Guanajuato Day 5.5

7.26.06
Guanajuato Day 5 ½

Thunder competes with the sound of explosives in the mountains as mother nature drops her load while mankind blows tunnels into the earth. As our presenter wraps up his talk on the Day of the Dead, the light dies in the dance hall and I am aware of the fact that people use the minimum amount of lighting, electricity, plumbing, paper napkins and space as possible. The Senora makes wonderful meals in a room the size of some people’s coat closets back in the states and everything seems smaller. People are more contained until you engage them in conversation as I was lucky to do tonight with the Senora’s son. We talk about politics, the wall the U.S. plans on building, why we can’t find cures for diseases with all of our resources. He doesn’t understand why we don’t jail these militiamen in Arizona and, frankly, neither do I. This is probably one of the best parts of this experience, just sitting around chatting with the host family while my sorority sisters go out dancing. Not that

And speaking of dancing Leslie & Fernanda the 7 year old cousins who live here are both flamenco dancers. It was fun to watch them twirl their skirts for me and pose for the camera. I wish I had had the guts to keep dancing in some way when my mother took me out of the Joffrey school at their age. I was so intimidated, my ankles turned in, my stomach stuck out and I was branded “not ballet material.” Ah, well, I try to catch up now in my own way.

I’ve decided that hosting international students is a great retirement plan. Find some lovely university town in a gorgeous place, open your home and your hearth to wanderlusters from around the world. My Senora cooks all day long and makes our stay pleasant in her soft shoed way, talking when we’re in the mood, removing to the kitchen when the English squeals begin. I don’t now, but love to cook and what a nice way to share your kitchen than with these eager eyed, albeit cellphone tethered, young spirits. A few of us grayer haired types weave in and out, lend our gravitas now and then, but mostly it’s the college age out to change the world, or at least their small part in it that brings the place to life.