Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Fiestas

There are times when I forget that I'm in an entirely different country. I am very, very used to this town and its people. I know the people at church, the people at the daycare, some of the children's mothers. I recognize the people that own the little neighborhood market, and I recognize the people that own the little market in the church's neighborhood. I am used to throwing toilet paper in the wastebasket, taking short showers every other day, only drinking purified water, and walking to get ice cream on Sundays. I am very accustomed to listening to people talk and talk and talk in Spanish. I may not understand it all, but I'm understanding more, and you wouldn't believe how much you can decipher with hand gestures and a little questioning. I am even used to the ceremonial ¨como estas?¨ and peck on the cheek I get from each of the teachers each morning.

So yesterday, when we went to Pastor Pedro's house, I had one of those sudden realizations that I was, in fact, in Mexico, in an entirely different culture. I realized this while standing in Pastor Pedro's dirt yard, watching three teenage girls pluck chickens that had just previously that day been running around the yard. I couldn't stop watching. What women! Sitting in the yard, over a big tub, two girls (Sarai, and a friend, Viri), plucking the chickens, while Abigail brought hot water from the pot (that was sitting over a fire), over to pour on the chickens.

Later on in the evening there was a youth party for the dads of the church. It was nice to see about 7 men there, and we had a great meal of fried chicken (not that same chicken, hold on to that thought). They had a little service outside and talked, and then the real fun happened when Stephanie brought out the Chicken Little (or Pollito) pinata she had bought. Now, I like pinatas and everything, but there is nothing more fun than watching Mexicans have a pinata, because they really know what they're doing (which, I guess, is quite obvious).

One boy got on the roof of the church, while another brought around the church bus to stand on top of. They strung up poor Chicken Little, handed the mop to one of the older dads, and blindfolded him. That Chicken went wild, and that man went wild as well! He was all over the place. Looking at that man before, I never would have thought he could have moved like that! Take into account that the pinata is all over the place... up then down, the sideways, swinging every which way, and then everyone is yelling at the poor blindfolded man. And then when he swings really hard and misses, everyone laughs. Ooo it's fun.

Today was Arely's graduation from sixth grade. She is Pastor Pedro's youngest daughter. We went to her ceremony at the school in the morning. It was much like the kindergarten graduation, but the dances and songs were all much better done. Same flag salute/ceremony. Same shaking of the hands. Oo! but this time the graduates wore caps and gowns, and it was outside.

Back to the house for talking while lunch was prepared. Uncle Ricardo and Papi Pedro stood outside in the back, frying the chicken, that had been in the tub the day before. Stephanie and I have now equivalted the outside fryer, which is a huge flat pan filled with oil, over an open fire, to the backyard bbq. You can always find the men standing around it, chatting, while the women continually come out to check the food, and take it inside when it's done.

The chicken was really good. The company was better.

I'm sick. I've caught something and last night I lost my voice. My voice is gone, I'm stuff up, and I'm coughing something terrible. Hopefully it will be over soon.

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