Emergency meeting

When a person is caught in a historical system that is completely stacked against them, they need help to overcome the many obstacles that have been placed in their path.  This is not a quick or easy process, especially with limited resources.  There is a caste system in Mexico, and it is almost impossible to break out of it, especially for a young indigenous female.  Young indigenous females have 40 or 50 good years ahead of them of being a work horse for a Mexican family.  All of their avenues of escape have been cut off, and it takes dedicated time and resources to spring them from the trap.  $100 and a kiss on the cheek won't get the job done.

So a few of us had a meeting to decide what the next step should be.  Fran, Marisol (my roommate, who is an elementary school teacher here in Oaxaca), my good friend David and his girlfriend, and my neighbor Sharon.  We put our heads together.

It was agreed that:

1.  Fran should quit this job and stay with me and Marisol until she finds a job in a store, hotel, or restaurant that will suit her needs and allow her to go to school.
2.  That she will never again work in a household, or live with her employers.
3.  That once she is settled in a suitable job, she will start looking for a room of her own, or to share with someone.
4.  That she start the process of enrolling in a university for September.  This is no small thing.  It means gathering information, gathering her paperwork, making an application, taking tests, visiting the school, and probably moving to another city, possibly Miahuatlan -- 2 hours away.  Why?  The university in Oaxaca City has a horrible reputation and is barely functioning.  The State schools in outlying pueblos such as Miahuatlan are better quality and less expensive.  And she can find a room for less money too.
5.  I and others will continue to try and find donations to put in her account so that she can attend school without interruption until she graduates in 4 years.

Here is a picture I took last night of Fran taking notes from the internet about the college in Miahuatlan.