Monthly Archives: June 2013

Penland School of Crafts: Oaxaca Registration Form

Posted on Sunday, June 30, 2013 | Comments Off

Penland School of Crafts–Exploring the Textile Traditions of Oaxaca, Mexico — Organized by Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC

November 4-10, 2013

Program Costs and Conditions

Trip Cost

Double room occupancy (per person) $3,185
Single room occupancy $3,485

Included

4 nights accommodation at the beautiful and highly-rated Casa de Las Bugambilias Bed & Breakfast in historic center of Oaxaca city
2 nights accommodation at Casa Elena B&B or Las Granadas B&B in Teotitlan del Valle
Daily breakfast
Meals listed in itinerary
Transportation to and from the Oaxaca airport
Transportation listed in the itinerary
Admission to archeological sites and museums
$500 tax-deductible contribution to the Penland School of Crafts

Not Included

Round-trip airfares to Oaxaca from the USA
Airline baggage cost
Meals other than listed on the itinerary
Tips for drivers, local guide, personal services, meals, lodging staff
Alcoholic beverages and individual hotel expenses (laundry, snacks, mini-bar, etc.)
Travel insurance

Sign Up TODAY! Spaces still available with full payment.

Complete the travel registration form and email or mail to Norma Hawthorne
Questions? Ask Norma. Call 919-274-6194 or email normahawthorne@mac.com

Choose One of Three Ways To Complete Your Registration Form

Download and complete the reservation form attached to the trip announcement email you received from Penland and mail to: Norma Hawthorne, Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC, 110 Blue Heron Farm Road, Pittsboro, NC 27312.
Call Norma Hawthorne, Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC, at 919-274-6194 or email her at normahawthorne@mac.com We will take your registration information by phone or email. Norma will enter all the information for you.
Copy the Registration Form from this webpage and paste it into a Word Document. Save the Word Document and complete the information requested. Save the completed information on your computer and close the document. Open your email. Attach this document to the email and send to normahawthorne@mac.com

Choose One of Two Ways to Pay

Email Oaxaca Cultural Navigator and Norma Hawthorne at normahawthorne@mac.com to say you are ready to register. We will send you a PayPal invoice by email to make your payment with a Credit Card. A PayPal account is not required. This is safe, secure and easy.
Snail Mail a Personal Check. Make your check payable to Norma Hawthorne OCN-LLC and mail to: Norma Hawthorne, Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC, 110 Blue Heron Farm Road, Pittsboro, NC 27312.

REGISTRATION FORM

Exploring the Textile Traditions of Oaxaca, Mexico — Travel Adventures with Penland School of Crafts, November 4-10, 2013

We will accept a maximum of 12 travelers! Reservations are on a first come, first served basis. Please confirm your participation as soon as possible. If you wish, we can take your registration information by phone. (If reserving space in a DOUBLE, please indicate the names of both parties. Deposits may be made separately. Please note—Your Passport must be valid for 6 months after the date of your return to the USA.

Please reserve _______________ space(s).

Name of Traveler (please complete one form for each traveler)

_____________________________________________________

Sharing Room With:___________________________________________________

Traveler’s Mailing Address: _______________________________________________________

City/State/ZIP:____________________________________________

Email:__________________________________________________

Cell Phone: ____________________________________

Land Phone: ___________________________________

Please include Area Code

Reservations and Deposits. Deposits are due by August 15, 2013.

[ ] I prefer a Double Room at $3,185 per person. [ ] 1 King Bed [ ] 2 Beds —

[ ] I prefer a Single Room at $3,485 per person

If you wish to pay by personal check, please make your check payable to Norma Hawthorne-OCN-LLC and mail to Norma Hawthorne, Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC, 110 Blue Heron Farm Road, Pittsboro, NC 27312.

Final payment is due on or before September 8, 2013. We ask that you send us a check for the final payment, and include a separate check made payable to Penland School of Crafts in the amount of $500. We will send you an email reminder with the final amount due.

All travel documentation, notices, and supplemental information will be sent to participants via email. if you do not use email, we will make other arrangements.

Cancellation Policy

Please understand that we make lodging and transportation arrangements months in advance of the program. Our hosts often require deposits or payments in full to guarantee reservations. If cancellation is necessary, please notify us in writing by email to normahawthorne@mac.com.

After August 15, no refunds are possible. You may send a substitute in your place. If you cancel on or before August 15, we will refund 50% of your deposit. We strongly recommend that you take out trip cancellation, baggage, emergency evacuation and medical insurance before you begin your trip, since unforeseen circumstances are possible. We offer this service and are happy to give you a quote.

Thank you very much for traveling with us and for your support of Penland School of Crafts.

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Posted in Oaxaca Mexico art and culture, Textiles, Tapestries & Weaving, Travel & Tourism, Workshops and Retreats

Tagged fiber art, Mexico, Oaxaca, Penland School of Crafts, textiles, tour, workshop

Penland Travel Adventures: Exploring the Textile Traditions of Oaxaca

Posted on Sunday, June 30, 2013 | 1 comment

November 4-10, 2013 — 6 nights, 7 days of cultural immersion and discovery! Click Here for Registration Form. Spaces open with full payment.

Questions? Call Norma Hawthorne at 919-274-6194 or send an email normahawthorne@mac.com

Penland School of Crafts, an international center for craft education located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, was founded on the principles and values of preserving and promulgating the rich textile traditions of local weaving culture. In keeping with these roots, we offer you a week-long cultural exchange and immersion to explore the indigenous textile world of Oaxaca, Mexico. Here the art and craft of weaving has been embedded in the culture for centuries. More than body covering, weaving reflects community and mirrors ancient designs adapted from the natural and physical environment.

The mountain ranges of Oaxaca state are scattered with traditional villages where women still weave using back-strap looms just as their ancestors did thousands of years ago. They create amazing textiles adorned with animal figures, plant life and sea creatures or patterns derived from the spiritual world. The woven textiles become shirts, blouses, dresses, scarves, shawls, table linens and floor rugs. The cotton and wool might be prepared with local natural dyes from wild marigold, pecan nuts, indigo or cochineal. Every piece has a back-story and is a testimony to the creativity and beauty that is Oaxaca today. We invite you to become a part of this exciting, personalized program.

During our week together, you will

discover (or return to rediscover) the 16^th century Spanish colonial city of Oaxaca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
meet textile experts, curators, museum directors and weavers
participate in a hands-on indigo dye workshop to create a shibori textile of your own design
create a nuno felted wool scarf on silk during a hands-on felt fashion workshop with one of Oaxaca’s leading designers
explore the famed Zapotec archeological site of Monte Alban with an expert English-speaking guide
sample local cuisine during a cooking class with a Rick Bayless-trained Zapotec teacher in her village kitchen
dine at some of Oaxaca’s greatest restaurants and meet the chefs
see Oaxaca like an insider through the eyes of Norma Hawthorne, Oaxaca Cultural Navigator

Itinerary

Day 1: Monday, November 4, 2013. Participants will travel independently from their home city and arrive at the Oaxaca, Mexico, international airport. If you come directly from Houston, you will clear customs and immigration in Oaxaca. If you connect through Mexico City, you will clear customs and immigration there before boarding your connecting flight to Oaxaca. We will send you a complete travel guide one month before the program date. When you give us your flight arrival information, we will arrange private transportation to meet you at the airport and bring you a short distance to our comfortable Oaxaca city hotel. If you arrive in time, meet us in the lobby at 8:00 p.m. for a light supper, if you wish. Dinner on your own. Overnight in Oaxaca.

Day 2: Tuesday, November 5, 2013. Introduction to the textile traditions of Oaxaca. After breakfast, tour the Museo Textil de Oaxaca with education director Eric Chavez Santiago, discuss the collection and textile preservation techniques. We have invited special guests to demonstrate back-strap loom weaving techniques and to present a private show. Then, we will walk down the street and have a welcome lunch at a local, highly-rated organic restaurant that prepares traditional Oaxaca food with flair. After lunch, meet and talk with a private collector and textile curator. Overnight in Oaxaca. Dinner on your own. (B, L)

Day 3: Wednesday, November 6, 2013. Just outside of Oaxaca city lays the stunning and important Zapotec archeological site of Monte Alban. The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago considers Monte Alban to be the finest example of social and government organization in Mesoamerica. Sturdy walking shoes and walking sticks encouraged! We will have a private, guided visit with one of Oaxaca’s most knowledgeable guides. Snack in the Monte Alban sky café. Return to Oaxaca for lunch on your own. Depart for an overnight in the rug weaving village of Teotitlan del Valle. Group dinner. (B, D)

Day 4: Thursday, November 7, 2013. After breakfast, we will visit the tapestry weaving workshop of Federico Chavez Sosa, master weaver. Federico will demonstrate the two-harness loom introduced by the Spanish in 1521. Then, we will roll up our sleeves to participate in an Indigo Dye Workshop. We will enjoy a delicious group lunch prepared by one of the finest village cooks in the village. Afternoon on your own to meander and explore this historic site that blends Zapotec and Spanish culture. Group Dinner. Overnight in Teotitlan del Valle. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Friday, November 8, 2013. After breakfast, we will meet Reyna, one of Oaxaca’s famed cooking teachers for a cooking class in her outdoor kitchen located just around the corner from our B&B. She will take us on a walking tour of the village market where we will shop for fresh ingredients, then work together with her guidance to prepare a delicious traditional repast that includes, of course, one of Oaxaca’s famous mole dishes and a mezcal tasting. After lunch, we will depart for Oaxaca where we will spend the night. Dinner on your own. (B, L)

Day 6: Saturday, November 9, 2013. Today we will join noted international fiber textile artist Maddalena in her Oaxaca studio to make a scarf of your own design using the nuno felting technique of wool on silk. In keeping with our commitment to sustainable development, we only use natural dyes which are made from local sources. Maddalena has been working with indigenous women in Oaxaca and Chiapas states to preserve natural dye traditions for many years. Lunch in Oaxaca. Return to Oaxaca for a gala grand finale group dinner. Overnight in Oaxaca. (B, L, D)

Day 7: Depart, Sunday, November 10, 2013. We will provide private van or taxi transportation from our Oaxaca hotel to the airport based upon your departure schedule.

$3,185 per person double occupancy. $3,485 for a single supplement. Includes $500 per person tax-deductible gift to Penland School of Crafts.

Ready to Register?

Click Here for Registration Form.

About Norma Hawthorne. Norma started Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC in 2006 and began offering weaving and natural dyeing workshops in the Zapotec village of Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca, where she now lives part of the year. Soon after, she expanded workshop offerings to include women’s creating writing, yoga, photography, and other forms of textile and fiber arts programs. In 2011, she retired from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she raised $23 million for the School of Nursing, and directed the School’s marketing and communications. Before that, she had a 25-year career in higher education continuing education and marketing at Indiana University, The University of Virginia, and The George Washington University. Norma holds the B.A. in history from California State University at Northridge and the M.S. from The University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. A lover of indigenous textiles, Norma started weaving with naturally dyed wool in San Francisco, collected Amish Folk Art textiles which she recently donated to the Indiana State Museum, owned and operated a gourmet cookware shop and cooking school, and fell in love with Oaxaca arts and artisans when she first visited there in 2005. See Norma’s resume.

About Eric Chavez Santiago. Eric has worked to preserve Oaxaca’s textile traditions for most of his adult life. A graduate of Oaxaca’s Anahuac University, Eric speaks fluent English, is a talented weaver and dyer in his own right, is an experienced instructor. Eric has traveled throughout the State of Oaxaca to create documentary videos that include interviews with seasoned weavers and the new generation of young weavers committed to carrying the traditions forward. He is currently working on a documentary to record and preserve the Mexican tradition of Spanish needle lace. Eric has traveled to the United States regularly since 2006 to present Oaxaca’s textile traditions to museums, galleries, and universities, including UNC Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, University of Notre Dame Snite Museum of Art, University of California at Santa Cruz, National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago, San Jose, California Quilt and Textile Museum, American Tapestry Alliance, and The Commonwealth Club of San Francisco. He is one of the most knowledgeable textile resources in Mexico.

Lodging/Accommodations. We have selected highly rated, elegant, upscale accommodations for you in Oaxaca city where we will spend four nights at Casa Las Bugambilias B&B. We will also spend two nights at family owned and operated Casa Elena B&B or Las Granadas B&B in Teotitlan del Valle to give you a flavor of village life.

Cost: The basic cost for the trip is $3,185. USD. This includes six nights lodging shared occupancy with private bath, six breakfasts, four lunches, three dinners, transportation to/from airport and activities as noted in the itinerary, site entry fees, all instruction, and a $500 tax-deductible contribution to Penland School of Crafts.

The cost does NOT include airfare and related taxes, tips/gratuities, travel insurance, liquor/alcoholic beverages, and several meals as specified in the itinerary. If you want travel insurance, please let us know and we will quote you a cost.

Base Cost: Shared double room with private bath; $3,185.

Option 2: Single Supplement, private room with private bath; $3,485.

Please make your deposit check payable to Norma Hawthorne, OCN-LLC and mail to Norma Hawthorne, Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC, 110 Blue Heron Farm Road, Pittsboro, NC 27312 or tell us you want to pay by Credit Card and we will send you a PayPal invoice via email. PayPal transactions are online, safe and secure.

See the Registration Form for complete details.

Reservations and Cancellations. Please understand that we make lodging and transportation arrangements months in advance of the program. Our hosts often require deposits or payments in full to guarantee reservations. If cancellation is necessary, please notify us in writing by email. After September 1, no refunds are possible; however, we will make every possible effort to fill your reserved space or you may send a substitute. If you cancel on or before September 1, we will refund 50% of your deposit. We strongly recommend that you take out trip cancellation, baggage, emergency evacuation and medical insurance before you begin your trip, since unforeseen circumstances are possible.

Ready to Register? Tell Norma at normahawthorne@mac.com Have Questions? Ask Norma at normahawthorne@mac.com or call Norma at 919-274-6194.

This program is produced by Norma Hawthorne, Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC in cooperation with Penland School of Crafts. We reserve the right to alter the itinerary and make substitutions as necessary.

A Word About How to Get There Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC, based in Pittsboro, North Carolina, U.S.A., has offered arts workshops and cultural immersion experiences in Oaxaca, Mexico, since 2006. Many participants often travel independently to reach Oaxaca on a direct flight from the gateway city of Houston, Texas, on United Airlines. Other major U.S. airlines connect to AeroMexico in Mexico City, which offers several flights a day to Oaxaca. Delta operates a Code Share with AeroMexico. The international airport at Oaxaca is new, safe and clean, as is the Mexico City airport. Our trusted Oaxaca airport pick-up service will personally greet you as you depart from baggage claim. Note: Tips may be given to your local guides, instructors, and service providers throughout the trip. The recommended tip is 50 pesos per day for each provider per person. Be sure to collect your belongings from your room and check the Safety Deposit Box. Have your Passport, Mexico Exit Visa, and Plane Tickets ready! Please Note: This is a working itinerary, is subject to change and may be modified as we confirm final details for the trip. Be assured that any changes made will only enhance the program and add to your total experience. Thank you for your understanding!

1 Comment

Posted in Cultural Commentary, Textiles, Tapestries & Weaving, Travel & Tourism, Workshops and Retreats

Tagged fiber arts, Mexico, Oaxaca, Penland School of Crafts, textiles, tour, workshops

Student Physician Assistants Volunteer in Oaxaca Village Public Health Clinic

Posted on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 | 2 comments

Two students enrolled in the Physician Assistant program at Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina, will do a one-month volunteer clinical residency at the public health clinic in Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca, this summer. Meagan Parsons and Benjamin Cook, who will both graduate in December 2013, land in Oaxaca next week! Needless to say, they are excited.

And, we are grateful for their service. They will work alongside local doctors, nurses, and other clinicians to support delivery of primary health care services to a rural and growing village of 8,000 people.

For those of you who don’t know, Physician Assistants (PA’s) are master’s degree prepared health care professionals who are trained to practice as part of a physician-led team. This is usually a two-year program that includes a first year of classroom coursework followed by a second year of clinical rotations.

Nurse Practitioners (master’s prepared nurses who provide direct patient care) and PA’s are meeting the demands of our U.S. health care system, especially in underserved areas where there is a lack of adequate medical services. Immigrant populations who speak Spanish and have cultural impressions of a health care system that hasn’t always provided access to quality treatment benefit from these professional services.

Meagan Parsons, Benjamin Cook and Professor Deborah Morris, M.D., P.A.

Both Ben and Meagan speak Spanish and the experience will give them a chance to improve their language skills and learn more about how health care is delivered in rural Mexico. What they learn will help them translate the experience to their own professional goals to work in rural North Carolina communities after they graduate.

Meagan graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2009 with an undergraduate degree in biology and a minor in Spanish for health care professionals. She worked as a nursing assistant in a pediatric surgical unit before she decided to go on for the P.A. degree. This will be her first trip to Mexico and Meagan is eager for the immersion experience that she knows will give her a greater understanding for the emotional and cultural issues facing North Carolina’s immigrants. When she graduates from Methodist, she plans to return to Rockingham County where she will practice in a small-scale rural community working with Spanish-speaking populations.

Ben Cook completed his undergraduate degree in human biology and Spanish from North Carolina State University in 2011. He always wanted to pursue a medical career and he wanted more time to have a family and be involved with family life. He feels that by becoming a P.A., he will have the best of both worlds. He chose Methodist University because it has a high pass rate on the national certifying examination and there is a dedicated laboratory for student use. Like most men who pursue a career in health care, Ben wants to go to work in either the Emergency Department or in Urgent Care where the fast-paced excitement prevails. He feels the Oaxaca experience will give him better ways to connect with patients here in the U.S.

Deborah Morris, M.D., P.A., is the faculty member who supervises the cultural immersion program in Teotitlan del Valle for Methodist University. She says this experience is essential for giving students a broader perspective of the world and the ways that health care is delivered in a system that is different than ours in the U.S. She says, There is a flow of people between Oaxaca and North Carolina. It is helpful for students to have this experience to be more effective as P.A.’s.

For the village of Teotitlan del Valle, the students will trail and support the work of Mexican doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists and dentists. They will start out doing basic health assessments and physical diagnosis, assist in giving innoculations, and update handwritten medical records. As they get to know the population and their needs, they will develop a health education project with local participation and input, that can be used for continuing health care improvement. The biggest health care issues in Oaxaca are women’s and children’s health, pre-natal care, diabetes and its prevention, and cancer treatment.

Meagan and Ben will overlap with UNC Chapel Hill School of Nursing student Leonora Tisdale who arrived to volunteer in the clinic in early June. I am so gratified to be able to organize this experience that benefits the students, the people of Teotitlan del Valle, and people here in the U.S. who will be better served as a result of Leonora, Meagan and Ben’s immersion.

I work with universities to place students in the health professions for a volunteer experience in the Teotitlan del Valle public health clinic. Please contact me for more information.

2 Comments

Posted in Oaxaca Mexico art and culture

Tagged externship, health care, medicine, Mexico, nursing, Oaxaca, physician assistant, students, volunteer

Adventure Travel Photography with Luxe Lodging in Chiapas, Mexico

Posted on Friday, June 14, 2013 | Comments Off

For the complete program description CLICK HERE. November 9-17, 2013. Remarkable archeological sites, living Maya villages, ancient customs and rituals, international cuisine, luxury accommodations at La Joya Hotel in San Cristóbal de Las Casas. Questions? Contact Norma Hawthorne.

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Posted in Photography, Workshops and Retreats

Tagged Mexico, photography, San Cristobal de las Casas, travel, workshop

Travel Photography Workshop: Christmas in Oaxaca

Posted on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 | Comments Off

Oaxaca, Mexico, is a photographer’s dream-come-true, a visual explosion of color, colonial architecture, indigenous cultural icons, hand-woven intricately designed clothing, and food so delicious and artfully presented that you might imagine you are close to culinary heaven.

Christmas in Oaxaca is all this and more. It is merrymaking and solemnity. It is the sweet aroma of copal incense that permeates the air. It is candlelit pathways of ancient cobblestones. It is liturgical music that calls people to gather and the rhythmic beat that pulses in daily life. Oaxaca is a visual banquet from which you can build your own menu of photographic images.

Join us to savor and discuss the region’s rich history and culture, the art and craft traditions, belief systems and relationships to nature and daily life. Holiday traditions blend pre-Hispanic indigenous practices with Catholic Spain’s religious traditions imported to Mexico with the conquest in 1521.

We will visit archeological sites and crafts villages, participate in the Christmas Posadas in the Zapotec village of Teotitlan del Valle, attend the famed Radish Festival in Oaxaca city, and explore the Ocotlan market with stops to visit outstanding potters and textile artisans. There will also be plenty of time for you to go out and explore on your own.

This workshop is for beginners as well as more advanced photographers. Many people who travel with us are novices and have never used a digital camera, while others are semi-professional who want to hone skills by following well-established photographer-teachers who have an extensive portfolio of published work.

Two Sessions Offered: Take both. Get a 15% discount.

Session I: December 22-29, 2013 – Posadas and the Radish Festival, $1,495 per person base cost (arrive 12/22 and depart 12/29, 8 nights and 9 days). Group rates available for 3 people or more. Families welcome.

Session II: December 29-January 4—New Years Resolutions at Las Cuevitas, $1,195 per person base cost (arrive 12/29 and depart 1/4/2014, 6 nights and 7 days). Group rates are available for 3 people or more. Families welcome.

What You Will Learn:

Using manual camera settings
Understanding composition
Capturing light, shadow and reflection
Knowing more about aperture and shutter speed
Determining when to use flash
Practicing night photography techniques
Experimenting with black and white, and sepia
Exploring the essentials of landscape, architecture and portraiture
Receiving feedback for steady improvement

During the workshop, we will review each other’s work, give and receive supportive feedback, and get expert guidance and coaching from Tom and Sam. Learning sessions are designed to give you opportunities to discuss and learn from your own work as well as other workshop participants.

Your Travel Itinerary

Session I: Christmas Posadas and Radish Festival, 12/22-29, 8 nights, 9 days, $1,495

December 21 — Arrive in Oaxaca and travel from airport to Teotitlan del Valle, check into bed and breakfast inn

December 22–Our workshop starts with a morning learning session, a walking tour of the village, and a discussion with a local expert about holiday rituals and traditions. Later that evening we will join the community in a posada procession re-enacting Mary and Joseph’s pilgrimage to Bethlehem. (B, D)

December 23 – After the morning learning session, we will spend the day in Oaxaca City to explore the Zocalo and Dia de los Rabanos—Radish Festival. We will return to Teotitlan later at night. (B)

December 24 – After the morning learning session, you will have the afternoon on your own to explore the village. After lunch, we will visit a local weaving family to see the process of making naturally dyed rugs. Then, we will join the village for the Ultimate Posada, the last procession before the Nativity and the birth of Jesus. (B, L, D)

December 25 – After the morning learning session, you will meet and spend the afternoon with a host family who will share their Christmas meal and family life with you. (B, L, D)

December 26 — After the morning learning session, we will pack our bags to go to Oaxaca City where we will spend the night. (B)

December 27 – Leave early in the morning for a day-long adventure on the Ocotlan route. Our learning session will be organic as we trail Sam and Tom through the market, learning as we go with coaching, feedback, and reflection on choosing the subject, as well as techniques to meet your individualized needs. We will stop along the way to meet famed potters and textile artists who are featured in the Maestros de Oaxaca art book and have lunch at a great outdoor restaurant/gallery. Overnight Oaxaca. (B, L)

December 28: After our morning learning session, you will have the day on your own to prepare your final presentation of Best of Week. You may also find time to visit local museums and galleries, shop for souvenirs, or just wander the streets of this UNESCO World Heritage Site for that last minute photograph to add to your portfolio of work. Group dinner and Best of Week show. Overnight Oaxaca. (B, D)

December 29: Depart

Session II. New Years Resolutions at Las Cuevitas, 12/29-1/4, 6 nights, 7 days, $1,095

December 29: Arrive and check into our Oaxaca City hotel.

December 30: Archeology, Architecture and Mezcal. After an early morning learning session, we travel to the archeological site Monte Alban and the museum in the pottery village of Sant Maria Atzompa. We have arranged for an early evening mezcal tasting as an optional activity. With bags packed, we travel by van to Teotitlan del Valle where we spend the night. (B, D)

December 31: Traditional Zapotec Cooking Class, afternoon learning session, and New Years Eve Dinner. (B, L, D)

January 1: New Years Resolutions at Las Cuevitas. We pair you to meet and spend the day with a local family to share a ritual celebratory meal and the ritual of Las Cuevitas . These are the magical caves of Teotitlan del Valle . Here you build stone houses and make wishes for the New Year. Overnight in Teotitlan del Valle. (B, L, D)

January 2: After our morning learning session, you might want to wander the village on your own, or return to Las Cuevitas or the home of your host family to get the shots you think you may havemissed. (B, D)

January 3: Learning session and prepare for the Best of Session group presentation, followed by a group dinner. (B, D)

January 4: Goodbyes and depart. (B)

Your Workshop Leaders: Sam and Tom Robbins

Tom Robbins, a photographer for more than 40 years, recently retired as professor of architecture at Columbus (Ohio) State Community College. His careers in architecture and education have deepened his love for and understanding of design, composition and visual impact. Tom and his wife, Sam, have exhibited widely and their work has been published in “Black and White Magazine.” Tom has photographed extensively in rural Ohio, New Orleans, and Southern Mexico where he finds the landscapes, the architecture and the people wonderfully photogenic. In the last five years, Tom and Sam have made Mexico the primary subject of their photography and have visited Oaxaca and the surrounding villages many times. Most of Tom’s work has been with 35 mm SLR and medium format cameras.

A serious photographer for over 20 years, Sam Robbins considers herself to be a “photographic hunter.” Like Tom, she is most comfortable walking and wandering with her camera at the ready. While she has done studio portrait work, she is happiest allowing photographs to present themselves. Sam is an award-winning instructor of art, English and photography. She sees sharing her passion for photography as one of the most rewarding experiences of her life. Sam is also a quilter, and believes that her work with color and design have contributed to her photographic eye. Though most of her work has been with a 35 mm SLR, she also has shot with medium format and really enjoys using a plastic toy camera.

See their work at www.robbinsx2.com

Lodging

We will stay at a highly rated hotel or bed and breakfast inn in Oaxaca City and at locally owned and operated B&Bs in the Zapotec weaving village of Teotitlan del Valle. To keep this program affordable, we have selected clean and basic accommodations in family inns and guest houses. Meals are delicious, all homemade from locally sourced, mostly organic food, and can be adapted to special dietary needs.

Costs

Session I: $1,495 per person double occupancy, shared bath. Single supplement with private bath is an additional $300.

Session II: $1,095 per person double occupancy, shared bath. Single supplement with private bath is an additional $300.

Discounts: Take both sessions and take 15% off your registration fee.

Arrive Early or Stay Later.

Additional nights in Teotitlan del Valle either before or after each session is $55 per night.
Additional nights in Oaxaca City either before or after each session is $125 per night. Both options include breakfast.
Let us know if you would like us to arrange this for you and we will include it in your invoice.

Most travel workshops of this type and length cost more than twice as much! The trip does NOT include airfare, taxes, gratuities, travel insurance, liquor or alcoholic beverages, some meals, and local transportation to and from Oaxaca city, except when it is part of the itinerary.

We reserve the right to make substitutions and alter the program as needed.

Registration Process and Making a Deposit to Register.

50% deposit is due to register you for the program. Tell us you are ready by email and we will send you a PayPal invoice. Please complete the registration form (click on Register Today at the top of our web site) and email it to us. We only accept Payment with PayPal. Please see our cancellation policy in the “Register Today” section of the home page. We strongly recommend that you take out trip cancellation, baggage, emergency evacuation and medical insurance before you begin your trip, since unforeseen circumstances are possible.

To get your questions answered and to register, contact: normahawthorne@mac.com Thank you.

This program is produced by Norma Hawthorne, Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC.