EIL Intercultural Learning

Hola de Mexico! Welcome to my blog! I am currently on my fourth week in Mexico and throughout these four weeks I have been blown awayby this magnificent country! Firstly getting to know and distinguish all the different cultures, a factor which truely makes Mexico wholly unique.

On our first week, Brian Denvir who is a fellow EIL volunteer, and I arrived in Mexico city, not wanting to waste any time we got to sight seeing straight away! We visited the national palace which is home to the murals of Diego Rivera and the main square or ´zocalo´ which is really impressive and the home to a Mexican flag - the largest flag in Latin America! Every morning and evening at six a large grroup of soldiers perform the ritual of raising and lowering the flag in a ceremony which truely portrayed the patriotism and nationalism of the Mexican people.

After Mexico City we travel to Oaxaca state as we will be spending two weeks attending spanish classes at the beautiful Institutio Cultural Oaxaca. We are placed with host families in Oaxaca and although my Spanish isn´t great yet, they welcome me with open arms and I really do become part of the family during my two week stay. We are welcomed into their homes and treated with sincere hospitality and care! For me Oaxaca is without a doubt, one of the most distinctive states in Mexico in terms of the local art and culture! The colourful markets offer a wide array of crafts from carved wooden masks and animals to clay pots and weaved carpets, whose rich colours come from cochineal a local insect found on the opuntia cacti. When we are not busy with school,our families and salsa classes we like to wander down to the zocalo and take in the atmosphere, and what an atmosphere it is. We discover a charming city filled with such friendly and warm people, we are met with smiles and welcomes whereever we go!

The school runs trips to various places during the weekend, so on the first sunday we decide to go to Monte Alban. It is one of the oldest sites of an ancient civilisation of Mexico - the zapotecs. The whole sight is at the top of an artificially levelled mountain and it is really breathtaking! There would have been no running drinking water here, so all supplies were carried up the mountain to the site! Hard to believe since it is so far above sea level! Each day we go to the school and attend spanish classes from 9-1, we both signed up for intercambio, which is an exchange with students from Oaxaca who want to improve their english, while we get a chance to practice our spanish! 

Although Mexico is a wonderful place, there are some things for which I wasn´t as prepared as I thought! The large groups of police who travel together in vans, all are armed with guns! The insects are more overbearing than I thought they would and careful applicationn of insect repellant is a must in order to avoid bites, these however are inevitable!!

After two weeks in Oaxaca, sadly it is time for us to leave and embark on new adventures! Brian will travel to his project in La Ventanilla, while I will travel to Barra de Potosi, in the state of Guerrero!

After a long sllepy bus journey I arrive in Zihuatanejo, I am met by another Irish volunteer Brenda, and Juani who works in the house I will stay in! They welcome me and we go to Barra! When we arive in Barra I am taken aback by the beauty of the beach, the lagoon and last but not least the charming house which I will be staying in, and the even more charning owner, Laura! She welcomes me into her home and gives me a tour. We sit for most of the night talking, I am already beginning to feel at home!!

The next morning I go with Brenda to observe her teaching the english class, so I will know what to expect! As Brenda is leaving we want to organise a party for the kids and we get planning! There are also two german volunteers here who are also very nice! In the next few weeks I get into the rhythm of life in Barra! It is a small village so everyone knows everyone, so as yppou walk down the street you are greeted by all! At the library we do english classes in the mornings and have reading hour from 10-12 and as the kids are on summer holidays and it is very hot we have a two hour break, then it´s back to work from 3-6 when we do art classes and have games! The kids really love the art classes and are really creative! They are also extremely bright, loving and affectionate. It´s not hard to settle in here!

I am finding that my spanish is definately improving from talking with the kids, playing with them and giving instructions in class! During my free time I have seen such amazing things.. but I´ll save that for the next blog!! Thanks for reading folks!