July 13th--Sumidero Canyon and Tuxtla-Gutierrez

The beginning of our 3rd week. . . .
Our last morning in San Cristobal. Checking e-mail at 7 -– a daily activity for most of us. We have to get to a computer when we can. At 7, Galina and I were the only ones. We had a morning walk up the many, many stairs to the Iglesias de San Cristobal- where morning mass was in progress. At 7:30 we heard bells from all across the city, along with roosters crowing and the ever- present dog population barking good morning. It was a beautiful beginning to the day and a beautiful view of the city, the surrounds, and the mountains.

The courtyard garden of our hotel was hard to leave. After 4 days, it had become a comfortable meeting place before a morning walk or to end the day and share our adventures and finds. We all accomplished the difficult task of organizing our luggage and taking just 1 carry-on for the next two days. All the rest of our luggage goes with Benito on the bus while we go to Tuxtla, Gutierrez and then fly to Mexico, City.

It was yet another perfect Fulbri ght day. Perfect weather for our drive to Chiapa de Corzo and an hour-long 37 kilometer boat ride to the Eco Park in Sumidero Canyon on the Grijalva River, the largest waterway in Mexico. At its deepest point is one kilometer from the top of the canyon to the bottom of the river. Waterfalls, egrets, terrific rock formations and 2 kilometers of a floating garbage dump for plastic bottles. These bottles have been a topic of conversation the past 2 weeks. They are everywhere. There doesn’t seem to be the infrastructure here to get rid of them. The Grijalva traps all the bottles that are washed further north into the river when it rains—and there have been big rains. So, there’s a big mess for those two kilometers.

We detoured the park biologist’s introduction to the park by asking so many questions about the river not being cleaned up. He explained that the park has a mission to educate students about their Chiapanecan heritage identity through environmental education. Their job as they see it is to teach children not to litter as opposed to teaching them to clean things up. In Jorge’s words “cierra el piano y no toques ese vals.” Close the piano and don’t play that waltz again. In other words, let's shut the door on that topic.

The park has been open for 5 years. The land was farm land but 20,000 trees/plants were put in to create a beautiful setting for swimming, kayaking, rapelling and zip lining through the forest—the real draws for tourists.

After our animated discussion with the park biologist, 15 of us flew down the mountain on the zip line. It was exhilarating (and certainly not what we had expected of our Mexico Fulbright experience when we applied.) It was great fun. With perfect Fulbright timing, we arrived at the restaurant just as our buffet lunch was being laid out. The rain started as we began eating and was over by our coffee and dessert. Just in time for kayaking and sitting by the pool. Our afternoon discussion poolside was the beginning of a really reflective group discussion of what we have each been struck by the most in the past 2 weeks here in Mexico. We are a well balanced group –of age, teaching experience, location, grade levels and curriculum areas. We are really missing only a science/math person. I am hopeful this will be only the first of many such group give and takes about our projects, insights and perceptions.

We ended the day with a swim at the hotel in Tuxtla-Gutierrez and then 2 dinner options. An easy but festive group dinner at the restaurant or a more labor intensive trip to the supermarket and a picnic by the pool. Tomorrow we are off to Mexico City!
Each day so far has been a new best day for me. All interesting, all different. Each Fulbright day is, in its own way, perfect.

Shauna
Illinois