SchoolsEstela RomeroNovember 16, 2021

Moving higher up north!

SchoolsEstela RomeroNovember 16, 2021

THE VISIT

“Guadalupe Victoria” Elementary

“El Rosario” Village

“El Rosario” Sanctuary

Coordinates: 19.5709774 -100.2760235

COVID Sanitary Measures in our Schools

We now drive uphill 50-60 kilometers north to reach the two other monarch sanctuaries, about 1,000 meters higher in elevation than the beautiful “Cerro Pelón” Sanctuary which we visited at the opening of the Symbolic Migration season.

How COVID affected our life here at Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve shall be now shared with you, dear friends.

For whatever reason, infections with the virus have, up to now, not been drastic in our region.

There was a foreign tourist that came to visit the monarchs last season, who commented on our geographical location:

“Science shall soon determine, but it could be that the altitude at which you live (over 10 thousand feet), your environmental conditions in general, but I would dare say, the intensity of the ultra-violet sun rays, that shall hopefully avoid Coronavirus survival here.”

We do believe that something in our environmental conditions has kept rather low levels of the illness for us.

“The COVID cases our local families experienced were few and mostly affecting our oldest seniors who suffered from chronic diseases. Younger people in their 40’s-50’s suffered fatal consequences when health conditions pointed to complications beforehand.”

*How did we cope with COVID cases in our families?

Believe it or not, many of us locals can tell of friends and families who fought COVID symptoms with our miraculous local natural remedies of herbs and roots from our own forests!. Our ancestral natural medicine knowledge continues to be as live and as effective as ever.

In towns, at our local markets, we can find herbs stores, whose owners are local people from our own villages. They have, for generations, the ancestral knowledge of our natural medicine collected from our own forests.

Our ancestral indigenous languages and practices are still really alive among us and we continue to be the proud heirs of it!

Now, back to nearly normal life and school activities, rather basic sanitary restrictions are closely observed.

with hand sanitizer, masks, temperature checks, and person-to-person distancing, most daily activities are allowed since our official return to school in September.

“Our moms and teachers keep in permanent contact to coordinate a perfect hygienic surrounding for children, both at home and at our school facilities.”

…older students explained.

“We are so happy that no case of a local student, up to now, has demanded confinement since we started classes in September. Our Education Coordinators keep us updated every week when we submit our sanitary reports!”

“Thank you for being back again with your Ambassador Monarchs. More than ever, we need to turn back to nature for our future generations, as your lessons encourage us every season!”

…teachers expressed excitedly.

Our visit ended with the sharing of real facts on the conditions in our natural Reserve and the many ways to urge conservation for monarchs and their unique overwintering ecosystem.