La cena con Senora Tico

La ama de casa - Senora Tico con un hombre muy guapo!

Un Tamale con tomate y queso

La comida no es la cosa primera en la vida, pero es casi la cosa primera! My spanish is still pretty awful but hopefully this says - food is not the most important thing in life but it is almost.  Here in Mexico and specifically in Oaxaca food is treated with the reverence it deserves and food and eating food occupies a central role in daily life (well in my life anyway).  I have been here in Oaxaca three days and I have yet to eat the same thing twice such is the variety of food available.  Above is some street food my host Senora Tico served me for cena (pronounced sena - a light snack served at night).  On the plate is a tamale a maize dough stuffed with frejoles (beans stewed with onion garlic and herbs) wrapped in a corn husk and baked or barbequed. The tamale is served with fresh tomato and ricotta like cheese. Es muy rico!  Senora Tico just keeps on bringing out these delicious dishes one after another. 

This afternoon in la escuela we learnt how to make Chaparuzzo - Hot Chocolate with a maize base. Quite delicious. You soak maize kearnels in water then mouli them into a 'milk'. Then boil the milk until it becomes thick like a beschamel sauces. Add some Oaxacan Cacao and boil  for a bit. Then drink - Delicious!

Dias uno en Oaxaca - Mi Compleano!

Chapaulinas

What a great way to spend your birthday - eating foods you've never eaten before (Chapaulinas) meeting people you've never met before; speaking a language you've barely spoken before.  Today has been full of new experiences, new tastes and new sights.  The day started with desayuno - Senora Tiko asked me if I wanted Desayuno Oaxaceno (breakfast of eggs scrambled with peppers and tomato) or Desayuno Gringo (cereal) - i went with the former; delicious! I cannot commend enough eating chilli three time a day despite what it does to your constitution.  La Scuela started at 8am with a spanish aptitude test; apparently I am not a fluent spanish speaker.  Our tauira (students) were very excited this morning and all had had a great first night with their new "Parents".  After scuela we all headed home for la comida - the main meal of the day - which started with a Chinese Pomegranate! followed by carrot and cilantro soup followed by a soy and beef stew with fresh cheese and tacos!  In the evening we wandered down to the Zocalo (the town square) and went througg the market where we tried out the local speciality - Chaupalinos (Grasshoppers) and then on to a Oaxaceno Chocolate Shop - aue! I'm now back at la casa di Senora Tiko about to enjoy cena with the whanau.  Senor Tiko's daughter also has her birthday on the 7th of Feb so they are having una Fiesta!

Hasta Luego

Hola Chicas!

Mexican Independence 1841

Timihou räua ko  Eruera outside museo

Aztec Lion

Archeological Dig

Cathedral Cosmopolitan

Maria

Performing at Embassy

Here we are in La Ciudad di Mexico (Mexico City)! 20+million people live here.  If you drew a line from Rotorua to Hamilton then to Taupo and then another line back to Rotorua you would have an approximation of the size the town; !ES INCREIBLE! We have been here three days it feels like three weeks.  Day one the kapa performed in front of the NZ Ambassador and her guests at her hotel (see below).  Day 2 We walked to the Zocalo where we walked around the beautiful gold encrusted Cathedral Cosmopolitan ( apparently Cortez - spanish conquistador - had to pull down a few indigenous pyramids to build it); Day 3 we have visited the Museo Nacional Archaeologica.  Ka mau te wehi! It has been quite an incredible experience travelling with our students and experiencing everything together, everything good and not so good.  One interesting fact you may not be aware of is that in Mexico you have to put your used toilet paper in a bin beside you because the pipes are a bit small. Makes for a different toileting experience.

Muchos Amor

Ko taku wähi noho

Ko taku waimarie ka noho au i te taha o Maria de Los Angelos, he wahine nö ngä atua!

Ko te wiki hei whakarite i a tätou mo Mexico

ko te wähi hoko i Oaxaca

Yacamo en Oaxaca

Tënä koutou, 

Ngä mihi nui ki te whänau o Te Koutu e whai ana i ngä tauira me ngä kaiako i a mätou e haere ana ki Mexico hei whakapakari i tö mätou reo Paniora.  He nui ngä mahi kua mahia e tënä whänau e tënä whänau hei tautoko mä te hunga nei.

Kei te hïkaka katoa ahau mö te haerenga nei.  Me kï pënei, kei te wiriwiri ngä pona i te whakaaro, arä, a kö ake nei e tae atu mätou i tëtahi wähi kë, ki tëtahi reo kë.  Kia kaha tätou ngä tauhou ki te reo Paniora!