Field Studies Report from Mexico

I Failed to post this earlier but this is my summary from ProMexico that discusses alot of my experiences there, just incase anyone cares to take a look. My other final project was a powerpoint i did for the politics course, which i cant put on a blog. Anyway Enjoy!

ProMexico Field Studies Report

Lauren MacKenzie

December 8, 2006

The ProMexico semester abroad program of Fall 2006 involved a Field Studies course amongst the other coursework requirements. The field studies portion of the Semester program took on the equivalent of the usual ProMexico function of a volunteer project in a developmental or cultural arena. Along with my experiences with ProMexico, my time spent in Oaxaca involved two organizations, Banco de Alimentos de Oaxaca (BAO) and Diverti Granja.

My project set up started in mid-September with the Banco de Alimentos de Oaxaca (BAO), which is the local food bank for the city of Oaxaca, Mexico. The non-profit BAO is still a relatively young eight years old, however it is an effective organization. The current director, Sylvia Palacios, met with me on several occasions and discussed the details of the organization and the possibility of a project with the BAO. While learning how the BAO functions daily, and on a longer-term basis, we discovered that they were not prepared to have a volunteer of my sort.

The BAO is run smoothly covering the basic services locally that are monitored and aided by the national organization of food banks called the Asociacion Mexicana de Bancos de Alimentos (AMBA). Unfortunately, based upon where the BAO is organizationally, the director Sylvia Palacios was unable to form a project or goal that I could help accomplish. I think logistically, the BAO is functioning at a high level having met their initial goals, however, organizationally I believe the BAO is ready to move forward and create new goals.

After moving on from the BAO, I met with the ProMexico staff to brainstorm new project ideas through discussion and use of the partner organization summaries that are available to program participants. It was an unnerving period, however, a new project was found with a small local organization called Diverti Granja. The main project currently for Diverti Granja is the ever-expanding petting zoo that is designed to educate children about animal rights and disabilities.

I worked with Victor Hugo and Emily at Diverti Granja from October to November 2006 until ProMexico was pulled out of Oaxaca due to the political situation. The first two weeks my role at the zoo was primarily as a supporting worker, helping feed, check and handle the animals to maintain their sense of comfort of with people. I also helped with a tour of elementary school children on their visit to the zoo. Due to the situation in Oaxaca during this period, there was a significant lack of school groups visiting the Diverti Granja, which are usually the main clientele.

After the initial orientation, the organization decided on a more substantial project for my time at Diverti Granja. This project was to be the creation of information cards on each of the different animals. As a result of ProMexico being pulled out of Oaxaca early, the information cards have not been completed yet. However, they will be completed early in 2007 and sent back to Diverti Granja for their use. They will be one-page cards with photos of the animals and information including a map of origin. They will also be bilingual with one side in Spanish and the reverse side in English. Hopefully these cards will be another good resource for the zoo to use to continue to develop their organization.

I believe Diverti Granja has many opportunities for new volunteers because there are a variety of projects that Diverti Granja needs help with. Some must be done locally, but others have more flexibility and can be completed internationally. However, due to the juvenile status of the organization there is a lot of groundwork still to be done in order for Diverti Granja to actualize their ideas and goals. This would include developing a long-term plan, fundraising, further publicity, and development of the educational aspect of the program.

Diverti Granja would greatly benefit from developing partnerships with other organizations locally and internationally. Locally, working more closely with CORAL, a well-established organization would help Diverti Granja develop a financial plan and educational focus for the future. By creating an exact plan, Diverti Granja could have a better sense of their goals, and what they are actually capable of doing. This would be a benefit for them since the organization will continue to make contact with foreigners through ProMexico volunteers; hopefully including connections to animal and human rights, disability education, and sensitivity training groups. There is a wealth of knowledge, resources and connections that these volunteers bring to Diverti Granja from the international community. These exterior influences invaluably develop their programs and will serve as fresh inspiration to the others.

I hope that my work with Diverti Granja will make a difference in the long run, however, that will depend upon the amount I continue to work with the organization in the future. I do not feel like my work, as of yet, has affected the organizations future. I think I feel that way because my project with Diverti Granja is basic, but I am aware that it is important for the esthetic and development of the overall organization. It is not satisfying playing a minimal role with an organization because aspirations are high and there is a lot of work to do. I can imagine it is frustrating for Victor Hugo and Emily of Diverti Granja, as it would be for anyone in a similar position with a non-profit organization.

The field studies project, through ProMexico, Diverti Granja and the Banco de Alimentos de Oaxaca, was an invaluable experience personally and professionally. However, it is overwhelming, empowering and inspiring in many ways. I have dreamed of living abroad working for a non-profit organization feeling that cliché of ‘making a difference’; now, I have begun to think I would like my career to be more focused on the balance of political forces, as much as I appreciate what happens in the daily struggle of a non-profit organization. Professionally, learning by example and learning by doing are effective ways, and from my experiences with three different non-profits I learned a lot about the realities of non-profits. It is daunting as I move forward after all that I have learned from this experience because it will continue to influence my future and the way in which I understand, interpret and interact the professional world I hope to enter.

The most important aspect of a non-profit, that I have discovered, is goal setting. It is not a one-time event that takes place, but needs to reoccur at regular intervals to evaluate where you stand on original goals and set new goals. Through sports I have learned that personal goals are important but with this field studies experience, it became clear that professional goals for an organization are even more important. Organizations’ goals are shared amongst the executive and members; they affect the perception of the organization by the public, donors and therefore need to be precise and measurable to demonstrate progress. Without goals there is no way for an organization, or individuals within it, to have a sense of direction and to function under a mandate.

Working under a mandate is vital to human resources and therefore the longevity of the organization, which is the second most important thing to a non-profit organization. The value of a person is immeasurable, especially to a non-profit, because they are often volunteers or highly underpaid. This value is not only applicable to professional life, but to personal life, it demonstrates the point that it does not matter what you do, but how you do it. It is impossible to truly comprehend, in words, what I have learned from this experience.

Learning from the mistakes and strengths of yourself and others is not an easy task because it forces you to be critical of everything you have experienced. However, hopefully the result is a productive one, which I believe this has been. I have learned from being critical of myself, the two organizations I was involved with, and ProMexico. In terms of ProMexico, I believe the staff works incredibly well at being accessible and still professional to the participants that arrive.

In the case of my project, I believe that they were ready to listen to my goals and ideas, and then help find a suitable project for me. However, I believe that the success we had was due to the amount of time we had to work on a project for me. Its unrealistic to expect the staff or even the participant to know exactly what project would be ideal; it creates a lot of pressure on all parties involved when considering the limited amount of time a participant is on site for and the amount of money they are paying for the experience. It would be helpful for participants to receive a copy of detailed organization summaries before arriving on site. This would help the participants to clarify expectations and to formulate a plan, or at minimum an idea, of what they would like to do for their project. More guidelines are needed for participants prior to arrival, but this should exclude the staff making the plans for the participant unless they are very clear about what they want. There needs to be time to adjust to the culture, language, family-stay and life on site before an appropriate project can be found by participant or staff. This is why I would recommend ProMexico encouraging a long stay on site of at least a month to best benefit the participant, the non-profit organization, and ProMexico’s relationships with the community.

My fall 2006 spent in Oaxaca with ProMexico as a semester abroad student, doing my field studies course, consisted of just over three months of experience with the non-profit sector. There are more things I would like to have seen and done in Oaxaca for my field studies project, however, there are things I will continue to do now that I am no longer affiliated with ProMexico. It is an experience that is continuing past my allotted time with ProMexico; the full value of the experience is incomprehensible but the lessons learned from my field studies project are a huge part of it.

WUSC Article February

Round Up for Student Refugee Program

Acadia WUSC to start Box Office Round Up

- Lauren MacKenzie

Starting on February 1^st, 2007, all customers of the Box Office, and both locations of the Campus Store, will have the option to ‘round up’ their purchase to the next dollar as a donation to Acadia WUSC’s Student Refugee Program. This means that an Acadia nalgene costing $14.76 could be rounded up to $15.00, with the additional 24 cents going directly to fund the program.

Since November 2007, following the loss of significant federal funding, all local World University Service of Canada (WUSC) committees are responsible for funding the majority of their own Student Refugee Programs. This is a large undertaking for a university club, but the program at Acadia remains the focus of the committee and is currently hosting three students in the program.

Acadia WUSC coordinator, Hannah Sheehan, said this week that “Without the support of the Acadia and Wolfville community, the Student Refugee program would not be possible. With a cut back in federal support each WUSC committee has been given the responsibility of funding all overseas costs for each sponsored student, we will now be forced to rely more on the generosity of our community. Luckily we have confidence that they will pull through.”

In addition to the Round-Up campaign for the Student Refugee Program, Acadia WUSC will be drawing increased attention to refugee issues on campus during the week of March 12^th- 17^th, 2007. The details of the annual Refugee Awareness Week will be advertised in posters, emails and on the WUSC website closer to the date of the events, which will include a speaker’s panel, coffee house, concert at the Axe and a refugee camp simulation,.

All proceeds from Refugee Awareness Week and Round Up campaign will be put towards the costs of the Student Refugee Program at Acadia. The Acadia WUSC committee is “very thankful for this amazing opportunity for further collaboration.” Be sure to check out the website, http://axe.acadiau.ca/wusc, for further information on events and how you can get involved.

Parteras

So this is a really brief write up, in spanish, about parteras for my health class. Parteras are midwives, its really general and basically my opinion, and some info about Canada bc i thought it was interesting to compare it. But anyway! check it out if you like!

Parteras Mexicanas
Lauren MacKenzie (24 octubre 2006)
Las Parteras son muy importantes en México porque son un parte de la medicina tradicional y son la más accesible forma de ayudar por las mujeres embarazadas en los pueblos. Las Parteras son los “médicos” por más o menos setenta por ciento de los nacimientos en el estado de Oaxaca, por lo tanto, son casi tan importantes como los médicos en las clínicas.
Históricamente, las parteras estén muy común en los otros partes del mundo, pero ahorita no tienen la misma respecte que los médicos. Es a pesar de las programas en universidades canadienses por aprender como ser una partera. Hay programas en la universidad de Colombia Británica, Universidad McMaster, Universidad Ryerson, Universidad Laurentien y Universidad de Tríos Rivières. Además de estos, hay programas por enseñar la población indígena en el norte de Canadá también.
En México, no hay las programas de universidad por las parteras, pero las parteras quieren enseñar los jóvenes como un estudiante para continuar la tradición. La trabaja de las parteras es muy tradicional porque es un parte de la medicina tradicional, entonces hay muchas cosas sobre los practicas de aprender. Las parteras conocen mucha sobre los diagnósticos, prácticas terapéuticas, prácticas preventivas antes, durante, y después los partes. Eses cosas son muy interesantes pero no son los diagnósticos exacto como los médicos pueden usar. Es difícil a decir si es una buena cosa por las mujeres porque no tiene estadísticas sobre cuando hay problemas con los partes.
Pienso que me gusta las practicas de las parteras, pero no puedo decir si es por razón o porque es nuevo e interesante para mí. Voy a pensar más a ese cosa y posible voy a usar una partera en Canadá cuando quiero tener una bebe.

Parteras

So this is a really brief write up, in spanish, about parteras for my health class. Parteras are midwives, its really general and basically my opinion, and some info about Canada bc i thought it was interesting to compare it. But anyway! check it out if you like!

Parteras Mexicanas
Lauren MacKenzie (24 octubre 2006)
Las Parteras son muy importantes en México porque son un parte de la medicina tradicional y son la más accesible forma de ayudar por las mujeres embarazadas en los pueblos. Las Parteras son los “médicos” por más o menos setenta por ciento de los nacimientos en el estado de Oaxaca, por lo tanto, son casi tan importantes como los médicos en las clínicas.
Históricamente, las parteras estén muy común en los otros partes del mundo, pero ahorita no tienen la misma respecte que los médicos. Es a pesar de las programas en universidades canadienses por aprender como ser una partera. Hay programas en la universidad de Colombia Británica, Universidad McMaster, Universidad Ryerson, Universidad Laurentien y Universidad de Tríos Rivières. Además de estos, hay programas por enseñar la población indígena en el norte de Canadá también.
En México, no hay las programas de universidad por las parteras, pero las parteras quieren enseñar los jóvenes como un estudiante para continuar la tradición. La trabaja de las parteras es muy tradicional porque es un parte de la medicina tradicional, entonces hay muchas cosas sobre los practicas de aprender. Las parteras conocen mucha sobre los diagnósticos, prácticas terapéuticas, prácticas preventivas antes, durante, y después los partes. Eses cosas son muy interesantes pero no son los diagnósticos exacto como los médicos pueden usar. Es difícil a decir si es una buena cosa por las mujeres porque no tiene estadísticas sobre cuando hay problemas con los partes.
Pienso que me gusta las practicas de las parteras, pero no puedo decir si es por razón o porque es nuevo e interesante para mí. Voy a pensar más a ese cosa y posible voy a usar una partera en Canadá cuando quiero tener una bebe.

Link to other Blog

Hey There Everyone!
this is a link back to my original blog incase you made your way here and can't get back! i'll figure it out how to put links on the main pages soon i hope!
http://lavidaoaxaquena.blogspot.com/

Seguro Popular

The Following was written for my Mexican health class. Its in spanish.. so goodluck, but at least you can see that i´m doing something here. Its about a government sponsored form of health insurance in Mexico.

Seguro Popular
Lauren MacKenzie ( 17 octubre 2006)
El seguro Popular de Salud en México empezó en 2001 por Presidente Vincente Fox. Es un proyecto de servicio humanitario por el gobierno porque es el más accesible seguro para todos los mexicanos.
Seguro Popular a diferencia del seguro S.S.A. (Secretaria de Salubridad y Asistencia), I.M.S.S. (Instituto mexicano del Seguro Social), I.S.S.S.T.E. (Instituto de Servicios y Seguridad Social a los Trabajadores del Estado). Por más que sea dependiente el Seguro Popular en la S.S.A. por su infraestructura. Todos los otros tipos di seguro dicen en donde pueden recibir servicios de salud- en las clínicas y hospitales de cada seguro.
Seguro Popular es el más barato seguro en México, y, a veces, es gratis para los pobres. El Seguro Popular se creó para servir las personas quienes no pueden pagar por un seguro. La estructura del Seguro Popular divise la población en diez niveles económicos. Los dos primeros niveles no necesitan pagar, y los otros ocho pagan en relación de cuanto dinero gana la familia. Es una ventaja tener Seguro Popular porque, con los servicios en S.S.A., tienen el máximo servicio al mínimo precio.
Por otra parte, las clínicas y servicios de Seguro Popular son los mismos para las personas con un seguro más caro. La infraestructura que tiene el Seguro Popular es de la S.S.A. Por esa razón, los dos servicios sufren, y el gobierno no da más dinero a pesar del peso de más pacientes.
La dificultad del Seguro Popular es que no tiene la fuerza para dar los servicios de salud sin debilitar a los otros. Es porque la mayoría de los pacientes no pagan por sus servicios de salud, entonces los servicios de Seguro Popular y S.S.A. no tienen mucho dinero. Seguro Popular ofrece un poco más que los servicios básicos, pero no cubre las enfermedades crónicas. Seguro Popular cubre noventa por ciento de las más comunes condiciones, con planes de cubrir la restante para el 2010. El Seguro Popular puede cubrir leucemia en niños, cuidados neonatales, cáncer cérvico uterino y el VIH/sida. Evidente, hay mucho otros servicios de necesidad.
Seguro Popular tiene algo de fuerza porque hay muchos pacientes en todo México. Desgraciadamente, la infraestructura falta en la presidencia de Fox. Mientras que con la promesa del Presidente- Electo, Felipe Calderón, a continuar por otros seis años, hay un deseo de mejorar el sistema de Seguro Popular.

Ath Article

And here is what i wrote for the Ath while in Oaxaca. i´m still excited to see what it looked like in print. I´ve been told i dont look as lame as i am... so thats good!

La Vida Oaxaqueña: “Smile Girl, you’re in paradise”

Imagine sitting watching a sunset on a beach in mid- October without needing a parka. In fact, you are watching surfers on world class waves at Puerto Escondido’s Playa Zicatela. Taking pictures and smelling the humid sea-air, a random surfer next to you says, “Smile Girl, you’re in paradise”. I have to smile and agree; México is paradise.
Currently, I am doing a study abroad program with a program called ProMéxico, and we are based in Oaxaca City. The state of Oaxaca is in the southern region, on the pacific coast of México. It’s famous for chocolate Oaxaqueño, pacific beaches like Puerto Escondido, and the states extensive history of striking teachers, and political protests.
As a political science major from Acadia, there is no better no time or place to imagine spending a semester abroad. There is a wide range of impressions of what it is like living in Oaxaca during this time, but remember, drama and danger sell a lot of newspapers. However, based on the Canadian news online, it’s unlikely that Canadians in general have an opinion of the Oaxaca situation.
Briefly, the situation began in May 2006 with the state’s public teachers union going on their annual strike. This trend started in the early 1980’s but usually only lasts a week or two. During these strikes, the union’s purpose is to lobby the state government for a wage increase. However, this year they called for the expulsion of the state governor, Ulises Ruis Ortiz, from office.
Many other groups joined forces with the teachers, creating the APPO or the Asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca (http://www.asambleapopulardeoaxaca.com). The situation elevated on June 14th when there was a failed attempt to expel the protestors from the city center. This attempt inflamed the situation, resulting in massive amount of grafitti and fireworks, marches of varying sizes, and barricades blocking major roads, essentially closing government offices and making life inconvenient for all.
The Canadian and American governments have been advising all citizens of the situation in Oaxaca. Officially the Canadian Department of Consular Affaires has been “advising against all travel to Oaxaca, especially the city center” due to the demonstrations that are occurring daily (voyage.gc.ca – Current Issues). The government’s official position is a logical one; however, the information comes from the skewed perception of local media and a very opinionated Honorary Consul.
Before leaving for Oaxaca, I was advised to register with the local Canadian Consulate within a few days of arriving, which I did promptly three weeks after my arrival. The experience with her was invaluable. The services offered are basic identification so the Canadian government is aware of your status in the city in case drastic measures are needed for political or natural disaster reasons. The Consular office is also responsible for sending status reports to Ottawa.
These reports generally reflect the opinion of the Consul, which in this case is very dramatic. My experience with her was overwhelming, as I essentially got verbally attacked for risking my life by coming to Oaxaca. She proceeded to explain that I should be locked in my house at all times, and leave the country as soon as possible. Despite being a Oaxaca resident for over 30 years, she was negative and abrasive.
While the situation requires a certain amount of caution, I never feel as though I am risking my life by experiencing all the wonders that this city and state have to offer. ProMéxico has been functioning normally advising fellow participants to pay attention to the news and events happening. It is difficult to put yourself in a dangerous situation here because it is the number one topic in the national news, and local conversation. No one wants to see anymore people get hurt by the situation, but it is the one time it is best to listen to the rumours that fly like wildfire.
There have been periods when rumours are more like public advisories. For at least the past three weeks there have been serious threats that the federal police will enter the city and remove the protesters, road blocks, and force the teachers back to school. Thankfully, Presidente Fox is committed to exhausting the peace process. Some speculate that the reason for this is that he is not bold enough to use force since his leadership style has been to wait and let issues play out. Either way, it is a smart political move because any form of violence will deepen the strain this has on the states main source of income: tourism.
The most quoted piece of grafitti in the city center, or Zocálo, says, “Turista go home, Oaxaca anticapitalista”. Unfortunately, this one of a kind piece of artwork has taken all of the international media’s attention. The lack of tourists is hurting the city and since arriving September 1st, I’ve noticed businesses closing, families from rural villages living on the streets, and a general lack of money flow. Even local Oaxaqueños do not go out at night or to the city center for social reasons as they did in the past.
The relative safety of the city has declined due to the lack of a police presence, which has left most people timid and avoiding the unknown. Though, I have yet to have any major scare, even though our group continues to faithfully contribute to the local economy and night life. Currently, the Oaxaca nightlife is considered to be quiet, but we are still in México and it never ceases to disappoint. This is partly because the general friendliness of Oaxaqueños is relaxing. They are some of the most non-judgemental and carefree people I have ever met; even México’s famed machismo is rarely a problem.
For those of you unexposed to machismo before, a rough equivalent in North America would be a “womanizer”, depending on your perspective. In México, the noun to describe the person is a “Machista”. It has a negative reputation, though; sometimes it is considered a compliment amongst men. Machismo is famous because it can be aggressive and explains the patriarchy of society and family life. It is widely accepted but happens most often when there is a group of men standing together on the street waiting for their chance to woo an unsuspecting extranera (female foreigner) or simply show off to their friends.
As a tall Gringa (North American woman) there are some experiences with machismo, but they are more often than not entertaining and good natured provided you do not take yourself or them overly seriously. Countless times now, there have been short Mexican men trying to measure up to our groups height as we pass in the street, lots of whistling, catcalls, and men with an eager desire to practice the few English words they know. A few examples of the most memorable incidents include: “Oh My God! Beautiful Ladies!” and “Hi Babies!”.
Everyday is an amusing, and often random, adventure living in México for the semester. Even taking into account the problems of the city, it is exciting witnessing an event that could change the future of Mexican politics. I still look forward to when a solution is finally reached and I can experience “the real Oaxaca”, but until that day every moment will continue to appeal to the political science in me.
Regardless, I’ll keep falling in love with México for its flowers, fruit, friendly people, and incredible landscapes to match the most beautiful blue sky filled with big fluffy white clouds. Mountains in the Sierra to the Pacific beaches to the cobble stone streets in the city, Oaxaca is the most beautiful place I have ever seen.
There are lots of things to miss from our little Acadia University like watching the leaves change colours, Homecoming weekend, and the unified feeling of stress on campus at midterms. However, with or without problems, I’d recommend Oaxaca to anyone looking for a holiday, a chance to work with dedicated non-governmental organizations, or to live in an incredibly rich culture with the some of the best food in the world.
If you ever get to make the trip to Oaxaca, you’ll be smiling, right along with everyone around you, because you’ll be in Paradise.

Welcome!

Welcome to my other blog! I´m just posting articles and stuff i write for school or life here! so feel free to read em if you like! otherwise see my other blog for info about Oaxaca.