Update
By Caitlin | March 7, 2010
Teaching in Korea is a no-go, for reasons that I don’t want to get into here (despite being an over-sharer.) I’m seriously considering just working in Canada for 4-5 months before heading back to Mexico, but I’m also applying to jobs and internships in a gazillion other countries.
I always suffer from bad reverse culture shock. This time is no different, and as such I’ve been feeling really down in the dumps since getting back to Canada. This will pass, but until then don’t expect much writing from me. Melancholy and writing don’t really mix for me – lucky, because otherwise this blog would be awfully mopey.
Topics: Misc. | 1 Comment »
Habits from Travel
By Caitlin | March 3, 2010
I’d like to say that the giant pile of clothes that my backpack regurgitated on the floor three days ago is just a habit I’ve picked up from being on the move so much. Nope. I am a messy person in almost all cases.
But the long-term traveler will pick up a lot of habits that only become apparent when he/she gets home.
I remember when I got back from Burkina Faso the first time in 2006, I kept on forgetting to flush the toilet.
“Why aren’t you flushing the toilet, goddammit?” My roommate would ask.
“Sorry dude,” I would say. “I got used to hole-in-the-ground toilets, and holes in the ground don’t flush.”
Now that I’m back in Canada, I am starting to notice some habits I’ve picked up from the last 8 months in Latin America:
Disculpe. When I bump into someone on the street here, it’s the first thing I blurt out.
Leaving my shoes on in the house. In Mexico, people leave their shoes on when they go to someone’s house for a dinner or party or whatnot. I was actually told recently that its considered rude to take off your shoes: what, you think my floor’s too dirty for your feet? Now that I’m back in Canada, I’m having a hard time remembering that it’s the opposite.
Throwing toilet paper in the wastebasket and not the toilet. Well, this is mostly a habit I had when I left Guatemala, because plumbing in Mexico is often better. But in Guatemala, you always put the toilet paper in a wastebasket. This might seem gross at first, but when you consider the quality of plumbing, you realize that the other alternative is overflowing, clogged toilets instead. When I was back in Canada in December, I often tossed my toilet paper in the garbage, and then had to – gag – pick it out with my bare hands.
Washing dishes by hand. When I finish eating here, I go and wash my dishes in the sink like I would do in my house in Xela. Then I realize my aunt’s fancy house has a fancy dishwasher, and I’ve gotten my hands wet for nothing. (This isn’t a bad habit, because any apartment I’m ever gonna live in probably isn’t going to have a dishwasher.)
Smiling at people or even – gasp – saying hello! What’s with all the scowls and lack of eye contact around here?
Topics: Misc. | No Comments »
South Korea in mid-April
By Caitlin | March 2, 2010
From April 2010 to April 2011, this blog is going to have a decidedly East Asian bent.
Had a job interview and I have now got a job with the provincial public school system in Jeollanam-do in south-western South Korea.
This is a good job – with a very reputable recruiter, at a public school and not an iffy private school, and I have a higher salary because of my CELTA course (will make up the cost of the course in 8 months!)
Assuming I can get all the documents together in the next couple weeks, I will be leaving for Korea around the 15th of August.
That gives me a month and a half to see friends in Canada, get down tons of writing about Latin America before a completely re-orient myself towards a new region.
I’ve never had a strong interest in Asia, and I have heard mixed things about South Korea. However, this is good thing because it will get me out of my Latin comfort zone… and I’ll be shaken up again.
Topics: South Korea, TEFL | No Comments »
Back to Canada
By Caitlin | February 28, 2010
En route back to Canada today through Charlotte, North Carolina.
I still have much more to write about Latin America, so that is what will probably fill the blog while I’m doing nothing in Canada for a bit.
Cuidate.
Topics: Misc. | 2 Comments »
Papaya: great travel food
By Caitlin | February 26, 2010
An ode to my most beloved fruit
Travelers, don’t get scurvy.
No, seriously. I’ve had several stretches during my travels when I was eating badly. You know, mostly heavy carbs. (Or as they say in Mexico: vitamin T. Tacos, Tamales, Tortas, Tostadas, Tortillas…)
During these times, I always ended up feeling awful by the end. I was tired and sluggish. Then I would eat something healthy and be amazed at how the body could feel so good and light.
Above all, foods with high concentrations of vitamin C should be a priority. You don’t want to be fighting colds all the time.
The perfect food, then? Papaya.
If you’re traveling anywhere near the tropics, papaya should be in healthy supply. In Mexico and Guatemala, for instance, there are street vendors everywhere selling cups of chopped-up papaya for very reasonable prices if you don’t want to buy a whole one.
Papaya has a ton of vitamin C. It has more vitamin C, in fact, than oranges, melon, mango and most other fruit.
Papaya is also soothing for the stomach. Yesterday morning, when I was feeling a tad “delicate” after a couple of questionable street tacos the night before, I went straight for some papaya. Soon after, the stomach pain died down.
And man, is papaya every delicious. Pleasantly, and not overly sweet. Melt-in-your-mouth texture. For those strange people that can’t stand the taste: I’m sorry. You’re missing out.
(Fresh and cheap papaya is one of those little things I will seriously miss when I get back to Canada on Sunday. Maybe the next destination will have papaya too?)
Topics: Food and Drink | No Comments »
Condesa: an oasis in Mexico City (and muy fresa)
By Caitlin | February 25, 2010
Mexico City can at times be an overwhelming place. The traffic, the smog and ginormous crowds of people can really make a person crave a bit of tranquilidad.
Luckily, the city is filled with loads of distinct neighborhoods, and some will give you a bit of that calm you’ve been craving.
One of such oases is Condesa. While not quite as charming as Coyoacan or Roma, Condesa is impossible to avoid for most foreigners in Mexico City because it contains a large proportion of the city’s restaurants, nightlife, language schools and so forth. It’s conveniently located (close to the historic center, but far enough away to be a lot less sketchy) so a lot of expats choose to live there. In any case, the neighborhood is a relatively peaceful place to get away from the hustle and bustle of la ciudad.
Many streets in Condesa have lovely pedestrian walkways going down the middle, offering a shady place to meander along. The neighborhood’s highlight – Parque Mexico – is one of my absolute favourite spots in the whole country. Sit on a rock by the pond surrounded by trees and you’ll almost forget you’re in one of the biggest cities in the world. Lots of sidewalk cafes also offer places to relax.
But be warned: Condesa is muy fresa. In other words, full of rich people. In recent decades, the area has become very trendy, so is now home to the hip-and-rich. At the Starbucks, you’ll be surrounded by beautiful young professionals typing away on their Blackberries. In many of the bars, the clientele will be rich 18-year-olds with far nice clothes than any teenager should have. And the restaurant scene tends to be more slick, sophisticated and international than typically Mexican.
With trendiness, of course, comes high prices. Having moved from Guatemala to Mexico City, I was initially (and often still) shocked at the prices of many things in Condesa. 60 pesos for the same torta I could buy for 20 in another neighborhood? Yikes!
One of the funniest things about Condesa that everyone seems to notice is… dogs. Dogs are, apparently, the new black or the new designer handbag or something along those lines. Dogs are so hot right now in Condesa. As such, seemingly everyone has a dog. They are everywhere. And you’d think in a city as crowded as this that people would stick to the miniature varieties. But no, many get huge, even horse-sized dogs. Go figure.
Anyways, if you are on a strict budget, or are looking for “traditional” Mexico, you probably don’t want to spend too much time in Condesa. But visit at least once, or once in awhile, for a nice relaxing break.
Topics: Mexico | No Comments »
More than tacos (but the tacos are great)
By Caitlin | February 24, 2010
Food is an important part of travel for me. Wait. Food is an important part of life for me. This is partly why I will never be a great budget traveler along the likes of Wade and his family from Vagabond Journey. I just love restaurants, pastries, street food, fruit and, well, eating all the time a bit too much. Food is something I love as much as travel.
Luckily for me, I’m living in Mexico now. And while a few things around here are annoyingly expensive compared to Guatemala (bus trips and hostels especially), food is pretty cheap. Good food is pretty cheap. (Unless you are in Condesa or another fancy area of Mexico, which is another story entirely…)
Traveling around Mexico is a treat for food junkies such as myself. In each new region there’s something else to try. And with very few exceptions (like that disgusting gordita last week) it’s all delicious. Seriously delicious. Like “mmm…. mmm….. need to eat more and go into a food coma” delicious.
Some favourites:
Churros. All over Mexico. These deep fried tubes of dough are either sprinkled with sugar or filled with some sort of delicious sauce. People have told me these are unhealthy, but I refuse to believe they aren’t the breakfast of champions. When these things are filled with cream, there ain’t nothing more phallic on earth.
Gazpacho. Morelia. No, this is not that gross cold soup you are thinking about. In Morelia, Gazpacho is something else entirely. It’s a cup full of finely diced mango, papaya, cucumber and other fruit. Chili sauce, salt and other mysterious condiments are sprinkled throughout, and then the whole thing is drenched in orange juice. Refreshing. Delicious. Perfect. And… it’s actually more-or-less good for you!
Tacos al pastor. Everywhere. These delicious tacos are an essential part of any cheapskate’s Mexican diet. In fancier neighborhoods like Condesa, these tacos are mysteriously about a third of the price of other tacos, yet equally delicious. Pork roasted on a shwarma-like spit is sliced off and put in corn tortillas. Then, if you’re doing things right, the thing is topped with pineapple, cilantro and lime juice.
Tortas Ahogadas. Guadalajara. I read about these in the Lonely Planet long before I ever set foot in Guadalajara. Being a ravenous pig, I made sure to put the tortas on my agenda. Tortas Ahogadas” are exactly what their name implies: drowned sandwiches. Nice crisp sourdough-like bread is filled with yummy pork. Then the whole thing is seriously drenched in this red chili sauce. Magically, thing still stays together even as you pick it up and the sauce runs down your arms.
If you’re not going to come to Mexico for the music, the weather or the culture… for the love of tacos, do it for the food.
Topics: Mexico | No Comments »
Back to Canada this Sunday
By Caitlin | February 24, 2010
For the time being, Yelkaye.net is saying goodbye to all things latin. Brightly coloured houses with peeling paint, salsa and reggaeton, tacos, mangy street dogs, beautiful Latin men… all of these I am leaving behind on Sunday. (So much for finding a gorgeous Mexican husband.)
What’s happening?
When it comes down to it, there just aren’t any good jobs here. Nobody decent is hiring. I’d take a lower-paying job, like this gig at a great language school in San Cristobal, except I still have student loans to pay off so I need a somewhat decent salary.
After a not-so-great interview this yesterday (“what, you’re a foreigner?” they said, as if getting me a work visa would be the worst thing in the world) I finally decided it was time to cut my losses. I’ve been thinking about it for awhile, but it’s finally come clear: if I stay in Mexico right now, I will drive myself into a fairly bad financial hole.
What’s on the agenda? Hopefully, still more adventures. I’m applying to some teaching jobs in Korea. Sure, it’s a country that most English teachers seem to complain about, but it’s possible to save lots there and I could take trips to China or Thailand or something. I will also continue applying to cool (paid) overseas internships: I’m about to apply to some in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Bolivia, Cambodia, Sierra Leone and Ethiopia. So there are many possibilities on the horizon. I’ll also pass around a few resumes in Ottawa and Toronto, as well… just to keep my options open. But somehow I think I will be back on the road
Topics: Mexico | 2 Comments »
Morelia… why did you have to break my heart?
By Caitlin | February 23, 2010
I’ve been looking for someone like you for awhile. Something special. I had my tulmultuous relationship with Quetzaltenango, but it just didn’t work out in the end. I’ve been with Mexico City, but sometimes it’s just too much. I dallied a bit with Queretaro and Gualajara, but we just didn’t click.
Morelia, we clicked.
At first glance you are steely and cool, and at second rosy and warm. Your buildings are almost all made of grey stone, but there’s a strong hint of pink amidst the grey.
You’re rough around the outsides, but beautiful on the inside. I like that rough ‘n tumble Latin look you’re sporting as I first approach you. But as I make my way deeper to your core, I realize you’re one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever seen.
Sometimes you’re modern, and other times old-fashioned. One moment you’re wearing a cowboy hat and charming me with your chivalry, and the next you have long dreadlocks and you’re throwing me a mischievous glance.
You bestow me with that tranquility I’ve been craving yet I don’t think you’re boring. I feel safe in your arms, and the air is fresh and clean. I can see the mountains in the distance, and it relaxes me to know that nature is so close. Your pace of life is slower, and I want to slow down with you.
But there’s certainly lots bubbling under your surface. I get the distinct impression that I would have a lot of fun and variety if I hung around you for awhile. You’re complex than you seem, I know it.
And damn, man, do you know how to cook!
So I’ve decided that I want you. You’re the one for me, and I want to stick with you for the long haul.
And here’s why it hurts: you don’t want me back. Here I am, willing to move here, and you don’t want me to.
I drop off resumes at every language school in town, and all I get are no, no and more nos. Am I not good enough for you?
You say it’s just not a good time for you. Maybe I could come back and apply in July, you say. Maybe you’ll have room for me then. But what if I’ve found someone else – a different city – by then? What if I don’t feel the same way about you anymore, Morelia? It might be too late!
So now I’m heartbroken, Morelia. I walk down your streets, marvel at the serenity in your breathtaking cathedral, I’m amazed at the friendliness of your sons and daughters, I enjoy the sunlight on my shoulders while I eat a refreshing cup of gazpacho. But I can’t really enjoy it, Morelia, because I know this romance won’t last.
Topics: Mexico, TEFL, Travel | No Comments »
Solo Travel: the need to be alone
By Caitlin | February 22, 2010
I recently read a great article on one of my favourite travel magazines, Brave New Traveler. In her article “In Defense of the Introverted Traveler”, the author Christine Garvin admits to needing some serious alone time but at the same time being slightly envious of the benefits extroversion brings.
This article struck a chord with me.
Many people assume that I am an extrovert. I am loud and funny, and make friends very easily. In some ways, I certainly have extroverted tendencies.
But there’s a bit of a loner half-heartedly hidden in this sociable person, and in many ways I am an introvert, especially while traveling.
Today was a glorious day. I arrived in Morelia, a town I had a strong hunch I would love. I walked around town, just bursting with joy that I had found a place so lovely and filled with great energy. I got a snack, and sat down to eat and watch young Mexican hippies play djembes and awkwardly attempt to dance the African way. I stared at the Cathedral, marveling at the undertones of pink in its stone walls. I sat down for some quesadillas in a little roadside stand. I knew that I already loved this place.
I must have spoken at most 20 words to anyone all day.
The problem is, I’m afraid I can only really “feel” a place when I’m by myself. The feeling of being alone in a strange place – that delicious sense of loneliness mixed with wonder – is the way I get to know somewhere.
When I’m with other travelers, I’m not as touched by my surroundings.
Case in point: last week I went traveling with two great guys I met in my CELTA course. These friends make me laugh a lot, and I’m looking forward to hanging out with them again in the future. We had a good time, and my camera is filled with silly photos of memorable moments. It was a good week.
Truth be told, though, that after five days of traveling with these buddies, I was ready for time by myself. I had been to Queretaro with them, but yet I didn’t feel like I had gotten to know the place at all. Selfishly, I remembered why I usually travel alone: it’s so much easier to make decisions only for yourself.
I need to find a balance between my extroversion and introversion. I need to learn to travel better with other people, especially since I am getting to the point of my life where finding a partner would be nice, and he sure as hell better want to travel with me. I need to know how to get to know a place while having fun with people by my side. But I can’t – and I won’t – give up completely my strong desire to be alonen some times, and create memories that are entirely private.
Topics: Solo Travel, Travel | No Comments »