Wrapping up and winding down

I'll be leaving on one of my three return flights very early Tuesday AM, arriving at Bradley after about 14 hours of flying and hanging around airports. Today I need to get my purchases organized--fragile items need to go in my backpack--and make sure I really do have room for the many gifts (both for myself and for family and friends) that I've easily accumulated during my two weeks here. I always joke to my vendor friends, both from shops and from the street, that part of my purpose here is to help out the economy of this area. I think I do a pretty fair job at that task!

First step this Sunday morning is to lay all my purchases out on my bed and rewrap some of them in the bubble wrap I brought from home (along with tape and scissors). Usually I wind up buying bubble wrap and tape from a "papeleria" in town, but this time I'm prepared! That is, unless I didn't bring enough bubble wrap!

First task completed! The good news is that my small ceramic pot from Chiapas will fit into my back pack, even after I wrapped it in bubble wrap. My net book and a few other breakables will have to be carefully placed in my small pack, too. And, of course, I do have to purchase more bubble wrap tomorrow! I guess I underestimated what I was going to purchase during this trip.

Second task: I just typed up four lists from our joint board meeting yesterday of the accomplishments of both boards during the past two years. The large sheets of paper are no longer stuck to the wall in my room and are organized (and translated) into a Google Doc for further corrections or additions by the presidents of each board. We really have moved forward in a big way in a very short time period.

Soon I'll be completing my third important task of the day--find a place to eat! I'm really hungry (it's about 1:00 PM here), but few restaurants are open on Sundays. After I upload a few pictures to accompany this blog, I'm off to eat! Sundays are very quiet in the city. Many businesses do not open, including most restaurants near my posada, so earlier I had a pastry here in my room + a coffee I purchased last night and reheated in the microwave

Museums are open, however, and there is one I may go to again (for the second or third time). A few museums here are free to everyone, and many, if not all, are free on Sundays to citizens from Mexico, a custom I wish we had in the US for our own citizens. I think of all those who live in cities with amazing museums that have a pretty hefty entrance fee--and the many poor in our cities who could never afford to enter the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the MoMA, the Natural History Musuem, etc.

Last update for today. I did purchase more crafts this afternoon which will have to fight for space in my suitcase with the items pictured on my bed. I've decided to have a small "Mexican Market" somewhere this summer when I locate the right event and place. Any proceeds will be donated to Oaxaca Streetchildren Grassroots. I will post any information on Patch. So, stay tuned! I welcome any suggestions for a time and place.