A University student finally left the confusion, death and instability of southern Mexico when she was greeted by her parents at the airport 7 p.m. Monday night.

In the past 12 days, Kimi Eisele (senior-English and geography), Libby Wentz (graduate-geography) and Karen O'Brien (graduate-geography) witnessed the first peasant uprising in 20 years at Chiapas, a Mexican state, while working on O'Brien's doctoral dissertation on deforestation in San Cristobal de las Casas.

While the threesome returned from celebrating the new year, the Zapatista National Liberation Army invaded the city. They did not hear about the rebellion, which eventually cut short their project, until the next morning.

"We couldn't get a news report," Eisele said. "All we could watch was Penn State football."

While Eisele was out visiting friends last night, her father Fred Eisele described her as healthy and in good spirits.

Eisele said she did not see any of the bloodshed, but did see the rebels.

The rebels, comprised of young men, women and some children, made an "attempt of a uniform," Eisele said. They sported new green pants, red bandannas and wooden rifles. Those in command wore face masks. But many of the tourists were not scared.

"It's like the American Indian," Eisele said. "They've been neglected."

Eisele's main complaint about the trip was that she could not do her research in the forests, but she may return in April.

The three students were advised by the U.S. Embassy to stay in the Don Quixote Hotel in San Cristobal de las Casas Jan. 1 when the rebels challenged 70 years of single-party rule. But a day later, some tourists ventured out of the hotel, and a few days after that, O'Brien and Eisele left to tour the Yucatan Peninsula.

Although she did not talk to any rebels, one Canadian told her he took them food. "They were very peaceful," Eisele said. "I didn't feel really nervous until the army arrived."

When the rebels seized the Government Palace, they threw desks and papers out the windows, Eisele said. "It could have been effective if the violence didn't happen."

Eisele described the army as "determined" and "ready to fight," and when the army arrived, she was thankful that the rebels had already departed. Eisele said she was never in any physical danger, but if the rebels had not been driven into the forests, she might have been caught in the crossfire.