By KNA and Tom Neal, upper school teachers

Greetings from Oaxaca! After a full four days acclimating to the dry mountain heat and taking in the endless sensory delights of this stunning city and cultural epicenter, we are excited to report back on an itinerary that has been packed with amazing experiences so far. 

Appropriately, our adventure began with an exploration of the ruins of Monte Albán, once the epicenter of a thriving Zapotec civilization that predated the Aztecs. Students climbed the steep stairs of ancient temples, contemplated 360 degree vistas of the Oaxacan valley, and learned about the mathematical and astronomical prowess of the Zapotec society.  

A walking tour of the city of Oaxaca led us down cobblestone streets past vibrant street art and quaint cafés, thorough bustling marketplaces, and into massive, ornate Baroque cathedrals. We looked at art exhibits in an immaculately restored convent, and had artisanal nieve (a Oaxacan take on sorbet) while strolling along.  

Students recently tried their hand at salsa dancing and learned about the deep and intertwining history of food and people in this region with a cooking class devoted to La Milpa (thousands of years of human ingenuity to develop corn and maintain polyculture practices). Students hand-made tortillas, cooked memelas of beans, squash, peppers, tomatillos, corn and funghi with too many flavors to list here!  

As for home life, students have settled nicely into their homestays and are adapting quickly to local life, as they practice their language skills, learn bus and walking routes to get them to their daily Spanish classes at the University of Oaxaca, and enjoy meals with their host families. Speaking of classes, students will have completed day 3 of the language program by the time you read this dispatch. They are abuzz with all that they have been learning, from grammar, to famous mexicanismos that will help them sound more like locals, to the subtleties of the local dialect. 

Up ahead on the calendar are a few of the trip’s big ticket items: a tortilla and tamale making class, a printmaking workshop, and a trip to Hierve el Agua, the renowned mountain springs. 

We are looking forward to sharing more of our adventures with you towards the end of the trip!