Letter from México #1

Greetings from Tepoztlán, México, a small town in the state of Morelos.

We arrrived here on Monday, after spending two days in Mexico City. The city is big (VERY big) and busy but we managed to explore a niche of the central historic quarter of the city. We walked through a park and around the Palacio de Bellas Artes. We also met Mónica, a local leader in the Re-Evaluation Counseling community for a session. Later she took us around the city and to a restaurant where we enjoyed mariachi music, a Mexican quesadilla, and sopa de tortilla. We breakfasted on huevos rancheros con frijoles y fresh juices of orange, papaya and pineapple. Deliciosa! The staff at the cafe enjoyed Lea and showered her with smiles and gifts.

We were warmly welcomed in Tepoztlán as well. Adriana, the director of Lea's school, met us at the bus stop and took us into her home overnight until our landlord could come with keys to let us in to our rented home. Tepoztlán is only an hour away from Mexico City but it seems a different world. Narrow stone streets, churchbells, a mercado the size of a city block, roosters, lots of dogs. Oh yes, and chili flavored ice cream--haven't worked up the courage to try that one yet. The weather is lovely: warm sunny days and cool clear nights.

When we first arrived, the town was in the middle of a celebration of San José--singing, processions, parties, fireworks, and churchbells ringing all night long. We thought things would quiet down. We were wrong. Fireworks start at 4 in the morning and can be heard on-and-off all day long. Bells ring throughout the day. The saints down here really know how to throw a party.

Our home is a small two-bedroom cement house with some citrus and banana trees in the yard. Bouganvalia are everywhere. We can't identify several of the fruits in the market, but so far have enjoyed fresh papaya, mango, oranges, mandarins, avocado and many types of bananas. New to our world is guanabana, granada, and mame. We buy hot tortillas from the old women around the corner.

Lea started attending kindergarten Thursday and is already learning a lot of Spanish, though I don't think she realizes it! Her school is a private, Montessori-type of school--very creative and loving. Today she came home with warm bread that the kids baked in a clay oven. We have met several families through the school, as well as the family of a local shopkeeper named Kate, pronounced "KAH-tay". (There are dozens of tiny shops in every barrio, or neighborhood.)

The town is surrounded by majestic mountains. In a future dispatch, we hope to tell you of our efforts to explore them. Incidentally, there is almost no level ground or smooth pavement here so the only place Kimberly (who is training for the Madison Marathon) has to run is the fútbol fields at the bottom of town.

Kimberly will be starting intensive Spanish language classes on Monday where she will be spending most of her time enjoying (yes, we said enjoying!) learning Spanish. This weekend, Lea will get to be a guest star at a class for Mexican children who are learning English! I plan to volunteer in a local school. More details on that later.

Lea asked us to add that: "We have nice neighbors and we have nice friends and we have a nice house."

We live at Numero 8 on a street called Tesoro, or "treasure," which helps us remember what a treasure it is for us to be here, together, and experiencing this new place--its culture, language, and people. At the same time, we also treasure you and our lives back home and send our best regards.

Con cariño,
Brian, Kimberly and Lea