I arrived last Wed pm (June 11) and it’s been a bit of a whirlwind. The person that I had made plans with has had to work and finish a project. I’m feeling homesick and uncertain about what to do, as I came primarily in response to his request. It’s been a tough time for me, and I’ve thought about leaving. We’ll see. I think I’m in culture shock. I’m looking at maps and trying to identify where I’ll go. Some of the places I’ve been recommended include Guanajuato, Zacatecas, San Miguel de Allende, Tula, Tehotihuacan, Puebla, Oaxaca, Chiapas (incl San Cristobal de las casas). I am looking at the map of the center of Mexico City. I’m currently staying 2 hours or more away from the center, and need to get closer. I’m not sure how large the city is, but it’s impressive in its sprawl. Combis are small vans that people squeeze into. I had the rare opportunity to attend the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, Solistas Ensamble del INBA with conductor Horacio Franco. It was a very beautiful performance of Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus Oratorio. I met the conductor by accident as I was sitting on the steps of the theater, which was built during Porfirio Diaz’ bloody reign in the 1800s. He was a Europhile and had it built in the style of French neoclassical architectural design. He also was responsible for bloody repression of the indigenous people of Mexico. Many were exiled, more assassinated. In any case, the performance was beautiful. I arrived back at the house at 1:30 am, as the concert got out at 11:30.