At our May retreat, our country coordinator, Lindsay, had us reflect on the various sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and textures that we encounter in our daily life in Mexico. In my final days in Tlaxco, I consistently returned to that exercise. I wanted to invent a full sensory Go-Pro that could record everything I tasted, saw, heard, experienced and felt (patent pending). I am terrified that as I touch down in the US and return to the life I left behind, slowly my memories of Tlaxco will grow less vibrant. I hope some of these words can guard my senses of Tlaxco, mis sentidos tlaxquenses, in my heart and consciousness forever.
I invite you all to spend some time with me walking though my community and experiencing my sentidos tlaxquenses.
I see the tree covered rolling hills that surround Tlaxco on all sides.
I see Popocatepetl e Itzaccihuatl the massive volcanoes which greet me every morning as I walk down to the garden from the patio of school.
I see altars honoring La Virgen de Guadalupe, as she watches over her pueblo Mexicano bringing a message of inclusion, justice for the oppressed, and radical love.
tacto:
I touch little hands as we walk down to the Rio Zahuapan. I hold them as little feet skip across rocks to the other side of the river bank. I hold them as we walk down the hill after school, chatting about what our mamás are preparing us for la comida.
I touch dense, fertile, moist tierra. I break up clumps of soil creating a smooth and porous plant bed. I pass rich compost through a sifter to naturally fertilize our hortaliza.
I touch my right cheek to the right cheek of friends, family, acquaintances and strangers as we greet one another or part ways.
olfato:
I smell the sharp scent of moisture of the natural construction materials used to create the 5th and 6th grade classroom. It's either that or the smell of 5th and 6th grade boys.
I smell fresh wood, sawdust, and varnish that wafts through the house from my host dad, Salvador's, carpentry shop.
I smell cinnamon as it boils on the comal, creating delicious and beautiful te de canela that amazingly enhances the flavor of Los Portales brand instant coffee.
gusto:
I taste homemade blue corn tortillas, as they come fresh off the comal from Doña Josefina's kitchen, across the street from the escuelita.I taste tangy, spicy, fresh, delicious salsa verde. I put it on tortillas, tamales, chicken, beef, eggs, spaghetti and basically everything else imaginable.
I taste the sweet, rich, milky, cinnamon-y atole de arroz con leche. If the love of family could translate into a taste, it would taste like atole de arroz con leche. It's a taste that wraps you in a blanket of familiarity and comfort. It helps that it's usually accompanied by the joy of community and a deep and rich post meal sobremesa with loved ones.
oido:
I hear the melodious laughter of 56 children as they play futbol, joke with one another, listen to a silly story from their maestra, and revel in the purest joys of life.
I hear Rocío, my zumba instructor, as she shouts ¿Cómo vamos, chicas? (How's are we doing, ladies?) to my class of largely middle aged señoras. We do our best to respond, todo bien!, and exchange knowing smiles of exhaustion and laughs of solidarity as we move on to the next bumping reggaeton jam.
I hear my host mom give all her daughters su bendicion (their blessing). The home's phone is situated right outside my room. Most nights, my host sisters who live in Mexico City call home to talk to their mom. Without fail, before hanging up, my host mom blesses them en el nombre del Padre, del Hijo, del Espiritu Santo y la Santisima Virgen. Most days when I leave for school and every time I leave the house for travel outside of Tlaxco, I, too, receive my blessing. I feel her hand as she makes the sign of the cross on my torso. I hear her bless my travel asking for the Triune God and Most Holy Virgin Mary to protect me, journey with me, and guide me.