Monika Loewy
Scrawled across the window in red graffiti next to my apartment in Oaxaca were written the words “Abre los Ojos.”  Although I noticed this immediately, I was unaware of the relevance this statement would have upon my journey into the field.  I was also unaware of the affect that the lives of the individuals in the community would have upon my own life. The various children, parents, teachers and women I met in the community helped me learn about my studies, but more importantly, about myself.  Working with the children suffering from lead poisoning awakened me to the difficulties and the beauty of working with people in the field.  The process was much more laborious than what I had initially planned; however, I also had not planned for the attachment I grew to the community and the children.
I first heard about the project in Santa Maria Atzompa in the winter of 2007. I was unsure as to whether I wanted to study anthropology, but knew that I wanted to make changes in the world.  Upon first arriving in Oaxaca, I was looking forward to the prospect of making changes and learning about applied anthropology.  Walking into a small town of dirt roads, donkeys, and bamboo fences was less than comforting.  Prior to this experience, it seemed easy to walk into a community and ask them questions.  However, after my experience in Atzompa, I began to understand the complexity of being from a different culture and trying to adapt in an unobtrusive way.  I also realized that working in the field takes practice, knowledge, understanding, persistence, and flexibility. 
 Thanks to the individuals in Atzompa and the help of Dr. Perez, I walked away with a stronger foothold on the reality of making changes, an appreciation for a different lifestyle, and a desire to return to the field.