Although almost every day at Six Apart is Take Your Dog to Work Day, Friday was extra special because it was the official Take Your Dog to Work Day! Plus, as lovers of blogs and animals, we think it's great that active blogger and Human Society's President and CEO, Wayne Pacelle, thinks having dogs around the office is a good reminder of "who we're working for."
We realize some people have it ruff and aren't lucky enough to be able to bring their dog to work, but hopefully these pictures taken at Six Apart last Friday will get your tails wagging... And let me tell you, it's harder than it looks to get all the doggies and their fetching owners in one picture.
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, today is the summer solstice. For ancient civilizations, this day was akin to our modern day New Year's Eve and was viewed as a time to reflect and renew. So why not kick off your summer celebration with a new theme?
See all of our themes in the Design Area.
Or choose from one of these brand-new themes. (Available under "New.")
A couple of months ago, we told you about Blog It powered by TypePad, the first cross-platform blogging application for Facebook the enables you to post to your Vox blog - and ALL your blogs - with a single click.
Within a week, Blog It had nearly 4,000 active users posting tweets and creating blog posts, as well as updating their status messages with the title and link to the published post. Today, Blog It's Facebook application has nearly 10,000 users. But here's the thing: You're not always sitting in front of the computer when the inspiration to blog strikes. And at Six Apart, it is our goal to provide you the tools you need need to blog where you want, and when you want.
Which is why this week we introduced Blog It for iPhone, a free web application just like the one we introduced for Facebook - only now - on your iPhone. Built specifically for iPhone's Safari browser, Blog It for iPhone enables you to post blog entries or status updates from wherever you are to more than a dozen different online services. And just like the original Facebook version, you can choose to share your posts with the people you know across various social networks.
To start blogging with Blog It for iPhone, go to http://blogit.typepad.com with your iPhone's Safari browser and install the Blog It icon onto your mobile desktop. Then, all you have to do is click the Blog It icon and start creating posts!
Whether you're riding the bus to work, cheering on your team courtside, or enjoying a picnic by the lake, now it's easier than ever to Blog It.
We will be performing scheduled maintenance on Vox tonight (Friday, June 6, 2008) from 11:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. PDT. Although we don't anticipate this maintenance to be highly disruptive, we always like to give you advance notification when there is a slight chance of some downtime.
As always, thank you for your patience - and have a great weekend!
Update: There WILL be downtime between 11:00 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. PDT. so please plan accordingly.
Get your closets ready because the 2nd Annual SHOP SF Event is less than two weeks away, and Gen Art is offering Voxers an exclusive 25% discount on VIP and General Admission to this one-of-a-kind shopping fête.
The event will showcase over 40 local designers specializing in stylish clothing, jewelry and accessories for both men and women. These local designers were culled from the Gen Art alumni, local art schools, as well as the Bay Area's hottest emerging designer boutiques. With so many amazing looks to choose from, you'll be sure to find head-turning styles perfectly tailored to your individual taste. After all, that's what we think being a Bay Area resident is all about, don't you?
When: Saturday, June 14th
VIP Preview Hour: 12:00 - 1:00 P.M. (Includes access to the VIP lounge, Shu Uemura Lash Bar, complimentary coat check and a gift bag.)
General Public: 1:00 - 6:00 P.M.
Where: 511 Harrison Street (at 1st Street0
San Francisco, CA 94105
RSVP for the event at Gen Art and enter offer code VoxShopSF to save 25% off VIP or General Admission.
Wondering how you can say "Thank You" to Gen Art for their generous offer? Raid the closet of your boyfriend, husband, father, or best male bud, and bring a paper bag full of menswear (in good condition) to donate to The Saint Vincent de Paul Society. Donations will go to help more than a thousand people trying to overcome poverty, homelessness, substance abuse and domestic violence in the Bay Area. Plus, for your kind offering, you'll receive a Goorin Bros. hat or accessory.
Let us know in the comments if you'll be attending this exciting event. We can't wait to see you there!
The Purple Ribbon Project is an international project with the long-term goal of bringing an end to all interpersonal violence. While none of us can hope to stop interpersonal violence on our own, the Purple Ribbon Project encourages us to change our own behavior by being a responsible role model, setting an example, and promoting violence awareness and respect.
The Purple Ribbon Project believes in order to stop the violence, we must first see to it that every man, woman, and child is aware of the problem. We must ask them to consciously stop tolerating, enabling, or engaging in this self-destructive epidemic among humans. Stopping violence is everyone’s responsibility.
What can you do to participate in this effort? First, you can answer today's QotD, "What could we do to create a world with less violence?" or respond to today's Vox Hunt and "Show us something purple." You can also wear a purple ribbon or tie one to your car or find ways to be a positive role model.
Learn more about how to get involved with the Purple Ribbon Project and let us know about your efforts to make the world a more peaceful place in the comments.
Not that you need a reminder to go shopping, but just in case it somehow slipped your mind, we wanted to make sure you didn't forget about the Billion Dollar Babes Spring/Summer Sale this weekend in Los Angeles. Stock up on all the hottest designer styles at up to 80% off retail prices.
When: Friday, May 30th & Saturday, May 31st
Why: Well, we already mentioned the fabulous deals and steals, but on top of that, the lovely ladies at Billion Dollar Babes are offering a very special offer exclusively for Voxers. Visit http://www.bdbinvite.com/ and enter voxvipla in the promo code box to receive an early start time and first look at the sale!
San Francisco Voxers: Mark your calendars. The Billion Dollar Babes Spring/Summer Sale will be here Friday, June 6th and Saturday, June 7th. You, too, can register for an early start time and first look. Visit http://www.bdbinvite.com/ and enter voxvipsf in the promo code box.
Happy Shopping!
There are only a few weeks left before summer starts... Have you gotten around to your Spring Cleaning yet? If not, no need to fret. Spruce up your Vox blog with a brand new theme. It only takes a minute and it's the perfect mini-makeover that's designed to inspire. (Plus, it totally beats cleaning out your closets.)
See all our themes in the Design Area.
Or, choose from one of these brand-new themes (available under "New").
Hello, world...
I haven't updated my blogs at ALL and, since I'm home and they're all complete, I thought I should post them!
Enjoy!!
Culture Shock…in the U.S.
April 3rd, 2008
Prior to my trip, everyone insisted that I needed to brace myself for culture shock in Mexico. Because of the differences between Mexico and the U.S., I was told to be aware that my first few weeks would be extremely difficult as I acculturated. Honestly, I never felt this uneasiness, nor did I realize how or when I became accustomed to Mexican culture. Although I was aware that I was fitting in better and better, I had no technique or strategy to avoid culture shock but, somehow, I never felt the stress that most people feel when adjusting to a new country.
Stress did arise during the trip into the U.S. Entering our first plane, I did not feel uneasy or shocked; rather, I felt excited and ready to return to the U.S. While attempting to board our second flight in Mexico City, I was reminded about the rules and regulations of American flight policies. As I entered the plane with three carry-ons and was told that I could not board with all three, I became a frustrated American that was willing to lie and say “Oh, this bag is my friend’s.” After being seated on the plane, I began to think about this. When I boarded the Mexicana airline, I was not bombarded with such strict regulations, leaving me to feel comfortable and relaxed, while the Delta airline immediately frustrated me. I realized that the relaxed policies in Mexico had left me to become relaxed, as well, and made me able to find myself rather than the constantly stressed-out individual that I usually am. Has the U.S. made me into this stressed-out individual? With my encounter with flight policy in our first Delta flight, I was reminded that American lifestyle is tense and stressful, leaving all Americans left with abnormal, unnecessarily high stress levels.
Finally, we landed in Atlanta. My excitement took over me as we waited for our baggage at baggage claim, and I began calling my friends and family to tell them that I was in the U.S. After this, however, we entered the terminal area to wait for our flight into Philadelphia. I had been thinking about this day for a few weeks now, just hoping to get “American” food in the airport. Although I did have the chance to buy “American” food, I was feeling culture shock! How could this be? I’m in my native country, and I’m feeling out of place? Many aspects, including the hustle-and-bustle of the airport, the fact that I no longer was one of the tallest people in the general vicinity, the lack of Maya-Mexican people, and the prevalence of the English language, made me feel a true sense of discomfort. Even when I was attempting to order my food in the airport, I had a difficult time understanding the English of the cashier and I found myself actually putting forth effort in order to resist speaking in Spanish!
With so many differences being immediately apparent to me, I felt out of place. As odd as it seems, I’m sure it is just a matter of time before I am used to the American culture again, but I hope that I will not forget my knowledge and learned appreciation of Mexican culture. Indeed, this study abroad experience has changed my outlook on life. If I had chosen a different study abroad program to European country, such as France, for example, I would have learned about European culture, but I am certain that I would not have learned about myself and how I want to live my life. As European countries are Westernized in a similar manner as seen in the U.S., I know that I would not have only extended my knowledge of language and culture. Without seeing the hardships that Mexican families face, I would not have realized the strength of my desire to help less fortunate or my desire to improve conditions throughout the world. My desire to become a doctor has now expanded into a yearning to help the less fortunate, thus making me hope to learn more about similar conditions of poverty-stricken countries of the world so that I will be able to provide medical assistance to these people in the future. In addition, my appreciation for nature has grown into an inexplicable love that I would not have gained in another abroad program. If I had not been granted the opportunity to live in the jungles of Mexico, to climb mountains, or to white water raft, my love for nature would never have developed, nor would I have ever been granted the opportunity to explore and truly experience the adventure of life!
Tal Vez
April 1st, 2008
While in Merida, I had a number of opportunities to listen to the radio. One of the most played songs on the radio, entitled “Tal Vez” by Kudai, quickly became one of my favorite Mexican songs. After leaving Merida, I continued to hear “Tal Vez” on the radio, in restaurants, and even in karaoke bars. While in a karaoke bar in Celestun, I asked a waitor to give me the name and artist of this song. Although I have had this information for a few weeks, today was the first that I researched the lyrics and their translation into English.
Within the first stanza, mention of “memories [not] killing my faith” provoked my attention. Building on this, the repeating chorus states:
I want to speak, I want to see,
I want to be and I want to be
And in your arms to be born again...
“To be born again” stood out to me, as it seemed to be a very Christian idea that one can be born again into the Christian faith. The song continues to speak of a sort of re-birth, and the song ends by repeating “tal vez,” meaning “perhaps”, with the haunting background repeating “memories do not kill my faith” and “and in your arms to be born again.”
With my curiosity at its peak, I decided to find the music video for this popular song (http://youtube.com/watch?v=N7J2Lx7w7qo). The video shows the story of a young woman fighting against an alcohol addiction. While she empties her liquor cabinet and attends group therapy meetings, the members of Kudai are shown within a Catholic church, where they are shown infront of the church’s altar. Towards the end of the video, the woman enters the church to pray with her rosary beads. Additionally, the camera zooms into her neck, where it shows her grabbing a silver crucifix on her neck, followed by her releasing the crucifix and lifting her hands in a prayer.
This video and song would never have been popular in the U.S. With “Tal Vez” being one of the most popular, mainstream songs in Mexico, it is evident that Mexican culture is one that openly embraces religious expression. In the United States, however, we are taught to keep religion separate from almost all other aspects of life, as if it were taboo to be religious. Through the mention of rebirth and allowing religion to change one’s lifestyle, Kudai readily mentions religion, and the entire country responded by making this song one of the most popular songs in Mexico.
This difference in the embracing of religion has also become more evident to me while in San Cristobal. A few days ago, while on break during evolution class, a parade of evangelical Christians passed by Jovel. Initially, I felt a bit uncomfortable with this, as it seemed a bit controversial for this group of non-Catholic Christians to pass through the road preaching to this largely Catholic country. If this had happened in the United States, especially with a minority religion parading through the streets, riots surely would have broken out, possibly resulting in the injuring of individuals within the parade for such open preaching of their religion. In Mexico, however, people seemed to openly embrace it, as there were people that exited buildings and inquired about the parade while readily receiving pamphlets and information from the parade members.
It is difficult to become comfortable with such open displays of religion after being taught to privately worship in one’s religion. Through the multiple displays of religion in Mexico, as in popular music, parades, and even through household religious decorations, Mexicans are much more open about religion when compared to Americans. With this openness, it seems as though a lowered amount of violence results from religious displays, potentially proving that this openness allows for less hostility between religions. Even though the fact that the majority of the country is Catholic, the people, who were most likely Catholics, watching the evangelical parade did not respond with physical or verbal violence; they were accepting and willing to hear the ideas of these Protestants, proving the increased receptiveness to religion through this open-religion policy in Mexico.
Ohh, we’re climbing THAT mountain?
March 29th, 2008
After meeting with some classmates in the Zocalo, we stood and waited for taxis to take us to Huitepec. Because of the fact that it was so early in the morning, I did not expect to see much activity in the Zocalo. Surprisingly, however, there was a multitude of activity seen by Chamulan women as they tried to sell some of their goods. Even young children were selling to support their families, reminding me of the lack of education that children receive in Mexico. Unsurprisingly, Mexicans only receive an average of 7.2 years of formal education; even with this known, however, I wondered how much education the children of Chamula receive. Regardless of the average, the children of Chamula must be an exception, as I have seen countless children during all hours of the day attempting to sell items and provide additional support for their families. As their mothers and fathers, selling hemp wristbands and scarves will be their destiny, with little opportunity to branch into any other occupation.
When our taxis arrived, we began to near Huitepec. Prior to this trip to Huitepec, I do not think that I understood the meaning of a “nature hike.” After not having done much physical activity in the past two weeks, my body was not ready for today’s hike. As we made our ascend up the mountain side, I could not help but feel like I was having a heart attack! My body ached and my breathing became extremely heavy, but I continued to climb.
With this continued climb, I kept thinking about how I have never physically forced myself to do anything like this. I have always pushed myself in other ways, such as academically and emotionally, but never have I found myself in a physically strenuous situation where I was in need of pushing myself to continue. As I climbed, I kept thinking to myself “this isn’t killing me, so I just need to keep going,” and I did.
By physically forcing myself to climb further, I found myself at the top of the mountain. The view was amazing! I could not believe that I was able to see the tops of surrounding mountains through the tree line. The beauty of surrounding Chiapas was truly stunning, and I could not imagine a more beautiful view. Adding to this beauty was the sound of many bird species singing. As we sat on fallen trees within the woods, we all became silent, with our attention completely taken by the many elaborate songs flooding our ears. Even in the U.S., where I have had opportunities to listen to multiple bird songs, I have never felt so amazed by the song structure of birds. Without this hike, I believe that my appreciation of nature would never have fully developed without witnessing the deluge of bird songs at the top of Huitepec.
Although Huitepec did not show me any differences between cultures, it showed me how I have developed as an individual through this study abroad experience. I have never actually climbed anything of this sort in the United States, nor would I have ever thought to climb a mountain and physically exert myself to such an extreme. Without this trip, I know that I may never have done anything like this climb at Huitepec. After seeing the tree-lined view from the top, hearing the songs of the many bird species, and feeling an overwhelming feeling of success at the top of the mountain, I realize that I would love to do something like this again, and I hope that I will be able to extend my new found love for nature after my return to the U.S.!
Visit to Chamula
March 24th, 2008
Driving to Chamula, I was in awe of the views we were seeing surrounding San Cristobal. With the beautiful, rolling hills and the city sitting within the valley, I looked out of the van window thinking about how beautiful Mexico really is. After seeing this beauty, however, we parked outside of a church within walking distance of Chamula. Outside of the church was a graveyard which truly shocked me. As I looked at the graves, I was disturbed by the fact that the ground was completely covered in litter. Surrounding each tombstone was a multitude of garbage, in addition to a lack of upkeep of the gravesites, in general. Unlike any cemetery in the U.S., the gravesites each lacked a grassy covering but, rather, showed exposed mounds of dirt where each person had been buried. As I looked at the cemetery, I couldn’t help but notice two women visiting grave sites. Neither appeared to mind the fact that their loved ones’ graves were bare and covered in garbage but, rather, they appeared to be making a visit as anyone in the U.S. would. Without an apparent care of the disrespectful litter, I wondered why these women did not appear to be concerned. In the U.S., the upkeep of cemeteries would be the responsibility of the church. With the apparent lack of such policies in Mexico, or at least in Chamula, I can understand why these women would not care: they were not taught to care. In addition, such policies cost the churches money to continue and, because Mexico, including Chamula, is not a wealthy country, I understand why there would be a litter problem and a lack of planted grass on each of the grave sites.
Following our visit to the cemetery, we entered Chamula, where we visited the San Juan Chamula church. As we entered the church, we were told not to take photographs inside of the church, as to keep the church a sacred place for the people of Chamula rather than simply a spectacle. Regardless of this rule, however, I felt as though, as a visitor, I was making this church into a sort of amusement ride. With its beauty and sacredness, I felt extremely uncomfortable looking around the church, especially while Chamulans were observing prayer within the church during our visit. As our group stood in the back, I felt that I needed to leave from this church, but, instead, we walked through the rest of the church. Looking at all of the candles and pine needles covering the floor, I was astounded by the ways in which the people were religiously worshiping, as it truly was something that I had never experienced before.
Although I had never experienced it before, I am not certain that I will ever return to Chamula. I kept thinking about how uncomfortable I would feel if a large group of Mexicans (just to turn the situation around) were visiting my church and standing in the back while I sat with my family in a pew and prayed. With this, I knew that we, as non-natives to Chamula, should not have been standing and watching others during their sacred, religious worship. As religion is so important to people across the globe, it is hard to fathom how people would have started visiting places like Chamula and making spectacle at the expense of others’ devoutness to a religion. Not even curiosity can justify such action, and I felt truly uncomfortable during my visit in San Juan Chamula.
In addition to this, when I returned to my host-family’s house after visiting Chamula, I began doing research about the church. While finding that the church is considered to be a “blend of Catholicism, the former pagan [Mayan] religion, and capitalism,”1 I found many instances where people were complaining of the begging done by children of Chamulan families. I just wish that short-term tourists who are making these pages would realize the daily trials that Mexican families face while trying to feed, house, and clothe their families. Without having seen the rest of the country, or having done prior research on the extent of poverty in Mexico, I feel as though tourists will never be able to fathom the horrid conditions that many are forced to call “home.”
With these ignorant viewpoints, I also was able to find a multitude of photographs and video of the inside of the San Juan Chamula church. As this footage is being spread throughout the internet, I cannot help but feel even worse for my visit inside of the church. Why can nothing be sacred anymore? With expanding technology, we are left to find that knowledge is more readily available. This knowledge, however, should not be at the expense of an entire town’s religious view.
1http://wild-net.com.au/mexico/html/san_cristobal_-_san_juan_chamu.phtml
Wait, I’m not Catholic…and I have no idea what you’re saying!
March 23rd, 2008
Easter is one of two holidays where I am able to see my entire family during the course of the year. Knowing that study abroad would overlap with this holiday, I knew that I would be missing out on having the traditional, semi-annual reunion with my extended family. Every year, my family and I wake up, making every attempt to wake up in time to attend church service, and we make our “rounds” visiting family and friends. As I knew that this was all still going on, but without me, I really felt homesick today. In hopes of quelling this yearning for home, I attended church service with my host mother. Knowing that most of the people in Mexico (approximately 77% of the population) are Catholic, I felt that I could assume that she, too, was a Catholic, which turned out to be true. Even though I knew she was most likely Catholic, I still agreed to go with her to mass.
As we entered the San Francisco, a medium-sized Catholic church about two blocks from “El Zocolo,” I saw people staring at me, mainly because I stand out quite a bit in Mexico. As if this didn’t make me feel uncomfortable enough, I slowly began to realize exactly how different Catholic mass and Protestant church services are. With the constant “up and down” motion, in addition to the blessings with Holy Water, I began to feel more and more uncomfortable in this church. On top of this, the entire service was, of course, in Spanish, so it made it quite difficult for me to understand much, if anything, that they were saying about Easter Sunday.
I was, however, able to understand two very important concepts during the mass. During the beginning of the service, I was able to translate parts of the Priest’s Spanish sermon concerning the fact that everyone around the world, no matter their language or nationality, was celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. With this sermon, alone, I felt a bit more at ease and consoled about the fact that I could not be with my family. Even though I could not be with them, I was, at this time, reassured that we were still celebrating Easter together, regardless of the fact that I was in a different country. Being able to understand this also led me to comprehend the fact that language should not be a barrier for me. As much as I love other languages, I still felt frustrated during the service, as I felt that I could not accurately translate everything and felt excluded from fully participating in the service. In being able to understand this concept, however, I was reminded about the fact that languages are at the core of all societies and, in order to better inform myself of the world and various cultures, it is completely necessary for me to make every effort to learn other languages.
With this thought, I attempted to pick out more words and phrases within the sermon. One of the only other phrases that I understand was “escuchar a todo” within the middle of a sentence. Understanding this phrase alone showed me that I must expand my mind and truly attempt to learn as much as I can of everything. In my mind, this phrase spoke to me, telling me to hear others opinions without forcing judgment on other ideas, while simultaneously formulating my own opinions based on my collective knowledge.
I took this statement very seriously, especially my perception of our class on evolution. Although I am certain that the priest would not have wanted his message on Easter Sunday to provoke Catholics to open their minds to ideas such as evolution, I took this phrase as such, especially with my Christian background and my tendency to be closed minded. Even though I have already formulated my own ideas on religion and evolution, I felt that this Spanish sermon showed me that I need to learn to listen, even in other languages, in order to learn about other cultures and ideas to my maximum potential. Even through my exploration of Mexican culture have I felt that, at some points, I may have closed off some ideas of Mexican culture, such as aspects of the Spanish language, which was initially difficult for me, and cat-calls by Mexican men. I hope that, throughout the rest of the trip, that I will be able to continue to take this piece of the sermon to heart, enabling myself to continue my growth as a person and enhance my understanding of other ideas and Mexican culture.
Additionally, Easter Sunday was not as large of a celebration in Mexico as it is in the U.S. Unlike the U.S., where Easter festivities include pictures with the Easter Bunny, Easter baskets filled with miscellaneous candies, and grandiose celebrations with family and friends, the people of San Cristobal did not make Easter into such an extravagance. Rather, the people went to church to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that was it! In my host family’s house, there wasn’t a family dinner or Easter candy, but it seemed as though the people took it as a regular day outside of the Catholic mass. As aforementioned, my family and I go to great lengths to celebrate Easter, so I was shocked that there wasn’t a “special dinner” in the house or mention of one in any of the other host family houses where other students are staying.
With this large difference, I began to question why. Why isn’t Easter a “big deal” in Mexico as it is in the U.S., especially after seeing how influential American Christmas festivities are on Mexican celebrations? I began to wonder if, possibly, because so much of the nation is Catholic, there is less of a celebration but, because I do not know much of American Catholic traditions, I feel that I cannot make this assumption. I also began to wonder, however, if American corporations have a large effect on Easter celebrations. With the lack of true significance of the Easter Bunny in the realm of Christianity, I could see how this would be a possibility. Potentially, Easter has become such a large corporately-influenced holiday that we, as Americans, are making this holiday into something larger than it is. Regardless, I cannot comprehend why Mexico hasn’t adopted it yet. Perhaps it is just a matter of time before Mexican children will be asking their parents to drive them to local malls to visit the Easter Bunny but, for now, I am still curious as to why they have not already started doing so.
Can we leave? I think I am going to be sick…
March 22nd, 2008
I was honestly excited to see a bull fight. After hearing about some of my friends’ experiences at bull fights, I thought that I would enjoy seeing the fight and the extravagant costumes of the fighters. When I told my parents that I was going to a bull fight, however, they warned me that they, too, had gone to one in Mexico and that Mexican bull fights, unlike bull fights in Spain, end in the death of the bull. Knowing this but not quite comprehending that “killing of the bull” really meant “murder of the bull,” I went to the bull fight and witnessed one of the most repulsive, immoral events I could have ever imagined.
Prior to the start of the bull fight, the bull fighters rode into the ring on horseback. While showing their horse riding skills and their strength, the men rallied the crowd, which was highly anticipating the entrance of the bull. Following this, the first bull entered, and the crowd roared. I, too, was excited, until the moment when I saw the large wound in the side of the bull. With this already inflicted wound, the bull was angered and chased after the men in the ring. As the bull neared, one of the men raised a large dagger in his hand and stabbed the bull again. At this moment, I knew that I really was not going to enjoy this.
We sat through the next three bull murders. I sat in shock, with my face in my hands, just in case I needed them to cover my eyes or to wipe away tears if I cried. All of us felt this way. But the crowd felt an emotion truly opposite from mine. With the loud cheers from the crowd, the bull fighters continued to increase their levels of brutality, which only resulted in more obnoxious cheers from the audience. Even a woman sitting next to me was cheering “Torro! Torro!” in order to show her support for the killing of the bull. All of the people in the audience were regular-looking Mexicans; it was not as if these people were the most brutal of all Mexicans and came to the bull fight to prove their love for violence. This, indeed, was a time when I realized that Mexican and American cultures are completely different.
I can only relate the emotions evoke within the bull fight’s audience members to my emotions at basketball games. While sitting in the stands, I become the obnoxious audience member that yells at the top of my lungs to the players and the coaching staff. I am not, however, yelling to the players to murder the other team’s members. To me, the passion I display through my yells seems normal, but to most of my friends, who are not basketball fans, I appear to be crazy. While I sat in the stands at the bull fight, I was viewing the audience members as crazy. Even though I still do not agree with the fact that the bull fighters did murder the bull, I cannot judge the fans. Bull fights resulting in the death of the bull is a part of Mexican culture, as basketball is a part of American culture. Although quite different in the outcome, bull fights and basketball can be equated to one another in the fact of the passion evoked within fans of the sporting events.
With this understanding, I realized that, if I had grown up in Mexico, my passion for basketball, most likely, would not exist. Rather, this passion may have been expressed at a bull fight, where my Mexican father would have taken me to a bull fight rather than a basketball game. With the parallels in passion for a sport, it is easy to see how Mexicans are able to enjoy the thrill of bull fights in a similar manner that I am able to enjoy the thrill of basketball games. Because of my cultural upbringing, I cannot understand the thrill of killing a bull, but I am able to comprehend that this would be possible and completely dependent on the cultural nature of one’s upbringing.
Goodbye, Merida! February 10th, 2008 As I write this blog entry, I am sitting on the bus driving to Kiuic, the biological reserve that I will be staying at for the next two weeks. Since we only left the Merida one hour ago, it is interesting to see that there is absolutely nothing outside of the city. Currently, we are driving on a small road through what appears to be a short tree forest, with the only sign of civilization being road signs and some power lines which lead to homes that are not visible at the current time. Unlike the U.S., there are no true suburban areas that I have seen, but, rather, it seems to be that many of the homes outside of the city are widespread. Some of the homes resemble the stucco homes in Merida, while others have only thatched or aluminum rooftops. I am sure that we will see many more of the thatched rooftop homes as we move even further into the jungles and towards areas mainly inhabited by Maya individuals. It was surprisingly easy to leave the city this morning. As I did not “anchor” myself that much into any aspects of the city, I felt that it was hardest to say goodbye to my host brother, who is 12 years old and always joked around with me. Otherwise, I am very excited to be seeing more of Mexico outside of the city. Although city life is “fun” and “exciting,” I would much rather be living in rougher conditions and experiencing something new than staying in a city for my entire study abroad experience! My desire to leave the city was exped