Guanajuato Day 14

Two yowling cats wake us up before dawn. They are either in heat or distressed at another days arrival. There is no way to sleep past 6 am here, with dogs, gas men, street noises rising straight up the hill. I love the lights against the sleeping town as the sun rises; they remind me of golden buttons on a velvet jacket as the giant wakes from a drunken stupor and tosses off his raiment.

In conversation class we discuss infidelity and how in Mexico it is more the women who are unfaithful, what with their husbands away all day, motels fill up around 10-11am. There is still the machismo problem and young girls are often advised to marry gringos because they don’t beat up on their wives, earn more money and respect women more. I might argue to the contrary given our own domestic violence problems but we all agree that the internet, TV and international travel have affected expectations of relationships. One woman knows someone who refuses to communicate with anyone by telephone; it must all be by e-mail. We all wonder how this generation of children will grow up and learn to navigate life, love and all that goes with social intercourse if they do it with a screen between themselves.

On the way back from school we heard the sound of clog dancing or something rising up the hill. Closer to home we found the source, the Ballet Folklorico of Guanajuato practicing in an inner courtyard. It was hard to recognize them win their warm up attire, missing the colorful huge skirts and the men’s machetes. We’re sorry there are no musical/cultural events these week, but the kids enjoy an impromptu children’s show about Water Awareness in a town square. It seems this week some water convention is working on a new reservoir and a plaza was filled with displays illustrating the history of water use and Greenpeace had a tent up. I was aware of what a university town has to offer over some smaller bergs.

Finally we see a sight, the Alhondiga, or grainery, which was the seat of the Mexican revolution. A beautiful building with some wonderful murals on the entrance and exit stairways. The museum has displays of some very delicate oil portraits of early residents of the town and also ancient Indian art and clay pieces. I am more moved by the small painting of an old woman; sadly my flash was not allowed but I did catch a picture of this solid and proud looking couple.

Tomorrow is the last day of school and I feel like I’ve only just begun to get a handle on understanding how limited I am in this language. I also realize how little I know of this city, having stayed fairly central, choosing to hang out with the family and listen in on people’s conversations in the square. But it’s been wonderful to talk to all the different teachers at school’s and get a sense of the bigger picture in Mexico at least socially and politically.