iHola!
I’ve been in Mexico now for 5 months! I’m coming back to the U.S. for David’s graduation from Notre Dame this weekend. He will be receiving his Master´s in Education and, thankfully, has a job lined up for the fall! After some family time, I will fly back to Mexico to complete my Peace Corps service on August 22nd.
I miss everyone back in the States and hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July holiday!
I didn’t get the day off, but I threw a party on the 5th! I have a nice group of friends from my dance class and a few friends from work. There are also a couple of other Peace Corps volunteers in the area. 😊
Aside from throwing parties and taking Latin dance lessons, I’ve been working hard at developing new branding for a specialty salt produced by a local cooperative.
The salt producers use an ancient production technique that relies upon the sun and wind to produce salt that is low in sodium and high in minerals. I think we are finally getting close to deciding on a new logo, slogan, and package.
Over the past few months, I gave a couple of workshops to help the coop develop business skills, including how to register a trademark, how to keep financial records, and how to exhibit at trade shows. My final project is to draft a marketing plan for the new brand of salt.
This is Zapotitlán Salinas, the salt flats, where the salt producers work.
My favorite place in Zapotitlán is the Botanical Garden, where there are more than 80 species of cacti.
Another highlight in Zapotitlán Salinas is Cuthá, an archaeological site with an ancient burial cave at the top of the mountain. It’s a scenic hike with a spectacular view of the town of Zapotitlán Salinas from the peak. I will warn you that hiking among cactus is different from trekking in the forest. I spent hours when I returned from a recent hike pulling tiny cactus spikes from my fingers. ☹
The two other places I want to mention that are worth visiting are Mexico City and Oaxaca.
We are in front of the Bellas Artes Museum. The city is lively at night, with people in the parks and restaurants, and a constant hum of traffic.
The Museo National de Antropología in Parque Chapultepec is a must see. You can spend hours there!
In Mexico City, we went to a great restaurant called Cafe de Tacuba. It was open late and always had a line, but the food was worth the wait.
This is one of the many beautiful churches in Oaxaca. There is great shopping for clothes, pottery, rugs, and jewelry. You can also find fantastic restaurants, museums, and music in the town square everyday.
That’s all for now. I hope you feel more open or at least more curious about visiting Mexico. See you in a couple of months!
Love,
Allison
Allison In Mexico! 
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