Blogs- in 2 weeks!

I have lots of exciting things to talk about, because I just got back from Mexico City and I'm leaving Monday for a 2 week trip with other exchange students, but I don't have time right now! I barely had time to get back, unpack, and pack a new suitcase! I promise, though, that in December there will be at least 2 blog posts regarding my adventures in Mexico!

P.S. If you want to comment, but don't know how, just e-mail me at wagner.tay@gmail.com
P.P.S. I don't know how to comment on other blogs, so I won't judge you :)

Dia de Muertos

This year I celebrated my very first “Día de Muertos”, or “Day of the Dead”. I had heard of Day of the Dead festivities throughout my four years of Spanish, but never having taken part in the celebration, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Let’s start with a little history: Day of the Dead is actually TWO days, November 1^st and November 2^nd, which for all the Catholics happens to be All Saints Day and All Souls Day. The first day is dedicated to children, the second to everyone else. This is of course not coincidental.  Day of the Dead originated in Mexico way before the Spanish arrived. The exact date is unknown but it has been speculated that the idea originated with the Olmecs, possibly as long as 3000 years ago. This concept was passed to other cultures such as the Toltecs, Maya, Zapotec, Mixtec and Aztecs. Zapotec and Mixtec influence are strong in Oaxaca. The Aztec celebration was held during the Aztec month of Miccailhuitontli, presided over by the goddess Mictecacihuatl Lady of the Dead, and dedicated to children and the dead. Following the Spanish conquest of Mexico during the 16th century, there was a strong effort to convert the native population to Catholicism. There was a good deal of reluctance on the part of the indigenous people which resulted in a blending of old customs with the new religion.

                One of the traditions is setting up altars in homes in honor of their deceased relatives and loved ones. A Day of the Dead altar includes fruit, candles, flowers, water, and favorite beverages and foods of the deceased. I helped with my family’s altar, which we decorated with colored papers, before adding the offerings. Our altar had fruit, flowers, coffee, tequila, a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, and candles. I personally am a big fan of decorating for any holiday, so I really enjoyed it. I also had the opportunity to decorate an altar with the women Rotarians in another Rotarians house. This altar was much bigger with three levels. My very creative cousin, Tony, came with and was immediately chosen to be in charge of the decorating. This altar included bread and sugar skulls, along with all the other typical elements.

My altar!

Rotary's Altar

On November 1^st, our Rotary club had a dinner to celebrate. We were told to dress up, so I dressed up as a “catrina” or skeleton, wearing traditional clothes. This ensemble is frequently seen on TV in the days leading up to Day of the Dead. What do you think? We ate tamales, Rotarians sang Karaoke and told jokes, and I ended up falling asleep in the car. With my face painted as a skeleton, my parents said my sleeping face was quite frightening at 3 in the morning, when we finally left the party.

  

                On November 2^nd, my family took me with them to visit the cemeteries where their relatives are buried. The cemeteries were very different from any I’ve ever seen, and really full. We left flowers on the graves, and continued on to two more cemeteries to do the same. Although my family didn’t, there were many people eating lunch on their relatives’ graves. This is not seen as disrespectful at all, in fact it’s a way to remember and share the celebration with their loved ones.

                The traditions of Day of the Dead create an entirely different outlook on death for those who partake in the holiday. Death is not seen as something scary and unknown, it is just a part of life. Although I spent the day walking through cemeteries, I did not really feel sad. It was nice to honor the graves, even if it is just one day a year. This was a very important part of my exchange experience because I actually took part in an important cultural holiday. I was able to integrate into their traditions as well as share some of my own culture.

"We're thinking of getting another dog..."

Before going to Mexico, I understood that life would go on in Wisconsin without me. The seasons would go from summer to fall to winter to spring, just like they always do. My siblings would get taller. My family would go on trips and make memories without me. The highway construction project would continue. They would finish repairing the steeple of a church in town. It all made sense, I mean we all know that time doesn’t just stop.

                Now that I’m in Mexico, I like to think that time has actually stopped in Wisconsin. That it’s still summer, my siblings have not changed at all, all construction and advancement in general has been postponed, and everything would stay exactly as it was. I realized today when my family decided to get a puppy, that this is not the case. Just a couple days ago my mom happened to mention that she was thinking of MAYBE getting a dog. Today I get an e-mail from my little cousin that clarifies; my mom knew she was going to get a dog in the next day or so. It’s one thing to be with your family when they tell you there’s a new pet in the house and there in front of your face is a real, live dog. But it’s very different to be in another country, see a picture of a dog, and be able to grasp the whole concept. So here I am, saying, “Oh, what a cute dog! Puppies are so cute,” but it hasn’t sunk in that when I get back to my house sometime next summer, there will actually be a real dog there. This is not really that big of a change. My parents could decide to move to another country, or do something truly drastic. Buying a dog is not traumatic in any way, shape, or form. I like to imagine going on walks with this new family pet, being good friends. I also have a fear it will hate me and refuse to let me enter the house. Anyways, my point is:

It is really easy to go and do and accept that you personally will change from all the new experiences in your host country. It is not quite as simple to believe that your family will also change, they will have new experiences because of your absence, and that life goes on. I will have to accept it, though, because it’s happening. Life won’t stop because I’m not there, and that’s a good thing. Youth exchange isn’t really just a year of transition for the students; it is a transition for the entire family. At least my family got a puppy instead of moving and forgetting to tell me.

Mail!

2 Months in Mexico!!!

Before I left for exchange, we had an assignment from Rotary to read "The Exchange Student's Survival Guide", which at the time was almost painful. I literally fell asleep everytime I opened the book. Now, though, it has become a prized possesion, and I can read chapters as if they were the most interesting thing ever written. According to this sacred book, from the end of the first month until the fourth month students experience culture fatigue. Also known as spontaneously bursting into tears, getting angry for no reason, falling asleep at any time, etc. Let's just say that book somehow managed to exactly pinpoint how I feel now, at the milestone of 2 months in Mexico. Before anyone gets the wrong idea, I am very, very happy in Mexico. I have an awesome host family and I have lots of fun here. I do not want to come home, so no one try to tell my parents they need to come get me. I would tell them thanks for visiting, but I'm not leaving. SO, everyone understands I'm happy and don't want to leave? Alright, I'm glad we are all on the same page. But, being an exchange student can be tiring, and sometimes you just miss your home- it's all you have ever known, after all. In fact, besides my family, I miss things like going to the grocery store or renting movies on TV.

Luckily though, the mail has a way of arriving just when you need it. Today I received a package from home! I am now the proud owner of 2 beautiful ball point pens, a brand new book, a book borrowed from a friend, and some awesome ties for my eco friendly, closet's best friend shoes. Mohops, look them up, they are amazing. Anyways, whenever I receive anything from home I make a scene. For instance, when the mail man walked to our door today and asked for Taylor, I hurdled over furniture and nearly tripped on my computer cord to get there, I guess I thought if I didn't hurry he would leave. Anyways, I had to sign for it, and it took me like 3 tries to understand where. (I do understand Spanish, I promise, I was just so excited!) In my excitement I forgot to notice that he said my name right. 10 points to the mail man! ALSO, I got a card from my mom! She sent it the same day as the package, so it makes sense right? Coming from the US perspective of mail gets to its destination on time, and if you send a letter and a package the same day, they get there the same day, you would think it's normal. Apparantly not though, because the letters I sent on the same day -three of which are to the same town- somehow got separated and are arriving one by one. Seeing as I have been in Mexico for 2 months now, I was shocked to discover I got not only a package, but a letter too! So, in conclusion, getting mail is awesome.

 I love it. If you're bored one day, write me a letter, and I will be forever grateful. I would take a picture of my gifts and letter, but I can just imagine the stereotypes I would create on both ends, "Did you see how excited that white girl got about mail? Americans are so crazy, no one loves mail that much." or, "Why did they send her books? No books in Mexico? Don't they have pens in Mexico? Oh, they write on stones, don't they?" But, to be honest I love mail, books, and pens. Yes there are pens and books in Mexico, but that's beside the point: I love mail!

(Just in case someone actually is interested in sending me mail:

Francisco Villa 6-A Col. Flores Magon

Boca del Rio, Veracruz, Mexico 94290)
And last but not least,

Happy, happy, happy birthday to my mom in Wisconsin!

Questions, Thoughts, Pictures

A couple weeks ago, I had my mom ask around to see what people wanted to know about my life in Mexico. One of the topics that came up was "What do you see on your way to school?" So here is the answer:
My school is about 10 minutes away from my house. Classes start at 7 in the morning, so we try to leave the house by 6:40. We barely ever actually leave at that time, but hey, at least we have goals. This time in the morning it is usually still a little cool and it is dark. Leaving the house we pass by other houses, most of which are painted bright colors. All the houses have gates over their windows and doors. Some have small lawns, most don't. We also pass by little stores, such as a papeleria, or stationary store, which has everything from pens to gum to photocopies. There are restaurants selling picadas for around 6 pesos, about 50 cents in the U.S. My mom swerves to avoid potholes and abruptly slows, slamming the breaks to go over a speed bump, several times on every street. When we get on the boulevard, I see the ocean out of my window. The sun is starting to come up, and there are barges coming and going from the port. There is a lighthouse on an island that is restricted to the public.The sky is purple, pink, orange, and blue. It's something I never see at home, and it's amazing every day. We go under an overpass, passing by the plaza. I have no idea what the speed limit is, btu I'm pretty sure it's just a suggestion that no one abides by. We go really fast, and cars switch lanes whenever they want, only using the directionals when they can't find a spot to squeeze into. Stop lights are taken as a dare. When the green light starts to flash, it's about to turn yellow and almost immediately after red, so there's a mess of slowing down and speeding up. When there are 3 lanes, it's really more like 5, so people drive wherever they please. When I get to my school, the sun is halfway up, and I rush into my classroom. It's only 7:10, and already my day has been full of rushing around and crazy traffic.

Another question from my family was "Why are there so many women around all the time, and very few men?" Well here you go:
It has more to do with my family specifically than general Mexican culture. My host mom was an only child. My host dad only has one sister. They only had two daughters, and my aunt only had 2 daughters. My aunt is divorced, and my two cousins don't have boyfriends right now. It was really just by chance that there are so many women and basically no men. When the whole big extended family gets together, there are more men, but in general it's just my dad. My mom has 2 good friends who come to the house fairly often, so then even more women are around! If I had a different host family, I may have been around guys all the time. For example, my mom's friend Gina has 3 brothers, and 3 sons. In her family, she is almost always the only woman. Who knows what my next host family will be like! Obviously in any culture, women and men are both significant. There are different roles in every culture for men and women, and although sometimes it seems that one is subordinate, I think that is quite misleading. In Mexico, the women typically do the laundry, clean the house, make the food, and take care of the kids. That's not to say the men don't do anything, nor is it to say the women do everything. I think the women are actually in quite a powerful situation. They manage the household, they have a lot of responsibility. The women are an incredibly significant part of culture. All the history of a place can be found in the stories of the women- how they are treated, the food they make, how they raise their children. So anyways, it was just by chance that there are so many women around all the time, but I think it has provided me with a very interesting and unique experience.

Next, this wasn't a question, but I felt like talking about it. Part of being a Rotary Youth Exchange student is being a "cultural ambassador". It's kind of an ambiguous term, I mean, what exactly does a "cultural ambassador" do? As I spend more and more time in Mexico around Mexicans, I start to realize what the job of a "cultural ambassador" entails and how important it is. It's about correcting stereotypes and misconceptions, and showing a different side of your culture to people. I'm often asked, "What do Americans think of Mexicans? That we ride around on donkeys and drink tequila?" Well, responding for an entire country is a bit of a responsibility. I don't want to completely confirm the stereotype, but sometimes it is true. In this situation, I usually respond with something like, "Most people do not think that, although there are some. Many people know that Mexicans do not ride around on donkeys all the time and drink tequila." It's sort of an answer, right? Unfortunately, I do know people who think that, so I can't honestly say that no one does. Thanks to movies like Mean Girls, I usually am asked if girls are really like that in high schools. Now, this is not the time when I break out the stories about girls pulling hair and beating up each other in the hallways. I try to save that for another more appropriate time, which is well, never. I explain that most of the time, high schools are not at all like the movies. "Are cheerleaders skanky?" is another good question. Seeing as I was a cheerleader, it gets kind of personal. I'm quick to say it is not like that at all, but again, it's hard to define an entire group of people who are different in every school throughout the country. "Are there lots of pregnant girls?" Well, thank you MTV for spreading that wonderful stereotype throughout the world. This is another loaded question. How do I answer honestly, saying "Yes, it happens" while not confirming the misconception that all American girls are pregnant all the time? I try my best to explain that it happens, and it's relatively common, but it's not like every single girl in the high school has 3 kids. "Why are girls in the US so forward with boys?" Again, movies have really contributed to this idea of American women being really easy, and it's definitely a very negative stereotype. I usually just try to say it's not like that, although there are some, the majority are not the way they seem in movies. One of my proud exchange student moments is when people tell me, "I always thought Americans were very disconnected from their families and never spend time with them, but when I hear you talk, I can see that it is not like that for all families." Maybe I just got lucky having a family that spends time together and lives relatively close to each other, but it's a really cool thing to tell people that we do stay close to our families, we do care about our grandparents, and we don't just move away from our families and never talk to each other. It is a very different way of life in the United States, but it has been really cool to be able to tell people that it's not always like that. There are a lot of questions I am asked that I can't answer. It's impossible to respond for an entire country. I hope I am helping to correct misconceptions and being succesful in my job as a "cultural ambassador". Also, please keep in mind all the stereotypes there are of your own culture and how generally incorrect they are, when you hear or see a stereotype about another culture. Stereotypes are not a good way of judging a different culture- culture is made up of people who are each incredibly unique, and it cannot be defined by one simple observation that is generally not true. Before we judge another culture, it's important to remember all the misconceptions that can be made about our own culture, and how wrong they can be.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, some completely unrelated pictures!

Me with some soldiers!

Delicious food! It's a Gorda Dulce (Sweet Gorda, aka Fat) covered with cream and cheese. It's got a sort of black licorice flavor, and it's so good. Mexico has awesome food.



View of Veracruz from the top floor of a hotel! This is looking towards the port, and the tall building is the Pemex Tower. This view was incredible. There is someone in the background, but I don't know who!



RYE Event in Veracruz!

On Wednesday, September 14, all the exchange students in my district, 4190, came to Veracruz for our first event! Our event was from the 14th until Sunday, the 18th. I could go on and on about what we did, but that's not as exciting as the camaraderie and memories made. (If you want to see pictures, there are 200 of them at this link, I hope! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150299599079779.338009.540949778)

Quick overview:

Wednesday was a welcome party at a hotel in the center of Veracruz. Thursday was a tour of the Baluarte of Santiago, a couple museums throughout the city, the aquarium, and free nieve (kind of like ice cream). Friday was a pool party at a Rotarian’s house. Saturday was the naval museum and later the pool. Sunday was goodbye to the Inbounds from other cities who were visiting.

There are around 45 students in my district, from all over the world. Highest in numbers is Brasil, closely followed by Germany, and then it's a tie for the rest of the countries. We have students from Finland, Taiwan, US, Australia, Turkey, and Hungary to name a few. I went to a few Rotary events at home, and Grand Rapids is definitely one of the most amazing things ever, but it's quite different from being in a smaller group of students from all over, while in another country. All languages could be heard, some students switching between 2 or 3, if not more. We exchanged pins and business cards, took millions of pictures, and somehow we were all able to talk to each other, using Spanish, English, charades, whatever it takes. There is something that brings exchange students together so quickly. It's knowing they understand what you are going through, and that they are also taking part in the same amazing experience at the same time. I know this brief overview doesn't begin to explain what it's like, but it's kind of indescribable. If you comment and ask specific questions about this post, I'll be sure to answer them!

September 11th, 2011

I remember September 11th, 2001. I was 8 years old. I heard something bad had happened, and I remember that a classmate drew his understanding of the events on the chalkboard. I really did not know much about it until I was older, and although I will never understand, I know what happened.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the day that changed the United States forever. Every year in school, we have a moment of silence. After that short minute or so, life goes on. Maybe we talk about it in class, maybe everyone is a little quieter for a while. By lunch, everyone is back to normal, laughing and joking about whatever was on TV the night before. 

This year, September 11th means more to me than it ever has. This is the first year I have ever thought about how significant the day is, not just to Americans, but to the whole world. Hearing my host dad say, "I remember where I was when I heard the news," forever changed my perspective. An entire country was grieving, but what's more, the entire world was. When those Twin Towers were attacked, people everywhere were devastated. It was an attack on freedom, reaching farther than the borders of one country. As I watched movies and news reels depicting the events, I was so struck with emotion for the first time. The day changed everyone and everything everywhere.