After a solid breakfast of fresh fruit and pancakes, we headed out on a 40 minute bus ride to the archeological site of Tzintzuntzan. We arrived on an auspicious day: the first day of spring after the equinox. The site was filled with visitors from Mexico who had traveled to the pyramids for this day, with children and grandparents, dressed all in white to absorb the energy of the equinox at this sacred site. These pyramids were built by the Torascans (the only indigenous people in Mexico never to be conquered by the Aztecs). Our travelers were introduced to
petroglyphs (carved drawings in the stones), with Isis, Samara and Morgan G. literally running from petroglyph to petroglyph, collecting photographs of them. All of the travelers were animated and exuberant, learning about the construction and history of the site. We walked down the hill, through a cobbled plaza, to a church and its grounds, where olive trees are still standing that were planted by the Spaniards in the 1500s. Peter, the director of El Molino, acted as our guide, bringing us into two different churches. In the second church, many students were astounded that the statue of Jesus was black. Outside the church, we saw how stones with petroglyphs taken
from the pyramids were used in the building of the church.
After a picnic lunch, we went shopping, in Spanish. Christian and Nic bought wooden flutes and were playing them in the market place. Karina bought a souvenir that reminded her of a childhood memory of traveling to Mexico.
We returned to camp to meet the other campers, and played a big game of soccer all together, with Bella, Samara and Pedraam having so much fun that on morning activity today, they chose to play games with the littler ones again.
Last night, after dinner, our travelers chose their classes. Nate, at the end of choosing classes, brought out his reference sheet from PDS, and in confident Spanish, asked to have himself and Deryk added to a class. Today the travelers 
have headed off into town for their first classes. Each one is nine students (Californian and Mexican) and a counselor, with a local teacher, often hosted in the teachers' homes.
have headed off into town for their first classes. Each one is nine students (Californian and Mexican) and a counselor, with a local teacher, often hosted in the teachers' homes. 
