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February 12, 2007
Walking With the Dead
I feel like I haven’t written in a while and that’s because things have been very, very busy. Last week, I had a lot of work—too much work—but of course I got everything done—essays for Dra. Shrimpton, reading for Literatura Latinoamericana, etc.
This week I had my first presentation at the UADY. I presented for 15 minutes in front of my Antrologia Mexicana class on Alfonso Villa Rojas, a Mexican anthropologist that was born in Merida and worked to integrate indigenous peoples into the national culture. I think it’s really interesting how Mexico has worked for so long to dissolve the Mayan identity. At the same time, the government makes a lot of money off of the Mayan ruins from tourism. The presentation went well overall, although I didn’t know that I needed to reserve the PowerPoint display equipment 3 days before the presentation! But, Cesaire helped me find one in an empty classroom and everything turned out just fine.
Eugenia is a really nice maestro and I really wasn’t that nervous presenting for her and the rest of the class…
And, on Friday, I spent the entire day working on my project with Maria Jose and Erich for Literature Caribena. We met in the UADY central at 1pm and I didn’t return until 9:30 to my house. And we still didn’t get everything done! We ended up passing a lot of the time in El Hoyo, my new favorite hang out and then after I went over at Erich’s house in the Norte for a while to work on the project, too. He’s got a really big house and such a nice dog….
I have to say that it was fun to be able to discuss literature in Spanish (yes, I know the nerd that I am). And, it was especially interesting to compare our book (Ancho mar de los sargassos: Jean Rhys) to other great works of literature. And I found myself talking a lot about Morrison’s literary critique “Playing in the Dark” that we worked with a lot last semester… Eng. 239 was definitely worth taking….
Friday morning (before the project) I was at Colegio Americano again. My class got changed – but finalized—and I will now be teaching some older students. The school will be holding a Creative Writing Contest next month and the elizabeth of the program asked me to be on the Judging Panel. Apparently, this contest is a big deal. Every student works with 2 teammates. They have to write a short story on a picture that the school provides. Then, they have to read the story in front of all the other students, elizabeths, and the Yucatan State elizabeth of Education. I’m sure that they will be very nervous when the time comes to present their stories.
The class went well though, all in all, and they liked the lesson that I prepared. I brought in brown paper bags with different items inside each—soap, puzzle pieces, pens, etc. and I asked them to describe what was in each bag without looking at the object. They could feel the object, smell it, see if it made a noise, but they could not see it. The first person to tell me the object’s name in English won the round.
Saturday was our last full day excursion with Carlos and without Elizabeth. We went to a small pueblo, Pomuch, in the state of Campeche to learn more about Mexicans’ view of death. We walked into a cemetery and learned that here in Mexico, many believe that it is a communal right to view the dead. Hence, for three years after a person dies, their bones are put up for public viewing in a “cemetery” of sorts, so that people can pass good will and wishes onto the deceased bones.
Walking through the cemetery at first was totally eerie, but as minutes passed, I learned a lot about the cultural differences in this subject matter. I actually felt quite calm walking past skulls, bodies on the floor, finger bones, and the like. And I realized that my view on death is a totally Americanized concept--- it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s just the result of cultural tradition. While we were walking around, Carlos taught us a lot about El Dia de Los Muertos, tambien. And, I was able to use what I learned from my reading in Michigan about Octavio Paz to add to the conversation.
Afterwards, we went to Campeche, Campeche, to eat directly on the water. Campeche is the oldest seaport on the Yucatan peninsula and once home to pirates from the Caribbean. Yes, pirates including the infamous “Pegleg” (Pata de Palo) himself. In their most gruesome assault, in early 1663, the various pirate hordes set aside their rivalries to converge as a single flotilla upon the city, where they massacred many of Campeche’s citizens.
We passed through the city walls (and saw Melissa and Rachel from the other group, coincidently, along the way) and made our way to the centro. While the culture is muy parecida, it’s interesting to note that differences do exist between the two states. That’s why (as Carlos finally clarified for Ben) when you say “Yucatecan” you refer to the person from the state—not the peninsula as a whole--- because people here identify themselves strongly with their state’s identity.
A Little Bit About Campeche from my Travel Guide:
“The 56,000 sq km state has the highest average altitude of the peninsula’s three states. Hills begin not far inland from much of the coastline, and in the southern part of the state the land rises gradually from west to east…unlike other parts of the peninsula, which contain largely light forest and brush, 30% of Campeche is covered with jungle. Marshlands, ponds and inlets are common along the state’s coastline…”
“In 1999, Unesco added the city of Campeche to its list of World Heritage sites…During Campeche’s heyday, wealthy Spanish families built mansions, many of which still stand. Two segments of the city’s famous wall have survived the times as well, as have no fewer than seven of the baluartes that were built into it….”
“Once a Mayan trading village called Ah Kim Pech (Lord Sun Sheep-Tick), Campeche was first approached by the Spaniards in 1517. The Maya resisted, and for nearly a quarter of a century the Spaniards were unable to fully conquer the region. Colonial Campeche was founded in 1531, but later abandoned due to the Mayan hostility. By 1540 the conquistadors had gained sufficient control, under the leadership of Francisco de Montejo the Younger, to found a settlement here that survived….”
Campeche was really nice and interesting. We walked atop forts, saw some cannons that overlooked the Gulf, and went into a museum to see a lot of the artifacts discovered around the area and from other Mayan sites. And it was nice to walk around without Elizabeth and have the opportunity to ask more questions and speak more Spanish.
Also this week, I spoke to Erich about traveling over the Semana Santa week. We’re looking into different options, but I am definitely certain that I will not stick around here in Merida. Plans are in the works…and I’ve been busy listening to all the new Spanish music that I’ve downloaded/uploaded onto my computer… Elvis Crespo, Allison, Belanova, Celia Cruz…ir’s been great….
And, over the weekend I had a really nice conversation with my host parents about life back in the United States, what I’ve felt about my experience so far, and if there’s anything they can do to help better my experience. I really appreciate all the help they give me and how they go out of their way to make sure I’m having a good time and a safe time here in Merida. I can’t say how lucky I am to have them as host parents.
In other news, Ben went back to being a meat eater for the 4th time in a row… first a meat eater, than a vegetarian. Back and forth and back and forth. I really don’t understand this situation, but I suppose it’s best that he does whatever makes him happy. And yes, that’s a diplomatic answer. Apparently his symptoms all have to do with misshapen enzymes and lime juice. Or something like that.
There’s something that I’ve been meaning to write now, for a while. You know, as I spend more and more time here in Merida, I look at my fellow companeros in the Rutgers Group and I often wonder why it is that they don’t take advantage of all the opportunities and experiences that are available here in Mexico. I fully understand and appreciate that I am expected to do my studying and academic learning here in Mexico—and I am. I have never been a slacker and don’t particularly feel the need to start slacking off any time now. But I do believe that the only way to truly make the most of this experience is to go out there and do things—to go out and meet Mexican students, to go to Mayan ruins, to walk into the Centro (even when I have nothing particular to buy), to try panuchos and salbutes and café con leche and jaimaica. And I do this even if it means staying out late on a school night, or bringing my book to read out in a busy park. Because to me, that’s what “Study abroad” is all about. It’s about studying in another country. Its about learning the ways of another culture, learning to engage in Spanish conversation, and learning to appreciate diversity and the uniqueness of others.
I look at the members of my group and note how they stay in their rooms all day, passing time listening to American music, watching dvd’s of “Grey’s Anatomy” and “LOST” on their computers, and I often take a step back and question myself: Am I doing the right thing? What are they thinking? Do they know what they’re missing? Why am I here?
And although I keep questioning myself, I always end up at the same answers.
I’m here to learn. I’m here to interact. I’m here to explore. I’m here because I want to be here and I want to make the most of this experience.
And I dont think I have to justify my answer for anyone.
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Posted by jlsumich at February 12, 2007 05:21 PM