Things I've learned in Mexico... so far

Sorry I haven't been able to post-- I don't really have access to a computer very often. I can usually use the one at the school, but the internet hasn't been working for a while. I finally went over to a friend's house and I'm using her computer, so unfortunately no pictures today. I can tell you about what has happened so far, though.

1. Cockroaches are not that scary if they aren't on your body. When they are though, it's the creepiest feeling in the world. I was taking a shower one morning and I felt something on my leg, so I kicked to get it off. I looked down. Yeah, ROACH. Totally the grossest thing ever. So then I started running away from it in the shower, but it kept following me. I finally splashed some water on it and it flipped over, so I was safe. Oh man, it was crazy. Anyway, I've gotten over that hurdle, so I guess it's downhill from here.

2. Mexicans know Mexico is scary. My family has big pieces of glass cemented on the top of their 15-foot-high walls so people don't try to get in. The outer doors are always really thick metal- whether it's a big sheet of metal or metal bars, it's pretty secure. They also always walk in the middle of the street at night so bad things don't happen. For all you worriers out there, don't worry. My family here is probably more worried than you are. They take every precaution possible and don't let me walk anywhere without them.

3. Mexicans don't know how to use an oven. Really, they don't. In every Mexican house I've been to here, they always store things in the oven like their big pans and griddles and stuff. It's super weird.

4. Mexican men are really blunt. Well, actually, all Mexicans are blunt. But especially the men. I was walking with one of the other teachers, Tracy, and this guy was like "So where are you from?" And we were like, "Oh, the US" (He was talking in English). And then he said to me, "Oh cool. Well, do you want to go get dinner with me and then see a movie?" And I was like "Whoa. Uhh... I gotta go now...." So yes, it's official, I've been asked out on a date here. There was no fooling around with this guy. I think people in the States could take a lesson or two from this guy.

5. Zumba classes are way more intense here than in the US. Or at least at BYU-Idaho. And they're always taught by gay guys. ALWAYS. Man, those guys can move their hips like gyroscopes. One guy wore sunglasses the whole time we were doing the class, which was weird, but he loved looking at himself so he had to be looking his best I guess. I think that being a Zumba instructor was the best career choice for him because he can just look at himself all day long. Gay guys here also have nails that are pointed. They're really long and they're cut so that they come to a point at the top. Unfortunately, the word for gay in Spanish is gay, so we can't talk about it in class.

6. Everyone who cooks for Americans asks if the food is too spicy. I, personally, can handle a lot of spice, so I always tell them no, but they always ask. They're afraid of making it too spicy for us gringos. I appreciate that, but I'm totally cool with it.

7. You cannot avoid street food. I was always told, "Don't eat the street food! You'll get sick!" But the families here buy chicken and pork off the street and cook with it anyway. There is just no way around it. I decided to bite the bullet and go for it so that I could get used to street food. I did end up getting pretty sick on Sunday, but it gave my family permission to dote on me, and they love doing that. We had to have the whole spiel about no tea or coffee or alcohol that day, but luckily they brought me herbal tea, so I didn't have to turn it down. But after that one time that I told them, they have defended me ever since. If someone ever offers me coffee, Marta will always speak up first- "No no, ella no toma cafe." It's nice.

8. There is a special way that you eat with tortillas. You can eat it like a taco, but there is a special way you do it. You break off a piece of it and fold it in a particular way (it's too hard to explain without pictures), and then you eat everything like that. Potatoes, soup, beans, everything. Usually there's no silverware. It's been fun to see the look on their faces when I eat stuff with a fork. They always say "No, with your hands!" It's been fun to learn a new way of eating.

Overall, life here is so great. I've only taught the ninos once since I've been here, but it's okay. I will get better at teaching eventually. To be honest, yesterday was pretty bad. I was almost in tears after the first class. I felt like I was really thrown into the lion's den. The second class went a lot better, but I just don't know what to do about that first class. There are so many kids in it, they're super crazy hyper, and I really don't have any idea what I'm doing. The school in Mexico is kind of unorganized right at this second because we don't have a lot of teachers here. Everything is just packed and it's really hard to teach the ILP program with too many kids. I'll get the hang of it, but yesterday was pretty disastrous. They said in training that you'll get it in about a month. I guess we'll see how it goes.

Hope everything is good in the States. Life here is pretty amazing. I really do love it here, and I'm glad I get to be here for so long. Thanks to everyone, especially the fam, for all your support. Love you guys!!!

A Literary Mash-Up

Okay so a month ago, I talked about great literature, and I encouraged people to read a classic. While trying to decide which book to pick, finals happened. I got so slammed with projects and papers and my job that I was out of the reading game for a little while. Don't you worry, I did read something this past month. But when I moved back home, I had a thought cross my mind: What makes the classics classics? What kinds of books have been put out within my lifetime that would be considered good literature? So I decided to do a little experiment. I was going to compare my reading of something like Pride and Prejudice and something that came out in our lifetime: Harry Potter.

Before you fly off the handle about having the audacity to compare something so great as Pride and Prejudice with something so minimal as Harry Potter, I'd like to clarify. I know perfectly well that Jane Austen could outdo J.K. Rowling every day of her life. I was comparing how I read it. How did I feel while reading it? Does this book make me want to be a better person? What does it say about life? How can I implement the things that are said in this book in my own life? I thought Harry Potter would put up a fairly decent fight. And, let's face it: the wizarding world is a pretty amazing place. And I think the patronus charm is really cool. My patronus would take the form of an otter.

So after reading the first two (and part of the third), here's what I have come up with. I think that the Harry Potter books are wonderful. They, for certain, have some literary qualities. But they don't fit the criterion of a truly literary book. The plot makes the book. A plot-based book could never stand up to the characterization and symbolism and diction that a Jane Austen book has. Take Mr. Darcy, for example. Sure, there is plot in Jane Austen's book, but the character Mr. Darcy can stand by himself. People have written volumes about Mr. Darcy. Every girl wants a Mr. Darcy in their life. Not only did Austen build a great character in Mr. Darcy, a protagonist, but she also built the side characters, like Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Mary (Lizzy's sister), Mr. Collins, etc. In my small opinion, the reason that Pride and Prejudice is literary is because Austen created characters and let their actions reflect their nature, thus creating plot. Let me reiterate: The characters created the plot by merely being themselves. The greatest pieces of the plot in that story are the unveiling of the true natures of two men: Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham. Characterization runs the plot in literary works.

Now let's take that to Harry Potter. Events just happen to Harry Potter and his friends. He receives an invisibility cloak, which enables him to sneak around the castle by night and discover secret passageways. Hagrid happens to let things slip to our three heroes more often than it should. Plot plot plot. And plot is exciting. It's just not literary.

But like I mentioned before, it does have literary characteristics. Dumbledore, for example, provides the best literary nourishment. He has all these great one liners that change your life forever. He embodies the stereotypical cute old man, yet demonstrates great strength of character when needed. That's why everyone loves Dumbledore! J.K. Rowling took the time to develop his character for the reader and gave him the role of "the wise one with all the answers." It is this redeeming quality that makes the Harry Potter books worthwhile. Dumbledore's words do make me want to change my life. They do something for my soul. They teach truth. So while I cannot say that the Harry Potter books are literary, I still stand behind them. And props to J.K. Rowling for getting millions of children all across America (and the world, for that matter) to pick up a book and read 700 pages.

So thanks J.K. Rowling, for creating a wonderful world of imagination for the youth.