6/30 Zapotec Weavers

We went by bus to visit a women’s cooperative of rug weavers in Teotitlan del Valle. We were introduced to the whole concept of weaving from the carding of the wool; to spinning; dyeing, then weaving. It was very interesting to find out the natural materials that w

were/are used by this indigenous group such as cochineal, marigold flowers, indigo to name but a few.

We also had a wonderful mean at the restaurant there which was from old Zapotec recipes. Abigail Mendoza Ruiz has just published a book containing these wonderful recipes but it is just in Spanish at present. Enjoy the photos of the day.

6/29 Lecture – Role of women of Indigenous Cultures in Oaxaca– CIESAS

Dr. Margarita Dalton Ph.D enthralled us all with her talk on this very interesting topic. We watched a video she made when interviewing women over a period of time who became mayors of their towns. Although many were elected, or invited to hold this office because it was deemed dangerous for the men to do so, several of them went forward to make a huge impact on their community. However, this was after enduring threats on their lives; being ignored when attending meeting.

6/28 Museum of Mixtecs and Zapatek Culture

This museum held many artifacts from the Mixtecs and Zapatecs.

6/28 Visit to Omar Nunez - works with indigenous families in remote areas

THIS MAN NEEDS OUR HELP! Omar is a former Fulbrighter and does a great job working with students who virtually have nothing. He volunteers to bring photography and video to them so they can document their lives - thoughts - aspirations - feelings. He is currently working with a couple of old video cameras and his own laptop. I just know that we all have what we would deem to be old equipment sitting in cupboards that we never use now becuase we all have iphones. I have decided to make this organization my focus to help on this trip.

** ANYONE WANT TO HELP ME HELP THEM? **

He runs a language school also in the beautiful town of Oaxaca so if you want to learn Spanish or any of the many indigenous languages spoken here, (17 languages with 6 spoken) then he is your man. What better pedigree than a Fulbright Scholar.


http://www.ollinoaxaca.org.mx


See above photograph of a picture I bought to support his cause painted by one of his students.

Omar supplies all of the materials and freely gives his time to make this happen for these children. Here is his website for further information.


Here is a link to an article written in the NY Times about another group of children with whom he works.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/19/world/americas/american-born-children-struggle-to-adjust-in-mexico.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&hp


He also works with children who were born in USA but have returned to Mexico due to their families being deported or just worried about being found out. These children suffer double as they miss what they know as home - USA and cannot speak the language which should be their native tongue. They fall behind in school are classed as gringos - el ingles - by thier peers.

6/28/12 Out and about in the market and town

Today we had a hearty breakfast of quesadilla and eggs then marched down to the town square then onto the market. The rich smells tantalized my senses - fresh fruits and vegetables, mole of all colors, sweet pastries - then came the meat section. Oh No! I thought I was going to lose my breakfast:-( Quickly moving on we headed onward to Santa Doming's Church and the museum

Which offers a great selection of artifacts from the Mixtecs and the Zapatecs - two of the earliest groups of indigenous people to inhabit Mexico.

Check out this information about these fascinating people. http://www.houstonculture.org/mexico/oaxaca_cultures.html

These two groups will be the focus of my time in Mexico for my curriculum to share with everyone.

Jack and I arrive in Oaxaca, Mexico

After spending 3 days in hot and humid Austin, Texas, Jack and I finally got on a plane and traveled down to Mexico. Our hotel is very quaint with beamed ceilings and wooden shutters. We are tired so we are going to bed now as it took nearly all day with long connections to get here. "Hasta luego."

Fascinating Facts about Colombia

*Bogotá is the capital city of Colombia. This city remains to be the largest and the most populated city in Colombia. The high altitude has also given it the position of the third highest major city in the world. *Colombia shares its borders with Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Panama. *It holds a position in the 17 most mega-diverse countries seen all over the world. This is because; the Colombian territory consists of highlands as well as rainforests and tropical grasslands! *Colombia's tourism has been on the rise since the 1940s. This place is known for certain festivals such as the Festival of Flowers or the Vallenato Legend Festival that draws hordes of tourists every year. *Here's yet another interesting fact - this country does not have any particular season, which is solely due to the fact that it lies close to the equator. Colombia enjoys sunlight all through the year. You can experience the tropical heat on the coasts or even the snowfall in the mountainous areas. *Did you know that around 12% of the world's coffee is produced in Colombia? *Bogotá's airport is the largest and also the most expensive in Latin America. *It is known for the diverse population seen here. This is because of the rich history, which has resulted in a mixed population since the ancient days. *The concept for the flag was adopted on November 26, 1861. This flag consists of 3 horizontal stripes in yellow, blue and red color. Yellow represents the gold, blue represents the seas that surround the land whereas red represents the blood spilled on the battleground by the heroes during the struggle for its independence. Although the flag underwent many changes, the original horizontal tricolor stripes were finally adopted in the year 1861. *Here's one more interesting fact - it is formed by two territorial zones - one that submerged in the Pacific ocean as well as the Caribbean sea and the other remains to be the emerged land - the Andes mountain range and the Llanos plain. *Bogotá, Eje cafetero, Cali, Medellín, San Andreas, etc. are some of the major places that attract tourists. *Colombia is known for its multicultural society. One can see interesting influences of European, Native American, Middle Eastern and African culture out here. *The cuisine is as diverse as its culture. The various food items seen here have been developed mainly due to the influences from Spain, Italy and France along with American cuisine, Caribbean influences and the traditional style of the Native Americans. *The highest peak out here is the Pico Cristobal Colon at 19,020 feet. *The total area is around 440,831 square miles. This is said to be approximately equal to the areas of Portugal, France and Spain put altogether. *The name Colombia has been derived from the name of Christopher Columbus. The name underwent few changes until finally, the Republic of Colombia was adopted in 1886. *The residents have suffered due to various earthquakes and volcanoes. It has 15 major volcanoes and certain instabilities in the area have caused many devastating earthquakes. *Colombia can be divided into 5 main regions as per the climate and geography of this place. These regions can be named as the Pacific, Andes, Amazon, Eastern Plains and the Caribbean. Each region is known for its unique geographical features.

Fast Facts about Mexico

Mexican money: The currency used in Mexico is the Mexican Peso. Most shops in Mexico will accept US dollars too, which may be benefic considering the currency conversion rates between Mexican money and American money. Mexican Birds: Mexico is a great place for bird watchers. There are more than fifty different species of hummingbirds, several types of pelicans and many other species that don’t exist anywhere else in the world. Good old tequila: One of the most well known facts about Mexico is that Tequila is the national drink. What is not so well known is that this drink exists from before Mexico became a nation. Several Mexican tribes already distilled a type of tequila on simple pot stills… back in the 16th century! Mexican bones: Northern Mexico has proved to be generous to paleontologists. Hundreds of dinosaur’s fossilized bones have been found in the region from Sonora to Tamaulipas. The voice of the pyramid: This is one of the most mysterious facts about Mexico. If you stand in a certain place by the main pyramid in Chichen Itzá, you will hear a bird-like sound. Some experts think that this is intentional, and that the Maya represented the Call of the Quetzal (a sacred bird) by building several air passages that recreate the sound when a breeze passes by. The ball tree: The cotton-like balls produced by a Mexican leafless tree called the Kapoc was frequently used as the stuffing for baseballs before cheap synthetic fibers were produced The tiny one: This one belongs to my personal top five of funny facts about Mexico. Not many people know that Mexico has the world’s smallest volcano. The Cuexcomate, in the city of Puebla, is only… 43 feet tall!. It is considered to be inactive now, and it has a spiral staircase in side, just for tourists. Ancient tree: Mexico is the home of one of the oldest living trees in the world. With more than 2000 years, the “Arbol de Tule” is more than 40 feet tall. It is a frequent attraction for visitors. The shadow of the snake: During the two equinoxes of the year, when the sun rises and sets, the pyramid “El Castillo” in Chichén Itzá shows the perfect shadow of a serpent moving along its side. To achieve this, Mayans must have used calculations with an incredible precision of many decimal digits!

Some GREAT reading materials

On Mexican History: Bonfil Batalla, Guillermo. México Profundo: Reclaiming a Civilization. Carmack, Robert, Janine Gasco and Garry Gossen, eds. The legacy of Mesoamerica: history and culture of a Native American civilization. Chasteen, John. Born in Blood and Fire: a concise history of Latin America. Coe, Michael. From the Olmecs to the Aztecs, and Mexico: Ancient People and Places. El Colegio de México. A Compact History of Mexico León Portilla, Miguel. Broken Spears. Levy, Daniel and K. Bruhn. Mexico, the Struggle for Democratic Development. Restall, Matthew. Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest. Robinson, Charles. The Spanish Invasion of Mexico 1519-1521. Soustelle, Jacques. Daily Life of the Aztecs on the Eve of the Spanish Conquest. Townsend, Camilla. Malintzin’s choices: an Indian woman in the conquest of Mexico. Zea, Leopoldo. Quinientos Años de Historia, Sentido y Proyección. On Mexican Culture and Arts. Brading, David. Mexican Phoenix: Our Lady of Guadalupe: Image and Tradition, 1531-2000. Castañeda, Jorge, and Robert Pastor. Limits to Friendship. Castañeda, Jorge. Pasado Forever. Fane, Diana et al, eds. Converging cultures: art and identity in Spanish America. Frye, David. Indians into Mexicans: History and Identity in a Mexican Town. García Canclini, Nestor. Culturas Híbridas: Estrategias para Entrar y Salir de la Modernidad. Grimes, Kimberly. Crossing Borders: Changing Social Identities in Southern Mexico. Lida, David. First Stop in the New World, Mexico City: the capital of the XXIst Century. Maciel, David and Herrera-Sobek Maria (editors). Culture Across Borders: Mexican Immigration and Popular Culture. Merrell, Floyd. The Mexicans. Paz, Octavio. The Labyrinth of Solitude. Riding, Alan. Distant Neighbors, A Portrait of Mexicans. Schele Linda, et. al. Maya Cosmos: Three Thousand Years on the Shaman’s Path. Trueba, Enrique. Latinos Unidos: From Cultural Diversity to the Politics of Solidarity. Contemporary Literary Works. Esquivel, Laura. Like Water for Chocolate. A culinary journey through Northern Mexico in revolutionary times. Pérez Reverte, Arturo. The Queen of the South. A novel revealing the underworld of drug smuggling from a woman’s perspective. Velasco, Xavier. Guardian Devil. An irreverent yet refreshing approach to middle class conflicts in urban Mexico. Mexico, a Traveler’s Literary Companion. Ed. by C.M. Mayo. Sliced Iguana, Travels in Mexico. Tree, Isabella. TPP, 2008, London. Travelers’ Tales Mexico. Ed. by O’Reilly & Habbeger. For additional resources for children, you may consult the lists compiled by Gail Greenberg (A Tapestry of Mexico and Peru through Multicultural Children’s Literature, FHSS 2008) and Nelda Brangwin (We’re Moving to Mexico – Where Will We Live? FHSS 2009) on Comexus’ page: www.comexus.org.mx > Becas para Estadounidenses > F.H. Summer Seminar Site > Previous Years.

Daily Itinerary - Mexico

Mexico FULBRIGHT-HAYS SUMMER SEMINAR 2012 MEXICO AND COLOMBIA: Exploring Culture and Society beyond the Headlines Oaxaca City, Oaxaca. Hostal de la Noria. Av. Hidalgo # 918, Centro. 52 (951) 501 5400. www.hostaldelanoria.com June 27th, Wednesday. Check-out and leave to the airport. 12.02pm Board flight UA 5181to Houston. 12.56pm Arrive in Houston for transfer. 2.22pm Board flight UA 1090 to Mexico City. 4.40pm Arrive in Mexico City for transfer. 9.20pm Board flight AM 2408 to Oaxaca. 10.32pm Arrive in Oaxaca. Check-in at hotel. Oaxaca City, Oaxaca. June 28th, Thursday. Breakfast (group). 9.30am Visit the market and downtown, including Santo Domingo’s church and museum. Lunch (on your own). 5pm Meet at the lobby and walk from the hotel to meet Omar Núñez, a former Fulbright who works with indigenous families in remote communities, at “Ollin Tlahtoalli Language and Cultural Center” www.ollinoaxaca.org.mx Oaxaca City, Oaxaca. June 29th, Friday. Breakfast (group). Free morning. 3.15pm Meet in lobby. 4pm Lecture: “Indigenous Organization and the Role of Women in Oaxaca”, by Margarita Dalton, Ph.D. and Director of CIESAS 6pm Lecture: “Religious Practices in Mexico”, by (to be confirmed) Oaxaca City, Oaxaca. June 30th, Saturday. Breakfast (group). 9.30am Leave to Teotitlán del Valle, a village renowned for its rugs and tapestries. 11am Visit a cooperative of Zapotec weavers. 1.30pm Lunch (group). 5pm Return to Oaxaca. Oaxaca City, Oaxaca. July 1st, Sunday. Breakfast (group). 10am Meet in lobby and leave to visit Doña Rosa’s black pottery workshop in San Bartolo Coyotepec and artisans who create alebrijes –colorful wooden carvings- in San Martín Tilcajete. 2pm Return to Oaxaca for lunch (on your own). Free afternoon. Veracruz, Veracruz. Gran Hotel Diligencias. Independencia 1115, Centro. 52 (229) 923 0280. www.granhoteldiligencias.com July 2nd, Monday. Breakfast (group) and check-out. 9am Meet in lobby and leave to Monte Albán. Visit the archaeological site. Lunch (on your own). 3pm Resume trip to the port of Veracruz. Project Development Session on board. 7pm Check-in at hotel. Veracruz, Veracruz. July 3rd, Tuesday. Breakfast (group). 9.30am Meet in lobby. 10am Gathering with teachers and students at Escuela Secundaria 26. 1pm Return to downtown Veracruz for lunch (group). 3.30pm Optional visit to “Museo de la Ciudad de Veracruz”. Veracruz, Veracruz. July 4th, Wednesday. Breakfast (group). 10am Free day. Optional visit to the Totonac cemetery of Quiahuiztlán and Chachalacas beach. Xalapa, Veracruz. Hotel Xalapa Victoria 163, Centro 52 (228) 818 2222. www.hotelxalapa.com.mx July 5th, Thursday. Breakfast (group) 9am Check-out and leave to Xalapa. 10am Stopover in Antigua. 11am Resume trip to Xalapa. 1pm Check-in at hotel. Lunch (on your own). 2.30pm Meet in lobby to visit Xalapa’s Anthropology Museum, www.uv.mx/max 6pm Return to hotel. Xalapa, Veracruz. July 6th, Friday. Breakfast (group) 9am Meet in lobby and leave to CIESAS. 10am Lecture: “Women’s Role in Mexico”, by Dra. Ana Isabel Fontecilla Carbonell, Universidad Veracruzana 11am Break 11.30am Lecture: “Education System in Mexico”, by Mtra. Jessica Badillo Guzmán, CIESAS 1pm Leave to Coatepec. Lunch (on your own). Enjoy some free time to wander through the charming streets of Coatepec and visit the orchid garden. 5pm Return to hotel. Puebla, Puebla. Hotel Camino Real 7 Poniente 105, Centro 52 (222) 229 0909. www.caminoreal.com July 7th, Saturday. Breakfast (group) and check-out. 8am Leave to Puebla. Drive through the 5 de Mayo battle site. 11am Check-in at hotel. 11.30am Meet in lobby to visit the “Talavera de Uriarte” workshop, www.uriartetalavera.com.mx 1pm Lunch (on your own) 4pm Meet in lobby to visit downtown Puebla. Puebla, Puebla. July 8th, Sunday. Breakfast (group) 10am Meet in lobby and leave to Tlapanalá, a small community where we´ll have the opportunity to speak with locals about migration issues. Dr. Héctor Peláez (Universidad de las Américas), will be our key-note speaker during the trip. pelaezjh44@gmail.com Lunch at the community (group). 4pm Return to Puebla. Mexico City, D.F. Hotel Calinda Geneve. Londres # 130, Col. Juárez. 52 (55) 50 800 800. www.hotelgeneve.com.mx July 9th, Monday. Breakfast (group) and check-out. 9am Meet in lobby and leave to Universidad de las Américas, www.udlap.mx Aula Magna del CIRIA (Biblioteca). 10am Lecture: “Migration and Identity”, by Ph. D. Alison Lee, Department of Anthropology, UDLA. 11am Lecture: “The Education System in Mexico”, by Ph. D. Laura Elena Porras, UDLA 1pm Lunch (on your own). 3pm Leave to Atlixco. 4pm Visit IPODERAC children shelter. www.ipoderac.org.mx 6pm Resume trip to Mexico City. 8pm Check-in at hotel. Mexico City, D.F. July 10th, Tuesday. Breakfast (group). 9am Meet in lobby and leave to Chapultepec Castle. 10am Visit the National Museum of History, www.mnh.inah.gob.mx 1pm Walk down to the National Museum of Anthropology. Lunch (on your own). Visit the National Museum of Anthropology, www.mna.inah.gob.mx 6pm Meet at the museum’s lobby and return to hotel. 6.30pm Lucha libre performance (optional). Mexico City, D.F. July 11th, Wednesday. Breakfast (group). 9am Meet in lobby and leave to the Basilica of Guadalupe, www.virgendeguadalupe.org.mx 11am Continue to the pyramids of Teotihuacán. Visit the archaeological site. 3pm Lunch (group). 5pm Return to hotel. 7.30pm Ballet Folklórico de Amalia Hernández, www.balletamalia.com Mexico City, D.F. July 12th, Thursday. Breakfast (group) 9am Meet in lobby and leave to Xochimilco. 10am Enjoy a ride through the canals on a traditional trajinera. 11.30am Leave to Coyoacán. 12pm Visit Frida Kahlo’s Casa Azul, www.museofridakahlo.org.mx 1pm Lunch (on your own). 3.30pm Leave to COMEXUS’ offices. 4.30pm Lecture: “Mexican Politics”, by Mtro. Santiago Ibarra Estrada, board member of the Fulbright-García Robles Mexican Alumni Association. 6pm Return to hotel. Mexico City, D.F. July 13th, Friday. Breakfast (group). 9am Meet in lobby and leave to downtown. Visit Diego Rivera’s murals inside the National Palace, the Templo Mayor museum and the Cathedral. 9.30am Leave to the Centro Histórico to walk around downtown, see Diego Rivera´s murals inside the National Palace and visit the Aztec ruins at the Templo Mayor museum. 1.30pm Wrap-up session and farewell lunch (group). Return to hotel. Mexico City, D.F. July 14th, Saturday. Breakfast (group) 11am Check-out and leave to the airport. 3.32pm Board flight Copa 681 to Bogotá, Colombia. 7.57pm Arrive in Bogotá. NOTE: this program is subject to changes. Jacques Paire’s mobile: from the U.S., dial 011 + 52 + 1 + 55 1844 6013. From Mexico City, 044 55 1844 6013. From the rest of the country, 045 55 1844 6013. Alejandro Montes’ mobile: from the U.S., dial 011 + 52 + 1 + 55 4193 7469. From Mexico City, 044 55 4193 7469. From the rest of the country, 045 55 4193 7469. To call a cab in Mexico City: Servitaxis: 3626 9800 / Taximex: 9171 8888

Daily Itinerary - Colombia

Colombia DAY 1 SATURDAY JULY 14 LEAVING MEXICO… (3:30pm or so…) ARRIVAL TO BOG. (8.00pm or so…) DINNER At the Hotel (Opt.) DAY2 SUNDAY JULY 15 GOLD MUSEUM (9.00-12.30pm) LA CANDELARIA (2.00-3.20pm) PLAZA BOLIVAR ( 3.30-3.50pm) PRESIDENTIAL GUARD (4.00-4.30pm) DINNER At the Hotel (Opt.) DAY 3 MONDAY JULY 16 FULBRIGHT / U.S. EMB. (9.00-10.30am) CERRO MONSERRATE (11.00-12.30pm) G.ESTACION MALL (2.00-3.30pm) MALOKA (MUSEUM) (3.30-5.00pm) SPECIAL DINNER Covered by Fulbright! DAY 4 TUESDAY JULY 17 TRIP TO ZIPAQUIRA (9.00-3.50pm) FREE AFTERNOON (4.00-6.30pm) NOCTURNAL CHIVA (7.00-9.00pm) DINNER Local Fulbrighters DAY 5 WEDNESDAY JULY 18 PUBLIC SCHOOL VISIT (9.00-10.00am) LOS ANDES UNIV. (10.30-12.00pm) TRIP TO MEDELLIN DINNER At the Hotel (Opt.) DAY 6 THURSDAY JULY 19 GOVERNOR’S OFFICE (9.00-10.00am) PRIVATE SCHOOL VISIT (10.30-12.00pm) ENJOY MEDALLO TOUR (1.00-3.00pm) PUEBLITO PAISA (3.30-5.00pm) SPECIAL DINNER Covered by Fulbright! DAY 7 FRIDAY JULY 20 ANTIOQUIA MUSEUM (9.00-12.00pm) BERRIO PARK (12.10-12.30pm) JULY 20TH PARADE (12.30-1.30pm) BOTANICAL GARDEN (3.30-5.30pm) DINNER Local Fulbrighters DAY 8 SATURDAY JULY 21 WAKE UP EARLY! TRIP TO ARMENIA SALENTO TOWN (4.00-6.00pm) DINNER Local Fulbrighters DAY 9 SUNDAY JULY 22 COFFEE PARK (9.00-1.00pm) COFFEE PARK (2.00-5.00pm) SPECIAL DINNER Covered by Fulbright! DAY 10 MONDAY JULY 23 WAKE UP EARLY! TRIP TO SANTA MARTA HIST. CENTER TOUR (5.00-6.30pm) SPECIAL DINNER Covered by Fulbright! DAY 11 TUESDAY JULY 24 HIST. CENTER TOUR (9.00-11.30am) TAGANGA BEACH (12.00-3.00pm) TRIP TO CARTAGENA DINNER At the Hotel (Opt.) DAY 12 WEDNESDAY JULY 25 CARTAGENA UNIV. (9.00-11.00am) CULTURAL EVENT (11.00-1.00pm) HIGH SCHOOL VISIT (2.30-4.00pm) DINNER Local Fulbrighters DAY 13 THURSDAY JULY 26 ROSARIO ISLANDS (9.00-4.30pm) SIGHTSEEING BUS (5.00-6.00pm) SPECIAL DINNER Covered by Fulbright! DAY 14 FRIDAY JULY 27 SAN FELIPE CASTLE (9.00-12.00pm) BEACH TIME / FREE (Great afternoon!!!) TRIP TO BOGOTA ________________ DAY 15 SATURDAY JULY 28 RETURN TO U.S.A

Maps of the countries I will visit.

Can you trace my route? Mexico Colombia

Mexico and Colombia June 2012

Next week I will embark upon my third prestigious Fulbright to Mexico and Colombia. Find below a sample of the places we will visit: Fulbright 6/24 to 7/28 In Mexico: Oaxaca, Veracruz, Puebla and the Federal District. 
In Colombia: Bogotá, Zona Cafetera, Medellín, Cartagena. Please feel free to comment on my posts and ask any questions you would like. Also sign in so I know you are following me. Let's go exploring with the INTREPID CRZ TCHR EXPLORER! YEAH! (That is just for Ari Conboy xx)