swine flu is totally cramping my style

It's officially a stage 5 pandemic and it really is putting such a damper on things. I, for some reason, am being completely blase about the whole thing, which is probably not the right reaction, as I am sitting here in Mexico. I know it's a big deal, but honestly - I was supposed to go see a movie tonight at Pechote, but it's closed. I was supposed to go see a baseball game tomorrow, but it is canceled.May and June programs are officially canceled, so there's not a ton of work to do around these parts. We're all just kind of sitting around, twiddling our thumbs, answering panicked phone calls from students and parents and faculty. The ProMexico staff is trying to wait it out, see what happens in the next few days, but one by one, everyone is deciding to truck it home. My roommate is heading back to the states on Saturday, which was the earliest flight she could get out that flies direct Oaxaca to the US, bypassing Mexico City. Adam & Scott, our health intern, are both leaving on Saturday as well. Keith is planning on changing his flight (he was supposed to be here until the end of July) to get out as soon as he can as well.I'm not sure if I'm going to head back early or what the plan is. My fly date back is for June 18, but I guess I'm playing the waiting game as well.

Luckily airlines are waiving change-of-fly-dates for people who already had tickets, but now it's just a matter of getting on a flight. Continental is one of the only carriers that flies Oaxaca direct to the US and they only have 1 flight a day leaving 3 days a week, so there's not that many of them heading out of here. Most other carriers fly through Mexico City, and that's just not a place you want to be.

Rawr. Frustration. Here are some fotos from my walk this afternoon, as there wasn't really a need for me to be in the office. More on Flickr.
Peace, love, and no swine flu.