2013-14 Mexico Trip Blog

Dance Classes & A Favorite Teacher

3/1/2014

Dance Classes
The past two weeks have been such an adventure for us all. Some of my favorite activities we participated in were the dance classes we had three times this trip. The first two classes we took we learned the Bachata, a Latin dance originating from the Dominican Republic. The last class we took we learned the Salsa, which was my personal favorite. When we arrived at class the first time, everyone was nervous and awkward, thinking “do we really have to dance right now?!” But when the teacher, Gary, showed us the moves and the music came on, we all loosened up and started to have some real fun. The 8-count of the music guided us across the room, with Gary’s voice yelling out the steps, telling us to switch partners every few minutes. Everybody danced with each other, and some of the pairings were quite humorous to see. I got the chance to dance with Gary, as well as all of my friends on the trip. It didn’t matter if you “couldn’t” dance; everyone still had a great time.

At the fiesta we had at the school last night, we got to put our new moves to the test. We danced with our friends on the trip as well as our friends we had made here in Cuernavaca. At one point, Gary grabbed me and started to dance the Bachata with me. He was doing steps I had never seen, so there was a lot of stepping on feet and “sorry’s” coming from my mouth, but he was a great partner and the rush of the new, exciting dance kept me smiling and twirling around with him for a while. After the party, Gary told me I had a real knack for Latin dancing, and that I should keep practicing and improving. Hopefully, when I go home, I can take more Latin dance classes and have a part of this trip to Mexico with me at home in Brookline. - Sophia

A Favorite Teacher, César
All the teachers here in Cuauhnáuac are really amazing and they are all very helpful in terms of us wanting to enhance our Spanish speaking knowledge. One teacher specifically is César. César is a grammar and a conversation teacher and also a really nice friend. On the first day, I was really worried about the classes because I figured it would be really hard to get to know the teacher and learn Spanish for the two weeks I was here. As time passed, I got to know César a lot more and we became close to the point where everyday I looked forward to taking his class. In terms of classes he’s a very organized teacher and makes sure that each and every student understands his lesson. He’s always looking out for us and making sure we all have a good time here in Cuernavaca. He makes us feel like we’re home. Thanks César, we all love you!
-Dawaun

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Food and teachers at Cuauhnáhuac

2/27/2014

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Food
One of the highlights of our stay in Cuernavaca is the food. Estella, the school's cook should open her own restaurant. She is really a best kept secret of this experience. Early in the morning she arrives with fresh food: avocados, limes, tomatoes, garlic, onions, peppers, cilantro, and a very fragrant herb named epazolte. The night before she might have peeled and sliced some nopal (cactus) and set it into a marinade. When we arrive for breakfast there is fresh orange juice, and glasses filled with mango, pineapple, or jimaca sticks. Each day she has a special. My favorites have been Chiles relleno (stuffed peppers), milanesa (steaks that have been butterflied and breaded before being quickly grilled "a la plancha"), quesadillas con huitlacoche (a mushroom that grows on corn), and sopa de pollo con verduras (chicken broth with tortillas bits, and squash with rice on the side). No matter what you eat there is ample supply of "pico de gallo" (a garnish with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, onions, lime juice, chili peppers cut into small pieces), chipotle sauce, and warm hand-made corn tortillas. Eating Estalla's food is like tasting the flavor of Mexico. We will all miss it!
-Agnes

Teachers
Throughout our trip, we have had the pleasure to work with several amazing teachers! One of the teachers that many of us have have enjoyed working with is Estefania. As well as being one of our tour guides, she is incredibly helpful and knowledgable as a teacher. Her encouragement of students to speak only Spanish in class, combined with her bubbly personality creates a great learning environment. Another wonderful teacher that many students have had, but all know, is Cesar. His positivity and sense of humor energize students and put smiles on their faces. He is a wonderful teacher, one of our tour guides around Mexico, and a personality that we all love! These two individuals, and the many other great teachers of Cuahnáhuac, have made an impact on all of us and we will remember them for a long time. -Alana and Natasha

Our trip to "Las estacas"---- a beautiful place!

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Salsa lesson and Spanish-English conversation

2/26/2014

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Salsa lesson
On Tuesday at 4:30, all of the Brookline High School students participated in the Salsa dancing class. Daniella, the woman instructor and Gary, the male instructor started off the class with some foot work. Speaking only in spanish, Daniella began to explain the beginings of how the dance works. The smooth, and sexy tone of the music allowed us to really sink into the Latin feel of Mexico. I used to dance for six years and I stopped when I was twelve, but as we started to learn the dance all of the steps came naturally. Some parts were difficult but in the end we all were having an amazing time. As we danced, I learned to really appreciate the Latin culture and having the opportunity to live in Mexico for these fourteen days.
-Taylor James

Intercambio (inglés-español)

Every Tuesday and Thursday everyone of us gets paired with one or two students trying to learn English and sometimes another person on the trip to have conversations. We spend an hour in small circles learning about each others tastes in music, movies, tv and food. We do half of the conversations in Spanish and the other half in English. When we didn't know a word in each others languages we would give the other a helping hand. So far I met three very different people in the conversations. I met a man who makes machines that makes our necessities, a man who makes coca cola and a girl who is a student at a local school. I learned a lot about Mexican culture and found that I had a lot in common with each of them.
- Finn McMillan

Tyler's eye view-

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Our weekend trips- Mexico D.F/Teotihuacan

2/24/2014

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This weekend was very exciting!! We left Cuernavaca on Saturday at 9:00 AM. and drove to Mexico City where we visited two excellent museums. On Sunday, we traveled to the Teotihuacan ruins and stayed there until 5:00 PM. The group is enjoying this trip very much.

Jay, Michelle and Jane--El árbol de la vida

Dolores Olmedo Museum- Mexico D.F
When we first arrived at the Dolores Olmedo Museum we spent some time walking outside near the gardens. The grounds were beautiful, there were many exotic flowers and wildlife. To our surprise there were peacocks roaming freely around the grounds. We then went inside the museum and observed the paintings of Diego Rivera. His portraits of women were breathtaking. We also saw some of Orozco's sketches, which represented the problems he saw in the Mexican society. Another great exhibit had colorful pottery from previous civilizations in Mexico. After visiting the museum we had a better understanding, appreciation, and love for Mexican culture

-Isabella Conway

Entrando a la casa-museo de Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo's House

The second stop on our Saturday excursion was Frida Kahlo's house: La Casa Azul. Her house is rightfully named as "The Blue House" because of the cobalt blue walls that make up her house. Not only was the garden in the center of her house beautiful, but the exhibit inside of her house was incredible. Moving through the house we saw various paintings, pictures, works by her husband, Diego Rivera, her workspace, and her room. This stop was a nice addition to the Spanish Art History we studied in our classes last year, and fulfilled all of my hopes I had for the experience of being in her house.

-Audrey

El grupo en Teotihuacan

Teotihuacán
The sun beat down on us as we walked into the site of the Teotihuacán pyramids. We first saw the remains of the temple for Quetzalcoatl, an important Aztec god. Afterward, some of us climbed the Piramide del Sol, the tallest of the two pyramids there, while others climbed the other pyramid, the Piramide de la Luna, or bought souvenirs from the many vendors that lined the Camino de la Muerte, the main road. Finally, we enjoyed a 2-course dinner at Piramide Charlie's accompanied by some time on a nearby playground. Yes, we are very mature!!
-Korey Caron

Friday afternoon at Downtown Cuernavaca

Myra's Poem

Bienvenidos a Cuernevaca!- Dia Uno

Por Myra Johnson

On our first day,
we arrived quite early,
Can we rest?
our teachers replied ‘surely!’
But little did we know
that on our first day,
We would not be able
to enjoy our stay
Instead we were to climb
a very ‘small’ hill
Which we were taken to
against our will.
‘Really,

it’s hardly a climb’
‘I promise,
I tell you,
It won’t take much time’
Two hours later,
we found this not to be true,
and seriously considered executing a coup’.

After it all,
we decided it was for the best,
to simply enjoy the view,
and then get some rest.

While climbing down the mountain,
some of us slipped,
while other felt quite confident…
until they first tripped.
By the end of the day,
we were all really quite pooped,
for that huge mountain,
we had just trooped.
It had only been
but 12 hours since we had got here
although it felt as if
we’d been for a year.

Day 1 down,
13 to go,
and we are all quite glad
to be avoiding the snow.
We hope the weather,
is not too bad in Brookline,
and that everyone back home
is doing just fine.

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Mexico Trip- Day 5

2/21/2014

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Yesterday was another beautiful normal day in Cuernavaca. Students attended their classes until 2:20 PM. In the afternoon they had dance class with Gary their instructor. Later, at 5:00 PM., they worked on their conversational skills with Mexican students learning English at Cuauhnáhuac switching languages every 15 minutes. Today, we are going to explore Downtown Cuernavaca and will celebrate Isabella Conway's 17th birthday in a restaurant!!!

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Mexico trip- day 3 and 4

2/20/2014

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La cafetería

La comida
They feed us a ton! Nothing compares to the real Mexican food that we enjoy here. Quesadillas, salsa, rice and beans, fruits and even cactus are part of our daily diet. When we first came, many were surprised to be served with so much authentic food. We are constantly eating during our frequent breaks at the cafeteria. A big change for us has been getting used to small dinners and huge lunches with the whole host family. No matter what, no one goes hungry.

Alua and Maya

Las calles de Taxo

Taxco
The drive from Cuernavaca to Taxco was about an hour and a half. However, the breathtaking views made it worthwhile. Taxco is located on the side of a mountain, filled with beautiful scenery as well as a surplus of shops. Bargaining made everything easier; we were able to talk down almost every vendor to a lower price. Known as the silver city, Taxco lived up to its name. Almost every shop sold some form of genuine silver, from necklaces to rings to bracelets to earrings. The center of Taxco was made up of a square containing a Gazebo and a beautiful church that could be seen from over a dozen of different angles. The inside of the church was amazing; the high ceilings and brilliant paintings captured the feel of the 18th century perfectly. Although the church is a historic site, many people still utilized it for prayers and worship. The streets were filled with activity, and the smells of churros and fresh fruits. As you get further into the city, the views get more and more spectacular. The narrow streets were a bit difficult to navigate, especially with the uphill commotion of taxis, mopeds, and street vendors. Pierce and Myles

Las clases en la mañana

Las clases
The classes are most days from 8:00 to 2:00. We are taught in a personal classroom environment tailored to our learning needs and Spanish level. Most classrooms have five people and the biggest is no more than seven. In my class, the environment is very relaxed. We spend our time learning about grammar and occasionally getting side-tracked by conversation (in Spanish) with our teacher. It’s very interesting to explore differences between Mexican and American culture. We share stories of cultural understandings and misunderstandings and discuss controversial topics. For example, did you know gay marriage is legal in the city of Mexico, but same-sex couples aren’t allowed to adopt? Sometimes even the grammatical lessons can turn cultural. We educated ourselves about the heated issues while improving our Spanish at the same time. - Tyler

Baiando Bachata

Baile
Two days a week we all gather in a room and learn dances of the Dominican culture. During this activity not only do we have fun but learning the steps brings us closer together. It's really fun and a great experience for everyone. I feel that this activity pushes us to take risks but also lets us have fun with each other.
- Dawaun

Compartiendo experiencias

Intercambio español-inglés

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we have an hour of conversation time with students studying Mexico at Cuanahuac. Each of us was paired up with one or two students and given time to get to know each other. On our first day, we started with a half an hour in English and then moved on to a half an hour in Spanish. My partner, a 16 year old boy named Fabian, spoke English very well -- probably much better than I speak Spanish! (Upon being pressed for an answer, Fabian described my accent as "intelligible.") I really enjoyed getting the chance to get to know some more of the locals and to practice my conversational Spanish. Hasta luego! -
Nina G

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Mexico trip- Day 2

2/18/2014

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Another beautiful day greets us. We walk to the school in the cool morning air but the sun already feels warm on our skins. Our students spend the first part of the morning taking their placement interview. Afterwards they have time to talk, lay in the sun or read while the rest of the group has their interview.
By 11: OO everyone has been placed in a group according to how well they did and they head to their new classes. Each class has 5 students or less. After an hour the students take their break. With few exceptions, most seem happy with their group. The staff of the school is flexible and allow students to change level if they feel the material being covered is beyond or below their ability.

One of the highlights of the Cuauhnahuac school is the restaurant operated by a lovely woman named Estela and her able assistant Cecilia. They make delicious, quesadillas, tacos, tortas (sandwiches) and other Mexican specialties which they sell at reasonable prices. And you can wash them down with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. It quickly becomes a favorite place for our students to hang out during their break between classes.

Today we’re in for a special treat. Our friend, colleague and the founder of the trip to Cuernavaca, Pat Herrington, comes to visit. She’s traveling in Mexico but makes time to stop by and see us She distributes hugs and kisses all around. All the staff from the school comes to greet Doña Pati as she’s known in Cuernavaca.
At 2: 30 the first day ends and we all head back to our homes to eat “el almuerzo, the main meal of the day in Mexico. Our hostess, Doña Delia has prepared for us chicken fricase, yellow rice with vegetables, and what else can you do after a meal like that but to take a siesta.

At 6: 00 we reconvene at the school for a lecture on the history of the Cuernacava region led by Alejandra one of the teachers who’s also a historian. She gives us a wealth of information but it’s a little too much to take in all
at once. Some of the main points:

1. The city of   Cuernavaca is located in mountain valley which has been fought over since pre-Columbian times because of its fertile land that produces corn, beans, cotton and several other crops. The original settlers of the valley, the Tlahuicas were forced by the stronger Aztecs to pay tribute in food and bird feathers.

2. When the Spaniards under Cortes conquer the Aztecs, the entire Valley of Cuernavaca is given to the conqueror as his private domain. The Spaniards introduce the cultivation of sugar cane and subdivide the land into Haciendas where the indigenous people are forced to work .

3. This system endures until the beginning of the 19th century when two priests Hidalgo and Morelos lead the fight for independence from Spain. They are both captured and executed by the Spanish troops but the fight goes on until Mexico finally gains its independence in 1821.

4. The Mexican Republic has a turbulent history in the 19th century. The new republic is occupied by the Americans in 1847 during the Mexican – American war and then by French army in the 1860’s under the command Maximilian, who crowned himself emperor. After a hard fought war,   the Mexicans regain their independence under the leadership of Benito Juarez.   After the defeat of the French, an era of   industrialization begins. The sugar industry   grows in the Cuernavaca   region. By then the area is renamed the state of Morelos, after one of the martyrs of Mexican independence.

5. But the unfair Hacienda system survives almost intact into the 20th century until Emiliano Zapata, an agrarian leader from the Cuernavaca region leads a revolt against the wealthy hacienda owners . Zapata’s program calls for “bread, land and liberty” and for a while his peasant soldiers gain control of the land. But Zapata is betrayed and murdered and the wealthy hacendados reclaim their holdings.

6. But the change that Zapata fought for is finally realized under the presidency of Lázaro Cardenas in the 1930’s. He institutes a program of land reform and rural development. Change comes to Cuernavaca.   The formerly sleepy rural city begins to grow when a new road is built from Mexico City. Many “chilangos” (residents of Mexico City) begin to buy weekend houses in Cuernavaca. And others move permanently to Cuernavaca from the capital after the devastating earthquake of 1985. Today Cuernavaca is a bustling city of three hundred fifty thousand inhabitants and it boasts some new industries like the enormous Nissan plant  that produces cars for the Mexico, The USA and the rest of Latin America.

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Day One- Tepoztlán

2/17/2014

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We arrive at Cuernavaca in the early morning after a sleepy two hour bus ride from

Mexico City. Our “families” await us at Cuahunauac school. Estefanía, one of the

teachers , quickly sorts out the students and hands them off to the

families they will be staying with. After introductory hugs all around, we head

to our new homes in Colonia Quintana Roo directly across from the school where

the streets have names like Cancun, Cozumel and Xel-ha

      We catch up on our sleep and by 1 o’clock in the afternoon,   we reconvene at

the school. Everyone looks rested and ready for our Mexican adventure to begin,

to enter this world of warm sun, gentle breezes, and flowers of all shapes and

colors. After a brief orientation by David Cano Jr the director of the school, we

board the bus for our first excursion, the nearby town of Tepoztlan.

      Tepoztlan is a historic town with all the classic elements of the towns founded by

the Spanish in the new world : a cobblestone main street lined with colorful shops

selling handmade crafts, and practical things. It has an impressive stone church,

with a shady front yard across the street from the town market where piles of

chiles, mountains of fruit compete for space with cooking utensils, and

tables piled high with music cds from all over the Spanish speaking world.

We break into two groups – a smaller one who wants to explore the town

and a larger one that wants to climb El Tepozteco, a big hill at the end of the main

street that offers a 45 minute hike (for people in good shape) to the top where

there is a multilayer pyramid to the Aztec god of pulque, Tepoztecatl.

It’s a challenging climb for my 56 year old legs but the hike is worth it. We leave the

bustling world of Tepoztlan and enter a beautiful natural world of tall trees and

song birds and lots of people of all shapes and sizes, many of whom (including

myself) huffing and puffing their way up to the top. El Tepozteco does not

disappoint. The pyramid is perfectly symmetrical and has weathered the centuries

intact. The view of the Tepoztlan   valley is breath taking.

            We walk back with wobbly legs but satisfied having conquered the mountain.

It’s almost dark by the time we get back to our bus. We’re tired, but happy with how

our first day in Mexico has gone.

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Welcome to the Mexico Trip 2014

2/10/2014

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We would like to thank you all (parents, teachers and students) for participating in this great adventure. Please, follow us through this blog to find out what is going on during our trip. ¡Vamos México!

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Dance Classes & A Favorite Teacher

Food and teachers at Cuauhnáhuac

Salsa lesson and Spanish-English conversation

Our weekend trips- Mexico D.F/Teotihuacan

Mexico Trip- Day 5

Mexico trip- day 3 and 4

Mexico trip- Day 2

Day One- Tepoztlán

Welcome to the Mexico Trip 2014

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