Below are excerpts from the journals of participants in the Puentes/Bridges annual cultural immersion trip to rural Mexico.
2007 Puentes Bridges to Mexico Introduction: From Friday, November 30th, through Sunday, December 9th 2007 I had the opportunity to participate in the 2007 Puentes Bridges trip to Mexico. It was a remarkable, eye-opening and wonderful experience. The purpose of the trip was as a Mexican culture and Spanish language immersion experience. The trip was certainly that and much more. Through the trip I learned much more about how Mexicans are working in agriculture in Wisconsin (primarily on dairy farms) and at least some of the implications of that employment. Puentes Bridges coordinated the trip with the Cemanahauc Educational Community organization located in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. Cemanahauc focuses its work on Spanish language training and Mexican culture immersion experiences. We traveled by plane from Wisconsin to Mexico City and by bus while in Mexico. The bus was owned and operated by Cemanahauc. Highlights of the trip included:
Observations: The trip was generally very well organized, thought through and was an extremely valuable Spanish language and cultural immersion experience. Though I have traveled to Mexico before, (three times) those times were primarily for vacation and touring ancient Myan ruin sites. I have visited and to some degree experienced the culture of three other Mexican cities – Guatalajara, Oaxaca, and Merida. The Puentes Bridges trip provided a much more intensive cultural immersion experience. The Spanish language training and interacting with families and residents in Buenavista was excellent. Buenavista is a middle class village in one of the poorer States of Mexico (Guerrero). This provided a glimpse of what it is like for Mexicans to live and work in Wisconsin (knowing little or no English when they come). It also shed light on some of the challenges rural Mexican villagers have to earn a living. I was able to gain a better understanding of Spanish as a language and perhaps to some degree increased my ability to speak and write Spanish. The two presentations by the State of Merelos Livestock Director and Paco Guerrero were extremely insightful. Paco Guerrero’s discussion of the role and responsibilities of the Patron in Mexican society was very informative and everyone agreed has significant implications for dairy farm employers of Mexican employees. There appears to be an educational opportunity for Extension around this subject. Probably the most valuable part of the trip was the visit to the small, rural, poor communities of Xuchiles, Tlaquilpa and Astacinga in the State of Veracruz. Seeing and visiting the families of Wisconsin dairy farm employees was a tremendous experience. There were many aspects of these visits. Because the villages are so poor with few and only low paying employment opportunities mostly men are traveling to the United States to seek employment in low skill jobs. This includes on modern and mostly larger Wisconsin dairy farms. While employed these men send back thousands of dollars to their Mexican families. These remittances and the fact that the men are away from their communities and families have huge economic and social implications. The visits to Tlaquilpa and Astacinga revealed that these remittances are to a significant degree having huge community and economic impacts as new houses are being built. It was also informative to see how the Wisconsin dairy farm employers reacted to meeting the families of their employees. These employers have developed close relationships with their employees and seeing their employee’s families (spouses, children and extended family members) was very emotional. Another valuable aspect of the trip was the interaction between group members. It was extremely beneficial for me to be able to interact with the dairy farm business owner/managers. I took the time to interview the six participants from all four of the dairy farm families asking general questions about their experiences with Mexican employees and the challenges they and their employees face. It was good to have Dan Hill along to discuss the implications and opportunities for UW-Extension educational programming in issues around Mexicans living and working in Wisconsin communities. The community partners were very engaged with their County Agent counterparts (and the other group members) and brought valuable perspectives of how their work is being impacted by the rapidly changing demographics of the population in their counties. How I have gained from and will use this experience: This was an extremely valuable experience, considerably increasing my understanding of the Mexican culture. I really appreciated the chance to visit and experience big city, large city, village and very small, rural community environments and getting to interact with so many Mexicans – language instructors, family stays, school activity leaders, families of employees from Wisconsin dairy farms, presenters, etc. Summary: This was an extremely valuable Spanish language and Mexican cultural immersion experience. Given the influx of Mexicans living and working in so many Wisconsin communities, and the importance of Mexicans working on Wisconsin dairy farms I encourage UW-Extension to continue to support this experience. The Puentes Bridges trip is an excellent way to build Extension’s capacity for working in multi-cultural areas. ~ Trip Report by Dave Williams
2006 trip“On Saturday morning we departed for Tlaquilpa, an indigenous community where many residents speak Nahuatl, rather than Spanis. The town is where the dairy workers of one of our group’s members are from. He brought gifts to the family members and in turn received some materials to bring back to his workers. Indeed, we met a number of women whose husbands, brothers, sons, etc., were (are) working in Wisconsin dairies. We also met a gentleman that had spent years in Wisconsin, but was not one of the few that had returned. We met children that had not seen their fathers for two or three years. A group of men that were constructing a religious display at the church square were appreciative that we had taken the time to come and visit the town. The economy relies on the surrounding forest, though it appeared that most wild life is now non-existent. Lumber and charcoal are the principal products that generate income, with small plots of maize and other grains providing food staples. It is abundantly clear that without dollar remittances the town’s economy would be far less. “It was quite apparent that all members of the group had an interest in the Latino immigrant situation in Wisconsin. (I) began our (group) discussion by giving an overview of Latinos in Wisconsin. The Pew Hispanic Center estimates that there are between 75,000 and 100,000 undocumented people in Wisconsin alone. Across the U.S., production agriculture is the sector most reliant on undocumented workers: 25 percent of the entire workforce is estimated to be undocumented. “The Puentes/Bridges Program is providing Wisconsin valuable programming, not the least of which is the trips that is sponsors to Mexico. Wisconsin’s agriculture sector, particularly its dairy industry, is becoming more reliant on Latino immigrant workers and the expansion of the industry will require even more labor. Rural communities in Wisconsin are in need of educational resources to begin addressing the multi-facets of having more and more Latino immigrants in these communities.” - Enrique E. Figueroa, Ph.D.; member, Board of Directors, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection.
2006 trip“November 25: We just left Rancho Viejo. What a wonderful experience. Many families were there to see Roger and hear about their families. They served us a feast; I even tried chivo (goat). It was very good with mole (spiced chocolate). They cook the goat underground in a rock pit. At the end, I asked Elizar to be in a picture with me. He, Shaun, and I chatted as we headed back and he mentioned other buildings in the village like the church and clinic. I tried to tell him I wished I could see the clinic. He said, “Si, clinic,” and I told him I am a nurse. (Shaun interpreted.) He clutched his heart and said something like, “Be still my heart, and then said, “duchar flores” (‘throw a flower’ meaning ‘give sweet blessings’). I was blushing! “November 26: Thoughts from yesterday: They are located in a very rural area. They don’t go to town very often, maybe once per week, and there is no store. There are schools and buildings where internet can be accessed – for learning? – but the buildings were quite new. In certain villages the kids walk half a mile to school on a one-lane, dirt, winding road. Rancho Viejo had nice things – basketball courts, bathrooms, which is most likely related to money from the United States and workers there. Roger says he pays $8.50 per hour and could not get the same help from white people. He has five (Latino) employees and most are related. Like any leader he tries to figure out what his workers enjoy (their strengths) and build on that. “Wow! I don’t know where to start on this one. We got to Buena Vista at about 6:30 p.m. We parked the bus, got our bags, and walked around the corner and there was the small building with the school’s logo. So we go in and put our bags down. There are several women lined up and sitting on two benches facing each other and I knew these were our housemothers. We got assigned to Martha and then she started heading from the door and said “Vamonos,” for “Let’s go.” I think I said out loud, “I go with her?” Yep! I guess I thought we’d get a little more time for that adjustment, like an explanation. I was expecting to meet them then stay with our group; maybe eat supper then go to our homes. Nope! So we get into the car with our Martha and she drives us around a couple corners, then parks. We entered the home and she showed us the bedrooms. She explained that my suitcase goes on one bed, and I sleep on the other. My carry-on goes on the chair, not the floor. She told us to get settled, then go around the corner, outside, to a little fiesta. Apparently they do this every Sunday. We were offered tortillas with sauce and onions. Also got some cooked pumpkin seeds. We got a choice between agua (which turned out to be a berry colored juice) and leche (milk). I opted for the leche which was not exactly what I expected – It was rice milk: thick, warm, sweet. It was okay, but so sweet it took me a long time to drink it . . . . not knowing my surroundings made me nervous to meet my family . . . the language barrier . . . culture shock! I’m better now – a very interesting day and I’m very glad I got to experience how it feels to be very nervous, receive no introduction and no orientation. “November 27: There have been so many times on this trip where I have just felt so happy. For example, today during my guitar lesson, drinking my Pina Colada, eating the chicken steak, having warm café for breakfast when it was cold. Mexican time is very different – not so rushed. “November 28: I’m completely submerged and it’s good. I’m enjoying my classes. After lunch I milked a cow by hand at a local farm, then had guitar lessons for two hours . . . I came back to my house and had my favorite (tortilla with ham and cheese) . . . I did my homework, talked to Jake, and now I’m ready for bed.” - Jen Rombalski, Public Health Officer, Buffalo County, Wisconsin
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