Indigenous fun

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During our time in Oaxaca, we had an opportunity to do some volunteer work up in the mountains with some indigenous folk. At risk of sounding cheesey, it was pretty amazing and inspiring - we went up to two different and completely isolated communities (consisting of around 30 families) and assisted in teaching the women to read and write in Spanish - it was basic stuff like writing their names and making up signs etc. We absolutely loved it - having this opportunity to get a glimpse of how these people lived was really special and a real eye opener - they lived on the side of really steep mountains in tiny wooden or mud huts with dirt floors and no running water and most spoke only their indigenous language.

It was pretty cool attempting to communicate with some of them with just the bits and pieces of Spanish that we'd learnt and a whole lot of sign language... which Kev has mastered. i have never seen his elbows move around so rapidly (and you know how they fast they were in English!!). I have nominated Kev as a serious contender for the charades championships when we get home. Through these skills, we attempted to explain that Australia was a completely different country to the United States (we relied on our cartography skills here too). They were so welcoming and friendly and gave as a massive fruit as a present for coming - i can´t remember it's name but it was the size of a large watermelon. And bloody heavy. The fruit was chucked into the back of the car, along with us and nine others who wanted lifts back into town (the wee ute had 5 seats). Needless to say it was a quite a long ride home.

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Photos

The first class
Kev learnt a lot.

View from the classroom
It was pretty hard to stay focussed.

End of class
Heading back to the car after the first class.

The giant fruit
Ruth, our host mother, loved the present! But she had pins and needles in her legs for the rest of the night after this photo.