nature calls

Hola!

On Monday I attended a bread-making class in a tiny nearby village romantically named La Zazarmora together with another volunteer, Genevieve. She is a 23yr old from Portland, Oregon who despite studying Landscape Architecture at uni, works on her own eco ranch in California with her boyfriend. She is here at the Bosque to learn other sustainability methodologies to then implement back in her own ranch. The bread-making class was at the home of a Mexican family who run several businesses; a shop, a distillery and a bakery from their home! Senora Alicia, the family's grandmother led the class together with her daughter Soco and her two young daughters were also helping! So we had three generations baking bread together. They were such a beautiful, loving and happy family and despite Gen's and my crappy Spanish we were all able to laugh and joke together throughout the long day. We left completely breaded out and bought several bottles of the family's liquor, Vino de Zaza to share with everyone back at the Bosque. Everyone really appreciated it as it is so tasty and more importantly, quite potent! So we all spent the evening playing cards, getting drunk and hanging out by the fire of the Casita, our own lounge hut.

Yesterday, I had the most perfect day! In the morning, Genevieve, Rose (from Minnesota) and I walked in to another nearby town named Erongaricuaro which is so so charming! Rose and Genevieve are super eco-conscious in their lives back home so I was enlightened with talk on permaculture and suchlike... And also some spirituality they both follow involving rebirths and dedication ceremonies. I couldn't add much to that particular conversation and for a city-girl like myself, it's not something I am particularly excited about however it was interesting listening to the different ways in which they both live their lives. We walked around the market of Erongaricuaro and I bought a cowboy sombrero to blend in with the locals! Haha, they all looked at me like I'm a crazy gringo... Although, saying that, the locals here often mistake both myself and Genevieve for Mexicans, but from Mexico city. Genevieve is half Native American and so I guess with our brown skin we both fit in with some of the demographic here...

Outdoor composting toilet - The Boogaloo

When we got back to the Bosque, I spent a few hours reading in my favourite hammock overlooking the hills of Patzcuaro. It makes me feel so unbelievably happy and so fresh and so lucky and so alive! Then, Judith, a German volunteer here from Circus school, brought out the jump rope and many of us had such a hysterical and exhilarating time skipping together. Turns out, I'm not as agile as I was back in primary school... After this, myself, Rose, Laura (a retreater) and Alejandra (from Mexico City) had a 'Spanish Corner' whereby the three ignorants attempt to speak Spanish and Alejandra corrects us! I really don't think my Spanish is improving... Especially here at the Bosque where all the volunteers speak English!

Shaya & Genevieve

Today was my first day of WORKING! We began at 8.30am and worked through to 2pm when we took lunch... Today I shovelled fertile earth to a less fertile spot where we are going to begin planting a vegetable garden. Despite my usual aversion to physical labour, I REALLY enjoyed this! So tiring, but it felt so good to be working amongst nature and outdoors and to work my arms! It was tiring but fun as myself and Shya, an Israeli volunteer, were put together and she's really cool, interesting and fun so I love talking to her. Her life has been so varied and she's only 22, having lived in eco villages in Israel, California and having been travelling alone for the past 5months around Mexico.

I'm about to go for a thorough tour of the entire Bosque with Brian, the owner and creator of the project and film it at the same time... Look forward to doing more shooting and getting good footage here!

Adios!
A x