Spring Break
Immersion Experience - Mexico, Grasshoppers and Mescal
Climbing high in the hills of Oaxaca
Dean Frankle (NF), Contributing Writer
Issue date: 1/26/09 Section: Features
|
The trip was designed to offer a series of contrasts allowing students to experience life in Mexico from all angles. Highlights of the trip included a weekend at a Zapotek village, an HBS alumni event in Mexico City and a trip to a Sealed Air plant, made famous by the RC Marketing case.
As I arrived at the group hotel in Oaxaca, Mexico, sleeping bag in hand, I was sure there had been a mistake. A former monastery and prison (although not at the same time) the hotel looked rather too nice. On passing a few familiar faces leaving for some late night Salsa dancing I quickly became convinced that I was indeed not lost, although I must admit to being ignorant as to where precisely Oaxaca was and why exactly the trip started here of all places. After a cocktail reception under the stars and an early start the next morning, it soon all started to become clear.
We were separated into 4 groups and sent to Zapotek villages for the weekend. The concept of moving from a 5* hotel to somebody's floor (or in one case somebody's roof) was perhaps alien to some, but it brought to life the apparent contrast of life within an emerging market.
Oaxaca is one of the poorest states of Mexico and was chosen as the starting point for the trip so that students could experience, albeit briefly, life at the base of the pyramid. Situated in the south and divided into 571 municipalities, 70% of residents do not have access to healthcare, 35% have no running water and 27% of school girls are illiterate. Oaxaca has a high proportion of indigenous people whom we were asked to observe and question during our weekend home stays. Along with 10 others, I visited Santa Ana del Valle, a small Zapotec town with around 2000 inhabitants. I was greeted by Juan and his 4 sisters, my home stay hosts, and given a wonderful lunch. I, learned that Juan had returned from Santa Monica, where his family lives and owns a bakery. In true HBS style I raised my hand over the dinner table to ask "why he had returned? "Out of civic duty to my community," he replied. What may seem rather odd to some was perfectly normal in Santa Ana. Local 18-20 year olds acted as security in the evening and all members of the community had roles which they currently upheld, or promised to fulfill sometime in the future.
Be the first to comment on this story