Experiencing the Weekly Community Market

from November 26, 2010
Every Friday, there is a market here in my little community of Volcanes. Since I know the market begins early in the morning, but I typically don’t get home from school until after 3:30, I always thought it would be too late to try to go to the market.

So, I was REALLY looking forward to having a day off, the Friday after Thanksgiving, so I could experience my local market for the first time!

I got my money, camera, & backpack ready; then walked down the street. As I was walking towards the market, I thought I’d invite my landlord, who has also become my friend. She answered the door, & a minute later, we were on our way to the market together.

I was SO glad that she was there, because she opened my eyes to things I wouldn’t have noticed! She explained for me what some things were. She introduced me to vendors who were friends of hers, & also believers. And, she helped me ask permission to take pictures.

(I’m so thankful that there’s a market like this in walking distanced from me! Since this first visit, I’ve gone back 6 or 7 Fridays to buy 1 dollar dozen roses, more affordable produce, & even tacos for supper!)

Here are a few pictures

to give you a glimpse of my local market:

My Thanksgiving in Oaxaca

from November 25, 2010
Many, many weeks before Thanksgiving, a friend invited me over for a mid-afternoon meal & games. I quickly accepted!

There ended up being 3 married couples, me, & 4 children there.

We each contributed a side dish or two. I used my oven here for the first time & made candied carrots & baked corn. I also cut up veggies & made a few dips & also some sugar-free jello jigglers for dessert. But my friend, our host, REALLY outdid herself! Everything was SCRUMPTIOUS, including 5 homemade pies!

In counting the things I’m thankful for about that day, I have to include the fact that I’m thankful I was able to manage getting all of that food from my house, down 2 blocks, onto the bus, survived a 30 minute bus ride, then walked & walked & walked & walked, finally finding my friend’s house! I also am thankful that I was encouraged to take home a “doggie bag” ~ I SO enjoyed eating that the next day!!

Here are a few pictures of my first Thanksgiving Day away from my family, but still surrounded by loved ones!

"Houston, We Have Internet!!!"

from November 25, 2010
I experienced yet another miracle on Thanksgiving Day!  I had been without internet for 2 weeks, but today, it miraculously began working!

I want to publicly thank my Pappa God, because James 1:16 & 17 remind us, “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers & sisters. Every good & perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

In the last 2 weeks, I have spent more than 300 pesos worth of airtime on my cell phone with my internet company, Cablemas. (That’s about 25 dollars, just trying to get answers from the cable company!)  Finally, I asked a fluent Spanish speaker at OCS to call Cablemas for me ~ she called several times too, trying to get some answers & a commitment that they’d send someone else out.

Three different times, they sent out The Cable Guys, different guys each time. They checked the wires on the street. They checked the wires on the roof. They replaced all the wiring inside my apartment. They tested my little black box. But, they could find no reason that would be causing the internet not to work.

It was so disheartening! I spend hours every evening on my laptop, catching up with friends/family, paying bills, doing lesson planning, reading the news, etc… So, to be without internet, I was lost.

Then, suddenly, Thanksgiving morning, right when the last Cable Guys were packing up & ready to leave ~ the internet came on & stayed on!  I’m so grateful & trying to not take my internet for granted anymore!

WEEKENDS! I Heart Them!

from November 19, 2010
Some people look forward to the weekend because they’re excited about going out to eat, hanging out with a bunch of people, dating, parties, etc…

But, while I’m here, teaching in Oaxaca, I look forward to the simplicity & solitude of the weekends. 
Away from my noisy school & busy classroom & countless hours on the road ~ I read entire novels, I work on my photography, I do a bunch of cooking for the week ahead, I catch up on documenting my finances, I paint my nails, I watch old movies on tv, I listen to messages online, etc... & I stay in bed past 6am! 

I am just SO thankful for weekends ~ to recharge & to renew!

These verses from Psalm summarize the long, draining, but still joyful week I just had.

“When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ Your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought me joy. The Lord has become my fortress, & my God, the Rock in whom I take refuge.” (Psalm 94:18, 19, & 22)

Upheld...With God's Mighty Arms!

from November 17, 2010
I wrote this on Facebook when I got home from school: I’m testifying that God upheld me today, with His mighty arms.
The Miracle of the Day = someone offered to drive me home from school today (JUST after I had taken out the $ for public transportation!) Please, continue to pray for me this week, as my co-teacher is away. And please, continue to pray for God’s provision as 2 of the families who normally give me rides aren’t available for 2 months.


Later that day, my sister (who teachs Pre-K) wrote: Preschool Joy remembers to pray for you each day, hope your week passes quickly and your travels are relaxing.


I replied by saying: I can’t even express how much I appreciate that! Seriously! About travels ~ Due to circumstances beyond my control, I was “forced” to take a taxi to work this morning. Several times during the ride, I realized I was thankful that I wasn’t riding into school with a family, because it gave me 25 minutes of “free time” where I could pray. I sure did need to prepare myself prayerfully for today! It sure was a challenging day…Then, I was just so extremely blessed when a father offered me a ride home, I almost cried. I was SO not looking forward to an hour of walking & riding buses…I had decided I would pay the 7 or 8 dollars to take a taxi & get home in half the time. Then, just as I had gotten the money out, he walked in & asked, “Miss Noll, do you have a ride home today?”

Please, continue to pray for God's provision for me, both with rides to & from school...& for finances to afford the public transportation when I don't have a ride...& for safety while I'm traveling...

Preparing for a Week "Alone"....

from November 14, 2010
I’m trying to prepare (mentally & spiritually) for a long week ahead ~ Monday is a field trip (that my co-teacher is not going on) & then she leaves for the rest of the week as she needs to go to the States to go to an ACSI teachers’ convention.

“The Lord is near to all who call on Him…he fulfills the desires of those who respect Him; He hears their cry & saves them.” Psalm 145:18-19

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory & the power for ever & ever. Amen. Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.” I Peter 4:10-13

“God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I’m an open book to You…You know when I leave & when I get back; I’m never out of Your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me & You’re there, then up ahead & You’re there too – Your reassuring presence, coming & going. This is too much, too wonderful – I can’t take it all in!” Psalm 139:1-6

PIRATES!!!!! Aargh!!!

from November 12, 2010
in the morning, I wrote ~ Tonight is the school’s pirate-themed Fun Fall Festival.  It is the school's main fund raiser.  Somehow today I need to figure out how to transform myself into a homemade pirate with no Super Walmart, no fabric store, etc…but, only with the contents of my humble apartment.
THIS is what I came up with ~ using only a pillow case, a headlamp, a cardboard box & duct tape! 

before bed, I wrote ~ I took almost 400 pictures this evening at the Fun Fall Festival! Everybody involved did such a great job preparing for it & running it! It was SO much fun!

Here is a handful of the pictures I took,

to give you a hint of what today was like.

Getting TO Church = DIFFICULT!!!

I’ve had troubles getting to church many times here in Oaxaca!  I have tried both mototaxis & taxis, but I've gotten lost SO many times!  It shouldn't be this hard just to get to church!   

Here is an example from November 7th, when I got totally & completely lost!

First, I spent 45 minutes apparently walking in the wrong direction, looking for a mototaxi…eventually, I gave up & got in a taxi. Before I got in, I gave the driver the names of the cross streets I needed & asked if he knew where the street was. he said he did, but it turns out he didn’t. We got to the neighborhood & drove all around with him pulling over & asking a dozen different people where this street was. Finally, I recognized where I was & pointed to the correct street. At least I DID eventually get there, but I only caught the last 10 minutes of the service.

I was told by a missionary, who has lived here for about 20 years, that “Mexicans will tell you what you want to hear & not consider it lying. It is a different culture here.”


I don’t get that, seriously… I responded by saying, “Americans do that too, people here & there might be accepting of it, but it is still the opposite of telling the truth.”

The taxi drivers & mototaxi drivers have gotten lost SO many times now (AFTER telling me that they knew where the address was), that I’ve stopped asking them if they know where an address is. 

Please, continue praying for my safety...as I'm traveling alone, with these male drivers...& getting lost too often...& having no idea where I am... 

Regulating Temperatures ~ The Old Fashioned Way...

from November 6, 2010

Last night, I actually got cold for the first time in Oaxaca!
I knew it was bound to happen, as "winter" was coming...my students, who have acclimated to the weather here, have been wearing jackets for a couple weeks now.  They were SHOCKED to see me come in with a sweater today! 

So far, my only experiences here have been with HEAT!  When I was here for 7 weeks, last Spring, it was during the hottest time of the year.  It was in the high 80s to low 90s every day & didn't get much cooler at night...at least it didn't seem like it cooled down much!  Keep in mind, the only air conditioning here is INSIDE the newer CARS!  There's none in the houses.  Although the house I was staying in had a ceiling fan in my bedroom, I'd lay in bed nearly every night, sweating.  There was just no way to cool off.

Well, it's a similar issue when it's colder in Oaxaca. 
YES, it does get cool in Oaxaca, Mexico! 

Usually, I keep the windows open all night long to bring in the “cooler” breezes (making the temperature in my bedroom go down to between 75 – 84 at night). Then, as soon as I wake up, I close all the windows to try to keep the cooler air IN.

Well, last night was the 1st time that I closed the windows just before bed.

Now, at 9am, even with the windows closed all night, it is only 60 degrees inside! 

That might not seem "cold" ~ but, keep in mind that just like there's no air conditioning here, there's also no heat here.  So, the only ways to warm up are to layer your clothing, drink hot drinks, or use the oven & then leave the oven door open! 

Personally, I'm excited about the cooler temperatures coming!  Bring it on!!!!  :)

A Oaxacan Wedding Celebration

More Sights From Downtown, During Day of the Dead ~ Dia de los Muertos