Three days. Three short days left in Mexico: a country rich in culture, abundant in delicious foods, and never lacking in diversity or character. The modern hustle-and-bustle of the city shocks us each time we return from the relaxed and simple way of el campo living. The screeching metro, non-stop traffic, and computer work at the office don’t exactly flow into the dirt roads, street vendors, and chirping crickets of the rural communities. Yet, there are commonalities between each place: the close ties to family and friends, the passion for Mexican heritage, and the ability to have a good time.

Our last month here has flown by. Our week spent in Mexico City (between trips to Campeche and Oaxaca) was a blur of interpreting survey data and visiting tourist destinations. We then took an 8-hour bus ride to Oaxaca on the curviest road I’ve ever had the “pleasure” of driving on. The little town of Huautla de Jiménez, situated in the clouds of the mountainous Oaxaca region (known for the magical mushrooms of María Sabina), served as our home base for the two weeks we were there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unlike Campeche, where we surveyed customers by going from house to house in the beautiful sun and humidity, we held meetings in the shade in Oaxaca. This was because Iluméxico clients live so far from each other, in areas only accessible by climbing steep slopes of stair-like rocks, that we were not able to visit them in their houses. While this made surveying a lot easier for us, we faced another challenge: we did not speak the language. While the majority who live in larger cities speak Spanish, many who were raised in rural communities speak indigenous languages. Our translator, Lety, became our communication line between Mazateco and Spanish. While we learned how to say things like “Hello,” “Goodbye” and “Thank you” in Mazateco, we definitely could not have done it without her help and the help of the other Iluméxico community engineers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

With that being said, I definitely think that Huautla spoiled us a bit. Surrounded by lush green scenery, we encountered friendly smiles and delicious meals. Our days were never shy on indulgences of mole and chocolate caliente, and the town’s unique culture showed through in every aspect: from the embroidery work of the street vendors, to the traditional garments of the older women, to the European tourists who continue to seek out the powerful healing of the local curanderas. Our two weeks quickly came to a close, but not before we took another bus ride to visit a friend in the city of Oaxaca (just in time for the annual Oaxacan celebration of La Guelaguetza) and then another bus to enjoy some surf lessons on the beach at Puerto Escondido before heading back to work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last week and a half in el D.F. has been filled with goodbyes to summer interns and even some Iluméxico veterans, including our mentor, María. While we prepare a final presentation to the big-wigs of the company, much of our journey is still sinking in. We must simultaneously analyze our findings while thinking about the deeper meaning of what we have found. How will these results help improve the lives of those who we talked to in the field? Will the few questions we asked in our survey translate into improvements in the company and communities? We can only hope that the couple weeks we spent in each community will have lasting impacts. With everything we have seen and experienced, I know that it has had a lasting impact on us.