zapotec is spoken here and it is home away from home.  Young people tell me that their parents came to Santa Ana twenty years ago when they were just young pups.  They don’t remember much of anything but want to preserve their cultural heritage and village identity.

In Oxnard and Moorpark, California, in Ventura County just over the L.A. County line, the story is similar.  Walk into the McDonald’s in Oxnard and, I am told, you will hear Zapotec spoken by the staff.

When I meet people in Teotitlan they tell me, oh, I used to live in Santa Ana, or yes, I worked in Oxnard for five years growing flowers in the greenhouses.  It is a common story of cross border migration and how to create home away from home.

California is a melange of transplanted Mexican towns and villages, replicated in big city neighborhoods, agricultural communities, and mid-size towns.   After a while, the men who are lonely for their families return to Oaxaca, wanting to watch their children grow up and participate in Teotitlan village life.  The promise of the California dream did not match their expectations.  For others, the choice to return to the small Oaxaca village where livelihood is limited to rug weaving and ancillary village services, the future holds little promise.  So, they decide to stay in Santa Ana or Oxnard and start over again, putting down roots, forsaking the past, starting a new family and another life.

I have talked with those who returned.  They did not like the prejudice and the lifestyle of living in cramped apartments, sharing beds to keep the cost of living low while they worked for minimum wage or less, taking their chances as day laborers.   While, those who stayed in Santa Ana and Oxnard decided that the economic opportunity and chance for an education for themselves and their children outweighed the loss of connection to family and homeland.  

Those who arrive undocumented  are forced to sever connection to home until they are ready to return permanently.  The cost is too high to travel back and forth guided by mercenary coyotes, risking the hazards of stealth travel through the desert.

All immigrants to the United States share a common history of pulling up roots and leaving their homeland behind.  What differentiates people is their desire to hold on to their cultural and social history or to eschew it in favor of assimilation.   It is heartening for me to hear that there is Teotitlan del Valle in California.

Q & A About Oaxaca Safety 2010

Q: I am a college student in Sarasota, Florida, We’ve got a trip planned out for Oaxaca in March, during spring break. I had half a mind to go, but everyone keeps telling me how dangerous it is.
Fortunately, I happened to have stumbled upon your blog, the one beacon of positive light.

I do wish to ask, what the risk is at this time. We’ll be travelling in a group pf 14 or so, doing the regular tourist routes it seems.

In anycase, I am of Guatemalan decent and speak Spanish well, so I’m not concerned with communication very much.

The blog is very useful as is.  I found the recommended materials list for winter months, though I don’t think March will qualify as such.

IF you have any advice whatsoever for students traveling to Oaxaca, I would greatly appreciate it if you shared it with me.  Thank you Norma, Fantastic work!

A: Please tell everyone that Oaxaca is probably as safe as any U.S. city,  and equally as safe or safer than yours. It is a pedestrian town and people are on the streets strolling through the evening and well into the night.  I am in Oaxaca several times a year, just returned after two weeks during the winter holidays and I’m going back again in two weeks for our documentary film workshop.  I have never felt at risk or threatened.  Of course, I am always aware of my environment and who is walking toward me.  I watch my back when withdrawing money at ATMs (just as I would at home in North Carolina).  It is important to respect the fact that you are in another country and take notice.  You are traveling in a group and if you go out in pairs there should be no problem at all.  If your family has concerns, please ask them to read this blog or send me an email.  Your school would not be taking you if they felt there was a risk.  The fear is being generated by the media focused on the drug wars that are far away from Oaxaca, mostly on the border towns.  The fact that you speak Spanish is an advantage.  Go … and have a great time.

Claims, Disclaimers + Disclosures: IMHO

It occurred to me that some readers might think, wow, she is really focused on highlighting the talents of only a few weavers or a few shops or a few of the talented artisans in Oaxaca, and might wonder if I receive any compensation for indirect “advertising.”  This blog is created as a way to share information, and everything is written as “In My Humble Opinion.”  I do not accept commissions, kick-backs, or compensation of any kind to write about restaurants, shops or particular artisans here.  I have developed friendships with artists and artisans over the years based upon the quality of work they do, their honesty and integrity, and their personal commitment to their history and culture.  I freely recommend these people to you if you choose to go off the beaten path, explore and not take the easy tourist route around Oaxaca by hiring a guide.

Where to Buy Fabulous Oaxaca Textiles

Once in a while a question shows up on my blog that is part of a key word search that I am compelled to write about, even though you can find this information through a search on this blog.   And the answer is, it depends on what you are looking for.   Oaxaca galleries and shops have abundant selection.  If you go, please let them know you read about them here.  The other option is to travel to particular villages and search out the finest craftspeople — an exercise that can take a lifetime!  As a point of information, I write these reviews based upon my own knowledge and personal preferences, and am not compensated for any of these opinions.  If you have suggestions for others, please feel free to comment.  

Favorite shops for handwoven clothing and table linens:

1. Museo Textil de Oaxaca.  The museum shop (closed Tuesdays and for afternoon lunch between 2-4 p.m.), features a small collection of very fine handwoven huipiles, scarves and shawls (silk, cotton, wool), pillow covers, handbags and jewelry.  Prices are high, but so is the quality.
2. Remigio Mestas —  Gallery Shop in the Los Danzantes courtyard on Macedonio Alcala features clothing and bolts of handwoven textiles. Remigio is the “go-to” man for all the major collectors.  The array of textiles is mind-boggling.  He encourages the best indigenous weavers from remote villages all over Oaxaca to use highest quality materials.  The prices are premium and worth it.
3. Tally.  This small, eclectic shop on Av. Cinco de Mayo between Abasolo and Constitucion, offers a small selection of huipiles.
4. Malacate by Silvia Suarez.  She is a textile designer and friend of the Museo Textil de Oaxaca director Ana Paula Fuentes who selects high quality huipiles and embroidered fabrics and works with local seamstresses to create handbags and pillows, too.  The shop is located on Gurrion, the short street that borders the side of Santo Domingo church, around the corner from El Che restaurant.  Pricey and worth it.
5. The shop inside the La Biznaga restaurant courtyard on Garcia Virgil.  They have changed owners and I don’t know the name.  There are excellent textiles here at fair prices.  You need to be able to discern the higher quality from the rest.  Great gifts and contemporary jewelry at excellent prices, including alebrijes and stuffed animals from Chiapas.
6. Sheri Brautigam, La Lucita Imports, Oaxaca.  (Not a shop, an individual designer). Sheri is a San Francisco textile designer relocated to Oaxaca, where she uses Tenancingo ikat woven cotton fabrics to fashion traditional  quechquemetls, an indigenous shawl that is fabulous for throwing over your head to cover your shoulders.  Contact Sheri directly at lalucita@yahoo.com or Mexico cell (044) or (045)-951-151-1557
7. La Mano Magica, Calle Macedonio Alcala pedestrian street between the Cathedral and Santo Domingo Church.  Wide array of high quality folk art handpicked by Mary Jane Gagnier and textiles woven by Arnulfo Mendoza.

What to look for:  uniform weave, tightly woven, strong seams, no fraying, finished edges.

Favorite shops for highest quality handwoven rugs using natural dyes:

1. Galeria Fe y Lola, Av. Cinco de Mayo between Constitucion and Abasolo, in Oaxaca city
2. El Nahual, Av. Cinco de Mayo next door to Galeria Fe y Lola, in Oaxaca city
3. Chavez Santiago Family Weavers, Francisco I. Madero #55, Teotitlan del Valle
4. Demetrio Bautista, Av. Benito Juarez, Teotitlan del Valle
5. Pantaleon Ruiz Martinez, Constitucion #12, Teotitlan del Valle
6. Bii Dauu Cooperative, Av. Iturbide, Teotitlan del Valle
7. All the young Teotitlan del Valle weavers who exhibited at the anthropological museum at Monte Alban I wrote about on this blog — not all their weavings use natural dyes, so you need to ask

What to look for:  tight weave, double weft chords on each side, 10-12 threads per inch for traditional tapestry weave, 22 threads per inch for Saltillo weave, authentic use of 100% hand spun wool and natural dyes, straight edges so rug lies flat, securely tied fringes.

What To Pack for Oaxaca Winter Travel

Norma Hawthorne’s travel and packing tips for a one-week stay in Oaxaca during the winter months, December through February.

Clothing and Personal Essentials:

Flip flops for the shower

Hand sanitizer (small travel size)

Wool socks

Comfortable walking shoes

Sandals or clogs (optional)

Layered casual clothing

1-2 pairs of pants

1 pair shorts (optional)

dress (optional)

short sleeve shirt (2)

long sleeve shirt (2)

warm sweater or fleece

warm scarf

wool socks

Underwear for 4-5 days

Jacket or windbreaker

Sun hat with wide brim for day and warm hat for night

Medications, toiletries, sunscreen (the sun is strong)

An antiviral in case you get a stomach bug

Sunglasses, extra pair of prescription eyeglasses

Extra passport copy

Extra duffle bag or suitcase for bringing back gifts/purchases

Totebag and/or backpack for location work

Camera, batteries/chargers (video and still)

Electric current is the same, no need for a converter

Dress is VERY casual.  I bring one black washable dress and one pair of black slacks (rayon or washable silk), and two long-sleeve black T-shirt that I can interchange, sometimes wearing the dress over the pants, adding scarves and shawls and a different jacket to change looks.  Makes packing much simpler!  Blue jeans and sweatshirts are perfectly acceptable.  Please be comfortable.

Washing your clothes:  there are convenient laundries throughout the city and the villages.   Clothes dry in the warm air in just a couple of hours so you can easily wash and wear the same day.

Before you leave home:

Call your credit/debit card company and tell them the dates you are traveling to Oaxaca.  Ask them not to block your charges and ATM use.

Sign up for international (Mexico) phone service with your wireless carrier and if you carry a handheld (iPhone/Blackberry) get an internet roaming plan or turn your data off to avoid big charges.

Money:  Do not bring Traveler’s Checks.  They are too difficult and expensive to cash.  There are ATMs in the Mexico City airport, in Oaxaca, and the regional towns like Tlacolula and Ocotlan.  The best exchange rates are via ATM withdrawal.   Often, merchants will give a 10 percent (or more) discount if you use cash and not a credit card.   Some will take a personal check rather than a credit card.  I always bring a few personal checks.  As of this writing the exchange rate is 12.5 – 13 pesos to the dollar.  Oaxaca banks with ATMs are located across from the Zocalo, on Hidalgo, on Garcia Virgil a block from the Zocalo, and on the Periferico near Fabrica de Francia on the road to the airport and Ocotlan, and across from Llano Park.

Weather: Days will be mild and can be as warm as the mid-80’s Fahrenheit.  Nights will be chilly and it can be breezy, even windy throughout the day this time of year.  You will need to bring clothing to transition from day to evening.   Think layers.  This is not the rainy season.

Public Health: Most households and restaurants in Oaxaca use either purified drinking water or boil their water for cooking.  Do not drink the tap water or use it to brush your teeth — anywhere.  When eating “on the street” or in cafes, I advise that you do not eat raw greens, salads or anything that has been pre-peeled and cut.  It is difficult to know if the utensils were washed with purified water.   High-end restaurants that cater to tourists will have good sanitation standards, but in my humble opinion it is better to be safe than sorry.  It is safe to eat anything that has been grilled or boiled.  That’s why I have no qualms eating off the grill at the Sunday Tlacolula market.  Carry your own water, tissue paper/napkins, and small container of hand sanitizer (which I use liberally).   Bottled water is ubiquitous and you can buy it at any corner shop in most villages.

If you have travel tips for Oaxaca to share, please add your advice to this blog post.

Earthquakes in Oaxaca? Yes

As a Californian, I grew up respectful of the power of earthquakes and in fear of the devastation they could cause.  The 1988 Loma Prieta earthquake, centered in Santa Cruz, California, was in my sister’s backyard.  Anything breakable was destroyed and buildings constructed before “code” or ignoring the boundaries of legal approval were vulnerable, toppled or structurally compromised.  I remember the “shake, rattle and roll” years of living in San Francisco and the dread of driving into an underground parking garage, wondering if this would be the unpredictable moment that all would fall down.  Now, four days after the Haiti earthquake, we take stock of where we live, how we live, how we build our dwellings and public spaces, and the impact of poverty on physical safety.

The state of Oaxaca is on the San Andreas fault line, which runs from the west coast of the U.S. down the spine of the Sierra Madre mountain range into southern Mexico.  The historic city of Puebla was victim of a massive quake in the last two decades, and the areas around the volcanoes that border Puebla, Guerrero and Oaxaca are particularly volatile.   There are no skyscrapers here.  Oaxaca is the second or third poorest state in Mexico and there are shantytowns in every corner of this magnificent city and scattered throughout the countryside in the poorest villages.

Those who have money to build solid adobe or brick construction understand that they must dig deep to anchor their foundations.    Foundation trenches are at least four to six feet deep and two to three feet wide, filled with huge boulders, steel girders and then concrete.  I have to believe that this type of construction has evolved over hundreds of years of experience.  Adobe will crumble; bricks and concrete block will topple.  And, the huge fortress churches of these Mexican cities (including Puebla and Oaxaca) have survived over 500 years of earthquakes reaching magnitudes of seven on the Richter scale.

There was a day last summer when I was awakening in the early morning from a deep sleep and felt a gentle shake and rattle.  Ah, I said, must be an earthquake.  We are used to them in Oaxaca and believe it is a good sign that the earth is giving off it’s geological stress to relieve the pressure.  Hopefully, this periodic burp will avoid the “big one.”  Was the earthquake in Haiti different because there hadn’t been a major quake there (7+) in over 200 years?  Are little quakes a reminder that we live in a region that is at risk and we need to take precautions?  How much precaution CAN be taken when there is not enough money to build a proper home to withstand the forces of nature?  Supposedly, the human tragedy of a natural disaster does not discriminate based on wealth or poverty.  Yet, we know that the poor suffered most in New Orleans.  Will the same be true in Haiti?  Can human beings win against the forces of nature?  Not likely.

As for Oaxaca, people with money will dig their foundations deep while the poor construct shelter out of tin scraps, cardboard and discarded bed springs.

Getting to Oaxaca: Airfares and Travel Tips

Stephen and I just completed our Oaxaca travels over the winter holidays.  We booked round trip in and out of Mexico City which can be a 30-40% savings.  We took a taxi to TAPU (regional bus station) and then the ADO GL bus to Oaxaca (6.5 hours for about $50USD).  There’s an overnight bus to Oaxaca from Mexico City — the one to take is the Platino or Uno, which has reclining seats that are like beds.

You’ll just need to check the going rates for the best fares.  I have become a Continental Airlines frequent flyer because they fly direct from Houston to Oaxaca and sometimes the fares are good.  We’ve paid from $450 to $800, so it’s important to book in advance (way in advance) for best fares.  American has a codeshare with Mexicana in which you fly to DFW, then to MexCity, then to Oaxaca.  You can fly any carrier into Mexico City and then get to Oaxaca various ways.

There is a bus, Estrella Roja, in the international terminal in Mexico City, that will take you to Puebla ($15USD), one of my favorite cities.  It is two hours from M.C.  We stay overnight there at Camino Real Puebla (great breakfast buffet) which is a 16th century ex-convent, then continue on to Oaxaca the next day, making the bus trip a little more bearable for me (even though there are toilets on the ADO GL).

I book all our hotel rooms online using www.hotels.com and save 40-50% off the rack rate.  For airplane fares, I belong to www.airfarewatchdog.com and use www.hotwire.com.  Most of the discount airfare websites are not substantially different in pricing, but you can get tricked into booking a low cost fare only to discover that they haven’t added on airport taxes and booking fees until check-out.  On my next trip to Oaxaca coming up in February for the documentary filmmaking workshop we are offering, I booked round trip from RDU to Mexico City for $388USD including taxes and fees.  I then went onto the Mexicana website and booked an internal round trip from MexCity to Oaxaca for an additional $200, making the total fare come in under $600.