Current Project:


First Step is currently looking for two volunteers to teach English in Ziquítaro Michoacán for the Winter semester (February – June 2010), the Fall semester (August – December 2010) or both. Volunteers will be teaching English classes to community members of all ages. Classes will take place both in the local public schools as well as in the town center. Volunteers are not required to have a teaching degree, although experience teaching is preferable. Basic Spanish proficiency is required. If you are interested in teaching these semesters or any semester in the future please email Rachel Miers at rachelmiers@gmail.com for more information and/or an application.





Current Fundraiser: Cookbook

Obtaining non-profit status is a slow process so in the meantime we are heading a few fundraising efforts in order to provide the volunteers with a living stipend as well as buy needed classroom materials. As part of a school project, some of English students worked together with Katherine Ferry and Rachel Wickland to compile a bilingual cookbook with some of their favorite recipes (about 15 in total). We are selling the book (which can be sent via email in PDF form) for $12 or I send you a hard copy for $16. All of the proceeds will go directly to the project in Mexico. If you would like to buy a cookbook you can email me your request at rachelmiers@gmail.com (note whether you would like the PDF or hard copy version). I will then give you the address to which you can send a check. Any extra donations are greatly appreciated! Thanks for your help and staying posted with the blog!

Town Profile

Location:
Ziquítaro is located in the central state of Michoacán, Mexico and is roughly one hour and a half driving distance from Michoacán’s capital - Morelia. Ziquítaro is considered a “rancheria” or ranch town as it is a small community which originally developed around a ranch. There is no official sign or paved off ramp for Ziquítaro just a dirt road turnoff on the side of the highway. Ziquítaro is located about 5 kilometers (three miles) away from the highway.

Commerce & Population:
With the exception of small family run convenience stores operated out of houses, Ziquítaro boasts no established commerce as employment opportunities are minimal. A majority of the town is dedicated to sustenance agricultural production. While many town members work in  the neighboring town six kilometers away, the majority choose to immigrate to the United States, their primary destinations being California and Texas. It is estimated that 2000- 3000 of the town's 4000 members are living and working in the US. Consequently, a large portion of family income is derived from remittances - the money sent from those working in the US. Due to this out-migration o Ziquítaro is inhabited primarily by women, children and the elderly.

Educational Opportunities:
Ziquítaro offers public schooling from kindergarten to junior high. The nearest high school is located a short bus ride away in a neighboring town. The junior high is a “tele-secundaria” literally translating to “TV junior high”.  This educational program, which began in 1968, was enacted as an attempt to bring enhanced educational opportunities to impoverished rural communities. The telesecundaria program uses minimal resources as lessons are imparted through televised lesson plans which are sent to the schools via satellite and shown to students with the guidance of a Procter. Junior high, and in many cases elementary school, is often the last formal education the town’s children receive as immigration becomes a viable and attractive possibility once a student turns 14.

Religion:
The majority of the town members are catholic thus allowing for the church to assume a central role in the community. The town’s priest, Manuel Vazquez Rubio, has been working in the community for two years and has enlivened the town with his religious sermons as well as his work and supportive presence in the community. Much activity and energy revolves around the town’s religious festivities which span from December to January. The importance of the festivities are reflected by the significant increase in town population; on average over 1000-1500 town members return from the US to visit family members and take part in the communal religious celebrations, causing the town’s population to nearly double.



Thursday, February 21, 2008

A Window into the Border Crossing Industry

Yesterday Ziquitaro lost a good portion of its male working age population as over 25 men packed into buses which were headed to the Tijuana border. These bus trips to the border seem to be linked to a larger network of trafficking services which provide a sort of “all inclusive” deal – transportation to the border, accommodation at the border and a coyote (the person who facilitates the transportation of illegal immigrants across the border). On Tuesday trucks equipped with loud speakers drove through the streets of Ziquitaro and continuously interrupted my classes as they announced “busses are leaving for the border on Wednesday! Meet in the main plaza at 3pm.” Sure enough a large group of men had formed in the main plaza by 3pm yesterday afternoon. Like any other service in high demand, the smuggling of people across the border has generated a highly profitable and complex business venture. As a result rural Mexicans now have easy access to a plethora of professional companies which facilitate every aspect of their crossing.

The priest and I chatted about this recent happening today at breakfast. He commented that the networking of smugglers is so complex and specialized that the smugglers began building tunnels between San Diego and Tijuana as talks of “the wall” brewed within the government years ago. Thousands of migrants today use the tunnels and actually cross the San Diego Tijuana border today literally under the praised wall. And why are so many Ziquitarans leaving their birthplace to cross under, over and around the wall – why are they risking their lives crossing the Rio Grande or the Arizona desert. Because there are no jobs here. There is nothing but dried fields… and frankly, many townspeople would much rather work in US fields making two times their weekly Mexican wage in a single day. So they leave. We are not talking about one or two men, but about 90 percent of the working age male population of this ranch town and those like it.

One of my students got on the bus yesterday headed for San Diego. I printed out an English guide packet I created for him which consisted of dialogues and vocab related to topics he was interested in: how to ask for certain products in the store, how to call for help in an emergency, how to ask a girl on a date, how to ask for directions. He is not sure when he will return – he guesses in about three years. I wish him the best of luck.
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3 comments:

Tiffany Leigh Speer said...

Rachel,

Thanks so much for your posts. Sounds like you are having quite an experience. Keep posting! Know that you are in my thoughts.

Much Love,
Tiff

February 25, 2008 at 5:05 PM
MJV said...

Rachel,

It's Vandierdonck!! YOU should be hearing from my students about your blog and to ask for"PEN-PALS' from your students. They get extra credit for each letter they send and for t is given back to them by YOUR students.

Get back to me
mvandierdonck@acalanes.k12.ca.us

April 16, 2008 at 11:55 AM
the chronicles of college said...

Hi Ms Miers My name is Tori Leong and I'm in Mr. Vandierdoncks class at Miramonte.I'm really interested in your pen pal program and would love to participate. So if possible, may I get a pen pal? Thank You! Sincerely , Tori Leong

April 24, 2008 at 11:45 AM

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