me voy caminando

whoa, I'm in Cuernavaca for one night -- back from Amatlan today and to Costa Chica tomorrow, but I wanted to update on my spring break before it got too late.

I arrived in Amatlan on tuesday, thinking I would just stay for 3 days and 2 nights, but ended up staying until sunday afternoon. Just that I was able to stay for that long, and that they wanted me to stay for that long is testament to this family's generosity and kindness. I feel really honored to get to know them because they are really good people -- hard workers, loving family members, keepers of indigenous culture, and people that care about justice, the environment, and the well-being of all people. The first week, and now this week too I was incredibly welcomed into their family, and last night Don Bonfilio commented that its like he has another daughter. And I really enjoy staying with them, because to me that it what Mexico is, for real, and I learn so much more by being with a family and participating in their every day actions and traditions.

Wednesday we hiked through a pass in the mountains (even though it was through a pass, there was still a lot of scrambling up rocks) to San Juan de los Laureles, a town on the other side of the mountains that was celebrating its patron saint's feast day. The hike (they call hiking "caminando" or walking, which is pretty different in my book, but i like that they use that word) was beautiful as we went through with mountains on each side of us. luckily there were a lot of trees, which provided shade. all along the route there were crosses placed there by other hikers to signify something that happened in that region. I'm going to add pictures later, but right now my camera is packed away.

we got to San Jose de los Laureles, got startled by fireworks, touched the statue of the patron saint and ATE. apparently what people do at these festivals is go to everyone's house that is your relative, or that you know one of their relatives and they will serve you food. luckily, we only had two houses to go to, but they both gave us two plates of food, plus more mole to bring home. I was so full, but you really have to eat the food as a sign of respect. actually, thats something that I had trouble with for a good amount of the week. i would eat so i wasn't hungry anymore, but then the family would be like, here's more food, eat! and I would say, I'm so full, I can't. but I think sometimes they interpret that as, I don't like your food. so thats something I have to feel out a lot of the time. the festival was a lot of fun... the kids rode rides, we listened to music and talked, and then one of the brothers came to pick us up so we didn't have to walk back with our tired legs and full stomachs. again, generosity is a main theme here -- families provide everyone else with a full meal, and then when it is Amatlan's turn for their festival, the roles are turned around and my family will provide food for everyone that comes to their house.

this stay was great because I got to know all of the family better, met more people that I didn't know, and made genuine friends. Pepe, one of the brothers, is going to Canada in two days and will be there for six months. even tough i do not live in canada, nor can he come to the US without a visa that is impossible to get, I gave him all of my contact information in case there was any way I could possibly help. that it one of the hardest things to know after receiving so much from this family, is that it is really hard for me to return the favor because it is really hard for them to get into the United States, and then travel to find me, even if just to visit. a visa to get to the US is really expensive, and so is the cost of a coyote to get across without documents. so anyway, i really hope he accepts my offer and contacts me, even if it is just to talk.

again, I was really sad to leave. They kept asking me, when are you coming back? Are you going to stay for longer next time? Which was really nice to hear, because I thought that I stayed for a long time over this break, but I definitely did not wear out my welcome and they at least feel similarly to me. I am going to try and go back in a week for a wedding in the town, but there is no way that I will be able to stay for another longer amount of time, unless it is in the summer.

all in all, it was an amazing spring break, and I felt like I really got a chance to know more Mexican people, which is hard to do when you are with a bunch of US students. I like the people in the group, but it was good to get away and be a part of real Mexican life, for a change.