Foundation Grant Application...turned in!

A great way to end the week, we finally turned in the application for the AMIGOS Foundation Grant. So far, we have received good comments about it, and we`ll find out if we get the grant sometime soon, hopefully.

Here`s some interesting facts about our application:

Name of project: The Renovation and Rebirth of La Casa de Cultura

What we`ll do with the money: Buy material resources (sewing machine, stove, cd player, tables, etc.) for classes held at the Casa. We believe these purchases will support the community`s interests in preserving their historical and cultural traditions. Santiago Suchilquitongo is an increasingly fragmenting community, and the classes the Casa provides serve as a way to unite citizens, empower women, and create new youth leaders.
All of the classes are taught and led by either women or young people my age. It`s an amazing thing.

We are also planning to integrate technology by having kids take digital photos of the classes and its participants as a way to decorate the Casa. We also want to work with the youth to create a Casa de Cultura blog/website with podcasts, pictures, folklore, etc.

Ciao!

Amazing photographers

During our morning class today, we gave the kids the opportunity to take digital photos with the camera Ross brought to us yesterday.

Here are our students:

First, we explained the rules to them:

1) Always wear the camera strap around your wrist
2) Take turns taking pictures - one at a time
3) Always turn the camera off when not using it
4) If you catch someone not obeying one of the above rules, call them out!

It was hilarious, they figured out the camera almost right away and policed themselves about all of the rules and about whose turn it was. Soon, they were outside taking pictures at a whim of everything imaginable.

Kids learn technology so fast, and it`s amazing how much inherent understanding they have about taking pictures and following the rules. While some pictures were just goofy: a picture of their bikes, of trees, etc., some were kind of amazing.

This was taken by one of the kids:

This one too (the guy on the moto was going fast too):

Not bad for just the first day! I`m impressed - a great way to end a hard week.

Challenges and progress...

There has been a lot that has happened since my last post. Times have been tough and hectic, but rewarding. Working with the Municipality of Santiago Suchilquitongo is absolutely ridiculous and we still haven`t met the town president. Pretty much everything in this town moves very slowly, and although that`s perfectly normal and expected, it`s hell when you have a four-page AMIGOS Foundation Grant application due in three days.

Because of our time constraints, the teacher`s strike which means we can`t use the school computer labs, and previous attendance troubles for our classes (7 kids showed up to class this morning and yesterday - that is encouraging), we have all been pretty stressed.

However, our supervisor Ross (of Paraburger in Cheesedise fame) came yesterday, and talking to him helped us out a lot. We needed someone with an outside perspective to talk (and vent) to and get advice from. And today, we finally finished the whole grant application and are pretty much ready to turn it in. We`ll find out if we get it in the next two weeks.

All of these things happening all at once is challenging personally, for our partnership, and certainly for community members not used to dealing with three crazies like us. Getting the grant would certainly be the best reward, but in either way, we`ve learned a lot.

I can`t wait to watch some football and relax this weekend!

Love,
Apoorva

Exciting update!

So after yesterday`s not so productive classes, mis parejas and I got a chance to meet with the Casa de Cultura parents group and comite. We introduced ourselves to the parents and then observed as they spent 3 hours (literally) talking about the Casa and the student fees.

However, it was good because my host mom (the director of the Casa) explained to the parents that we weren`t comfortable with giving English classes. I`m very, very happy she addressed our concerns and understands that we aren`t here to teach English. Now we will be able to focus our classes on technology, youth leadership, and the `rescue` of the Casa.

The 2nd meeting of the night, with the comite, went amazingly well. We explained the AMIGOS Foundation grant to them, and they seemed to understand almost immediately. They decided that the best direction would be to request the grant for a `Renovation and Rescue of the Casa de Cultura.` They even started throwing out prices of different materials they need and began a pseudo-budget! I`m going to explain our application even more in a later post.

I think this is a great idea, and will probably be more realistic and sustainable than a Tourism Center. We are going to start working on the Grant Application tonight so we can turn it in before the 30th...Friday!

We have classes in a few minutes, let`s hope people show up!

First day of classes

Don`t look for an exciting story on this post. Today we just had our first English classes, and three kids showed up. Yep, so we drew some pictures and translated some words. Their homework is to bring back 4 to 5 of their friends. Very crucial homework.

I`m not a big fan of teaching English because we`re not certified to do so and it`s not very sustainable. But it`s what the people want, and maybe this way they`ll come to some of our tech classes.

I hope our oral history classes and meeting with the Casa de Cultura comite go a little better! I`m optimistic.

Love,
Apoorva

Our route is so good lookin!

Our supervisor Ross is on the left, then my partnership, then

Henry and Colin, and finally the partnership known as CleaMika

Awesome.

Amazing culture in Suchil

I have learned so much about the rich culture here in Santiago Suchilquitongo these past few days. Last night, my host mother and I talked about life in the pueblo and she told me all about the archaeological ruins and tombs in the community, life before intense modernity, and even curanderas!

This community has so much potential for tourism, and I know tons of people from around the world would come here to see, hear, and taste this Oaxacan culture. My partners and I are hoping to work together with my host mother and the Comite of the Casa de Cultura to create a Women`s Tourism Co-Op. This was an idea my host mother had.

I think its brilliant. Women would lead and run a organization in the community that would be in charge of tourism. The community museum that has been closed would become the Tourism Center, which would be the starting point for all tourists. From there, they could tour the city, taste the amazing food, and see some of the culture that makes Oaxaca and Suchil so special. All while knowing that their experience hasn`t been totally commercialized and is actually empowering and sustaining women in the pueblo.

I really hope we can get this moving, and technology would facilitate the project so much! Imagine seeing digital photos and hearing audio oral histories in the Center and being able to check out the community and make reservations on a website before arriving!

Exciting...

-Apoorva

Photos from Oaxaca!

Our route (from left to right): Colin, Clea, Me, Lindley,

Maya, Mika, our sup Ross, and Henry

Sunday mass, it was beautiful!

A view from my houseMe and my awesome partners!