LiA MakeSense_Mexico_Week 2 Reflection

This week, we set the project in Huerto Roma Verde on the right track while diving into exploration and learning in Mexico City. It was both joyful and inspirational. 

As we started our first day working in the place of Huerto Roma Verde, we were given a guided tour of the space. During the tour, we learned about different highlights. In Huerto Roma Verde, things are designed sustainably so that resources are recycled and used to increase possibilities for the community. For example, the architecture called Bambudesica is made of bamboo and is used for holding events and classes; the aquaponic system is displayed, which enables the recycling of water in home-scale planting and fish-raising; and the Mandela is a garden with various plants, which allows people to get close to the nature by the access to this green space, and provides herbs and other cooking ingredients to the restaurants.

Besides showcasing a sustainable lifestyle, Huerto Roma Verde also demonstrates a deep concern for how art and humanities can be embodied in the design of practical objects, which have their own power and speech to inspire and educate more people. There is an independent architecture specifically designed for women in menstruation, which, on the other hand, functions to collect the menstruation blood; on the other hand, the aesthetical design and the illustration on the door dignified women’s needs. There is another wall in a sustainable building. The wall is made of clay and straws, and the artist who made it with traditional Mexican techniques has inserted a door on it. The door leads to nowhere but aims to remind people that they are still in the urban space of Mexico City. The Mandela Garden also evoked our reflection on the connection between humans and nature. What we have learned in the garden is that humans can always return to nature and learn from nature with respect and gratitude. The tour was inspiring, enlightening, and motivating. As we got to know Huerto Roma Verde in depth, we were excited about the potential improvements in customer experience we can initiate and act on. 

The Hikuri of Huerto Roma Verde

Regarding our project in Huerto Roma Verde, I am grateful that we have started communicating more with Paco and Martin, from whom we have much to learn. Paco explained the concept of Hikuri to us, which inspired me a lot in the connection between human body and soul, human individual and community, and human and nature. The idea of well-being has been extended from the individual to the community and the city, a status of biosocial sustainability. It also brings out the idea that social organizations can be regenerative and connective to create impacts on the community and our environment. The conversation with Paca gave us a lot of philosophical insights into the construction of human society and human connection to nature. Our meeting with Martin focused more on user experience (UX) design. We started portraying our customer personas by collecting data from online reviews and user surveys. We also involved our volunteers by introducing them to the organization and the project and distributing specific tasks, including customer journey mapping. Learning to do UX design is an amazing experience for me, and the framework, the way of thinking, and the significance of problem-defining can be applied to more areas in the future. Working with peer scholars in a team and learning from Huerto Roma Verde was a precious experience for practising and developing our leadership in action. 

Additionally, we built connections with each other in various ways this week. Triana hosted a group dinner at a restaurant. It was a delightful time for everyone to enjoy the meal and communicate. Besides, we actively connected with other scholars by celebrating birthdays. The memory of cooking and enjoying meals together was really touching and unforgettable. All these moments convinced us of the beauty that humans create by exchanging kindness and hospitality among the community, an acquired family to which we choose and commit. 

Besides, our curiosity drove us to explore more about the art and culture in Mexico City. We visited Palacio de Bellas Artes and the National Museum of Anthropology. In the art museum, I was deeply moved by how artists devoted their passion and creativity to the artistic expression of their concerns for the environment and people's conditions. 

In the anthropology museum, we went through the evolution of human civilization and absorbed knowledge about the civilization that grew and developed in Latin America. From the skulls of primeval humans to the sculptures and architectures of the Mayan Civilization and the clothing fabrics in Mexico, the cultural feast reminds us of the greatness of humanity and to reflect on human's relation with nature today, for every civilization was nourished by nature and should essentially take responsibility to respect and live in harmony with the nature. 

Overall, I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to be in Mexico City and work on the project in Huerto Roma Verde. The challenges are chances to learn and grow, and the connection between people and the land is the vital gift this summer provides me. I am now taking this gratitude and inspiration to the following weeks and hoping we can all make sense for the community through our actions.