the corn saga

So I got here just fine. There was a bit of a delay on my flight because the volcano near Mexico City was spitting ash into the air, but we took off about an hour after sitting on the runway. lovely.

The group of people here is pretty cool, but I think I might actually be one of the better Spanish speakers.. not the best, not by far, but a lot of people don't have too much experience. So that just means that I will have to hang out with people that are speaking spanish more, talk to the staff, make mexican friends, etc. and its only the second day, so thats gonna be fine. its funny, a lot of people here are from Minnesota and Minneapolis, but even I am getting sick of the Minnesota talk. can you beleive it! I know its probably a way of coping because it is something that a lot of us have in common, but c'mon people.

I'm really excited for the classes though. We are going to learn a lot about NAFTA, Mexican history, and social movements. soon, I think we will be talking to a leader of an indigenous resistance group. so, there's a lot of great things like that in store for me. its interesting, today we had a talk on the effects of NAFTA, neoliberalism, free trade, etc., and I think a lot of those concepts were new to people. I learned a lot of things as well, especially about the history and timeline and everything, but I am ready for going more in depth, possibly with my own projects and talking to the professors, because I am just hungry for this stuff. Like how NAFTA is not just an economic blow to peasants but a cultural one as well because their spiritual connection with the land and corn is being wrenched away by rural displacement and bankrupcy. And guess where all these people go? Thats right, the good old US of A. we screw people so hard and recieve them with racism and violence.

ok off to dinner.

leavin' on a jet plane

I am leaving for Mexico early early tomorrow morning! I thought I would start my blog with enough time to tinker and figure out how it all works... not that it is that hard.

I named my blog Viva Zapata because I will be living in Cuernavaca, which is the capital of Morelos -- the state that Zapata was born, was killed, and is now buried. Plus, on this trip I hope to learn about social and economic justice work in Mexico, which is what Zapata fought for almost 100 years ago in the Mexican Revolution. My dad suggested that if I start now, I may be able to publish a biography of Zapata on the 100th year of his death. So, first step: name the blog after him, right? No, the first step is what I am about to do tomorrow, which is actually go to Mexico. I hope, in addition to exploring Cuernavaca and learning a lot about community organizing in Mexico, that I get to visit where Zapata is buried. That is a goal for this trip, so hold me to it.

ok, wish me luck!