Our first day in Michoacán; Nuestro primer día en Michoacán

Our first day in Michoacán we were instructed to a) wear something comfortable that we wouldn’t mind getting ruined and b) bring water and hats. We had no idea what we would be doing that day. We woke up at 7am in the Alternare Training Center to the sound of roosters and songbirds. After a hearty breakfast, we road 45 minutes watching the mountains covered with pine trees and the ranchos with cows, chickens and horses go by.
Nuestro primer día en Michoacán nos dieron instrucciones de a) llevar puesto algo que no nos importaría si se arruinana y b) traer agua y gorras. No teniams la más mínima idea de lo que íbamos hacer ese día. Nos despertamos a las 7am en el Centro de Capacitación de Alternare con los cantos de los gallos y los pajaritos afuera de la ventana. Después de un rico desayuno viajamos en camioneta 45 minutos mirando nuestro alrededor las montañas pinosas y los ranchos con vacas, gallinas y caballos.

When we arrived at our destination we piled out of the van and into the entrance of someone´s home. Several women came out and greeted us and lead us through the kitchen and into the backyard. There we formed a circle and introduced ourselves. We learned that we were in el Ejido Francisco Serrato and that the women were participants in the Alternare program. They told us that when they first started, they were a group of 30. As the women learned about the time and work they had to put forth as part of the program, they slowly began to drop out until only the eight that were in front of us remained. That day we would be helping them to build a hen-house, one of the projects taught by Alternare.

Al llegar a nuestro destino final todos nos salimos de la camioneta y nos encontramos en frente de una casa. Varias mujeres nos saludaron y nos llevaron a través de una cocina hasta el patio. Alli formamos un circulo y nos introdcjimos. Aprendimos que estábamos en el Ejido Francisco Serrato y que las mujeres eran participantes en el programa de Alternare. Nos dijeron que al principio eran 30 pero que después de que se dieron cuenta las mujeres del tiempo y trabajo que tendrían que poner de su parte, poco a poco se iba desminuyendo el grupo hasta que solo quedaron las ocho mujeres que veíamos frente a nosotros. Ese día las ayudaríamos a construir un gallinero.

They already had the floor laid down and the first five layers of brick for the walls done. I looked at the project and thought to myself, “we can get this done by the end of the day, no problem”. I realized later that this was a serious underestimation of the work required to complete a structure of its size. We began by splitting up into three work forces 1) cement preparers and mixers, 2) brick passers and 3) brick-layers.
Ya tenían el piso puesto y las primeras cinco capas de tabique terminadas. Vi el proyecto y me dije, “esto lo podemos terminar para el cabo del día, fácil”. Me di cuenta más tarde de que esto fue un serio subestimación del trabajo requerido para completar una estructura de su tamaño. Empezamos por dividirnos en tres áreas de trabajo 1) preparadores y mezcladores de cemento, 2) los que pasaban los tabiques para el gallinero, y 3) los que pegaban los tabiques.

There was a large pile of sand and rocks that we had to sift into a wheel barrel which was then taken to the inside of the structure where it was mixed with lime and water to create a thick cement paste used to lay the bricks. This process was much more difficult than I am making it sound because we were lifting shovels full of rocks and sand and using a large sieve which required serious arm strength and then once it was in the hen-house we used shovels to make sure the mixture was wet enough and the unifrom throughout. Have you ever tried mixing drying cement with a shovel? Believe me, it is no easy task.
Habia una pila de arena y piedras que tuvimos que arnear para luego transportarlo adentro del gallinero donde se mezclaba con cal y agua para crear la base para pegar los ladrillos. Este proceso fue más difícil de lo que estoy insinuando porque estábamos levantando palas llenas de piedras y estábamos usando un arneador grande que requería de mucho músculo y una vez que estaba en el gallinero usamos palas para asegurarnos de que la mezcla no estaba lo suficientemente mojada y uniforme. ¿Alguna vez has intentado mezclar cemento cuando se estaba secando? Créeme que no es nada fácil.

When I began laying bricks, I realized that the process was actually very complicated, requiring levelling to be sure that the bricks were layed in a straight row and a lot of patience to get the bricks in the right places and at the right heights with the right amount of cement. When I saw the speed at which the women laid the bricks compared to which we did, I realized that we were novices and that I had made a quick assesment of something I didn’t understand. Working alongside these women for one day I learned so much about construction and the effort involved in something that I had thought was so simple. After being exposed and involved in the work, I appreciated so much more the effort and commitment that it took for the group to complete this project. Even with 18 people working, it was a lengthy process and this group of women was only made up of eight. I admired their partnership and their willingness to share a heavy workload so that they each could enjoy the benefits of having their own hen-house.
Cuando empecé a poner los tabiques me di cuenta de que el proceso era realmente complicado, y requería de usar un plomo para asegurarnos de que quedaba al mismo nivel y tambien de mucha paciencia para que estuvieran los tabiques en el lugar correcto, al nivel correcto, y con el cemento necesario. Cuando vi la velocidad con que las mujeres lo hacían en comparación con nosotros, me di cuenta de que éramos novatos y que hice un calculo sin saber de que se trataba verdaderamente el trabajo. Trabajando junto con esta mujeres por un día aprendí tanto sobre la construcción y el esfuerzo que requiere algo que yo había pensado que era muy simple. Después de estar allí involucrada en el trabajo, aprecie mucho más el esfuerzo y la dedicación que tomo para que este grupo realizara este proyecto. Aun con 18 personas trabajando nos tomo un buen rato y estas mujeres solo eran 8. Admiré mucho su estimación de un para otra y como compartieron el trabajo duro para que todas pudieran disfrutar de los beneficios de tener su propio gallinero.


That night we discussed the day’s events at the dinner table at Alternare. We were all left with strong impressions of our first day in Michoacan. We all had a million questions burning in our heads as we tried to understand the significance of what we learned that day. Doña Anita explained to us the relevance of the hen-house with regards to the monarch butterfly. She said that the people that live on the reserve cannot be considered separate from the conservation of the butterfly and that a person who is struggling to support their family cannot be expected to avoid cutting down a tree which would supply their family with $3,000 (Pesos). We learned that Alternare is trying to teach the communitites to be self-sufficient so they won’t have to rely on outside sources.
Esa noche discutimos los eventos del día en la mesa de Alternare. Todos nos quedamos con impresiones fuertes de nuestro primer día en Michoacán. Todos teníamos un millón de preguntas que surgieron de nuestro intento de comprender y relacionar todo lo que aprendemos ese día. Doña Anita no explicó la relevancia del gallinero con relación a la mariposa monarca. Nos dijo que las personas que viven en la reserva no puede verse como separados de la conservación de la mariposa y que una persona que este batallando para mantener a su familia no puede ser responsable por proteger a la mariposa cuando la tala de un árbol le podría generar $3,000 para su familia. Aprendimos que Alternare intenta enseñar a las comunidades que sean autosuficientes para que no tengan que depender de recursos exteriores.

She explained how the hen-house was important because it kept the livestock in one place. In many cases, the livestock run around freely which means that 1) the animals could get lost or eaten by dogs or other animals, 2) you can’t be sure of what they are eating which could lead to sickness for humans or to the death of the animal itself, and 3) the owner won´t know where the eggs are. All of these things allow people to provide for themselves so that they don’t have to spend money to buy foods and therefore they don’t rely on cutting down trees. I learned that things that don’t seem related do indeed have a very real and very complex connection. That the environment and the people cannot be seen as separate entities. No doubt, that first day made us all think good and hard about the complexities of life and the interdependence of humans and our surroundings.
Nos explicó como el gallinero era importante porque mantenía a las aves en un solo lugar lo cual prevenía varios problemas que estaban asociados con las aves que se dejaban en al campo. 1) que los animales libres podrían o perderse o ser comidos por otros animales, 2) que no se puede controlar lo que comen lo cual podría causar enfermedades para los humanos o la muerte del animal, y 3) que no se puede ver donde se ponen los huevos. El gallinero puede solucionar una serie de problemas que previene que provea su propio alimento y no tenga que depender de comprar la comida de afuera y asi no tienen que depender de la tala del bosque. Aprendí que las cosas que no parecen ser relacionadas en verdad si tienen una conexión muy real y muy complicada. Que el medioambiente y las personas no pueden ser vistas como entidades separadas. Sin duda, ese primer día no hizo a todos pensar en la complejidad de la vida y las interdependencias de los humanos con nuestros alrededores.

-Michelle Tamez

Visitando telesecundarias en Michoacán
Our Visit to Telesecundarias in Michoacán

Visitar dos telesecundarias públicas de Michoacán fue una experiencia inolvidable para mí. Como futura maestra, me interesa saber cómo es el sistema educativo de otros países, los métodos de enseñanza que otros maestros tienen y qué se esta haciendo para satisfacer las necesidades de aprendizaje de los estudiantes.
Visiting two public high schools in Michoacán was a life changing experience for me. As a future educator, I am interested in learning about other countries’ educational systems, different teaching methods, and about what they are doing to meet the learning needs of every student.

Cuando llegamos a la primer escuela, la telesecundaria de Rondanilla en el municipio de Angangeo, me di cuenta de lo que en realidad es una telesecundaria. Yo había escuchado este término antes pero no estaba segura de cómo funcionaba. Aparentemente, este método de enseñanza predomina en las zonas rurales donde hacen falta maestros y a veces también estudiantes. En una telesecundaria se recibe una señal televisada por satélite. Esta señal transmite clases por una televisión que corresponden al primer, segundo o tercer grado de secundaria; hay un horario donde se transmiten diferentes materias. Los alumnos que asisten a estas escuelas tienen entre los 13 y 15 años de edad. En estas escuelas, el maestro refuerza por medio de actividades y ejercicios escritos lo que los estudiantes aprenden por medio de la televisión.
When we arrived at the first school, Telesecundaria de Rondanilla in Angangeo, was when I really understood what a telesecundaria was. I had heard this term before but I wasn’t sure about how it worked. Apparently, this teaching method is mostly used in rural areas where there’s a need for teachers and sometimes for students too. In a telesecundaria, a television gets signal through a satellite, the students learn different subjects through a TV channel. There is a schedule for each subject and there is a channel for each grade level. First, second and third grade are equivalent to ninth, tenth and Eleventh grade in the US. Students who attend these schools are usually 13 to 15 years old. In a telesecundaria, the teacher reinforces with activities and written exercises what the students learn through the TV.

En la primera escuela que visitamos, hay aproximadamente 45 estudiantes solamente. Recuerdo que el director mencionó que los estudiantes de segundo y tercer grado están juntos en un salón porque no hay suficientes alumnos para contratar a otro maestro. Solo hay dos maestros y uno de ellos es el director. Al principio, los estudiantes estaban muy tímidos y les daba pena hablar con nosotros, así que les pedimos que nos enseñaran su escuela. Después de ver los tres salones y el laboratorio que se esta construyendo, los estudiantes nos llevaron a la parte de atrás de la escuela. Ahí, nos mostraron unos pinos que sembraron para reforestar. Me dio mucho gusto saber que se les inculca a los estudiantes la importancia del bosque y a querer a su tierra.
The first school that we visited has a population of approximately 45 students only. I remember the school principal mentioning that students from second and third grade are sharing a classroom because there are not enough students to hire another teacher. There are only two teachers and one of them is the school principal. The students were very shy at the beginning and so we asked them to give us a tour of their school. They showed us their classrooms and a science laboratory that is under construction. They also took us to the back of the school where they had pines growing to reforest. I was very glad to know that the students were learning about the importance of the forest, how to take care of it and the importance of the land where they live.

Los alumnos también nos enseñaron un salón donde tienen algunas computadoras y una librería. Ahí procedimos a enseñarles un libro pequeño donde los estudiantes de la academia de ciencias de El Valor les mandaron cartitas a ellos. Los estudiantes de la telesecundaria estaban emocionados de leer que muchos niños que asisten a El Valor tienen familia procedente de Michoacán o que incluso algunos de ellos nacieron en México. Terminamos nuestra visita a esta escuela con un partido de Básquetbol amistoso. Y aunque nos hubiera gustado quedarnos mas tiempo, nos tuvimos que ir.
The students also showed us a classroom where they have a small library and some computers. We handed them a small book where students from Urban Academy at El Valor wrote notes to them in Spanish. The telesecundaria students were excited to read that many students from El Valor have relatives in MIchoacán and that some of them were even born in Mexico. We finished our visit to this school with a friendly game of basket ball. Even though we wanted to stay longer, we had to go; but we definitely learned a lot from them. La telesecundaria Benito Juárez del municipio de Zitácuaro, fue la segunda que visitamos. En esta telesecundaria había más estudiantes, de hecho nos comentaron que había aproximadamente 50 estudiantes por salón. Nos dividimos en grupos de dos y fuimos a cada salón. A Manuel y a mí nos tocó hablar con los estudiantes de segundo grado. Mientras estábamos ahí, nos dimos cuenta de su entusiasmo y sus ganas de aprender ingles; de hecho, les dimos una pequeña lección.
Benito Juárez, located in Zitácuaro, is the name of the second telesecundaria we visited. There were many more students in this school; approximately 50 students per classroom. We were divided in groups of two in order to visit every classroom; Manuel and I visited second grade (equivalent to ninth grade in the US). While we were there, we realized that the students were very enthusiastic about learning English. Since they really wanted to learn, we taught them some verbs and basic phrases.

Estuvimos platicando sobre sus planes para el futuro y desafortunadamente no muchos planean continuar con sus estudios. Muchos dijeron que no pensaban ir a la preparatoria porque les quedaba lejos, porque no tenían ayuda financiera del gobierno o porque tenían que trabajar para ayudar a su familia. Manuel y yo estuvimos hablando de la importancia de la educación y de los mitos de emigración. Les dijimos que no tenían que irse a otro país para seguir en la escuela o para buscar un buen trabajo. También nos dimos cuenta de que algunos estudiantes tienen planes de irse a las ciudades grandes a buscar trabajo. Fue interesante platicar con ellos y saber lo que piensan de su escuela y del gobierno. Les pregunte si les gustaba el sistema de telesecundarias y la mayoría respondió que preferían que el maestro les enseñara porque se prende más. Definitivamente prendimos mucho de ellos, nos tomamos fotografías con ellos y también terminamos jugando básquetbol.
We were also chatting about their future plans and we learned that unfortunately, not many were planning on continuing studying. Many said that they couldn’t attend a university because it was too far, because they couldn’t get financial aid from the government or because they had to start working to help their families. Manuel and I tried to emphasize the importance of education and we tried to address misconceptions about emigration. We told them that they didn’t have to go to another country to continue their education or to find a good job. It was interesting talking to them because we got to know their thoughts about their school and even the government. I asked them if they liked the telesecundaria learning method, the majority answered that they would prefer having a teacher for every subject because they think that they can learn better that way. Definitely, we learned a lot from them, we took many pictures and we also ended our visit with a basket ball game.

Construyendo un gallinero….
Building a chicken coop….

En nuestro tercer día de trabajo con la comunidad, Helen y yo estuvimos ayudando a construir un gallinero. Aprendimos que es importante tener un gallinero en casa porque de esta forma las gallinas no se pierden y hay huevos disponibles para comer. Cuando no hay un gallinero, se roban las gallinas o vienen los coyotes y se las comen. Los huevos que producen no sirven de nada porque no se sabe donde esta el nido o porque muchas veces los perros se los comen. Esta vez empezamos el gallinero desde abajo. Don Juan, un señor de 84 años nos dirigió con las medidas y nos estuvo enseñando a pegar tabiques correctamente. Empezamos alrededor de las 11 de la mañana, ya para las 6 de la tarde ya llevábamos más de un metro de altura del gallinero.
During our third day of work with the community, Helen and I helped to build a chicken coop. We learned that it is important to have a chicken coop at home because this way, the chickens don’t get lost and there are eggs available to eat every day. When families do not have a chicken coop at home their chickens get stolen or the coyotes eat them during the night. The eggs also go to waste because some dogs eat them. This was our second time building a chicken coop during that week but this time we started from scratch. Don Juan, an 84 year old man was the one guiding us by teaching us how to measure and how to build the brick wall correctly. We started the whole process around 11:00AM and by 6:00PM we had almost half of the chicken coop.

Fue una buena experiencia trabajar con estas señoras. Aprendimos que la meta de este grupo de mujeres es construir un gallinero en cada casa, trabajan en grupo porque así es más fácil. Muchas de ellas son criticadas por otras mujeres de su comunidad pero a ellas no les molesta que les digan que hacen trabajo de hombre, a ellas lo que les importa es ver los resultados de su trabajo. Tener un gallinero significa tener carne disponible y huevos.
Working with these women was a very good experience. We learned that one of their goals is to build a chicken coop in each one of their houses. They work as a group because it is easier and because this way, they learn from each other. Many of them are criticized by other community members because they do what is considered to be a “man’s job” but it doesn’t bother them. For them, the important thing is the results that they get from their work. They know that having a chicken coop means to have available meat and eggs.

En esta ocasión, también tuvimos la oportunidad de hablar sobre sus familias, sus ideas y hasta sus creencias. Estando ahí, aprendí que algunas de estas señoras tienen hijos en la universidad y que trabajan muy duro para ayudarles a pagar sus estudios. También hablamos sobre la idea que tienen de que todas las personas que viven en los Estados Unidos tienen mucho dinero. Pudimos decirles que desafortunadamente no es así, les contamos que así como hay gente pobre en México, también lo hay en los estados unidos. La verdad, me hubiera gustado estar ahí mas tiempo y ayudarles a terminar todo el gallinero, no nada más una parte.
During this occasion, we also had the opportunity to learn about their families, their ideas and even some of their beliefs. While being there, we learned that some of these women have sons and daughters studying in a university and that they work very hard to help them financially. We also talked about a misconception that they have. For some reason, they think that everyone who lives in the US has money and that poverty doesn’t exist here. We had a chance to address this misconception; we explained to them the financial problems that many families have, including ours. Honestly, I would have liked to stay there more time and help them finish the whole chicken coop, not only a part of it.

-Rosa Campos

Our day at the Monarch Rerve Sierra Chincua/ Nuestro dia en la Reserva Sierra Chincua

Monarch Reserve at Sierra Chincua

The day was bright and sunny with some sporadic stratus clouds surrounding the area. It almost fell like our spring time in Chicago but the chilly breeze that blew our hair and made the oyamel pine trees rattle reminded us that we were not experiencing spring in Chicago, we were in el Santuario Sierra Chincua a Monarch Reserve in the State of Michoacan, about to explore nature at its fullest. After three long days of hard work with different people in the community just staring at the tall oyamel trees throughout our day was very therapeutical. The smell that we inhaled cleared our lungs and the sounds of nature made it seemed like we were in a fairy tale story.
We were greeted by a team member of the reserve and explained to us why conserving the Monarch butterfly habitat is important. For example, we learned about the Monarch’s migration to Canada, US and Mexico and learned that there are five different generations that migrate among these countries. We learned about the threats that the Monarch butterflies encounter such as extreme weather, their adaptation to different climates, predators and deforestation during their migration. The team member also explained that current scientists are investigating further the Monarch butterfly to understand it a bit more. Within the State of Mexico and Michoacan there are different counties that the butterfly travel through such as San Felipe del Progreso, Donato Guera, Villa de Alende, Contepec, Senguio, Angangueo, Ocampo, Zitacuaro y Aporo. Because the Monarch butterfly travels through these counties, it is important that these counties make everything possible to restore forests and conserve habitat for the butterfly. Aside from conserving habitat it is also important to work with the people of these counties and work together to avoid devastating situations like deforestation and make a difference in nature. This is where groups like Alternare help people of these counties grow their own vegetation rather than cut trees for means of survival, basically bringing back the old customs from our ancestors, such as planting, vegetation and using natural fertilizers to help preserve the environment.
Once we learned about the risks and ways that people in the community are conserving the Monarch habitat we walked the trail that lead us to the Monarch butterflies. Like I mentioned before the trail exposed so much green life, the rays of the sun made leaves sparkle green and random butterflies appeared while walking our trail, which almost seemed like they were greeting us. As we got closer to all the butterflies the excitement amongst us was greater and all the oohhs and ahhs from all of us was not enough to describe what our eyes were seeing. Once we got to our destination we couldn’t help but take pictures and just admire how the butterflies flew around us. The unique yet light sound of the butterflies sounded like leaves just falling to the ground. The sun was smiling its bright light on us and warmed our atmosphere enough for the butterflies to migrate from one tree to the next. I sat on top of rock and just started into the oyamel trees full of butterflies and examined the way they flew and how they choose their place of landing while they were flying. The peaceful sound the butterflies made and the orange that flashed into my eyes made our long trip up the trail worth it. After observing and relaxing with the butterflies for half an hour our tour guide had a surprise for us. We walked away from the butterflies and hiked further up the trail for another ten minutes… as we hiked our ears pop and just looking down the trail a noticing how high up we were, I couldn’t help the adrenaline rush running through my body. As we approach the top, our tour guide says, “este es el mirador”, this is the mirador, which is place located at the top of a mountain. Again the adrenaline rush was high in our bodies and all we could see were more mountains and small tiny village. Our eyes had no limit to how far we could see. The entire team had a moment of silence… as we did the hauling winds surrounded our bodies that once again cleared our lungs. As the wind blew our hair and felt it in our faces another moment of relaxation was felt. Our energies were high.. and for a moment I thought about how free I felt just sitting there and absorbing energy and feeling a deep connection with the Pachamama, Mother Nature.. each in our own way made a photographic memory in our minds about the view and said our goodbyes to Mother nature.
Going down our hiking trail, we were so overwhelmed with the experience but at the same time felt peaceful. Although I only observed these butterflies for that small time, they taught us how important internal peace and appreciation for mother earth, something that we don’t tend to seek in our every day lives.
As we headed back to Alternare I felt so good inside as if I had just been cleaned out from all the negative vibes that were surrounding me. Experiencing that wonder till this day, still has me thinking of good way to describe what my eyes saw and what my body felt, because what I just described to you is only part of. There are no words or sensations to really describe what we all experienced that day. Its something beyond words and expressions is something that only one can describe and feel in their inner self.
The day at Sierra Chincua along with the rest of our days in Michoacan really showed us that life has a greater meaning that just working and doing our ‘normal’ things we tend to do in every day life… but that life is free, full of energy but more importantly a connection with spiritual self.


My day at Macheros.....
In our day at Alternare our entire team decided to break up into small teams and work in different communities. My team was Mike Rizo and I (Jennifer Juarez). We headed to Macheros where one of the Monarch butterfly reserve is located. At this site we worked with Don Hilario who is the instructor for this group. The group consisted of three women and two males. The three women and one male were all related to each other. At this site we helped create the fence for the chicken house that they had already built. The day was great and the sun beamed down on our faces as we worked. The three women and I started to make holes in the ground so that the wooden poles fit. However, it became difficult for us since the soil was full of rocks and hard to dig. After we dug out all the holes needed, two women then brought the wooden poles and placed them on the holes. After all the poles were in their place we then started to place the metal net that was the fence, around the poles. This became difficult because the fence did no align well with the poles so the work became tedious but fun at the same time because as a team we all strategize ways to align the fence and the poles. While putting up the poles and the fence I spoke with the women and told me there stories of how they live and how hard it is sometimes to keep up with the work and hard to bring good income. They told me about their vegetation, where they grow onions, lettuce and herbs and also the remedies that they use for when their children get sick They also showed me their trucha arcoiris fish, which is another source for food and income.This team is very grateful because they say they have learned much since they formed part of Alternare. Don Hilario was telling me a story about a remedy that his group had created with herbs that they grown for the cure of cancer and how certain herbs can really help you cure. The women mentioned that sometimes its difficult to get the their team members together and work on the project since they all have jobs. This group is strong and hard working. When they mean business they mean business. I noticed the gender difference between the two men and three women. I don’t know if it’s just a thing men do but I noticed that the men tended to do the ‘hard work’ such as putting up the fence and trying to dig the holes but what’s interesting is that the women were not timid nor believed that they were not able to do the hard work. They told me that some people in the community called them crazy for growing their own vegetables and trying to do what should be a male’s work. I noticed that they feel empowered even more when people in the community call them crazy.
I was glad we had the chance to work with Don Hilarios group because they treated us like a part of their family and let us in on their problems and stories. After a long day of work our finished job looked great! Afterwards we ate carnitas, frijoles and arroz and chatted more about their everyday lives and asked me about my life in Chicago.
It was a pleasure working with this powerful and dedicated team!!!

Jennifer Juarez

Making Organic Fertilizer

Haciendo Fertiliza Orgánica

1-20-2008

Toma de Agua

Zitácuaro, Michoacán

Today was a very interesting day for many reasons. For one, it was the day that I first realized that this trip was about so much more than just the monarch butterfly. While, that little guy was at the root of all what we did, the trip encompassed so much more. In addition to that, the group whom we helped this day was actually working at the house of one of Alternare's instructors, Jóse. Not only was it nice to meet her family and their thoughts and views on her work with Alternare, but her groups were mainly composed of females, which make their dynamic and contribution an interesting one in and of itself.

Este día fue muy interesante por muchas razones. Primero, fue el día que realizé que este viaje fuera más de la mariposa monarca. De todos modos, lo que hicimos fue en relación con ella, pero el viaje cubrió bastante más. A de más, el grupo que ayudamos este diá estaban trabajando en la casa de una de las instructoras de Alternare, Jóse. Los grupos que ella ayuda, por la mayoría, son compuestos de mujeres. Entonces, con sólo eso su contribución y dynamico es interesante. Pero tambien tuvimos la oportunidad de concer a su familia y oir sus pensamientos y opiniones de su trabajo en Alternare.

The actually physical labor of the day was gathering the top layer(about 2 ins) of organic material from the forest floor after large leaves were raked. That material was later sifted through with a screen, to further remove large particles, filled in bags, and moved to the location of the proposed site at which it was to be used. I really thought it was interesting, because it was a VERY sustainable way to make environmentally friendly fertilizer that is free of costs. It's a super smart way of using one's available resources wisely.

El trabajo para el día fue agarrando el nivel superior(2 pulgadas) de material orgánico del suelo del bosque después que las ojas fueron restrillidas. Luego el material fue [sifted] para sacar más partículos grandes, puesto en costales, y cargado al sitio donde va usarlo. Eso me interesó mucho, porque creo que es un proceso BIEN sustenible para crear fertiliza que no eso dañoso al medio ambiente que es gratis! Es un super inteligente manera a usar sus recursos disponibles.

Today was also a good day for conversation. Michelle got a chance for the kids to take her around the forest and they showed her everything they knew about their surrounding natural areas. Not only was this just good social interaction, but it was good to see how invested these children were in their surroundings. We also had the opportunity to speak with Jóse's mom who was just the most progressive older women that I ever met. In length, she talked with us about her pride in her daughter's work, the benefits she's received as a result of it, and just her plain opinions on the world today.

Hoy tambien fue un día para conversación. Michelle tuvo la opportunidad para que los niños la llevaran alrededor del bosque mostrándola todo de sus areas naturales. Eso fue bueno, no sólo para la interación social, pero para ver como tan invertidos los jovenes son con sus alrededores naturales. Tambien tuvimos la oportunidad de hablar con la máma de Jóse quien fue la mujer mayor más progressive que he encontrado. Nos habló de su orgullo en el trabajor de su hija, los beneficios que ha recibido de el, y no más sus opiniones sobre el mundo hoy.

The following day we were split into different groups. Some of us went to former sites, others went to new ones. Michelle, Anel, and I went to a new site in Capulín with one of Adriana's groups. Having had international visitors (from England) before, this group was very open and welcoming to us. The group had already completed the walls for their chicken coop, and we were helping putting up the pillars for it. They were very vivacious group that was just enveloped in constant humor and laughter. Because of their experience with visitors before and our language connect with them, it's my opinion that they opened up a lot more to us than strangers usually would. In fact, its as if we were not strangers. After a rather lengthy and genuinely interested conversation about US and our way living and an inviting meal, they let us know that if we ever wanted to come back we now had friends and thus a place to lay our heads. 

El día siguente, dividimos en diferente grupos. Algunos fueron a lugares donde ya estamos y otros a nuevos lugares. Michelle, Anel, y yo fuimos a un nuevo sitio en Capulín con un grupo de Adriana. Ya que tuvieron visitantes (de Inglaterra) antes, el grupo fue bien amable y c ómodo con nosotros. El grupo ya construyeron las parades para la gallinera, y ayudamos en constryuendo los castillos para ella. Las mujeres del grupo fueron bien llena de vida y con gran humor y risa. Por razón de tener visitantes antes y nuestra conneción de idioma, es mi opinión que fueran más abiertas con nosotros que extranjeros estarían. En realidad es como no fuimos extranjeros. Después de una larga conversación con interés sincero sobre el EEUU y nuestra manera de vida y una comida recibida, nos dejaron saber que si deseamos regresar que ahora tenemos amigos y también lugar de dormirnos.

Nos Vemos en Angangueo!

La academia urbana de ciencias en El Valor

La academia urbana de ciencias, o Urban Academy, es un programa educativo que se enfoca en las ciencias naturales y el medio ambiente. La misión del programa es proveer oportunidades a los niños de la comunidad latina en Chicago para explorar y aprender más sobre el mundo natural que los rodea. Los niños que participan en este programa gratuito también tienen la oportunidad de aprender mas sobre las carreras que el campo de las ciencias naturales ofrece.

En este programa se reúnen los niños una vez por semana durante dos horas los jueves por la tarde, también incluye un paseo una vez al mes a lugares de la comunidad relacionados con las ciencias naturales. La academia urbana de ciencias fue fundada por el servicio forestal de los Estados Unidos (U.S. Forest Service), y el antropólogo, Mike Rizzo, ha creado una conexión entre el servicio forestal y El Valor. Urban Academy tiene conexiones con otras organizaciones que también se dedican a las ciencias naturales como Midewin Nacional Tallgrass Prairie, el museo de la naturaleza (the Nature Museum), el parque estatal Dunes de Indiana (Indiana Dunes State Park) y el acuario Shed (Shed Aquarium).


La academia urbana de ciencias y la comunidad latina

Este programa provee a los participantes con la oportunidad de desarrollar más a fondo su interés en las ciencias naturales. También crea una conciencia en ellos sobre el mundo natural que los rodea, les permite establecer una conexión con el mundo natural aunque vivan en la cuidad. Una de las metas de este programa es que los estudiantes aprendan a querer y respetar a la naturaleza. Además, que posiblemente en el futuro escojan una carrera en este campo. Tener más profesionales latinos en el campo de la ciencia provee a la comunidad latina con una voz en un área donde actualmente nuestra comunidad no esta muy bien representada.


Los requisitos para asistir a este programa:

La duración de este programa es de ocho meses aproximadamente. Este año (2007-2008) el programa comenzó en octubre del 2007 y finalizará en mayo del 2008. Los estudiantes también pueden participar en el campamento de verano que ofrece El Valor. Solo 30 niños son admitidos anualmente y deben cumplir con lo siguiente:

· Los niños (as) interesados deben tener entre 10 y 13 años de edad.
· Los padres de familia deben registrar a sus hijos en El Valor antes de empezar el año escolar.
· Una vez admitidos, los estudiantes deben ser puntuales y asistir a todas las
sesiones cada jueves incluyendo el paseo mensual que se realiza un sábado de cada mes.


Logros de Urban Academy

Urban Academy ha logrado que sus estudiantes participen en concursos de ciencias a nivel estatal. Los estudiantes también han creado un santuario para la mariposa Monarca y un jardín para los demás insectos que se necesitan para la polinización. Este santuario está situado en La Villita, el área de Chicago donde se concentra la población latina.

El criadero de mariposas monarca

Helen Molina empezó a trabajar como maestra de Urban Academy en noviembre del 2006. En una entrevista con el periódico La Raza sobre el criadero de mariposas, ella menciona que antes de hacer el criadero los estudiantes fueron entrenados por biólogos que se especializan en la mariposa monarca. Los biólogos les enseñaron cómo se les puede brindar un lugar seguro a las mariposas, donde puedan alimentarse y poner sus huevos, aunque estén en medio de la cuidad. El año pasado (2007), los estudiantes de Urban Academy se dedicaron a crear este santuario para las mariposas preparando la tierra para sembrar las semillas y colocando casitas dentro del jardín para las mariquitas y las mariposas como refugio de lluvia y tormentas. Al comienzo del verano, los estudiantes tuvieron la oportunidad de sacar los huevos puestos por las mariposas para estudiarlos en clase y conocer su ciclo de vida. En este proyecto contribuyó Midewin Nacional Tallgrass Prarie y un invernadero en Wisconsin los cuales donaron las plantas.

Para ver el artículo completo visite: Periodico La Raza- Crean refugio de mariposas

Entrevista con Helen Molina, la maestra de Urban Academy…

¿Que piensas de este programa?
Me parece que es un programa excelente y muy necesario para los jóvenes Latinos. Creo firmemente que la educación sobre el medio ambiente debe comenzar desde que los niños son pequeños.

¿Como se benefician los participantes que asisten a Urban Academy?
Los niños que participan en este programa desarrollan un entendimiento más profundo sobre lo que es la biodiversidad, sobre por qué es importante para nosotros y lo que podemos hacer para ayudar. Participar en actividades al aire libre, proyectos en la clase, escuchar a personas con más experiencia y visitar museos locales y centros naturales definitivamente beneficia a los estudiantes. Nuestros estudiantes también tienen un entendimiento mas profundo sobre las oportunidades que hay en las profesiones relacionadas con las ciencias.

¿Que actividades al aire libre ofrecen para los participantes?
Los estudiantes visitan Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie donde pueden explorar el bosque y la pradera. También visitan Indiana Dunes State Park donde aprenden sobre el lago Michigan y por qué es un ecosistema importante. En la primavera tienen la oportunidad de trabajar en el jardín sembrando y cuidando las plantas.

¿Que es lo que más te gusta de este programa?
Me encanta poder mostrarles lo bello que es el mundo natural y que lo tenemos que cuidar para que no desaparezca para siempre.

Para mas información sobre Urban Academy visite El Valor:

1951 W. 19th Street

Chicago, IL 60608

Tel. 312-997-2021 ext. 251

Email ian.wan@elvalor.net


© 2008 Rosa Campos

El Clima - The Weather Update

Detailed Local Forecast
13 de Enero 2008 -- January 13, 2008
Tonight: Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 31F.
Tomorrow: Partly cloudy. High 69F.
Tomorrow night: A few clouds. Low 32F.
Tuesday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 60s and lows in the low 30s.
Wednesday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the mid 60s and lows in the low 30s.
Thursday: Few showers. Highs in the mid 60s and lows in the low 30s.