Tuesday, March 7, 2006

Below is an essay I just finished writing (first draft) for my English 305 course. The assignment was to “simplify” our lives a la Henry David Thoreau (but not quite)…

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Two words can summarize the way I have led my life in recent years: work and school. I work at Jefferson Elementary. As I am usually surrounded by children, it should come as no surprise that there isn’t any room for dull moments. Jefferson’s unofficial motto seems to be, “always something going on.” My college experience is not much different. Assignments and exams keep me on my toes. The rule of thumb is that as long as CSUN and Jefferson Elementary are running, there is no time to relax. In fact, I am only able to escape my routine when I leave the country!

My most recent trip out of the country took place a few days after the end of the spring semester 2005. My father and I traveled to his hometown in Mexico to visit family members. It had been sixteen years since the last time I was able to appreciate the picturesque homes that adorn the small town of Santa Inez, in the state of Guerrero. Buried deep in my memory were images of my grandparents’ home: an old adobe house built less than one hundred meters away from a small stream. As we approached town in my cousin’s car, I wondered what Santa Inez now looked like. Just my luck, it was eleven o’clock at night and the town had been without electrical power for the past ten hours or so. I would have to wait another day to see if Santa Inez had progressed since the last time I was there.

When I woke up the next day it took longer than usual to get myself together. For starters, I had spent the night on a hammock. The room’s layout did not help ease my confusion. Aside from the hammock, there was a bed, a chair, and a television resting on a small dresser. My digital video recorder and remote controls were nowhere to be found. My PowerBook was still in its traveling case, far from where it usually is… within arm’s reach. In a matter of seconds I knew that I was in for some adjustments.

After giving myself a “manita de gato” (literaly, “a cat’s paw,” in reference to a cat’s act of bringing his paws to its mouth and later to its face, as if grooming itself), my dad asked me to come with him to greet relatives. Because I am not much of a talker, it was not long before I felt we had done enough “catching up.” I had gone from my dad’s house to my aunt’s without leaving family property. I was dying to go outside and see the neighborhood.

My chance to go outside finally came when my dad asked me to accompany him to the nearby clinic for a physical exam. Oh how great it felt to walk down the street of Santa Inez again! The town was even more beautiful than the last time I had been there. Its streets were clean and its houses bore signs of progress: the one house that stood out as the most beautiful in the neighborhood in the late 1980s had become declassed by the two-story homes that are quickly becoming the norm in Santa Inez. I smiled knowing that one day I would be able to retire to this town and live in the house that my dad is building.

During my stay in Santa Inez I enjoyed spending my evenings sitting outside my aunt’s house, watching people go on with their daily lives. The breeze that sunset would bring to the usually humid town of Santa Inez made my evenings more jolly. In fact, one evening the weather was so delightful that I felt the urge to go out there and explore. I got off my chair and started walking east of my aunt’s house. I went as far as the lights took me. When I got to the edge of town I asked a man, “Is this a public alley?” as I pointed to a narrow open space that seemed to lead to another street. Upon receiving the man’s approval, I walked up the alley and made a right on the first street. I continued walking and came upon a carnival. The town’s youth seemed to have converged to enjoy the rides and lively music. As if my legs were being summoned by supernatural powers, I kept on walking until I reached the street that eventually led me back to my aunt’s home.

My first hours in Santa Inez were good indication of what was to come. My short stay was uneventful, but it was precisely the lack of action that made for a pleasant experience. I was able to get up late and go back to sleep whenever I pleased. In fact, between naps I was able to read a book that I had avoided for years! It was great not having anything to worry about. So great that I promised myself that I would return as soon as life in America started getting to me again. Suffice to say, I am due for a visit soon. 🙂

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