Mexico, I think this is the start of a beautiful amistad.

I've been in Mexico for a week, and already it feels weird to be on a computer or hold a cell phone in my hands. Living out in the ranchos where there is no service for internet or cell phones is certainly a different world. Being in the city on the weekends with these things feels unnatural. I don't like being on my computer like I used to. I would rather be talking to people face to face. That's how it is in the ranchos. Pure cara a cara contact. Everybody knows everybody. Everybody invites you in if you stop by their gate to talk for more than 30 seconds. It's strange to think that in the United States most people don't know their neighbors. It's something that's actually always bothered me about the United States. I guess it's because, in my opinion, you have to TRY to AVOID your neighbors to not get to know them. Why do we do that?

I have a place to stay! We gringos hunted around on Monday (Mother's Day in Mexico) in El Encino for a family that would let me and one of my classmates stay with them for 3 months. The first place was no dice, but the family we visited (we'll call them the Lalios) did invite us in for a couple hours and they fed us. I walk to their house every day to buy a bottle of water or 2, and yesterday they invited me in and showed me how they make the goat cheese that they sell. It's a family tradition. They sell it, along with some crops, from their house and in town in Irapuato. Sra. Lalio told me that all of her ancestors knew how to make it and so do her daughters. Very family oriented business. All over the ranchos in fact. It seems that very few ever leave. It seems that all the families are connected, which is not surprising since El Encino has somewhere around 300 residents whose ancestors have all lived there.

I found out a bit about the history of the ranchos the other day. My classmate (we'll call her, Compañera) and I walked to another rancho that is about 2 miles away called Comederito. We stopped by the primary school and I saw on the side a large painting of Emiliano Zapata holding a gun with a caption reading, "Es mejor morir a pie que vivir una vida a las rodillas." Something to the effect of it's better to die standing tall that to live being pushed around from my translation and what I know about the Mexican Revolution and Emiliano Zapata. I asked my host mom about it (we'll call her Salina), and she explained to me how Zapata had a huge influence on the ranchos of El Encino, La Estancia, and Comederito during the Revolution. All the residents worked to eat and sleep. They would raise 20 kilos of corn, give 15 to the dueños, and only be able to keep 5 for their family. They were forever in debt. The ideas and actions of Zapata greatly influenced these villagers to rise up against their lords. Salina told me that her great-grandfather was hung in town for his association with a secret rebel society. Lesson learned: if there's a man holding a gun on the side of an elementary school, ask about it. I'm ashamed to say that I had no idea that ranchos as tiny as these could have such a rich history.

There is an exciting even coming up! I'm going to be a madrina for a little girl's (we'll call her Elena) Presentación! Madrina means godmother, but I'm not THE godmother, it just means that I'm in charge of providing something for the festivities. I get to buy her esclavita (a special bracelet with her name and the date of La Presentación engraved on it). From what I know so far, when a Catholic child is 3 years old, there is a ceremony (La Presentación) where they child is brought forth in the Catholic Church and receives a special blessing. I'm assuming there's more to it than that, but I'll have to ask when I get back tomorrow. Elena's Presentación isn't for another fortnight, though, so you'll have to stay posted to hear how it goes. But, from what I know, every family in these 4 ranchos is Catholic, except for 1 Jehovah's witness. This reinforces a lot of the history that I've been reading on the relationship of the Catholic Church and rural areas of Latin America. I'm learning!

Of course, there is a TON more I could write here, but I must depart and go to a free concert in the Plaza Central, eat tostadas, and see Iron Man II with Spanish subtitles. ¡Hasta luego!