Hola todos! Selina y Gemma here with updates on our exciting adventures here in Oaxaca!

It is crazy to think we are already a quarter of the way through our time in Oaxaca! We have been learning nonstop in the classrooms and out in the field. Everything here is so new and fascinating that it often tricks us into forgetting that these adventures are in fact school.

            In these last three weeks of classes, our spanish has improved so much thanks to the daily 3 hour spanish lessons we all take at Solexico. We were divided into groups of 4-5 people at the beginning of the semester, creating a close-knit and comfortable learning environment for everyone. The intimate size of these classes has given us the opportunity to engage in deeper, more complicated conversations in Spanish, exploring a variety of social and political topics prevalent in Oaxaca City and/or Mexico in general. We have also gone on a variety of field trips with our classes: some students visited the postal stamp museum, others tried out their spanish at a local market, and our class dined at a beautiful Mexican restaurant for breakfast. We just turned in our big writing assignment for Spanish last Friday, affirming our improving grammar skills as well.

            We are also in the thick of our collaborative research projects (CRPs) for Jonathan’s class, exploring topics such as traditional medicine, food waste, art, education, and geography. Working alongside a local mentor for our group, we have been given access to an incredible array of resources here in the city and in neighboring pueblos. This experience has not only been eyeopening in terms of the content of our research, it has also been great for our spanish as our mentors speak little english and we have been interviewing local specialists in spanish as well. While definitely challenging, conducting research in spanish has provided us with a unique insider view on our topics that has proved critical in forming our theses. 

            Last week we were lucky to go on a day trip to Teotitlan, a rug-weaving village. Upon arriving to Tetotitlan we were welcomed into Vida Nueva, a Women’s rug-weaving cooperative. After learning the history of how the cooperative started, and the polemics they faced due to the fact that they were women, we saw a demonstration on how they use natural elements to create the dyes for the rugs. This was fascinating and throughout the demonstration you could hear “oohs” and “ahhs” coming from all of us. Who knew that grinding up the “Cochinilla” bugs would make a stunning, bright red dye!

 After the demonstration we learned about the different meanings of the symbols on the rugs—ranging from life and death, to butterflies and community. The women are also heavily involved in charity projects, including planting trees and providing disadvantaged children with toys. Their whole cooperative is very inspiring and does a lot to give back to their community. The trip ended with a great meal consisting of lots of guacamole, and nearly everyone buying a rug or scarf from the women. It was super interesting to see the skill and craftsmanship involved in making these rugs, and I think it’s safe to say we were all thoroughly impressed.

Some of the beautiful hand-woven and naturally dyed rugs.

            We just got back from a weekend retreat in the mountainous Oaxacan town, Capulalpam. Eight years ago, the federal government of Mexico gave this town the title “Pueblo Magico” (magical town) for its advancements in ecology and withdrawal from the mining industry. Located on a mountain, we went for a long hike Saturday morning, exploring the surrounding nature and discovering for ourselves the true magic of the place. Several important figures in the local government gave us talks about the history behind the town, its current government system, and their fight against the mining companies. 

Saturday evening, many of us experienced a traditional Mexican healing ritual called, a Temescal. Seen as a form of rebirth, the temescal takes place in a small and completely dark sauna with 5-6 other people either naked or with a bathing suit on, simulating being in the womb. Our healer, Abril, threw different aromatic teas on the rocks to fill the room with beautifully scented steam and gave us a delicious herbal tea to stay hydrated during the intense 1 hour of emotions and heat. While each group’s experience was unique, the general process consisted of singing a song about renewing ourselves and talking about a variety of topics that helped us let go and come out with a new perspective of our identity and future. As we left the sauna, she rubbed mezcal and rosemary on us to heal our pores. This was yet another magical aspect of the weekend!

           

 Overall these past few weeks have been a mixture of emotions. We stepped out of our comfort zones and benefitted greatly from doing so. We had moments of excitement, anxiousness, happiness and even fear—but came out of it with more knowledge and wisdom than we could have ever imagined. If these next two months are anything like these past few weeks, I am beyond excited to see what they have in store for us. Every day here is a new adventure and a learning experience, and as our trip progresses and we become more comfortable and adapted, Oaxaca starts to feel a little more like home. #blessed