a small side of this and a huge side of that.

today was a pretty good day at school. i made a few mistakes, did a few things right - put together a couple decent sentences, didn't melt down...all good. it's the end of my second week here and i feel ok, a little tired but that's becoming the feeling of normalcy i think. i've found i'm lying down here and there, taking time outs are helping and i have never really been one to do that. today was also the end of the cooking classes we've been doing four days a week from 4 pm until 6 pm. do i think i'm a better cook? nope. did i have fun hanging out and listening to soledad tell us how to make some of mexico's signature dishes? sure did. but i think i'm going to forgo doing any extra-curricular activities for the rest of my stay - it just takes it's toll when you have all the other stuff going on. i need more time for me, and more time to study and just relax.
today also marked the end of some people's stay here in oaxaca and the school. and i have to say, i felt a little sad at the dinner we had tonight to send off those who are heading home or elsewhere. i know i've said already it but, zach and julie were really good to me and i will miss them. hopefully i didn't drive them too crazy and i'll see them again some day. paola and elizabeth, a couple of firecrackers from italy, are heading to the coast before heading back home and while i didn't have that much contact with them in school, they were in my cooking class and were a gas. paola has the same last name as mishi and her family comes from the same area of italy so...she has a bed and breakfast in rome so maybe garvie and i'll visit there one day and hit her up for a room.
tonight, after dinner, i met-up with luiz and a couple of his pals, including estrella, from the sorbet shop. luiz wanted to take me out last friday but he was sick so tonight was the night - and after my four hours of sleep last night along with the long week i was hoping i'd get away with a one beer visit...and i did. it was kinda funny. me and luiz and estrella - though i think she goes by a few names - and a friend of hers sitting in a very loud bar called nude. yup, nude. where they pat you down when you go in the door and you kinda have to shout your order at the waiter. funny stuff for a 46 year old guy from vancouver. anyhow, the rest is kinda hard to explain but suffice to say i excused myself and did a loop through the zocalo and home.
oh, and i saw a side of oaxaca i had not seen up until tonight. there is always something going on in the zocalo - bands, jugglers, clowns,vendors, etc..but no matter how loud the band or the amount of people, it always seems in control and festive. tonight as i did my loop through it was like a bad night in gastown complete with frat boys trying to get into the blarney stone and if they can't, well, it's a good old time on the street. there were drunk kids all over, guys pissing against the cathedral walls, beer cups all over, etc...i found it very surprising.
anyhow. i'm home now looking forward to sleep soon. i think i'm going to an organic market close to here tomorrow with richard and pattie.

sweet dreams to me.

g. xo

julie and katherine.

julie gives paola a huge good bye hug.

everyone eating a great meal tonight.

my enchiladas con pollo w/ a wicked dark mole - not negro.

julie, zach and paola

zach and paola.

the cooking gang and pals. great bunch.