Three-minute interview - Martin do Nascimento
By: Rachelle Brown
For The Examiner
March 23, 2009
Martin do Nascimento is a senior at American University who led an alternative spring break trip to Oaxaca, Mexico. The 17-person group traveled to Oaxaca and Mexico City from March 7 through 15, learning about the economic development in that country. In light of the travel alert issued by the U.S. State Department advising travelers to stay away from certain areas of Mexico, some plans had to be adjusted to accommodate the precautions.
How was the drug war evident as you traveled around Mexico?
Besides newspapers and news programs on the TV, there was no perception of the drug war throughout the entirety of the trip. Nevertheless, I believe that the warnings that we received prior to departure made our group more cautious of dangerous situations and may have prevented exposure of participants to other types of crime.
Did you feel as if you were in danger at any point during the trip?
Personally, I never once while on the trip felt as though I was in danger. Nevertheless, I was constantly preoccupied with the safety of the trip participants.
Would you advise people not to go to Mexico right now?
Mexico is a wonderful country. And while I surely do not have a sound enough understanding of the events taking place there involving drug cartels and kidnappings to be considered a definitive source on the matter, if my actions are any gauge of safety in the country, I plan on returning as soon as possible.
What was the most interesting part of the trip for you?
Perhaps the most noteworthy day of the trip entailed visiting an indigenous Mixtec village in the mountains of rural Oaxaca; it forced our group to step fully out of their comfort zones and to rely on themselves and each other to make sense of a place and a people with which nobody had ever had any comparable experience.
