User:Vagrant/Mexico - Revision history

Vagrant: /* perspectives on return */ clarification on recycling

2006-07-18T19:39:18Z

perspectives on return: clarification on recycling

Vagrant: /* perspectives on return */ content

2006-07-18T18:41:49Z

perspectives on return: content

Vagrant: perspectives

2006-07-18T18:40:50Z

perspectives

Vagrant: /* Vegetarianos (unofficial debian subproject) */ link to images, typo

2006-07-18T18:33:26Z

Vegetarianos (unofficial debian subproject): link to images, typo

Vagrant: ciudad de mexico

2006-07-05T15:57:22Z

ciudad de mexico

Vagrant: estrellas y eleciones, heading back

2006-07-04T18:57:30Z

estrellas y eleciones, heading back

Vagrant: reentry

2006-07-02T19:32:21Z

reentry

Vagrant: formatting

2006-06-29T19:19:24Z

formatting

Vagrant: more square bracket action

2006-06-10T17:18:24Z

more square bracket action

Vagrant: square brackets?

2006-06-05T00:47:01Z

square brackets?

@@ Line 666: / Line 666: @@
 of mexico and guatemala i spent time in. little shops where it can be hard to
 find what you need are way cooler than strip malls and megastores that have
-everything. our recycling infrastructure sucks, but i'm glad there's not nearly
+everything. our recycling infrastructure sucks compared to guatemala and mexico, but i'm glad there's not nearly as much plastic trash on the sides of all the roads(where does it go?).
 i'll have to go back sometime.

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:41, 18 July 2006
Line 627:		Line 627:

	==perspectives on return==		==perspectives on return==
		+
		+	so, confident that i had all my proper tourist paperwork this time, it proved
		+	to be pointless, mexican immagration wasn't even open.
		+
		+	when i got to the US border, immagration actually did ask for my passport and
		+	eyeballed it, and asked me to pass my bag through a metal detector (and there
		+	were lot of metal things in it that i would have thought suspicious), and then
		+	i waited on the corner for a bus. no stamps, no nothing. just hectically
		+	hurrying people across the border. better than getting searched, for sure, but
		+	sure makes all the border security hype kind of laughable(if not dishonest).
		+
		+	after spending a few times on mexican busses, i was back on the ol scrawny dog,
		+	the greyhound. i forgot how disgusting they tended to be, particularly the
		+	on-bus bathroom, and how people just throw trash on the floor. i also might
		+	have gotten more bugbites on the day and a half greyhound trip than all the
		+	time i spent in mexico. the only time i thought we were running reasonably on
		+	time was when i hadn't realized i changed time zones. we would stop places for
		+	hours at a time and wait for no apparent reason, and certainly nobody
		+	communicated anything about why we weren't moving. or even worse, when someone
		+	asked if they were getting on the right bus, they were told to "just get on the
		+	bus". of course, when someone was on the the wrong bus, it took additional
		+	time to get them off the very crowded bus. i could go on and on about greyhound.
		+
		+	i finally got to my destination, in columbus, oh, and i was exhausted. a ride
		+	through the beautiful sprawl surrounding columbus awaited, thankfully in the
		+	dark.
		+
		+	when the sun rose again, and several hours later when i woke up, i got to see
		+	all the sprawl. sometimes you see 3 houses go up in a single day. and they all
		+	look the same, even more so than some subdivisions i've seen.
		+
		+	a short bike ride to the farm, and i was helping building a cob oven, followed
		+	by a nap in a hammock. getting dirty. i like dirt.
		+
		+	oh yeah, perspectives other than comparison of busses. well, not a whole lot. i
		+	can get more of the food i want here a little easier, and a lot pricier. gender
		+	issues in the US, while sadly unsophisticated, are far, far ahead of the parts
		+	of mexico and guatemala i spent time in. little shops where it can be hard to
		+	find what you need are way cooler than strip malls and megastores that have
		+	everything. our recycling infrastructure sucks, but i'm glad there's not nearly
		+	as much plastic trash on the sides of all the roads(where does it go?).
		+
		+	i'll have to go back sometime.

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:40, 18 July 2006
Line 625:		Line 625:

	i've still got a few hours to look for food. i really want to get another taste of huitlacoche before i go.		i've still got a few hours to look for food. i really want to get another taste of huitlacoche before i go.
		+
		+	==perspectives on return==

@@ Line 138: / Line 138: @@
 vegetarian table is coveted. more specifically, the sign itself, as anyone who
 can bring the gay vegetarian sign to their table, is, of course, far more
-interesting than the table with a plain blak-and-white with grey shadow
+interesting than the table with a plain black-and-white with grey shadow
 trailing off into the background at an angle sort of sign. so, a culture of
 acquiring the sign from the other table began.
@@ Line 146: / Line 146: @@
 more physical. someone had snatched the sign off our table, and two or three of
 our dedicated table members were trying to pry it from the hands of someone.
-so, what with my rudimentary knowledge of how to disarm someone with a knife, i
+so, what with my rudimentary knowledge of how
 figured it could help loosen their grasp on the sign. i didn't help much. but
 eventually got them away from the table, and two of us were still failing to
-pry it from their hands. eventually, we had them pinned to the ground, and only
+pry it from their hands. eventually, we had them [https://gallery.debconf.org/album13/CIMG0029_002 pinned to the ground], and only
 after much struggle did we manage to acquire the sign. i later found out it was
 one of the debian release managers. it's good to know release managers have a

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:57, 5 July 2006
Line 598:		Line 598:
	when i stop traveling, i'll be in the humid (and exceptionally rainy,		when i stop traveling, i'll be in the humid (and exceptionally rainy,
	apparently) midwest, eating fresh vegetables from the fertile midwest soils.		apparently) midwest, eating fresh vegetables from the fertile midwest soils.
		+
		+	==ciudad de mexico (otra vez)==
		+
		+	so, i rolled into mexico city again, early in the morning. i wandered around trying to price out various options (both in money and time), and eventually went with the one that connects with greyhound. ah well, it's more spacious than a chicken bus, and only greyhound for two-thirds of the remaining trip.
		+
		+	i wandered around for a bit, found a little park-like strip, seeking food and possibly an alternate source of water.
		+
		+	i'll be back in my country of origen in less than 24 hours. well, if you
		+	consider texas part of the same country i was born in. whoah, i'll be
		+	seeing lots of texas. lots of texas. i'll be getting into texas at 9am,
		+	and not leaving till well after 6pm. that's how much texas i'll be seeing.
		+	damn.
		+
		+	wow, i've even got some layovers in memphis and nashville, tenesee (sp?).
		+	i'll get all the country, western, and country-western i want and probably
		+	a good deal more.
		+
		+	so, i'm leaving at 1pm, and arriving at 8:30pm two days later. i'm no math
		+	genius, but i think she lied to me when she said it would take 48 hours.
		+	that sounds suspiciously like 48 hours plus 7, and change. there's a
		+	distinct possibility i heard wrong, what with it being in spanish and all.
		+
		+	it's good to get rolling again, despite that i know my body will be almost
		+	totally drained and lifeless by the time i arrive.
		+
		+	i've still got a few hours to look for food. i really want to get another taste of huitlacoche before i go.

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:57, 4 July 2006
Line 564:		Line 564:
	my ltsp branches, and fix a few whitespace inconsistancies... yes, good to		my ltsp branches, and fix a few whitespace inconsistancies... yes, good to
	keep in touch and get back to work.		keep in touch and get back to work.
		+
		+	==estrellas y eleciones==
		+
		+	several of the nights here, i've been able to see the stars from pretty much
		+	the center of the city. for a city of this size, i was impressed how many and
		+	how clearly they were. which is a sign that it hasn't been raining much here,
		+	like my first visit. which means it's considerably hotter.
		+
		+	so, hoping to see some signs of protest here in san cristobal for the mexican
		+	elections was perhaps unfounded. most of what i could find was a stage set up
		+	near parque central, broadcasting speeches and such from other places, largely
		+	mexico city, i think. i think the results turned out to be pretty typical, the
		+	big business, US-freindly party grabbed at least the presidency, and surely a
		+	number of other positions. but i don't really understand enough about mexican
		+	politics or know enough spanish to read more about it here. i'm sure i'll learn
		+	more soon enough.
		+
		+	==heading back==
		+
		+	well, i'm pretty much ready to head back. i've been working on ltsp some,
		+	chatting with folks online, reading emails. ah, internet access.
		+
		+	i'll be getting on a bus in a couple hours, and quite possibly spend the better
		+	part of the next 3-4 days heading mostly northwards on busses. this will surely
		+	be my longest bus trip ever. i'll be able to get off at a few points and try
		+	and determine how swiftly i want to get on another bus, but having not started
		+	yet, i kind of just want to get it over with.
		+
		+	i've got a lot of really tasty granola, a bit of tabouli(all the way from
		+	albuquerque), some carrots and avocados, so i'll surely have to pick up some
		+	tasty mexican food along the way back.
		+
		+	when i stop traveling, i'll be in the humid (and exceptionally rainy,
		+	apparently) midwest, eating fresh vegetables from the fertile midwest soils.

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:32, 2 July 2006
Line 519:		Line 519:

	since i'm not in mexico anymore, try my [[User:Vagrant/Guatemala\|guatemala page]].		since i'm not in mexico anymore, try my [[User:Vagrant/Guatemala\|guatemala page]].
		+
		+	==reentry (back on topic)==
		+
		+	so, fresh from [[User:Vagrant/Guatemala\|guatemala]], in that strange place
		+	between countries, i handed over my passport, they handed it back with a
		+	little slip of paper, and i filled in all sorts of details as best i could,
		+	handled it back, they stamped it, and off i went. this time, i guess i'm
		+	legit.
		+
		+	a couple more hours to san cristobal, we get out at parque central, which
		+	happened to be somewhere i recognized, fortunately. it was pretty close to
		+	the hostal i stayed in last time, which seemed reasonably priced at 40 pesos
		+	a night for a bed and free internet access. though this time, it was 50
		+	pesos a night. still a good deal. i got everything arranged and put away,
		+	and headed off to the revolutions bar to watch the world cup with the folks
		+	i met on the lago atitlan hike.
		+
		+	i had a little trouble figuring out how to get in. there was a series of
		+	overlapping doors and a curtain. eventually, i moved aside the curtain and
		+	stepped into a bar. on a big, seemingly faded projection screen was some
		+	soccer action. i got a dark beer, and spent some time marveling at how much
		+	control these people had over the ball, not just with their feet, but with
		+	their heads, too. [[User:Rfs\|richard]] was right, more or less, when he said
		+	i'd find myself watching football in the company of english speakers,
		+	largely just to hear english speakers again. it was just a different kind of
		+	football. i got a dos equis, and drank on a pretty empty stomach, which was
		+	actually pretty satisfying.
		+
		+	one of the other fellows i met on the way to san cristobal stuck up a bit of
		+	a conversation with me. i talked some about my basic core interests,
		+	computer re-use and free software, growing and eating food, ecological
		+	sustainability and walking in mountains, and social justice. he was studying
		+	political science and social justice type stuff. we run in to lot of people
		+	like that in these parts.
		+
		+	then i went over to the vegetarian restaurant across the street that i had
		+	discovered on my previous visit here, naturalissimo, i think it's called. i
		+	got something i wasn't quite sure what it was, and it turned out to be
		+	quesadillas with cheese, smothered in beans and cream. it was good, if a bit
		+	overly cheesy.
		+
		+	i headed back to the hostal, to try and catch up on email and chat with
		+	freinds on irc, figure out how i'm going to get back and when, and sync up
		+	my ltsp branches, and fix a few whitespace inconsistancies... yes, good to
		+	keep in touch and get back to work.

@@ Line 200: / Line 200: @@
 assignment to start up a freegeek in their local region.
-[Resurrecting Computers with Free Software]
+[[Resurrecting Computers with Free Software]]
 ==bloody tango toe==
@@ Line 447: / Line 447: @@
 things: laptop, crappy spanish phrase book, cheap lock (my last 20 pesos),
-glasses, poncho, backpack, variety of long-sleeve buttom-up shirts, number of
+glasses, poncho, backpack, variety of long-sleeve button-up shirts, number of
 low-top but resonably warm socks, two condoms, copied and tailored map of
 oaxtepec, book of debconf6 presentation papers, flashlight, about 4-5 feet of
@@ Line 464: / Line 464: @@
 ==no computadora==
-so, in the height of my trying to use my vast social network on the internet, the hard
+so, in the height of my trying to use my vast social network on the internet,
-drive in my computer decided to teach me a lesson. (warning, technical jargon ahead) it
+the hard drive in my computer decided to teach me a lesson. (warning, technical
-got a bad block on the inode where the journal is stored. (laymen´s terms) a file that´s
+jargon ahead) it got a bad block on the inode where the journal is stored.
-supposed to help prevent other files from getting totally hosed got hosed, so all the files
+(laymen's terms) a file that's supposed to help prevent other files from
-are gone, seemingly.
+getting totally hosed got hosed, so all the files are gone, seemingly.
-using a tiny pocket knife i picked up at the market in oaxaca, i managed to unscrew the hard drive and swap in a new one, well, almost. it didn´t really fit. it was too big. so you had to sit there while the laptop is running, and hold in the guts. not trivial. but it gave me long enough to let other folks know the situation.
+using a tiny pocket knife i picked up at the market in oaxaca, i managed to
 then, seemingly, DNS was getting blocked. not my freakin day. not. my. day.
@@ Line 477: / Line 481: @@
 if i were a corrupt spiritual leader, i would make the 1st of june a holiday.
 i think canada has already declared it boxing day, anyways. an ATM giving me
-money has nothing to do with the church of compost, so it will just have to
+money has nothing to do with the church of compost, so it will just have to be
-be a personal holiday.
+a personal holiday.
-i am now happy to say that san cristobal is one of the most beautiful places to wake up.
+i am now happy to say that san cristobal is one of the most beautiful places to
 and i can actually appreciate it.
@@ Line 487: / Line 492: @@
 ==guatemala==
-today was the day of everythingworking out despite on many occasions it didn´t look likely.
+today was the day of everythingworking out despite on many occasions it didn't
-i show up at this place at 6:45 am to catch the 7am bus, and i needed a reservation, despite mentioning nothingof the sort the days previous when i had enquired. the guy frustratedly arranged something for me anyways, for 300 instead of 400 pesos.  bonus.
+i show up at this place at 6:45 am to catch the 7am bus, and i needed a
-the border. it´s a crazy market, at la mesilla. i was really worried about having no documentation whatsoever of enteringmexico (other than my bus ticket), but the guy just asked me where i entered and i told him and he gave me an exit stamp. no money, no nothing. going through guatemalan migration was also a breeze, although it took a little while for the chilean fellow with us.
+the border. it's a crazy market, at la mesilla. i was really worried about
-then, of course, the driver we were transferring to didn´t want to take me to xela (quetzaltenango), and the other driver had a rapid conversation in spanish which didn´t sound pleasant and the guy eventually took me on.
+then, of course, the driver we were transferring to didn't want to take me to
-of course, surprise, i get a bonus transfer outside of xela. the fellow was pretty nice, and landed me areasonably cheap private room in a hotel. a little privacy is something i haven´t had for weeks.
+of course, surprise, i get a bonus transfer outside of xela. the fellow was
-i guess this isn´t mexico anymore.
+i guess this isn't mexico anymore.
 ==off topic==
-since i´m not in mexico anymore, try my [[User:Vagrant/Guatemala|guatemala page]].
+since i'm not in mexico anymore, try my [[User:Vagrant/Guatemala|guatemala page]].

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:18, 10 June 2006
Line 501:		Line 501:
	==off topic==		==off topic==

−	since i´m not in mexico anymore, try my ~~guatemala page http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/~~User:Vagrant/Guatemala	+	since i´m not in mexico anymore, try my [[User:Vagrant/Guatemala\|guatemala page]].
−
−	~~p.s. don´t ask me to find the square brackets on this US keyboard mapped to spanish~~.

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:47, 5 June 2006
Line 502:		Line 502:

	since i´m not in mexico anymore, try my guatemala page http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/User:Vagrant/Guatemala		since i´m not in mexico anymore, try my guatemala page http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/User:Vagrant/Guatemala
		+
		+	p.s. don´t ask me to find the square brackets on this US keyboard mapped to spanish.