the movement is where we take it

Hey- checking in here. We are leaving today from San Cristobal to a rural area in Chiapas for 5 weeks. We'll be learning directly about the indigenous struggle and experiencing some amazing things- like communal ways of life in practice and efforts to restore political autonomy and peace... sorry for a lack of details- just hard to explain in a general and open blog.

Anyway, I've been here a week and continue to have a great time. We're engaging in class discussion over things like US Cultural attitudes and reading cool things like: historical origins of radical political economy. By contrast, I'm realizing things about ways of life in the U.S. that are so ingrained in us and therefore I have become blind to- and that are severely problematic. Like individualism- a big one- that entails a serious lack of community that is endemic to indigenous lifestyles. With community comes a common understanding of decision-making, school, and everything from there. Kids know how to take responsibility for things and people know how to take care of themselves and those around them unlike I’ve ever seen before. And instead of trying to figure out the world’s largest questions alone, there are solutions grounded in collectivity. I’ve been writing a lot about it and am happy to discuss more with anyone interested.

I've been tasting all the local treats- from a drink of corn and cocoa called Pozol, Chayote soup, and a whole lot of fresh corn tortillas. still a lot of my favorites are available at the outdoor market- avacado, mango, nuts, berries-- everything imaginable. I love taking it all in- standing in the square and looking around to find myself out of my usual element but around a beautiful convergence of where I have been and where I am going- to be exactly where I need to be.

At the university we stayed at, I got to know some of the youth who come from indigenous communities in the area. Most of the time, their second language is Spanish just as it is mine (first being an indigenous language) , so we have a nice basis for communication. What a humble culture… friendly, although somewhat shy towards a group of white Americans. We broke through barriers and had a lot of fun.

I'm about to head out to explore San Cristobal a bit more before we leave. The Zocalo (main plaza) is full of activity right now, I think because of the imminent Mexican independence day next week. Take care everyone and write me emails or comments or something. I won’t have much internet if any during the next 5 weeks but will check it when I can.

Amor- Claudia

SWAP philosophy

greetings,

Academics and people here in Mexico have inspired me to re-think SWAP philosophy, moreso to be able to better articulate important issues concerning what SWAP is and could be. I invite everyone interested in the direction of the organization and how we message ourselves to be a part of this conversation, which I view as extremely important.

SWAP was born out of a desire for students to build relationships with workers and a consciousness that this relationship building is necessary in order to restore the human relations that bring justice between socio-economic groups- specifically on CU campus. Questions have come up internally in SWAP about the philosophical underpinnings and actions of the groups. Here are a couple of points that I think are crucial to how we will develop and strengthen what we do with workers on campus. (inspired mainly by readings from Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire)

-The importance of dialogue, communication between workers and students to develop the fight against oppression. The value is in this process, not a policy or something external to these relationships that can be instituted.

-We need to balance out theory and practice. I think we have been heavily action-based- given our profusion of English classes which has been great. However, I really do believe we are imbalanced on the end of building a theoretical framework of our group that defines what we do. I think we need to present English classes in the context of building working class power- beyond the acquirement of English skills for workers. I don't think there is any way around defining the context in which racism and anti-immigration sentiment exists. We have to be exlicit about the purpose of the exchange and relationships building between workers and students- as part of a larger vision.

Please go off of this or write your own ideas for exchange- love Claudia

First couple days in Chiapas

Rain on the tin roof is one of the most frequent sounds here in Chiapas. We’re staying in a local university for indigenous youth just outside of San Cristobal, where it rains most every day and we wake in the mornings around green mountains covered in fog. They have a great set-up here, housing about 100 students and providing classes for music, sewing, computers, mechanics, etc. It’s an amazing program, based on principals of collectivity and the indigenous struggle. They also have a farm and garden where our food comes from. There are conejos (bunnies- baby ones too), sheep, geese, dogs, kittens, and several vegetable gardens around. Yesterday, a sheep starting running at me, straight down a dirt road toward us- baaahing and all, and I wasn’t quite sure what to do because it was pretty solid, until he/she stopped right in front of us, looked at us seeming confused and then turned around and ran away. I had never been charged by a sheep before, but then again, I have never been in the way of one I suppose. It was cute in a scary barnyard-animal sort of way. Campus is simple yet elaborate- with homemade everything, plants everywhere, an amazing library of Spanish language books (where I am sitting right now), sports, a kitchen, and forested mountains to explore- everything we need.

There is a group of 13 from the U.S. that are being hosted her with our program. We have classes both in Spanish and English where we have been discussing the history and culture of Chiapas within its political context, as well as learn from theoretical analyses, such as Pedagogy of the Oppressed. We have plenty of free to time to read our assignments, play soccer with the kids, and practice our Spanish with local indigenous people who live here. I love it here and am already learning a lot about myself and what’s around me. This program is intellectually and socially challenging in a way that is radically different from public education that I have gone to all my life. It’s more informal yet more productive in a lot of ways. Group decisions are made collectively, effort given to the class depends on individual motive, and the purpose of the classes is to be as relevant and applicable to our lives as possible. If it is not, we don’t study it. If it doesn’t push our comfort zones, it’s not worth our time. We also have a house in San Cristobal that we can stay at.

On Sunday, we are going to a Zapatista cultural center for the particular autonomous region we are in to stay for 5 weeks. Will be pretty sweet.

Other than that, I miss you all but am so happy to be here. The other students and I connect really well and are going to have an amazing 3 months. Being here is opening so many doors and is allowing me the space and time I need to re-examine where I at back in Colorado and where I am headed. This is a perfect opportunity to be challenged and comforted at the same time, to critically engage with difficult issues, to be inspired by Mexican ways of life, and to help straighten out my mind for the work I do in the U.S. I think the tension in my shoulders is finally dissipating… mucha suerte---- Claudia