Conversation, comida, and curanderos!

Hola from Oaxaca!

This week was full of conversation and great food. Monday in Gustavo's class we further discussed the political history of Oaxaca and Mexico as well as the Zapatistas and APPO. On Wednesday our conversation continued leading to a discussion regarding issues with genocide.

We were lucky enough to enjoy a visit from Dr. Jean Harvey-Berino. She is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences and Professor in the Department of Medicine at UVM. She is also the head researcher and founder of Vtrim, a behavioral weight loss program. Jean was in Oaxaca doing research about different aspects of Oaxacan nutrition. Continuing with our group projects the food group accompanied Jean and Cynthia to a clinic on the other side of the city that offers care to low income patients and does medical outreach to rural communities. We learned a lot about how the face of food related diseases like hyper tension, obesity, and diabetes are changing due to an influx of the fast food lifestyle as a result of globalization. We also learned that many people in Oaxaca use traditional healers because they are still culturally relevant, often more accessible, and less expensive than conventional medicine.

Thursday for our weekly field trip we had a delicious comida at Gustavo's house in San Pueblo Etla about half an hour outside of the city. We took a tour of his and his neighbor's land where they have a substantial organic nursery as well as some goats, turkeys, and rabbits. Gustavo and his wife Nicole live in a beautiful adobe house which Nicole designed. We talked a bit about creating an alternative "good life" and how by development standards they are considered poor because they don't have a flushing toilet (they have a composting dry toilet) and they aren't hooked up to the water system (they get their water from a natural spring), but they live a more simple, sustainable, healthier life. Nicole prepared us a tremendous feast of tortellini, beets and carrots from her garden, deviled eggs, fresh salad (also from the garden), a multitude of other fresh creations, topped off with a mango pudding and fragrant coffee for dessert. Maybe now we are starting to grasp the concept of comida...After we were all sufficiently stuffed we discussed Gustavo's experience and opinions regarding health care.

Friday about half the group along with Cynthia and Jean traveled 3 hours outside the city to a town in the mountains to visit a curandero, a traditional healer. We learned about the concept of hot and cold foods, different methods of diagnosis using an egg, incense, or reading the pulse, and saw a temezcal- a sauna like structure which originated with pre-hispanic Indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica and often used after giving birth. It was an intensive and rich learning experience. This was an intense and rich learning experience.

Valentine's Day in Oaxaca is an occasion not to be missed! Between the hundreds of balloons that seemed to pave the streets, the traditional parades with big brass bands, and an abundance of couples, love was definitely in the air!