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Oaxaca, Mexicostudy abroad program, Spring 2012
as seen through the lens and pen of Sara Marquardt
flig
ht t
o Oa
xaca
: Ja
nuar
y 16
, 20
12
Before I left Minneapolis to fly to Oaxaca, I didn’t know what to expect. All I really knew for sure was that Oaxaca was going to be different from anywhere I had ever lived before. I was excited about that, but uncertain what “different” would look like.
I did my best to keep an open mind and minimize what my expectations were. There were so many unknowns, and I tried to remain at peace about that. I packed fairly light: all of my clothes and architecture supplies fit in one Osprey Backpack and a large purse as a carry-on. Early on I learned that I had forgotten to buy and bring some essential architecture supplies that were not readily available in Oaxaca. This made me panic during the first week of the program. But by the time I really needed those tools, my studio had developed a communal mentality, sharing what we had brought with one another. The frustrating part about the communal sharing of tools was that occasionally you did lose a ruler, pencil, or something of the like. The wonderful thing was that you were not out of luck if you had forgotten to bring something.
the
Zoca
lo,
Oaxa
ca Sara and Sam
Lauren and Travis
the
Zoca
lo,
Oaxa
ca
“The
Poi
nt”
(L -> R) Joe, Travis, Katie, Tom, Poom, Sara, Holly, Collin, Lauren, & Sam
Sant
o Do
ming
o
mass on Palm Sunday
Inst
itut
o de
Cul
tural
[our
sch
ool]
Sara and Sam inside a leaf
The studio culture our group formed was a very special part of the experience. There were seventeen of us, and we became family. We worked collaboratively, using each other as resources at all hours of the day/night. And in the moments when I needed support, I was overwhelmed by the love my friends showed me. Our professor, Lance Lavine, did the same. Professor Lavine not only invested in our development as stu-dents but also took the time to get to know us as people.
Inst
itut
o de
Cul
tural
[our
sch
ool]
Collin being pulled by Travis on a fallen branch
“Taking a siesta” was a new concept for me. In the heat of the day, typically between 2 and 4, the whole city shuts down. Shop owners go for lunch, workers roam the parks, and adolescent teenagers take that time to publically display their affections. t was a really beautiful thing to be a part of a culture that takes a moment to breath and moves a little slower all together.
(top left) Spanish class, final day
Don’t make functional: that will kill you. -Lance
stud
io l
ife
Floor, Wall, & Roof final project
This was supposed to be fun!Joe, speaking grudgingly about modeling
stud
io l
ife
final drawings for Soledad proposal
This is the second time I’ve measured a bathroom on this trip.Tori
final project groupCody (left), Sara, and Tyler (right)
Juan
ito,
RIP
our
stud
io p
et f
or three days
(Top R) Katie(Mid R) Sara(Top L) Sam
(Bottom) Juanito
Home
Lif
eLa
Cas
a de
la
Tia,
Calle de 5 de Mayo
(L->R) Sam, Holly, Alyssa, Lauren, Sara
We can’t control everything, but we can control ourselves.Sara, speaking of being late to class as a collective whole
Birt
hday
Cel
ebra
tions
(above) Sara, Lauren, Poom, Alyssa, Katie, Sam, Allison, & Holly Cody, Katie, Matt, and Tom
“I’m developing an opinion as we speak. It’s kind of exciting actually.” -Vincent, guest critic from VJAA
Stre
et L
evel
Oaxaca is a place that will forever remain close to my heart. The city is rich with color and warmth—both in a literal sense and inter-personally. In the historical center of the city, where we lived, the building style is uniformly traditional: stucco façade over stone and brick construc-tion, rarely more than two stories tall. To me, the best part of these stucco buildings was the vibrant colors that building owners chose to paint their exterior. No building was ever simply white and no two buildings were painted exactly the same. Each building was nestled into its neighbor and came right up to the sidewalk. We had to laugh because some of the sidewalks were so narrow that it felt as if the building was spilling over onto the street.
Stre
et L
evel
The
Alca
la
The people of Oaxaca took every opportunity to celebrate. If there was no reason to have a parade one week, it seemed that they made up a reason to do so. I saw one parade for “National Water Day,” another for a political cause, and a huge processional for Good Friday, to name just a few.
When there is a wedding, the family hires a band and people to spin around with double-life-size puppets for the groom and bride. The family all gathers outside the church and in the street passing around bottles of mescal.
I loved the Mexican normalcy of celebrating.
Centro Academico y Cultural San Pablo
Sole
dad
Plaz
a
Mark
ets
I have a hang over from Architecture.Andy
El O
livo
“bee
r ba
r”
Andy and Sam
Fina
l Me
al a
t ou
r lunch place,
Mari
a Bo
nita
Fernando, owner of Maria Bonita
Holly, Sam, Tyler, Collin, Travis, Lauren, Tom, Cody, Allison, Tori, Katie, AndyJoe, Alyssa, Matt
Sara
Granen Perua
“Daniel, is this a courtyard?” Matt“For me, yes. For Lance, no. Renata, she doesn’t care.” Daniel
Puer
to E
scon
dito
, Oaxaca, MX
Puer
to E
scon
dito
, Oaxaca, MX
(Top R) Sam
Holly and Joe
Puer
to E
scon
dito
, Oaxaca, MX
Tule
Tre
e
San
Jero
nimo
Tla
cochahuaya, Oaxaca
Joe sketching
(L) Sara sketching(R) Sam sketching
arte
sian
s
Mitl
a
Lauren and Katie
Maya
n Si
te
Yagu
l Katie, Joe, Sam, and Tyler
Poom
Mont
e Al
ban
Neal and SaraSam, Poom, Holly, Joe, Katie, Matt, Travis, Tyler, Collin, Alyssa, Sara
Pape
r Fa
ctor
y mu
seum in san Agustin Etla
Sant
iago
Apo
ala
Andy, Matt, Tyler, Katie, Tom, Alyssa, Tori, Collin, Sam, Holly, Lauren, Allison, Cody, Travis, Sara
Anth
ropo
logy
Mus
eum
Cale
kmul
Cale
kmul
four million bats coming out of a cave at dusk
Beca
n
Pale
nque
Pale
nque
(above) Sara(below) Collin
San
Cris
toba
l
Sumi
dero
Can
yon
crocodiles on the riverbank
Mexi
co C
ity
Site
Seeing
Zocalo
cathedral at the Zocalo
Mexi
co C
ity
Site
Seeing
cathedral
Diego Riviera murels at the National Palace
Mexi
co C
ity
Site
Seeing
Post Office
Art Museum
Mexi
co C
ity
Site
Seeing
Revolution Monument
Katie, Holly, Sara
TylerDaniel
Mexi
co C
ity
Site
Seeing
UNAM campus
Mexi
co C
ity
Site
Seeing
Olympic Stadium
Contemporary Art Museum
Flig
ht t
o Mi
nnea
polis:
May
8, 2
012
Sara, you have the potential to be a good architect. You’re sensitive, you’re smart.
I’m trying to save you from the intellectuals.-Lance