Love and Prickly Cacti

Week 6 began with love lingering in the air from Valentines Day. The students of UVM celebrated in all types of ways. While some preferred to spend the night with their friends, others chose to have a more romantic evening. Ask your UVM student for more information about which category they fell into. The school week was just like any other with the exception of our first visit to the Instituto de Integracion y Asesoria Comunitaria (El Centro De Aprendizaje), the learning center which provides support for young adults in pursuit of higher education or a job in the city. This was the first of many visits for the UVM crew as we will be having mutually beneficial language exchanges with local Oaxacan students. We are excited for this opportunity to share both language and culture. Thinking of visiting your UVMer in Oaxaca this semester? Good news! This center doubles as a bed and breakfast where the proceeds directly help fund the student programs.

Our weekly Thursday excursion brought us to the town of Etla where we visited three different places (aka 3 times the fun).  First stop was an eco reserve outside the city where a small group of conservationists work to preserve the population of native plants such as the copal tree, the source of wood for those funky alebrijes.  We were taken around by our expert host who shared a wealth of knowledge about a large variety of plants and their role in the local ecosystem, as well as herbs and fruits with specific medicinal properties. The tour guide passed around a leaf from the icy cool vick plant which is used to make Vick's Vapor Rub. After the greenhouse, we hiked up the hillside and ran into two very lovely ladies, "Madre Tierra" or "Mother Earth" and "La Princesa de Maíz" or "The Corn Princess." These two statues were created by Oaxacan artists and can be seen in the photos below. Fun fact: "La Princesa de Maíz" was sculpted by an artist who was blind. Next, we learned about compostable toilets and the rain water catchment systems they had at the reserve. Water is a valuable resource everywhere in Oaxaca, because of this the eco-reserve utilizes every rainfall by capturing runoff and redistributing it among the flora. Overall, their efforts in maximizing the land and it's resources was an inspiring example for us young and hopeful environmentalists. To learn about the reserve, check out their website! http://www.sanpabloetlaeco.org.mx/

Stop number two of our excursion was at the house of Rocío, a friend near and dear to the UVM program over the years. Her house is an ecological masterpiece which she created with her own two hands. Rocio built the house with a vision of self-sufficiency and permaculture, which can be described as a lifestyle of equal give and take with the environment. The students were excited to learn about her way of life and Rocio was equally eager to learn about us as she was to share her knowledge. We had the opportunity to work with her around the house doing projects such as cultivating compost, painting, and creating a new garden bed. Rocio was truly a kindred spirit!

On the way home we made a quick stop to a historic, old textile mill and arts center called CASA (Centro de Artes San Agustín) which was comprised of old factory buildings and an photography art exhibit. The property was surrounded by beautiful infinity pools and remnants of industrial equipment. The journey home was silent as we reflected on our awe-inspiring yet exhausting day of wonder.

About the Authors:

Allison and Lia, pictured above with fellow royal The Corn Princess, live on the north side of Oaxaca city with their host dogs Toby and Apolo.
Allison is a left-brain-dominant lover of neuroscience and all things pink!  Her favorite tense in Spanish is the imperfecto, and of all the desserts her host mom makes, she gets most excited for fried plantains with caramel sauce.  Buen provecho!
Lia, also known as "Hija Lija" in her home-stay, is the mother hen of the pair and takes the role very seriously by making sure Allison stays hydrated in this hot and arid climate.  Her favorite market is held on Fridays at the Llano park, and her breakfast of choice comes every Sunday in the form of tamales de pollo con mole verde.