The here and now... and what and why

Complacency is a trap. At least that’s what I was thinking when I up and left the comfort of a Yankee prep school gig, where I taught music, amongst other things, for 28 years. There was also that life long career as a composer, musician and artist.

First, it was a year in St. Thomas, USVI, working as a reporter and shooting photography and then, a year in San Agustin Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico.
Time passed.
More time passed and a year back in the Athens of America followed by a hasty return to Oaxaca where it is all happening.
A couple of years in San Sebastian Etla and now, just down the road in San Pablo Etla. Life is good.

Click on an image to see it larger.
For additional photography please visit my flickr page.
You can find my music on Jango (World & latin - Worldbeat) and at iTunes and most online stores.
¡Soy consciente de todas las tradiciones del Internet!
If you are coming to Oaxaca, please contact me for tours or advice.

Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo
The view from Corazon del Pueblo

The hereafter re me

My photo
Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
Musician, photographer, videographer, reporter, ex-officio teacher, now attempting to be a world traveler

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

The umpire calls it safe.


I was intrigued by the comments in response to my post about language schools in Oaxaca.  So I just want to say again, to reinforce, that Oaxaca is safe.  We go everywhere and never notice anything untoward.

Listen, the world is a crazy place.  There is crime and violence everywhere.  The media treats Mexico like it treats everything else.  They develop a conventional wisdom which is based on the echos in their own ego blinding bubble worlds.  Like they know something about the average person or the problems that "normal" people face.  C'mon, get real.  They blow everything out of proportion.

Sure there are problems here.... just like in Chicago or Prague or Cairo or Singapore or small towns around the world.  BUT Oaxaca is unique, just so beautiful and culturally rich, one would be crazy to miss it.  And it is as SAFE as any of those places.  I hope people will not drink the "kool-aid" that one of the commenters mentions and believe the hype.  It just ain't true.

2 comments:

friseal said...

I want to add, I really appreciate your blog. It has provided for me and my wife a direct connection to the place that we love. I have yet to find anything similar on the interwebs. I could always call my in-laws, but even then they don't provide pictures. : ) I will do my best to drink the tejate and not the cool-aid. Best wishes.

Judith Haden said...

Bravo. Thanks for writing all these great insights and realities.....