Me at the Airport
Helloooooo everyone! (for the last time) ≽^•⩊•^≼
I am currently writing this blog post from the comfort of gate 26 in CDMX. This airport has been really confusing, but I am excited to be home in approximately 5ish hours. Now comes the most important part: writing about this wonderful experience!
I absolutely loved the iSEED Mexico program and I can’t recommend it enough. It was incredibly informative about the current state of Mexico and the developing world. Being able to witness firsthand the effects of water issues in a foreign city was super eye-opening. Understanding the reasoning behind the water shortages and the way that they impact the social constructs was profound. I knew that water had a large impact, but seeing firsthand how the lack of water disproportionately affects lower-income families was a big revelation for me.
San Cris’ Pedestrian Street
Taking SODIS Water Samples
Visiting several NGOs was a big highlight of this trip. It was fascinating to see the work they were involved in. My favorite part was observing how the NGOs create their products and make modifications to said products to ensure they are suitable for their clients. Even if a product is scientifically more effective, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it boosts consumer usage within a certain community. There were a lot of moving parts when it came to design and it was all so interesting.
We also had an individual assignment about NGOs where we had to read, in my opinion, the most fascinating article in my entire academic career. I never thought about NGOs in the way that the article highlighted them. It helped me see which NGOs truly have their heart in the community and which ones might have other motivations. I loved all the NGOs we visited and I truly believe that their hearts were in the right place. Maybe we should contact Mr. Beast to collaborate with Isla Urbana or Cantaro Azul for his next video and give him some pointers.
Us in Guatemala and Mexico at the Same Time
Overall, my study abroad experience was amazing. I loved the opportunity to collaborate with the community I was learning about. I especially loved going on field trips to Tseinan, it was able to give me a feel for what it’s actually like to work with a client in design. I especially loved everybody on the trip; the small group for a month allowed me to connect with everyone on the trip. I know I will never forget this experience.
I cannot recommend this iSEED enough. This program is designed for everyone, even those without an engineering background. Every assignment was interesting and tied into the culture of Mexico. Plus, you get a bunch of friends to travel to Mexico with (and maybe even Guatemala)!
Thank you iSEED for this wonderful opportunity!
Signing off,
Nancy Martinez : )
iSEED Mexico 2024 Group