Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Adios, Border Beat
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Volunteering in Mexico
As the semester comes to an end, most students are frantically trying to decide what to do for the summer. For some, they may want to study abroad, other may want to lay pool-side and sip icy drinks, but there are students out there interested in volunteering this summer. Did you ever think about combining philanthropy with a vacation? Well, if that sounds appealing, volunteering in Mexico may be perfect for you.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
My day at St. Andrew's Children's Clinic
On Thursday, Professor Rochlin took 8 students down to Nogales, AZ to visit the St. Andrew's Children's Clinic. It was quite the experience.
Throughout the day I laughed. I cried. I learned. Most of all, I came out of the experience with a new appreciation for all that I have, and an immense amount of respect for those who are physically and mentally handicapped. Those beautiful little faces all had smiles like you could not believe – despite their unfortunate situations. They are lucky to have a place like St. Andrew’s where the children and their families can go to receive free medical care.
Slightly after 9:00 a.m. the children and their families started to crowd the waiting room and volunteers and doctors were scattered among the different areas of the church. I decided to start in the Physical Therapy section. I started there and ended there. I never left!
Watching the children with different debilitating illnesses was both heart wrenching and inspiring. I don’t want to tell too much about the children, the volunteers and their stories because you will have to read my articles on Borderbeat.net when they are published next week, but I will share some photos of the adorable faces I had the opportunity to spend the day with.
I also was captivated by the parents of the patients and their ability to stay collected as their children sat up on their own for the first time, got a brand new walker, and got a new set of leg braces. These families must have been through a lot, and it was refreshing to see smiles on the faces of the parent’s who sat nearby as their children were treated,
The most interesting part of my day was when I met a father and his 27-year-old son who are volunteers at the clinic. The wheelchair-bound son, Justin, completed the Tour de Tucson bike race in 2005 (and every year since) and his inspirational achievement landed him on the front page of the Arizona Daily Star. The volunteers and administrators at St. Andrew’s saw the story and contacted Justin to see if he would be interested in volunteering. He and his father started immediately after. They practice Reiki, a Japanese technique for stress reduction. This alternative approach to medicine is especially useful in the Physical Therapy unit because children cannot be properly examined or exercised if they are tense. Justin and his father help to relax the children. I won’t give too much more away about them either – you’ll have to read my story!
Anyway, the day ended with some excitement on the way home when our borrowed vehicle got a flat tire. A whole ‘nother story and I’ll save that for another day. Here is a picture to ease the anticipation.
Like I said, the St. Andrew’s Children’s Clinic was stimulating place that evoked many different emotions. I think that the doctors and volunteer, and the patients and their families alike have all contributed to society by doing what they do. I would love to be able to go back as a volunteer. I feel honored to be able to retell their stories as a journalist and this is one of those instances where I feel that journalism can really make a difference. I hope you will read the stories my classmates are currently working on. They should be up in the next couple of weeks.
Monday, March 29, 2010
A blog post about blogs
Monday, March 22, 2010
ENTER WITH CAUTION - What Schools are Telling Students
Some recent news has suggested that study-abroad trips to Mexico may be too dangerous to permit. Colleges and Universities are canceling programs which allow students to pursue Mexico for their study-abroad experience. The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire said that the perpetual violence in Mexico, especially along the U.S.-Mexico border has helped them make their decision to cancel two programs for the spring and summer. They also cancelled a school-organized spring break trip and are strongly advising students to refrain from traveling there independently, according to their local news channel Web site.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Knowing the rules before you break them
Two weeks ago a few of the journalism professors here at the UA held a small workshop for students to review and introduce safety tips for traveling across the border. This got me thinking about students who study abroad and how often they are unaware of the local laws of the area they are visiting. When I went to Barcelona I was advised by the program personnel to educate myself and be knowledgeable of the Spanish laws and regulations. Also, I think it is important for students to research and become familiar with local cultural customs, trends or social "rules" prior to going abroad. Knowing local laws is important for obvious reasons, but knowing about the cultural customs can be just as crucial because if you are unaware, you are more likely to unintentionally disrespect the natives, or possibly put yourself in an uncomfortable or dangerous situation. For instance, before I studied in Barcelona I read about different traditions of the city, and I discovered that hundreds of thousands of men walk along the beaches with a cooler as they shout out "agua, cerveza, Fanta," (water, beer, Fanta (soda)) but as they approach people, they will whisper "coca? hashish?" These men are actually selling drugs, and, I eventually learned, they never seem to get in trouble for it. However, those who choose to buy drugs from these men in public who get caught do get in trouble. Now, lets say you didn't know that the men that shout "agua..." were selling drugs, and you're laying thirsty on the beach so you wave one over, and they ask "coca?" and you think they mean Coca Cola, since they are holding a cooler with beverages in it... you can be getting yourself into a sticky situation. Now, that is just one example, but I think you get the point of why it is important you know about the local laws, customs and trends of the city or country you will be living in while you study abroad. So, here are some resources for those who are coming to Arizona to study (or visit), and some for those who are visiting or studying in Mexico.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Tec de Monterrey Study Abroad/Exchange Program
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Fulbright Workshop at the UA
Susan Meyers earned a Ph.D. in rhetoric, composition, and the teaching of English at the UA in May. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English at Seattle University in 1999, and a M.F.A. at the University of Minnesota in 2004.
Meyers lived mostly in a rural community in Michoacan, a Mexican state that traditionally sends many migrants to the U.S. The children of those immigrants end up in American classrooms, and Meyers wanted to learn better ways to teach them.
“My project was an ethnographic study to look at the backgrounds of students from Mexico, their culture and education, to learn about reading and writing in Mexico.” She learned that working families are often “resistant to academics, but they’re savvy” about the skills they want their children to learn. “They want nuts-and-bolts reading and writing ‘so you don’t get tricked later in life.’”
Thanks to a U.S. friend with connections in the village, Meyers was able to do her interviews and observations with ease. She completed her doctorate within a year of her return, and in the fall will begin teaching at Oregon State in Corvallis as a tenure-track professor.
“Abroad you learn so much. I really want to influence classroom practice. Having the Fulbright was a huge help. These programs are life-changing.”"
(Click here to read the entire article.)
I plan to get in touch with Susan Meyers to do an in-depth interview about her experiences in Mexico.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Links, and more...
Here are some links for you to check out if you are interested in studying below the border!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Introduction
Welcome to Studying Below the Border! This blog will chronicle the experiences of students who studied abroad in Mexico. I plan to interview students, study abroad trip chaperones, advisors in the study abroad office, and others who may have experience with studying in Mexico.