A World of Wonderment and Warmth…

This piece was originally written for Estela´s blog, and in Spanish. It has been directly translated into English...

Two months ago I arrived here at Estela´s house in Temixco, Morelos. I will be here for six months. I am a student at Pitzer College, a university in southern California, and for my experience abroad I choose to come be a part of Estela´s word!

I could write for days and days about my experience here, but for now, I want to give you a taste of my life here.



Life is magical! The colors, smells, the sun, water, wind, and fire…I have all of the elements in my life.

Every day is different. In the mornings I wake up at six thirty or seven to practice yoga, breathe, meditate, and watch the sun rise. Later, I put cold water in my face to be present, I pick herbs to make tea, I put yogurt with mudo n my face, y cut fruit. In the mornings there is always a lot of fruit....papaya, bananas, apples, and sometimes eggs with salsa and tortillas....tortillas always made by hand. Later, we wash the plates, clean the kitchen, sweep, and yes! The day can begin!

I learn new things and concepts every day. For example, I am leraning how to care for the corn meal of the tortillas in the same manner that people need to care for their bodies. With bread also...We make bread every week to share amongst ourselves, family, friends, and neighbors. In fact, the people here have a concept of giving and sharing that we do not have in the United States. We are always working together, and not because we have to, but because it is a value here in this country, a practice passed down for generations.



My days are always filled with spiritual rituals to take out and clean everything, for my body, mind, and soul. I am always breathing, inhaling and exhaling everything. Sometimes quietly and sometimes outloud singing, screaming, whatever I want! Also, I am never only cleaning my body, mind, and soul, but I am also always cleaning the food, the house, clothes, the gardin, the floor...everything...to move the energy and release what we think we want and need in life.

The elements of hot and cold are also always present. I feel the heat in the Temezcal but at the same time I throw cold water on my face, spine, and stomach. Ah! It feels amazing! The food also has the same affect. For example, there are always very hot salsas, but the salsas are accompanied with something fresh and cool like a natural juice.


This is a taste of the elements in which I have the privledge to have in my life now. Every day is new, and I am learning something new every day. I continue to wonder, think, breath, and learn as the days pass. It is an honor to be here.