The sounds of chirping birds woke me up at 6:15 this morning. They seemed to be communicating with each other as if discussing the day’s activities. I lay listening to them, as 6:45 am rolled around the chirping slowed into a song, what a relaxing way to get up.
I had a restless first night. I did not sleep so well, I thought about my children at home and missed them.
My mobile phone alarm rang 7:00 am, time for me to get up. We are on our own for breakfast, we just had to be in the lobby by 10:00 am to meet Anna Maria, we were going to tour the El Instituto Tecnologica de Oaxaca. Gale and I ate tamales from a food cart before we left for the ITO. I had chili verde, they had chicken and green chilies, not like our tamales, but a little bit spongier. Gale had tamale de mole, which looked like ours back home. Both were very good. Plus I only spent 5 peso or .50 cents for breakfast.
Gale Marsch holding her mole taco and hot chocolate
The Institute currently has 4,500 students enrolled and its goal it to have 5,000 students enrolled by next semester. The enrollment process is different than the United States. Potential students need to apply and pass an exam to be considered for enrollment, not everyone who applies can get in since there is a limited capacity-5,000 that can be taught.
Students can earn accredited degrees in Accounting, Math, Physics, Chemistry, Economics, and Administration. After being greeted and briefed on the Institutes history and goals we were escorted to listen to a presentation by Dr. Pedro Moldonado Cruz, a former graduate and teacher of the Institute. He gave, with great details, research about the poverty in Oaxaca.
Anna Maria, Dr. Cruz, Dr. Denise Richter
It’s sad to know that 85 percent of the states population lives at or below the poverty line, of 80 pesos a day per four family members that is saying a family of four lives off of an average of $8.00 per day. There are so many different factors to look at as to why families are living like this. The detail and research that the Dr. Cruz put into his presentations was impressive. He also spoke about “futurology” of how to try and have the economic growth needed to change the statistics. There needs to be (to name only a few) Better Lines of communications Better conditions for business in Mexico Improvement of the quality of education
I learned a lot about the states poverty level today. Here are some more pictures going to and around the ITO
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