Alright, Alright, Alriggghhhtttt

 

HEY FOLKS!!!

So its been a while since I have written things on the world wide web and am currently writing this without internet so I am yet to find out if this will turn into an email or a blog post. Regardless of the final form, here I am, in the beautiful, misty, and corn filled/green mountains of southern Mexico. For 13 weeks I am on the Mexico Solidarity Network Fall 2012 program, where we move around Mexico with a group of 12 students, taking classes, learning about indigenous movements of resistance and seeing first hand the powerful communities that are created when groups of oppressed peoples say “Ya Basta!!”  The first week (it is currently Wednesday evening) I am staying in an indigenous autonomous (get ready for those words to repeat over and over) university, located on the outskirts of San Cristobal de las casas. San Cristobal is the capital of Chiapas, and as I discovered today, was the first city in all of Hispanoamerica built by the Spanish. Other cities were colonized by the Spanish, but they never built directly by their own hands (well more like the hands of exploited indigenous men).  Long story short, there has always been a fear in San Cristobal of the indigenous people “taking over” so the city is very much segregated with the European ancestors in the center and the indigenous people in the slum like outer neighborhoods. Until 1994 (with the occupation by the Zapatistas) San Cristobal was barely a blip on the Mexican radar. Chiapas in fact has switched between being part of Guatemala and part of Mexico many times over. But, since 1994, San Cris has seen a huge upswing in paramilitary control, indigenous uprisings, and lots of tourists which only has created more tension and more growth. There will be more to come about San Cristobal, since I will be spending every weekend for the next 5 weeks there. I want to focus right now on where I staying, because it is one of the most beautiful (physically and conceptually) communities I have ever seen.

Bear with me as I try to explain Universidad de la Tierra (UniT) in the most logical sense…but its hard as sometimes my brain doesn’t work logically and I have a lot to describe.  UniT was founded in 1989 and is a school for only indigenous young people. The ages range from 12-18 but since everyone is relatively small, everyone looks young.  We were given a tour of the campus, which is a huge foresty piece of land with brightly colored buildings, with each color corresponding to a different service. Pink means dining/food, orange means farming/agriculture, green means something else. The classes taught are mostly manual skills, such as sewing, car mechanics, farming, cooking, music, iron welding…with open seminars weekly to discuss the more theoretical side of learning. It is a very self sustaining place, meaning a lot of things on the campus are made by the students. Benches are painted with lots of little murals, the curtains are made by the sewing classes, windows and other iron bars are made in the welding class. There is huge rabbit farm (the CUTEST RABBITS IN THE WORLD) that are sold for meat to communities (not so cute), as well as chickens, and sheep, also sold at markets.  Although it is not an explicit Zapatista community, there are EZLN signs, murals, slogans all over the campus, reinforcing the idea of solidarity and resistance. UniT has few “luxury items” such as hot showers, flush toilets and as a gringa, I cannot drink the water, making things just a bit more complicated.

            Meals are served 3 times a day, breakfast at 8 am, lunch at 2 pm and dinner at 7pm. Being guests, we are served first, making it very awkward at times taking my plate of food into the dining room as 20 or so 12 year old brown peoples watch, eyes and mouths wide, pointing and laughing. The food is well, food. Beans. A lot beans. 3 times a day status with a side of tortillas (hand made of course). There is often very sweet hot tea or coffee and well as little braided breads (also hand made) sprinkled with sugar. There is often rice or pasta as well. A lot of starch and not a lot of vegetables. I won’t talk about bathroom stuff…all I will say is that I am waiting for the horrible “tourista” to hit me and when it does, I just hope that it is quick and not too painful. Anyways.   We are sleeping in bunks (girls and boys separated) with lots of blankets and a nice sleeping pad (something that will not be available at our next location). The days here are nice…structured around meal times and classes. We have a Spanish class for 3 hours and then another class focused on the assigned readings  for another 3 hours. The Spanish professor, Effrain, is one of the most interesting people I have met. He is older, with a penchant for sarcasm, philosophy and sweet neck handkerchiefs. On the first day of class, we read some pretty hardcore short stories and poems, written by “El Supe” and Eduard G. He is someone who clearly (at least in my mind) is very much aligned with the revolution, whatever that means. The other part of school is good, but so far has required readings by authors such as Paolo Fiere, Ivan Illich, Karl Marx, Immanuel Wallerstien, and David Harvey. Lots of heavy shit touching on oppression, privilege, capitalism, and development, which only brings my own strong white guilt rushing to the surface.

Fast forward a few days and now it’s the weekend! YAYYY…So I am no longer living at UniTierra and am spending the weekend in San Cristobal in a house that will be the base MSN (Mexico Solidary Network) house for the month I am in Chiapas. Starting Monday however, I will be in Oventic, an autonomous Zapatista community not found on google earth (!!) taking language classes, cultural classes, and attending workshops. The workshop I am most excited for is the boot making seminar…which is where the infamous badass not so vegan Zapatista boots are made.

I guess I should finish up where I left off…So UniTierra was a very interesting experience, and I will post photos as soon I find a cable for my camera. But I guess the main points to touch on with regards to UniTierra are; COLD SHOWERS AREN'T REALLY THAT FUN AT ALL. Being white (and a woman) in a place where there are no white people is a new experience for me. Of course all young American women who are travelling go through the discomfort of being a minority, so there isn’t really much to say there besides, well, it is uncomfortable. Especially when being in a place as secluded as UniT, I am made even more aware of how much I don’t fit in. Being in a group of 11 other Americans doesn’t help either. Generally being large groups is not so much my thing, but because that is my life for the next 3 months I have to get used to it. Or at least separate myself when walking in public places. Also, having the freedom and the privilege to leave UniTierra and continue on my merry way was also very interesting. The students staying there can leave when they like, but to go back to their communities, which are pretty similar to UniTierra. Hmm…well I feel like I have come to the end of my thoughts about my first week here. I will post more probably in a few days and then later next weekend. I only have internet Friday afternoons through Sunday nights, so we will see how much this posting thing really happens. I feel like I had more to say…but until next time

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Violet(a)

P.S. I really hope I don’t sound (to be delicate) up my own butt about my travels. It is easy to get all wrapped up in the things I am doing so sorry if I am annoying.

P.P.S My blog when I was in high school and living in Spain will probably be a lot cuter and funnier due to the fact that I was coming of age n shit, but I will try and maintain that level of stream of consciousness. Also I am not longer keeping it cutty in Cadiz, so I guess a new title is in order.But I am still little(ish) and a jew and a vegan so the URL works fine

P.P.P.S Hit me up on skype (violetmae92) 

FINAL NOTE: After the program ends (end of November) I will be a free agent until end of March, meaning, I will be hopping all around South America. If you have any recommendations, people, or really any advice, tell me!