I've now officially returned from Oaxaca, and I've been drinking tapwater, typing on an ñ-less keyboard, and planning my trip back. It has taken the contrast of Connecticut and the beginning of the relation of two weeks worth of stories for the immense impact of our journey to really sink in. After arriving and unpacking somewhat, I logged into Facebook to find absolutely nothing of interest. While this may hardly seem like a shock to many of its detractors, I (admittedly somewhat of a Facebook junkie prior to the trip) see it as a small sign that my perspective has been altered by these two weeks of experiences we've shared. Still untested are the waters of school and regular everyday life here, but I cannot imagine that that either will seem the same. I don't intend on becoming an ascetic, and I am fully aware that my experience was hardly comparable to real life in Oaxaca, but witnessing and living in a manner other than my own (e.g., wondering if the running water will be working upstairs) has definitely caused me to reevaluate how I live my own life. I'm loath to use the phrase, but I understand what people mean by "life-changing experience."

I'm finishing this entry to the music of a band encountered playing in the Zócolo (the name of which has still not been officially determined) with thousands of photographs to sift through. Though the trip is over, I hope to be able to share some of my favorite photos on the blog.

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I would like to express my deepest gratitude to J. O'B and Carmen for their leadership, humor, and translations (among countless other things); my fellow travelers for being reliable and enjoyable companions on this adventure; Enid for expertly coordinating every moment of our stay, keeping us to the carefully laid schedule, and providing a local perspective and confidence despite our (mostly) being in an unfamiliar location; Eugene for relating the culture and politics of Oaxaca to us; the Barrera and the Salgiero Triste families for opening their homes so generously to us and providing for us for the duration of our stays; our driver for carrying us safely to and from Benito Juárez, as well as many other less exciting and treacherous destinations; all of the artists, artisans, and craftspeople who demonstrated their crafts and allowed us a look into their process and work; the administrators and teachers of Escuela Morelos in Ocotlán for allowing us into their classrooms to teach; Eliz Olivella for helping us acquaint ourselves with the rather alien environment of Benito Juárez and sharing the amazing story of her library initiative with us; 'Mama Coco,' all the volunteers and children at Casa Hogar: Hijos de la Luna; Flor and our other teachers at Oaxaca Spanish Magic; all the people of Oaxaca, Ocotlán, and Benito Juárez for being so welcoming; Watkinson for making this trip possible; everyone who followed the blog;and of course my mom and dad for making it possible for me to go on this trip and making sure I was as prepared as possible for it. I'm sure there are many people and many things I have neglected to mention, but I truly appreciate everything done by everyone along the way.

¡Salud, dinero y amor a todos, and thank you all for following our travels on the blog!