Buenas Tardes mis amigos y familia!
It has been 3 weeks since our arrival to Oaxaca. There has been no lack of activities and things to keep us busy. Jill has been working as a consultant, developing trainings (cultural and process) for Puente a la Salud Comunitaria (Bridge to the health of community). Puente promotes the indigenous grain amaranth as a way to improve life in rural communities in Mexico. Jill has been meeting tons of new friends and takes Yoga class a couple of times a week. I have been doing 3 weeks of Spanish class and have great teachers. I'm learning tons and enjoy the feeling of being back in school. We have been meeting our new community of friends young and old, Gringo's and Oaxaquenos.
We had a nice visit with Mike and Susan Muhm (Jill's Parents). Jill's intercombio (language partner) friend Carmen has been amazing. This past weekend she showed all of us the famous Monte Albán. It is a large pre-Columbian archaelogical site. Monte Albán's importance stems from its role as the pre-eminent Zapotec socio-political and economic center for close to a thousand years. Jill's Parents also got to experience many Oaxacan open air markets, food and native dance.
I also got to experience my first mountain bike ride with some friends in the mountainous areas near the city. Except for the needle like vegetation that tears up your legs and the packs of dogs that like to chase you, it was fun to come across wild horses, turkeys, donkeys, lizards and incredible landscape. I can't speak for Jill, but after 3 weeks I'm really starting to crave a nice juicy steak, hamburgers that are thicker then a nickle and without spicy wet peppers.
Hope all is well back home! I see we are in the thick of baseball playoffs and also see Boise State is still undefeated and 15 in the nation! Go Broncos!
Buenas Noches y hasta luego!
Eduardo y Julia
