State Educational System (School site) ~ Tijuana The newest Los Embajadores site is with the State Educational System, where we began working in 2000. At that time, Los Embajadores groups worked in the community of Pedregal de Santa Julia. This small colonia (neighborhood) in Tijuana is home to a largely indigenous population. We began working there with parents in the local community to expand facilities at their children’s school. From our involvement in Pedregal, we made contact with a department of the Mexican government that coordinates groups from the U.S. and Canada that come to work with local schools in Tijuana. Through our contact at the Baja California North State Education System, we now are placed at various schools in Tijuana based on their needs. Typically, we work within the same community for a number of weeks. This site is unique in that we work directly alongside the local community in improving the facilities of its schools. Parents and teachers spend the weeks prior to our arrival preparing the site. When we arrive, we work directly with these parents in leveling the ground, building forms, and pouring concrete for a variety of projects. The community supports us by working with us, preparing meals, and in general, offering warm and welcoming hospitality. This is our most rustic experience: groups live in the school’s classrooms and eat and work on the same site. At each site we find a local church where groups are able to attend mass each morning if they desire. Our groups in Tijuana also visit the Casa del Migrante one night during the week. At this home for migrants, the group hears a talk about border issues and shares a meal with men who have just been deported from the United States or who are seeking to cross the border. The resolution, community, and faith of the people in Tijuana made a big impression on me. The school we stayed at was like a magnet in the community. Lots of kids and adults hung out there watching us, talking to us, or just wanting to play with us. Soccer was great fun! We played that and kickball withmembers of the community, which was so great. The youth in our group were enthusiastic about the hard work and learning from the local people. It was great to see them talking, laughing, and playing with the Mexican children. Click here for more information about Tijuana and the border region To see a sample daily schedule at the State Educational Site, please click on the pdf link below.
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