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Somehow my time in Oaxaca is almost at a close. Arriving here in mid-January, I did not know what to expect. I found delicious food, a complicated but fascinating history, and a chance to spend time with some of my closest friends who also joined for this winter season. I’ve also made new friendships (two of whom are new neighbors also!) that make returning to Oaxaca even more fun.
Oaxaca has a LOT more cacti though.
The ethnobotanical gardens in Oaxaca
I plan to use this apartment as a base, with a goal to explore more of Mexico next winter. I’ve only been in Oaxaca, and I realize that the food here, with its moles and memelas and tlayudas, is so different from the other provinces of Mexico.
I also plan to restart Jodi Eats food walks here in Oaxaca, because many of you have asked me to do so. If that interests you or you plan to be in Mexico next winter and want to eat: please sign up for updates here.
For now, however, it is time to return to North America.
Posting has been sparse as I continue to work on my presentation at the NAFSA conference in Denver, which is in a few days’ time. But I wanted to share my summer schedule here as there will be meetups aplenty!
Below you’ll find links to the Facebook events page for summer meetups. I realize not all of you are on Facebook, so if you want to be apprised of any of these just shoot me a quick email to jodi-at-legalnomads.com.
Some Housekeeping
First things first! Some updates.
Portugal Maps
Excited to share the newest of the maps in my online food map store: Portugal. It was quite a challenge to get Porto Santo, Madeira, and the Azores in there also, but we managed. Wall poster is here.
Tote bags
Mexico tote bag with hand drawn map of food. YAY!
I can haz TOTE BAGS in the store. These are now available for all countries, and I chose the expensive bull-woven cotton with reinforced handles as my base bag. I’ve been using mine around Mexico and they are really resilient, and look great. You can pick one up here.
Buzzfeed Feature
I was thrilled when Buzzfeed’s Annie Daly sent me a note asking if I’d want to be the subject of a Buzzfeed feature about my love of food. YES PLEASE. The piece came out last week and was a lot of fun to put together. It ended up on the home page, just below an article about President Obama, which was a fun screenshot to send to my family.
Article is here. Bonus: they chose the URL slug “in it for the food.”
YOU KNOW IT.
Gluten Free Cards
The gluten free cards project is coming along, and I have hired another celiac to help with research. As always, I am thankful for my amazing readers who are helping with translations and proofing.
Thus far I have Italy, Japan, and Greece. Next up is Vietnam, then China.
I never wrote about having celiac disease when I started blogging, because I didn’t want to make the site about my illness or challenges. But over the years, I’ve received notes from celiacs who are too afraid to travel, and if my sharing my own experiences helps them feel less afraid, then I will do so.
Guardian Pieces – meditation and celiac disease
An editor for the Guardian saw my Vipassana meditation post and kindly reached out asking if I’d be willing to write for her. YES.
Two pieces have come out of that email:
YAY I WROTE FOR THE GUARDIAN!
Newsletter
I have not forgotten that I have a newsletter, but I have been grossly delinquent in sending it, I know.
Summer Meetups and Plans
About those meetups… Here are the ones I have planned presently, with a note about where I’ll be thereafter. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting up with readers in Oaxaca also, and it’s always wonderful to hear your stories and plans.
Denver for the NAFSA Conference
I’ll be speaking about the power of story to help dissolve bias and foster global citizenship, mixing my personal stories with the science behind why storytelling works to connect humans in far away places. This is an educational and nonprofit conference of over 9000 people and I am trying to breathe deeply, not think about the amount of people in the potential audience, and just hunker down to write.
No reader meetups in Denver because SPEECH.
Austin
First time in Austin for me, woohoo! I have excitedly scoured the menus of many Vietnamese restaurants in town, and have located a place that not only sells bun rieu soup, but also banh cuon. I can’t wait.
Legal Nomads Austin Meetup: June 8, 2016 – Please RSVP here.
Seattle
From Austin up to Seattle for a week or so, first time back since 2010. I am sure to need suggestions for your favourite sushi spots, as that is one thing missing here in Oaxaca!
Legal Nomads Seattle Meetup: June 20, 2016 – Please RSVP here.
New York
Yay! Can’t wait to return to NYC.
My yearly summer trip to New York can’t be skipped! I miss the energy of the city and the people I love in it. After last year’s successful meetup at Solas Bar, I will try to host it there again. For now, just add yourself to the list below and I’ll update the location as soon as I can.
Legal Nomads New York Meetup: August 3, 2016 – Please RSVP here.
San Francisco, Toronto, and Montreal
I’ll be speaking at this year’s Book Passage conference in San Francisco around my birthday in mid-August.
At some point in this busy summer, I will be back in Toronto and Montreal.
I am not sure of dates just yet for meetups in those cities but if you are interested please subscribe to the events page on Facebook to get updates, as I will be posting them via that medium.
* * *
That’s it for now! Back to my speechwriting and enjoying as many great foods as I can here in Oaxaca before I leave town in just a few days.
Hope to meet many of you this summer!
-Jodi
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Source: legalnomads.com