“I would say what inspires me to work in international development are my parents, because they left their home country due to development issues,” she said. “I want to give people a reason to want to stay home and hope that their situation can get better, because over the years I’ve seen how hard it’s been for my parents to have left their homes.”
Freeman traveled with seven other Indiana University and Hamilton Lugar School students to study abroad in Mexico this summer. Students spent two weeks in Mexico City and San Cristóbal to learn about careers in international development.
The experience was made possible by the Tobias Center for Innovation in International Development, with support from the Center for the Study of Global Change at IU Global, and the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the Hamilton Lugar School.
Elisheva Cohen, Director of International Education Programs and Outreach at the Hamilton Lugar School, led the trip. She said it was inspiring to watch students grow and learn.
“From our various meetings and site visits, students learned … how broad and diverse the field of international development is, both in terms of the roles that people play and skills they use at work as well as the different sectors of development work,” said Cohen.
Mexico City: Making a difference through policy
The group spent their first week in Mexico City meeting with development agencies and organizations including government agencies, UN agencies, the World Bank, and NGOs. The goal for students was to learn how country-wide development works, through policy initiatives and attempts at making systemic change—all while navigating major bureaucracy.
Cohen said that one of the major takeaways for students on the trip was learning the difference between development work focused on policy issues or working with local communities to provide direct service to people.
“In Mexico City, students primarily learned about policy issues to make systemic change, and in San Cristóbal, they learned about working with local communities in direct service and program implementation,” said Cohen. “While students had different preferences for their own career paths, this distinction was noteworthy to all of them.”
Freeman, who is majoring in international studies and economic/political science, agreed.
“For example, one could work in a more corporate environment and work on systematic change while others can work ‘on the ground’ and work one-on-one with the client. So to me, it’s about prioritizing what’s more important to you, whether that be working one-on-one or from a broader standpoint,” said Freeman.
The group also learned about sustainable agriculture through a visit to the Xochimilco Ecotour with De La Chinampa.
“Xochimilco is a canal system with artificial islands made by the Aztecs called Chinampas,” said Cohen. “It has been largely neglected, and this company we met with is working to sustainably revitalize the area which is important for the environmental health of Mexico City. The owner and his team are using ancient Aztec methods to work his land.”
Aside from their international development agenda, students toured Mexico City cultural and historical sites, including an artisan market, the Frida Kahlo Museum, and watched Lucha Libre, Mexican professional wrestling.
Students also connected with IU alumni living in Mexico, Claudia Virola and Andrés Vargas, at a panel discussion hosted by the IU Mexico Gateway.
San Cristóbal: Creating community impact
Students spent their second week in Mexico in San Cristóbal, in the state of Chiapas, the lowest income state in the country.
For Hamilton Lugar School sophomore Mary Tezera, this part of the trip was especially meaningful.
“In the areas of Mexico we visited especially in San Cristóbal, I noticed a lot of similarities between the community and where I grew up on the outskirts of northeastern Tigray Ethiopia,” said Tezera. “My experience in San Cristóbal and hearing the different perspectives made me realize how grateful I need to always be for the experience and opportunities I have had coming to the USA.”
In San Cristóbal, students met with several local organizations to learn how their work supports low income and marginalized populations.
Students met with the Escalera Foundation, an organization that supports education in rural, indigenous communities across Chiapas. They also visited a rural Mayan community classroom that Escalera built and met students who receive scholarships from Escalera.
“We had an opportunity to tour the Mayan community school site and speak with students and teachers. We shared some of our experiences in higher education and heard from them about their hopes for the future,” said Cohen. “It was inspiring to see how hard the teachers, students, and parents work to overcome structural, material and economic barriers to make high quality education accessible for the children of the community.”
“Natik focuses on building partnerships with organizations and empowering them to lead their own change,” said Cohen. This was an important lesson for students to learn.
Tezera highlighted another important lesson, after visiting organizations in Mexico City and San Cristóbal.
“I learned that development is a social construct and that it can look different from one country, state, town, or community to another and even from one individual to another,” she said. “Development can occur in many sectors within many kinds of professions. You do not have to go into development to be a development professional. You can be a doctor and be working towards development, you can be a teacher and work towards development.”
To close their trip, students were introduced to indigenous food culture of Chiapas, and enjoyed a meal together prepared by Chef Claudia Santiz, an indigenous Mexican chef from Chamula.
Returning to IU with renewed inspiration
“One of my biggest takeaways from this trip was seeing what development work actually looks like firsthand,” said Tezera. “Even if for some, working on a project, boots on the ground in an underdeveloped area might be the most satisfying kind of development work, I realized that development is more than that.”
She also said it renewed her interest to make an impact in the field.
“As a relatively new student in this field of study, going on this trip gave me confidence that I’m just where I should be,” she said. “My biggest driver into [pursuing] my international studies major was my trip back to [Tigray] the summer after my freshmen year. While this trip enhanced my passion for this field, it also pushed me to consider what this means for me and how I want to pursue my passion for service.”
Hamilton Lugar School junior Isabel Lyons said that the trip helped her refine her career interests.
“As an international studies student, the number of paths available to me as future career options are often overwhelming, and seeing and hearing first-hand from those in the international development sector was a great way to narrow my career interests,” she said. “Economics is my second major at IU, and I never quite knew how I would be able to tie both of my fields of interest into a career until meeting with NGOs focused on economic development.
Lyons also appreciated the professional connections she made during the trip.
“The organizations we met with welcomed our visit and our questions with open arms, giving us industry connections that can be very helpful in future job and internship searches. I am thoroughly grateful to have taken part in the HLS Mexico trip, and look forward to continuing my passion for international studies and development in Latin America,” she said.
Freeman said her experience in Mexico was rewarding both as a student, and personally.
Cohen said she appreciated seeing students grow in their confidence and independence.
Students can learn more and apply for the Spring 2025 Study Abroad in Mexico course in fall 2024.
Students interested in international development can explore classes at the Hamilton Lugar School, including Geography of International Development (INTL-I 303), Climate Change and International Studies (INTL-I 102), International Climate Governance (INTL-I 434), International Indigenous Movements & and the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (INTL-I 504), Becoming an International Development Professional (INTL-I300/SGIS-I300), and many others.
