Re: Positioning

Wish I'd continuously kept an online journal when I first came to Mexico a little over five years ago. It would be great fun to look back on the posts now to see how I or my surroundings have changed.

Working for a prestigious school here in southern Mexico has been a broadening (and sometimes exhausting) experience. It's not so much time in front of groups that is wearing. That's the fun part. It's all the planning and administrative work that tires me. I still, five years on, haven't taken the time to really explore all there is to do and see here. Although I have settled in to the daily routine of living here, my high-school Spanish has not greatly improved, but I can communicate and make my way around town, and must say the people who've befriended me have done so in a warm and gracious way. I don't feel like a stranger (much) but my intractibility has caused small difficulties from time to time. For instance, I served for a year and a half as the coordinator of English at the school, but was recently asked to pass on the position to a native Mexican because I wasn't much good at schmoozing with parents about their children's progress.

The many students I have worked with, of varying teenage years, have all been bright and there has never been a problem communicating with them. I often get them to write essays and fictional pieces and they mostly have shown high degrees of creativity.

Generally, however, there is a lack of interest in reading (even in their first language) for pleasure. Students will do required academic reading and almost all are computer literate and surf the Internet for pleasure. American and European music with English lyrics are widely appreciated and the themes are understood, and in fact, many students do read pop fiction, but when asked about it generally deny having recently read anything. I guess it's not cool to admit to that particular penchant. For instance, a large percentage were familiar with The Da Vinci Code before the movie came out, and all know what to expect in the next installment of the Harry Potter series, but nobody seems to want to discuss these things for fear of appearing too literate in front of their peers. Only adults occasionally discuss local writers of import such as Rosario Castellanos or Jaime Sabines.

American movies are very popular as are dubbed or subtitled television shows from the U.S. Sit-coms top that list, although, youth-oriented soap opera styled programs and crime melodramas also rank high. There is stiff competition in this area from the home-grown telenovelas that proliferate. A friend told me early in my stay here that Saturdays traditionally featured old black and white Pedro Infante movies, but the watching of these, too, is generally denied among the youthful crowd I deal with on a daily basis. MTV and TeleHit are thoroughly absorbed and though traditional fare is observed, it is hardly acknowledged. There are several cineplexes which seem to thrive, but I know of at least five smaller movie theaters that have closed during my residence.

Here in Tuxtla Gutierrez, the city museum was closed and in a state of disrepair when I arrived, and though it is open to the public once again, it is never crowded, nor, it seems, is the Casa de Artesenias much frequented.

In the bookstores, there is a dearth of historical reading matter. This city is filled with schools and the bookstores carry loads of technical and academic titles, but one is hardpressed to find a good picture book of local history.

Not too long ago, an extension was built onto one of the modern malls, the most modern, in fact, and a Sanborn's opened bringing with it the cosmopolitan flavor of Mexico City. It is the only place in town I know of where someone like me can find a small selection of books and periodicals in English, and though some English language magazines have generally been available for some time, it is nice not to have to go to San Cristobal for the occasional novel.

So that seems to be the general states of affairs. This is an area rich in cultural tradition, but most of it you have to learn by word of mouth. I have been here, as I say, for five years, and all things being equal, will probably remain for the foreseeable future. I think I will use some of my free time to explore and note what I find.