Author: Jane Bauer
Jane is the owner of Cafe Juanita, Chiles&Chocolate Cooking School and editor of The Eye and Bite magazines. She loves her life in Mexico and enjoys sharing it with others!
Who are you?
Latest editorial from my magazine The Eye, if you aren’t already following us be sure to check it out:
“Identity is never singular but is multiply constructed across intersecting and antagonistic discourses, practices and positions.”
Stuart Hall
Who are you? What is the first trait you think of to describe yourself?
Is it your gender?
Is it your nationality?
Your race?
Perhaps a description of the kind of person you view yourself to be?
Tensions feel high lately. Not only in the world we see through our phones and television, but in real life. The conflicts across the world remain a safe distance away, beyond our ability to affect change, other than voicing our outrage and hoping we fall on the right side of history.
There are tensions closer to home, things we can do something about. On the outer edges are the migrants, avoiding the immigration officials as they move towards the unknown. Inside our bubble we cling to our opinions about the situation- no, not just the situation- we cling to our opinions about the people- how we imagine them to be, where we imagine they have come from and where they are going.
On the inner edge we have tensions between the outsiders: the travelers, tourists, digital nomads, snowbirds, expats and gringos versus the locals, nationals, long-term residents, the “Mexico experts,” who are pushing back. Blame for everything that seems to be going wrong is thrown around like a tennis ball or maybe I should say like a pickelball.
Last year I was sitting at my favorite sushi haunt in Terminal 2 of CDMX when the man on the stool beside me attempted to engage me in conversation. I am not the kind of traveler who enjoys idle chitchat with strangers. He was undeterred and proceeded to tell me with a hint of pride that he had been living in Oaxaca City for the past eight years.
‘That’s nice,” I responded out of politeness.
“Where do you live?” he persisted.
“On the coast.”
“How long have you been there?”
“Twenty-six years,” I said turning back to enjoy my unagi.
“Oh. You win I guess,” he said.
“It’s not a contest,” I replied.
People are always having conversations like these, asserting their identity and experience to justify their entitlements and points of view. But who are you really? Take away the cloak of where you happened to be born, where you live, your job, your religion, your gender, the amount of stuff you have collected on your journey and the opinions you have formed, based on the information you have. When you strip those things away, what are you really entitled to, that someone else isn’t?
Aren’t we all just minnows in a school of fish moving through the water on the momentum of each other?
March is usually our Women’s Issue. However, in the spirit of shedding our identities, rather than clinging to them so fiercely, I am calling this the ‘Achievement Issue’. Our writers have profiled people whose accomplishments are inspiring.
See you next month,
Jane
Don’t hide away on International Women’s Day
Back in 2020 some feminist associations in Mexico called for a “Day Without Women” on March, 9 to denounce femicide, inaction by the authorities and, more generally, sexism in Mexican society.
While this tactic was used in the campaign and film ‘A Day without Mexicans (2004), to highlights the idea that the American economy is dependent on Latinos- gender inequality is not the same. The main point of the film was to show what would happen if Latino immigrants took the day off. Basically, the economy would take a massive hit.
However, I would argue that the last place women should be, to show an impact, is staying home. Home is already the domain of many women. The space we, as women, need to claim is public space.
When I was in college we had ‘Take Back the Night.’ The first Take Back the Night event began in England in 1877 as a women only protest against the violence and fear women encountered walking the streets at night. The first Take Back the Night March in the US was held in San Francisco in 1978 to protest violence against women, particularly sexual assault.
Ranked as the second-highest nation for femicides in Latin America, just below Brazil, Mexico’s cases show a sustained rise, recording over 920 in 2022. This count is perceived as even higher by most of the population due to the substantial number of unreported and uninvestigated instances.
According to the WHO, globally, as many as 38% of murders of women are committed by an intimate partner.
Given the space we need to claim for ourselves is public space, I plan on celebrating my ability to go to work and move freely through the world, hopefully harassment free. Stand tall and take up space to show we will not hide away.
Walking Across the World
If you have not ventured to the highway around Huatulco lately you may not have noticed the growing number of migrants on their walk towards a better life. Many months ago on the south side of Copalita an immigration kiosk was erected and manned by immigration and army personnel. They pulled over buses and vans and had a tented area where I occasionally saw people who had been pulled off the buses and vans, for not having the proper documentation, waiting. When I happened to be standing next to a man in an immigration uniform at the bank, I asked him what they did with the people and he told me they sent them back to their country or at least to the border of Mexico.
In the last couple of weeks the number of migrants has steadily grown and in the past couple of days I have seen at least a few hundred people walking on my fifteen-minute drive home. A path just before the immigration kiosk has been forged so that they can avoid it altogether.
Yesterday I stopped and asked a group where they were from just before they got on the avoid-immigration kiosk path through the bushes.
“Haiti” one man responded.
“où allez vous?” I asked
“Les Etats-Unis” he said.
This morning while driving back in to work, moving in the same direction as the walkers, I stopped for two women. They climbed right in my car with a small baby and a few meters later we picked up a young man. I asked if they were from Haiti and they said they were from Guinea.
The immigration kiosk was just up ahead but we weren’t stopped, to be fair the two soldiers standing in front of it looked resigned to their inability to do anything.
We stopped just off the highway in Copalita and had breakfast. Guinea is 9345 km from Huatulco. Over breakfast we exchanged names and phone numbers.
Mari Assi, a robust young woman with a burn scar covering one hand and forearm was wearing sandals and carrying her 19 month-old daughter Fati. Her traveling companion was Aminata who had left her 13-year old daughter back in Guinea and the young man was Osmane. While French is the primary language in Guinea, due to its colonization by the French, their speech was also peppered with words of a language I didn’t know. They flew from Guinea to Nicaragua and had been walking/taking buses/ hitchhiking for 12 days. Their final destination goal: New York.
If you watch the news it will tell you about the atrocities happening in other parts of the world- military coups, crime, instability, places where women being raped is a regular occurrence. I don’t need look at the news to understand the why of what brought Mari Assi, Aminata, Fati and Osmane to be on the same road as me. I only need to look at their inadequate footwear, their clothes that have leaves sticking to them from sleeping in the bushes, to know they deserve more… more help… more humanity… and more compassion.
Appalachia Day 5
Day 5
It rains all night. This prompts me to wake up early and fumble around in the dark making oatmeal and packing up my tent. I am motivated because about 7 miles away is a store where I can shower and have a real cup of coffee! To get there though I need to cross Blood Mountain which is a lot of rock slabs and could be slippery with the rain.
Blood Mountain is the highest peak on the Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail and the sixth-tallest mountain in Georgia, with an elevation of 4,458 feet. It is worth it though for the beautiful view and the sun comes out. Snap a few pics up top and then descend the two miles to the store where I dry out my equipment. Walk another 3.5 miles that afternoon to Bagg’s Creek where many of the people I had met were camping. Everyone was in good spirits after the recharge at the store. The light at this campsite was amazing- check out the majestic trees!
Appalachia- days 3 and 4
Day 3
I left Stover Creek fairly early thinking I would hike just 5 miles but ended up hiking about ten. I stopped at Justice Creek- this place is magically beautiful with a wide flowing creek and a jungle vibe. It is my first night setting up my tent and I manage to not make a fool of myself. So far I am loving this walk- tiring but exhilarating!
Day 4 took me from Justice Creek to Lance Creek- about 10.7 miles. I usually walk until I find other people at a campsite since I am nervous to camp alone. Lance creek is a trickle of a stream but enough to cool my feet and fill my water bottles . Reunite with Nick from Stover Creek and joined by Amber with her dog Suga, Victor, Mike and Tripp who I will cross paths with for the next 5 days. I had expected a lot of alone time on this trip and the sense of community and connection is a bonus.
Appalachian Trail Day 0,1,2
It’s May and the perfect time to get out of Huatulco! To kick off this travel season I flew up to Atlanta to embark on the Georgia portion of the Appalachian Trail. Now I am not a very experienced hiker or backpacker, but it was amazing!
Day 0-
Flew to Atlanta via Dallas. Made friends with a Buddhist monk at the airport- an auspicious start to my adventure.
Day 1- Uber to Amicalola Falls and start my 5.7 mile hike to the Hike Inn Hotel. Sort of worried about how it will feel to carry my 33lbs. The Hike Inn is beautiful and dinner is warm dinner rolls, sweet country ham and green beans- delish! My pack is heavy but I manage.
Day 2- I hike to Springer mountain and the official start of the Appalachian Trail. I make it to the Stover Creek Shelter where I spend the night.
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3 Yoga Poses to reduce anxiety
I often remind people during the classes I teach that it doesn’t matter if your pose isn’t perfect- afterall it’s just yoga. We are doing it to help us relax- not cause additional stress because our downward dog has room for improvement. We all have anxiety and stress that slips into our everyday life. Take a few minutes and drop into one of these poses the next time you feel anxiety creeping in.
Here are 5 poses I like to revisit time and time again to ground me in what really matters when it comes to my practice:
Tree: The name says it all. Trees are grounded and connected to the earth below them and yet their trunks and branches sway freely- we could all benefit from emulating a tree. The secret to an awesome tree is to stretch your toes. I even like to draw a pencil between my toes before practice to energize and wake up my feet.
Stand tall. Focus on the grounding connection of your feet with the floor. Hold for three minutes while focusing on the breath. Don’t worry about swaying or the waves of balance that come and go… trees sway. Focus to reduce anxiety: “I am grounded.”
Half-moon: Come into a triangle. Allow the hand that is on the bottom to come to your knee without putting any weight on in. Lift up your back leg, flex your foot and open the hips. Extend your arm and open your heart. I wonderful modification to give you more stability is to use a wall for support. Focus to reduce anxiety: “I am open.“
Seated Forward Bend: Sit and extend your legs out in front of you. Flex the feet to keep the legs strong. Extend the arms overhead and inhale deeply. As you exhale bring your belly towards the thighs. Soften the head down to feel the stretch in your neck. Observe the difference between the right side and the left side of the body. Soften the shoulders and surrender to gravity. Focus to reduce anxiety: “I surrender and let go.“
Join me for my latest retreat and transform your life: http://www.yogahuatulcomexico.com
5 Ways you will Benefit from a Retreat in Huatulco
- Heat! Huatulco has sun 300 days a year. This means you will get your dose of Vitamin D which helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are needed to keep bones, teeth, and muscles healthy. The warm climate will also help relieve arthritis!
2. Healthy Food! An abundance of local fresh fruits and vegetables. Huatulco’s clean ocean also means fresh locally-caught fish!
3. Nature. Even just looking at the ocean or a light walk through the jungle will lower your blood pressure and stress levels. We will be surrounded by marina life, waterfalls, and birds.
4. Movement- Our retreat includes daily yoga and meditation adjusted to your level and needs. Reconnecting with your body is an amazing tool to heal your mind.
5. Cleansing- Our itinerary will lead you through a series of activities to bring flow into your life both physically and emotionally.
We Are Water Retreat: Unlock your inner strength and learn to flow
March 20th-25th, 2023
Huatulco, Mexico is the perfect backdrop to reconnect with yourself.
Join Jane Bauer and Kary Vannice for an oceanfront 5-night women’s retreat in paradise. This retreat includes daily yoga and meditation, gourmet healthy meals, excursions into nature for all fitness levels. Facilitated workshops and connection with other participants will help you come closer to your true purpose and allow you to embrace more joy.
You’ll return home feeling relaxed, restored and ready to move forward.
Jane Bauer has been teaching yoga since 2006. She is a restaurant owner and cooking school instructor.
Kary Vannice helps women with personal transformation, a positive mindset, and self-acceptance at Get Your Vibe Right.
Cost 1400 USD
(300 USD to reserve your spot)
Includes: 5 nights accommodation
All meals, excursions, and activities.
Chile Poblano Soup
11 poblano chiles
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 liters of milk, divided
2 tablespoons powdered chicken stock
1/2 white onion
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons white flour
Roast the chiles:
Gas stove or oven method.
Gas stove: place poblano chiles on the open flame and cook until charred.
Oven: Preheat oven to 425°F. Rub whole poblano chiles with one tablespoon of vegetable oil, and place on baking sheet. Roast 30 to 45 minutes, or until charred on all sides, turning with tongs.
Transfer to bowl, cover, and let steam 15 minutes. Rub off skins and remove seeds and stems.
Add the steamed chiles, 1 liter of milk and powdered chicken stock to blender. Puree until very smooth. Transfer to a large soup pot.
Make Roux:
Saute onion in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil on low for 7 minutes. Add butter and melt. Add flour and mix well with a whisk until blended with the onion.
Add roux to blender with 1 liter of milk. Blend.
Add roux/milk to blended poblano in the large soup pot.
Bring to boil and then lower temp and let simmer 15 minutes.
Jane Bauer 