Journal #3

I remember visiting the San Antonio Missions on grade school field trips. What I don’t remember is what I learned so it is good that as an adult I visit these important historical sites again. As a freelance photographer I often look for scenic locations as backgrounds for my customers’ portraits. I frequently suggest the San Antonio Missions in particular Mission San Jose because it is the most complete in structure. Despite the many times I have done photographic work at the Missions, unfortunately, I never took the time to refresh my memory of what I learned as a young student. Thanks to Karen and Denise, I have rediscovered San Antonio’s history of rich culture evolution.
After several relocations of the original Spanish Mission in east Texas, the first mission in Texas was created along the San Antonio River on March 5, 1731—Mission San Francisco de la Espada. By visiting Mission Espada, we observed that the confluence of two civilizations, more than 200 years ago, is reflected in its present state. Even though the Spanish lost its claim on the New World, its presence remains dominant in the missions’ architecture. For example, Karen and Denise pointed out the distinctive church doorway, classic mission façade and brick archways, which are also seen in many churches all over Spain. Just like many years ago, the small church still serves the San Antonio community.
The church at the Mission Concepcion also has apparent Indian and Spanish influences. This mission also has a well topped with an iron cross that is located near the church. Even though the church at Mission Concepcion is larger than the one at Mission Espada, similarities are noticeable, such as the materials used to construct the still standing structures. What I enjoyed about Mission Concepcion were the paintings in side of the mission’s buildings located on the buildings’ walls, above arched doorways and even the ceilings. Even though these historic paintings are slowly fading over time, we can observe the mixture of Spanish and Native American elements.
We learned on our trip to the missions that the Spanish Franciscan missionaries taught Coahuiltecans of their culture including religious beliefs. Coahuiltecans already new how to hunt and gather but were then trained to farm, ranch, loom, weave, and spin among other things. In combining their own and new skills, the Coahuiltecans helped the Spanish Franciscan missionaries provide the community with a stable food supply. Despite the language and faith barriers, it’s amazing to witness how these two civilizations managed to merge and become one unique culture that makes up San Antonio’s legacy.
My understandment and knowledge of the missions in San Antonio and New Spain history has grown thanks to our field trip arranged last minute by Karen and Denise to two of the five missions. This, I know, will not be the last of my visits to the missions.

In the city

On Monday, June 12 we arrived to our hotel, Posada Casa de la Tia, a light blue building located on calle Cinco de Mayo #108, near downtown Oaxaca. We dragged our luggage through a light blue-painted arched doorway; over an iron rod at the bottom of the black iron entry gate, into the open-aired courtyard surrounded by greenery and fuchsia bugambilias where we settled around the reception desk. After struggling to unlock our door we finally walked into our 3-person room and then carried our luggage up the stairs one by one. After I called “shotgun” on the twin size bed by the balcony and we settled in, we met the group downstairs at the lobby/courtyard.

We met our Oaxaca tour guide, Ana Maria de la Luz Rodriguez Jimenez, at the hotel lobby about 1 p.m. We then walked as a group about a block and a half east of our hotel to eat lunch at Hotel Del Virrey. The waiters quickly rearranged a few square wooden tables for us to sit as a group. At the head of the table closest to the bar was Ana Maria, to her right was Denise, then Karen, Mel, me, Mila, Jewelette, Alex, Gail, Brendan, Melissa, Mary, Giselle, Blair, and Aedan. The young waiters placed 3 pitchers of agua de guanabana in the middle of the tables which formed a rectangular 15-person table. For only $40 pesos I had a 4 course meal (including dessert). I chose the sopa de guillas over the crema de garbanzo to start off. I was very satisfied with my choice of soup. It contained spinach, pumpkin (the insides), and green beans. Then I added shredded green and red raw cabbage which gave my soup a crunchy texture. Finally I topped it off with a squeeze of fresh lime which perfected the taste as it gave it zest. I chose arroz for my second course. Someone pointed out that they were not use to having their rice before their meal. I concurred with them because I too am use to eating rice with my meal. The rice was white and yellow corn kernels. I decided to not eat all of the arroz even though I was enjoying it because I knew my stomach still had to make room for the main course and soon after, dessert. I selected rajas de queso which was delicious. The spicy black beans filled the left half of my white round plate. The other half of my plate was filled with Oaxacan white cheese topped with pieces of chile poblano, zuchinni squash and sprinkled with yellow corn kernals. After a few bites of my spicy meal, I asked the waiter for some tortillas. I rolled up a warm and soft tortilla de maiz and dipped it in the cheese and veggie juice. Boy was it yummy! I love cheese for those that did not know already. If I had not eaten the entire soup and almost all of the rice, I would have definitely finished all of my veggies and beans (I did eat all the cheese at the bottom of course). Because I eat so slowly, everyone was already getting their dessert placed in front of them as I was enjoying the last few bites of my cheesy main course. I chose the orange jello and savored every spoonful, especially the last 3 since they contained pieces of a fresh orange slice. After all this I knew it was time to walk around, explore, and at the same time burn the 2,000 calories and had devoured in just an hour.

As Ana Maria showed us the way to the town plaza or as they refer to it here el Zocalo I took a few photos with my SLR 35 mm Minolta camera. As soon as we arrived to the "unofficial" mercado, the girls and I wanted to start buying just about everything we saw. Ana Maria and Stan had informed us that a few years ago the street vendors were banned from the Zocalo. We were then told that they were there at the time taking advantage of the teacher protest situation. “Look at this” and “Check this out,” were phrases I kept hearing among all the busy sounds filling the market place. We gathered at a corner near a music vendor which made it difficult to listen to Ana Maria and our professors. While discussing of what was to be done the next day, I got distracted by a basket full of yellow, marble-sized fruit. For Pete's sake I cannot recall the name of the fruit (even after asking the dark-complected teenager what the fruit was called three times). He offered me one to taste but my taste buds did not acquire an accurate taste since I had just folded a stick of peppermint gum into my dry mouth. After confirming our plans for the next day and thanking Ana Maria, some of us stayed to site-see and the others headed back to the hotel...

La Casa de Stan Morgan

Last Thursday we had the opportunity to visit Stan Morgan’s house, a retired English professor, to view his massive collection of Oaxacan folk art. Before we even stepped beyond the brown, wooden door imported from Puebla, we were able to observe his collection. On the right side of the porch he had a statue next to a wooden bench and hand painted tiles on the brick wall along his front window. I would say that everybody’s eyes widened as we stepped into his colorful home. Talk about visual stimulation! Over 15 years Stan has been expanding his folk art collection a bit at a time. He informed us that he tries to visit the state of Oaxaca about 4 times a year. I can barely afford to go once, geesh! I’m jealous I admit. Enough about me though.

Stan has even decorated and remodeled his town home to compliment his collection. He has done things such as painted the walls various bold colors, turn a closet into an alter, and add beautiful tile to his kitchen and dining area. His pieces are carefully displayed in each room of his home (yes, including the bathroom).

Stan gave us excellent tips and suggestions on where to buy hand-painted wood items, black pottery, textiles, corn husk items, and so on. He knows each and every art piece he owns as he can tell you where he bought it and who made it. At first we stayed in a group as Stan gave us a tour of his place but soon after we were like ants all over. I kept seeing a flash here and a flash over there at the corner of my eye.

Visiting Stan’s house gave us a glimpse of what we would see in Oaxaca. Here in Oaxaca, my classmates and I have been spotting art pieces that we saw in Stan’s home. Before I go I would like to add the hospitality at this visit was exceptional. Stan you really made us feel at home…THANKS!

Unlocking America's Potential

I met my classmates and Denise at the Carmen P. Cortez (Avance) Center Wednesday morning. The center is located near in the Alazan community on 1103 South San Jacinto. I had often heard the name Avance but never really took the initiative to learn what it was. I had assumed, as I’m sure many have, it was a place similar to Parent Child Incorporated (PCI), which provides childcare (based on income) and prepares children for grade school. Boy was I wrong!

Avance (which literally means to advance or progress) is a nonprofit organization that facilitates positive change in parents/guardians and they then create change in others. It was more than 30 years ago when Dr. Gloria Rodriguez began Avance. Today, Avance provides various services in more than a dozen locations in San Antonio. To learn more about each program provided at each center visit their website at www.avancesa.org.

Below are some details about the program we learned on our visit to the Alazan center. It was surprising to hear the answer when one of my classmates asked Yesenia Gonzalez if there was a waiting list for the program. Unfortunately there is not a waiting list. Yesenia stated that perhaps it’s because not many people know of these free services or they are ashamed of using them. If you know of anyone that may be in need of these services please refer him or her to Avance, as I learned that this organization could do a lot for them so long as he or she would like to “advance” in life. It just takes a simple want or desire to progress in life to help break the cycle of poverty. I truly believe that parents are our first teachers and if they can teach us that there are opportunities out there in our community we will not be afraid to take advantage of them (just like my parents, sister and grandpa told me to take advantage of this service-learning program to better myself).

AVANCE Mission Statement: Avance unlocks America’s potential by strengthening families in at-risk communities through the most effective parent education and support program.

Parent-Child Education Program Services

A. Parent -Child Education Services:
* Hands-on parenting participation and Early Childhood
Development curriculum.

B. Personal Growth and Development:
* GED and ESL classes so parents can complete High School and learn English.
* Computer classes and Career Readiness (Training to prepare participants for the
workforce for success).
* College Classes; Workshops and Technical Assistance for those attending College
or a Technical program.

C. Early Childhood Education:
* Preparing young children for School Readiness
* Promoting child Health and Nutrition
* Promoting Early Childhood Brain Development

D. Comprehensive Support And Education:
* Free Childcare to support parents while attending the program
* Access to medical services, community resources and housing
* Transportation to and from centers

Qualifications:
* Must have children from ages 0-3 years old

Contact Information
FAX 210-223-1024 Postal address 1103 S. San Jacinto Zip: 78207-3839
Any Questions: ygonzalez@avancesa.org
Phone Number: 210-223-3667
Executive Director: Becky Cervantez x223
Human Resources: Resumes may be e-mailed to: hr@avancesa.org

Who's SAMA?

From ancient times to the present times in Latin America, the San Antonio Museum of Art, located at 200 West Jones Avenue near Downtown San Antonio, beautifully displays thousands of pieces.

We were not scheduled to meet at the usual rectangular computer lab on Tuesday morning. We had been instructed to meet at the San Antonio Museum of Art at 4 pm. Because I did not want to break my morning routine, I decided to wake up early anyway to take my 3-yr old nephew and 5-year old niece to a new park off Highway 151. Well plans fell through as I took the third bite of homemade my potato and egg taco (with corn tortilla from Mexico). I began to have an unpleasant discussion with my mother while trying really hard to squeeze the food and chilled orange juice through the tight space in my throat. After a short moment my older sister got involved and soon after the discussion developed into an argument (which is rare between my mother and I). This disturbing incident ruined the rest of my day (week too you might say).

I have not been able to focus since then. As I pulled up to the SAMA parking lot 20 minutes after 4 pm, I debated whether I should even go inside or not. I felt really uncomfortable because I had not showered or brushed my teeth all day (I left home after the fight with my mother and did not go back) and had not completed my assignment. I walked in the renovated brewery and asked for assistance at the front desk (lucky for me it was free that day since I had nothing on me, not even my license). I was directed to the Rockefeller wing where the Latin American exhibit is displayed. I first saw Alex and Melissa’s back as they were admiring an art piece underneath a glass cube. I then bumped into Karen and she then assigned me to the “Folk Art” group (Alex and Melissa) as she explained to me the assignment. I was captivated the pieces collected for this exhibit as well as the other exhibits presented by my fellow peers. When it came to deciding who among our group was going to be the speaker/presenter, I noticed that Melissa and Alex did not jump up to opportunity, so I decided to do the mini-presentation.

I was pleased with my presentation despite the little time I had spent in the museum. Melissa and Alex were extremely helpful as they spoke up to help me out wherever I got stumped or simply to support what I was saying. One thing we had agreed on was that the “masks” were our favorite part of the Folk Art exhibit. The masks were from various parts in Latin America yet similarities could be seen among them. For example, color, materials used (mostly painted wood, tin and animal hair), animals depicted, evil (Lucifer/devil) represented, human emotions, etc. I included in my speech that these masks had a multi-use in all the cultures they were created in: religion, amusement, and ceremonial purposes to name a few. I also mentioned how the folk art maker is highly respected as they are the link from the past to the present. Even though the tradition/skill of art making is passed on from generation to generation, each artisan has their own unique style.

I learned more about my heritage and various Latin American cultures and now I have a better understanding of human values, culture and tradition after visiting SAMA. I highly recommend you visit SAMA if you are in San Antonio!

Oaxaca Here We Come!

I want to take this opportunity to thank those who are making this service-learning experience possible. I am blessed with loving and caring friends, family and even co-workers. These people have been very supportive (even financially): Sister, her husband, her in-laws, my grandpa, aunt, (former) teachers, friends, cousin Adriana, my managers at my new location (for working around my hectic schedule) and my mentors from HEB, Suzanne, Jaren, Catherine and Yvonne. MUCHAS GRACIAS!!! Ok, ya basta with the award acceptance speech.

Today was the official first day of taking care of business before we depart good old San Antonio. After paying for our international student identification card at the University of Incarnate Word's International Center we headed to Palo Alto College on the south side of town in our white 11-passenger ACCD van (which gave us access to close parking, a plus on a warm day). Once at PAC we took care of more business such as picking up our scholarship check, purchasing the required text books, getting student I.D. cards and typing/printing (at NO COST!!!) our "Lead Exercise" assignment. I really enjoyed this day particularly because I was able to bond with my soon to be roommates, Melissa and Mel. We looked over and discussed the detailed "check list" Karen handed out to us. We have already started planning on sharing some things so that we don't have a lot of one thing in the room (which means more room for souvenirs). I am really looking forward to spending time with them outside of the "classroom" setting and getting to know them better. Mel mentioned that with each of our unique qualities, we would make a great team. I couldn't agree more Mel!

I'm excited that Tuesday morning (06/06/06) I will be able to enjoy the comfort of my memory foam pillow (which I will miss for 2 weeks) for an extra hour since we do not have to meet for class until the late afternoon at a local museum. It shall be another field trip and another day to interact with my fellow classmates and professors.

Hasta mañana mi gente!

Mark Your Calendars!

National Hunger Awareness Day is Tuesday, June 6. Click on the link above or the SA Food Bank link on the side bar to see how you can volunteer your time or donate (items/money). Which, by the way, I found out money is better since each $1 you donate can buy $13 worth of food for the food bank.

This photo was taken the Friday, June 2 on campus. It was the same morning we left for our trip to the food bank. Isn't ironic. I like to think that one of the boxes we created will reach this man's hands. Oh, how I would love to run into him and his four-legged companion again, in hopes of sharing with him what I learned at the SA Food Bank.

Giving is living!