Stranger in Oaxaca

The start of my adventure began this past November when I received my acceptance letter into the ProWorld Service Corps program. I will spend two months assisting members of the community in an Anthropology related project, most likely affiliated with the Union de Museos Comunitarios. Follow me through the entire ProWorld experience as I make my way from all of the preparations and finally embark on my journey to Oaxaca, Mexico!

Saturday, September 30, 2006

San Agustin Etla

This weekend´s group activity was a day trip to Etla, which is located just a few minutes outside of the city. Although Etla is famous for its traditional paper making, we spent the morning at the Contemporary Art Museum (see photo on the right). The museum houses two floors of paintings, sketches and photos, the majority of which are done by local artists. However, we also got to see the work of a few foreign photographers. The grounds of the museum are beautifully landscaped with fountains and flowers. It´s a great place to visit in the evening because there is a spectacular view the looks out over the city.
After the museum, we headed to one of the local balnearios (pools) called Vista Hermosa. This was the coolest pool I´ve ever been to in my entire life. And I don´t even like pools. Not only were there six different swimming areas, the compound also had a restaurant, water slides, a volley ball court, hammocks and most importantly, a GIANT trampoline. Here I am stuffing my face (as usual) with one of Oaxaca´s famous Tlayudas (imagine a giant tostada, only better).

Jumping on a giant trampoline is harder than it looks, especially if other people are bouncing in synchrony. As you can see from the picture below, I am still in need of a lot of practice. Perhaps I will have a chance to master the art of trampoline bouncing before I return home. We almost had a few near catastrophes, but for the most part quite an enjoyable time away from the noise and chaos that encompasses a typical Saturday in Oaxaca. Right before leaving, we took a few minutes to lounge in the hammocks and enjoy a lovely view looking out over the hills. Every now and then I have the opportunity to relax for a moment in one of these fine creations. Seeing hammocks on neighboring porches or in passing during my daily walks through the centro reminds me of how comfortable living here has become. I plan to bring one home as a reminder of the peace I have achieved by living in this amazing place.

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