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.



Wednesday, July 16, 2008

The Next Step....

I am happy to announce that Michel and I have chosen two wonderful girls -Katherine Ferry and Rachel Wickland- to follow our footsteps and volunteer in Ziquítaro this fall. Their participation is a momentous move for it will allow community members in Ziquítaro to continue their language classes while Michel and I work on obtaining 501(c)(3) NGO status back in California.

My name is Katherine Ferry. I was born in Santa Barbara, a beautiful city on the coast of Southern California and lived there until I was eighteen. I studied at the University of California in Davis, in the northern part of the state. During my time at the university I studied in Spain for several months, in Madrid and in a nearby city called Alcalá de Henares. I received my degree this year in Linguistics and Spanish. As you can probably guess from what I studied, I absolutely love learning about language! I am fascinated by the world’s different cultures and I am passionate about travel. It makes me very happy to keep up the friendships with people I have met all over the world. Some of my hobbies are art, music and soccer. I am excited to teach English because I enjoy helping others and I understand the difficult but rewarding challenge of learning a new language. I really look forward to meeting the people of Ziquítaro.

Mi nombre es Katherine Ferry. Nací en Santa Barbara, una hermosa ciudad en la costa del sur de California en la que viví hasta los dieciocho años. Estudié una licenciatura en Español y Lingüística en la Universidad de California en Davis, en el norte del estado. A lo largo de mis estudios universitarios tuve la oportunidad de estudiar en España durante varios meses, específicamente en Madrid y en una ciudad cercana llamada Alcalá de Henares. ¡Me encanta aprender sobre el lenguaje! Me fascinan las distintas culturas del mundo y me apasiona viajar y conocer diferentes lugares. Me llena de felicidad conservar las amistades que he tenido el oportunidad de hacer en los viajes que he realizado. Algunos de mis pasatiempos son el arte, la música y el fútbol. Me emociona tener la oportunidad de impartir clases de inglés porque me gusta ayudar a otras personas y entiendo el difícil pero valioso reto de aprender un idioma nuevo. Espero con entusiasmo la oportunidad de conocer a la gente de Ziquítaro.

Hi! My name is Rachel Elizabeth Wickland, and I am 21 years old. I have recently graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with majors in Global Studies and Chicano Studies, and a minor in Russian. My hometown is Suisun City, California. I come from a large family, with 2 brothers and 2 sisters, and I have 4 nieces. My family means the world to me. I am very excited to meet you all and begin to work in the community. I hope we can share interests and learn from one another. Some of my hobbies are singing, reading, cooking, the ocean, and the outdoors. I love sports, and have played basketball, water polo, softball, and rugby. I am a travel enthusiast and have lived in Queretaro, Mexico, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. I have visited San Juan, Puerto Rico, and New Zealand as well. I feel extremely privileged to be able to live and work in Ziquitaro and am looking forward to it very much.

¡Hola! Yo soy Rachel Elizabeth Wickland y tengo 21 años. Terminé recientemente la licenciatura en la Universidad de California en Santa Barbara. Nací en la ciudad de Suisun en California. Vengo de una familia grande, tengo dos hermanas y dos hermanos. También tengo cuatro sobrinos. Mi familia es lo más importante en mi vida. Estoy muy emocionada de conocerlos y de comenzar a trabajar en Ziquítaro. Espero que podamos compartir muchas cosas y aprender el uno del otro. Algunos de mis pasatiempos son cantar, leer, cocinar, el mar y las actividades al aire libre. Me encantan los deportes; he jugado básquetbol, waterpolo, softball y rugby. Me fascina viajar y he tenido la oportunidad de vivir en Querétaro y en Buenos Aires, Argentina. También he visitado San Juan, Puerto Rico, y Nueva Zelanda. Me siento sumamente privilegiada de tener la oportunidad de vivir y trabajar en Ziquítaro y espero con entusiasmo el momento de mi arribo.



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