After years of contemplating applying for the Eleanor Venture Travel grant, I finally submitted my application. To my great surprise, the committee surprised me during my mariachi class by announcing that I was one of the winners this year! This transformative trip to Mexico City would never have been possible without the generous support of the Eleanor Venture Travel Grant. The primary objectives of this journey were: to immerse myself in the Spanish language, to delve deeper into Mexican culture, and to expand my understanding of Mariachi as a music educator. My grant proposal can be found HERE for anybody interested.
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July 2, 2024 – Day 1
My trip began with an uneventful arrival in Mexico City, followed by a relatively smooth Uber ride to my apartment in the Roma Norte neighborhood, where I would be staying for the next week. A bonus was that my arrival coincided with the historic presidential election in Mexico, where they elected their first woman president. This added a buzz to the energy in the neighborhood.
July 3, 2024 – Day 2
The next morning, I woke up early and walked several miles to the cafe where my “Walk Spanish” classes were held. Having taken pre-tests before the trip, I was placed in the intermediate group with an American college student, a Brazilian couple, and an Italian student. We spent the morning engaging in conversational Spanish practice, quickly immersing ourselves in the Spanish language. Later, we walked as a class to a park, where we discussed the educational system in Mexico and the differences between public and private schools. Following class, I returned to my apartment for lunch before heading to the famous mariachi hub, Plaza Garibaldi. I attempted to visit the city’s Mariachi school, only to find it closed. Despite this, I enjoyed observing the famous plaza. I then walked to the incredible Palacio de Bellas Artes before returning home for the evening.
July 4, 2024 – Day 3
On my third day, I again woke up early and walked for about an hour to meet my class in the famous Bosque de Chapultepec, one of the largest parks in Mexico and home to the only castle in the Americas that ever housed royalty. We spent the morning practicing Spanish and reviewing grammar before venturing into the park to discuss the agricultural aspects of Mexico, including its diverse climate zones and agricultural exports. After class, I enjoyed a snack at a local cafe before visiting the Museo Nacional de Antropología. This museum, the largest and most visited in Mexico, houses a vast collection of pre-Columbian artifacts. I enjoyed learning about early Mexican history, particularly the fascinating history of the Aztecs.
July 5, 2024 – Day 4
Another early morning arrived, and my class met at yet another location. I was truly enjoying the morning hours in the city. With my class, we spent the morning working on conversational skills before walking to a museum dedicated to political art. We spent several hours discussing modern Mexican history and the various political movements. There was a particular sectional I enjoyed focused on the role of music in voicing dissent against political regimes. After class, I again went to Plaza Garibaldi to visit the mariachi school and again found it closed. A bit disappointed by both the school’s closure and the quiet mariachi scene in the plaza, I decided to come back another night to see a more lively plaza. After a quick change of plans, I met with a Walk Spanish classmate and visited the National Art Museum. Several big days had caught up to me, and feeling a bit tired, I returned to Roma Norte and spent the rest of the night taking it easy.
July 6, 2024 – Day 5
On day 5, our class met at the Biblioteca Vasconcelos, a truly spectacular library with hanging stacks of books that are pretty difficult to describe without pictures. We spent the morning continuing our Spanish skills, engaging in grammar exercises and conversations. We also had the opportunity to tour the library, which was an amazing experience. Later that day, my wife, also a mariachi educator in St. Vrain Valley Schools, arrived in Mexico City to spend the last few days with me. We met at Zocalo, the historic city center, home to the Palacio Nacional, the Aztec Templo Mayor, and the Metropolitan Cathedral. We spent the afternoon wandering the streets, enjoying the myriad of street performers. I was particularly enthralled by the organ grinders, a unique performance art that is fading in popularity. We lingered in the plaza throughout the evening, immersing ourselves in the vibrant street culture of this historic square.
July 7, 2024 – Day 6
Day 6 marked the end of my language classes. Saying goodbye to my classmates was bittersweet, as we had formed a strong bond throughout the week. We concluded our studies with a visit to an outdoor market, where we discussed the unique culture of street vendors and markets in Mexico City. Although my Spanish classes had ended, the afternoon and evening were filled with activity. We returned to Chapultepec Park, where we explored the historic castle, originally built for the Viceroy of Spain. We then visited the National Zoo, a highlight of which was the fascinating axolotl exhibit. After a quick dinner, we attended a performance by the National Symphony of Mexico at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. It was an exciting concert program of Mexican and Latin American composers. Finally, we returned to the bustling nightlife of Plaza Garibaldi, where we watched the various Mariachi ensembles entertaining groups of tourists. The plaza was a dramatic change of pace from the daytime visits I had earlier in the trip. There were many groups of musicians and people milling about everywhere paying the different groups to perform songs for them. It was quite exciting and a highlight of the trip.
July 8, 2024 – Day 7
On our final full day in Mexico City, the absence of language classes felt unusual. However, it was still a busy day I had been looking forward to. We returned to the Zocalo to meet with Roy, who had previously played a crucial role in assisting Skyline’s purchase of traditional Mariachi uniforms, the “traje de charro”, several years previously. He guided us to the workshop where our uniforms were crafted, and the store owners were delighted to see photos of my students wearing their trajes at performances here in Colorado. I was also able to ask them where mariachis purchased their instruments and learned they typically purchased their instruments from regions outside the city, such as Guadalajara and Jalisco. Although this visit consumed much of the day, we still managed a “quick” trip to the renowned Coyoacan neighborhood, where we enjoyed browsing the numerous street vendors. We concluded the day with a nice dinner in Roma Norte and began packing our belongings for the journey home.
Our departure day was uneventful. We arrived at the airport early and boarded our flight back to the United States. This trip was an incredible experience, inspiring me to bring a deeper level of cultural understanding and authenticity to my Mariachi teaching. I have already brought these skills into use by creating the first-ever St. Vrain Valley Schools high school honor mariachi ensemble this last semester and have ordered more trajes from a Mexico City vendor that I met while there. I am confident that the knowledge and insights gained in Mexico City will enrich the learning experiences of my St. Vrain Valley Schools students. I extend my sincere gratitude to the St. Vrain Valley Schools Education Foundation and the Eleanor Venture Travel Grant for making this opportunity for me possible.