There is no where else I'd rather be then here in Oaxaca, Mexico!

FOEAC: Fundacion Oaxaquena de Equinoterapia A.C. “Por amor a los ninos”

Part of this trip requires that each participant volunteers at a health care facility. Luckily for me my site is at FOEAC! This site is run by a Physical Therapist named Carolina. Here they provide a service for children and teens to offer an alternative style of therapy called Equinoterapia. In order words, horse therapy! My first day to the site I was so excited because I we were an hour away from my homestay house and definitely in the countryside. When my partner and I arrived Carolina gave us a brief orientation about what horse therapy is all about. 

To give you a little insight there are three general areas about explain how horse therapy works. First of all, the horse's walking style mimics how humans walk, alternating their legs forward and raising the hip. When a patient is saddled on the horse there legs are stimulated by this movement and allows the motor neurons to kick in. This is helpful for patients that don't know how to walk or lost their ability to walk. Secondly, the horse's normal temperature is about 101 degrees Fahrenheit and when it is working it can become hotter. This provides a type of heat therapy to get the muscles warmed up to start the exercises. Lastly, the horse can sense various emotions and is believed to extremely helpful for people struggling with emotional battles. I was really impressed with this typed of therapy and eager to learn more! On our first day at the stable, we spent some time bonding and brushing with the horses to become familiar with them! I had tons of fun meeting the horses! 

Vida Nueva: Teotitilan de Valle

Our first group excursion was to Teotitilan de Valle to visit a Women's Weaving Cooperative called Vida Nueva! These women welcomed us into their homes and shared stories about the weaving history and their lives! It was nice to first them and learn about the culture and traditions of the "tapete". But, it was nicer to come in and talk about their personal goals to create more opportunities for Zapotec women in their region while still preserving their heritage. They were passionate when they spoke about how they all want to advance the women's role in the community and that me so proud. They come together to produce a beautiful product to make a living but to also do the right thing! It was inspiring to see that this type of movement is a global stride.

   

 The women had a demonstration for us on how they made the tapetes. Each tapete expresses a unique idea and culture that is important to the weaver. The colors are all chosen from the women's vision. The weavers do not us any chemical dyes and stick to the natural techniques used by there ancestors. The wool is dyed using thing found in their community and they experiment with mixtures. It was pretty cool to see how they mixed different things to make colors. I was so inspired by their stories and their beautiful tapetes!  

                                                                         

Guerreros de Oaxaca: Juego de Pelota

Ticket for the baseball in Oaxaca .

I'm so excited that today we are going to go to a Oaxacan baseball game to cheer on the Guerreros! This is definitely a highlight of the trip because I love baseball games!

- Yamila