“Last summer I spent almost a month in the south central part of Mexico in a state called Oaxaca (wha-HA-ca). It was my first time there, and it was a great discovery.
Oaxaca may be poor, but it is rich in history. Some of the small villages and churches are 500 or more years old. In Mitla, I saw dwellings and tombs built by the Mixtec people hundreds of years ago. I especially liked the underground tombs, dark and musty like a horror movie. I could tell the Mixtec people were very creative because of the beautiful paintings and stone sculptures they made.
In Oaxaca, the outdoor marketplaces are the center of activity. There you can buy all kinds of things—lemons, grains, seeds to plant a garden, vegetables, flowers, weavings. The markets are very busy. When I was there, there were so many things happening at the same time. There were flies all over the place, chickens making noises, and people talking.
“¿Ay, cómo estás?” (How are you?)
“¡Está muy barrato!” (It’s very cheap!)
“Ándele señorita. Te bajo el precio.” (Come on, little lady. I’ll lower the price.)
I remember this one particular lady that was forcing a chicken’s head down to eat seeds, saying, “Ándele, cómetelo flaca. ¡Nadie te va a comprar!” (Come on, eat it, skinny. No one is going to want to buy you!)
Instead of buying meat in plastic packages, people buy live animals to take home to slaughter. They say it tastes the freshest. In the hot, tropical climate, it’s practical because they often walk or ride bicycles home from the market. In addition to chickens, you can buy iguanas and armadillos to eat. I have heard that iguana tastes like chicken (yum) but I didn’t dare try it (maybe someday). What I thought was really funny was that people tie the iguana’s arms and legs behind them and they look like they got arrested.
One thing I always see in Mexican people is that they work hard. I never see them begging on the streets. They may be selling oranges or flowers, but they always work. I’ll never forget the two men I saw plowing their fields. They did it the old-fashioned way with oxen and a hand plow. I could tell by their sunburned faces and sweat it was very hard work. If I was there the whole day I’d be really tired and be in a bad mood, but they were happy. They didn’t complicate their lives by feeling sorry for themselves.”
