Hola

So, I cannot recall what I wrote last.

But I do want to tell ya´ll something odd. Last Thursday I was shocked to look up and see 2 lions in a truck. The next day I saw a leopard, in a VERY small space in the same truck. Then on the Saturday I saw 2 tigers in the truck. Apparently it is the local circus... I was appalled, especially because they spaces they were in were SMALL... I want to write an email to PETA or someone, although what help would it do?

We just started Book 3 yesterday, and I am already terrified! I have not yet grasped book 2 which was skimmed through in only 3 weeks... with the last week here in Oaxaca on only about 5 pages.

Oh, wow. I visited one ofthe vegetarian´ restaurants... for $5 I think I had the best 3 course meal of my life! Started with a Creme of Brocoli soup, then followed by a ´salad´which was a type of fried zuchinni different to ours in NZ but faboulous, then a kind of savour pear, filled with cheese and mushrooms and tomatos with bright orange tomate sauce.. oh boy, it was one of the best things Ive ever tried! I wish I had my camera with me,... but alas.
The thing about the restaurants here is that they have a 3course and juice and ´postre´which at this place was a sweet fig (I don´t know what fruit the juice was but it had cinammon in it.. yummmm) but they change the menu (which costs $3-8) everyday. I´ve got to have this pair thing again!

2 aussies from Brisbane entered and sat at the table next to me, I made them get the same thing.. they thought it was great too. I liked that the woman talked to be in Espanol and they got English straight of the bat... although I am still kind of faking my Spanish.

On Tuesday I headed into Zocalo with my crazy Japonese Emi, Mexican people are intrigued with her everywhere we go.. she´s so fun! She is always skuttling about and apologising. We went to the library which is in the centre of town but hardly ever open.. boy is it pretty! It´s interesting though, there are no leisure books. Only education books... people don´t leisure read here... only Magazines... it´s amazing what magazines you can buy here.. they have every theme. Unfortunately, not musical theatre.

Yesterday was supposed to be the Cooking lesson with the Uni students only in Classic mexican style, both chefs were off somewhere. But I am going soon which I am excited about. We are going to the markets to buy the food and then going to learn how to make it... it will be something full of beef, I bet.
Because we didn´t have the lesson I ended up hanging with a new Australian (although unfortunately she doesnçt have any Spanish yet), and her Mexi-Aussie boyf. They showed me the Art galleries of his aunty and cousin (right next dorr to each other), the aunties store I had actually already admired because the art is very bright and she does a lot of people... reminded me of some Samoan art. We went to the zocalo where they actually did the same routine that I saw on the first day... which the band and the officials and the flag, but this time it was more serious, it wasn´t with teens but instead with people in very serious police-esque costumes and the band was more than trumpets. I was amused because the man who was rubbing a stick on a bumpy, wooden thing (which I think the family-band at St Mary´s church has... but only becuas there are about 11 of them and they ran out of instruments) - actually has the starring role! I don´t know the official name,but he even had solos.

Speaking of music, I just past a busker on the corner who is playing a full drum set (not the regular busker instrument) and a saxaphone at the same time (kind of )!

I had another smoothie from the best smoothie (but expensive unfortunately)... I am telling you it coz it was interesting... strawberrys, peach and peanuts...??? I get the choc-peanut combo, but this one took me by suprise, it was actually really good. Flaw: weird texture, obviously that would be avoided with real peanut butter but if they used that here it would be impossible to make a profit.

I am now off to the cooking class, and hopefully the and tommorrow I will go to Monte Alban after school.. the other option is Sat but I think I would get roasted by the sun ...no muy bien. I bet in the arvo it´s good too. My English-learning uni students who I am going to go cook with now (please don´t cancel for the 3rd time!) took me to the place where you get Mexicanas tickets for the bus to get there so I can avoid a $30 tourist tour... and now I have a school ID so I am really living out my cheap-ness and lov,ing it.

In a further update, the 3rd American has been impressed with the fact that I speak English... since I´m from NZ and all..... reminds me of the Variety magazine review that bagged the movie ´Boy´because the culture wasn´t authentic (aka because the Maori boy was dancing to Michael Jackson and not doing the Haka).... My German friend here got asked by an American if she is a Nazi... honestly!

Today was a disfunctional learning day, learnt about closested Mexican Gay men and Unconvientional families in Japon... makes the Williams´ look normal-as.