First, though I'm too lazy to post any links this time, I just want to say that McCain is getting on my nerves. Any time someone says something bad about him (e.g. Gen. Clark saying, rightly, that being a war hero doesn't make you a good president) he says something like "Oh, is this the kind of campaign Senator Obama and his surrogates and supporters want to run?" You like how he just threw Obama in to the mix, even though he denounced Gen. Clark's comment? C'mon McCain, are we really going to start holding the statements of supporters against the candidate? Because your supporters are out there calling Obama a possibly gay (married) Muslim (Christian) born in Africa (Hawaii). One of these days I'm going to really do some research into whether all political sides are created equal, because, while I try to call people out on being blatantly partisan, I seem to see a lot more ridiculous shit from the Republicans.
/politic (Boot, would that be a HyperPolitical Markup Language tag?)
This is my last post from Mexico. I can't think about that too much right now. I don't know what it means. I don't know what I experienced, what I'll miss, what I'm looking forward to, what I got out of this year, or anything.
I'm worried about coming back to Manchester.
I feel like most of my friends abandoned me this year. They easily forgot all about me. Some just didn't make an effort to stay in touch. Others actually chose not to respond to e-mails. I've spent the last few years running away - from Goshen to Manchester, from Manchester to Mexico - every time I start to feel unnecessary. To most people back home, I'm unnecessary. And for me, that is very, very hard to want to go back to.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
I did it
I read this article in the New York Times and immediately dropped "Molinero" from my Facebook name in favor of promoting religious tolerance. Join the movement!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Classes are out... now what?
Mitch Daniels is polling ahead in Indiana. Was everyone in a coma these last four years?
Yesterday was my last day of classes here in Mexico. Or it would have been, had I gone to either of them - I slept through the first one. Ironically, my last day is the first time I did that (accidentally). I waited half an hour for the professor for my other class to show up, but he never did - at least, not before we decided he wasn't going to come and ran away. I can understand the "screw it, its the last day" sentiment, but when you're the professor?
Anyway, Im now into my last four-day weekend here before its back to America, with its high gas prices and expensive drinks. It doesnt seem real. I've spent ten out of the last eleven months living in Mexico, speaking Spanish, eating mole (pronounced mo-lay, as in a complicated Mexican sauce that includes chocolate and several million other ingrediants; not mohl, as in a tunneling mammal), and, well, making my life here.
Apparently only five percent of U.S. college students study in other countries. That's striking on its own, but a growing majority of these students participate in programs that last a month or less. I don't have the statistics on those of us left, but I wouldn't be surprised if more than half only do it for one semester - of the 18 students that did BCA Xalapa this year, only four of us were here the whole year.
That makes me feel pretty special.
Now I just have to write 16 pages about society, the environment, and "any Mexican national social issue."
Yesterday was my last day of classes here in Mexico. Or it would have been, had I gone to either of them - I slept through the first one. Ironically, my last day is the first time I did that (accidentally). I waited half an hour for the professor for my other class to show up, but he never did - at least, not before we decided he wasn't going to come and ran away. I can understand the "screw it, its the last day" sentiment, but when you're the professor?
Anyway, Im now into my last four-day weekend here before its back to America, with its high gas prices and expensive drinks. It doesnt seem real. I've spent ten out of the last eleven months living in Mexico, speaking Spanish, eating mole (pronounced mo-lay, as in a complicated Mexican sauce that includes chocolate and several million other ingrediants; not mohl, as in a tunneling mammal), and, well, making my life here.
Apparently only five percent of U.S. college students study in other countries. That's striking on its own, but a growing majority of these students participate in programs that last a month or less. I don't have the statistics on those of us left, but I wouldn't be surprised if more than half only do it for one semester - of the 18 students that did BCA Xalapa this year, only four of us were here the whole year.
That makes me feel pretty special.
Now I just have to write 16 pages about society, the environment, and "any Mexican national social issue."
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Footwashing and Four-Square
Today, shortly before 1pm central time, I created a new blog. Within an hour it had more traffic hits than any of my other websites... too bad it's the only one I don't post advertising on.
The blog is called Footwashing and Four-Square, and is about young Brethren life and everything even remotely connected to it. It may also be relevant to BBAs (Brethren By Association), or basically anyone else. The URL is http://fwfs.blogspot.com.
The blog is called Footwashing and Four-Square, and is about young Brethren life and everything even remotely connected to it. It may also be relevant to BBAs (Brethren By Association), or basically anyone else. The URL is http://fwfs.blogspot.com.
Search engine hits
I installed Google Analytics a week or two ago to track my site traffic, since I'm trying to break into some kind of readership for my other blogs (Idberry and the Online Earnings Challenge). Since it's free, I went ahead and installed it on this blog too. Funnily enough, I get more traffic for my personal ramblings than I do for my professional writing.
Well, when I went to check my stats today, I found a cool little surprise waiting for me: two site visits had been referred by a search engine, both of which were supposedly new visitors. One appears to have been a crawler that was backtracking links to thepolitic.com, but the other googled "pulqueria xalapa" (I'm the fourth page and the third site for that search term), read three pages deep and spent almost 20 minutes on my website.
I could assume this is someone interested in Xalapa who found my site fascinating, but I think I know who it is. I told her about the pulquería in Xalapa but never took her. In looking for it, she found my blog.
If you come back, I'm sorry I never mentioned you.
Well, when I went to check my stats today, I found a cool little surprise waiting for me: two site visits had been referred by a search engine, both of which were supposedly new visitors. One appears to have been a crawler that was backtracking links to thepolitic.com, but the other googled "pulqueria xalapa" (I'm the fourth page and the third site for that search term), read three pages deep and spent almost 20 minutes on my website.
I could assume this is someone interested in Xalapa who found my site fascinating, but I think I know who it is. I told her about the pulquería in Xalapa but never took her. In looking for it, she found my blog.
If you come back, I'm sorry I never mentioned you.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Observations about me and the world
Does anyone else think we might be making more dangerous enemies with this Guantánamo stuff?
Today on a stupid TV show my family always watches, a joke along these lines was made:
"Hijo, contesta la puerta, alguién está tocando!"
"No papa, no está tocando, está golpeandola. Mira, la toco y no sirve, hay que golpearla."
Hahahahaha. The joke works because there is no word in Spanish for "to knock." Instead, they use "tocar," which means "to touch." So the joke is "No Dad, he's not touching the door, he's hitting it! Look, if I touch it there's no sound." Doesn't work in English.
A few nights ago I packed half my luggage. I still have a week left here. I have never in my life packed for anything more than eight hours in advance. In fact, I think I finished packing for Mexico about fifteen minutes before I left for the airport. Perhaps my subconscious is trying to tell me something.
Today on a stupid TV show my family always watches, a joke along these lines was made:
"Hijo, contesta la puerta, alguién está tocando!"
"No papa, no está tocando, está golpeandola. Mira, la toco y no sirve, hay que golpearla."
Hahahahaha. The joke works because there is no word in Spanish for "to knock." Instead, they use "tocar," which means "to touch." So the joke is "No Dad, he's not touching the door, he's hitting it! Look, if I touch it there's no sound." Doesn't work in English.
A few nights ago I packed half my luggage. I still have a week left here. I have never in my life packed for anything more than eight hours in advance. In fact, I think I finished packing for Mexico about fifteen minutes before I left for the airport. Perhaps my subconscious is trying to tell me something.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Religion and Obama
Check out this article I wrote for the Young Anabaptist Radicals blog about the hyper-enthusiastic Obama movement. It's real short.
He broke a promise! He broke a promise!
I am extremely disappointed by the lack of discussion on my last entry. I was all ready to post another big long analysis too, this one about Roe v. Wade.
Before I continue, I need to link Seb's post on the Obama fist pound (or terrorist fist jab). Then I need to take a moment to sob bitterly...
Okay. All better.
I try never to use the word "hate" in reference to a person. I openly hate my anthropology class, getting up in the morning, driving at night, egg casserole, Microsoft, the Pentagon, Coca-Cola (the company, not the drink) and the fact that Manchester no longer bothers to have any full-time professors for my major, but I really make an effort not to let myself hate people.
Lou Dobbs regulalry challenges this effort (click that link for a treat). It's not just that he's a xenophobic loudmouth; there are plenty of those. It's the way he comes on CNN, a fairly well-respected news network, proclaiming himself as independent (which he is) and talking like his opinion is the only one that matters. I seriously do not understand why anyone agrees to go on his show - they get four words in edgewise, are belittled and told how wrong they are, and then it's on to something else. And it's all done on a news network from a non-partisan guy, giving the impression that somehow he's the straight talker, cutting through everyone else's bullshit.
I just get sick and tired of the complete lack of respect for anyone else and, what's worse in my opinion, a refusal to see any other side of an issue.
Last night's episode was no exception. This time, he set my blood boiling by talking about Obama's broken promise.
For those of you who somehow missed it, the big issue here is that Obama has chosen not to accept federal funding (and with it, spending limits) for his presidential election bid. No other presidential nominee has done this since the system was set up after Watergate, but it's really an issue because he previous indicated that he would accept federal funding, making this a flip-flop for him or, as Lou Dobbs said six times in his five minute mini-coverage (and unvariably in response to every other point his guests tried to bring up), a broken promise.
Let's get the facts on the table before we continue: Barack Obama did say on a questionnaire in 2007 that he would accept public financing for the general election campaign, adding that he would make aggressive efforts to come to an agreement with his opponent on the matter.
McCain and Obama have very different things to say about this. The McCain camp is hammering home that Obama broke a promise to the American people, while Obama's campaign points to the "aggressive" efforts part. The two campaigns have very different stories about how aggressive the efforts were.
I think, on a matter of fact, that McCain has this one right. I doubt Obama's people made very serious efforts to come to an agreement on public financing, what with his massive fundraising advantage and all. He did, in fact, go back on his word.
Who cares?
Anyway, back to the broken promise. Get over it. The facts changed, Obama found he could get a LOT more money this way, and he changed his mind. It was a legal decision, an expected decision, and probably a decision most other people in his position would make. To reject all that private money would essentially be to handicap himself and voluntarily surrender one of the real advantages he has over John McCain.
Besides, George W. Bush promised to win the war in Iraq. I think we'll all be thrilled if he decides to break that promise and give up. Sometimes changing your mind isn't all bad.
P.S. - I promise that if John McCain wins the 2008 presidential election, I will be in another country by October 2009.
Before I continue, I need to link Seb's post on the Obama fist pound (or terrorist fist jab). Then I need to take a moment to sob bitterly...
Okay. All better.
I try never to use the word "hate" in reference to a person. I openly hate my anthropology class, getting up in the morning, driving at night, egg casserole, Microsoft, the Pentagon, Coca-Cola (the company, not the drink) and the fact that Manchester no longer bothers to have any full-time professors for my major, but I really make an effort not to let myself hate people.
Lou Dobbs regulalry challenges this effort (click that link for a treat). It's not just that he's a xenophobic loudmouth; there are plenty of those. It's the way he comes on CNN, a fairly well-respected news network, proclaiming himself as independent (which he is) and talking like his opinion is the only one that matters. I seriously do not understand why anyone agrees to go on his show - they get four words in edgewise, are belittled and told how wrong they are, and then it's on to something else. And it's all done on a news network from a non-partisan guy, giving the impression that somehow he's the straight talker, cutting through everyone else's bullshit.I just get sick and tired of the complete lack of respect for anyone else and, what's worse in my opinion, a refusal to see any other side of an issue.
Last night's episode was no exception. This time, he set my blood boiling by talking about Obama's broken promise.
For those of you who somehow missed it, the big issue here is that Obama has chosen not to accept federal funding (and with it, spending limits) for his presidential election bid. No other presidential nominee has done this since the system was set up after Watergate, but it's really an issue because he previous indicated that he would accept federal funding, making this a flip-flop for him or, as Lou Dobbs said six times in his five minute mini-coverage (and unvariably in response to every other point his guests tried to bring up), a broken promise.
Let's get the facts on the table before we continue: Barack Obama did say on a questionnaire in 2007 that he would accept public financing for the general election campaign, adding that he would make aggressive efforts to come to an agreement with his opponent on the matter.
McCain and Obama have very different things to say about this. The McCain camp is hammering home that Obama broke a promise to the American people, while Obama's campaign points to the "aggressive" efforts part. The two campaigns have very different stories about how aggressive the efforts were.
I think, on a matter of fact, that McCain has this one right. I doubt Obama's people made very serious efforts to come to an agreement on public financing, what with his massive fundraising advantage and all. He did, in fact, go back on his word.
Who cares?
When I got my ear pierced my sophomore year of high school, I let my dad think I was agreeing to never get any other piercings or tattoos. I didn't expressly promise (I wanted to keep a window open), but I did allow him to pay for the piercing under that understanding. I ended up having to return the $15, but I didn't pay interest.
I broke a promise. But what should I have done? Gone my entire life not doing something I wanted to do because of a promise I made when I was fifteen? That's ridiculous. I probably shouldn't have agreed to those terms in the first place (though I didn't have a problem with them at the time), but the fact is I changed my mind.
Barack Obama changed his mind. And no, it wasn't the move that showed the most integrity: he's got his foot in his mouth, because he was acting like some champion of public financing before he found out just how much money he was capable of raising, and now he's completely reversing his stance and pretending that somehow his private donor system is better than the pubic one. And just to make his stance look better, he adds some false claims about McCain's donor base.
I was going to make some aside remark about how I wasn't just defending my candidate and how I have a record of playing devil's advocate and apologizing for opponents, but I think I just showed that.Anyway, back to the broken promise. Get over it. The facts changed, Obama found he could get a LOT more money this way, and he changed his mind. It was a legal decision, an expected decision, and probably a decision most other people in his position would make. To reject all that private money would essentially be to handicap himself and voluntarily surrender one of the real advantages he has over John McCain.
Besides, George W. Bush promised to win the war in Iraq. I think we'll all be thrilled if he decides to break that promise and give up. Sometimes changing your mind isn't all bad.
P.S. - I promise that if John McCain wins the 2008 presidential election, I will be in another country by October 2009.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Moral issues: Gay marriage
I'm sure you're all aware of the California Supreme Court decision last month legalizing same-sex marriage in the state:
Those who read my blog regularly will recall that I was elated by this news, both as a gay rights activist and an amateur legal scholar. You see, it's times like these that you can rest assured that our system of checks and balances is working: it is the judicial branch's (sometimes unpopular) job to protect minority groups from the whim of the majority. When the California Supreme Court struck down a ban on interracial marriage sixty years ago, it was an incredibly unpopular decision (90% of Americans opposed interracial marriage), but one we now recognize as correct.
So what's so wrong with a ban on gay marriage (44 states have such laws)? I'd like to know what's right with them. Here are a couple of points:
Victimless crime, or society at risk?
An anonymous quote that I love goes like this: "A great law protects me from the government. The Bill of Rights has 10 GREAT laws. A good law protects me from you. Laws against murder, theft, assault and the like are good laws. A poor law attempts to protect me from myself."
A ban on gay marriage does not protect me from my government, nor does it protect me from you. Now, gay marriage opponents will argue that we're not trying to protect people from each other, we're trying to protect society from a fundamental change in the definition of marriage.
This is a load of crap.
I keep hearing quotes from anti-gay groups in California justifying the now illegal ban by saying marriage has always been an intersexual affair (tell that to Massachusetts, Canada, Belgium and the Netherlands). But since when is that a good argument for anything? If we could travel through time, I'm sure we'd hear people saying, "But it's always been illegal for Blacks to marry Whites," "But we've always had slaves," "But women have never been allowed to vote," and so forth.
Gay marriage will not hurt society or the "institution of marriage." If marriage can survive Vegas, I don't think a couple of dudes walking down the aisle is going to cause marriage certificates to spontaneously combust. And arguing that heterosexual marriages are cheapened by gay marriage is just plain stupid (unless the temptation suddenly becomes just too much). It's been legal is Massachusetts for years, and that state's still there. I guess God's been too busy to go all Sodom and Gomorrah on their ass, what with punishing the sin fest that is New Orleans and all.
Which brings me to my other point...
God said don't be queer.
I won't go into all the things that are wrong with this theology, because it's completely irrelevant. Fortunately for those of us who still like our communion wine (or those of us who prefer not to eat our savior), the United States is not a theocracy, much less a nation founded on the strictest principles of fundamentalist Christianity. In short, what God said (or didn't say) should have no bearing on a country who holds in the higest import the freedom of religion. It is essential to a free society that we base our law not on religious code alone, but on an extrareligious examination of the consequences of our laws and the freedoms we hold dear.
A Christian attitude
Finally, I have to say that I don't think it's particularly Christian of us to focus so much effort on trying to enforce a personal ethic. To quote one of my favorite Facebook groups that I'm not a member of, "Don't like gay marriage? Then don't get one and shut the fuck up." (Ironically, that's not a particularly friendly attitude either, which is why I'm not a member.)
Outlawing gay marriage will not reduce homosexuality, nor will it make the people who pass the law any better. In fact, it might just get them in trouble:
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you (Matthew 7:12).”
In having such a law, we are only succeeding in denying a civil liberty to a group of people. But also, in vocally supporting such a law, we are turning gay and lesbian individuals away from Christianity. Sinners or not, don't we want to bring all people closer to God? Imagine what would happen if we were as hard on people about gluttony as we are about homosexuality - we'd have to cancel our ice cream socials!
Whatever God really thinks about homosexuality, we should be a little more concerned with following the examle of Jesus, and listening to what he said was important: Love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as you love yourself.
Maybe we should save this whole condemning homosexuality thing until we can just get that part right.
Amending the Constitution?
The fight in California isn't over.
You know what? I support a Defense of Marriage amendment.
I think we should amend the United States Constitution to guarantee the right to marry to all people, gay and straight, everywhere in the country.
Comment away!
The 4-3 ruling declared that the state Constitution protects a fundamental
'right to marry' that extends equally to same-sex couples.The majority opinion, by Chief Justice Ronald M. George, declared that any law that
discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation will from this point on be
constitutionally suspect in California in the same way as laws that discriminate
by race or gender, making the state's high court the first in the nation to
adopt such a stringent standard.
Those who read my blog regularly will recall that I was elated by this news, both as a gay rights activist and an amateur legal scholar. You see, it's times like these that you can rest assured that our system of checks and balances is working: it is the judicial branch's (sometimes unpopular) job to protect minority groups from the whim of the majority. When the California Supreme Court struck down a ban on interracial marriage sixty years ago, it was an incredibly unpopular decision (90% of Americans opposed interracial marriage), but one we now recognize as correct.
So what's so wrong with a ban on gay marriage (44 states have such laws)? I'd like to know what's right with them. Here are a couple of points:
Victimless crime, or society at risk?
An anonymous quote that I love goes like this: "A great law protects me from the government. The Bill of Rights has 10 GREAT laws. A good law protects me from you. Laws against murder, theft, assault and the like are good laws. A poor law attempts to protect me from myself."
A ban on gay marriage does not protect me from my government, nor does it protect me from you. Now, gay marriage opponents will argue that we're not trying to protect people from each other, we're trying to protect society from a fundamental change in the definition of marriage.
This is a load of crap.
I keep hearing quotes from anti-gay groups in California justifying the now illegal ban by saying marriage has always been an intersexual affair (tell that to Massachusetts, Canada, Belgium and the Netherlands). But since when is that a good argument for anything? If we could travel through time, I'm sure we'd hear people saying, "But it's always been illegal for Blacks to marry Whites," "But we've always had slaves," "But women have never been allowed to vote," and so forth.
Gay marriage will not hurt society or the "institution of marriage." If marriage can survive Vegas, I don't think a couple of dudes walking down the aisle is going to cause marriage certificates to spontaneously combust. And arguing that heterosexual marriages are cheapened by gay marriage is just plain stupid (unless the temptation suddenly becomes just too much). It's been legal is Massachusetts for years, and that state's still there. I guess God's been too busy to go all Sodom and Gomorrah on their ass, what with punishing the sin fest that is New Orleans and all.
Which brings me to my other point...
God said don't be queer.
I won't go into all the things that are wrong with this theology, because it's completely irrelevant. Fortunately for those of us who still like our communion wine (or those of us who prefer not to eat our savior), the United States is not a theocracy, much less a nation founded on the strictest principles of fundamentalist Christianity. In short, what God said (or didn't say) should have no bearing on a country who holds in the higest import the freedom of religion. It is essential to a free society that we base our law not on religious code alone, but on an extrareligious examination of the consequences of our laws and the freedoms we hold dear.
A Christian attitude
Finally, I have to say that I don't think it's particularly Christian of us to focus so much effort on trying to enforce a personal ethic. To quote one of my favorite Facebook groups that I'm not a member of, "Don't like gay marriage? Then don't get one and shut the fuck up." (Ironically, that's not a particularly friendly attitude either, which is why I'm not a member.)
Outlawing gay marriage will not reduce homosexuality, nor will it make the people who pass the law any better. In fact, it might just get them in trouble:
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you (Matthew 7:12).”
In having such a law, we are only succeeding in denying a civil liberty to a group of people. But also, in vocally supporting such a law, we are turning gay and lesbian individuals away from Christianity. Sinners or not, don't we want to bring all people closer to God? Imagine what would happen if we were as hard on people about gluttony as we are about homosexuality - we'd have to cancel our ice cream socials!
Whatever God really thinks about homosexuality, we should be a little more concerned with following the examle of Jesus, and listening to what he said was important: Love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as you love yourself.
Maybe we should save this whole condemning homosexuality thing until we can just get that part right.
Amending the Constitution?
The fight in California isn't over.
But the scope of the court's decision could be thrown into question by anI think this takes the cake as about the shittiest move ever. The Supreme Court ruled that we can't oppress a minority group, so let's change the document they base their rulings on (non sequiter: Dad, it's okay to end a sentence with a preposition). After all, it's the only way to bypass that stupid check on majority whim.
initiative already heading toward the November ballot. The initiative would
amend the state Constitution to prohibit same-sex unions.
You know what? I support a Defense of Marriage amendment.
I think we should amend the United States Constitution to guarantee the right to marry to all people, gay and straight, everywhere in the country.
Comment away!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Summer Service 2008
I've started up another blog that I'll use for all things related to my internship at Aftercare for Indiana through Mentoring this summer. Obviously I'm not doing the internship yet, but I posted an introduction and a few links to info about Scout Fuller and the summer service award. Check it out at summerservice2008.blogspot.com.
Nico gives advice. Hilarity ensues.
Boot, at least, will catch the reference in that title. Lemisia might.
Several weeks ago I went out for coffee with a friend, who was at the time dating not one but two Mexican girls (one of whom knew about it). Buddy, it's people like you taking more than your share that leave some of us short. Anyway, he explained to me the following situation: Girl1, who was not aware of Girl2, saw him and Girl2 dancing at a club and became upset. The next day, which was when we were having coffee, Girl1's friends were engaged in a "find out what's going on" storm of text messages. My friend had to shore up his position. "I know I could smooth this over," he told me, "but I definitely won't get away with anything like that happening again. And Girl1 is kind of dramatic, so this is kind of fun to watch. Advice?"
I thought for a moment.
"Well," I told him, "I used to work for a guy who once cracked open a TV, filled it with gunpowder, and ignited it. Moral of the story: sometimes it's worth losing a TV to watch it explode."
My friend considers this some of the best advice he ever got.
Several weeks ago I went out for coffee with a friend, who was at the time dating not one but two Mexican girls (one of whom knew about it). Buddy, it's people like you taking more than your share that leave some of us short. Anyway, he explained to me the following situation: Girl1, who was not aware of Girl2, saw him and Girl2 dancing at a club and became upset. The next day, which was when we were having coffee, Girl1's friends were engaged in a "find out what's going on" storm of text messages. My friend had to shore up his position. "I know I could smooth this over," he told me, "but I definitely won't get away with anything like that happening again. And Girl1 is kind of dramatic, so this is kind of fun to watch. Advice?"
I thought for a moment.
"Well," I told him, "I used to work for a guy who once cracked open a TV, filled it with gunpowder, and ignited it. Moral of the story: sometimes it's worth losing a TV to watch it explode."
My friend considers this some of the best advice he ever got.
Friday, June 13, 2008
When living here feels good
Before I write up the quick post I brainstormed on my walk over here, I want to comment that this is one of the sadder things I've seen in the news recently. I know it's not proportional, but I didn't know the four boy scouts or half-million Burmese. I mean, I didn't know Tim Russert either, but he still had a small place in my heart.
These are some of my favorite moments:
Walking on the street, I pass a Mexican guide with gawking tourists in tow.
Tour guide: "Up that way is a McDonald's..."
Me (interrupting: "It's actually a Burger King."
Tour guide: "Are you sure?"
Me: "Yes."
Me: "Hi, we ordered a pizza that was supposed to be delivered an hour ago, and we're still waiting."
Pizza Hut: "We tried to deliver it, but that address doesn't exist."
Me: "Yes it does."
Pizza Hut: "Our guy went all over. The house numbers start at 100. There's no house 3."
Me: "I live there."
I love feeling like a native.
Epilogue: An hour and a half later, the Pizza Hut guy met me on the street a block from my house with the pizzas. I showed him where my house was, and he showed me the slip where the address had been printed wrong. Since my host mom ordered, I highly doubt she gave the wrong address, and they do confirm with the phone number, which I know from past experience gives them the right address in their database. I think they forge this stuff to avoid admitting a mistake, and sure enough, I had to pay for the pizza.
These are some of my favorite moments:
Walking on the street, I pass a Mexican guide with gawking tourists in tow.
Tour guide: "Up that way is a McDonald's..."
Me (interrupting: "It's actually a Burger King."
Tour guide: "Are you sure?"
Me: "Yes."
Me: "Hi, we ordered a pizza that was supposed to be delivered an hour ago, and we're still waiting."
Pizza Hut: "We tried to deliver it, but that address doesn't exist."
Me: "Yes it does."
Pizza Hut: "Our guy went all over. The house numbers start at 100. There's no house 3."
Me: "I live there."
I love feeling like a native.
Epilogue: An hour and a half later, the Pizza Hut guy met me on the street a block from my house with the pizzas. I showed him where my house was, and he showed me the slip where the address had been printed wrong. Since my host mom ordered, I highly doubt she gave the wrong address, and they do confirm with the phone number, which I know from past experience gives them the right address in their database. I think they forge this stuff to avoid admitting a mistake, and sure enough, I had to pay for the pizza.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Less than three weeks to go
My time here in Mexico is winding down... I can't get my head around it. Rob told us that the two hardest things we'll do this semester/year are get on the plane to come to Mexico and get on the plane to go home. I never really had a problem with coming here... it's just not my style, I guess. And others may (and have) scoff and snicker at the idea that I think I'm (mostly) immune to culture shock, but I have witnesses who concur that I never really had a problem adjusting.
But going home... that's going to be tough. Mexico has become my life. I have evolved and become a different person than I was in the United States. I have made new friends and learned to dislike new people. I have new foods, new routines, new preferences. I have new emotions and opinions and mannerisms. How can I pack all that into a box and bring it home with me? I'm over my luggage limit as it is.
Soon I'll be home with all the friends who were my friends a year ago, and they will expect me to be the same guy they remember. I'm not him. I won't want to do the same things, I won't wear the same clothes, I won't hang out with the same people. I'm afraid it will be like when I go back to Goshen and realize just how bad my life was back then, and how good it is at Manchester. Is Manchester going to be a painful memory too, now that I've had Xalapa?
I like to run away. To leave everything behind. That isn't a problem for me... the problem is going back and seeing the pieces of that old life and not knowing how - or particularly wanting - to pick them up.
Here and now, in these last weeks in Mexico, I'm sort of torn between loving life and hating just about everything that's happening in it. Ironic, huh? I think the downside to this blog being read strictly by people who know me is that I can't write about any of them. If I do that, people will start avoiding me like the preacher on a Friday, and for the same reasons. Yet people are such an intricate part of my life, especially right now.
But going home... that's going to be tough. Mexico has become my life. I have evolved and become a different person than I was in the United States. I have made new friends and learned to dislike new people. I have new foods, new routines, new preferences. I have new emotions and opinions and mannerisms. How can I pack all that into a box and bring it home with me? I'm over my luggage limit as it is.
Soon I'll be home with all the friends who were my friends a year ago, and they will expect me to be the same guy they remember. I'm not him. I won't want to do the same things, I won't wear the same clothes, I won't hang out with the same people. I'm afraid it will be like when I go back to Goshen and realize just how bad my life was back then, and how good it is at Manchester. Is Manchester going to be a painful memory too, now that I've had Xalapa?
I like to run away. To leave everything behind. That isn't a problem for me... the problem is going back and seeing the pieces of that old life and not knowing how - or particularly wanting - to pick them up.
Here and now, in these last weeks in Mexico, I'm sort of torn between loving life and hating just about everything that's happening in it. Ironic, huh? I think the downside to this blog being read strictly by people who know me is that I can't write about any of them. If I do that, people will start avoiding me like the preacher on a Friday, and for the same reasons. Yet people are such an intricate part of my life, especially right now.
Friday, June 06, 2008
The Adventures of Nidgin Idberry of Frockleton
You may recall I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that an adventure story setting I was working on. Having given up on any hope of developing my artistic skills, I have decided to publish the story in the form of blog entries. It can be found at idberry.blogspot.com.
While it's unusual to leave comments turned on for a publication of this sort, I did so because I am interested in hearing feedback from anyone interested in reading it. I know it's not extraordinary writing - I have done plenty of publication-quality writing, and I find it to be really stressful. This I'm doing for fun, with more focus on keeping the story moving than on describing everything perfectly. And maybe I'll develop my writing style along the way.
My eventual goal is to get enough interest in it that I can find someone to help me turn it into a web comic and/or graphic novel. For now, we'll see if there's any market for web-based storylines that don't include pretty pictures.
(I also considered using legos and a digital camera.)
Warning: Minor spoilers from episodes 1-3 to follow. Scroll past the next paragraph if you're a stickler for surprises.
The story centers around Nidgin Idberry, a scrawny 15-year-old blacksmith's apprentice who is launched into an adventure across the realm of Jedya when the shop, which is also his home, collapses into a cavern beneath his hometown of Frockleton. The other main character I've introduced is Eryn Stahr, a mysterious girl who possesses some degree of magic ability and is apparently, for some reason, an enemy of the king.
End spoilers.
It is a fantasy-fiction adventure in that it is a medieval setting with magic, but I'm trying to tell it more as a fairy tale (albeit one that involves some degree of violence and is not recommended for small children). Maybe think The 10th Kingdom.
So far I've written four episodes, three of which have been published. The fourth will appear on the site Saturday at 10:40 AM (I forget which time zone).
Here's another link.
While it's unusual to leave comments turned on for a publication of this sort, I did so because I am interested in hearing feedback from anyone interested in reading it. I know it's not extraordinary writing - I have done plenty of publication-quality writing, and I find it to be really stressful. This I'm doing for fun, with more focus on keeping the story moving than on describing everything perfectly. And maybe I'll develop my writing style along the way.
My eventual goal is to get enough interest in it that I can find someone to help me turn it into a web comic and/or graphic novel. For now, we'll see if there's any market for web-based storylines that don't include pretty pictures.
(I also considered using legos and a digital camera.)
Warning: Minor spoilers from episodes 1-3 to follow. Scroll past the next paragraph if you're a stickler for surprises.
The story centers around Nidgin Idberry, a scrawny 15-year-old blacksmith's apprentice who is launched into an adventure across the realm of Jedya when the shop, which is also his home, collapses into a cavern beneath his hometown of Frockleton. The other main character I've introduced is Eryn Stahr, a mysterious girl who possesses some degree of magic ability and is apparently, for some reason, an enemy of the king.
End spoilers.
It is a fantasy-fiction adventure in that it is a medieval setting with magic, but I'm trying to tell it more as a fairy tale (albeit one that involves some degree of violence and is not recommended for small children). Maybe think The 10th Kingdom.
So far I've written four episodes, three of which have been published. The fourth will appear on the site Saturday at 10:40 AM (I forget which time zone).
Here's another link.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Sometimes you want to go...
I think the anti-personal American business culture has affected us physiologically; namely when it comes to our memories. I am always cheerfully impressed when I drag my bag of laundry over to the lavadaría and the guy working there (the lavador?) writes "Nicolas" on my claim slip without even having to ask. I only stop by once every two, sometimes three weeks, so it's not as if I'd really expect him to know me by name. But he deals with me enough that I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.
The shock came Monday when I stuffed my bag full of ridiculously dirty clothes (pants in particular I try to get a lot of use out of) and trekked the two blocks to the place, only to find that my usual guy wasn't there. It was another guy, who I vaguely recognized but hadn't seen in at least three months. And true enough, he didn't just fill out the claim slip without asking. He said, "Nicolas, ¿sí?" Maybe I'm amazed by the way you remember my name all the time.
I like to think I'm becoming better at remembering names, too. For example, "the hot dog guy," who Seb and I long ago named "Joey," is actually named Alejandro. But since I don't actually like the other two Alejandros I know here in Xalapa (my host brother in Cuernavaca isn't bad), I'll stick with Joey.
The shock came Monday when I stuffed my bag full of ridiculously dirty clothes (pants in particular I try to get a lot of use out of) and trekked the two blocks to the place, only to find that my usual guy wasn't there. It was another guy, who I vaguely recognized but hadn't seen in at least three months. And true enough, he didn't just fill out the claim slip without asking. He said, "Nicolas, ¿sí?" Maybe I'm amazed by the way you remember my name all the time.
I like to think I'm becoming better at remembering names, too. For example, "the hot dog guy," who Seb and I long ago named "Joey," is actually named Alejandro. But since I don't actually like the other two Alejandros I know here in Xalapa (my host brother in Cuernavaca isn't bad), I'll stick with Joey.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Soon I won't have any classes
A couple of months ago, I went through the painstaking process of scheduling for next year. I know you all have to go through that, but I claim that mine was doubly tough since I was also designing my own major and writing up paragraphs justifying each class that I was requiring myself to take. But, with the help of the amazing Tim McElwee and Lila D. Hammer, I managed to come up with a gleaming new schedule.
Last week I was alerted that POSC 385, Seminar on Anarchism, has been cancelled. I do not appreciate this, since it's one of the aforementioned classes that is a requirement in the declaration of major I just revamped. Frustration.
Today, I am informed that SOC 328, Social Movements, was also cancelled. This isn't one I wrote into my major - it's one that's required for all Peace Studies majors, regardless of emphasis. I'm already taking one class tutorial, which, by the way, probably costs at least an arm, if not also a leg, so I'm pretty much screwed here.
Last week I was alerted that POSC 385, Seminar on Anarchism, has been cancelled. I do not appreciate this, since it's one of the aforementioned classes that is a requirement in the declaration of major I just revamped. Frustration.
Today, I am informed that SOC 328, Social Movements, was also cancelled. This isn't one I wrote into my major - it's one that's required for all Peace Studies majors, regardless of emphasis. I'm already taking one class tutorial, which, by the way, probably costs at least an arm, if not also a leg, so I'm pretty much screwed here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)