Amairani's Study Abroad in Mexico After 18 Years

In 2003, my parents made the decision to pick up our entire lives and immigrate to the United States, I would leave my home country for the first time, and up until now I fully believed that I would likely never get the chance to return. We uprooted our entire lives, and left family back in our hometown of Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico. Our connections to our past life were simply fleeting memories and long-distance phonecalls. For years now, I have dealt with the feeling of never truly belonging, many relate it to the phrase of "ni de aquí, ni de allá", which translates to "neither from here, nor from there". I knew my origins simply from the few memories of my grandmother's home or the route we used to take on my way to school. And now, I have been given an opportunity that will truly change my life.

Although it has yet to truly hit me that I have been given an opportunity of a lifetime, I am excited to announce that I have been accepted by The California-Mexico Studies Center to study abroad in Morelos, Mexico for up to four weeks.

During my study abroad experience, I will be immersed in a comprehensive language and cultural, educational program organized by the CMSC in collaboration with Colegio de la Frontera Norte (COLEF) and hosted by the Centro Internacional de Lenguas, Arte y Cultura Paulo Freire (CILAC Freire), their 20-year partner institution in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. This month-long educational program will consist of historical, cultural, linguistic, and academic lectures (cátedras) on social movements, the Mexican educational, economic and political systems, various museum and archeological visits, with a leadership development focus. We are tasked with writing an ethnographic research paper at the conclusion of our trip.

For this opportunity to be a reality, I am putting hope in my friends and community who may be able to help me to raise the funds necessary for the study abroad program. Due to my DACA Status, I would need to apply for Advance Parole, which carries a fee of $575, and the cost of the tuition for the Institute is $4,500. As a current graduate student, this cost is not possible for me. However, I am confident and hopeful that with some creative fundraising, and the support of my community, I will be able to make this dream of mine come true.

Any additionaly funds raised would go towards flight costs, and living expenses during my time in Mexico. In addition, I have plans to create a chapbook and a short film titled "From Acapulco, with Love" as a way to capture my experience. As many have said, I left Mexico, but Mexico never left me.

Thank you for your support, your generosity, and your time.

Sincerely,

Amairani Perez Chamu

If you'd like to learn more about the CMCS : https://www.california-mexicocenter.org/cmdsummer2022/

Follow me on the road to Mexico and additional fundraising: https://www.amairaniperezchamu.com/