Status Report: All's GREAT!

We haven't updated the blog in about 2 weeks for good reason: we've been busy enjoying Oaxaca! The boys have been in Spanish classes from 9-12 Mon-Fri for the past two weeks at the Instituto Cultural de Oaxaca, a (nearly) all-inclusive language school that offers a full range of Spanish classes for all levels and a kids' class in the summertime. We've also taken a pottery class with a teacher from Atzompa, a nearby village famous for its brown, green-glazed pots that are used all over Oaxaca.

So many amazing sights and sounds, too many to "catch up" on because we couldn't possibly do it justice. I've eaten guavas for breakfast most days, with yellow- and red-mole tamales from nearby tiendas on weekends. Quite a switch from Alon's croissants, but every bit as rich and fattening. Hand made by little old ladies with long black and gray braids hanging down to their waists. Went for a hike and run this morning through the mountains that are visible from our deck, drank 100% "puro" Oaxaca coffee, and delivered geraniums from our yard to grace the altar at church, a 10-30-member congregation of the Anglican Communion, the only English-language protestant service in the city. I've become a regular already, and simply treasure the intimacy and meditative qualities of such a small congregation.

My Spanish is improving thanks to simple efforts--getting out of the house, forcing myself to ask for directions or cooking instructions or inquiring about other "cursos de verano" (summer camps) for the kids. I've had a couple of tutoring sessions thus far but honestly it's the mundane daily activities that seem to help me make the most progress. It's amazing what a difference just a few vocabulary words can make--each afternoon after picking the boys up from their classes we dive in to the city and take care of a chore or two; paying import fees (!) for our few UPS boxes, getting help retrieving cell phone messages at the Telcel office, visiting the children's library in the suburb of Xochimilco. And you just press forward, using 3 or 4 words, plenty of gestures, and the phrase, "habla mas despacio, por favor"--which means, "speak more slowly, please"! People are incredibly forgiving and patient.

This afternoon we have a babysitter coming for Amelia so that Art, the boys and I can go see the new Harry Potter movie in English! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Disney's first African American princess film, due out in November, might be available here in English, too. Or is there the remotest chance we'll understand enough Spanish by then...?

And did I mention we saw some amazingly cute puppies recently?