Hola from Oaxaca!This last week has been an interesting one, starting on Monday with a three-day geology trip to Apoala, a pueblo about three hours away from the city. It is a beautiful little town that is basically constructed around a stream that runs down from a mountain, through the valley, and culminates in a gorgeous waterfall at the end.
We spent our first day taking a guided tour of the area while Barry pointed out the important geological features. The second day began with a hike down to the waterfall, where we splashed around in the beautiful, albeit freezing, water. After lunch that day, we split up into four groups to begin our research projects. Each team investigated a certain aspect of the valley, trying to determine what geological processes had occurred in the area. We felt like real scientists, trekking around collecting data and making
hypotheses. It was a great hands-on activity that really brought the subject to life. The next day, Wednesday, we presented our findings to Barry and the rest of the group, discussing what we had seen and recorded. Afterward, we piled in the vans and headed back to the city.That night, we actually managed to get the entire group together for Hannah Beal’s birthday dinner. We went to La Biznaga, a fun and delicious restaurant in the city. Afterwards, some people went home, and some people went out dancing, but it was great to be able to celebrate together at dinner.
On Thursday, we had our final geology lecture with Barry. We learned about the geological evolution of Oaxaca, which was especially interesting since we’d seen a lot of the places during our excursions. It was a nice way to wrap up the class.
On Friday, Barry answered our remaining questions, and then let us out a few hours early to go enjoy the city. We all left feeling like we had a great understanding of the geological makeup of this beautiful place in which we’ve been living for the last few months.This weekend brought relaxation and downtime for most members of the group. A few girls even went to the baseball game yesterday at the Oaxaca Guerreros stadium. It was a great cultural experience, even though the players were pretty awful. Other students ventured out to the Tule Tree, a giant, breathtaking tree that has become a big tourist attraction in Oaxaca. All in all, we enjoyed our free time in our own ways this weekend.
Tonight, we are having a potluck dinner to send Barry off with memories of good food and fun. Tomorrow, we have our first day of art class with Corrine Glesne. We are all excited to see what’s in store for us next!
Adios,
Erin, Kiren, and the rest of the group!
