Esther Esqueleto and NAFTA

So, we had this fantastic field trip to one of my favorite places last week, El Burrito Mercado.  We were given an assignment to look around and find one thing that we could research and write about.  We have been studying NAFTA and how it affects people in the US and in Mexico.  I bought a Dia de Los Muertos paper mache doll.  Here is the story that I wrote about her:

My name is Esther Esqueleto.  I am originally from Mexico.  I am used during Dia de Los Muertos.  Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican celebration that takes place November 1 and November 2.  It is one of the largest celebrations in Mexico and is even bigger that Christmas.  It is a time for people to celebrate, remember and pray for the souls of their loved ones who have died.  I am the skeleton of an upper class woman and I am one of the most popular figures of the celebration.  I am an iconic symbol that is produced in mass quantities in different forms of production.
I am made from paper mache, usually by an indigenous person, who will make hundreds or maybe thousands of them.  If they were to sell me in Mexico, they would maybe get around 10 cents each from natives, or sell me for about $1 or so to tourists.  However, companies will buy me in bulk for usually 10 cents each.  After I am sold to these buyers, they will take me and sell me to markets in the United States for about $1 each.  When I was purchased at El Burrito, I sold for $7.95 plus tax. 


It is sad how people are affected by big business and governments decisions.  Last week I also had the opportunity to interview my partner Julie about her week and the readings we had in regards to NAFTA, here is what I found out.

I had the opportunity to talk with Julie about her week.  She was disappointed because she had sent some questions to one of her contacts in Mexico and hadn't heard back from him yet.  She was really looking forward to hearing from him, as she had many questions for him about his country, lifestyle and culture. 
We also discussed the readings we had.  We both felt that it was a difficult thing to read about and even more, a problem that might not have any simple answers.  Julie was disturbed by the reading where it talked about the people that were poisoned because of the toxic dumping in the plants that were built in Mexico and the suffering people went through.  However, as a business woman, we also talked how she said there were people here who would lose their jobs as well if things changed.  It's hard to figure out the answers.