HPHD Students Travel to Mexico, Build a Home
The School of Health Promotion and Human Development offered HPHD majors an opportunity to take part in the "Family Life South of the Border" trip to Mexico. This study abroad program took place from Monday, May 21 to Monday, June 11 and gave HPHD students experiences in the most modern, and still developing, aspects of Latin American culture and family life.
This trip is part of a school goal to provide more opportunities for students to gain international experience during their time at UWSP. The "Family Life South of the Border" trip provided opportunities to become intimately acquainted with the homeland and culture of the fastest growing segment of our U.S. population. Students witnessed first-hand environmental and family well-being in the cultural context of Latin America, along with the unique challenges, commonalities, and resources to assist in improving the quality of life.
The trip began in Mexico City, where participants visited the National Palace, the Museum of Anthropology, the Diego Rivera museum, cathedrals, and pyramids where they considered issues of population, pollution, and poverty, as well as the social service structures that support the people who successfully live with these and other challenges day-to-day.
Following their time in Mexico City, students traveled to Cuerna Vaca for immersion in a one-week intensive course of Spanish for social service and health care professionals, while living in Mexican families’ homes. In addition, they explored and volunteered at medical and social service agencies in the area, as well as participated in the cultural night-life where communities gathered together.
The final part of the trip allowed participants to use their newfound language skills, with the help of translators, in professional settings. Students stayed onsite at a special needs orphanage in Oaxaca where they interacted with children at the orphanage, helped in delivering meals to families who live and work at the local dump, and helped construct a cinder block home for one of those families. They also enjoyed the usual points of interest, such as the world’s largest tree.
The academic leader of this trip was Dr. Sterling Wall. Wall has worked personally with the Hispanic population in the United States for several years and would like to help HPHD students become more familiar with their cultural roots.