Oventic Language School
Study Spanish or Tzotzil in Chiapas
1. WHAT DATES WOULD YOU LIKE TO ATTEND CLASSES (Please do not submit an application without firm dates. Applications that do not have dates or have a date that is not at least two weeks from todays date will not be processed.)? 2. PLEASE PROVIDE THE NAME OF A LOCAL SOLIDARITY OR OTHER POLITICAL GROUP TO WHICH YOU BELONG, A CONTACT PERSON AND THEIR PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS. 3. PLEASE DESCRIBE THE ORGANIZATION AND WHAT WORK YOU DID WITH THIS ORGANIZATION. 4. HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN ACTIVE WITH THIS GROUP? 5. PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR CURRENT OCCUPATION. 6. WHAT LANGUAGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO STUDY, SPANISH OR TZOTZIL? 7. HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN ACTIVE WITH THIS GROUP?5. WHAT LANGUAGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO STUDY, SPANISH OR TZOTZIL?
8. DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF AN ANTI-CAPITALIST? PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY OR WHY NOT. 9. WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ZAPATISTA MOVEMENT? 10. HAVE YOU READ THE SIXTH DECLARATION OF THE LACANDON JUNGLE?
COST: US students are asked to donate the rough equivalent of three days minimum wage for each week of Spanish classes, or $144. Tuition for a week of Tzotzil classes is $192. Tuition is paid at the language school in Oventic upon your arrival. The tuition includes three meals a day during the week plus housing. Your tuition will help support the "Escuela Secundaria Rebelde Autónoma Zapatista Primero de Enero" (The First of January Zapatista Autonomous Secondary School in Rebellion), which provides education for Zapatista youth throughout the highland region.
El Centro de Español y Lenguas Mayas invites activists to study Spanish or Tzotzil in Oventic, located in the highlands of Chiapas, 45 minutes from San Cristobal de las Casas. Oventic is home to one of five Juntas of Good Government, established by Zapatista communities in August 2003 as an expression of autonomy and genuine democracy. Classes are offered every week with inscription on Monday mornings. Tuition is three days minimum wage in the country of origin (for US students $159 per week, or $206 for Tzotzil) and includes most food and lodging. Tuition supports the regional autonomous secondary school in Oventic where indigenous youth prepare to be education promoters.
APPLICATION PROCESS: Please complete the application below and send it to MSN@MexicoSolidarity.org. We will confirm your participation in your local activist group and submit the application to the Oventic school for approval. Once the coordinators in Oventic approve your participation, we will provide you with a letter of accreditation which you will present to the language school upon your arrival. Please submit your application at least three weeks before you intend to begin classes.
CENTRO DE ESPAÑOL Y LENGUAS MAYAS IN OVENTIC, CHIAPAS
PLEASE RETURN TO MEXICO SOLIDARITY NETWORK at MSN@MexicoSolidarity.org.
NAME
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE, ZIP
TELEPHONE
EMAIL
PASSPORT NUMBER
COUNTRY
CLASSES AT THE OVENTIC LANGUAGE SCHOOL BEGIN EVERY MONDAY, AND YOU CAN REGISTER FOR ONE OR MORE WEEKS.
LIVING CONDITIONS: Housing conditions are rustic, and you will need to bring your own sleeping bag. Drinking water and other beverages are available at minimal cost in Oventic. If you will be taking classes for more than one week, housing will be provided during the weekend, but not meals. Food is available at the local restaurant for about $1.50 per meal.
TRAVEL: You are responsible for your own travel arrangements to Oventic. From the US, the quickest route is a flight to Mexico City, then a connecting flight to either San Cristobal de las Casas or Tuxtla Gutierrez. There is only one flight a day from Mexico City to San Cristobal de las Casas, and it is more expensive than the flight to Tuxtla Gutierrez. If you travel to Tuxtla, you will have to arrange for ground transportation to San Cristobal. Taxis are available from the Tuxtla airport to San Cristobal for about $20, and the trip is about an hour and a half. Or you can take a taxi into downtown Tuxtla and catch a colectivo for about $3 to San Cristobal. From San Cristobal de las Casas, you can take a taxi to Oventic (prices must be negotiated with the taxi driver), or you can catch a colectivo at the market colectivo station in San Cristobal for about $1.50. The trip from San Cristobal to Oventic is about 45 minutes.
QUESTIONS: If you have any questions, please contact the Mexico Solidarity Network at 773-583-7728 or MSN@MexicoSolidarity.org.