Thoughts and Rambles: the weekend is here

Saturday, December 22, 2007

the weekend is here

I can`t believe I have only been here one week. I feel so at home here - I have made great friends, have learned the basic lay of the town, and feel comfortable with my host family. I actually had a very vivid dream last night outlining how I can manage to stay here 5 more months and not lose what I have at home... I am thinking very seriously. My visa will allow me to stay here 6 months.

Last night I went to the family`s house in the country, an hour drive out of Guanajuato. The long drive took us from paved road to gravel, to a dirt road with rocks and fissures that we navigated with caution considering the mammoth sized cake we carried in the back. The pastel, or cake, was a special tres leches con cafe cake for Karla who was having her 7th birthday party. Her grandmother greeted us with a large smile and a kiss for each of us on our right cheek and we had some small talk as we were handed cold beers. More and more people arrived and soon it was a fiesta to beat all others. There were kids and dogs and food and laughter; this amazing large family was full of so much joy. As each new group arrived, the pile of presents for her grew, and it was wonderful to watch.At nightfall the men strung the piñata - one side from the sturdy window frame and the other side held by a man on the roof. As the kids went to hit it, he raised, lowered, and swung it to and fro to everyone`s amusement. When the piñata broke, a swarm of folks rushed to the goods, with a chorus of screams and cheers. As the kids got more worn out and the night went on, the men brought out tequila mmmm! Great party, and how cool to be welcomed in like that.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...: Your friends in Wisconsin are so happy to read your news. And we are so happy to know that somewhere it is warm. The cold here is below any sense of normalcy (-8 degrees chill factor). Have a wonderful Christmas, and keep up the good language learning. love from SS; December 23, 2007 at 12:57 PM

Post a Comment

PHOTOS

All photos in this blog are those I have shot myself (unless, obviously, I am the subject, in which case I will cite the photographer - except for a couple cases where I simply handed the camera to the person next to me to capture me in the moment- unfortunately there are a few of those where I do not know the person's name). I currently use the Panasonic DMC-FZ28. It is a great camera with a quality lens and good portability, and I get really nice shots with it.

It's not the most advanced or powerful camera, and it's not a large fancy SLR, but I've found that the trick to getting a good shot is not always just about the camera. As a photographer I can achieve great shots by keeping in mind composition, angle, and understanding the computer inside the camera and how to manipulate it for what I want in the final shot.

Perhaps one day I'll have my dream camera, but until then, I'm doing alright with a really great "almost SLR".

As you read the blog, enjoy the photos I insert here and there to help you visualize my stories. I have so many more photos, but only so much space for them on this blog.

Life... or Lifestyle?

thank you Allie, for this story, which reminds me of why I tend to feel so frustrated with the traditional American rat race…

There once was a Mexican fisherman who would get up in the morning and go fishing. By lunch time he had caught enough fish for the day and would come home, sell the fish, eat lunch with his wife, spend the afternoon playing with his kids and napping in the shade and in the evenings he would go down to the bar and play music with his friends.

One day he met an American who asked him, "Are there more fish out there that could be caught?"

And the Mexican said, "Yeah, but I catch enough before lunch so I stop fishing and come home."

The American said, "You should fish all day and catch more fish so you could increase your earnings."

The Mexican asked, "And then what would I do?"

"You could then buy another boat and hire another captain and catch twice as many fish and earn twice as much. Then you could start to sell your fish to the large corporations."

And the Mexican asked, "And then what?"

"You would keep adding boats until you had an armada and then you could build your own fish factory and ship your fish world-wide! Then you, of course, wouldn't be able to fish any more, you could move to the US and run the company. You would be making tons of money!"

And the Mexican asked, "What would I do with all that money?"

"You would save it!"

"What would I be saving it for?"

"So one day you could retire, move to a Caribbean island, fish in the morning, eat lunch with your wife, spend the afternoon playing with your grandchildren and napping in the shade and in the evenings you could go down to the bar and play music with your friends!"

And, there's the rub. My mother used to tell a story like this, except it was about an African fisherman (appropriate, as my father is African and this story was a comment on how one can trade the good life for a promise of the good life). Is it the African Connection that draws me to a similar lifestyle in Mexico?

Now I am living with and in the experiences, enjoying each day, and loving the moment.

I shared this sentiment with folks and they say "well, sure, but then there's reality."

Whose reality?

Should I find a way to live, really live, and enjoy and learn and love each day, whether it is in the States or in Mexico or elsewhere, I will always remember to embrace each moment and find a way to enjoy those moments. I refuse to continue on the rat race so that one day I can find my paradise, whatever it may be. I may not have a lot for show, but I love each day, and this is what is really important.

Thoughts and Rambles

Saturday, December 22, 2007

the weekend is here

1 comment:

PHOTOS

About Me

Guanajuato, Mexico at sunset

Life... or Lifestyle?

Blog Archive