SEASONS OF MY HEART - Susana Trilling

Queridos Amigos,

We last wrote to you in early June.   Little did we know then how much our world here in Oaxaca would change.  Thank you all so much for your kind, heartwarming and supportive letters and calls to find out how things have been for us during this  time of  interesting social movement.  We want to answer all your questions and tell you all about the situation here, but first things first. Due to the present situation we have decided to concentrate more on our regional culinary tours for the time being, although we are having classes for local people that have been very fun and interesting. Right now there is a huge effort to clean up the city, and we are still holding our classes and courses in Oaxaca as well. In the meantime, winter is now upon us, and it is time for you all to make plans to come to Mexico for a wonderful break from your normal routine. We’d love to have you support our programs.

You are invited to join us on our fabulous Yucatan Peninsula Carnival Tour from February 11th to the 22nd. A great time to get away from winter, carnival is an exciting festival in all three states of the Yucatan Peninsula, especially in Merida and Campeche. This is really one of our best tours, a vast culinary world where we delve into traditional Mayan cuisine and contemporary Campechano and Lebanese/Yucatecan foods. This is some of the best eating in Mexico and cooked by some of the most fun chefs and teachers I know!

We will visit some fascinating archeological sites, cenotes (sacred water holes), caves and artisan villages.  We will be birding for the flamingos and enjoying fishing and snorkeling expeditions. We always include a certain amount of physical activity to work off all the good food we will be cooking and tasting. And of course there are the nights of dancing during Carnival, as well as our favorite Cuban restaurant and bar in Merida! All in all, it’s a great culinary odyssey.  We have a few spaces left, so please contact us right away. Email us at seasons@spersaoaxaca.com.mx, or call on our new numbers: 011 521 951 508 0469 or 011 521 951 508 0044.

Also check out our Spring Equinox Veracruz trip from March. 15 to 25th, as well as our other tours for 2007! Information can be found at: http://www.seasonsofmyheart.com/tours.html .
We just returned in late November from the annual Muxe Gay Vela in Juchitan and what a blast we had!! Great food and culture of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec mixed with the colorful and warm Muxes (MOO-SHES) group, The Intrepid Seekers of Danger.  All I can say is, seeing is believing!!! Next year we’d love to share this with you!  Seasons of My Heart alumna, Eleni Gage captured some of the mystique of the Muxes in her article for Travel and Leisure, published last November.  You can find it at: http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/stepping-out/ .

I have just made a heartwarming pilgrimage to visit the Virgen de Juquila in her town in the foothills between the mountains and the Oaxaca coast. I have always wanted to join the many thousands of people walking and biking on their annual journey, but had never had the time. This year a group of “merchantas” from the Mercado de Abastos invited me to walk with them, and we rallied around 4 am each morning for 5 days and walked until dusk.  It was so inspiring to see the state of Oaxaca from the height of the mountain trails. What an experience to be stepping across rivers on stones and sleeping in the corridors of small village squares and appreciating the wonderful homemade tortillas with salt and eggs cooked on a comal over the open fire with the never failing salsa.  

We passed through areas that were breathtakingly beautiful and where the people only spoke Chatino dialect but where a smile was the most important way to communicate. My companions have done this trip for the past 11 years and were such good teachers as they showed how they laugh their way through the pain in our bodies and be buoyed by faith. It was stimulating for me to be the student again and to be learning in my beloved Sierra Madre the magic of the Oaxaqueño people, and of course to feel the power of Juquila as she attracted people from all over Mexico that came to pay homage to her. As we are adjusting here to trying to stay afloat in very hard times, I was so happy to have the time for this life enriching experience! 

About the political situation in Oaxaca: the truth of it is that it has been an exciting and inspiring time to be here, to witness social change and consciousness-raising. There really has never been any danger to tourists but it is preferable to plan a trip that is not based in the city center. At this moment the center is going through a rebirthing process!  The thing Oaxaca needs most is for tourists to come. Since tourism has collapsed, there is a real economic crisis through out the state. However, the food is still incredibly wonderful, as are the people, the crafts, the music, and the fiestas are better than ever in the villages.  We are still open as are most places, so if you are an intrepid traveler, do not hesitate to come!  We are also promoting short, private journeys to the Sierra Juarez, the Isthmus, the Oaxacan coast and Chiapas. We started that this summer and have had a lot of fun doing them! If you ever wanted to support Oaxaca or our other programs in Mexico, now is the time to think about returning in 2007!

I hope you all are enjoying the beginning of the holiday season, which to me signals the end of 2006, for many, a very tumultuous year on various levels. Please, let’s all hope and pray for a more peaceful, harmonious and globally united year in 2007!  
May peace and love be yours with all our best wishes!
Un abrazo,
Susana and Family
Seasons of My Heart Cooking School, Oaxaca, Mexico  
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