Settling In

Having been here for a few weeks now, we're starting to get the hang of navigating in and around Oaxaca.  Being sent on field trips in small groups forced us to learn about the available forms of transportation, and so we've begun making even more trips outside of the city on the weekends.  Some of us have done cycling tours to the surrounding areas, and explored Hierve del Agua - a natural pool on a mountain with a great view.  

Classes are now going full throttle and it's about that time to accept that we are students, and our main purpose here is to study - not just to enjoy the change in scenery (though it is tempting to spend all of our time eating grasshoppers and enjoying the warm weather.)  The main theme of our classes at SURCO has not been to cram and regurgitate information; Jonathan and Oliver are teaching us to change the way we think about things by bringing to light our biases, especially those that encourage a skewed world view.  

Since our spanish classes are condensed into six weeks (and therefore fairly intensive), they help a great deal for getting used to hearing the language.  For those of us who had difficulties ordering food or asking for directions at the start of the program - these tasks are now second nature.  Sometimes our professors take us out to a market during class (and expect us not to speak english) to put our memorization of verb conjugations and vocabulary to use.  What I believe that has been most educational (and perhaps a little fun) has been meeting Oaxacans and other students or travelers at cafes, restaurants, and going out at night.  If there's one thing about which Anthony Bourdain is spot on, it's the fact that food, drink, and good conversation are the best ways of learning about foreign culture.  

 

On Thursday, January 23, we had a double field-trip to two pueblos outside the city. The first was to a mountain in San Andreas Huyapam, where a project is underway to restore the watershed and soil. The mountainside was previously destroyed through old agricultural techniques and clear cutting. Some of the steps they are taking to recreate the mountainside are: re-channeling rain water, building dams along streams, replanting trees on the mountain, and producing compost to replenish the soil. One of the most amazing aspects of their project is the usage of composting toilets. Instead of the matter going into a sewage tank, it is collected and over time turned into compost. 

The site is also completely off the grid, so no outside power is needed. They accomplish this through the usage of solar panels and bike pumps to move water. From this environment rebuilding site, you can see the thick cloud of smog that covers Oaxaca City, so it is a refreshing relief to see people coming together to reverse the environmental damage that has been done.

 The second pueblo we went to was Etla. Here we went to a natural healer to discuss more about the environment and the importance of many herbal plants. We split into two groups, and while one discussed traditional healing techniques, the other group made seed bombs. Seed bombs are multiple types of seeds, in this case medicinal plants, rolled together in soil. When the soil dries, the seed bombs can be thrown and the soil protects the seeds from animals. Once it rains, the soil becomes a cradle for the seeds to grow in. This concept was created by a Japanese farmer, who sold off everything he owned to buy land and reforest it. Using this technique, within a couple of seasons he had one of the most productive farms in the world.

Both of these locations helped restore hope that the environment can still be fixed, even if it has to be done dramatically and very soon.