December 21, 2008

Return to Maya village

From the first sighting of a Maya stone fence, my Maya friends have all drifted off in their thoughts as they approached their ancestral homes. It is a very different life from what they lead now on Isla Mujeres. And so inviting. Of course, there's seeing Mami again, being able to bring parents money you have made where the pay is so much higher.

And to see Papi, too, caught in the act of taking off his hat in respect. He was a self employed citrus grower, later a beer vendor. They each get 500 pesos a month in pension because the minimum wage is less in the state of Yucatan, setting all the other income as well. They are not really poorer. It is just a different life. There is citrus to eat, low priced chickens and cornmeal. Lots of bananas and mangoes.

But there are others. The sister with stories to tell, getting her kids off to Posada parties, telling stories about other kin.
And seeing a new nephew who will be baptized in the coming weeks.
And back in Merida, there was an aunt who came to Quintana Roo on the same night as we returned and stopped by the house with Carmen and her grandkids. I'll post that later because after all, we are all getting ready to celebrated the Baby Jesus's birthday,

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