Mexico: Migration, Borders, and Transnational Communities Spring 2020
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Mexico: Migration, Borders, and Transnational Communities Spring 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS COUNTRY OVERVIEW .......................................... 3 GENERAL INFORMATION ..................................... 3 CLIMATE AND GEOGRAPHY ................................ 4 DIET ............................................................................ 4 SAFETY, SECURITY, AND HEALTH .................... 4 HOMESTAYS ............................................................ 5 OTHER ACCOMMODATIONS ............................... 6 TRANSPORTATION ................................................. 6 COMMUNICATION ................................................... 6 PHONES AND E-MAIL ............................................. 6 MAILINGS .................................................................. 6 MONEY ....................................................................... 7 VISITORS AND FREE TIME ................................... 8 PACKING GUIDELINES ......................................... 9 LUGGAGE .................................................................. 9 CLOTHING GUIDELINES ........................................ 9 EQUIPMENT .............................................................. 9 COMPUTERS AND OTHER ELECTRONICS ...... 9 GIFTS ........................................................................ 10 WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT OBTAIN IN COUNTRY ................................................................ 10 ALUMNI CONTACTS ............................................. 10 PACKING LIST ..................................................... 11 SIT Study Abroad - 2 Country Overview and Packing Guidelines 9/24/2019 COUNTRY OVERVIEW GENERAL INFORMATION After a 12-year hiatus, the PRI party, in alliance with the National Action Party (PAN) returned with the Los Estados Unidos Mexicanos (The United election of President Enrique Peña Nieto, drawing Mexican States), more commonly known as Mexico, protests for alleged voting irregularities, media bias, gained independence in 1821 and is a constitutional and campaign fund controversies. republic of 31 federated states and the capital, Mexico City (known in Mexico as the Distrito During the most recent presidential election in the Federal, or “DF”). Mexico is the fifth-largest country country (2018), the vast majority of Mexicans voted in the Americas by total land area and has a for Andrès Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) and his population of almost 128 million, making it the 11th political party MORENA which stand for “Movimiento most populous country and the most populous de Regeneración Nacional.” Andres Manuel Lòpez Spanish-speaking country in the world. The DF is Obrador´s main goal as the new president of Mexico one of the largest cities (by population count) on is to fight systemic corruption and to implement a Earth. socioeconomic reform that can improve the standards of life of millions of Mexicans. As the only Latin American member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and The state of Oaxaca, with a capital city of the same Development (OECD) since 1994, Mexico is name, has a population of about 3.5 million; roughly generally a middle-income country that is relatively 300,000 live in the city of Oaxaca with 650,000 in more “developed” than many other countries in the the greater metropolitan area. Oaxaca is located in region. The country was ruled for most of the 20th the southern part of the country, bordering the century by the Partido Revolucionario Institucional states of Guerrero, Puebla, Veracruz and Chiapas (PRI), which held almost hegemonic power in as well as the Pacific Ocean. Oaxaca, the historic Mexican politics from 1929 until the end of the home of the Zapotec and Mixtec peoples, contains century. Beginning in 1977, consecutive electoral more speakers of indigenous languages than any reforms allowed opposition parties to win more other Mexican state. Approximately 87% of posts at the local and federal levels, culminating in Oaxacans are indigenous. the 2000 presidential elections in which Vicente Fox, Oaxaca was the sight of a popular movement called a candidate of the Partido de Accion Nacional the Asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca (PAN), or National Action Party, became the first (APPO) that has become a model of creative non-PRI president in 71 years. popular protest for grassroots movements In 2006, Felipe Calderon of the PAN faced Andres throughout the country. The APPO, a broad-based Manuel Lopez Obrador of the Partido de la grassroots organization, initially emerged in Revolucion Democratica (PRD) in an extremely solidarity with the objectives of the Oaxaca teachers’ close (0.58% difference) presidential election that union, which staged a massive strike in May 2006, was widely criticized as fraudulent. On September 6, and later in forming a joint front to advocate for the 2006 Felipe Calderon was declared President-elect resignation of the corrupt state governor, Ulises by the electoral tribunal. His cabinet was sworn in at Ruiz Ortiz. The APPO continues struggling to midnight on December 1, 2006 and Calderon was create positive social, political and economic change officially sworn in as President on the morning of the in Oaxaca City and state, along with myriad other same day in a very quick ceremony in Congress, grassroots community and non-governmental amidst screaming, yelling and insults from organizations. opposition lawmakers. Calderon finished his term in The current Governor of Oaxaca is Alejandro Ismael 2012. Murat Hinojosa, affiliated with the PRI party, which has dominated Oaxacan politics for most of the last SIT Study Abroad - 3 Country Overview and Packing Guidelines 9/24/2019 century. His father, José Murat Casab was also Cooked food is safe to eat in homes and governor of Oaxaca from 1998 to 2004. restaurants; raw vegetables and food items sold on the street usually are not. Tap water is not potable CLIMATE AND GEOGRAPHY and should not be used anywhere in Mexico. Host Mexico’s climate varies greatly according to altitude, families and other program facilities and accommodations will provide boiled or filtered water ranging from humid, tropical and rainy in the south at all times. and on the coast to semi-arid in the north. The rainy season runs from early summer through October, Mexico is a vegetarian-friendly place. Meals are with September being generally the rainiest month. generally not focused on meat, though it is certainly “Rainy season” does not mean guaranteed rain, available. Students who are vegan or gluten-free though; more often it means sunny mornings and a may encounter challenges but the Oaxacan diet is rainstorm in the afternoon. Mexico City also has a varied and with effort and communication students temperate climate, with high temperatures in the 70s should be able to follow their diets during the or low 80s most of the year. San Cristóbal de las program. There is not a strong Jewish presence in Casas in Chiapas is higher and much cooler than Oaxaca; thus keeping kosher would be very difficult. Oaxaca, which has a pleasant spring-like climate. The coast of Oaxaca state is hot and humid. You Note: if you have special dietary needs, including should be prepared for all of these climate and allergies, please inform our office prior to the start of temperature variations. your program. We will advise you on realistic expectations about avoiding or incorporating certain DIET foods within the program context. Participating in the local food culture is a central aspect of daily life in Mexico. Special or restricted SAFETY, SECURITY, AND diets may not always be fully understood by your host family, although they may have previously HEALTH hosted a student with similar dietary restrictions. By Maintaining good health is critical to having a trying to replicate your diet at home you may miss successful semester. To help you do that, we have out on an important part of your host culture. provided Health Guidelines and Requirements for your program. Mexican cuisine is known for its intense and varied flavors, colorful decoration, and variety of spices. It is very important that you read the Health Oaxaca itself boasts a tremendous diversity of Guidelines and Requirements document as early as regional cuisine. An abundance of fruits and possible and examine it with your medical provider. vegetables are grown in the central valley, tropical The guidelines include recommended fruits are found throughout the north, and fish and immunizations; a suggested calendar for seafood dominate the cuisine of southern Oaxaca. immunizations and other prophylaxes; and valuable information on how to avoid exposure to common The state is known for its chocolate, cheese carriers of disease. (quesillo) and a breakfast specialty called huevos oaxaqueños – eggs poached in chili-tomato soup. Professional, competent health care is available in Another specialty is chapulines, that is, barbecued Oaxaca and our excursion sites. SIT Mexico is well- grasshoppers. Corn is the staple food and the connected with various local health care providers. preparation of corn dough varies widely, from tortillas and empanadas (turnovers) to tamales and Students will be in a malaria risk area for up to 11 entomadas (tortilla ribbons bathed in salsa and days during the Southern border excursion. cheese). Black beans are another common Prevention of malaria is possible with the help of a ingredient, as is the Oaxacan chili pepper, which prophylactic drug and protective measures to gives many dishes a distinctive hot, smoky