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.

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.

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

Veracruz:

Ice cream

Tulia, Pablo, and me

Everyone in Veracruz

Villahermosa:

en La Venta

More pictures to come...hopefully sooner rather than later.

Happy 6 Months!!

I am currently experiencing deja vu, but 100 times better!

Since being back in Guanajuato, things have been pretty similar to how they were last semester at this time:
I have run from office to office trying to figure out how to register for classes
I have hiked to the Bufa
I have a roommate from Argentina
I eat meals with the family
I go to cafes, and plazas, and museums

What makes this semester even better, however, is that I actually understand what's going on! It's so interesting to experience the same process and do the same things, but with the understanding that whatever conversations I have or instructions I receive, I can handle it. It puts a whole new perspective on living in Guanajuato. I'm so proud of how far my language skills have come (although, don't worry, I still make an idiot out of myself quite frequently, I'm sure), and I know that I'll be able to enjoy myself even more this semester because I can be more outgoing instead of worried about myself all the time.

Classes start tomorrow...bring it on Spanish syntax!!

Coming Home

I am back in Guanajuato!

It's been very interesting for me to see how comfortable I've become in Mexico, and specifically Guanajuato; so much so that I now refer to it as "home" without even thinking.

When I was in Belize and Guatemala it was great to see different countries and experience new cultures. But, it was also somewhat exhausting because we had to adjust to everything and figure out what, for those that lived there, was normal and ordinary. It struck me how much work it really was when Shannon and I entered Mexico again in Chiapas. Road signs became familiar, brands and advertisements were things that I was more used to, and I began to hear "no manches" again!! There was definitely a feeling of being back in my comfort zone (who would have thought six months ago that Mexico and the Spanish language would be part of my comfort zone?)!

This morning, we got back to Guanajuato and there was an even stronger feeling of "home-ness." I was walking around downtown and ran into two people I knew who stopped to ask me about vacations, and then, when I was up at school looking at class schedules, I had lots of conversations with classmates and old professors. The feeling of being in a place where you belong and have a life and friends, and you're not merely a tourist, is one of the best in the world.

This does not signify, by any means, that I am done exploring the world. (I think my next two destinations are going to be Alaska and Argentina.) It is, however, nice to be settled back in Guanajuato for one more semester!

I can now add two more countries to the list of places I've been: Belize and Guatemala.

It's amazing how neighboring countries can be so entirely different (and sometimes so alike).

Traveling is NOT conducive to blogging, and there is just way too much that's happened...I wouldn't even know where to start.

Classes start relatively soon so I'll be back in Guanajuato in the next couple of days. I'm going to be kind of glad to be back in a place where I have all my stuff in my closet instead of my backpack, and I know for sure that I have a hot shower everyday. But, on the other hand, I'm going to miss traveling around, and seeing so many things, and meeting so many people.

(Evidently I still like lists as well...some things never change!! Hahaha.)

Happy New Year!

It is January 1st and I have a tan lines from both my bikini and my Chacos. Awesome.

On another note, I'm really excited for 2010. I know that everybody is kind of obligated to say that every time we enter a new year, but for real I'm excited. Why? Because 2010 should have looked something like this: begin student teaching in the next couple of days, graduate college, find a job in North Carolina, and begin my ¨real life¨as a teacher. Instead, I will spend six and half more months in Mexico, a country and people and language that I have fallen in love with, I will go back to UNCG to be a student for another year, and I'm sure the year will be filled with laughing, teaching, and learning. It's nice how things don't always turn out as planned...life is more interesting that way.