As you all probably assume (at least I hope you aren't still worrying...), I am back in the U.S., having arrived on my home turf on Thursday night/Friday morning. The return trip turned out to be quite long and slightly delayed, as we waited over 4 hours in the Detroit airport before we caught a flight to GR. The original plan was to wait 3 hours, but for some odd reason two pilots decided to play a practical joke and crisscross gates, leading to mass chaos and a horde of disgruntled passengers. One minute we were waiting at gate A24, the next minute we were at gate A55, and the next minute we were scurrying back to gate A24. Yeah, chaos.
I have spent the last few days reintegrating myself back into U.S. culture and Michigan weather, and I have surprisingly found the latter to be a more challenging venture. No longer can I wear Birkenstocks when I leave the house, and no longer can I peer into the sky to find Mr. Sun shining down on me. As my Mexican parents predicted, I am near congelado. Hehe. Seriously speaking, though, I have found the reentry process to be much more simple and stress-free this time around. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I only spent 3 weeks overseas this time, or maybe it relates to timing (try learning about the perils of American economics immediately before coming home for Christmas). I don't know; maybe I am just used to this whole traveling deal.
I suppose I should share some worthwhile lessons from my experience in Mexico--some closing remarks/impressions, perhaps:
1. Poverty is relative, and it should not be used solely as a way to describe someone's financial situation. To call my Mexican family poor would be dishonorable, as they are richer than most families I know. True, they live simpler lives, but why should we label this poor? Why should an abundance of things lead us to believe that we have more to offer or that we are more equipped to minister to others? Frankly I think we have something to learn from those who have found happiness in their simple lives--lives unhampered by stuff.
2. Although it has its faults (I don't want to touch the Protestant vs. Catholic scuffle), I believe that the Church in Mexico means more to its members than does the Church here in the United States. We should take some time today to think about our motivations for going to church. Not only that, but what does our participation in the church say about our overall faith? I pose these inquiries after observing how involved people are in their churches in Merida and Tzucabab (the pueblo I visited). People don't attend church because it is a tenet of their faith; people attend church because they desire to attend--because it is their home. The church is a place where hope abounds and community flourishes. Church is a source of joy.
3. There is nothing like a fresh tortilla to accompany a dish. Move over Chi-Chis, Mission, or Meijer brand; Dona Rosa's tortillas make your foodstuffs look and taste like cardboard cutouts. Oh, how I will miss tortillas caseras....
I appreciate your interest, amigos y familia. Gracias por leer mis pensamientos y opiniones y por darme sus comentarios tambien. Los disfrute muchisimo!
Que Dios les bendiga,
Tyler "Tito" Petrini
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Beach bum
Well folks, today is my last day here in Mexico, and guess how I am celebrating. I am lying on the beach in Playa del Carmen, soaking up as much sun as possible before I don't see it again for months. Hehe. The temperature is perfect (high 70s to low 80s), and the water is clear and cool. The residents of this beautiful establishment (North Americans, Mexicans, Italians, Germans, and even the Dutch) are already out and about, taking advantage of the numerous gelato stands and Starbucks stores (3 on one street!!!). You should all be proud of me; I have not once frequented a Starbucks since I left Michigan on January 3. Nope, not even here. On the contrary, I have woken up early each morning since we arrived to visit Ah Cacao, a coffeeshop where the beans are fused with Mayan cacao beans to produce a robust and chocolately flavor. It is virtually amazing (I guess that's why I have already spent almost $20 there...).
You probably want to know what I have been up to since returning from the tumultuous waters of Chuburna. I will get there, but first I have a few inquiries to respond to. These ones come from my lovely godparents, who posed the following questions:
What is the heritage of most of the people in the Yucatan peninsula? Mayan? Mayan/Spanish?
Most yucatecos are mestizos, which means that they are a mix of Spanish and indigenous descent. The rest are of Mayan descent. I have been incredibly surprised by the amount of Mayan people that still reside in Yucatan, as I assumed that most had been exterminated by the arrival of the Spanish and the surge of modernity.
It seem the socio-economic level is much higher than Honduras - what is the main source of income? Tourism and agriculture.
What did your "Father" do for a living? Do the women work outside of the home? My papa in Merida worked at a public university where he led the chemical engineering department, and my mama worked at home. Most women who are older than 30 work in the home, and the rest have been Americanized. Hehe.
What does the main diet consist of - besides chicken. hehe. What fruits and vegetables are native to the area - are they like our tropical foods. Lots of meat. Lots of condiments. Few vegetables. Lots of Coke. As the saying goes in Mexico, a meal isn't a meal without a bottle of Coca-Cola. Even worse, many poor families would rather have a bottle of Coke on the table than clothes on their backs.
Ok, this is getting long. I will answer the other questions on a more personal basis.
Monday: We said our final goodbyes and took our trusty tour bus to Playa del Carmen. It was raining when we arrived, so we skipped the beach and decided to explore the main strip, which reminds me of Myrtle Beach: every few blocks the stores and restaurants repeat (hence more than one Starbucks). We went out for dinner and drinks on the beach on Monday night and called it a night soon afterwards
Tuesday: We visited the largest and most visited "park" in Mexico, Xcaret. Let me be as forward as possible: Xcaret is a green Disneyworld. It is as large and thematic as Mickey Mouse's hometown, but instead of roller coasters you find multiple zoos/aquariums/exhibits, shows of every kind (we saw a real live performance of the Mayan juego de pelota (ballgame); no sacrifices though...), a replicate Mayan village, 10 buffet-style restaurants, underground rivers (for snorkeling), and beautiful beaches in every direction. I was in heaven (because my interpretation of heaven includes manatees, wild mushrooms, Mexican dancers, and pina coladas...hehe). Although I could say a whole lot more, I will stop there and conclude with my plans for today: nada. Hehe.
Es el tiempo para relajarme!!!
Thanks for your interest! I will write one more post upon returning to the United States.
Tyler
You probably want to know what I have been up to since returning from the tumultuous waters of Chuburna. I will get there, but first I have a few inquiries to respond to. These ones come from my lovely godparents, who posed the following questions:
What is the heritage of most of the people in the Yucatan peninsula? Mayan? Mayan/Spanish?
Most yucatecos are mestizos, which means that they are a mix of Spanish and indigenous descent. The rest are of Mayan descent. I have been incredibly surprised by the amount of Mayan people that still reside in Yucatan, as I assumed that most had been exterminated by the arrival of the Spanish and the surge of modernity.
It seem the socio-economic level is much higher than Honduras - what is the main source of income? Tourism and agriculture.
What did your "Father" do for a living? Do the women work outside of the home? My papa in Merida worked at a public university where he led the chemical engineering department, and my mama worked at home. Most women who are older than 30 work in the home, and the rest have been Americanized. Hehe.
What does the main diet consist of - besides chicken. hehe. What fruits and vegetables are native to the area - are they like our tropical foods. Lots of meat. Lots of condiments. Few vegetables. Lots of Coke. As the saying goes in Mexico, a meal isn't a meal without a bottle of Coca-Cola. Even worse, many poor families would rather have a bottle of Coke on the table than clothes on their backs.
Ok, this is getting long. I will answer the other questions on a more personal basis.
Monday: We said our final goodbyes and took our trusty tour bus to Playa del Carmen. It was raining when we arrived, so we skipped the beach and decided to explore the main strip, which reminds me of Myrtle Beach: every few blocks the stores and restaurants repeat (hence more than one Starbucks). We went out for dinner and drinks on the beach on Monday night and called it a night soon afterwards
Tuesday: We visited the largest and most visited "park" in Mexico, Xcaret. Let me be as forward as possible: Xcaret is a green Disneyworld. It is as large and thematic as Mickey Mouse's hometown, but instead of roller coasters you find multiple zoos/aquariums/exhibits, shows of every kind (we saw a real live performance of the Mayan juego de pelota (ballgame); no sacrifices though...), a replicate Mayan village, 10 buffet-style restaurants, underground rivers (for snorkeling), and beautiful beaches in every direction. I was in heaven (because my interpretation of heaven includes manatees, wild mushrooms, Mexican dancers, and pina coladas...hehe). Although I could say a whole lot more, I will stop there and conclude with my plans for today: nada. Hehe.
Es el tiempo para relajarme!!!
Thanks for your interest! I will write one more post upon returning to the United States.
Tyler
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Rough waters
¡Ya!
Today is my last day in Merida, folks. I have been here for a tad over 2 weeks, and I am finally heading out tomorrow morning. My family is observably disappointed, as we are finally understanding one another and treating one another as family. Oto is fast becoming one of my better friends (don´t worry, Josh; he is never going to be my brother), and Mayra is actually warming up to me (I thought it would never happen!). It was appropriate, then, that I spent the last few days of my trip with them in Chuburna--a small port north of Merida where the family has a casita.
We left for Chuburna on Saturday afternoon after I had to bear listening to about a dozen presentations on distinct topics related to our stay in Merida. That and a lecture on the increase in suicides in the Yucatan peninsula and the country... What inspiring topics, no? Friday was just about the same, except for the inclusion of my presentation on the identity of a Yucatecan college student. It went pretty well, although the announcement at the beginning of class that we would not be receiving real grades for the assignment threw me off a bit. As if receiving an arbitrary letter from the alphabet as payment for hard work wasn´t demeaning enough; now it is either check or no check. Estoy deprimido...
Back to this weekend. We arrived in Chuburna to find horrible weather (windy, cold, dark) and simple living conditions. We immediately decided to go to the beach, which proved to be completely misguided. There was virtually no beach left because of the violent current that had drastically increased the size of the waves. We also had trouble seeing what was occurring in front of us due to the beach foam, salt, and sand that was flying into our eyes. We rapidly turned tail and jogged back to the beach house only to spend the rest of the evening eating sweets and watching sports themed-films in Spanish (I caught the tail end of "Like Mike" and most of "Space Jam"). I crawled into my hammock at about 10:00 p.m. and slept until about 8:00 a.m. this morning, at which time I unsuccessfully attempted to wake up Mayra and Oto (the dormiones slept until 10:30 a.m.!!!). The rest of today has included the car ride home, lunch at a relative´s home (it all occurred so fast that I have no idea who I met or who served the food), flamingos, and absolutely no showering. Actually, that is what I am about to do now. Then...pizza time!!!
You might not hear from me until a day or two before we head back to Michigan, as I will be traveling by bus all day tomorrow and spending Tuesday in Xcaret, a Disneyworld-like ecopark. Then on to Playa del Carmen, where I get to relax until the plane leaves for the U.S. of A.
I miss you all very much, and although I lament having to leave here so soon, I am excited to return home.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Maestro albañil
Today (ouch) was (ouch) a tiring (ouch) and semi-painful (ouch) day. As if the ouches didn´t express that fact enough... I insert the exclamations because my blistered hands are struggling to type without stinging like a mad hornet on yellow jackets. Bum bum ching. Today was the day that we planned to carry out a service project. Initially we intended to paint a building of some sort (most likely something related to the Presbyterian church; that has been a common theme here...), but we were ultimately recruited for a job much more strenuous and smarting: we were instructed to clear property that would eventually become a church (I wonder which denomination it will belong to...). By clear, I mean that we had to move all of the rocks and dirt that were not at ground level to a different part of the property. That, and the stronger ones in the group (all of whom happened to be men...) were told to dig trenches in which the foundation of the building would be laid. Sure, picking up rocks off the ground and throwing them in the opposite direction is tough stuff. But digging trenches in boulderous, thick earth; who in the world wants to manage that? Being of the male sex, I was assigned that role, and not 10 minutes later my office-born and raised hands were bloodied and sore. I know what I am NOT made for... In the end, the job was...mandatory exercise, which I always enjoy. I also enjoyed the fact that we received tamales for our efforts. Que riquisima!!
The rest of the day was spent working on a presentation that I am giving tomorrow on the life of Mexican youth/students, which will primarily contain information that I have learned from living with Oto, my temporary brother (my permanent, beloved sister wanted me to differentiate). I did so in the comfort of a coffee shop and a Cuban restaurant. C´mon, who wants to do homework without coffee and "moros and cristianos"? Not me...
I miss you all, but just remember: I will be back in a week. Only one more week for you to worry about my safety, Uncle Tom. Well, that is unless I decide to hitch a ride to Cuba and spend some time over there. If only I had my Canadian citizenship status figured out...
Tito
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
New favorite hobby: brincando!
¿Como andan ustedes?
I write to you after a long, exhaustive, and fulfilling day. I went to one of the recently-chosen "7 Wonders of the World Today": Chichen Itza. This is believed by many to be the grandest, most significant, and most beautiful Mayan site. Sure, it was grand; yeah, it was significant (after a two hour-long guided tour, I can probably list all of the reasons why it was significant); and certainly, it was beautiful ("majestic" might be the best word to describe it). Even so, as I told my compañeros today, me canso de las ruinas (translation: one can only see so many ruins before becoming bored). I really wish Chichen Itza would have been either the first site we visited or one of two or three in total. It encapsulates pretty much everything we have learned and observed so far in class and at the other sites, and it puts many of the other places to shame. I guess its downfall is its hands-off policy. No longer can people scale the pyramid or enter the buildings due to a few pesky youth (who writes his/her phone number on the wall of an ancient building?) and one accident. Sure, it was fatal, but it involved an elderly woman who was handicapped. Why must one accident ruin the experience for the rest of us? Why can´t we all just ascribe to the policy of climb at your own risk and keep your writing utensils in your pocket?
After leaving Chichen Itza stupified and toasted (it was hot today), we went to Ik Kil where the fun really began. We went swimming in an underground cenote (the entrance to underground springs that were once used as sites for human sacrifices), which also contained a makeshift staircase that led to a great jumping point. And guess who jumped from those heights nearly 10 times???? You guessed it: Tito! Brinque y salte (I jumped and jumped) for almost 2 hours. It was fantastic. I have pictures to prove it.
I better get going. My sister wants to use the computer. I hope all is well with you all. I heard that Romney won Michigan yesterday. Would someone mind telling me if there was an influx of Mormon youth on the streets of West Michigan last week? Hehe.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Touring the town...
As a disclaimer, I am bitter this evening. I had been planning all week to satisfy my urge for a cinematic adventure by heading to a theatre today, but the group I spent my free time with dismantled before I could make it to Cinepolis. That, and I could not find a paper anywhere that contained the movie times (this after I was told by a few tourist information personnel that I could find the paper at any 7-11 or Oxxo store (Oxxo is the Mayan Walgreens of Mexico)). Like I said, I am bitter.
Today turned out to be quite a disappointment save for the trip to Cafe La Habana, a neat little Cuban restaurant in downtown Merida that serves all sorts of Cuban fare and frothy drinks (i.e. coffee). Yes, I splurged and bought a $4 coffee drink; it´s Cuban for goodness´ sake!!!! Other than the stop for food, I really only attended a lecture at the regular meeting place and went shopping (yet again). Oh, and I finally had the opportunity to run at this ginormous ecological park that is about 5 minutes from my house. It was extremely green, exorbitantly spacious, and incredibly awesome. I really needed a run after all of the stress I have accumulated due to time spent with an enormous group of people. Golly gee.
So I will end (I have homework to do; give me a break) with the top 5 things/moments that will help me remember my time spent in Merida:
1. Coca-Cola (you´d think it was water the way people drink it around here)
2. The absence of toilet seats (yes, it sounds strange, but it is surprisingly more sanitary)
3. Cheese Whiz (again, a staple)
4. My family taking rolls home from a party we attended (sorry, but frugality is not reserved for the Dutch population).
5. Oto (I didn´t know the extent to which language could be vulgar until I encountered this fine specimen of Mexico)
Que Dios les bendiga!
Monday, January 14, 2008
Home sweet temporary home...
¿Que tal, mis amigos y parientes? ¿Como les va?
I have just returned home from Tzucabab, the pueblito where I stayed this weekend with my new amigo Brendan. Boy was it a riot, but holy cow did we work hard! Stay tuned for more... First, though, I need to respond to some comments written on my blog about my choice of attire. Unfortunately, observant family members, I do not have a choice about what I wear below my waist. Unless I am swimming, showering, or sleeping, I must be wearing pants of some kind at all times. It is a cultural thing, and yes, it is uncomfortable on those 90 degree days. So you can stop lecturing me about the type of clothing one should wear on a hot day; I am well aware. Hehe. My time will come; I set off for Playa del Carmen next week, which brings with it more freedom in terms of clothing options. Thanks for the concern...
Okay, on to my weekend. Let´s just say that I played missionary for a few days to entertain some church members who needed someone to supervise and teach 25-50 kids living in the pueblito. Rather than spend the weekend relaxing and paseando, I spent the weekend singing, instructing, preaching, painting, running, stumbling (both over my feet and my words), eating, regretting eating (my stomach didn´t agree with a few of the saucier things I ate), and sleeping (a hammock becomes less uncomfortable when sleep is altogether necessary). If that isn´t entertaining enough, Brendan and I received 2 free tickets to an ongoing mating ceremony between the turkeys living in our backyard. And you thought crowing was a bothersome noise...
I thought I would leave you with one of my journal entries from this weekend and a photo of Maria and me (Maria was one of our little helpers this weekend). Enjoy! Sorry about the length...
"Boy, am I tired. What a whirlwind this past day and a half has been. I am still stupified by how spontaneous and uninformed and patient I have remained throughout the past 36 hours. I guess I should explain. Brendan and I were "supposed" (I put the word in quotations because I don´t think any clear directions were passed along when we attended the orientation for the trip to the pueblo) to arrive in the pueblo to find both a seminarian waiting to take us to our temporary lodgings and a family reading and willing to feed and shelter us. We found the seminarian, but the family part of the deal never arrived. Instead, we were taken to an empty house which we were told was owned by the seminarian´s mother-in-law--a woman too weak to live on her own. We were informed by Apolo, the seminarian, that we could use the facility (immaculate in appearance except for all of these ants) however and whenever we wished and that we might see the viejita pop in every so often to feed her chickens and turkeys (the frequently flustered flock live in the backyard). We were then informed that we would be in chrage of leading a group of children whose parents are not "creyentes" (in other words, the parents are anything but Presbyterians) and that we should be prepared to coordinate an entire day of fun and learning (of Scripture). I envy Brendan´s lack of understanding at this point... I figure, though, that parents of the 10 children who attend will be there to assist in any way possible. I couldn´t be any more wrong... Apolo conveniently left us today to go to Merida for a meeting of Presbyterian pastors. I repeat: he left us. All alone, Brendan and I were responsible for the safety and entertainment of 50 niños of varying sizes, shapes, and ages. All alone, I tell you. Let´s just say that I had to quickly conquer my fear of singing in front of others... We sang, we prayed (Brendan with his "Gracias para"s), we drew, we played games, but most of all, we smiled laughed, and screwed up....joyfully. We spoke broken Spanish, but we spoke it with pride. In truth, I spoke Spanish; Brendan spoke broken. Hehe. I even made up a song in the process ("Jesus es mi amigo") and converted tons of my favorite childhood games into Spanish (Red Rover= Quebrala, Spider in the Web= Arañas en las Telarañas). It was a challenging, backbreaking, (and burning) day, but I made it."
¡Viva el pueblo porque Dios definitivamente esta alli!
I have just returned home from Tzucabab, the pueblito where I stayed this weekend with my new amigo Brendan. Boy was it a riot, but holy cow did we work hard! Stay tuned for more... First, though, I need to respond to some comments written on my blog about my choice of attire. Unfortunately, observant family members, I do not have a choice about what I wear below my waist. Unless I am swimming, showering, or sleeping, I must be wearing pants of some kind at all times. It is a cultural thing, and yes, it is uncomfortable on those 90 degree days. So you can stop lecturing me about the type of clothing one should wear on a hot day; I am well aware. Hehe. My time will come; I set off for Playa del Carmen next week, which brings with it more freedom in terms of clothing options. Thanks for the concern...
Okay, on to my weekend. Let´s just say that I played missionary for a few days to entertain some church members who needed someone to supervise and teach 25-50 kids living in the pueblito. Rather than spend the weekend relaxing and paseando, I spent the weekend singing, instructing, preaching, painting, running, stumbling (both over my feet and my words), eating, regretting eating (my stomach didn´t agree with a few of the saucier things I ate), and sleeping (a hammock becomes less uncomfortable when sleep is altogether necessary). If that isn´t entertaining enough, Brendan and I received 2 free tickets to an ongoing mating ceremony between the turkeys living in our backyard. And you thought crowing was a bothersome noise...
I thought I would leave you with one of my journal entries from this weekend and a photo of Maria and me (Maria was one of our little helpers this weekend). Enjoy! Sorry about the length...
"Boy, am I tired. What a whirlwind this past day and a half has been. I am still stupified by how spontaneous and uninformed and patient I have remained throughout the past 36 hours. I guess I should explain. Brendan and I were "supposed" (I put the word in quotations because I don´t think any clear directions were passed along when we attended the orientation for the trip to the pueblo) to arrive in the pueblo to find both a seminarian waiting to take us to our temporary lodgings and a family reading and willing to feed and shelter us. We found the seminarian, but the family part of the deal never arrived. Instead, we were taken to an empty house which we were told was owned by the seminarian´s mother-in-law--a woman too weak to live on her own. We were informed by Apolo, the seminarian, that we could use the facility (immaculate in appearance except for all of these ants) however and whenever we wished and that we might see the viejita pop in every so often to feed her chickens and turkeys (the frequently flustered flock live in the backyard). We were then informed that we would be in chrage of leading a group of children whose parents are not "creyentes" (in other words, the parents are anything but Presbyterians) and that we should be prepared to coordinate an entire day of fun and learning (of Scripture). I envy Brendan´s lack of understanding at this point... I figure, though, that parents of the 10 children who attend will be there to assist in any way possible. I couldn´t be any more wrong... Apolo conveniently left us today to go to Merida for a meeting of Presbyterian pastors. I repeat: he left us. All alone, Brendan and I were responsible for the safety and entertainment of 50 niños of varying sizes, shapes, and ages. All alone, I tell you. Let´s just say that I had to quickly conquer my fear of singing in front of others... We sang, we prayed (Brendan with his "Gracias para"s), we drew, we played games, but most of all, we smiled laughed, and screwed up....joyfully. We spoke broken Spanish, but we spoke it with pride. In truth, I spoke Spanish; Brendan spoke broken. Hehe. I even made up a song in the process ("Jesus es mi amigo") and converted tons of my favorite childhood games into Spanish (Red Rover= Quebrala, Spider in the Web= Arañas en las Telarañas). It was a challenging, backbreaking, (and burning) day, but I made it."
¡Viva el pueblo porque Dios definitivamente esta alli!
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