The Human Faces of Migration

By: Rebecca Rathjen

St. Olaf College

Students preparing to listen to the stories of migrants

*Please note: names have been changed to protect the privacy of those described

This week all the students of CGE had the opportunity to live in  a rural indigenous town for four days. Divided into pairs of students we lived with generous host families who provided us with a home, food, and great conversation.

For me, the most impacting experience was listening to the stories of two men, Pedro and Victor* of the town who had migrated illegally to the United States to pursue work. Although we had read books about the lives of migrant workers, hearing the stories first hand was much more impacting. Further, I was living with Victor’s family and had met his wife, twin sons, parents, aunts, uncles, and brothers- the people for whom Victor was working to provide.

Victor described his experience of migration as good and bad, but mostly bad. Motivated by the prospect of work in the United States and the lack of opportunities in Mexico, Victor first migrated to California in 1996, he worked for 2.5 years.

Victor then returned to Mexico, got married, and a year and a half later his wife became pregnant. Victor, always determined to provide the best for his family, decided with his wife that he would return to the US to find work despite knowing that he would miss the birth of his first children-twins. Unfortunately, in the US Victor was approached and humiliated by immigration officials and then deported. He returned home to his wife, defeated and depressed.

Despite this road block, months later Victor again made his way to the United States crossing the Altar desert in May facing dangerously hot temperatures and dehydration. In Colorado Victor worked for a chain café he had previously worked for and moved his way up in the kitchen to head chef. He worked for three years.

Victor, now living in back in his town with his wife and nine-year old twins, expressed to us the simple desire of migrant workers to work and earn money for their families. It was clear to me that he strives to provide stability and security for his family, the same dreams of families across the world. Victor hopes that his sons can attend university and increase their opportunities.

Most importantly migrant workers are human beings, with families, friends, and communities who put themselves in very vulnerable positions during migration, as workers, as illegal citizens living in crowded conditions in unsafe neighborhoods. Meeting Victor and hearing his story first hand has changed my opinion about migrant workers and has helped me to see the human aspect of migration, that all people are doing their best to provide for their families, even if that means breaking the law.

What stereotypes do US citizens hold about Mexican migrant workers? What would it take to change these stereotypes?

Colorful streets of the town

Social Work Students Experience Traditional Healing

By: Billy Hamilton
Augsburg College

Social work students spent four days in a rural community in the state of Morelos to learn about the role of social workers from rural Mexican contexts. Many members of the community embrace many different forms of traditional healing to treat—what western society may label—physical diseases, mental disorders, and pregnancies. Or, community members use traditional healing simply to build one’s spirit and heighten attention to one’s internal state of affairs.

"Photo of  a Temazcal--
students went inside in groups of 8-9

Two of these practices that social work students experienced were the Temazcal (sweat lodge) and the Limpia (cleansing). The Temazcal, from indigenous Nahuatl culture, is a type of bath designed to cleanse the spirit. Social work students experienced a 20-30 minute sweat inside a small adobe structure. After receiving a blessing with incense, students crawl on hands and knees backward into the four-foot structure. Crawling backwards represents retreating into the womb of Mother Nature. Once inside, the leader of the Temazcal poured water on burning volcanic rocks and used Fresno branches and leaves to disperse heat inside the small structure. After 20-30 minutes, students crawled out (facing forward) of Mother Nature’s womb to rest in sheets and to allow their bodies to adjust to outside temperatures. We then had the change to experience a Limpia. Two spiritual leaders in the community used an egg to read different physical, emotional and spiritual states of participants. Many of the students were brought to tears after the Limpia, as such an experience can stir emotions and make oneself face his or her inner fears. The Limpia challenged me to look within and take a personal inventory of myself.

You may ask why are social work students participating in what many—especially in today’s world—would label “outdated” or “strange” healing practices? In order to meet a diversity of clients where they are, social workers must understand the importance of traditional healing customs. The best way to understand such customs—an important piece of many indigenous cultures—is to participate in them. Students can work in their future careers to integrate traditional healing methods into the medical model. For many, the western medical model alone does not suffice as a viable intervention to meet the needs of clients. As noted by Marsiglia,  & Kulis (2009), social workers, when appropriate, can collaborate and partner with native practitioners of culturally appropriate ceremonies and rituals in order to integrate them into medical treatment plans. Furthermore, as “practitioners become exposed to other cultures, their interactions, presence, and privilege become part of the cultural diversity experience” (p. 30)[1]. Students can use this experience at the Temazcal and the Limpia to promote liberation—instead of oppression—of future clients. Social work students extend a special thanks to the community that opened up their houses, cultural practices and hearts to the students studying at the Center for Global Education in Latin America.

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[1] Marsiglia, Flavia Francisco & Stephen Kulis. Diversity, Oppression & Change: Culturally Grounded Social Work. (Chicago: Lyceum Books, 2009), 29.

Preparing to be on the “outside” of the Comfort Zone

By: Paige Lindley
St. Catherine University

              During week five there was a lot of preparation for the up and coming rural home stay in Amatlan. Earlier in the program we had visited Amatlan for a day, and thus began our knowledge of this community and town, but truly had not yet had the opportunity to truly expose ourselves to more of the rural lifestyle and form bonds and attachments to those in the community. We met and discussed our hopes and fears for the home stay as well as the different cultural norms which we should try to embrace and follow as a sign of respect while in the rural community of Amatlan. The students shared many commonalities in our hopes and fears but also had differences. Due to the fact that we are all people from different walks of lives, different states and communities and have different relationships with nature and more rural lifestyles, there were varying levels of fears and excitement due to this factor. Many showed excitement to be able to do more in the outdoors, others were afraid to be out of touch with their technological sides and perhaps be “roughing” it a little more and leaving behind the “luxuries” or a more industrialized lifestyle. I put these in quotations because the luxuries in life are very objective and differ from person to person, and what one person may view as a necessity may be someone else’s luxury or even a useless undesired object or item.

            Everyone was hopeful to be involved with the community, to learn more about their lifestyles, and to form some bonds with their families and be using their Spanish. Another fear was the use of Spanish and the difficulty and awkwardness it could potentially create as well as the anticipation of what we would be eating.

This is a child whom I met during my visit. The ways in
which we interact and learn about the lives of others can change our
lives and stepping outside of one's comfort zone is important in order
to be better social workers, human beings, as well as become more
culturally competent.

Throughout our classes, we discussed micro aggressions, and the ways in which racism can occur under the radar, without even being aware ourselves. This topic is particularly interesting because it stresses us to be aware and conscious of our own prejudices which we do not always like to admit that we have, although we all possess them. As social workers it is important to be aware of these prejudices so that we do not conduct ourselves with micro-aggressions or in a prejudiced way. 

We must always be challenging our thought patterns and the ways in which we view the world and analyzing the reasons which we may feel such a way. This will help us be able to see from other people’s perspectives as well. These topics were important to address before our home stay because it helped us to be more aware of our thoughts and perspectives before going to our rural homestay, and allowed us to reflect on how those changed once we returned. It also helped us to be more “culturally competent” and conduct ourselves in a respectful manner while we were in the town, visiting different sites and living with families within the community.

            I personally didn’t have many fears before the rural home stay due to the fact that I am comfortable in this environment. Something that normally helps me feel more comforted when I am feeling stressed or anxious is keep in mind that the experience of being abroad and all of its components, is something that happens once in a lifetime. Rather than thinking about what one doesn’t have, focusing on what it is that one does have is a much healthier way to live. Time passes faster than one can imagine and is ungraspable, take advantage of each moment of breath, and be happy for the air that is borrowed. Give back to the earth appreciation, love, and life; what it gives to you.

So with this experience I began to think what are the necessities in your life? How does one remain respectful and competent in a culture foreign to one’s own as well as embrace their fears in order to experience the richness of learning from other people’s experiences and culture?

Beauty and necessity are objective. This is a plant in which my host mom uses to treat congestion and headaches. The importance of exposure to other cultures and perspectives is so
incredible important and such an enriching experience which can change
your perspectives and outlooks forever. The importance of the
environment and the ways in which people use the resources around them
is very evident , and the way in which they savored and know
about each plant and its potential uses astounded me and was a piece
of their culture I feel needs to be more important to everyone around
the world.

The Quintessential Experiential Learning Event: Visit to Tlamacazapa

By: Lisa Rawlins

St. Olaf

I doubt that anyone in the social work group would disagree that our visit to Tlamacazapa was the most memorable part of the week. Tlamacazapa is an indigenous (Nahuat) village in the northern part of the state of Guerrero known for its palm weaving. The name Tlamacazapa, which means “people of fear,” reflects the town’s history. During the Spanish conquest of the nearby city of Taxco in the 16^th century, the residing indigenous people were forced to flee, seeking refuge in what is today Tlamacazapa. Unfortunately, as we learned during out visit to the headquarters of Atzín (a community development organization that works with the people of Tlamacazapa) on Tuesday, today Tlamacazapa is plagued by numerous problems, including the high levels of arsenic and lead in the well water. The water contamination, along with the lack of food, results in widespread health problems in the community.

Student learning how to weave a canasta (basket)

On either Friday or Saturday, the social work students visited Tlamacazapa to learn more about Atzín’s work and to interact with community members. Our experiences in Tlamacazapa were simultaneously full of joy, hope, empathy, and sadness. In small groups, we learned how to fetch water from the well and tote it on our backs, climbing up steep, rocky hills in scorching heat. I am amazed that the women of Tlamacazapa do this four times a day. In addition to gathering water, at our hosts’ homes, we learned how to make tortillas by hand and also learned how to make small “canastas” (baskets) using the Tlamacazapan palm-weaving technique. Later on, we had the opportunity to meet some of the women in the quilting income-generating project. The women beamed with pride as they eagerly explained their artwork to us. Anita later commented that in the past, the women in Tlamacazapa have been much more modest and shy. She interprets their newfound confidence and sociability as a sign of empowerment and increased self esteem among the women of Tlamacazapa.

During our debriefing session the following Monday, everyone agreed that in addition to being inspired by the quilters, we were inspired by the young “promotoras” (promoters) we met. The Promotoras, are young women from Tlamacazapa who volunteer to facilitate Atzín’s programs, which include the children with special needs program, the children’s nutrition program, and an outreach program for elderly community members. Most of the promotoras are several years younger than us, and yet they are doing such important work! The promotoras taught me that anyone can make a difference, regardless of age. Their example also taught me that the most effective community development occurs through the community members themselves. As social work education literature often stresses, the client is the expert of his or her life, not the social worker. The same principle applies to community development.

In spite of all we learned about the lives of Tlamacazapans and the work of Atzín, we are still left with questions. For example, one huge question we have is “What should we do with what we have learned?” As we discussed during the debriefing session, it is much more challenging to create innovative new policies than it is to simply put band-aids on problems. Hopefully by the end of semester, we will have a better idea of our own roles in promoting social justice.

Students sharing their experiences from Tlamacazapa

Nuevo Semestre!!!! New Semester!!!

Welcome to Cuernavaca!!!!

A new semester has started for the Social Work in Latin America Context program. We have 16 new students from all over the U.S., from Colorado to New York City.

We are now into our 4^th week and the whole group is doing great. Having a new group can sometimes be challenging because we are still getting to know each other. During the 2^nd week, I had the opportunity of plan Lab Group, a weekly group run by faculty and/or students. In Lab Group the facilitator can choose any theme that connects to the academic work of the semester.

The theme of my lab group was “Why social work?” I wanted to know a little more about why my students chose social work. I told them to think of that one moment in their lives that made realize that social work was a right fit. This activity was not just another exercise to say “because I want to help”- they made bigger connections to their own experience and personal lives.

The students each had and experience that allowed them to access help whether from an agency or even a social worker. They wrote down their experience on a card and then were able to share their story with the group, of course only if they felt comfortable. They all amazed me at how comfortable they felt in sharing because we had known each other for so little time. They were all respectful and supportive of everyone’s experience. After sharing they were able to take their card and post it on a bulletin board. Then they connected their cards together to each others. Finally, they created a web consisting of the moments that brought them to Social Work and consequently, here to Cuernavaca and CGE.

Tying the string together gave it greater significance to the fact that for the next couple months we will be bound to one another. We will share many memories together and there will be times that we all will feel lost but in taking one look at our web will remind us why we are here. We are working together to understand not only ourselves but those who we will serve in the future. We are there to walk together and to have respect for ourselves and those around us.

I would like to end by sharing a quote that I find personally motivating and helps me to be both inspired and critical of my own work: "If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time; but if you are here because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together." -Lilla Watson

"Why Social Work?" Students Web

-Alendi Vidal

Center for Global Education- Mexico

International Resident Advisor and Intern

Gettysburg College‘10

Two Kinds of Community Organizing

Kim Groen,

Bethel University

(1) Two speakers that had worked previously at CGE shared their personal past histories. They were very painful not only to hear, but to have known they had experienced and survived.

Presently both women are largely involved in Base Christian Communities that practice liberal theology. The BCC strongly focuses on acts of services, and how to aid the communities in which the resident reside. Each woman shared how they received education, participated in marches, cleaned neighborhoods, and advocated for transportation through their BCC. In a way, BCC is akin to community organization projects that many social workers partake in.

Listening to Speakers

(2) We visited a school that was created fifteen years ago out of the need and interest for the community to have a kindergarten and preschool for the children, as many parents did not want to send their children to a public school (or, school at all).

Since the school started, they now have expanded up to grade three, and hope to add a new grade every summer up until grade six. Four students are now in Universidad (University) since the school has been implemented. Before, few kids made it past third grade.

My host Mom works at this school and I had the opportunity to spend a few hours there in the morning before the rest of the students came. Many Mexican schools do not provide breakfast, but this school in particular does as many students would otherwise not have a balanced, nutritious meal.

Another way that the school is unique, is that it emphasizes the whole person. The school educates the students not only in classes such as Math, English as a second language, Spanish, science, etc. but tried to instill morals and values, emphasizing how to share, care, and get along with others.

This week has been valuable as social workers, because we have seen and learned how individuals have come together to form groups and organize in response to community needs. It’s important to talk to the people within the community to learn what the individuals´ needs are, and then use that information to organize.

Health Care System in Mexico

Kim Groen Bethel University

One guest speaker spoke about the health care system in Mexico, and problems faced by many Mexicans.

We learned about the hierarchy of the hospitals in Mexico. From previous conversations with UNAM students we had learned that the problem with Mexico’s health care system was opposite of the USA in that they had insurance for everybody, but not a quality of services, and this was reflected in the presentation.

What stood out most in the presentation to me was that in Mexico there is an emphasis on the person, in that there are services that seek to understand what is going on in an individual´s life, and how that may contribute to their symptoms. There is a strong push for traditional medicine as well as practice.

The speaker emphasized the importance of seeking feedback from the individuals in which programs are geared toward, because often great programs are designed but unused because it doed not take into account the individuals whom the program was intended for.