Short-term (2 to 4 weeks) "arts project" project in Mexico

Nataté and Kinoki Independent Cultural Forum, organise this project which is called CINE CON SENTIDO (MOVIES WITH MEANING). It will focus on films and/or documentaries and workshops in different venues, with the aim of exchanging experiences through leisure activities and recreation as recycling workshops, drama, painting of murals, etc. aimed at different groups of the population with the theme of the protection of the environment. The projection sites will be done in two municipalities in Chiapas: San Cristobal de las Casas, and in the municipality of Copainalá.

During the first week, volunteers will participate in the preparation of recreation and leisure activities to be held at each site, volunteers are expected to attend screenings during the two weeks which will be held in two nearby communities, in order to have a reference to discuss and reflect on the theme of the projections, the care of the technical equipment, etc. The proposal is to carry out recycling activities, prepare a performance play, have a brainstorm for a mural which will be made and all these activities will be carried out with different sectors of the population (children, youth and/or adults). Volunteers will be involved from the preparation of the workshops to the implementation of the presentations, so volunteers are expected to have an interest and motivation in the subject. By the nature of the event, volunteers will prepare the space for the projections and will be responsible for cleaning up the sites. The work will be hard during the two weeks of camp but it will be a very enriching. Volunteers should bring proposals for activities to do around the theme of the camp which is the protection of the environment.

In the Albarrada Centre in San Cristóbal de las Casas and in Tzajala.

San Cristóbal de las Casas.

2700 mex. pesos which cover accomodation, food, administrative costs.

Natate considers volunteering as a mutual exchange between a person that offers his/her time, work and energy for the benefit of a project of common interest and a community which offers to the volunteers a learning, experimentation, personal and collective development opportunity. Volunteering is considered as a social tool promoting inter-cultural dialogue and Peace, creating a relationship between local action and global reflection. In all the projects proposed by Natate, the citizen participation and especially that of the young people is really important.

The participation fees shall be covered by the volunteers by a bank transfer or deposit, or on arrival. For the two weeks workcamps, the fee is $2,700 Mexican pesos, and for the three weeks workcamps, the fee is $3,000 Mexican pesos. This fee covers accommodation, meals, some materials for the project and part of the administrative expenses. Each volunteer should cover the costs of field trips and extra activities. In some cases these can be included in the general budget. A 50 pesos membership should also be covered. The membership fees help the Nataté to cover expenses such as: promotion materials, visits to projects, office administration, training events and participation in international and national meetings.

Once we confirm your placement at the workcamp you will receive an info sheet. Volunteers are responsible for the organization of their trip. We suggest looking up the costs of the trip before the registration, to avoid the cancellation of your participation for economic reasons. We suggest to the volunteers coming from other continents, arriving one or several days before the beginning of the project, so they can adapt to their new schedules.

There are a lot of opportunities for the volunteers to enjoy and discover in this part of the country. Guatemala is also near. During the workcamp, the recreational activities will be limited to the surrounding area where the project is located. These activities will be organized jointly with the project co-ordinators and the hosting community.

It is not necessary for the volunteers to speak Spanish, but it is highly recommended to make an effort to facilitate the communication during the project. There is NOT an official language in Natate projects. The official language is Spanish. The mayan dialects spoken in Chiapas are: chol, tojolabal, tzeltal, tzotzil, mam y lacandon, which are related to Mayan origin dialects from the Peninsula of Yucatan and Central America.

Natate does not have civil insurance, so we request the volunteers to have an accident and civil responsibility insurance and travel insurance.

The drug situation in Mexico is complicated. Even though the most of the violence is between the cartels and the dealers, the volunteers must be aware of the risks implied in the drugs’ use. Drug consumption is strictly forbidden in the house where Natate accommodates its volunteers or in any of its projects. Breaking this rule will be enough reason for the volunteer to be asked to leave.

Nataté organises projects in the state of Chiapas, in Southeast of Mexico. Chiapas is known for its touristic sites, including natural attractions, pre-hispanic archaeological sites and colonial cities. It has the highest native population in the country and has natural marvels which cannot be compared like the archaeological zone of Palenque and the Agua Azul waterfalls. It adjoins to the East with Guatemala, to the West with Oaxaca, to the North with Tabasco, to the South with the Pacific Ocean and to the Northwest with Veracruz. San Cristobal de las Casas is a city where people of different ethnicities, races and cultures coexist. It is one of the most beautiful and original cities of Chiapas.