¡Todavía estoy aquí!

Sorry I couldn´t come up with a better title for this blog. Though there is much going on, I couldn´t think of a better way to encapsulate it all then ´I´m still here´ ¡Todavía estoy aquí!

Because I am still here. In Mexico that is. Well actually, I´m kind of not. I am currently living in a Zapatista Caracol, or community center (direct translation being snail). Zapatista communities are considered Tierra Libre, or autonomous from the government. The Zapatistas consider their communities to be that way anyway. The Mexican military has other ideas. Still it is a really incredible and beautiful world here in Zapatista territory. A commune in the true sense of the word, this community of Mayan descendents decided in 1993, ya basta, enough with 500 years of oppression. They declared autonomy, fought a 12 day war starting on Jan 1 1994, and have been self-organizing a communal corner of the Earth ever since that would have brought tears to Marx´s eyes! In a good way. Makes you think a bit.

In class we are studying Neo-Marxism and the history of Neoliberalism in Mexico (think Reaganomics mixed with a douse of Pinochet and a dash of Margaret Thatcher, oh and add Wolfawitz to the mix). Everyone, including the teacher, is far enough Red (in the left-ward sense of the word) to make me seem like Milton Freidman. Actually the professor looked at me yesterday and asked ´Milton might you be able to explain the economic argument behind the IMF Structural Adjustment Program?´. Its funny really considering how anti-neoliberal I am but as most of you know, I like a good two-sided conversation in class, and life, and if I am going to debate with folks here, its got to be from the right. Still, I am absolutely fascinated by the system the Zapatistas have developed here in their corner of Chiapas, Mexico and am beyond convinced that the modern economic political system has gone to the dogs (as Prof. Watts would say, and did a good job of convincing me two years ago back when I still had my original ACL). Of course seeing an alternative movement actually existing, functioning, that´s really quite something.

In other news, I found a bathroom with a toilet seat, which I will have access to about once every week or two and earlier today I was playing with a little girl named Estér and her Ché Guevarra doll. Unfortunately her little friend Paco had taken the Carlitos Marx doll away. Or maybe she was sharing it with him. That would make more sense.

Much love to all of you. Write and let me know what´s up in your world!!