From the small town of Vincennes in southern Indiana, Andres Ayala grew up in a predominantly white area and moved through predominantly white schools. His family is originally from the state of Jalisco in Mexico, and Andres has always cared deeply about connecting to his family’s roots.
“Growing up, I knew I was Mexican, but I never felt connected to the community because I’m from a small town in Indiana,” he said. “So I wasn’t really exposed to the culture outside of my family. I want to inspire other Mexican Americans to embrace their roots and I want to share my experience [in Mexico] as an impetus for them to consider engaging with their roots.”
It’s this love for his heritage that moved Andres to apply for the English Teaching Assistant Award from the Fulbright Program.
“I understand what it’s like to live in the grey area between one culture and another,” said Andres, “and I’ve embraced my heritage and I want others to experience the same.”
To that end, he knew that pursuing a Fulbright award and teaching in Mexico was his goal. Andres applied for the English Teaching Assistant award for the first time as a senior at IU but didn’t receive it that year. After graduating with dual degrees in Spanish in the College of Arts and Sciences and international studies in the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, he sought a niche for himself where he could serve his community, and found an opportunity in Indianapolis as a paralegal in immigration law.
“It was there that I was able to further prove my commitment to advocating for and working with immigrant communities in the U.S.,” he said, “and it was then that I reapplied while I was working.”
Andres made his way through two rounds of approval in the Fulbright process and was approved by COMEXUS, Mexico’s joint intercultural exchange commission that helps award and administer Fulbright awards with the U.S. Fulbright arm, to begin teaching in the city of Chetumal, the capital of the state of Quintana Roo, located on the east coast of the Yucatán peninsula.
Working at the Universidad de Quintana Roo, Andres is an English teaching assistant. He splits his time each week between leading conversation circles with students and assisting English teachers by giving cultural context to the material they’re learning. The conversation circles allow students to talk and ask questions while Andres shares information about American culture.
“I’ve been sharing my favorite aspects of culture in the U.S.,” he said, “like the diversity of our gastronomy and having access to food from Thailand, India, Japan, Guatemala, or El Salvador, but also the diversity of American food geographically, like Cajun food from Louisiana, comfort food from the South, or even the humor of an Indiana fried pork tenderloin sandwich. That has truly opened their minds about the U.S. and they’re really interested in experiencing that.”
Students and even other teachers at the Universidad tell him that they want to take a trip to the U.S. to experience the diversity of American culture that he’s shared with them.
It's been beautiful, he said, witnessing the future of Mexico through his students. In classroom discussion, he’s seen how they break away from the opinions held by their families and elders and are standing their ground – something he’s seen in the youngest generation in the U.S. as well.
While he’s been teaching about American culture, Andres has also been absorbing a lot of Mexican culture and values during his stay. “Mexico demands that you live in the present,” he said. “Let go of what you’re thinking about in the future and really enjoy the present.” Still finding his niche, Andres is aware that whatever path is waiting for him on the other side of teaching, he will be using his skills to serve Mexican Americans in the U.S.
“I’m super passionate about Mexican Americans reconnecting with their heritage,” Andres said. “I’m absolutely available to support them through that whether it be through the Fulbright process or in their own way.”
