Bathroom Stalls

Oaxaca is a haven of many rights .... beautiful valleys, delicious food, exciting tours, Zapotec ruins, colorful traditions and warm, friendly people ... but eventually you'll need to go to the bathroom!

Now, if you're in places that respond to international tourism, there is no culture shock involved when 1 and 2 you. You go to the bathroom like you would in any other place in the States, the only difference being the small figures usually used to distinguish between the men's room and ladies room are a sombrero and a traditional costume (not always in that order). However, if you're in Oaxaca, then you're probably anxious to discover the real Mexico. If this was not the case, you go to a place like Cancun or Acapulco, where everyone speaks English and you can pay in dollars. But if you'll be here in Oaxaca, you must accept the "traba" (barriers), here. Let me tell you a little story:

A few years ago, I sat in the ADO bus station in Oaxaca on my way to Mexico City airport, where I fly to Miami to visit my father. (Flying out of Mexico City instead of flying out of Oaxaca is a good idea if you're on a budget and want to save money.) Anyway ... I was sitting in the terminal munching on a bar Twix, when I saw a tall, thin, blonde woman rushed to my hair to the bathroom - obviously eager to get there. Totally blew the woman who was sitting behind a desk in front of the bathroom, she ran into the women's room. Taken aback, the woman runs, chubby, dark-skinned behind the desk stood up and shouted at the stranger, Sea±orita! Sea±orita! SEa‘OOORRRIIITTTAAA !!!!"

Half frightened than hurt, the woman with blond hair peeked his head on the bathroom door, but before she could say nothing, the officer says firmly, "5 pesos por favor!". Stepping completely out of the bathroom now, the strange woman approached the desk where the officer, then sat down and made a sign on the right shoulder that says, in English, "you must pay 5 pesos to use the facilities ESC. Reading this sign obviously not seen due to the urgency of the situation, the foreign woman got angry, she said something not very complimentary to the staff bathroom and returned to its place in terminal. I watched as she threw herself into her chair and began to mumble, tight lips, a man beside her might have been his brother, because he looked like the male version of her.

I sat watching the show because I forgot to bring a book or buy a magazine and was horribly bored. After about 20 minutes grueling, where I saw the face of foreign lady becomes progressively more red, she got it or not, and walked toward the bathroom. Check the clerk's office where the officer, obviously aware of the situation of foreign women was cracked a half-triumphant smile as she slammed the 5 pesos on the table and stormed into the bathroom without receiving toilet paper as auxiliary hands at the door.

I just kind of shook his head and acknowledged the difficulties faced by many foreigners when they come and participate in Mexican culture for a while. I know this is not always easy, but you can come here and be inflexible in situations of this kind. patience, patience, understanding and more is needed if you want to take advantage of Oaxaca and Mexico in general. You must accept these cultural differences if you want to enjoy the culture at all and believe me, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages 100-1. Now, let me tell you privately with other "inconsistencies" in going to the bathroom in Oaxaca just to save you the trauma:

Besides the fact that you may have to pay between 2 and 5 pesos for entry i.