Location
The home base for the trip will be the capital of Oaxaca – the city of Oaxaca. There, students will explore its many markets, gardens, zócalos and historic buildings. Students will also have the opportunity to learn how to cook traditional Oaxacan dishes, see how traditional wooden figurines are made, and visit many cultural sites. All students will stay with a local Oaxacan family, and each student will be assigned a conversation partner who is a student at the Universidad Autónoma Benito Juarez Oaxaca (UABJO).
Additionally, students will visit sites outside the city including Teotitlán del Valle, Hierve el Agua and Monte Albán. Teotitlán del Valle, founded in 1465 by the Zapotecs, has managed to preserve the Zapotec culture and language, and is known for its hand-woven rugs and delicious mole. Monte Albán is an archeological site dating back 10,000 years. Hierve el Agua boasts natural rock formations in the shape of waterfalls over cliffs, natural pools, and guided hiking trails.
One day will be devoted to directly experiencing how microloans to women help support and uplift indigenous communities near Oaxaca City. We will also take a daytrip to Puerto Escondido to the southern coast of Oaxaca where students can surf and swim and watch the sun set over the Pacific Ocean.
