Georgia State University students from different colleges participated in a 10-day study abroad program led by the College of Education & Human Development (CEHD) Middle and Secondary Education (MSE) faculty. Their aim was to explore collective and indigenous solutions to both local and global issues during May. During the trip, 14 undergraduate and graduate students visited various organizations, historic sites and museums with rich historical backgrounds. They learned from Nahua peoples how to care for and use the earth in pottery-making, bark-paper making and collective organizing to keep their land safe and clean.
Their journey began in Mexico City, where they dove into the history of ancient and powerful empires and the subsequent Spanish conquest. The majority of their time was spent in Cuernavaca, a city located two hours south of Mexico City. Here, they learned Spanish through a Latin American approach to literacy, inspired by the methodology of Brazilian educator Paolo Freire. Staying with caring host families, they experienced Mexican hospitality firsthand and even learned the art of tango from a host family dedicated to the arts. They invited guests to teach and present this Argentinian music genre and, of course, they savored authentic Mexican cuisine, from tacos to tantalizing chiles rellenos (stuffed green chilies). The faculty director, Sue Kasun, expressed excitement about leading the trip again in 2025.
“After ten years of running programs in Cuernavaca,” Kasun said, “I can’t wait to start another decade of helping U.S. based students learn from this rich millennial culture.”
