Sponsored by Zopilote Association, Cob Cottage Company, and Proyecto San Isidro Educacion Permanente (18th/19th years)
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By simply crossing a frontier line you can pass directly from the post-industrial affluent world to a relatively intact traditional culture. What a resource! Mexico was a mature, cultured, stable society centuries before Plymouth Rock. Her traditions and techniques persist. Most tourists are carefully isolated from Real Mexico, yet we have infinite amounts to learn from Mexicans. Zopilote's programs have evolved over 15 years of North-South cooperation, to allow Europeans and North Americans direct access to the heart of Mexican daily life. Tlaxco is uniquely suited for it's diversity of culture, architecture and ecological life-zones, from subtropics to snowline. Two thousand years of architecture is visible within a short drive and dozens of traditional crops are grown nearby.
Inspired by the Caballero family's 40 years of pioneering work in rural development, we are based on their 300-acre forest-farm in the mountains East of Mexico City. In the 1950's Carlos and Magdalena Caballero began their pioneering work in landscape restoration, rural education and organic agriculture. They took 300 acres of dreadfully gullied errosion and without chemicals or foreign capital, have transformed 90% of it to productive farmland and forest/wildlife. Now their children and grandchildren are beginning restoration of a further 50 acres (through the newly launched San Isidro project). The environmental grade school they founded is thriving. It offers the only healthy alternative schooling for miles. Your program fees assure funding for this remarkable school, which runs without government or institutional funds, completely by donations and parental involvement. The project's buildings now include demonstrations of strawbale, cob, light-clay, rammed earth, thatching, stone masonry, local brick, adobe, natural floors and plasters, and local waste-wood. You can help build a permanent campus and experiment center.
You will sleep in a comfortable cabin by a stream in a peaceful forested mountain valley. We are 3 miles to town and 1.5 miles to the teaching center, down a safe, quiet country lane. Tlaxco is a small busy market town where you can buy most things. There's a hotel and a small hospital which we have never yet needed. You can see the snowcaps of the giant volcanoes, Popo and Ixta, in the distance. We eat lavishly, Mexican traditional, vegetarian, local, mostly organic. You will meet fruits, vegetables and delicious dishes you have never heard of before. While we can't cater to special diets, there is enough variety at every meal to satisfy most people's dietary needs. The water from our own spring, is crystal clear and delicious. There is no endemic disease so you don't need shots. The site is at 9000' so it's cool, with frost sometimes. Bundle up! While we have a van available, you can walk up and down the valley everyday, getting plenty of exercise. You may be a little short of breath at first if you come from a low altitude.
Much of the work and discussions is in small multicultural teams of Latin Americans, Europeans and North Americans. All formal sessions are translated so you can learn a lot of Spanish by immersion and constant use. In the evenings we often have campfires under the stars. Students can make invaluable contacts and friendships, which in the past have led to North-South partnerships, working associates and lifelong friends. Lead instructores are Alejandra Caballero and Paco Gomez, supported by an international team having a wide range of experience (agronomy, land restoration, silviculture, rural community development, alternative architecture, environmental education, etc.). Three generations of the Caballero family typically participate. Workshops operate under the principle that "everyone is a teacher, everyone a student", and integrate the life experiences and skills of participants.
We encourage families to travel together; it can be inspiring and bonding. After returning home everone can discuss, use and learn from the experience. We now offer a special program for children who don't want to fully participate in the adult program (children could flow between the two programs if they can be there without distracting others).
Benefits: Children learn language quickly as everthing is bilingual. Often they are speaking quite a lot of Spanish after two weeks. The project operates a local alternative environmental grade school in the village. We will share activities with them. The ecology is rich and varied, with many opportunities for making forts from local materials, campfire cooking, discovery hikes, watching wildlife, together with play acting, costume play and local crafts. Children see another culture first-hand, are absorbed into it, learn racial and cultural tolerance and see that a simple life can be exciting and rich.
Cost for children: Half the adult rate ($600).
$1200 includes tuition, 3 delicious vegetarian meals per day, lodging, and field trips. A $300 non-refundable deposit insures a place (limited to 12 non-Mexicans). 10% discount for full payment at least 60 days in advance. 10% discount for families and friends together (couples and families are encouraged); children under 14 pay half price and are encouraged to participate (see above for details). Tuition supports the alternative grade school run by the Caballero family and pays for scholarships for needy Latin Americans. Partial work-trades available to skilled interpreters. Checks payable to Alejandra Caballero.
Ianto Evans
Cob Cottage Company
P.O. Box 123
Cottage Grove, Oregon 97424
USA
Telephone (541) 942-2005, FAX (541) 942-3021
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Last Modified: December 29, 2004
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