We spent most of last week in the rural indigenous village of Amatlán, where we were graciously hosted by local families and had the invaluable experience of listening to and engaging with various speakers on migration and globalization. We heard migrant workers to the U.S. share their difficult stories, a local woman discuss her 70 years of experience with growing corn (a lifestyle threatened gravely by imported genetically modified corn), and an anthropologist's study of the many cultural challenges for migrant workers in Canada. It was a week full of powerful stories and difficult revelations that certainly made a deep impression on our students.
But it wasn't all so strenuous and serious. Students raved about their homestay families and enjoyed hours of learning their stories, playing with their host brothers and sisters, practicing Spanish, and eating what is surely some of the best food on the planet. Everyone agrees that the tortillas there - each made by hand, one by one, from organic corn grown from centuries-old family heirloom seeds - are simply incomparable. Their flour-based cousins, found in plastic bags in grocery stores, will be ruined forever.
We bade goodbye on Thursday, though no one was quite ready for the week to end. This week, it's back to classes. The time flies here, and there's none to lose.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
CGE-Mexico would like to congratulate our frequent guest speaker Dr. Susan Smith, Director of Atzin
Desarrollo Comunitario in Mexico because the Canadian Nurse Journal recently published
a super article about Susan and Atzin. Anyone interested in international
health can read the article here http://bit.ly/susan_smith_atzin
Have you visited Atzin and/or Tlamacazapa? If so, please post your comments regarding what impacted you most about your visit. Also, please share the article with others. Thanks! Ann
Welcome readers, old and new! For the next semester, we'll be updating this blog with the thoughts and experiences of our fantastic group of students and faculty in the Migration and Globalization: Engaging Our Communities program here in Cuernavaca. After arriving in January, the students have spent their first few weeks getting acquainted with their beautiful, welcoming new city, diving into their Spanish classes, and laying a foundation for learning about globalization. It's been a full schedule; in less than three weeks, students have toured the UNESCO World Heritage site of Xochicalco, spent a night at the gorgeous Ex-Hacienda Santa Cruz, and visited Tlamacazapa, a rural Mexican village confronting myriad difficulties with an inspiring array of health and education programs.
We'll continue to engage our new communities over the next months. On Sunday, we'll be starting a four-night stay in the rural town of Amatlán, where we'll learn about indigenous worldviews, the experiences of migrant workers, and the effects of globalization for rural Mexicans.
And this is just the beginning of what is sure to be a semester full of challenging experiences, deep inquiry, and profound intellectual and emotional growth. Please follow us as we venture forth.
CGE has several upcoming travel seminars in Mexico.We’re also gearing up for sending off summer study abroad students to Mexico in a few months.We thought some of you traveling with CGE might be looking for travel tips.CGE-Minneapolis is here to help.While we may not have the in-country expertise of our colleagues in Cuernavaca, we are the folks that often have to travel to and from CGE locations around the world.Sometimes frequently!So we thought we’d put together a list of our top travel tips.We hope they help you as you plan to study abroad or travel abroad in Mexico.
From Olee Amata, Program Assistant, International Travel Seminar:
“I always carrying toilet paper with me. Travel-size tissue paper works great! I also like to bring wet wipes, and hand sanitizer too. When traveling, you don't want to be caught without TP!!! Toilet paper is not always readily available like it is in the U.S. and if it is, sometimes you have to pay for it!”
“When traveling internationally, always make sure that your passport does not expire for at least a year out. If your passport will be expiring soon, or the same year you are traveling, I would suggest applying for a new one. Most people don't know that some countries require you to have your passport valid for a least six months before the date you will be departing from their country.”
From Fatimah Panemalaythong, Administrative Assistant:
“It's always handy to have a few of plastic bays around for certain items such as toiletries or dirty clothes.”
“Don't draw attention to yourself, avoid wearing flashy jewelry and don't display large amounts of cash. Carry only enough cash and leave the rest in a safe.”
From David Hamilton, Director of International Travel Seminars:
“Travelers often don't realize they have a different standard of tolerance until they are in another country. For instance, if we told students that they will have to bathe with a bucket in a rural homestay, they might complain about it. However, nobody ever complains about doing these things after the trip. After students get in another environment and get welcomed by a family who is often giving up their bed for the students, they can easily adapt to it.”
From Regina McGoff, Director of the Center for Global Education:
“Zip up everything once you're done using it so you don't take unexpected guests home!”
“Eye masks and earplugs are your friends for sleeping better in loud areas, shared rooms, etc. (as well as a little Tylenol PM!!”
From Emerald Tribuno, Program Associate for International Travel Seminars:
Carabiners. I always bring at least 2 and they come in handy so often. I use them to:
1) air dry clothing if you don't have any hangers
2) clip my purse to a loop on my pants in busy areas filled with people when I am worried about theft (use a locking clip for this one)
3) hook my carry on and rolling suit case together or shopping bags
4) keep hair binders in one place
5) hang a hammock
6) clip muddy shoes, a hat or water bottle to my backpack
7) emergency zipper if yours breaks on your luggage, zipper pulls, additional layer of security to detour theft (hooking 2 zippers together like on a backpack)
However, note that if you pack them in your carry on and go through Munich security they will search your bag looking for your brass knuckles.”
“I always bring a couple of packets of dry-mix gatorade with me to countries where I anticipate intestinal distress. After one trip to Mexico where I was too sick to leave my room and go in search of something with electrolytes, I've carried them with ever since.”
From Jesse Haas, Coordinator of Recruitment and Promotions:
Skip the souvenirs. As people go through life, souvenirs can’t always come with– especially if you’re young and have many life transitions ahead of you.When you’re packing up a tiny Toyota to move across the country for a new job, you will more than likely choose your pots and pans (or your dog, in my case) over boxes of items purchased while abroad.Souvenirs often get donated or left behind.Instead of souvenirs, keep a journal.They take up less space and nothing is more valuable than your thoughts and reflections from your time abroad.If you want to support the local community, purchase a few gifts from artisans to give to others upon returning home.
Just wanted our readers to know we're offering an exciting seminar in Mexico in summer 2012 that will focus on the elections. Below is a bit of info, but visit our website for a full brochure, application information, and other details. http://www.augsburg.edu/global/shorttermseminars/opportunities.html
2012 Elections: Democracy and the Fight for Social Justice
June 25-July 3, 2012
A firsthand experience of the presidential elections will be a fascinating experience, especially after Mexico celebrated its bicentennial as an independent country and is still looking for social justice. This travel seminar will examine different perspectives on the upcoming elections and its possible outcome as well as the key issues the new government will face within the current context of neoliberalism and globalization. This program will also explore current economic and social conditions, key issues in Mexico, and cultural treasures.
This time of the year comes every semester; finals week. As usual, students typically find the same emotions rising- stress, anxiety, anticipation. And, I am sure it is no different with staff.
Being abroad during finals week adds to the high emotions and energy being passed around the CGE house. In lab group this week held by Lisa and Miguel, our group was able to go around and express our exact current emotions. It seemed as if everyone was doing well, but felt as if the amount of work we needed to complete was unbearable but possible. Thatʼs because not only have we learned so much while studying and living here in Mexico for the semester but at this point, we are all very excited to go home to the States and be reunited with our family and friends.
For some of us that also means saying goodbye to our second home- Cuernavca, Mexico. All of us have made connections and amazing friendships with individuals who we have come into contact with because we made the decision to study abroad about four months ago (more or less) prior to the actual flight to Mexico.
Knowing that we may, or may not have the chance to see these people again in the future makes leaving
difficult. But knowing that we have built life long relationships is something that none of us would trade about our study abroad trip.
The staff at CGE: Mexico is unbelievably amazing- they give great advice and are open to new ideas and change. We truly have built a strong relationship with the staff at CGE that allows us to think of them as part of a little family we have in Cuernavaca. Within the students of our group, all of us have grown to love each-other in a way that you wouldnʼt understand unless you were abroad with us. We all share a special love and
connection with one another.
With this being said, if you are thinking about going abroad but have not taken the next step to apply to a program, CGE is a great program to look into. The amount of support and growth you will gain from their program is something you will cherish for a lifetime!
I have currently
just finished up an International Accounting internship in Cuernavaca, Morelos,
Mexico. In this internship I was in the accounting department for a state
funded school, UPEMORE. My main responsibilities were auditing, review of major
financial statements and budgets (formulating and analyzing). The entire
internship was in Spanish. It served as an intro to all business terms and
financial statements; in order to prepare me for managerial and financial
analyzing.
My second and current
internship is with Instituto Mexicana Teconologica del Agua (IMTA). The
governmental branch oversees the stability of water supply for all of Mexico. I
work with the Economics Department to identify, evaluate, and define projects
of investment relationships with the use of ground water and water resources. I
specifically analyze the cost benefit of projects (all expenses and all
revenues) dealing with the: construction of dams, cleaning of rivers, universal
supply of drinking water, sewage and sanitation and establishing of settlements
that are free from flooding. I assist in the formulation of reports that
are to be submitted to the Mexican
government and United Nations- Food and Agriculture Organization. This United
Nations branch is responsible for supporting projects worldwide of health,
education, women’s rights and promotes the conservation and sustainable use of
the diversity of plants on which food and agriculture depend.
My main role is
an analyst. I have already analyzed two past projects of investment. I am now
working on an actual proposal that was sent to the Mexican government’s
director’s office on December 5th. It is crunch time at work; every
one only has one week left to finish a project that they did not have enough
time. Everyone has put in their fair share of overtime, most working until 8 at
night. I love the environment! They really appreciate the help of an extra
analyst at this time, I’m just happy to help.
