Mi última noche

Entonces, mi última noche aquí en Oaxaca ha llegado, y no estoy lista para salir. I haven´t been able to get my laptop to any wi-fi to upload new pictures, so I´ll have to do that from home. César left this morning, and I spent the day walking around town picking up last minute bits and pieces of things, and spending as much time in the sun as possible. I sat for a while with a retired Canadian couple at my hotel discussing, among other things, the state of the American presidential race. This is a subject that seems to inspire considerable interest in everyone I´ve met, Mexicans, Canadians, and Europeans alike (though noticeably less in Europeans). On the whole everyone seems very excited about Barack, and wants to know if I think he will win and if I will vote for him. People keep saying that with Obama we have an opportunity to show the rest of the world that progress can be had in our nation, that we are ready for a black president, and that we are willing to turn over a new leaf in terms of international relations. I am struck by the fact that no one seems to think it would be particularly significant if we elected a woman, and I´m not sure if this is because she is a Clinton and thus old guard, or if the rest of the world is so far beyond the question of female heads of state that they forget that this would be new for us. Perhaps they feel, like many of us, that the problem of race in our nation is more fundamental than the problem of gender.

Everything I do today stands out as my last something in Oaxaca. My last elote, my last payasos, my last chat with a retired Canadian couple, my last time on this street or in that park... It is sad, and I´ve felt kind of like crying all day...

I´m not sure what else to say. Except I´ll see you soon.