Canada Mexico - Reflections Angeles Mendoza For one month I participated in student life at EVDS and it has changed my ideas about education issues in North America. Before arriving I thought that we were the only country in North America with a lack of financial support for research, and the constraints of severe budget cuts in education and other public services. It surprised me to hear both students and professors commenting on this situation. There is a trend toward closer relationships among North American countries, but Mexico and Canada know little about each other. If we do indeed have similar problems, we should work together to look for solutions remembering that some of our social, economic and environmental realities need unique attention. More student exchanges between Mexican and Canadian universities will increase the understanding of our similarities and differences, which is necessary for the development of future policies. During my visit I attended a block course on ozone water treatment and a conference on environmental ethics and backcountry recreation. They both dealt with forms of environmental degradation due to human activities. Mexico, the US and Canada share natural resources, and degradation in one country affects the other two. If we are looking for effective solutions at a regional level, today's education should promote better understanding of different groups' values and ideologies in order to enhance communication and participation amongst them. This is of great importance at an international level where cooperation is necessary. I hope that more Canadian students will have the opportunity to take courses in Mexico and that more Mexicans will find the means to come here. I would like to thank all those who made me feel at home. Angeles is a graduate student from the National University of Mexico, where she also teaches an undergraduate course in Natural Resource Conservation.

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