Now in their ninth year, the Traveler's Mind Workshops are designed to capture the traveler's special state of alertness and curiosity and use it to heighten the learning experience. In October 2008 we offer ten days of creative writing in Papantla, Veracruz, famous for its vanilla plantations and the pre-Hispanic city of El Tajín. By traveling beyond the familiar surroundings of home, students can devote their undivided energy to the tasks of cultivating the habit of close observation and a disciplined writing life.