Thanks 2013

For three days, the sound of two hammers breaking up concrete have bounced off the concrete walls of our little courtyard, driving some of us living here to take to the streets to escape the noise. The hammering has begun at 9, two hours after the men arrived for work, takes a short break in the afternoon for comida, then continues until 6.  There is an electrical problem, causing the lights outside our apartments to come on and go off at odd times.  The electrical cable is buried under the concrete paving, and apparently the only way to fix the problem is to break up the paving.  No fancy tools are endanger of being used here.  The hammers have metal handles, the chisels are worn and bent.  Manuel and Tio(uncle, an honory title) Manuel have no gloves, no hearing protection.  No smoke breaks, no water breaks.  All the other chores want attention, too. 

Oaxaca graffiti.

Tio Manuel doesn't know how old he is; there was no birth certificate, but someone here guessed he's in his mid- 70's.  Joven (young) Manuel is probably in his early 50's.  They have been pounding concrete for three days.  They have a job, for which they might be thankful.

Gringo Thanksgiving is today.  This year, I'm thankful that I was born to parents who could read and write, to parents who lived in the US, and could make a good enough living to feed, cloth and house me. I could have been born in Syria or Ethiopia, North Korea or El Salvador, Somalia or Iraq, or any number of places where I might be hungry, uneducated and poorly clothed and housed.  I could have been born to parents who couldn't read or write, or in a society that treats women like slaves or throw-away property. I could be on a bicycle from 7am to 10pm, pedaling tamales for 8 pesos each, 7 days a week.

This year, I'm thankful for Tio Manuel and Manuel, and Josephina, who take such good care of us.  I'm thankful for a soft bed, my terrific spanish teacher, my previously-loved sewing machine, several changes of clothes, good shoes, and money enough to eat well and often.  All those things, and the usual luxuries, too, like great health and loving friends and family.  I'm also thankful for the coco nieve I had yesterday afternoon, after a very tasty meal of pozole!

Eat well!  Enjoy your comfy chair this afternoon!