Fran's school activities have certainly changed since she switched from computer science to agronomy! She didn't want to be stuck at a desk behind a computer, and she hasn't been!
Last Friday she went with 3 busloads of students and their teachers to a destination 3 hours southwest of Oaxaca to explore a very large cave. One of the purposes was to discover what was underground -- the composition of the land. There was a deep pool in this cave that could only be reached by lowering one person at a time through a black hole, and the teachers smartly decided to cross that off their list of things to explore. Enjoy the photos!
We so thankful to those of you who are helping, and still a bit close to the edge financially. We are looking for ways to widen our support circle a little as Fran's requirements for materials are getting a little pricier, and our living expenses in Oaxaca are rising.
Specifically, she is attending Cambridge Academy for English classes. The quality of this school is very much higher than any school she could attend, in terms of learning from native English speakers. They offer the TOEFL exam at the end of her studies, which will be an extremely important key to her professional success in the future. However, it costs $900 PESOS per month (about $60). So I am looking for donors who could commit to blocks of 3, 6 or 12 months at a time to allow her to finish. It will take 2 years. Please consider if you can help, or know someone to approach for help.
I also wanted to announce that Fran will be pursuing her Master's degree in Agronomy. Her financial outlook requires at least this much education. And because she is an indigenous woman in a male dominated (and I hate to say it, but somewhat racist) culture, it's become clear that when she walks out the door of this protected environment, she is going to need CREDENTIALS. Staying in school will give her this, plus a chance to reap the benefits of her networking skills -- people like and respect Fran because she is a no-nonsense, focused, bright, energetic person.
OK, here are the photos!
