House-Sit #3: San Andrés Huayapam, Oacaxa, Mexico

House-Sit #3: Boy, after so much traveling, it’s really nice to have a place to call “home” for a period of time! We find ourselves in the village of San Andrés Huayapam, about 15 minutes outside of Oaxaca city, Oaxaca. Our two back-to-back house-sits are both in this village, for a total of ten weeks. So for the first time since leaving Puerto Vallarta in February, we can get temporarily accustomed to going to the same little markets, walking the same streets, and find our new favorite restaurants.

We’re sitting two sweet dogs named Pelu and Beanie. They’re sisters from the same litter, but they have very different personalities. Beanie is happy-go-lucky, excitable, and lives for playing fetch. Pelu is somber, complicated, and deeply loving. Their mother was a street dog, and it’s clear to see they inherited some unique traits from her. We’re very much enjoying their company, and the routine that comes with their twice daily walks, and twice daily raw food meals. I have a feeling their owners will become new friends, which is a perk of house-sitting, and Mexico in general. It seems like we make new friends everywhere we go! Also, the forest here has cows!

They got twice daily walks, which proved to be endlessly entertaining, and at times, challenging, due to the high number of outside dogs; some strays, but mostly outside pets or watch dogs. Their days also included two raw food meals, which seems fairly common for house-sit doggies. It was actually refreshing to have such a steady routine, and a home base, after months of freeform temporarily-nomadic life. My favorite memories from this house-sit are of our swimming trips, which the two pups each enjoyed in their own way. Beanie launches herself into the air to fetch infinity sticks, while Pelu swims laps in the distance. It was a delightful spectacle.

Because I’m trying to be considerate of our hosts’ privacy, I’m not including photos of their adorable house. But I can assure you, the environment was comfortable, filled with art and handmade wares, and their shady garden was a relaxing retreat. We’re still working out the details, but we look forward to possibly returning to Huayapam in the fall

We’re currently at house-sit #4, and have been here for eight of our ten weeks already! It’s going by so fast. The location of the village is really unique, in that it’s only a short drive from the city of Oaxaca. It’s literally nestled at the foot of La Sierra Madre, which makes it a popular destination for mountain bikers and hikers. The mountains are incredibly beautiful; every time we step outside, there they are to greet us, familiar, and looming over the village. The forest is thick, lush, and an interesting mix of life, including pine trees, agave, and for some delightful reason, cows. The smell in the air took me back to childhood memories of northern California redwood forests. With our remaining time, we’ll visit more historic sites, Oaxaca city, and hope to see a calendula parade!