We began our final, full day in Cuernavaca with classes at CETLALIC.  The weather was absolutely beautiful and the gardens around the school were in full bloom.  We have been very lucky to be able to study in the midst of such beauty—banana and mandarin trees, birds of paradise and other flowers in constant bloom, palm trees swaying in the breeze and vines and plants add to the ambiance of the stunning outdoor classroom.

After classes the preparations began for our farewell gathering.  Committees immediately set to work like ants in a colony.  One group arranged the tables and seating, another helped prepare the food, and others readied the music.  Within one hour CETLALIC had been transformed and the farewell fiesta began!  Our host families joined us for the wonderful celebration filled with delicious food, good conversation and lots of dancing—both Mexican and American.  The highlight of the event was the certificate presentation.  Each member of the group received a certificate of completion from CETLALIC and had an opportunity to give a short speech about their experience in Cuernavaca.  It was a wonderful way to conclude our stay.

Re-reading the various posts of the past four weeks, we have been reminded of the many wonderful experiences we have had here.  Thanks to Fulbright, the experience and knowledge of Marta and Jorge (the leaders of CETLALIC), and Dr. Hatt we have truly benefitted from a wonderful program.  We would like to take this opportunity to share a few bits of information that haven’t made the blog yet.  Many are simply things that were said in passing or are observations we have made during our time here.  We hope that you enjoy our tidbits.

Planning for a Mexican fiesta is somewhat different from planning for a gathering in the US.  For example, when helping to prepare a preliminary menu for the event, we learned that a buffet of tacos, lettuce salad, fruit salad, guacamole, rice, and beans was somewhat unusual.  Fruit salad was not considered “normal” or “complementary” for such a display.  In addition, peanuts, popcorn or bread should be available on the tables before the meal for guests to eat.  Our hosts at CETLALIC take great time and effort in planning a fiesta.  We truly enjoyed learning about Mexican customs at parties while helping organize the gathering.

Upon arrival in Cuernavaca, one of the first things many of us learned was to avoid the phrase, “I live near Pemex.”  This phrase is sure to cause much confusion, as there are Pemex gas stations on nearly every other corner.  The reason for this is that Pemex is the national gas station.  There are no other gasoline companies in Mexico.  The creation of Pemex was the result of many people being upset about the influx of foreign oil companies.  Therefore, in the late 1930’s the Mexican government created a nationalized petroleum company.  One benefit of this system is that the price is fixed—kind of nice when you consider the amount of time/effort we spend driving around town looking for the lowest price!

 

Shopping around Cuernavaca, we’ve noticed that prices, for the most part, are pretty comparable to those in the US.  Bread, for example, starts around $1.50 (US dollars) per loaf, a candy bar is around $1.00, gasoline is about $3.00 per gallon, and ice cream at a Baskin Robbins-type store is approximately $3.50 per scoop.  There are markets where bargaining is the norm, but even there, prices are comparable.  What is interesting however, is that salaries for the average worker are much lower than in the US.  As mentioned in a previous posting, many teachers work two shifts (or two jobs) to make enough money to cover basic expenses.  During the parent panel, we learned that in one family one parent drives a taxi to earn enough money to pay the bills and the other works in order to afford to send their children to school.  Living with such tight finances affords little leeway for vacations, repair work, unanticipated medical bills and even building a savings.

The prevalence of open-air restaurants and live music, both at restaurants and in the city center, is a welcome change to the more private options available in central Illinois.  A trip to the city center almost always results in finding music of some sort.  Our favorite “find” was a section of the city center that had been blocked off with chairs.  There was a mixture of salsa, bachata, and cumbia music playing and several older couples dancing.  Watching them enjoy the beautiful weather, joyous music and company of each other was truly heart-warming.  

Our walk to the bus stop is always filled with enticing aromas.  There are a number of families who set up stands along the sidewalks specializing in everything from al pastor tacos (pork tacos), pollo rotizado (roasted chicken), homemade tortillas and gorditas, papas fritas (fresh fried potato chips) and freshly squeezed fruit juices.  Even though our host mother was an amazing cook and we always left home unable to eat another bite, some of the stands were difficult to pass up!

Robert Brady Bunch

On our last day in Mexico we went to the Brady house, which was a magnificent place full of tasteful artwork as well as view of Cuernavaca.  It is a house connected to the Cathedral and in the 19th century was used as a second bishop observatory.  We all would agree that this house would make a great place to live.

Robert Brady died at the young age of 58 of liver cancer.  He built this house in 1962 and used bright colors throughout the house because of the lack of electricity.  All of the decoration in the house was eclectic and the house is exactly how Brady left it.  Brady was also a painter but his work was never sold, it was only meant to be for himself.  He was a heir to an inheritance.  He had one other brother. But both him and his brother died without heirs and the Brady inheritance ended.  Why would Brady choose to build such a grandiose house in Cuernavaca?  Cuernavaca is actually a place of many celebrities.  On the outside many of the buildings seem regular until you get inside where there are many beautiful things.

Some of the artwork includes Frida Kahlo’s “Autorretrato.”  But a couple of Brady’s favorite painters who are also featured in the museum were Rutino Tamallo and David Hokney. There were a couple of very old pieces of art in the sitting area near the pool such as a bird mosaic, Mosaico Bizantino Ravenna Italia c. 500 from the Bizantine era and a pot Teotihuacan made in 400-600 D.C. (before Christ).

An Introduction to Paulo Freire

Wednesday July 4, 2012

Today we began the day with a full day of classes (5 hours). The day was split up into three hours of grammar and two hours of conversation. After lunch we had a lecture on a topic that we began to discuss the day before, which is a book by Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed. This lecture was lead by Jorge, the director of the language school and was conducted in Spanish. During this time we got a brief history of things that were going on in the world during the time Freire was around, as well as his impact and thoughts on education. Afterwards, our Fulbright group had a brief discussion regarding this information. We came up with a list of things that have helped us in learning a second language as well as things that we can use in our classroom to better aid our students in learning a second language while maintaining his/her first language and cultural identity.

Discussion about Paulo Freire                          

Paulo Freire is a Brazilian educationalist who made a name for himself when he was exiled from Brazil for 15 years after teaching farmer workers to read. His work upset the people in power because it is easier to keep people oppressed when they are uneducated. He is well known for his book Pedagogy of the Oppressed. This book discussed the notion of bank education (students are empty vessels to be filled, waiting to be filled with knowledge); highlights the contrast between education forms that treat people as objects rather than subjects; and explores education as cultural action.

Our List of Helpful Tips in Learning a Second Language   

·         Teachers ask where you are in your language learning

·         Understanding the need to shut down

·         Understanding the frustrations

·         Identity crisis - connection between language and identity

o   Affirm their first language

o   Encourage parents to teach their children in their strongest language

o   Bridge what students already know in their first language and link it to the new language

·         Language as exclusionary - who is left out

·         Don’t want to sound or feel stupid – using rephrasing to help students hear the correct way to say something rather than continually interrupting and telling them they are wrong.

·         Don’t confuse the knowledge that someone knows with what they can communicate

·         Celebrating little successes and allowing it

·         Consider how we treat people with “thick” accents

·         Need time to rest

·         Recognize group vs. individual mentality and recognizing that your students need to be a support for each other

Philosophy and Fun

What a busy day! Language class was followed by a lecture of Feminism in Mexico by Irene Ortiz. She spoke about Domestic Workers United and a brief history of the oppression of women in Mexico. She also spoke of different movements - such as Teología de Liberación and C.E.B. Irene spoke of the importance of solidarity among younger and older women in the Feminist Movement. Men and women have worked together for rights through Movimiento Urbano Popular. The work is crescendoing as people strive to strengthen the population with projects meeting the needs of others. In the afternoon, we met as a group to discuss Paul Freire's work in education, as well as, his philosophy and methods of teaching. We looked at what causes oppression and how to develop a critical consciousness. We also spoke of Neoliberalism, it's core ideas and how the Zapatatista is fighting against it in Mexico. Following this meeting, we proceeded to learn Traditional Mexican Folkloric Dance. Our teacher kept us on our toes for 2 hours of fun.

Learning Grammar and History

This morning, we studied Spanish grammar. We practiced in our small groups to improve our fluency. In the afternoon, Spanish teacher Francisco gave us a brief but detailed lecture on the history of Mexico. The lecture covered the war of Mexican Independence starting 1810 to the current election. Francisco explained the several revisions of the Constitution, as well as, key events and players. Students were enthralled with his vast knowledge of Mexico's history. Our evening was filled with conversations with host families.

Code of Ethics for Tourists

I wanted to share the following that is posted on the bulletin board at the language school.

Code of Ethics for Tourists

1. Travel in a spirit of humility and with a genuine desire to learn more about the people of your host country.

2. Be sensitive to the feelings of other people, thus preventing what might be offensive behavior on your part. This applies to photography as well.

3. Cultivate the habit of listening and observing, rather than merely hearing and seeing.

4. Realize that often people in the country you visit have time concepts and thought patterns different from your own; This does not make them inferior, only different.

5. Instead of looking for that beach paradise, discover the enrichment of seeing a different way of life, through other eyes.

6. Acquaint yourself with local customs. People will help you.

7. Instead of a Western practice of knowing all the answers, cultivate the habit of asking questions.

8. Remember that you are only one of the thousands of tourists visiting this country and do not expect special privileges.

9. If you really want your experience to be a home away from home, it is foolish to waste money on traveling.

10. When you are shopping, remember that bargain you obtained was only possible because of the low wages paid to the maker.

11. Do not make promises to people in your host country unless you are certain you can carry them through.

12. Spend time reflecting on your daily experiences in an attempt to deepen your understanding.  It has been said that what enriches you may rob and violate others.

Early in the trip we read through the code of ethics and discussed them.  Overall, the group has worked hard to try to maintain our ethics as tourists.  We haven't been perfect but we have learned a lot and been humbled by our experiences and mess ups.  I thought I would share it with the readers of our blog so you can be aware of the rules we have tried to live by while in Mexico.

Saludos,
Beth Hatt

Lunes, 06/25/12

                With every week that passes by we get the opportunity to make new friends and say goodbye to others. Every Monday we take an hour to introduce ourselves and go over our schedule, and today we got the opportunity to welcome a new student to CETLALIC. In class we learned how to properly use all the tenses, such as pretérito, imperativo, imperfecto, and so on. I must admit that my Spanish is not as great as I thought and I must get rid of bad habits.

                After an intense Spanish lesson we gathered as a group and watched a video called: Cartas del Otro Lado or Letters from the Other Side. This video was very emotional for it focused on families being torn apart due to the need of having to cross the border into the United States. As one of the family members in the video said, “Nadie se va por gusto” or “Nobody goes out of pleasure”, which until now has been proven to be true. The three families in the video all had at least one family member who had gone to the United States out of necessity. This necessity has caused a lot of hurt between family members due to the distance and torn relationships. For instance, there was one family whose father left to the United States and later a son/brother, leaving behind a wife and two daughters. The oldest daughter and the mother had a lot of resentment toward the father because he had been gone for a very long time and time after time he promised to return but never did. A huge myth is that once in the United States, there is a lot of opportunity for money but the truth is the complete opposite, making it almost impossible to return to ones homeland (which is always the dream).

                Later that day we returned to school to discuss issues of  “Americanization” and the impact of U.S. music and media on youth in Mexico and concerns over this influence. To do this we broke into groups and met up with a student to simply talk and find out how much of an impact music and media from the U.S. plays in their lives. We had the privilege to talk to a girl named Lucy who might just be the “perfect student”. She is in secundaria or middle school and is very involved in her school and other activities, such as the school play, Wizard of Oz and in a soccer team. We discovered that her favorite music is American, such as, Big Time Rush and One Direction. Her favorite channels are Nickelodeon and Disney XD. She is allowed to use the internet on Fridays and sometimes Wednesdays and usually goes on Facebook. Overall, Lucy seemed to be very influenced by U.S. music and media but she also seemed to have a very balanced life with various activities with her family, school, and friends. 

Melanie and Rebecca 

500 Pesos of Information

Sunday, July 1st, 2012

Our last day in Puebla, which to me was sad since this city is amazingly beautiful, began with a visit to the fortes that served as the battleground for the Battle of Puebla. Although we did not walk through or visit, I did want to mention how beautiful Fort Loreto was. In case some of you don't know where that is, it is the large fortress we walked by on our way to the anthropology museum, also where the Museum of Non-Intervention is located.
We began our visit with a wonderful explanation by Martha on the origins of the Battle of Puebla, which was between the Kingdom of France, under Napoleon III, and the Mexican army, under General Ignacio Zaragosa and President Benito Juarez. Please forgive me if I leave some of Martha's specific information out, since I was asked by her to translate while she spoke. Also, sorry for not knowing all the words, it is a learning process :)
Martha proceeded to bring out a $500 pesos bill. On the front side of the bill, you can see a portrait of the heroic Gen. Zaragosa and a depiction of his forces' triumphant defeat of the French military, which if you know your history, was a powerful force in the world. The other side of the bill shows an angel statue and the cathedral in Puebla. This is a mention to the name "la cuidad de los angeles (city of angels)." This name comes from the belief by many that the towers of the cathedrals were so magnificent and large that angels were the ones that constructed them.
Another interesting fact to Martha's story was the use of cakes as a pretext to war in Mexico. Yes, bakers called on the French to intervene militarily in Mexico because the Mexican government refused to pay for the many cakes that were made (true story). However, history ultimately found out that Napoleon III and his cousin Maximilliano had ambitions to make Mexico a monarchy all along. That is when President Juarez and his troops began a campaign that eventually drove the French out of Mexico, beginning in Puebla, on May 5, 1862, with their first victory over the French armies.
After Martha's wonderful story about the Battle of Puebla, we went in to visit the anthropology museum, with its many depictions of early life in the area, to the modern-day Puebla.
Our day went a little short, due to the elections, but overall very informative and fun!

We now begin our last week here in this wonderful country and I hope everyone has gained as much as I have. We are truly blessed to have had this great opportunity to learn not just a language, but a people, a culture, and a history that has enriched our lives and left countless memories that will live on for many years. Continue to appreciate our time here and God bless!!!

Simon Rodriguez Jr.
Steven Keepes

"" It is better to die on your feet than live on your knees".  -Emiliano Zapata Salazar

We are in Puebla!

Today we arrived in Puebla. It is a beautiful city surrounded by churches and colonial style architecture. The first place we visited was our hotel, Hotel Colonial. From there we walked around the center or zocalo as they call it here. While in the center we saw a hunger strike put together by public school teachers who were apart of the "Soy 132" movement here in Mexico. This group is in opposition of presidential candidate Peña Nieto of the PRI party. 131 students with their IDs protested how the the flower vendors were treated in Atenco, Mexico when they were mistreated by the order of Nieto. There was also a protest group of teachers on a hunger strike. For being such a conservative church town its people certainly have a voice. Next, our very hungry tummies went back to the hotel to eat dinner. The hotel is known for its great mole, a chocolate spicy sauce often served on meat, poblanos, or enchiladas. The mole poblanos are known to be the best in the world. It's also catalogued as a historic monument because of its magnificent colonial architecture. The hotel has the oldest working elevator in the country. After dinner we met to discuss our videos on the hotels breathtaking roof view of the night sky. We got good feedback on our projects and we are excited to keep moving further with them as our time in Mexico is coming to an end. :( We look forward to experiencing all that Puebla has to offer including the many churches.

June 30th Puebla, Mexico

This morning we woke up to sunshine in Puebla!  After a delicious breakfast at the hotel we got onto the bus to take us to Cholula.  The guide was incredibly knowledgeable about Puebla and was able to tell us some interesting details about the city’s history, politics, and the economy.  Puebla of the Angels was founded in 1531.  There are many stories about why the city is called Puebla of the Angels.  Some say it is because it must have taken angels to lift the heavy bells to the top of the churches.  Others say that the city was built by divine design.  The oldest part of the city is located in the city center and the modern buildings are built around it.  

As we drove out of Angelopolis, as the modern part of the city is called, we passed through a more rural area.  Farmers around the area use the soil fertilized with volcanic ash to grow wheat, sweet potatoes, and prickly pear cactus.  Farmers are able to take advantage of the underground aquifers to irrigate the land. 

The guide shared the rich cultural history of the indigenous groups in Puebla.  He said that in Puebla there are 7 Pre-Hispanic languages still spoken by indigenous people.  

He talked to us about the Reformation period when Benito Juarez worked to take power away from the churches and place more power in the government.  He said that part of the reformation was to make record keeping of births, deaths, marriages, management of graveyards and education government responsibilities.  

When we arrived in Cholula we visited two of the beautiful churches.  Cholula is known for the number of churches in the area, many of which are built on top of ancient pyramids.

 Here is the exterior (above) and interior (below) of the first church we visited.  As you can see the churches we visited were constructed in the baroque style with very ornate decorations and lots of gold leaf.

 My favorite part of the tour was when the guide shared some “leyendas” or folk tales about the city of Puebla with us.  One story was about “La casa de el que mato el animal” or the house of the one that killed the animal.  He told us a story about an anaconda that was living in the tunnels of Puebla that ate a baby among other victims.  The father of the baby put a bounty on the animal and there is a house with a façade of stone hunters dedicated to the man who killed the snake.  He also told us the leyenda of “La Purisima” or the woman in white.  The legend has it that this woman’s loved one died and that she waits at the roadside asking for a ride to the graveyard to visit his grave.  If you stop to give her a ride, you’ll surely die!  Stories such as these play a large role in popular culture in Mexico.  

The photo directly above is from a church that had at one point in its history burned and was reconstructed.   For more on the history of Cholula you can visit:  www.vivecholula.com  

After lunch where we tried chiles en nomads a typical dish served in Puebla we headed out to the markets to look at the artesanias and beautiful sights of the city.

Mexican Education System

Today we had a talk with Professora Leticia.  She is a professor at UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico) and also works at the UPN. In order to give us a strong foundation in the Mexican education system, she began by speaking on how schooling is broken down here.

1.       Básica- These years in school are mandatory.

a.       Prescolar for 2 years

b.      Primaria for 6 years

c.       Secundaria for 3 years

2.       Educación Medio Superior- There are options for how you choose to spend these years…

a.       Prepatoria

b.      Bachilleres

c.       Colegio de Ciencias Humanos

d.      CONALED

e.      CECYT-Vocational

3.       Educación Superior

a.       Licenciatura for 4 years

b.      Maestría for 2 years

c.       Doctorado for 4 years

As core component of each of these branches of education, there is also the “Four Pillars of Education” as a result of the education reform in Mexico. They are knowing, procedures, being and sharing. Leticia also spoke on how teachers stay connected through their once a month, “consejor técnico escolar” meetings. It is at this time where teachers can collaborate, plan and reflect on articles.

She also mentioned “rincones de lectura” or reading corners that all public schools should have. The SEP (Secretary of Education) has submitted books to every classroom for students to read. Although, we have visited many schools and have never seen a “Rincon de lectura” in a classroom. This program is called the “Programa Nacional de Lectura”.

A difference between the public schools in the US and the schools in Mexico is that schools can choose whether or not they want to take standardized tests. If public schools agree, in exchange for testing their students they receive compensation. We also learned that there are a few scholarships for students who want to further there education, where students can receive up to 1,500 dollars in pesos.