As my study abroad program in Oaxaca, Mexico, with the School for International Training comes to an end, I reflect on my initial goals of immersing myself in the culture and gaining a deeper understanding of the impacts of migration. I also wanted to cultivate empathy and understanding for marginalized communities in Mexico, including Indigenous and migrant communities, while refining my academic journey on migration policy. Now that I have been living, studying, and experiencing daily life in Oaxaca, I realize that my initial impressions were not only met, but I also gained a deeper understanding of migration and global issues.

            Now that I can look back and reflect on how I felt and what I knew before arriving in Tucson and stepping foot in Oaxaca, I can say with certainty that my initial impressions have been met. However, my initial impressions were two separate things: academic learning and cultural immersion. I had not realized that immersing in the culture would lead to gaining a better understanding of migration. Throughout the program, I have been able to engage in conversations with people directly and indirectly affected by migration, both in Oaxaca and other regions of Mexico. I have learned about the personal toll migration has on individuals and their families by listening to the lived experiences of people who have left their homes in search of better, safer, and more welcoming opportunities. One of these interactions was when we, as a program, went to Tapachula, Chiapas, a city in southern Mexico a couple miles away from the border between Mexico and Guatemala. In Tapachula, we visited a migrant shelter where we provided service by helping with the operational duties and had the time to eat and converse with the people living there. Without those interactions, I would not have been able to see past the violence, poverty, and systemic injustices people fleeing must face. The first-hand experiences and ability to engage with others have broadened my perspective and assumptions and moved me away from the theoretical frameworks of migration into human experiences and realities. Additionally, the travel to Puebla, Mexico, where we interacted with Los Pueblos Unidos de la Región Cholulteca y de los Volcanes, has provided a deeper cultural context to the migration patterns in Mexico. In Puebla, Los Pueblos Unidos has been fighting injustices by transnational corporations and the government to safeguard their livelihood and prevent the migration of locals. The stark contrast between what is seen in southern Mexico and central Mexico is related to the context in which migration occurs and the government’s response. In one city, the migration of foreigners is an aspect that must be prevented; meanwhile, in another city, preventing the migration of the locals is the primary goal. Without the opportunity to immerse with the people in either region, I would not have been able to rationalize how migration is not a singular phenomenon but one that manifests in various ways depending on the local context and policies.

            Another key goal I had set was to use these experiences to cultivate empathy and understanding for marginalized communities. I wanted to use what I learned and witnessed here to make changes and, in some way, help these communities. Reflecting on these initial goals, I now see that this idea to draw empathy from the lived experiences of groups we see as marginalized comes from a colonial mindset and an idea that we must do something to help these vulnerable groups. The mere act of going into a community and trying to identify problems, and as an outsider, trying to find solutions reflects many colonial aspects. This reality hit me when we visited Puebla and spoke with Los Pueblos Unidos. In one of our conversations with a man from the community, he mentioned how people always ask, “What can we do for your community?” Meanwhile, they do not want or need any help. Instead, they would prefer people to ask themselves, “What can I do for my community?”. The man responded to this by saying, “We are not Superman; we can’t solve all the problems of the world, but we can start by solving the problems of our communities.” For him, the resistance and community organizing that was being done was not meant to garner empathy from others but rather give inspiration to others. He mentioned how other communities came to them, and instead of asking, “How can we help?” they asked, “How can we do what you’re doing in our communities?”. This conversation was short but impactful to my understanding of global issues. Not only should we move away from trying to gain empathy towards others and trying to provide some help as an outsider, but instead, we should use those experiences and what we learn from others to inspire us and motivate us to make changes in our communities.

            As a result of this interaction, instead of asking myself what I can do for the communities in Mexico, I now ask myself what I can do for my community. Returning to campus, I plan to incorporate many experiences I have learned about in Oaxaca. The main one is to slow down and prioritize human connections in all aspects of my life. What I enjoyed about Oaxaca and the communities we interacted with was the importance and meaning of community. Additionally, I want to continue engaging with global issues in ways that prioritize human dignity and cultural awareness in my academic and personal life through further research, engagement, and advocacy in my community.