(click on image for larger view)Hello friends and family! We've had a pretty packed week after arriving on Monday. We were able to explore the city in the morning on Tuesday before leaving the city for "El Encuentro,"the lovely setting of our week long retreat. We stayed in an old "hacienda," which is an old horse stable with a beautiful landscape, a pool and a Temezcal (sweat lodge).
We worked with Aerin and her super nice Oaxacan partner, Sergio. Aerin lead yoga each morning, and some of us went running in the morning as well; we were then greeted with a delicious breakfast. One of our main objectives is to be healthy and stay present in order to experience the wonderful opportunities that Oaxaca presents. Some epic bonding was had by all.
Oliver, our geography professor, lead us on a bus tour of the city with "refreshingly sarcastic" snippets of information. We also spent part of a day at Monte Alban, which is a large area of indigenous ruins.
Back at the retreat, Sergio lead (some of) us in a spiritual hour in the Temezcal; we sat in a round hut structure with a natural roof. Hot stones were placed in the center and Sergio poured water on them to create steam. As we chanted in Spanish, we "came back to the womb of the earth." After enjoying incredible food and interesting classes at the retreat, we made the journey back into Oaxaca and met our host families (on Saturday)!
We live with an extended family in a large house, who rent out several rooms to travelers. There is a shared courtyard in the middle, with gorgeous trees and plenty of dogs, birds y niños. We spent our free day exploring the downtown Oaxaca, wandering through markets and gaining a general sense of our new home. Everyone who we have encountered on the streets has been extremely friendly and welcoming. Tomorrow we will begin our Spanish classes at Solexico, a local language school. Everyday, for the next six weeks, we will have class from 9-12 and then return home for comida with our families. Some afternoons we will have more class, but other days are free for exploration. We are so excited to begin our lives here and to learn both inside and outside the classroom!
Abrazos y besitos,
Marisa y Danielle
We worked with Aerin and her super nice Oaxacan partner, Sergio. Aerin lead yoga each morning, and some of us went running in the morning as well; we were then greeted with a delicious breakfast. One of our main objectives is to be healthy and stay present in order to experience the wonderful opportunities that Oaxaca presents. Some epic bonding was had by all.
Oliver, our geography professor, lead us on a bus tour of the city with "refreshingly sarcastic" snippets of information. We also spent part of a day at Monte Alban, which is a large area of indigenous ruins.Back at the retreat, Sergio lead (some of) us in a spiritual hour in the Temezcal; we sat in a round hut structure with a natural roof. Hot stones were placed in the center and Sergio poured water on them to create steam. As we chanted in Spanish, we "came back to the womb of the earth." After enjoying incredible food and interesting classes at the retreat, we made the journey back into Oaxaca and met our host families (on Saturday)!
We live with an extended family in a large house, who rent out several rooms to travelers. There is a shared courtyard in the middle, with gorgeous trees and plenty of dogs, birds y niños. We spent our free day exploring the downtown Oaxaca, wandering through markets and gaining a general sense of our new home. Everyone who we have encountered on the streets has been extremely friendly and welcoming. Tomorrow we will begin our Spanish classes at Solexico, a local language school. Everyday, for the next six weeks, we will have class from 9-12 and then return home for comida with our families. Some afternoons we will have more class, but other days are free for exploration. We are so excited to begin our lives here and to learn both inside and outside the classroom!
Abrazos y besitos,
Marisa y Danielle
Sounds like a wonderful beginning! We are looking forward to hearing about your experiences in Oaxaca.
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