The past couple of days several people have paid me lots of compliments. The surprising thing (or maybe not so surprising) was that I was completely taken aback by all of them.
This morning when I was running I was thinking about what had been said to me, and then a thought came to me: I might be a "gringa con buena onda" (and I don't think that it's as quite a contradiction as some people think; I know lots of Americans who are really open to new things and don't think the world revolves around them), but I wonder if what people see when they look at me is actually the love that Jesus has for the world (because I don't think I can claim some of the things people have told me)? I can only hope so...
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Last night I went with a couple of friends to see the movie Norteado which is about a guy in Tijuana, Mexico as he tries several times to cross the border into the US. (REALLY good movie by the way, I definitely recommend it.)
Andres tries to cross several times but is always found by border patrol (whose office is set up with a huge pictures of George W. Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger) and sent back to Mexico. During this time, he works in Tijuana at a fruteria run by two women whose husbands "crossed" and then were never heard from again. At the end of the movie, Andres and his friends finally get the idea to build him into a big armchair and someone drives him across the border in a truck.
For me, the movie was really powerful because it deals with such a touchy topic between Mexico and the US. I don't pretend to know much (if anything) about the politics of immigration, but it really saddens me to think that we as humans can treat one another in such an inhumane way.
After the movie, Julieta (a friend from Argentina) asked me why everyone wanted to go to the US if immigrants are treated as badly as they sometimes are. I gave her the normal answers of job opportunities, education, etc., but it sounded really shallow, even to me. Why do people want to move to the US? I'm not too sure...
Armando, a Mexican who also went with us to see the movie, said that it didn't really shock him as much as it did us because in the news there are always reports of immigrants who were sent back across the border, some mistreated. Once again, I was shocked that this is some people's reality: constantly hoping for a "better" life and repeatedly being thwarted in their search for the "American Dream."
Again, I don't know exactly how I feel about all of this, but I wish it wasn't such a harsh reality.
Andres tries to cross several times but is always found by border patrol (whose office is set up with a huge pictures of George W. Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger) and sent back to Mexico. During this time, he works in Tijuana at a fruteria run by two women whose husbands "crossed" and then were never heard from again. At the end of the movie, Andres and his friends finally get the idea to build him into a big armchair and someone drives him across the border in a truck.
For me, the movie was really powerful because it deals with such a touchy topic between Mexico and the US. I don't pretend to know much (if anything) about the politics of immigration, but it really saddens me to think that we as humans can treat one another in such an inhumane way.
After the movie, Julieta (a friend from Argentina) asked me why everyone wanted to go to the US if immigrants are treated as badly as they sometimes are. I gave her the normal answers of job opportunities, education, etc., but it sounded really shallow, even to me. Why do people want to move to the US? I'm not too sure...
Armando, a Mexican who also went with us to see the movie, said that it didn't really shock him as much as it did us because in the news there are always reports of immigrants who were sent back across the border, some mistreated. Once again, I was shocked that this is some people's reality: constantly hoping for a "better" life and repeatedly being thwarted in their search for the "American Dream."
Again, I don't know exactly how I feel about all of this, but I wish it wasn't such a harsh reality.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
What I'm Learning
A couple of days ago I was talking with my friend Lisa about how "normal" being in Mexico has become. (Note: Not that life has become any less exciting; it's just that Guanajuato has now adopted us, and it feels like we belong here.) For example, for both of us it is completely natural to speak Spanish all day long, many days without speaking a word of our native languages. We don't speak perfectly by any means, but it's passable :) It's kind of a feeling of "Of course we speak Spanish...what else would we speak?"
Because of this integration of the language, I'm now learning a lot more than just Spanish (although I'm still working on my Spanish everyday). It's become more of the context than the actual object of study.
-I'm playing in the school orchestra this semester and rehearsals are, of course, completely in Spanish. (Although I think I will always and forever count music in English...)
-I have German class four days a week. I love it, and the hour and 15 minutes fly by every day. Since we're all just beginners 95% of the class is explaining in Spanish. It's so cool to learn a foreign language through another foreign language :)
-My friend Coleman began to teach me some guitar this past month. I can play the song "Wagon Wheel" (but not very well yet).
-I'm training with two of my friends to hopefully run a half marathon in June before the semester ends here. So I've also been running quite a bit...and the entire time we run, we have conversations in Spanish!
It's so exciting to learn new things and be involved in all sorts of things all within the context of Mexico and Spanish. I think I've discovered that I really just like to learn. Life is so much more interesting when you're constantly thinking about things in a new way. It's like the saying that goes, "The more you learn, the more you realize how little you actuallly know." The more I find out about things in this world, the more I want to learn...it's a never-ending process.
Other note: Today marks exactly seven months in Mexico. Could time PLEASE slow down?! :(
Because of this integration of the language, I'm now learning a lot more than just Spanish (although I'm still working on my Spanish everyday). It's become more of the context than the actual object of study.
-I'm playing in the school orchestra this semester and rehearsals are, of course, completely in Spanish. (Although I think I will always and forever count music in English...)
-I have German class four days a week. I love it, and the hour and 15 minutes fly by every day. Since we're all just beginners 95% of the class is explaining in Spanish. It's so cool to learn a foreign language through another foreign language :)
-My friend Coleman began to teach me some guitar this past month. I can play the song "Wagon Wheel" (but not very well yet).
-I'm training with two of my friends to hopefully run a half marathon in June before the semester ends here. So I've also been running quite a bit...and the entire time we run, we have conversations in Spanish!
It's so exciting to learn new things and be involved in all sorts of things all within the context of Mexico and Spanish. I think I've discovered that I really just like to learn. Life is so much more interesting when you're constantly thinking about things in a new way. It's like the saying that goes, "The more you learn, the more you realize how little you actuallly know." The more I find out about things in this world, the more I want to learn...it's a never-ending process.
Other note: Today marks exactly seven months in Mexico. Could time PLEASE slow down?! :(
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
I am SO behind.
Since starting this semester, I have found that I'm really busy (surprise, surprise) doing all sorts of things (but that's another post in and of itself). I hate that I don't have as much time to blog, write in my journal, or Skype with people...I think I'm going to have to find a better balance? For now at least are the rest of the highlights of my Christmas break travels!
Palenque: definitely one of my favorite spots in Mexico
What happens when you've seen too many pyramids; you just want to jump off of them!
Hiking in the jungle in Chiapas! Que padre!
Christmas Eve dinner!
Chichen Itza
Beach in Tulum...beautiful!
Typical meal in Belize: chicken, rice and beans, potatoes, and watermelon juice. Yum!
Tapado en Livingston, Guatemala...the meal where everything comes with eyes and legs still attached. (I'm still not too convinced.)
Tikal in Guatemala
Couch surfing in Xela! So much fun!
Coffee in Chiapas :)
Monte Alban in Oaxaca. The end of a wonderful trip!
Palenque: definitely one of my favorite spots in Mexico
What happens when you've seen too many pyramids; you just want to jump off of them!
Hiking in the jungle in Chiapas! Que padre!
Christmas Eve dinner!
Chichen Itza
Beach in Tulum...beautiful!
Typical meal in Belize: chicken, rice and beans, potatoes, and watermelon juice. Yum!
Tapado en Livingston, Guatemala...the meal where everything comes with eyes and legs still attached. (I'm still not too convinced.)
Tikal in Guatemala
Couch surfing in Xela! So much fun!
Coffee in Chiapas :)
Monte Alban in Oaxaca. The end of a wonderful trip!Sunday, February 7, 2010
How do you picture Mexico?
A generalized American view of Mexico: immigrants, drug trafficking, swine flu, dirty water, lots of poverty (and, if you're in college, Spring Break Cancun trips).
I remember how several people asked me before coming here, "Why Mexico? They also speak Spanish in Spain." Yes. I really don't know exactly why Mexico appealed to me so much, but I am so glad that I am here as opposed to anywhere else in the world right now.
The other day I read something a friend had written about how the US view toward Mexico tended to focus on the negative. It was then followed by something along the lines of, "and many of my friends who come to Mexico on mission trips only have these stereotypes reinforced."
This idea has stuck with me since I read it because it's so true. I had been to Mexico a couple times on mission trips before, and you are exposed to things that maintain these stereotypes such as the extreme poverty, the lack of work, places with no electricity or clean drinking water.
But, Mexico is so much different and bigger than just that tiny little view. There are places with theater, commercial grocery stores, commercial movie theaters complete with popcorn and all, parking decks, museums, upscale bars and restaurants and clubs, etc. These aspects are just as valid and important as the others previously mentioned.
At the end of it all, Mexico is structured like any other country. Yes, there is poverty (like in the US if we look around), but there is also a rich culture (in many ways that I like more than that of the US) where family is extremely important, where people take walks around the plazas and stop to really chat with their neighbors and their friends, where people really take time to dress up to go to parties, weddings, etc.
So, all this to say, that maybe we as a Church are just contributing to the idea of "Since I'm more privileged and have more material resources, I feel obligated to help you." While I'm certainly not bashing helping your neighbor and being generous with what you have, we need to keep in mind that this could (and should) be applied equally to Africa, South America, Europe, and your neighbor across the street in the suburb where you live. It is NOT exclusive to "third-world countries."
My idea is that the next mission trip you take to Mexico should be to a middle-class community, instead of the rural desert or the urban slums. I think you would be surprised at how different Mexico can be from what you actually think it is...and maybe you'll be given more than what you yourself can give them.
I remember how several people asked me before coming here, "Why Mexico? They also speak Spanish in Spain." Yes. I really don't know exactly why Mexico appealed to me so much, but I am so glad that I am here as opposed to anywhere else in the world right now.
The other day I read something a friend had written about how the US view toward Mexico tended to focus on the negative. It was then followed by something along the lines of, "and many of my friends who come to Mexico on mission trips only have these stereotypes reinforced."
This idea has stuck with me since I read it because it's so true. I had been to Mexico a couple times on mission trips before, and you are exposed to things that maintain these stereotypes such as the extreme poverty, the lack of work, places with no electricity or clean drinking water.
But, Mexico is so much different and bigger than just that tiny little view. There are places with theater, commercial grocery stores, commercial movie theaters complete with popcorn and all, parking decks, museums, upscale bars and restaurants and clubs, etc. These aspects are just as valid and important as the others previously mentioned.
At the end of it all, Mexico is structured like any other country. Yes, there is poverty (like in the US if we look around), but there is also a rich culture (in many ways that I like more than that of the US) where family is extremely important, where people take walks around the plazas and stop to really chat with their neighbors and their friends, where people really take time to dress up to go to parties, weddings, etc.
So, all this to say, that maybe we as a Church are just contributing to the idea of "Since I'm more privileged and have more material resources, I feel obligated to help you." While I'm certainly not bashing helping your neighbor and being generous with what you have, we need to keep in mind that this could (and should) be applied equally to Africa, South America, Europe, and your neighbor across the street in the suburb where you live. It is NOT exclusive to "third-world countries."
My idea is that the next mission trip you take to Mexico should be to a middle-class community, instead of the rural desert or the urban slums. I think you would be surprised at how different Mexico can be from what you actually think it is...and maybe you'll be given more than what you yourself can give them.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Thanks Lydia
I corrected my grammar in my last post. You should read the new and improved version so all of you know that I CAN speak proper English.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Some Overdue Photos
I'm sorry I'm lazy and haven't blogged :( Here are some photos that will hopefully make up for it.
Puebla:
Laura eating chapulines (grasshoppers). Yum.
Train museum
Pasitas of Puebla
Laura and me showing our opinions of live Christmas trees
Ice cream
Tulia, Pablo, and me
Everyone in Veracruz
en La Venta
Puebla:
Laura eating chapulines (grasshoppers). Yum.
Train museum
Pasitas of Puebla
Laura and me showing our opinions of live Christmas treesVeracruz:
Ice cream
Tulia, Pablo, and me
Everyone in VeracruzVillahermosa:
en La VentaMore pictures to come...hopefully sooner rather than later.
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