Category: Uncategorized
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.“
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Corn Bread Pudding with Poblano Cream
In last night’s online cooking class we made this sweet, yet savory, corn bread pudding with poblano chilies. I love this dish served with brunch or as a main served with salad. I originally came upon this recipe in a cookbook detailing Frida Kahlo’s favorite dishes.
For information about upcoming classes: http://www.HuatulcoCookingClasses.com Contact me to be added to our mailing list: chiles.chocolate@yahoo.com
Corn Bread Pudding
- 4 tablespoons butter *half a stick *room temperature
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1.5 cups of corn kernels
- 1/6 cup of milk
- 1.5 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 1/3 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs, separated
Mix butter and sugar together. Blend corn and milk in a blender. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and egg yolks together. Add corn/milk and sugar/butter. Mix well.
Beat remaining egg whites and when fluffy fold into corn batter. Pour into a oiled/buttered loaf pan. Bake at 175 C/ 350 F for 45 minutes.
Chiles in Cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 white onion sliced
- 2 poblano chilies, roasted, seeded and peeled (If you cannot get poblanos you can use green peppers)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Sauté onion in butter on a medium heat for 10 minutes, add sliced poblanos and cream, turn heat to low and continue to sauté for 3-4 minutes.
Served corn bread pudding with poblano chilies in cream on top. Yum!
Happy Holidays!
Here is my latest editorial in The Eye. To read more articles about the beauty of living in Mexico visit our magazines website: http://www.TheEyeHuatulco.com
“Consumerism is at once the engine of America and simultaneously one of the most revealing indicators of our collective shallowness.”
Henry Rollins
Christmas decorations appeared in early October this year at our local supermarket; stuffed Santas, string lights, shiny balls to hang from faux trees available in a variety of colors. December holidays have become one of the biggest spending times of the year. In 2016, over 154 million Americans shopped over Thanksgiving weekend. That is a lot!
This has been a year of difficulty for many; damage from the earthquakes in Mexico, the fires in the US and Canada, hurricanes and flooding in the Caribbean. In the face of this, it seems ridiculous to spend money on things we don’t need when funds can do so much good elsewhere.
Not spending as much doesn’t have to put a damper on your holiday spirit. There are many ways to give gifts without making a trip to the mall. Here are just a few ideas:
- Your time. Offering to babysit, run errands, do yard work or cook dinner, are great ways to show someone you care and foster more connection.
- Make something. The list of things you can make is endless, depending on your talents: a family cook book, a playlist, baked goods, sewing projects. Fill your days with creating, not Netflix 🙂
- Divide and repot your houseplants. Add an already owned pretty vintage tin or pot and you can bring greenery into someone’s home.
- Give something you already own! I love getting used books or kitchen articles people no longer use. Go through your jewelry and give away those silver earrings you never wear!
- Donate to a cause in someone’s name. If someone on your list is an animal lover, make a donation to a local shelter.
- Give an experience. Tickets to a show or a museum are more meaningful than stuff and help support the arts in your community.
- If you are going to buy, shop local! Don’t go to a superstore to save money. Be willing to pay more knowing you are supporting mom-and-pop businesses – in the long run you are investing in your community.
Happy Holidays!
Jane
Waffle Time!
I am always thinking up new ways to improve our menus. Since I live in a small town many of my regular customers come in often and I think it is really important to keep innovating and offering them something new. I was so excited when the new commercial waffle iron arrived for my restaurant, Limon Bistro, and I couldn’t wait to get working on our new selection of sweet and savory waffles.
Here is our recipe for basic waffle batter:
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat waffle iron. Beat eggs in large bowl with hand beater until fluffy. Beat in flour, milk, vegetable oil, sugar, baking powder, salt, and vanilla, until smooth.
- Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mix onto hot waffle iron. Cook until golden brown. Serve hot.
Jane Bauer 