Cruz del Pueblo Series 03

Guanajuato was wonderful. It was exceptionally nice seeing the madres. Madre Elvira greeted us at the door and we didn’t move from the entrance for the first 20 minutes as we excitedly caught up with one another. Madre Elvira knows something about everything and, along with Amanda Morgan, is the best conversationalist I know. She’s funny, bright, and always has a gleam in her eye. She’s been busy learning about her computer and all the new software that has been a god send, saving her so much time.

As always, it was heartwarming and centering to be in Madre Lourde’s presence. She’s struggling at this time to come up with enough money to send all the girls to school. There was one final girl who didn’t have any familial resources or a sponsor. Madre Lourdes didn’t know how she would send her to school. Luckily, a few months ago, Mala had been talking with a patron at the Eugene Public Library about the convent. For whatever reason, the man felt compelled to send me a check for $50 which I guarded until I could hand it over to Madre Lourdes. The moment came this weekend when she told me about this little girl. Allowing a child without family and zero resources to attend school is fifty dollars well spent if you ask me.

The list is always long when it comes to what the convent needs. But economics has hit hard in Mexico too and there is less financial support for social causes these days. So even the basics are being trimmed back. Next on the list is to find a way to buy mattresses. Having spent the night at the convent, I can attest to the fact that the mattresses are as hard as rocks as are the pillows. At the top of ML’s wishlist is new mattresses for the girls. Knowing the good work that these contemplatives do for those who have nothing, I’m sure they’ll get those mattresses.

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Cruz del Pueblo Series 02

We’re in Guanajuato for the weekend visiting Madre Lourdes and a city we love.

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Cruz del Pueblo

Calzada de la Presa to Nuñez.
Nuñez to Murillo.
Murillo to Barranka.
Barranka to Garita.
Cross Real A QR and Garita turns into Cruz del Pueblo.
Walk up 244 steps to Cabello and then you’re only 95 steps to the cross where you can see the entire town and then some.

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Note to self…

Last night I dreamt I met a woman struggling with her contribution of a play coming to town. I asked her how she was involved and she told me that she was writing the music. There was a song in particular that wasn’t coming to her. No matter what she did in terms of putting together lyrics and melody, the only part that felt right was the chorus.

So I asked her what the chorus was and she sang it to me with deep emotion and personal connection, “I am right here, right now.” I told her that in my opinion, the way that she sang those words was enough… enough for the entire song. That’s all it needed to say.

——————-

Things are looking up. I printed out my business cards again and you can see my cellphone number. F and I are meeting with Joe on Monday to see if he likes us. He’s 91, a New Yorker, and I know I already like him. Joe’s wife died three years ago and he’s looking for roommates. We’re hoping that will be us. We’ll know Monday evening.

There’s also a wonderful woman in town doing everything she can to hook F and I to employment. She’s well connected and uncommonly kind. So there’s a few things out there. I’m practicing stillness to see where I gravitate instead of trying to force anything.

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Forever 54

54, the new 21, at least in San Miguel de Allende.

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Cellphone mexicana

Fernando and I set out to get me a cellphone today. What I thought might take a couple hours max, ended up a seven hour enterprise. We thought we could take my old cellphone in and have the Telmex folks perform something simple: a chip trade maybe, or a cellphone activation perhaps. But as I’ve learned, it’s never simple in Mexico.

We set out around noon. One would imagine that most phone stores would be open at noon. We found out otherwise. We walked to the first place: closed. Same with the next two. At last, and after a lot of walking, store number four was open. It was now around 3:00 PM.

Store number four told us that a guy from Queretaro comes by every Wednesday to pick up American cellphones needing activation. He returns with them on Saturday. Having gone almost a month without a cellphone, I was anxious to get a number today so I could put it on my business card and start passing the cards out to spas in town. Phone number = business card = employment = getting out of F’s mother’s house and into a place of our own. Alternatively, store number four said we could go to the super Telmex close to Mega and they could activate our phone.

So we went to super Telmex. At this point, we started taking buses. Super Telmex took one look at my American phone and told me they couldn’t do anything there but that there was a place in town that could activate my phone. Apparently, the other place in town would hook my phone up to a computer to unlock it so it could then work with a Telmex card. The service cost 450 pesos or roughly $45.

The woman back at store number four had told us that we could buy a cheap cellphone for 295 pesos that came with a hundred minutes. So we opted to take a bus back to store number four and review our choices. Once there, we upgraded to a 395 peso phone which we understood came with 300 free minutes (100 minutes a month for three months: a premotional). But as she thanked us and said goodbye, she repeated the conditions of our purchase and it changed to 100 free minutes instead of 300.

We walked out confused. We weren’t sure what the deal was now. So on our way home, we stopped at the originally closed/first phone store and asked if it was 100 free minutes or 300 free minutes. One hundred. Ok.

I have a cellphone now. It has 100 free minutes. I’ve already put it on my business card and printed out business cards tonight at Beatrice’s store. The only thing is you can’t see the phone number.

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Run

Jim thought his running days were over until he saw the trophies and medals prominently displayed in Beatrice’s store. He also took a look at Beatrice and liked her immediately. She had all the makings of a new friend, including a comprehensive familiarity with the land that comes about through running it routinely.

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Fernando and I ran through the streets of San Miguel de Allende this morning. We have a built in alarm clock next door, a rooster that begins crowing at 4:30am every morning on the dot. I used a pair of F’s old shoes (no shoelaces) and there was just enough light when we started not to trip over the cobblestones. When I regain any of the conditioning that I left in Eugene, I’ll invite Beatrice for a run. I only hope she doesn’t run in circles around me.

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Basura

There is no trash pick-up on our street. To dispose of our trash, we take a four minute walk over to the mercado where we can throw our bags into a dump-truck that’s usually parked outside after 9:00PM. Last night, Fernando’s cuñada (sister-in-law) accompanied us on our walk. There were a few folks already at the truck: a market vendor, a neighbor, and a butcher. Cuñada Maluye grabbed one of the bloody big bones carefully balanced on the butcher’s shoulder and head to toss over to one of the patient and deserving dogs waiting for such a prize. Unfortunately, the grab was not well thought-out and the remaining bloody bones and bits cascaded upon the butcher’s face. He didn’t seem to mind all that much and the dog was delighted, so, no harm done.

I’ve always been extra careful when I buy. I take packaging into account and always question, “Do I really need this?” Having to walk my trash to the dump truck at night will most likely tightening my criteria even more which is a good thing.

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Centro historico

Merida, SFGate.com’s selection for Mexico’s most beautiful colonial city. I would have to agree. One of the many thing that makes Merida so lovely is the fusion of cultures. As well as being the center of the Mayan world, it welcomed waves of Italian, Lebanese and Syrian immigrants in the 19th century. The Spanish colonial architecture mixes with the Arab influence of mosaics and Italian design. To walk through the streets of Merida is to experience living-breathing art history. It’s glorious.

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Bananas

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Hotel Trinidad

One of the art pieces in the reception room at Hotel Trinidad in Merida. The entire, funky hotel is inspired by art.

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Tú y yo

You can see these 19th century chairs in the parks of Merida. The museum labeled these charmers as “Confidential Chairs” - Tú y yo.

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Last night and this morning, I had a wonderful wrap-up with Lavonna. I look forward to maintaining a working relationship with her as well as a friendship. Like Madre Lourdes, she has a humble ambition about her, as if she didn’t request to be put out on the front lines, but that’s where she found herself, armed with two cell phones, a big heart, and a Geminian capacity to handle forty things at once.

After goodbye hugs at the airport, F and I headed to Mexico City. From there, we boarded a bus to Querétaro where we are now, somehow enjoying free wireless at the bus station. We’ll be in San Miguel de Allende tonight.

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Options

One of the many sculptures temporarily installed on the grand Paseo de Montejo Avenue as part of the “Merida, Yucatan, City of Sculpture” program.

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Fernando and I left Merida at midnight last night and arrived back in Playa early this morning. At this point, we’re torn between Merida and San Miguel de Allende. I was offered a job in a spa in Merida and an educator wants to interview me this upcoming weekend to work with children and adolescents using an interactive teaching technique and small groups. I would be teaching them English and it would be part-time (afternoons only).

For the last two days, we walked up and down the streets of Merida looking for someplace to live. We had many leads, but all of them were just out of our grasp: the apt won’t be ready for another week (we heard this four times); another place was fantastic–and cheap–but had no furniture; the upstairs at Doña Mercedes had just been rented; another required a 6 month lease; etc. We drank a liter of water an hour and sweated it all out. Fernando had salt lines on his shorts. We were rained upon on the way to my interview. Birds shat on me twice which I took as a good sign. We’re tanner, thinner, nomads, and are looking for signs to decide Where to next?.

We could go to Merida and do it again. It’s hard to find a place in two days. There’s one house in particular that we’re interested in. It’s centrally located and full of character. But when the owner came to show it to us, she couldn’t find the keys. It’s old, very old, probably comes with its own ghost, but we would like to see the inside! Mel, the host at Julamis, kindly offered to take pictures for us once the keys are located.

Another consideration is living rent-free in San Miguel de Allende until we both find jobs. SMA is also much closer to Guadalajara where Fernando needs to go to do his presentations in order to complete his law degree he’s been working on for the past four years. It just that once a city has captured your heart like Merida has captured ours, it’s hard to pull away. At any rate, by this time tomorrow, we’ll be on a bus headed for somewhere that we can hang our hats.

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Calle 60 x 67

Fernando and I were walking North on Calle 60 tonight when I heard such a beautiful voice that I had to turn back around to stop and listen for awhile. We crossed the street at 67 and saw this lovely man with his guitar. He was blind and I believe that somehow, his loss of vision strengthened his compassion for life because when he sang, I heard it with my heart.

I noticed one guy standing very close to him on the sidewalk, enjoying the songs. He stood there for a little bit and while he did, our singer leaned into his way, knowing that a listener was there and acknowledging him by facing him and singing to him. He had this easy way about him… or maybe it was more of a gentleness.

When the man left, I walked over and stood in his place. The singer recognized the change, smiled, and then starting singing to me. After a couple of songs, I asked him if he could sing something really sad. He smiled, and when he did, I noticed that all his wrinkles were from smiling. He told me he had to think a little bit because he didn’t know many sad songs (and I thought almost all of them were!). But then he smiled again, perhaps remembering a good one from long ago, and began. He sang in my direction a song so sad with a voice so sweet that I stood next to him on the sidewalk with busses wheezing by, people stepping off the curb to get around us, and just let the tears roll down my face and drip off my chin.

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Salmon Love

I wish I could take this fountain home with me, wherever home is.

We’ve fallen even more in love with Merida today. The City is remarkably clean and vibrant and there is so much history here which makes for a lot of soul. Tonight, they close down Calle 60 to traffic, one of the main streets in the historic center, and open it up to people walking, watching, and dancing. It will be hard to leave this place.

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Merida

We’re in Merida for the weekend and we don’t want to leave. This is an astounding city full of culture and history, cathedrals, museums, vendors, and colors! It’s beautiful and the people are so nice. We heart Merida, for sure.

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Room for rent

Our housemates are at a stage in their relationship where they habitually argue. We know when they’re fighting because we hear them and because when She leaves, La Substituta comes over. We also call the other woman La Casa Chica in reference to the not uncommon practice of a man holding down two homes: the house with wife & family–La Casa Grande–and a second house for the mistress and possibly another family, La Casa Chica. Usually, the casas are kept separate. Unfortunately, that’s not the case here. Oftentimes when we walk home, we wonder if we’re going to the Casa Grande or the Casa Chica.

A few nights ago, after Fernando had chased and killed a cockroach and we were in bed listening to the voices upstairs, I watched another fatty scamper over to my storage area. I thought to myself that if this is what I missed out in my twenties, I didn’t miss out on much.

In other news, I gave a massage at the clinic today! It feels great to be doing this work again. There’s a support group for battered women that I’ll be involved with for the remainder of our time in Playa del Carmen which makes me very happy.

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The Morales Women

When asked what drew them to Angel Notion, both Enedina Tovilla Morales and Margarita Arizmendi Morales answered that helping people motivates them. Both women witnessed the healing and loving environment firsthand and wanted to be a part of the Angel Notion team. So they began volunteering. Years later, they’re still here.

Enedina’s special talent is to find where she’s needed, learn the skill the job requires, and then add it to the list of what she already does. She’s flexible, talented, and resourceful. Enedina works in administration, with patients, at the reception desk, with the computers, creates flyers, participates in all the missions, and is more or less Angel Notion’s right hand. Her next goal is to learn how to drive!

Margarita fills her time with administrative details such as banking, accounting, making sure payments are received and administered, and handling all the paperwork that keeps Angel Notion running. She is always at the clinic and her constancy is an anchor that secures Angel Notion in place.

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Magda Love

Magdalena’s job at Angel Notion is to “love the people when they come in and let them know they are in the right place and that they will receive the help they need.”  She achieves this with her gracious presence which radiates pure love. She shares that there’s a noticeable difference at Angel Notion in comparison to other health care facilities because patients find affection the moment they walk in.  Magdalena greets staff and clients alike with a generous daily hug, sometimes more if they’re lucky.  Magdalena has been part of the Angel Notion family for nearly four years, sharing her energetic spirit and ever-present smile with everyone she encounters as the front-desk receptionist, problem solver, and community advocate.  Also of significance is Magdalena’s steadfast commitment to the work of Angel Notion: she will stay as long as she has to and do whatever it takes to see a job through.

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Martha, full of heart

Martha Galvan is a very sweet and impressively capable woman who coordinates the cardiology initiatives here at Angel Notion.  Martha’s initial experience with the clinic was on a heart mission to a small Mayan village where the children lined up and one after the other were checked for possible heart conditions by volunteer cardiologists from the States.  Heart defects are common in this area; unfortunately, proper diagnostics and expertise are not. After this first mission, Martha, a self-defined “House Mom” signed on for whatever she could to help children with defective hearts.

As Cardio Program Coordinator, Martha scouts out facilities, specialized equipment, professionals such as nurses, surgeons, physicians, and cardiologists to perform special-event surgeries.  These events are called Missions.  The missions have increased in importance because as of one year ago, the United States further restricted Mexicans entering the country temporarily for specialized treatment.  So Angel Notion is working to create those opportunities here at home.  Martha is at the center of these efforts, working from home to coordinate all the disparate pieces that must come together for a Mission to take place.

A herculean endeavor is taking place at the moment as Martha coordinates another mission of heart surgeries this upcoming December.  There is a growing waiting list of children needing heart surgery.  Martha and her team hope to bring together a group of specialists and the equipment necessary to treat 20 or so children in one mission.  As you can imagine, this takes tremendous networking, pledges, donations, and time.  But it is all coming together.  Martha’s underlying goal is to increase the expertise of local doctors and level of heart medicine in this area so that eventually, children can be properly diagnosed and treated right here at home.

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