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Oigan, Oaxaque�os...

 
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wildchild



Joined: 14 Nov 2005
Posts: 519
Location: Puebla 2009 - 2010

PostPosted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 8:11 pm    Post subject: Oigan, Oaxaque�os... Reply with quote

I'm considering a move to Oaxaca. In an effort to find out more about the life of English teachers there, I'd like to ask the following questions.

What did you do this weekend? Anything exciting, normal or boring?


I'd like to hear from you all, especially anyone in Ixtlan de Juares and UMAR.

and, for anyone in the know, what might a random weekend in Ixtlan consist of?

thanks


Last edited by wildchild on Sun Feb 10, 2008 9:17 pm; edited 1 time in total
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lozwich



Joined: 25 May 2003
Posts: 1536

PostPosted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 8:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hiya Wildchild,

I think you might be going to work in one of the universities in the system that I used to work for. I lived in sunny Huajuapan de Leon (and it usually was sunny, except when it was raining Cool ) and I used to do a fair amount of pubbing when I lived there. But, my favourite thing was to jump in some form of collective transport and go to the smaller surrounding villages for the day, or to the big lights of Oaxaca city.

Because the weather was usually pretty nice, it was nice just to go for a wander in the sunshine or sit on my balcony watching the world go by.

During the week I also took salsa and Spanish lessons which kept me pretty busy.

I think Ixtlan is a bit different to Huajuapan, but thought I'd share anyway..
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ls650



Joined: 10 May 2003
Posts: 3484
Location: British Columbia

PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 2:36 am    Post subject: Re: Oigan, Oaxaque�os... Reply with quote

wildchild wrote:
I'd like to hear from you all, especially anyone in Ixtlan de Juares and UMAR.

I taught in UMar for three years, and will be returning there again in April. Weekend activities tended to centre around the beach and ocean.

If you have specific questions, post 'em or PM them and I'll answer as best as I can.
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veroax



Joined: 31 Jan 2007
Posts: 57
Location: Bogot�, Colombia

PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't work in Ixtlan, but I've been to the campus. It's a beautiful moutainous area. And the town is quite nice, although also quite small. I suspect that people there tend to head into Oaxaca on weekends as much as possible since it's reasonably close.

As for me... I live in a larger town way up in the north of the state. I had lunch both Saturday and Sunday at our local vegetarian restaurant. On Saturday night I went to a hookah bar with some friends. (Yes, a hookah bar.) And on Sunday I defrosted my refrigerator. I was going to go see a speaker in the park talking about local environmental issues, but I forgot what with all the refrigerator excitement.

I think there are ample things to do where I live, but it sometimes feels that you need to actively seek them out. And I do find myself going to Veracruz often on weekends since it's not very far.
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MELEE



Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2583
Location: The Mexican Hinterland

PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:38 pm    Post subject: Re: Oigan, Oaxaque�os... Reply with quote

wildchild wrote:
What did you do this weekend? Anything exciting, normal or boring?


Actually this weekend was quiet exciting--maybe more than normal.
On Saturday morning I went to the produce market with husband and children. Mangos have just come into season and finding some already as low as 10 pesos a kilo was the first exciting thing!!! Laughing Then we went to the supermarket to get the dry goods stuff for the week.
In the evening we went to a crazy dinner party where my husband (and daughters) were the only Mexicans, of about 15 guests, but we spoke Spanish as that was the only common language among everyone.
Sunday morning started with a walk to the mostly dry river behind my house and we built sand castles and played fetch with the dogs.
We had a friend over for a late lunch-I made my soon-to-be-world-famous homemade pizza. My husband left for Oaxaca in the early evening and I stayed up watching movies dubbed into Spanish on TV.

There is a regular poster who lived for about 5 days in Ixtlan. I've heard she's dropped that job from her resume! Maybe if you are lucky she will tell us a little more about Ixtlan, I think it's a lovely place.
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NinaNina



Joined: 10 Jan 2007
Posts: 78
Location: Oaxaca

PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 4:13 pm    Post subject: City Girl Checks In... Reply with quote

And from the big lights of Oaxaca City:

I have visitors in town, so we hit the movie theater Friday night and saw "Black Dalia". Just terrible. We also went to a local veggie restaurant for comida.

On Saturday, I enforced homework and then we visited the local organic market which was having a free screening of "The Wizard of Oz". We stopped off and ate empanadas and agua fresca in the park. Then, it was off for diaper shopping.

Sunday consisted of party-hopping Mexican style. By the end of the day, we stood in the rubble of three pinatas, three tres leches cakes, multiple party bags, and, yes, the runner-up prize for the sexy mama dancing contest.
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MELEE



Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2583
Location: The Mexican Hinterland

PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 4:27 pm    Post subject: Re: City Girl Checks In... Reply with quote

NinaNina wrote:
we visited the local organic market which was having a free screening of "The Wizard of Oz".


Laughing This made me laugh, isn't Indy Cinema that host an organic market a better way of describing El Pochote, than market which screens films? But then maybe you don't know the films came at least a decade before the market was added? Laughing
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NinaNina



Joined: 10 Jan 2007
Posts: 78
Location: Oaxaca

PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 3:13 am    Post subject: El Pochote Reply with quote

Funny, Melee!

I guess my private lexicon encompasses the notion of having a market that hosts a cinema but can't get around the concept of a cinema that hosts a market.

How about a murky goldfish pond that happens to be next to a movie theater? My two-year-old was far more intrigued by the fish than the Wiz.
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MO39



Joined: 28 Jan 2004
Posts: 1970
Location: El ombligo de la Rep�blica Mexicana

PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 7:27 pm    Post subject: Re: Oigan, Oaxaque�os... Reply with quote

MELEE wrote:



There is a regular poster who lived for about 5 days in Ixtlan. I've heard she's dropped that job from her resume! Maybe if you are lucky she will tell us a little more about Ixtlan, I think it's a lovely place.


I think that Melee is referring to me. I had an unpleasant experience at the Ixtlan branch of the Oaxaca university system at the very beginning of its operation two and a half years ago and left almost as soon as I had arrived! The campus is gorgeous, Ixtlan is cute and small, transportation to and from the campus and the town was difficult and almost non-existent when I was there unless you had a car. I'd be happy to share my experiences by PM if anyone is thinking of applying there for a job.
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wildchild



Joined: 14 Nov 2005
Posts: 519
Location: Puebla 2009 - 2010

PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 6:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

did you all have a nice weekend? I'm still curious to know more about the lives of English teachers in Oaxaca Very Happy
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MELEE



Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2583
Location: The Mexican Hinterland

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 12:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fine, thanks.

This weekend was more or less like last weekend (and most of my weekends) except without the Russian dinner party.
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reddevil79



Joined: 19 Jul 2004
Posts: 234
Location: Neither here nor there

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

For me, it was helping new teachers settle in and find housing, shopping for food at the market and then cooking it, going for a delicious pozole and fresh coffee Sunday morning, walking up to some ruins on a hill that overlook the town, dinner on Saturday night with friends, errr.....oh, and my essential diet of English football on Saturday mornings, with English tea and marmalade on toast! Wink
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NinaNina



Joined: 10 Jan 2007
Posts: 78
Location: Oaxaca

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:57 pm    Post subject: Tipico Reply with quote

Last weekend was typical--comida corridas, movies, cafes, checking out an opening at an art gallery, a party at a friend's house, a quick day trip out to the natural "hot" springs, and walking around. This weekend--a gathering at the house of some Finnish artists, research on mice for my son's project, and hanging out in the zocalo.

Nightlife in Oaxaca is lovely in that there are plenty of clubs and cafes and it feels relatively safe to walk around at night, but the buses stop at 9pm! To see some goings on, check out http://oaxacacalendar.com/index.php .

Enjoy!
Serena
http://www.mexpop.blogspot.com/
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