CGE: Mexico

2012 Elections Seminar in Mexico

2012-01-20T08:55:00.000-08:00

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.

Packing Up

2011-12-06T08:36:00.001-08:00

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!

By Makela Roberts

My Internship in Cuernavaca

2011-12-06T08:30:00.001-08:00

I have currentlyjust finished up an International Accounting internship in Cuernavaca, Morelos,Mexico. In this internship I was in the accounting department for a statefunded school, UPEMORE. My main responsibilities were auditing, review of majorfinancial statements and budgets (formulating and analyzing). The entireinternship was in Spanish. It served as an intro to all business terms andfinancial statements; in order to prepare me for managerial and financialanalyzing.

My second and currentinternship is with Instituto Mexicana Teconologica del Agua (IMTA). Thegovernmental branch oversees the stability of water supply for all of Mexico. Iwork with the Economics Department to identify, evaluate, and define projectsof investment relationships with the use of ground water and water resources. Ispecifically analyze the cost benefit of projects (all expenses and allrevenues) dealing with the: construction of dams, cleaning of rivers, universalsupply of drinking water, sewage and sanitation and establishing of settlementsthat are free from flooding. I assist in the formulation of reports thatare to be submitted to the Mexicangovernment and United Nations- Food and Agriculture Organization. This UnitedNations branch is responsible for supporting projects worldwide of health,education, women’s rights and promotes the conservation and sustainable use ofthe diversity of plants on which food and agriculture depend.

My main role isan analyst. I have already analyzed two past projects of investment. I am nowworking on an actual proposal that was sent to the Mexican government’sdirector’s office on December 5^th. It is crunch time at work; everyone only has one week left to finish a project that they did not have enoughtime. Everyone has put in their fair share of overtime, most working until 8 atnight. I love the environment! They really appreciate the help of an extraanalyst at this time, I’m just happy to help.

By Michael Orange

The Final Weeks

2011-12-01T13:15:00.001-08:00

What anexciting week it has been for everyone here in CGE Mexico!

LastThursday, all of the students (with some exceptions) returned to Casa CEMAL tospend the last two weeks of the program together. Although it was a bit difficult and sad tosay goodbye to our host families of 4 weeks, we are all very excited to startthe last chapter of our time in Mexico together as a group.

On Friday,the students in the Religion and Women Studies’ programs took a day trip toMexico City to meet with some very interesting people. To start the day, we met with a panel of fourpeople to discuss religion and sexuality. Speakers Rodolfo, Judith, Emilio, and Eva all met with us to share theirjourneys and own personal stories through religion and sexual identity, and howthey came to be where they are today. Judith is actually part of the first lesbian couple to be married inMexico City. Rodolfo is the pastor and founder of a successful reconciliationchurch. Eva and Emilio shared amazing stories of their struggles in coming toterms with their sexual identities while being raised in Jewish families. They were a group of very amazing and inspirationalindividuals!

After abreak for lunch and an hour or so to wander around the amazing campus of UNAM(Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) we headed back to meet with Natalia Anaya. Natalia is a bisexual, transgendered, and HIVpositive woman with a remarkable story to tell. She shared with us her life’s accomplishments, struggles, and inspiringstories and even told us that she considers the moment she found out about herHIV to be “the best thing that’s ever happened to her.” We were very lucky to have the opportunity tomeet and talk with her!

On Saturday, most of thegroup, along with the Gettysburg students, took a trip to Las Grutas deCacahuamilpa. Las Grutas are said to bepossibly the largest discovered caves in the world! The caves were very beautiful and it was agreat way to spend one of our last Saturdays here in Mexico.

All of the students inCEMAL have begun preparing for our final exams and projects of thesemester. Today also marks the 10 daymark on the countdown till our departure back to the United States, we are allexpecting these last few days to be crazy and busy. Wish us luck!

By Marie Stousland

YouTube Stars

2011-11-30T10:38:00.001-08:00

Check out our new YouTube videos!

The current CGE: Mexico students talk about their favorite parts about the program, why they love Mexico and what their favorite Spanish word is!

For more videos, look at our CGE Study abroad YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/CGEstudyabroad

We love our homestays!

2011-11-23T13:28:00.001-08:00

Homestays are officially in fullswing and we are in our third week. So far they have been going great andeveryone is enjoying their families. It is sad that we have one week left withour families, because we have all become very close to our families in thisshort amount of time. They have taught us so much about the family life inMexico and the culture of Mexico. Our Spanish is also improving as wecontinually speak it with our host families.

I am sad to let everyone knowthat as we continue our homestays in Mexico one of us won’t be able to finishher time here. We received some very sad news last week that Judith Aleman Banegas,the mother of Alom, one of the students here, passed away. We send our sympathyto Alom in this hard time, and we know that she and her family will be strongand will get through this very rough time! We were all sad to see Alom leave usand it will be very hard to finish the program without her. Please pray for herand her family at this time. Prayers are much appreciated.

Throughour sadness of seeing Alom go, some of us did yoga with a local Yoga instructorin Casa CEMAL. We learned that yoga is a Physical, Mental and Spiritual Union.Our instructor told us that many people get lost and depressed but with yogapeople can get to know themselves and can do a lot with that. Although thereare many types of yoga, we did the type of yoga that is based from the religionAnandamarga. In the Anandamarga religion the official greeting is known asNamaskar which means, “I study the divinity within you with the purity of mymind and the love of my heart. “ We started the session with learning about thereligion itself, and then we had our own yoga session and meditation.

As we finish our homestays wewill be looking forward to seeing our families and friends in the states and sharingall of our experiences!

By Lisa Burg

Day of the Dead

2011-11-16T19:38:00.001-08:00

It is the beginning ofNovember, and that means that is time for ElDia de Ls Muertos, the Day of the Dead, in Mexico! I had the opportunity totravel with my host family to Taxco, Guerrero, to the farm of my family`srelatives, in order to celebrate the holiday.

El Dia de Los Muertos is celebrated at the end of October andbeginning of November because it is a time when the spirits of the deceased areespecially close to earth. Families create altars in honor of their deceasedrelatives as a way to remember the family and pay tribute to their life andtheir afterlife.

Different parts of thecountry celebrate the holiday in very different styles, so my experience in arural community was very different than the experience of my friends who stayedin Cuernavaca!

On November 1^st,my host family and I headed out around 2:30 to start attending ofrendas in the community. For eachindividual who passed away in the past year, there was an altar created intheir home. The altars consisted of pictures, flowers, food, candles, and manydecorations. My family and I walked to each ofrendawith baskets full of candles, flowers, special bread made specifically for theholiday, and fruit, and when we arrived at an ofrenda we would greet the family, off our gift, and then spendtime in the room with the altar having a moment of peace to celebrate the lifeand spirit of the deceased.

After some time, we greeted the family once more, and was then invited to eat the dinnerthat had been prepared for all of the visitors. With nine ofrendas in one day, that is nine full meals! But it is impossibleto leave without eating the meals – there are family members stationed at theexist to ensure that every guest eats. If you try to duck out without eating,or use an excuse, they either guilt you into eating “just a little” (whichmeans an entire meal), or they send you with food as you leave. The food, ofcourse, was delicious – tamales, mole,pozole – but it was a lot to eat in all in oneday! With all the walking, eating, and time with the altars, we didn’t returnback to the house until after 10:00 – it was a long, exhausting, but satisfyingday!

Have you ever celebrated El Dia de Los Muertos? Howwas your experience different than mine?

By Elizabeth Rupert

Sad and Happy New about a Long-Time CGE-Mexico Host Family

2011-10-26T01:09:00.000-07:00

It is with a heavy heart that I share with you the news that Laura Vargas, the daughter of former host mother Doña Laura Vargas; sister of host mom, former internship supervisor, and massage therapist Cristi Vargas; and aunt of Latin Dance teacher Karla Vargas; died of a massive heart attack this morning.

Since the Vargas family has been involved with CGE-Mexico for over 20 years, many of you will remember them as friends, guest speakers, massage therapists, and instructors. Therefore, please join me in expressing our grief at the family's sudden and horrible loss.

Today I will co-officiate with Padre AngelSanchez for the funeral service at 12:30 p..m.

If you want to contact Cristi and/orDoña Laura with your condolences, Cristi's email is lunitazapatista@hotmail.com Their home phone number is01-52-777-316-7646. I know that they would love to hear from you,

On a much happier note, Karla gave birth to a beautiful baby girl about 10 days ago. It as also a traumatic situation, as it was a very complicated birth, and the girl wasn't breathing when she was born. However, they consider her their miracle baby because she recovered and does not seem to have any brain damage or other problems. After spending a week in the hospital, both Karla and Yaella are home and happy.

Please pass this message on toanyone else you know who knows and cares about the Vargas family.

Thanks, and best wishes,

Ann

Spring semester deadline extended!

2011-10-25T13:49:00.000-07:00

CGE: Mexico is accepting late applications for the spring semester's Social Work in a Latin American Context and Migration and Globalization programs! Studying abroad here is a life-changing opportunity to learn about social work practice and policy in Latin America or the complex relationship among migration, globalization, and immigration. In the process, you'll improve your Spanish skills immensely and meet some of the kindest and most interesting people you've ever met.

We'd love to see you here! If you're interested, please email Margaret Anderson at Anderso4@augsburg.edu.

Luz y Libertad

2011-10-06T14:02:00.000-07:00

Luz y Libertad

Fall Break is quickly approaching, and the students are busy with papers and mid-term exams. Since their trip to El Salvador two weeks ago, their schedules have been jam-packed with visits and outings to various communities around Cuernavaca.

Last week, the Religion classes went on an outing to the Base Christian Community of Luz y Libertad (Light and Freedom). Four energetic and passionate women spoke to the students about their community involvement and the way they view Christianity. Their inspiring personal testimonies and worldview were both touching and thought-provoking.

Through their studies of Christianity, they came to realize that women´s low position in Mexican society is counter to the the teachings of Jesus, and yet for centuries the Bible has been used to suppress women. Their goal is to change this misrepresentation of the Bible. They want encourage and provide the necessary tools for Mexican women to gain independence. Traditional laws and customs have always required women to be homemakers with very few alternatives. However, the women of Luz y Libertad know the liberation that can come from financial independence and hope to spark a desire in other women to break free from the societal norms that keep them repressed.

Makela and Lisa digging into the veggie burgers

With the support of their church, the women of Luz y Libertad teach nutrition to other women in their community. We thankfully got to sample some of the products of their nutrition classes for lunch. They prepared an incredible meal of ceviche, veggie burgers, pozole (a traditional Mexican soup), and roasted vegetables. ¡Que rico!

The women also give self-esteem classes which opens the door for women in the community to share and discuss common issues that arise from a male-dominated society. Additionally, the women teach arts and crafts. This class aims to provide an alternative to complete financial dependence on husbands by teaching other women how to make gorgeous bags and clothes that can be sold from the home, thus giving the women an opportunity to make money of their own.

The trip to Luz y Libertad was inspiring, encouraging and muy delicioso!

By Molly Bryant
International Resident Assistant
CGE: Mexico

The Zócalo

2011-09-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

Zócalo is a word that is uniquely Mexican. The term is derived from the Italian zoccolo which means pedestal. In the 1800s, a plan was made to build a column in Mexico City´s main square in remembrance of Mexican independence. The monument was never completed; however, the base of it - the pedestal - remained for many years. Since this time, the main plaza, which is officially called Plaza de la Constitución, is commonly referred to as the zócalo.

Cities large and small through Mexico have adopted the name for their own central plazas. Cuernavaca has an especially vibrant and active zócalo. Events are held in the open area plaza, snuggled between Palace of Cortez (built in the 14th century) and the head government building of Cuernavaca. On any given day, there may be two or three organized events taking place on the square.

For example, last Sunday we caught a Mexico vs. Chile soccer match on the big screen set up specifically for the game. Dozens of passersby gathered especially towards the end of the game when the teams were fighting to break a scoreless match. In the 79th minute, Mexico´s Andrés Guardado scored on a brilliant free kick to lead the team to victory. The plaza erupted in applause. On Tuesday, a small peace demonstration was held in the zócalo. Musicians and poets performed moving pieces calling for the government to end the drug war. It seems that every time we pass by, something new is happening: a concert, a rally, a play, traditional dancing, break-dancing, or mariachi bands.

With the recent Mexican Independence Day celebrations (¡September 16th! ¡Viva Mexico!), the zócalo has seemed even more festive than usual. The buildings are covered in red, white and green fabric - the colors of the Mexican flag. Vendors are selling not only small, medium and large versions of the country´s flag, but belts, comically large sombreros, six foot high pencil-shaped balloons with streamers, and just about anything else that might be even remotely connected to the celebrations.

Independence Day celebrations did not disappoint. The celebrations began on the 15th of September with "El Grito" - which translates as "the shout!" It commemorates the first cries of Mexican independence in 1810. In the evening, Cuernavacan families filled the zócalo to watch various musicians and bands sing everything from traditional Mexican tunes to the grooves of 1950s American classics like "Louie Louie." At 11pm, the governor of the state of Morelos gave a very charismatic speech and led the crowd in the annual grito. "¡Viva México! ¡Viva Morelos! ¡Viva Zapata!" were all shouted from the youngest toddler to the oldest grandma. And then the red, white and green fireworks closed out the night as the rain began to pour - and I do mean pour - on the thousands of people squished together in the zócalo.

El Salvador: Conflicting Narratives

2011-09-22T14:15:00.000-07:00

“I wouldn’t call it a civil war,” said CongressmanMario Valiente in our meeting with the National Republican Alliance (ARENAparty) of El Salvador[i].I sat there, my mouth hanging open in surprise, as he framed the twelve yearsof full-scale fighting and tens of thousands of deaths that El Salvadorstruggled though in the ‘80s and early ‘90s. The war, he said, was more analtercation between El Salvador’s government and military, backed with only“basic” funding from the United States, and “on the other side, Russia andCuba, of course.” He continued: “In order to have a civil war, civilians needto be involved.”

The boat ride to Copapayo

How am I to reconcile this with theaccounts we heard the next day at Copapayo, the sight of a major 1983 massacre,in which 160 civilians were murdered by a battalion trained all too close tohome, in Fort Benning, Georgia? We sat in a circle in a corn field, hearing thetestimony of Rojelio Miranda[ii],who was only 9 at the time; how he had to stay in line as he heard the screamsof girls being raped and murdered; how the soldiers told the mothers to shut uptheir infants, some of whom were eventually suffocated by the cloths over theirmouths; how he hid behind a tree and watched the vultures swarm towards theflesh of his family. We sat and listened - there is nothing to do but listen -and then held hands in a circle, joined in prayer: “No queremos más guerra.” A very different historical narrative.

And how can I sit at the US Embassy thenext day, silently listening to the accounts of the “positive view” Salvadoranshave of the US, how the military is a “friendly face,” and that our maincultural exchange has been a happy recognition that “We all like pizza hut!”[iii]?And as I sat there, I imagined how hard it would be for someone who lost familyin the war – as did most of the people we interact with – to hear this framingof the story – perhaps someone who was tortured for union organizing, or for beingfound with a bible (a subversive text), or, yes, for taking up arms with theleftist revolutionary forces of the FMLN. But, I reminded myself, thoseSalvadorans aren’t privileged enough to get a meeting with ARENA congressmen orthe State Department.

Our readings are jam-packed with thesediscrepancies; From Greg Grandin’s damningaccusations in Empire’s Workshop, toRonald Reagan’s very different claims in his televised address to the nation inMay of 1984. While Grandin characterizes the US’s funding of the militarydictatorship as a move to “farm out its imperial violence”[iv]with a “laboratory of repression,”[v]Reagan describes how the Soviet Union is extending their sphere of influence,and how the US has a moral duty to intervene: “It would be profoundly immoralto let peace-loving friends depending on our help be overwhelmed by bruteforce.”[vi]

This week in San Salvador has been filledwith conflicting narratives around the conflict. And among all of these stories,I’m struggling to find a truth, and to understand the perspectives of those whoI perceive as diminishing the struggle, the pain, the oppression of others. Howdo you find truth in a tangle of histories, and humanize those who reject yournarrative?

The town of Nueva Esperanza

By Chloe Zelkha

[i] Mario Valiente, Congressman from the ARENA (Republican NationalAlliance) party; conversation on September, 14^th, 2011 in SanSalvador, El Salvador.

[ii] Rogelio Miranda, survivor of the1983 Copapayo Massacre;conversation on September 15^th, 2011 in Suchitoto, El Salvador.

[iii] Representatives of the US Embassy in San Salvador; conversation onSeptember 16^th, 2011 in San Salvador, El Salvador.

[iv] Greg Grandin, Empire’sWorkshop: Latin America, the United States, and the Rise of the New Imperialism(NY: Holt Paperbacks, 2006), 88.

[v] Greg Grandin, Empire’sWorkshop: Latin America, the United States, and the Rise of the New Imperialism(NY: Holt Paperbacks, 2006), 109.

[vi] Ronald Reagan, U.S. Interestsin Central America. Televised address to the nation. Washington, D.C., May9^th, 1984.

Nueva Esperanza: A New Hope

2011-09-13T15:29:00.000-07:00

The students left for El Salvador in the wee hours of the morning on Monday. It was a miraculous success – no one needed to be dragged out of bed, everyone remembered to set their 4:00 am alarms, and all passports were in hand when they checked-in to the airport.

Last week, the students had countless sessions about Salvadoran history, politics and culture to prepare them for their intense 9 days in the country. During my semester with CGE: Central America, we spent a month studying liberation theology in El Salvador, and what we learned in those four weeks, they are squeezing into less than two. I reminisced, told stories about my month in the country and answered questions about drinking water, homestays and nightlife.

Through my nostalgic daydreaming, I realized that although I was in El Salvador for the shortest amount of time out of the three countries, it produced some of my most meaningful experiences – and some of the strangest stories. It was in a small community in the mountains that I first saw the fruits of liberation theology. It was in San Salvador that I, ironically, ate my first Cinnabon. And it was in the city of Suchitoto, the heart of the leftist political movement, that I celebrated the election of the first ever FMLN President.

The FMLN (Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional), the leftist political party of El Salvador, emerged out of the Salvadoran Civil War of the 1980s and 90s. It was a major military force unified by the collective guerilla struggle for peace and socioeconomic equality within the country. In 1992, the FMLN demilitarized and became a legal political party – one of the two most prominent and successful in the country.

In 1991, after 12 years of repression and forced migration, a group of like-minded Salvadorans founded the town of Nueva Esperanza (New Hope) in a region north of the capital. We visited the brightly colored and swelteringly hot town for a long weekend and stayed with host-families who had lived through the civil war, fled and returned to establish a peaceful and progressive community. The town itself has a population barely over 500 people. The tiny, picturesque town, resting near the basin of at least one active volcano, is one of the most politically charged and independently successful groups of campesinas and campesinos in the country.

Aside from visiting their farming cooperatives, we spent the majority of our time in the homes of local leaders. I had the opportunity to stay with a large family that consisted mostly of women. They were an unapologetically leftward leaning family who talked to my roommate and I about politics whenever they got the chance. To them, politics equaled life. The FMLN was a fresh start. If the party was in control of the country, at least there would be a chance for growth and peace.

Ten of us crowded around a tiny television screen in the courtyard of a family compound to watch Mauricio Funes, the FMLN presidential candidate, speak to a crowd of cheering supporters in the capital. For

me, the speech meant little more than a time to practice my Spanish listening skills and bond with my temporary mothers and grandmothers. For the families of Nueva Esperanza, the speech held decades of struggle for liberation. It held the hopes and dreams of their fathers, their daughters, their brothers and their friends who died for the cause of the FMLN. As I sat in my little plastic chair in the unbearable heat of a Salvadoran afternoon, I tried to connect my studies with their experiences. I tried to understand the enormity and significance of the likelihood that an FMLN candidate would win the presidency. As a visitor there will always be a divide between my life and theirs. I wasn´t there during the war; I lost no family members; I have not spent my life fighting against a faceless imperialist power. No books or articles or words could have captured the triumph of the moment. The closest I could come to understanding was to watch my 97-year-old host Granny quietly and shakily raised her left fist in the air; she kept it held high above her head, not uttering any words but believing in the holy silence that screamed “solidarity!” with generations. It was one of the most sacred moments of my Central American travels.

By Molly Bryant
CGE: Mexico Intern

No, Honduras is not Mexico

2011-09-05T09:55:00.000-07:00

No, Honduras is not in Mexico.

After a crazy week of orientation in Cuernavaca, we can now relax. Well, at least I can say that in my case. The rest of the girls have to wake up every morning at 7 a.m. and go to Spanish class at 8 a.m. for three hours. My experience here in Cuernavaca has definitely been much different than the rest of the group, I am an international student from Honduras, Central America, and I am in my third year at Augsburg College. I feel blessed to be here after all the hard work during my first two years at Augsburg, and I wouldn’t have been able to make it with out the help of my Study Abroad advisor Dulce Monterrubio. She is awesome! And definitely someone to look up to when it comes to work ethics. I came to Cuernavaca for the International Business and Global Citizenship Program. I have courses such as my Keystone, International Management, International Marketing and an Independent Study on Franchises with Professor Bill Arden.

When I first came to Minneapolis in 2009, many people assumed I was from Mexico. Shocker! I am sure it had something to do with my dark skin and dark eyes. In fact, I had never been to Mexico, and even though I kept telling myself it wouldn’t be any different than living in Honduras, I have found myself not being able to communicate well with some locals because of our different accents.

I am completely in love with the Mexican accent. It’s the sweetest tone of voice I have ever heard. Every time I´m takling with the locals, I feel like I am listening to a sweet romantic melody. The weirdest thing is that my body automatically wants to talk like them, and I find myself wondering where my Honduran accent went! Talking to the locals made me realize Hondurans have a tough way of speaking. They tend to talk at a really fast pace, sometimes skipping many words.

The Mexican accent is not the only sweet thing I have experienced. Friday night some of the girls decided to go out and the watchman was closely observing them from the security screen inside the house as they took their cab. As the watchman watched through the screen, he made a small prayer and blessed their image in the security screen with the sign of the cross. This really impacted me, because it shows he is devoted not only to his job but also as a human being. He was showing how he sincerely cared about us and our safety.

By Alom Martínez-Alemán

Diversity Week

2011-08-31T13:45:00.001-07:00

Cuernavaca´s 7th annual Gay Pride parade last Saturday rounded out week-long celebrations and events that raised awareness about LGBTQ issues. Its main claim was to endorse the legalization of same sex marriages in Cuernavaca and around the country as they are in Mexico City.

Diversity week was filled to the brim with speakers, musicians, and theatre. Each day different activities took place in various locations throughout the city. Speakers and roundtable discussions focused on topics such as homophobia in Latin America, the prevention of AIDS, the new structures of families including gay adoptive parents, and the legalization of same-sex marriage in Mexico City.

The highlight of the week was the presence of congresswoman and lesbian activist Enoe Uranga who was responsible for the passing of same-sex marriages in Mexico City. She talked about the challenges this type of legislation presents in a country that has been ruled by the extreme right for over a decade and influenced by the Catholic Church for centuries.

Diversity Week has grown immensely since its inception seven years ago, largely due to the ongoing efforts of Antonio´s organization called Grupo CD4 and other LGBTQ activists. Congratulations and great work, Antonio!

Summer in Cuernavaca, Mexico with CGE

2011-06-14T07:51:00.001-07:00

This has been a very busy summer for the Center for Global Education (CGE) Mexico team. The spring semester students concluded their 16 weeks in Cuernavaca with outstanding final project presentations about issues ranging from identity to immigration. Within just one week of the semester students' departure, we received a large group of students for our first of two 6-week summer programs. Most of the students are from Augsburg College, although we also have students from American University, Fordham, Oberlin, and other schools. Summer course choices include 17 different Spanish courses, including Mexican Art, a Religion course, internships, independent studies, and a non-credit Latin Dance class.

In addition to the 6- and 12-week summer programs, we have also received two short-term travel seminars: one studying "Gender and Social Change in Mexico" from Illinois College, and one faculty development group from McDaniel College in Westminster Maryland, as a result of its interest in internationalizing its curriculum.

The CGE-Mexico staff also hosted the first course on Cuban history, culture and political change that CGE has been able to offer since President Obama openened up travel to Cuba for academic purposes. As a result, I just returned on Sunday from Havana, where the students and I were able to meet with a wide range of Cubans, as well as representatives of the U.S. Interest Office, in order to develop a deeper understanding of the complexities of modern-day Cuba and Cuban-U.S. relations. Please see the separate blog about the Cuba travel seminar.

Have you traveled to Cuba? Or have you spent a summer studying in Mexico? If so, we'd love to hear from you about some of your favorite memories! Please post your reflections! Thanks!
Ann Lutterman-Aguilar, CGE-Mexico Site Director & Instructor

U.S. Social Work Students Complete 2-Week Exchange with Mexican UNAM Students

2011-05-08T13:39:00.000-07:00

Every year the spring BSW Social Work semester program entitled "Social Work in a Latin American Context" participates in a two-week exchange with the National School of Social Work at the UNAM, the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. During the first week, the Mexican students come to Cuernavaca, where they participate in classes and group-building activities with the students from the United States.

Throughout the week in Cuernavaca, the Mexican and U.S. social work students spent time conducting large and small group activities designed to help them get to know each other, overcome any existing stereotypes of the other, and learn more about the similarities and differences of social work in Mexico and the United States. Several of the Mexican students stated that they were surprised to meet U.S. citizens who shared their same commitments and that it gave them great hope for the future. Strong bonds were established between several of the students, who felt that this opportunity for exchange helped them not only develop new friendships but also build bridges across lines of division between our countries. The second week the U.S. students then went to the UNAM and participated in classes in Mexico City. They were to meet up with several of the friends they had made the week before, and ended the week by visiting the famous "floating gardens" of Xochimilco.

Are you a former Social Work student? If so, did you participate in the exchange with UNAM students? What are your memories of that exprience? We would love to hear from you!
Thanks, Ann

Students Love Latin Dance Class in Mexico

2011-04-25T00:35:00.000-07:00

Every Tuesday night students get quite a work out with Instructor Karla Vargas, who teaches Latin Dance. The course introduces them to a wide variety of Latin rythms and dance steps and always turns out to be a lot of fun. This week several Mexican Social Work students from the UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico) joined the dance class, and everyone had even more fun than before. (see pictures below.)

Questions: If you studied in Mexico, did you learn Latin Dance there, or did you already know? What do you recommend to those who want to learn? What is your favorite type of Latin Dance? What are your favorite musical groups?

Several Students Attended Theatre Performance in Mexico City

2011-04-23T14:05:00.001-07:00

Shortly before spring break, several students from the "Migration and Globalization" semester program accompanied me to see a Mexican version of the theatre performance The Vagina Monologues, known it Spanish as Los Monologos de la Vagina. The original play, which was written by Eve Ensler in 1996, has been adapted not only to the Spanish language but also to Mexican culture and the Mexican political and social context. As a result, the monologues included stories of feminicide in Ciudad Juarez, killings of indigenous women, and other voices of marginalized Mexican women. It also included well-known Mexican songs that were interspersed throughout the monologues. Although some of the students didn't understand every word, they understood enough to laugh, cry, and fully enjoy the performance. We hope to include more theatre performances in future programs.

Questions: Have you performed in the Vagina Monologues? If so, where? When? What was it like? Can you imagine seeing them in Mexico? HAVE you seen them in Mexico? If so, how were they similar and/or diferent? We'd love to hear your opinions, so please post your responses. Thanks!

Students Learn from Mexican Host Families

2011-04-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

CGE-Mexico tries to incorporate students' experiences of living in Mexican homes into the academic program.

The photo above shows students and their host families meeting in pairs and small groups to answer a series of questions intended to help them engage in mutual learning and teaching about cultural and political issues.

The Social Work students ended their homestays last week, as they will be hosting a group of 19 Mexican Social Work students as part of an annual 2-week exchange that is an integral part of their program. After hosting the Mexican students here, they will then go to Mexico City where they will attend classes at the National School of Social work at the UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico). The students in the "Migration and Globalization" program continue to live with host families, and continue to love it. While most students traveled for at least a few days during this past week's spring break, several of them spent much of the week just hanging out and practicing Spanish with their host families.

Our host families are very diverse, including families from different socio-economic, religious, racial/ethnic, and reigious backgrounds, as well as families with diverse sexual orientations. Our homestay coordinator has worked hard to increase the number of gay and lesbian homestays, as well as the number of host families who provide vegetarian and vegan food to those who request it. We also now offer a limited number of "dry" homestays with families in recovery to provide support to students who are in recovery from addictions. We have been trying to acknowledge and spread the word that there are all kinds of families, including families made up of single elderly women without children, multi-generational households, and lesbian or gay couples. Students and the local community are benefiting as a result.

Reflections on the Semester Thus Far

2011-03-18T14:17:00.000-07:00

This week is the last week students will be staying with us here in CEMAL. On Friday, they are off to their homestays – what will most likely be the (or one of the) most rewarding experiences of their time here. On the one hand, I am excited for them to begin these new journeys. On the other, I am now reflecting on the past eight weeks we´ve shared together – and how quiet the houses are going to be without them! Unlike the majority of the staff and faculty, I and my compañera Alendi not only share our learning space but also our living space with our twenty four lovely learners. I can say that gives us a different perspective – and has also been very rewarding!

The ability to accompany students as they grow has been wonderful. From their first idyllic day to the long weeks that have ensued – they have been open to experiences and open to one another. Social Work students have been able to learn about social services in Mexico, which has served to expand their knowledge not only about Social Work, but about the complexities these issues take on in a Mexican context. This they can take back to their future professions as a better understanding of their work and of the Mexican community in the United States. For MG students, their visit to the maquiladora allowed them to gain access to a part of the economy that illuminated gender, racial and class issues we have already been studying. But to see them in person, to see the gender, class and racial divisions with their own eyes and to see products that they might potentially buy, brings a certain reality that a book cannot bring. Both of these experiences have challenged the students to think about the issues we study not as things that exist only in the classroom but in the world at large, in all of their daily activities and interactions.

For both Social Work and Migration/Globalization students, learning about history, politics, and culture has begun to transform both academically but also personally. Recognizing our own cultures, engaging with Mexican cultures and confronting the misinformation and stereotypes we have received over our lifetimes have been difficult at times but also rewarding. Attempting to see through another person´s eyes allows us to better see through our own. Although we will never be able to literally “walk in someone else´s shoes,” we can be aware of that fact and strive towards being an ally to others.

-Anna Loizeaux (Intern/Teaching Assistant to MG Program/International Resident Assistant)

CGE-Mexico Thanks Social Worker Yvette Murry for Her Collaboration

2011-03-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

The CGE-Mexico staff would like to thank social worker Yvette Murry for the tremendous collaboration and assistance she provided to our "Social Work in a Latin American Context" semester program for the past month. Yvette , who received her Masters of Social Work (MSW) degree in Non-Profit and Public Management from Rutgers University, is the President/COO of YRM Consulting Group, LLC. Yvette and her team have provided organizational consulting services to non-profits, businesses, government entities and academic institutions nationally and internationally for over two decades. YRM Consulting Group's team specializes in a wide array of services that support personal and professional success. Service areas include: Organizational Development, Human Resource Management, Career and Life Coaching, Intercultural Communication, Health Promotion and Wellness, Counseling Skills, Volunteer Management and Community Engagement.

While studying Spanish in Mexico for the past month, Yvette gave guest lectures in three of the social work course, sharing her professional and personal experiences of cross-cultural social work with the students. Although she has only been gone for one week, we already miss her! St. Olaf social work student Lisa Rawlins said: "Yvette made a sassy, cheerful, caring, and analytical addition to CGE during the past month. Not only did she provide valuable insight during our classes and visits, she was also fun to be with... Her expertise on racism in the US really enhanced our discussions about racism both in the U.S. and in Mexico, and her wealth of experiences as a social worker helped us to better understand and appreciate the profession we hope one day to claim!"

Seattle University social work student Daniela Knight said: "I really enjoyed having Yvette in the house because she was almost like our mother, but at the same time a great friend and counselor... when it came to academics she gave us very good tips about not only the work we were doing in class, but also some potential paths that we may be able to be take after we all graduate. We will miss her dearly."

Thanks again, Yvette, and come back soon!
Ann

Students and Staff Spent Several Days in Rural Indigenous Village

2011-03-09T17:02:00.000-08:00

Last week the students and staff had the privilege of spending four nights with Nahua indigenous families in the village of Amatlán de Quetzalcoatl here in the eastern part of the state of Morelos. Amatlán is not only a besautiful village where the community has preserved its traditions, but it is also an ancient community believed by locals to be the birthplace of Quetzalcoatl, the Toltec Emperor who is often known as the Mesoamerican Christ.

Students lived with local families and engaged in a wide range of activities that enabled them to get to know the history, culture and cosmovision of the people. Social work student Alicia Fowler said: "It was such a wonderful experience getting to know the people, hearing stories and sharing experiences with my host family. I learned so much about a person's life in a short amount of time. I felt welcomed and happy to have made such connections with a family that I had only known for four days."

The students visited several goverment-run social service agencies and schools to develop a better understanding of the social services in the area. We also visited local non-governmental organizations created by community members in order to address their own needs. One is Atekokoli, a health center that uses traditional herbal remedies.

Mexican Feminist Activists Teach New SPA-WST 335 Course: "Contemporary Latin American Women: Texts and Voices"

2011-03-06T21:12:00.000-08:00

We are very pleased to announce that last fall Augsburg approved several new upper-level
Spanish courses as permanent courses. Some had been previously taught as "topics" courses, but we can now offer these courses on a regular basis. One of these courses is "Contemporary Latin American Women: Texts and Voices," which is taught in Spanish and counts towards most Spanish majors and minors and is also cross-listed as a Women's Studies course so that it can also count towards Women's Studies majors and minors. As usual, Spanish courses in the CGE-Mexico programs are small in size so that students can maximize learning.

We are especially pleased to announce that Mahua Becerril joined us as the primary instructor of the course because Mahua is one of Cuernavaca's pioneer feminists who served for many yars as as the director of CIDHAL (Comunicacion, Intercambio y Desarrollo Humano en America Latina) - Cuernavaca's women's center. She was joined by Flor Dessire Leon Hernandez, who is the current General Coordinator of CIDHAL. As a result, the students were able to learn about Mexican and other Latin American feminisms directly from people who are leaders in the field.

The course examines key issues in Latin American women's movements and feminist movements, and students read pivotal works by some of Latin America's most famous women authors. Readings include selections by Elena Poniatowska (Mexico), Rosario Castellanos (Mexico) and Giocanda Belli (Nicaragua), among others. In addition, the course includes guest speakers and excursions to participate in local conferences, including a recent conference on indigenous feminisms a the CRIM, the Centro Regional de Investigaciones Multidisciplinarias (the Regional Center for Multidisciplinary Research), where prominent Mexican feminist scholar Sylvia Marcos discussed indigenous feminisms in Mexico.

If you studied in Cuernavaca, did you visit CIDHAL or even complete an internship there? Do you remember talking with Mahua and/or Flor or other "Cidhalinas"? Did you meet with Dr. Sylvia Marcos? What do you remember? We would love to see your comments posted below!
Thanks, Ann Lutterman-Aguilar

Refer a CGE student and receive $100 Gift Card!

2011-02-23T08:36:00.000-08:00

Greetings from CGE!

I wanted to make sure you were aware that CGE offers referral bonus for our alums who refer students to our semester programs. If you refer a student to one of CGE's semester programs (any location), and that student attends our program, you will receive a $100 Gift Card to use at Global Exchange's online store (www.globalexchangestore.org).

In order to receive the gift card, make sure that the future student writes your name on his or her application in the space provided in the "How did you hear about this program" section. To claim the award you will need to contact Margaret Anderson at anderso4@augsburg.edu and verify your current email address.

**Please note that the Summer and Fall application deadlines are April 1, 2011, so please be sure to contact your friends and acquaintances soon if you think they'd be interested!

Thanks, and best wishes,

Anna Loizeaux

Travel to Cuba

2011-02-23T08:13:00.000-08:00

From 1999 to 2004, CGE coordinated 30 travel seminars to Cuba under educational, humanitarian, and people-to-people travel licenses. We are ecstatic to announce a return to Cuba!

President Obama announced on January 14, 2011 a change in travel regulations to Cuba that will make it easier for U.S. student, religious, and cultural groups to visit the country. These changes were finalized on January 28, 2011 and published in the Federal Register.

One of the immediate changes is that accredited U.S. graduate and undergraduate degree-granting institutions are able to travel under a general educational license if the Cuba travel is part of a structured educational program and will be accepted for credit towards the student's degree. A general license means that there is no application process with the U.S. Department of Treasury, which oversees specific licenses for travel to Cuba. Therefore, we are now able to plan educational for-credit travel seminars. If you would like to customize a for-credit seminar as early as this summer, please contact us.

For non-academic travel programs, we will need to apply for special licenses for programs that promote people-to-people contact and for academic conferences. If you are interested in customizing such a trip, please let us know, and we will send you information as it becomes available. You can also visit the Treasury Department’s website for updated information.

We plan to apply for licenses for future not-for-credit seminars, including people-to-people seminars. Individuals who would like to travel to Cuba with CGE on an open seminar can check our Travel Opportunities webpage. We will post there as soon as they are available.

We will update here and and Facebook on our next steps. If you would like to be kept up-to-date on developments related to travel to Cuba and the new license regulations via email, please let us know by emailing globaled@augsburg.edu.

Students & Staff Inspired by Women's Organizing in Tlamacazapa, Guerrero

2011-02-20T18:32:00.000-08:00

This week we had the privilege of eating delicious tortillas made on ecological stoves being promoted by the non-governmental organization Atzin, which has successfully been encouraging their use by women in the village of Tlamacazapa, where firewood is scarce and expensive. The green ecological stove seen on the left only uses half the amount of firewood as the three-stone-fires women traditionally cook tortillas on and also produces just half the amount of smoke, which has implications for women's health. Not only did we get to eat ecologically-cooked tortillas, we got to try our own hand at making them, which is a lot harder than it may seem. We also watched expert basket-weavers make all different sizes and shapes of beautiful palm baskets and tried to follow their instructions as they patiently gave us basket-weaving classes.

Perhaps after months of taking basket-weaving classes from the women of Tlamacazapa we could make baskets half their size and quality. Sadly, despites hours and days of work spent in creating these baskets, the prices are low and hardly compensate the amount of work and travel required to go sell them in markets in Taxco, Cuernavaca, Mexico City, and popular beach resorts around the country. Trying to make the baskets helped us appreciate the skill and artwork involved and affirmed our belief that basketweavers should be paid more for their work.

After touring the town with young women who serve as local educators, health care promoters, and social service providers to families with special needs, as well as carrying water from the well and learning to make tortillas and baskets, we walked back to the Atzin headquarters, where all of the promoters were gaterhing for a meal.

In the picture below Bonni and Santos display the beatufiul quilts they made as part of Atzin's income generating projects for women.
Overall, it was an inspiring visit, as we were able to see and hear first-hand the powerful organizing work that women are engaged in to improve the health and well-being of a community that has suffered from poverty, oppression, and internalized racism since the time of the conquest. While we witnessed extreme poverty, we also witnessed a strong spirit of hope.

Have you visited the village of Tlamacazapa or the NGO Atzin which works for holisitic health and development there? If so, what were your impressions? Memories? We would love to hear from you. Ann

Day Outing to Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary

2011-02-18T20:10:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, February 12, 2011 the CGE Mexico Site offered a field trip to Piedra Herrada Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in the State of Mexico, about 3.5 hours from Cuernavaca by bus. Fifty-three people (students, staff, family and friends) plus two canine friends joined in the fun. The following is an account of the trip.

Breakfast, then out the door we poured

Up onto the bus, 53 did board

To head to where the monarchs are

The driver warned, “It’s a little bit far.”

Everyone napped so as to be

Ready to enjoy what there was to see

Finally there! What’s to eat?

Let’s have empanadas – what a treat!

You’d better eat lots, the trip leader said,

Steep, dusty roads are what lie ahead

And the only way up is on our two feet?

No! They have horses. Take a seat!

Canada, U.S. Mexico their flight

Twenty million butterflies – no visa in sight!

Under, over and around the trees

A black orange flutter is in the breeze

Rapture, joy, amazement, delight

Years in the future we’ll remember this sight

Time runs short and we, too, must fly

Return to CEMAL, we’re off with a sigh

Incredible experience you can bet

Prepared to share and never forget!

Students and Staff Hike Nevado de Toluca Volcano

2011-02-18T16:25:00.000-08:00

Last weekend fifteen faculty, staff, students and friends, including a seven-year old boy who is the son of one of the current students, hiked to the two crater lakes at the top of the Nevado de Toluca, which is Mexico's fourth highest volcano. Although we did not hike to the top of the tallest peak (15,354 ft), we had a great time walking around the lakes - the Lake of the Sun and the Lake of the Moon.

The Nevado de Toluca, as the volcano is called in Spanish, is known in the Nahuatl language as Xinantécatl, often translated as “The Naked Lord,” although also translated as “Lord of the Cornstalks” This particular weekend, the volcano looked a bit naked, as there was little snow to be seen. Nonetheless, we had a great time and enjoyed the fact that it has long been extinct, so there is no need to worry about anything otehr than being acclimated to the altitude, drinking plenty of water, and listening to one's body. Ann even brought her dogs, who beat her up and down the slopes and drank LOTS of water.

(Yes, that's a dog in my arms.)
CGE-Mexico is hosting a mountaineering course in 2012 and we are very much looking forward to it. Which Mexican volcanoes have you climbed? What do you recommend?What is your advice? We'd love to hear from you! Ann

Mexico Spring Semester Programs Off to a Great Start

2011-02-09T22:10:00.000-08:00

After a very busy January, which included hosting a group in the Cuernavaca area, taking a group to Chiapas, and Antonio's facilitating a group in Brazil, our spring semester programs began two weeks ago and are off to a great start. The two programs are "Migration and Globalization: Engaging Our Communities" and "Social Work in a Latin American Context," which is now celebrating its ninth semester. We are pleased to announce that this year the Social Work program is enjoying having Dr. Randy Herman back with us, as Dr. Herman was the visiting Social Work professor who taught in the very first two years of our program.

We are also pleased to be joined by a new adjunct professor, Abril Olmos, who is originally from Chihuahua, Mexico, and is currently teaching in the Migration and Globalization (MG) program. She is joined by another new staff member: the MG International Resident Assistant/Intern Anna Loiseaux (Fordham U. 2010), who was a participant in the Crossing Borders 2009 fall semester przgram. It is wonderful to have all of these great folks working with us. We are also delighted with the extremely bright, diverse group of students who will be with us until mid-May. Please be sure to check out the student blogs from each group to follow their reflections on the semester.

If you were a student in the past, what were some of your favorite memories regarding the start of the semester? And what advice, if any, do you have for new students and staff? We'd love to hear from you! Please post your responses below!

Students Reflect on People Who Inspired Them This Semester

2010-12-07T20:40:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that the Mexico CGE Fall 2010 semester is already coming to an end this week! In the last class session for the REL/WST 366 course "Latin American Liberation Theologies," students colorfully portrayed some of the many people who inspired them this semester and left them with a profound sense of hope that social change is possible.

Among the many speakers, communities, and organizations mentioned, students spoke passionately about all of the people they met in El Salvador, including the community of Nueva Esperanza and the survivors of the Copapayo massacre. They also talked about Romero and contemporary Mexican grassroots liberation theologians, such as Guadalupe Cruz Cardenas, Judith Vasquez, Rodolfo Albarran, and Jovenes Catolic@s por el Derecho a Decidir. They also talked about their profound spiritual experiences in the Nahua indigenous community of Amatlan de Quetzalcoatl and the sense of interconnectedness they experienced when visiting anxient sacred sites.
Throughout the semester, students echoed the feeling expressed by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Numerous speakers also helped affirm the words of Margaret Mead, who said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." I have no doubt in my mind that, due to their feelings of interconnectedness with the peoples of Mexico and El Salvador, that this small group of students will, indeed, change the world, each in her or his own unique way - through business, politics, law, social work, and science. I am very proud to have had the opportunity to learn together with them.

If you were a student or travel seminar participant in Mexico, who are the people who most inspired YOU? Who gave you hope?

Thanks,
Ann Lutterman-Aguilar

Former SWK student Ramona Garcia Sworn in as Newly Elected School Board Member Today

2010-12-07T20:39:00.001-08:00

We were delighted to receive the news that former student Ramona Garcia, who participated in the 2004 "Social Work in a Latin American Context" semester program, was sworn in today as a new school board member of the Luther Burbank school district in northern California. It is great to hear of positive things that happened in the recent elections, and so we are delighted to congratulate Ramona on her victory, as we know that she will make important contributions to her community as a school board member.

Ramona, who graduated from the University of the Pacific, recently returned to San Jose, California from studying in Spain for 10 months. In a recent letter, which she said we could share in this blog, she stated that her experiences with CGE in Cuernavaca "had an impact on my civic engagement and intersts in studying abroad and learning about the social issues affecting Latinos in the U.S. and Latin America. Because of hte Cuernavaca experience, I have been involved in many projects - the most recent one studying abroad in Spain and getting my second Master's degree in Spanish Literature and Mexican American Studies." Ramona wrote, "Also, I am running for election to be a school board member where I went to school as a child." As I said before, we were delighted to hear from her after the elections that she won! CONGRATULATIONS, Ramona!

In addition to serving on the school board, Ramona plans to start law school next fall so that she can specialize in international law with a focus on U.S.-Latin America relations.

Did any others of you run in recent elections? If so, where? We'd love to hear from all of our alumnae who are in elected positions, as well as from others of you are involved in other kinds of political activities. Please write and let us know what YOU are doing! Thanks!

CGE & ELCA Volunteers Join Together for Seminar in Mexico City

2010-11-25T12:46:00.000-08:00

Last week the CGE-Mexico students and seven volunteers from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA)'s Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program joined together to conduct a three-day intensive seminar in Mexico City, where we listed to Mexican government voices and U.S. government voices regarding the economic and political situation and met talked with a several different community leaders regarding issues of gender, sexuality, and religion.

The excursions included a visit to the Banco de Mexico, where we met with Mexican government officials, as well as a visit to the U.S. Embassy, where we talked with political, economic, and DEA representatives about key issues in U.S.-Mexico relations today. We also met with leaders involved in some of the hot topics regarding gender and sexuality in Mexico, including representatives of the national network of Mexican Catholic Youth for the Right to Decide who work on issues including HIV/AIDS education, and reproductive and sexual rights. (Top left photo)

We also got to meet with Lolkin Castañeda and Judith Vásquez, (photo on left below), who were the first lesbian couple to get legally married in Mexico City this past march. We also talked with Rev. Rodolfo Albarran, who hosted a panel on religion and sexual diversity at his church La Iglesia de la Reconciliacion. (photo on right below).

If you have been to Mexico City, who were some of the most interesting people YOU met with there?

“Bring Your Own Uniform”

2010-11-24T08:40:00.000-08:00

“Bring Your Own Uniform”

Teal Inzunza

Fordham University

This Saturday I had the most profound and moving experience of any I have had in the almost three months that I have been in México; I went to a Mexican prison. I say this devoid of any sarcasm or jokes. As my friend Jack and I were riding in the car to the prison, we kept looking at each other and thinking, “What are we doing?” My stereotypes of Mexican prisons were dismal at best. I figured that we would be going to a place were they kept all of the Narcos in México and it was not that I was scared, but rather nervous. I have actually never been to a prison in the United States, but I have family members that have been to prison and if this prison was going to be anything like the stories I have heard from them, well lets just say I was nervous.

The only requirements for us to get in was a passport and we were required to wear jeans and a red shirt in order to not blend in with the inmates. We went through about five checkpoints where we had to sign our names in order to pass. Once we got to the last one, Jack and I looked at each other and said, “Well, here goes nothing.” We entered this open area where all the inmates had gathered. Immediately the uniforms surprised me, this was a more of a “B.Y.O.U” or “bring your own uniform” situation. There were men in yellow polos and khakis to yellow sweats and t-shirts. We were immediately thrown into helping serve food to the inmates. I was struck by how normal they looked, and how old most of them were. These men did not seem like a threat to society, they looked like my grandpa or my Tata.

We went with a church group and participated in church service for the inmates. I do not consider myself a religious person or even a person that believes in God, but this was a moving religious ceremony. If you want to talk about people who want liberation and salvation, that is all that these people wanted. We have been talking about liberation theology in my religion class and this was the perfect example. We could tell that these people needed this more than any person I know. I immediately felt bad for my earlier presumptions about the inmates. They were people and people willing of being heard out and of having hope because there that is all they have. I don’t love my family members any less because they have been to prison, why would I have these different notions about people here? What I was most struck by was the kindness. We had several good conversations and almost everyone came up to thank us, the gring@s, for coming and helping. Although, I think they helped us much more than we helped them.

Former Social Work Student Ramona Garcia Sworn in Today as Newly Elected School Board Member

2010-11-23T19:44:00.000-08:00

In addition to serving on the school board, Ramona plans to start law school next fall so that she can specialize in international law with a focus on U.S.-Latin America relations.

CGE-Mexico faculty & students present at NWSA Conference

2010-11-23T19:00:00.000-08:00

CGE-Mexico faculty presented on a panel with former students at the National Women's Studies Association (NWSA) conference in Denver on November 13. Former "Crossing Borders 2009" students Cecilia Marquez (Swarthmore), Mia Fortunato (Oberlin), and Max Beshers (Oberlin) joined Ann Lutterman-Aguilar and Antono Ortega from the CGE Mexico faculty on a panel entitled "Latin American Feminist & Queer Liberation Theologies in Translation: New Perspectives for Queer Studies in the United States."

The first paper presented some of the findings of Antonio Ortega's masters thesis and was entitled "The First Visibilities of Homsexulas in Mexico: A Challenge to Conservative Catholic Culture." Ann Lutterman-Aguilar presented the second paper, "Combating U.S. Centrism in Gender Studies & Queer Studies: Using Feminist Pedagogies & International Education to Complicate the Queer." The third paper was by Cecilia Marquez: "Briding Gaps: Identity Formation, Community Organizing, and the Radical Potential of Queer and Feminist Liberation Theologies." The fourth paper, by Amelia Fortunato, was on the topic "Questioning Queer Liberation Theology int the U.S. Context." The fifth and final paper was actually a reading of a creative dialogue between Latin American feminist and queer liberation theologians, which was written as a course project by Max Beshers. This creative piece is called "Challenges From Within: Re/Imagining the Christian Church as a Home for Feminist Queers." All of the papers were extremely well received, and the student papers were a clear testimony of student learning during the Latin American Liberation Theologies course in Cuernavaca in the fall of 2009.

In addition to the panel, Ann Lutterman-Aguilar presented the poster (see left) entitled "Border Crossings & Difficult Dialogues: Women's Studies through Study Abroad." The poster highlighted key components of CGE pedagogy and shared a list of study abroad "dos" & "don'ts" for educators that was developed by Mexican community participants in Ann's doctoral research. The poster concludes with a sample itinerary of a women's studies travel seminar in Mexico.

CGE also hosted a booth in the exhibit hall which attracted lots of interest in CGE program offerings.

What conferences have YOU attended recently, or what conferences do YOU recommend attending in the future? Please let us know! We'd love to hear from you!

Beyond the classroom

2010-11-22T12:37:00.000-08:00

Students cooling down after the temazcal in Amatlan.

Beyond the classroom

By: Sara Wallentine

Augsburg College

For many students going to school only consists of going to class a couple times a week, reading and doing homework from a book and never leaving the classroom. Most students never get the opportunity to leave campus and experience what they are learning in the classroom. For the students at CGE this is not true. Every week we have the opportunity to apply what we are learning to different excursions, activities, or speakers. This past week we went on a couple excursions for class and experienced things that would have never been possible in a traditional class setting.

In the liberation theology class we have been studying liberation theology in indigenous cultures. In class we had discussed how the Spanish conquest had brought the Catholic religion to Latin America. The Spanish believed it was their duty to convert all native people to Catholicism and erase as much of the indigenous history as possible. For class we had read articles about different indigenous tradition.

On Friday we went to a small village outside of Cuernavaca called Amatlan. Amatlan is a small community where much of the people practice Catholicism and their indigenous traditions. We had to opportunity to experience in a couple of indigenous practices. First in the morning we participated in an ancient ceremony. In the afternoon we had limpias (cleansing), a practice that all of us found very interesting. A limpia is a cleansing of all the bad energies within a person. Last we had a temazcal, a type of sweat lodge. The idea of the temazcal is that after doing the temazcal a person is reborn onto mother earth.

On Sunday we had the opportunity to go to Puebla for the Spanish Art class. Puebla is about 2 hours from Cuernavaca and has about 1.5 million people. Puebla is a beautiful city with a rich history. The buildings in the city center of Puebla have a lot of European influence and it is a very clean and bright city. Puebla is home to many beautiful churches. One church in Puebla was built on top of the ancient pyramids and has a great view of the city. Another church, in Puebla, constructed in the 17^th century and its interior is mainly gold.

This study abroad trip has provided us with many great opportunities, experiences and memories that would have never been possible on campus. It is one thing to read about the Spanish conquest but it is another to experience its effects. We have been able to see how the conquest affected an indigenous community, and how an entire city was constructed because of the conquest. It is one things read and look at a picture in a book about a church constructed in the 17^th century but it is another to actually see it. It is such a unique opportunity to live what you are learning.

The view from the top of the church

Outside a church in Puebla

Upcoming Professional Development Seminar: Globalizing Women's Studies

2010-11-04T08:00:00.001-07:00

Globalizing Women's Studies: Pedagogy and Practice, an international professional development seminar, will take place June 25-July 3, 2011.

This international professional development seminar has been offered before and is very popular.

Here is a program description:

In the field of Women’s Studies, courses in global feminisms are attracting a new generation of students. As more faculty members seek to internationalize their courses, it is important to recognize the historical tendency for U.S. feminists to adopt imperialistic attitudes toward women in other parts of the world and decolonize feminist thinking. This program will explore the wide variety of issues that diverse Mexican women identify as struggles within the current context of capitalism and globalization. Voices of those who are dispossessed and marginalized in academia and society will be prioritized. Participants will connect with representatives of grassroots women’s organizations and LGBTQIA leaders, in addition to visiting sacred sites and Indigenous villages.

Deadline is April 18. Early bird discounts are offered to those who apply by January 17.

Former Student Reports on Volunteer Work in El Salvador as Result of Semester Program

2010-10-19T16:51:00.001-07:00

It is always wonderful to hear about the great things that former students and travel seminar participants are doing. For example, we just heard from Jane Stitt, a Carleton College student who participated in the Fall 2009 "Crossing Borders: Gender and Social Change" semester program in Mexico, that she spent the summer volunteering in an organization we visited during our 10-day trip to El Salvador. Jane gave her permission to share these photos and the following email message:

Jane wrote: "This summer I ended up going to El Salvador and volunteering for the Center for Interchange and Solidarity! I learned about that organization through our trip to San Salvador with the Center for Global Education; we visited it briefly to see the gift shop. I LOVED working there so much!!! I took Spanish classes for 9 weeks and also working as a volunteer English teacher, and I also got to learn some about the CIS's Grassroots Organizing and election monitoring, which I loved to learn about. And I especially LOVED that the CIS bases its work on Popular Education--I'm really interested in popular education, and it was incredible to get to see it in practice there!!"

"We had about 10 different English classes, and in every class we were teaching English by helping the students have discussions about their own social and political and economic experiences, in English. And it may seem imperialist to be teaching them English, as if that is the most important thing for them to learn, but I actually don't think it is, because Popular Education says that you should let the students decide for themselves what they need/want to learn and then bring in THOSE experts to help them learn that! And our students were mostly 30 and 40 year old adults from poor communities who had decided that they wanted and needed to learn English, to benefit themselves and their families and extended families."

"One of the young women I met at the CIS is a student at the University of El Salvador who is trying to organize community soccer games; she asked me to get my university to donate their old soccer uniforms to her project, and it worked! My university's soccer department had a lot of beautiful, last-season jerseys and shorts to donate! So this December, I am planning to travel back to San Salvador and take my two parents with me this time to help me carry the boxes of soccer uniforms, and I am going to visit my host family again and visit friends! I am so excited about that!! "
Are YOU a former student or travel seminar participant who has great experiences to share with the rest of us? If so, please comment and/or email us with your news! Thanks, Ann

2010-10-12T09:19:00.000-07:00

Is Your Blog Worthy of a $10,000 Scholarship?
Do you maintain a weblog and attend college? Would you like $10,000 to help pay for books, tuition, or other living costs? If so, read on.

We're giving away $10,000 this year to a college student who blogs. The Blogging Scholarship is awarded annually.

Scholarship Requirements:

Your blog must contain unique and interesting information about you and/or things you are passionate about. No spam bloggers please!!!
U.S. citizen or permanent resident;
Currently attending full-time in post-secondary education in the United States; and
If you win, you must be willing to allow us to list your name and blog on this page. We want to be able to say we knew you before you became a well educated, rich, and famous blogging legend.

Important Dates:

the 2010 submission application date is October 21, 2010.
the winner will be announced on Noveber 2, 2010 at 6pm Pacific.

For more information see the official website:

http://www.collegescholarships.org/our-scholarships/blogging.htm

Spirit is the Secret of Success

2010-10-11T07:13:00.000-07:00

"Spirit is the Secret of Success”

by Erica Lippitt

Augsburg College

Teal Inzunza, Sara Wallentine, and Erica Lippitt enjoying freshly cut sugarcane.

We recently went to El Salvador for a travel seminar. During our time in Salvador, we learned about the history, the present political, economic and social challenges, as well as much about the civil war that ended less than 20 years ago. It was evident the country is still going through difficult challenges, especially with healthcare, education, poverty and violence. (Which seems to be a common challenge among many countries, including our own.)

We had the opportunity to spend two nights in a community called, Nueva Esperanza. We had to leave our materialistic lives behind and live simple like sleep on cots, and bucket bathe. Nueva Esperanza is a communal cooperation community that has gained a grasp on these challenges and seems to be an ‘ideal’ community, as least by what I saw and heard. When asked what makes the community work so well, the former president of the Co-op responded, “there is a spirit here.” The ‘spirit’ was created when the original members built the community upon returning from Nicaragua after 9 years as refugees of the civil war. It is this spirit that still motivates the community so they are able to succeed in the production of sugarcane, cattle, organic cashews and hybrid coconut. It is their spirit that motivates their youth to not only to continue their education at universities but to return back to the community and share the new knowledge with the cooperation. It is their spirit that helped build social programs such as the musical group we met that has devoted their time to traditional Salvadorian music. It is their spirit and closeness that has led to a violence-free community.

It was hard to imagine that in the third most violent country, such a community existed. If only other communities in Salvador and other countries have such a spirit of community, the world could be a better place. I think it’s important to look at communities like Nueva Esperanza as inspiration and motivation. I know they have definitely inspired me and helped me to view life in a less materialistic way, and that good things can come out of a bad situation

This is a picture of a bucket bathe.

This is a mural outside the community center of Nueva Esperanza.

Minneapolis-Cuernavaca Sister City 2nd Anniversary Celebration

2010-10-07T06:43:00.000-07:00

The Minneapolis-Cuernavaca Sister City Association is hosting a networking hour in celebration of their 2nd anniversary at the Midtown Global Market. If you're located in our near the Twin Cities, join us! Follow the link to the Evite invitation for more details and to RSVP.

http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/LVWDVHCRINPWVZWGTSCE/MinneapolisCuernavacaSisterCityevent

Unique Experiences During Educational Seminar in El Salvador

2010-09-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

During our trip to El Salvador over the past two weeks, our group had a wide range of experiences, many of which the average person would not have access to. For example, in addition to visiting historic sites, such as the home of former Archbishop Oscar Romero, the Jesuit Central American University (the UCA), the Cathedral, and beautiful places like Suchitoto and the beach, we met with people from wide range of political perspectives, including representatives of the U.S. Embassy, the ARENA party, and the FMLN party. We also visited the Monument of Truth, which is similar to the U.S.' Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC, as it lists the names of thousands of people who were killed in the war. The picture below shows our staff member, Cesar Acevedo, standing in front of the name of his father, Alfonso Acevedo, who was killed in 1982.
We learned a lot about the history of the war, which ended as a result of U.N.-sponsored Peace Accords in 1992. We also learned a lot about the challenges of the post-war period. In addition to traveling and meeting with a wide range of people, organizations and businesses, we also had several unique cultural experiences, including our own private concert with Salvadoran musician and composer Guillermo Cuellar, who was commissioned by Archbishop Oscar Romero to compose the Salvadoran fok mass, the Misa Campesina. The picture below shows Cuellar with our students after the concert.