Oaxaca Days ...

It's hard to believe we've already passed the halfway mark here. In fact, as of tomorrow I only have one more week in Oaxaca.

I realize that I haven't said much about the actual seminar thus far, and I wouldn't want you to get the impression that I'm just down here shopping and eating and drinking - that's just what we do whenever we can find a spare minute. Mornings are usually spent reading, and thinking through the material when there's time. Classes generally start at 1 or 2 in the afternoon, and there are normally two sessions every day. There's no way I can cover everything here, but topics so far have included family relations during the Porfiriato and beyond, love letters from mining communities in Chihuahua, ethnographic photography, and the construction of indigenous identity, to name only a few. Next week we will be looking at public health and medicine. We've visited numerous archives, one archaeological site, and an artisan community outside the city. We've watched three movies so far (with another on the schedule tonight), visited the rehearsal space for the state band, and learned to dance the Son (although not with much success). The days are long and there hasn't been much time for anything except school work and the occasional beer to unwind.

The seminar has been an amazing experience, and I have no regrets about what I chose to do with this summer. I've had the opportunity to work with some incredible faculty members, I've been inspired by a few, and I'm coming home with a bibliography that should set me well in the right direction when it comes time to start reading for my PhD. One of the best things about the seminar so far, however, has been my peers. And I'm not just referring to karaoke here. The conversations I've had with my fellow students have been enlightening on many levels, especially as I prepare to apply for PhD programs. It's been an eye-opener, to say the least. When I was deciding whether or not to come down here (or "up here", as a wise man once told me), my supervisor pointed out that these will be my peers for the remainder of my career. I got to thinking about that the other day, and I look forward to meeting up with all of them again in the years to come. This may sound a little sappy and sentimental, but our time here is rapidly coming to an end, and it's reassuring to think that this is only the beginning of many relationships that I hope will carry on after we all go our separate ways.

So, the final week approaches and it will be hectic, as we try to do all the things we've not yet done and make the most of what's left of our time here together. There will also be a last, frantic attempt for Shayna and I to eat all the food that remains on our list. Yes, we have a list of food we need to eat. Are you really that surprised?