Settling into Oaxaca

After a few nights in our homestays, we are finally feeling like we are settling in, but we are tired.  A weekend full of markets, ruins and Oaxacan foods has led us to the welcoming homes of our homestays and getting down to the real work.  First, we had a cooking lesson at our homestay organizers house..the students did all the cooking!!!  Today, we walked and walked through the city to our Spanish language school where we were divided into groups based on the test we took back at Watkinson.  I am honored and intimidated to be in the same class as Anna and Matt.  Feeling like a student again, struggling to put words and sentences together has been a learning experience.  Now I see how my students feel when I am trying to pull an answer out of them that I know is in their head somewhere...Zoology studnents-know.. I feel your pain.  Then we were off to Enids house where she cooked us a great meal and allowed us to regain our strength.  There we also looked at Jack Dollards scrapbooks and saw all the buildings around Hartford he designed..including our very own Arts and Athletic Center!!!

Next we met the older children from Casa Hogar at Hotel Santa Helena Plaza for swimming lessons.  While the pool was cold, our kids stuck with it to the end helping the them experience swimming in a pool for the first time!!  Then we went back to the actual Casa Hogar for some playtime. We quickly found ways to engage the children.  Many organized a modified kickball game, but some of us just held the children and played little games of peek-a-boo or blew bubbles.  The smallest children simply enjoyed being held and the center of attention.  In particular, I saw Matt being led all over by a few little girls, Kate with one baby boy who held on to her endlessly and Will R whose new best friend just happened to be the child he bought clothes for back in the US.

Tomorrow is a repeat...Spanish school, swimming lesson and playtime.  But each day brings us so much closer to grasping how much of an impact a little bit of generosity can create.
Church count: 2   Trips to the movies: 1    Tombs: Too many to count

Firestarters

The rewards of a home cooked meal




Flipping tlalyudas

 







Tomb Raiders



John doing his best sleeping caveman

Where is Matt?

Escaping the heat and waiting for the next museo



Atop the hightest point at the Yagul archealogial site



A tea party at Casa Hogar



Bubbles with Kate



Swimming lessons

Lunch at Enids

A courtyard at Santo Domingo

This is how we see Will everyday