Okay- yesterday I left off saying that I would complete my weekend today. Basically, on Sunday I got up kind of early, around 6:30 a.m. so that I could take the bus to Cuautla to visit la Senora Hermelinda, the curandera who lived in that way out town, Popotl�n. I got there a little after 10 a.m. and sat in on her worship session. She gave me food, cleaned me (called limpias) with an egg and this oil and say prayers for you and stuff, and I talked with her children. The limpias was really interesting becuase I had gone to the market to get a black hen�s egg before I left, because supposedly the black hen�s egg has healing powers. What they do is take the egg and but it on different parts of your body like they are wiping you off with it, and they do it for maybe 3 minutes. Her children were so cool- they were various ages- she has 9. The ones that were there was a boy who was about 13, a girl, 20, another girl, 8, and another girl, 11. They were so inteligent and loved asking me questions about the US. They spent about 45 minutes with me showing me their English book and comparing words and stuff. Hermelinda asked if I had had breakfast and I hadn�t, so she gave me food. I stayed until the evening and when I left she told me that I needed to come back the next day because she had to complete the treatment. She said that I had been scared (called "susto") and that I when I was shocked a while back, it caused me to inhale evil air. She had to clean out the evil air and finish doing it the next day. I tried to explain that I really couldn�t come back on Monday because it was the last day of classes and that my classes were spread out to the point that I couldn�t fit in a time. But she insisted that I go back, so I decided overnight that I would get up really early and go back. I mean, she was so sincere and was serious about what she said. At the same time, I got home late and was tired, and the only way for me to get there and back by 10 a.m. (a nearly 6 hour trip) would be to get up at like, 4:30 and get on the bus quick.
So, my alarm clock went off at 4:30 and I couldn�t get up. I slept until 5:30 and knew I was behind. I did get downtown and everything, made it to her house, she did the limpias one last time, and then I went back. I missed my class, though. I got back about 30 minutes after it ended.
Nevertheless, the trip was interesting and I enjoyed it. A funny note- after the first limpias, she insisted that I wear this blouse and pants because supposedly my pores were open and the evil air could get back in. The blouse was long sleeved, bright pink, and the pants were green with flowers. I wore this over my red shirt. Talk about looking ridiculous! When I went back into the town, I could feel people laughing at me. Not that anyone there was really fashionable but I just looked like I had lost it!
I want to go back to take her a present at some point because Kahuna was telling me that this is what people usually do, and he�s right. I wanted to, but didn�t have time. She is also a real doctor, meaning, does actual medical treatments. At the same time, she doesn�t charge anyone anything for her services and is very well known throughout this area of Mexico. I found that very nice- the fact that she didn�t charge anything or didn�t even try to get some money out of me. Kahuna wants to go see her, so maybe I will make it back before I leave.
