SLA RESEARCH ON SELF-DIRECTION: THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL ISSUES

the reader to be able to understand the background of both, learners and teachers that work
in the Self-Access Centre in Oaxaca.

2.4.2 Oaxaca and its university

As Mexico is a very large country, the situation of the North and the South is very
different. Generally speaking, the Northern states are richer and more prosperous in many
senses. In addition, their closeness to the USA results in a fairly different way of thinking
and being of its inhabitants from people living in the Central and Southern regions. As
regards the English language, it is clear that there is an easier access to it in the North than in
the South.

Oaxaca (see map in Appendix 1), located in the Southern part of the country, is the
poorest Mexican state. The only industrial development is tourism. Most of its inhabitants
live in the countryside and struggle for living on agricultural production.

Oaxaca's capital city, also called 0axaca3, is 463 km. away from Mexico City and
very far from the USA border. However, there are several ways in which Oaxaca and its
inhabitants come in contact with English-speaking people. First, Oaxaca is one of the
biggest tourist centres in Mexico. There are visitors from all over the world around the year,
and most of them are from USA and Canada.

Second, there is a floating population of foreigners that live in Oaxaca, as tourists,
for long periods of time. This phenomenon is reflected in different aspects of the Oaxacan
life. The zocalo (the main square), the archaeological sites, the museums, the galleries, and
most of the restaurants and hotels are regularly visited by English-speaking people. There
are certain areas of the city and certain villages nearby that have become "foreignised". This
means that most of the housing facilities are aimed at foreigner buyers and renters. Their
style and prices are not affordable for most Oaxacans.

Third, there are many villages whose inhabitants are still Oaxacans, however they are
in constant contact with English-speaking people. The reasons to visit these places are to buy

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