Bobby and Rose: Best Adventure

Our adventure took us to the town of Cuilapan de Guerrero. After taking a colectivo (we were very ripped off) we found ourselves at the entrance to the ex monastery of Santiago Apóstal. The monastery is located on a hill that gives a scenic view of the valley below. One thing that is unique about this place is the roofless basilica. The construction of the complex began in the 1550’s by Dominican friars. Before completion the construction was halted. This pause was meant to be temporary but ended up becoming permanent. Mostly unused as late as the 19^th century, the area is now mainly a tourist attraction.

 

Bobby spent many hours walking inside the monastery alongside a group of students from an Oaxacan University, whereas I managed to not get through the entrance without paying and spent the majority of this time outside the complex. During this time we both attempted to translate from the museum information and visitors the history of the monastery.

 

One of the highlight of this monastery was its size! This building was at least 40 feet tall and you could walk on every level. Likewise, you could still see remnants of original pieces of artwork. Plus they had Native Americans writings in their as well! The size, scope, and art of this monastery are worth the trip. The vibe was very spiritual. They really did their best to make it still feel like a church.

 

After we finished spending a few hours at the monastery and town we got on a bus back to the center of Oaxaca city. Taking the bus was a good experience for both of us because we realized that it can be inexpensive and easy to get around with public transportation, even though there is a language barrier.

 

Once back in the city our last task was to find a specific nutrition shop. Getting directions from people in the street was very easy, and after asking three people we were on our way.

 

The tienda nutricional ended up being very close to our classroom at Surco, for which we were grateful after a long hot day of adventure.

Nina and Charlotte: Arrazola

Hola todos! This week’s Thursday activity was an adventurous one. Without maps or directions to guide us, we were paired off, given destinations of interest, and sent off to explore and find our way ourselves. The two of us were sent to find a pueblito called Arrazola, one of only a few small villages known for their production of Alebrijes, a type of folk art of elaborately carved and painted wooden animals, and Charlotte made  her enthusiasm for them very well known.

We got to practice our Spanish by asking strangers on the street for directions. We had a few false starts; after boarding a local bus headed to a different town, we had to de-board and wait for another. Luckily, the bus rides in Oaxaca are only $6 P, less than $0.30 USD. By a combination of helpful directions and pure dumb luck, we finally found our way to the correct waiting spot, and hopped in a colectivo, or a small town taxi. We met two friends and the driver Carlos who knew exactly where we were looking to go in Arrazola -- not that you could possibly get lost in such a quaint village.

Our first stop was the shop of Marisola and her husband, members of the Eco-Alebrije collective which is focused on sustainable harvesting and reforestation of the copal wood used to make the carvings. They were friendly and welcoming, eager to answer our questions and demonstrate the process of making Alebrijes: carving them, sanding them down, and painting them with bright colors and intricate designs. After spending a good deal of time learning about their work, we even had the chance to paint with them! We left with some keepsakes, a pair of lovely earrings for Nina and an armadillo Alebrije for Charlotte, which will always remind us of the time we spent getting to know this lovely family, we took off for a quiet lunch in the village center.

After a robust conversation with some migrant workers who we shared our lunch with, we bade farewell to our new friends and explored the town. Arrazola isn’t large, but on every street there is building after building filled with the colorful painted animals that the town is known for. There are dozens of families and artist collectives who make their livelihood painting Alebrijes, which are an iconic form of Mexican folk art. It’s hard not to fall in love with their intricate and whimsical designs.

While wandering the village, Nina spied some kids playing soccer in a field by the school and felt the itch to play, so she approached and asked to join in with their game. She showed some fancy footwork out there on the field, proof of her years’ practice on her school’s soccer team. She scored an impressive goal, and earned a standing ovation from her one-person audience.

At around mid-afternoon, our feet were beginning to grow weary and our minds were spinning from the events of our adventure that day, so we hopped on a bus that would take us back to the city. We bade Arrazola farewell, but not forever -- we hope to come back there soon, to talk to the artisans and see more of the delightful Alebrijes.

We returned home feeling tired but empowered: we had traveled miles outside of the city completely without guidance. It dispelled any anxiety we had and filled us with confidence when we realized how easy it is to pick up and go on an adventure somewhere new and exciting here in Oaxaca!

Hasta Luego,

Charlotte y Nina

Amalia and Elyse: Ocotlán

Last Thursday we visited the town of Ocotlan, about a half an hour away from Oaxaca. We left Solexico at 9 AM and took a bus down to the Central de Abastos where the colectivo taxis leave for the towns surrounding Oaxaca city. We walked down the corridor of  colectivos, each with a driver who yelled the name of the destination. We piled in to the taxi labeled Ocotlan, along with four other people and their bags, and set off! 

Our assignments were to find the Fundacion Cultural de Rodolfo Morales, the ex-convent and the Museum where Morales’ work is displayed. For those who have never heard of him, Rodolfo Morales is recognized as one of the most important artists in Mexico. He was born in the town of Ocotlan, and spent much of his life working to preserve the history and artistic legacy of his home.

We first stopped at the Fundacion Cultural de Rodolfo Morales, an NGO that promotes educational programs in Ocotlan. This foundation, founded in 1992, works to restore, maintain and conserve architectural monuments, sculptures, and murals, and develops workshops for young people from Ocotlan to get involved in art, as well as technological skills.

We were blown away by the beauty of the Foundation! This building was Morales’ house and studio, and has remained in the family after his death. We toured the rooms of the house with Morales’ sister. We were especially inspired by the kitchen! Morales’ mother loved to collect clay bowls, and decorated her kitchen space with these works of art!

Unfortunately, the Foundation was not technically opened the day we visited, so we were only able to see his studio through a hole in the door… We hope to return soon to see the Gallery and the rest of his art.

Our next mission was to visit the convent and the museum. It turned out that they were undergoing a restoration process and would not be open until 2016! Although we could not see the museum, we were able to admire one of Morales’ murals that was painted on a public wall in the municipal building.

After strolling around the plaza for a bit, we decided to think about heading home. We waited in the line for the colectivos returning to Oaxaca, and efficiently made our way back home! It was a pretty fun day!

Amalia and Elyse

Julianna and Madeleine: Teotitlán del Valle

Last Thursday we received an incredible assignment: come to the language school at 9am, in pairs, to receive the name of a town outside the city of Oaxaca.  Use any means necessary to get there, but no maps or cell phones.  Answer the questions about the town on a given sheet by talking to people along the way, going to the local museum, and visiting local organizations.  Return by 4pm. Go!

Madeleine and Julianna headed to Teotitlán del Valle, a little town of about 5500 people sustained almost exclusively by the market for its textiles.  We took our first colectivo to get there; imagine a taxi with a set route and a set price [25 minutes, $16 (~$1.10USD)].  A ubiquitous part of Oaxaca’s transportation system, a colectivo requires a certain comfort with your neighbors.  They regularly squeeze six people inside, though ours included only one other passenger.

Upon arrival we explored a quiet little village that makes woven rugs, tapestries, and blankets from wool and natural dyes.  The wool is from sheep raised in a neighboring town that is then washed, carded, spun, and dyed. We happened into a store/workshop whose owner gave us a demonstration of the weaving process, including the dying.  Some of the most common include cochinillas (tiny, Cactus-dwelling insects that, once ground, produce a maroon dye), alfalfa (green), walnut husks (brown), and pomegranate peel (yellow).  Adding lime juice or unslaked lime (to confuse you, the latter is a chemical), entirely alters the color and intensity of the dye.  It was like alchemy; amazing!  The dyed threads are then wound onto bobbins and woven into designs of incredible beauty and complexity.  Some of the most common designs come from the carved ruins of Zapotec cities around Oaxaca.

Our final stop was a 14-member women's weaving collective, Vida Nueva, that supports widows, single mothers, and unmarried women.  One of the members, Daniela, took time to talk with us about the cooperative and their work.  She told us about the history of the cooperative, talked about their community projects (which include a reforestation project and building a temazcal, a sweat lodge for traditional healing), and showed us some of their breathtaking textiles.

Cara and Kristina: Tlacochahuaya

This past Thursday, without knowing what to expect, we were assigned to visit the small pueblo of Tlacochahuaya outside of Oaxaca city.  With only the name in hand, which we could barely pronounce, we left the comfort of the city in hopes of learning of the village's importance. The first part of our adventure was to hail a cab from the city's center, the Zócalo, and make our way to Tlacochahuaya.  When we arrived in the pueblo center after a twenty-minute ride, it was a quiet and sunny morning with few people around.  Luckily, our taxi driver dropped us off at a recognizable landmark,  La iglesia de San Jerónimo,  which we soon learned was a famous and historical church in this region of Mexico.  At the steps of the church, we met a friendly Oaxacan who shared the story of San Jerónimo's construction.  We learned that when the Dominicans arrived in the 16th Century, they built this church by the order of Santo Domingo as a place of Catholic worship.  Although the native people did not share the same religious practices as the Dominicans, they still came to this church on account of their belief in the Virgin Mary (Virgin of Guadalupe).

Fortunately at our arrival, the church had just opened and two caretakers showed us the historical artwork present there.  We climbed a steep set of spiral stairs to the second floor balcony, which held an intricately-designed organ that dates back to 1730.  From the balcony, we could view the magnificence of the church's artwork.  Among the many paintings of San Jerónimo and statues of other religious figures, one wall stood out in particular.  Looking up close, the painting seemed ordinary.  However, when we stepped to view the wall from a distance, we found that these artists had mastered the art of painting three-dimensional scenes.  This was just one of the many valuable pieces of information that the church's caretakers were kind enough to share with us.

After our tour of San Jerónimo, we explored the beautiful park adjacent to the church and meandered down to the pueblo's central market.  Because it was still early, the market-goers were few, but friendly vendors welcomed us in.  The colorful display of one fruit stand caught our eyes, so we ventured over to introduce ourselves to Angelina, the sweet vendor interested in hearing about our stay in Oaxaca.  After a *fruitful* conversation about her family and work, she generously offered us mandarin oranges from her stand.  This kind gesture was one of the many that we have received over the past two weeks here in Mexico.

Having time to spare, we ventured through the pueblo's streets and found that there was no shortage of wall art in the form of murals.  These included a wide variety of messages about nutrition, the prevention of illness such as Dengue Fever, and the prevention of sexual violence.  After our stroll, we took a Collectivo-- cars similar to taxis that run to and from the city to other pueblos-- back into Oaxaca city.  On our return journey, we had clear views of the mountains and were amazed by their size and beauty.  This landscape made us nostalgic for Vermont's Green Mountains, but we would not trade this adventure for anything else!

Cara and Kristina :)

Spencer and Shana: San Bartolo Coyotepec 1/15

Last Thursday (January 15) we split up into pairs and traveled to different pueblos outside of Oaxaca City with specific places and/or things to find.  We were instructed to do this without maps or technology.  We were only able to get there with the directional help of the local Oaxacan people.  Our destination was San Bartolo Coyotepec.  We started by asking a woman in a park about where to go.  She quickly directed us to the centro to catch a colectivo.  We asked another person once we got to the centro and noticed no colectivos heading to San Bartolo….luckily just as we looked down the street a bus pulled up right in front of us and was going to San Bartolo!

Ocho pesos and 30 minutes later we arrived at the town.  It was a beautifully peaceful escape from the bustling center of Oaxaca and the silence seemed a little eerie at first.  Before we headed to our assigned destination “Tienda de Doña Rosa” we stopped at a museum in the town’s center. The museum was called the State Museum of Popular Art of Oaxaca.  We soon discovered that San Bartolo Coyotepec is known for barro negro (black pottery).  We saw amazing work in the museum and found out a little bit about Doña Rosa, the woman credited for maintaining the tradition of barro negro.  

We then headed to the Tienda and were amazed by the selection of pottery on display.  There were rows and rows of barro negro-- pots, vases, skulls, and beautiful sculptures.  One of the people working in the store told us that this store is so famous because it’s the exact location that Doña Rosa discovered that she can change the color of the pottery and make it shiny black.  We purchased some souvenirs and continued to explore the city with our extra time. Getting back was a breeze and only another 8 pesos on the bus.  The experience was incredible and instilled in us the confidence we needed to navigate the city and public transportation.

Spencer and Shana

Caroline and Heather: Atzompa

This past Thursday we had the wonderful task of locating, exploring and learning about the small town of Atzompa. As Jonathan was handing out the sheets of paper, he would write small notes about the place or mention a name that one of the groups should seek out. But when it came to our turn, we were not given a hint but rather a challenge. As we were handed our sheet of paper with our unknown destination, we were told that on the outside of the city there was a new archeological site, and  was supposedly very easy to get to, which was a hypothesis that would be tested later and proved to be false. We left Solexico with just the name of the town and decided that we should accomplish one of the assigned tasks and visit the tourism office to get the maps for the group and also ask for the best way to get to Atzompa. The women in the office told us about a place where the collectivos (collective taxis) gather and that we should be able to find one to Atzompa. After asking every other collectivo driver if they were going to Atzompa. We finally found one that would take us. On the way we explained to the driver that we were students who wanted to talk to the people of the town to learn more about the history, and his response was that we should find the very old man that knows everything. So he dropped us off on the corner of this very small town center and we went in search of the all-knowing man. At first it seemed like there was hope that we might even find him because the people we asked seemed to have a vague idea of what we were talking about but after 20 minutes of miscellaneous wandering we had to come up with another plan. That was when we stumbled upon the Artisanal market that sells the pottery that Atzompa is known for. We explored the market, which had about 12 rows of pottery made by different artisans from Atzompa. Each section was labeled based on the artisan and although most of the artisans made the same types of pottery, their styles varied.

After purchasing some pottery, we spoke to an old woman named Edenina, who told us about herself. She began making pottery when she was 8 after her mother had taught her, and she has since taught her son how to make the pottery as well. She explained that the pottery is the sole method of financial subsistence for the family and for many others in the area. Most people who make pottery have their own kilns in their houses to make pottery with and either sell the pottery out of their own houses, out of larger markets like the one we went to, or sometimes in Oaxaca City.

From there, we made it back to the town center and went to the church to learn more about it. The man who we asked for help asked for credentials to prove that we were students, and luckily I had my UVM ID with me. He held onto it the entire time that we talked and seemed impressed that I was an undergraduate, telling me "good education" in Spanish. He told us about the history of the church, and how it had been adobe-style with a palm roof until the late 1940’s. From 1948-1952, community members rallied together and made a more permanent structure, seen below. Their names are on a plaque within the building as a sign of thanks for their work.

  

We then decided to make the trek uphill to a museum that we were told was only 20 minutes away. It was thankfully 20 minutes, but it was a near vertical incline to get there. When we arrived, we accidentally stumbled upon a funeral that was taking place. We crept around the outside of the building and found another entrance, where we were able to enter. We read about the beginnings of the pottery culture in Atzompa as well as the origins of Atzompa itself. After seeing photos of the archaeological site and reading about it in the museum, we decided that we had to make it there. The man at the museum told us it was only a 20 minute walk, so we set out up the hill. As we walked, we noticed a mountaintop far in the distance. We told ourselves, “No way are we walking up that. It can’t be up there, it must be in one of these valleys somewhere.” An hour later and much to our dismay, we had indeed walked up the entire mountain and made it to the archaeological site. Hot and sweaty but feeling very much accomplished, we walked around the ruins and read the signs that were both in Spanish and in English (bonus!) After taking some great pictures and taking some time to rest, we walked back down the mountain. By this time, we were so glad to find a collectivo in the town center to take us back to Oaxaca City for food and a good night’s sleep! Despite some setbacks and hiccups along the way, we both learned so much about Atzompa and our own capabilities. All in all, it was a great adventure with a great story to share!

Heather and Caroline