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Thanks to the people of Coyopolan / I
Sam
Sherraden |
I
arrived in Mexico carrying a rucksack, a camera and a few phone numbers
of people I had never met. As I was leaving, I looked back at every
friend I had made, everyone who treated me like a son, every village,
every tortilla on a wooden stove, every child from Coyopolan pronouncing
watermelon, and I realized how many wondrous experiences I now carry
with me. The two months I spent in Mexico remain some of the most
educational and joyous times of my life, the memories of which rest
in my heart and live on in my mind.
Faculty in the department of Vinculación, students in the house
in Coyopolan and the village community welcomed me with graciousness,
trust and hospitality that I had never experienced before. Ironically,
Mexico’s poverty and corruption have not destroyed the value
Mexicans place on hospitality and the kind treatment of strangers.
People consistently offered me their house, food and time. At one
point, walking around a small town in Veracruz, a man called me into
his shop where he was stood playing dice with friends. His name was
Chewy and he insisted that I stay and have a beer and speak with him
about my life and about his. I took the beer and then he jokingly
proceeded to offer me all kinds of things in his shop including the
hand of his daughter. It was genuine camaraderie, a level of comfort
and friendship that people in foreign countries do not share with
strangers. Leaving Mexico I feel as if I have become friends with
an entire nation of people.
Recently I took the Greyhound bus to visit my Grandfather in Kansas.
In the Greyhound station in St. Louis there was a mother in front
of me who turned around with a distressed look and said with a Mexican
accent, Ay mi madre. I asked if I could help and translated to the
man behind the counter. She was trying to go to Miami, but had been
sold tickets to Nashville. After a few minutes she was in line with
her family, tickets in hand and waving to me. She wished me a happy
new year and I told her to be safe on her journey. Only an hour later
on the bus, once all of the window seats had been taken, a young man
walked on and asked if he could sit with me. His English wasn’t
very good and understanding I moved my things aside and proceeded
to speak with him in Spanish for most of the nine hour journey. I
hope to continue to seek out friendships with Mexicans and show them
the same kindness in the United States that I received in Mexico.
My first and lasting friendships began in the house in Coyopolan where
students of the University of Veracruz were doing their year of Servicio
Social. Brenda, Nancy, Alma, Elizabeth y Ramiro introduced me to the
village life and practices. The kids of the village introduced themselves
and despite my limited Spanish they found plenty to talk about. During
my first week, Ramiro (the chemist), Alma (the nutritionist), Juanita,
Chelly and I walked up into the village of Cerro Boludo and families
came to their front yards to welcome us and offer space in their houses
and food for lunch. I then realized why Ramiro had told me that wouldn’t
need to bring much food. One woman beckoned us in and we gratefully
obliged. A girl was sat in the yard on a blue tarp harvesting beans
by sliding her thumb through the dried pods. She and her daughter
served us fresh milk, juice, eggs, cheese, beans and tortillas. They
offered us more than reasonable portions of food that I was certain
they didn’t eat everyday. I sat at the table and thought about
the girl in the front yard and the men and boys in the fields and
it occurred me after my second portion of beans that the more food
we ate, the less they would have to eat. But the family continued
to offer us more food. This moment remains vivid in my mind.
In the communities surrounding Coyopolan we surveyed the population
and I began to understand the norms of village life. As one of the
others asked the families about their childbirth, education and vaccines
I looked around and quietly took photos of the people and their lives.
I have been a photographer for some years, but I have never been so
satisfied with my work. Because I was living in the community and
teaching kids English, I felt some ownership of the scene and had
a greater understanding of what it meant. I have included some photos
from my travels.
(Continuará) |
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