On this page: Current Internship Positions , How to Apply , Program Fees and Requirements , Testimonials , Possible Sunday Excursions
The ACÁ Eco Center organic training farm in Jaltepec, Jalisco Mexico hosts interns working in a wide variety of capacities. All interns are initiated in a range of basic experiences onsite, including hands on fieldwork such as weeding, seeding, planting, washing, packaging and selling the organic produce, they learn about each of the sustainability models. Long term interns (after 3 months) are then placed into their area of interest and specialization in ACÁ program areas with specific goals to complete. We invest a great deal of time with hands on training of interns and design the internship to meet each person's goals, making the best use of their time and talents.
As a grassroots project we are limited by a shoe string budget; interns must often depend on their resourcefulness and creativity and each intern is involved in raising funds as well. An intern's average working hours reflect the hours that the training farm is open to the public:year-round Monday to Friday 9:00 to 5:30 and Saturday until 2:00.
The work is not easy and is not recommended for those looking for easy travel options. Our interns work hard and are kept very busy, they are provided with safe internship opportunities, room and board is available, and it's a great opportunity to learn and practice Spanish. Potential areas for hardworking, dedicated, and motivated interns working in our 2004-2005 projects include community projects to teach safe agriculture and offer outreach in communities, with women, farmers, and in schoolyards.
Interns are placed in one the following areas after the initial onsite three month training period. Preferences given to bi-lingual applicants and long term applicants with related experience. We invite interested applicants to submit resumes and a personal letter at any time of year. Employment references are required and checked.
Marie and Wendee with a past group of ACÁ interns
2007/2008 ACÁ Internship Positions
To further our mission of cooperative education, all of the following are Team Projects. We encourage internship applicants to apply with friends who they feel they can work with effectively. Alternately, interns will be grouped or choose an area of focus within these projects.
Conduct a Community Needs Assessment
Develop distinct surveys for the Mexican and ex-pat communities at Lakeside, to determine knowledge of and interest in ACA quick workshops and types of community programs desired.
Implement community surveys in the local communities of Ajijic, Ixtlahuacán, Tizapan, El Chante, and Jocotepec
Assimilate data and determine specific outcomes
Compile a list of suggestions, based on the surveys, for ACA’s strategic planning and direction setting for 2006-07
Develop & Implement a ‘Buy Local’ Campaign
Develop promotional materials on the importance of buying locally, to be distributed to the public
Research Buy Local campaigns in other cities
Organize public events, including movie screenings, discussion panels, and/or workshops, to be implemented in Fall 2006
Discover new alliances with local, like-minded organizations
Product Promotion & Development
Develop promotional materials for Great Greens veggies, to be distributed to public
In store promotions (in Guadalajara & Lakeside) of GG veggies, including creative ideas for displaying, mixing, and preparing veggies. Minimal English language ability is required for Lakeside promotions
Harvest & creatively package herbs for Gg’s co-op store
Research additional natural products/ producers with appropriate products for October Harvest Fair vendors, as well as local products for Gg’s co-op store.
Create a distinct road side presentation and improve visibility (signage, landscaping) as well as a welcoming environment for car traffic at Gg’s co-op store and to encourage tours of the Eco-training center.
Develop a broad based summer Eco-Center promotion to attract children to partake in Saturday Kids Camps
Computer/ Web Internship
Update and enhance current ACA website (to include Spanish content, on-line payment option, etc.)
Create and manage database for produce distribution and production.
How To Apply
We invite interested applicants to submit a resume, three recent employment and/ or personal references, and a personal letter detailing the following information:
- Your interest in the program
- Goals for your internship experience
- How you intend to incorporate your experience once you return home
- Preferred schedule and length of stay
- Agricultural, environmental or community-building experience
- Level of Spanish language competency
We accept internship applicants throughout the year. Please email the entire application packet to: ggs@ggs.com.mx
Intern Program Fees & Requirements
Short-term interns pay $600 monthly ($150 per week) for housing, room and board, transportation to & from the Eco-center, laundry facilities. In a limited time frame we often tailor eco agro educational training to suit the intern's plans for the future. The short-term internship program is more labor intensive and more expensive We strongly advise Interns do not consider ACÁ as a low-cost travel option or a vacation.
Long-term interns are those who stay for a minimum of three months. As these interns contribute significantly to ACÁ’s mission, they are required to pay only a nominal fee of $350 per month. Long-term internships are more challenging and each long term intern is expected to take on a small individual project that they contribute something of themselves and their special skills. They do this as a gift back to the Eco training Center, as part of our co-operative effort to continually improve. This program is designed for serious, yet flexible hardworking and innovative interns who have a sincere desire to learn about the reality of sustainable farming based on the economic reality of marginalized rural areas and our ability to facilitate leadership for our programs that enrich communities here.
Testimonials From Past Interns
By Connie Kuo
One of the most important ideas I learned during my stay is the value of education. ACÁ is a success story of how education of organic farming techniques can instigate a global change beginning at the local level. Wendee and Marie are true pioneers of sustainable development.
Speaking with Marie Pruden about what she does and how she got there, I immediately thought, "Gaviotas." Recently we had read a book for class, by Alan Weisman, entitled Gaviotas: A Village to Reinvent the World. In short, Gaviotas was a sustainable village in the Eastern savanna of Colombia founded in 1971 by Paolo Lugari, a man with a vision. Like Lugari, Marie had, and still has, a vision. She wanted to teach local people about organic agriculture so that they could start their own farms, be more self-sufficient, and improve their quality of life. I saw first-hand how Marie was empowering women, giving them valuable skills they can teach others and thus perpetuate self-sufficiency and environmentally sustainable practices.
One night in Mexico we made a meal with some of the very food we had harvested and washed that day. It was a meal I appreciated, and I do not think I will ever be able to look at food in the same way. I will always wonder from now on where it came from, who picked it. Like Gaviotas, the farm was an "oasis of imagination." In part, it was forced to be so, since there is a serious lack of funding for the project. A situation where resources are limited necessitates keen problem-solving skills, efficiency, and ingenuity. Indeed, on the farm, whatever was lacking in resources was always made up for in creativity.
Working on the farm also gave me a taste of another culture (literally and figuratively). As I see it, becoming attuned to the culture of a place is an essential part of its Sustainable Development. In the process of working with these women, I connected with them as human beings and got a glimpse into their world. Having this opportunity revealed so much about what obstacles stand in the way of Mexico's development. One of these is the deeply-rooted gender roles that exist there. The farm, which employs only women, is one of the few progressive places I saw that fosters tolerance and open-mindedness.
By Charlotte Smith
I was very impressed with ACÁ's commitment to teaching. Despite the constant financial hardships and worries that the farm must face, the primary goal of the farm is never put on the backburner. As a student on a service learning trip from Northwestern University, I saw many of the same ideals in the farm’s methods as we had as a service learning trip. They are interested in helping the community by providing them with a better product and better nutrition, in addition to passing on the skills needed to sustain that higher standard. It seems as though they have made a significant impact on the community and other communities where their teachings have spread.
By Lindsay Pool
My experience at ACÁ was heightened by the fact that I could really see the principles of sustainable development and in that sustainable community development in practice. The idea that everyone has something to bring to the table, that everyone can be a teacher, and also, that everyone can be a student, was constantly emphasized. The success that ACÁ has already gained I believe will grow exponentially due to the inclusive nature of the project and the true motivation towards betterment for the humankind that Marie and Wendee so readily put forth. The ideas behind organics, and the necessity for organics were solidified in my mind. I would go back to visit and work and know that I would always be welcomed into this community.
Sunday Excursions
As we all take Sundays off at ACA, we encourage interns to have fun and explore the region. There are several easy day trips around the Lakeside area, accessible by city bus. The towns of San Juan Cosala, Ajijic, and Chapala are all great places to sit back and enjoy the local culture.
On your own:
San Juan Cosala is well known for its natural hot spring baths. A relaxing way to work out your sore farmer’s muscles! There are a couple of options in town, and prices are around $100 pesos at each.
Ajijic’s cobblestone streets are well worth a Sunday stroll. While Ajijic is best known for its boutiques and restaurants, there are also two wonderful hikes, easily accessible from the town center. Head straight up Galeana, and stop at the fourteen stations of the Cross on your way to the Shrine overlooking the town and lake. The other hike, heading straight up from Dona’s Donuts and Farmacia Guadalajara, is a popular summer destination among locals, when the waterfalls are flowing. The Ajijic pier and adjacent park are local Sunday picnic spots.
Chapala, the county seat, is a picturesque town situated on the lake. From the Chapala pier, you can take boat excursions to nearby Scorpion Island, or just shop and relax along the boardwalk with the locals. Restaurants and small shops are also clustered around the town square.
Guided Tours
If you’re up for a little longer trip one Sunday, we have an experienced, bilingual guide who can help. As all of these destinations are a little further away, you’ll be happy to be driven right where you’re going. Prices listed below include transportation by car, parking and guide service. Lunch, snacks and entrance fees are additional.
Tonala & Tlaquepaque – both of these internationally known craft towns are located just south of Guadalajara. Sunday is market day in Tonala, and this is the place to shop! Find great deals on ceramics, glassware and almost any kind of traditional Mexican craft you can think of – as the streets are lined with vendors. From there, we’ll drive to Tlaquepaque where we’ll have a large Mexican-style comida (lunch) and stroll through more upscale shops and boutiques.
Cost for 1 person: $250 pesos
Cost for 2 or more: $150 pesos each
Guadalajara Centro – We’ll get up early and start the day with the University of Guadalajara’s Ballet Folklorico (in season) at 10:00 at the Teatro Diana. From there, we’ll explore the thousands of stalls selling everything from fruits and veggies to DVDs and leather goods and grab lunch in the Mercado Libertad. In the afternoon, we will stroll Guad’s amazing pedestrian areas and see the famous twin-towered Cathedral, neo-classical Teatro Degollado, and various Plazas. Depending on your preference, we can choose from several centrally located museums and government buildings before returning home.
Cost for 1 person: $250 pesos
Cost for 2 or more: $150 pesos each
E-mail us for internship application and further information
