The City of Oaxaca & Oaxacan Street Children Grassroots

From the window of my room I can see the northern mountains. The grassy light green edges turn into luscious dark green trees before hitting the whiteness of the clouds hovering on top of the mountain. A towel hangs from the balcony of a blue house across from our house. APPO graffiti covers the wall of the street. The Good Year car repair shop blocks my view of Centro de Salud Xochimilco. To me, Oaxaca represents diversity. A variety of topography, architecture, politics, and people all converge in Oaxaca, Mexico. A city retaining its old colonial charms (the breath-taking Santo Domingo, the bustling Zocalo, and the colorful buildings) while being influence by globalization (in the form of Coca Cola, Kodak, Good Year Tire, and Burger King).

Having lived in Iran, I can understand many subtleties of the culture here. For instance, I understand why Sonia’s hostfamily’s relatives yearn McDonald’s chicken nuggets (Personally, before living in America, I craved Meal #2 which consists of two small cheeseburgers). The conspiracy theories about the bombs found two weeks ago and the election propaganda all ring bells of late night conversations my dad and his friends had about Iranian politics. At the same time, Oaxaca is very different from anything I have experienced in the US or in Iran. The fireworks which go on at six in the morning and twelve at night, having to leave the bus because the street had been barricaded by a political organization, and the spontaneity of musical and art performances on the streets are only a few examples of what has been unique to Oaxaca for me.

So, while some aspects of the city remind me of Iran and the US, Oaxaca remains mysterious and unique in many ways. I simultaneously feel at home and like a stranger here. I have enjoyed walking around the city, talking to strangers, stopping by musical performances and art shows. I will certainly miss Oaxaca and its memorable quirks.

I am very excited about the connection we are making with Oaxacan Street Children Grassroots. The three areas we can get involved in are consultations, health education/public awareness, and medical supply donation. In past lectures we talked about the correlation between education level and health. This organization helps children from poor and marginalized families attend schools! Therefore, their goals are practical, influential, and relevant to what we have discussed. Also, I think this would be a great opportunity to add a service component to future trips in Oaxaca. I know I have learned tons here, so it feels great to be able to give back to this community. To find out more about the organization, you could talk to Ann, Felicia, Jamie, or me. You could also visit the center if you have time (it is on Crespo, south of M. Bravo). Or you could visit their website (www.oaxacastreetchildren.org), which is unfortunately down currently.