Halfway done..
Hola Companeros!
Where to begin….
I’m half way through my study abroad program…I can’t believe how fast it’s gone and at the same time how long it feels like I’ve been here. As a friend in the program said, here in Chiapas we have long days and short weeks…
For my final project I’m taking a series of portraits of the people I’ve met while here in Chiapas. I’ve only taken five so far, but I’m taking more on Monday. You can check them out here: http://berkeley.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2184516&l=af262&id=1226304
Classes are still going well. I have about a hundred pages of reading to do before tomorrow and a response paper due tomorrow as well…But I’ve decided this update email is more important :)
On Wednesday we went to La Sociedad Cooperativa Artesenal de Mujeres por Dignidad in Oventic. It’s a woman’s cooperative to help them get more fair prices for their work. The Co-op serves four municipalities or about 40 communities and 400 women. I’m going to be helping build a website for the co-op- This Monday I’m taking photos of all of the products they offer so we can make an online store and open up the women’s market a little more.
On Thursday we met with 12 of the female students from the secondary school to talk about the Women’s Revolutionary Laws. It was really cool to get the perspective of these young women who are fighting for equality and their rights. The Women’s Revolutionary Laws can be found here: http://www.eco.utexas.edu/~hmcleave/booklaw.html
Friday night I came back into San Cristobal with my friend (and former grad student instructor at Berkeley) Liz. I’m staying at her apartment this weekend and I must admit that time away from the group and a REAL MATTRESS are much appreciated. Yesterday (Saturday) we went to Chamula, a mostly indigenous pueblo about 20 minutes from San Cristobal, to see their celebrations for the feast of San Juan Bautista (St. John the Baptist) who’s their patron saint. We took a collective bus there and packed in with a bunch of people including a mariachi band and a woman with a live chicken. There were SO MANY drunk people at the festival- We counted 14 men who were either passed out on the street or so drunk they could hardly walk- And those were only the people we passed right next to. We went into the church (sorry, no photos because it was a religious festival) which was BEAUTIFUL- The entire church was filled with candles and flowers and the floor was coated in a bed of pine needles. There were cases lining the walls with figures of all of the saints and the altar was stunning…When we got back to San Cristobal I bought a skirt and belt in the traditional style of the Zinacantan women (big beautiful purple flowers). Afterwards we went to a big movie theatre and saw “The Fantastic Four and the Rise of the Silver Surfer.” It was in English and a really terrible movie, but it was nice to sit for an hour and a half after walking all day. When we were waiting for the movie to start we went into “Chedraui” which is the Mexican Walmart (owned by Walmart, too). It was pretty scary!
Today I’m doing homework and relaxing..Tomorrow I head back to Oventic. Bootmaking was cancelled this weekend, but hopefully we’ll get to do it tomorrow. I might stay in Oventic next weekend but I also might come back into town on Saturday night so I can go to evangelical church with Liz (she’s doing research on evangelicalism in Chiapas). She had to ask permission first because I have piercings and tattoos (and I don’t have a skirt to wear to church) but they seemed eager enough for a new convert that they’re going to let me come anyways :)
The following albums have photos of my trip:
Oldest Album: http://berkeley.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2177801&l=e9617&id=1226304
Newest Album: http://berkeley.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2181297&l=b3db7&id=1226304
Portraits I’m taking for my final project: http://berkeley.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2184516&l=af262&id=1226304
Anyways- we have lots going on next week so expect an update on Wednesday or Thursday!
Where to begin….
I’m half way through my study abroad program…I can’t believe how fast it’s gone and at the same time how long it feels like I’ve been here. As a friend in the program said, here in Chiapas we have long days and short weeks…
For my final project I’m taking a series of portraits of the people I’ve met while here in Chiapas. I’ve only taken five so far, but I’m taking more on Monday. You can check them out here: http://berkeley.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2184516&l=af262&id=1226304
Classes are still going well. I have about a hundred pages of reading to do before tomorrow and a response paper due tomorrow as well…But I’ve decided this update email is more important :)
On Wednesday we went to La Sociedad Cooperativa Artesenal de Mujeres por Dignidad in Oventic. It’s a woman’s cooperative to help them get more fair prices for their work. The Co-op serves four municipalities or about 40 communities and 400 women. I’m going to be helping build a website for the co-op- This Monday I’m taking photos of all of the products they offer so we can make an online store and open up the women’s market a little more.
On Thursday we met with 12 of the female students from the secondary school to talk about the Women’s Revolutionary Laws. It was really cool to get the perspective of these young women who are fighting for equality and their rights. The Women’s Revolutionary Laws can be found here: http://www.eco.utexas.edu/~hmcleave/booklaw.html
Friday night I came back into San Cristobal with my friend (and former grad student instructor at Berkeley) Liz. I’m staying at her apartment this weekend and I must admit that time away from the group and a REAL MATTRESS are much appreciated. Yesterday (Saturday) we went to Chamula, a mostly indigenous pueblo about 20 minutes from San Cristobal, to see their celebrations for the feast of San Juan Bautista (St. John the Baptist) who’s their patron saint. We took a collective bus there and packed in with a bunch of people including a mariachi band and a woman with a live chicken. There were SO MANY drunk people at the festival- We counted 14 men who were either passed out on the street or so drunk they could hardly walk- And those were only the people we passed right next to. We went into the church (sorry, no photos because it was a religious festival) which was BEAUTIFUL- The entire church was filled with candles and flowers and the floor was coated in a bed of pine needles. There were cases lining the walls with figures of all of the saints and the altar was stunning…When we got back to San Cristobal I bought a skirt and belt in the traditional style of the Zinacantan women (big beautiful purple flowers). Afterwards we went to a big movie theatre and saw “The Fantastic Four and the Rise of the Silver Surfer.” It was in English and a really terrible movie, but it was nice to sit for an hour and a half after walking all day. When we were waiting for the movie to start we went into “Chedraui” which is the Mexican Walmart (owned by Walmart, too). It was pretty scary!
Today I’m doing homework and relaxing..Tomorrow I head back to Oventic. Bootmaking was cancelled this weekend, but hopefully we’ll get to do it tomorrow. I might stay in Oventic next weekend but I also might come back into town on Saturday night so I can go to evangelical church with Liz (she’s doing research on evangelicalism in Chiapas). She had to ask permission first because I have piercings and tattoos (and I don’t have a skirt to wear to church) but they seemed eager enough for a new convert that they’re going to let me come anyways :)
The following albums have photos of my trip:
Oldest Album: http://berkeley.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2177801&l=e9617&id=1226304
Newest Album: http://berkeley.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2181297&l=b3db7&id=1226304
Portraits I’m taking for my final project: http://berkeley.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2184516&l=af262&id=1226304
Anyways- we have lots going on next week so expect an update on Wednesday or Thursday!