retreat reflections

Our November retreat was all about globalization and food security issues.  Prior to the retreat we had to read Field Guide to the Global Economy, and then during the retreat we talked about the book, a documentary about food in the U.S., NAFTA, corn farming in Mexico, and all sorts of other related topics.

Things I learned:

• NAFTA has kind of screwed Mexico, in several ways.  Among them: NAFTA allowed the U.S. to flood the Mexican market with super cheap corn (corn subsidies allow corn to be sold at a cheaper price than Mexicans can grow corn.  As corn is the backbone of the Mexican diet, this is a problem and puts many Mexicans out of work).  At the same time, immigration policies were stiffened, basically forcing Mexicans to cross into the U.S. at the most dangerous places, ensuring that only the most physically fit Mexicans (and thus some of the best workers) survive the trip.  This policy has resulted in the deaths of millions of Mexicans.
• Corporations really are people!  Only not in a good way.  In a we-can-now-sue-the-government-for-anything-that-could-possibly-affect-free-trade way.  NAFTA lifted all restrictions to free trade, which means corporations can sue governments for laws that might affect free trade.  As an example, a Canadian mining company tried to sue California for a law phasing out the use of a dangerous chemical, because this was going to negatively impact their business.  In other words, companies have an absurd amount of power and the potential to change laws enacted through the political process.
• Countries are not necessarily allowed to put controls on their imports.  Examples: genetically modified foods can't be legislated against, in Thailand the government was forced to allow cigarettes to be imported which resulted in a 10% increase in cigarette consumption.
• Companies leverage the threat of pulling their factories from a country when there is the possibility of having to accept union workers, higher wages, paying taxes, etc.  When productions costs rise in the host country, many companies leave in the middle of the night, leaving suddenly unemployed workers (I saw this firsthand in Namibia).  Many companies are also enticed to set up operations in a given country with promises of tax breaks (again, I saw this in Namibia).  This means that a corporation receives large tax breaks, and all the country gains is increased local employment.  Granted, this is a good thing, but is it worth the cost?
• Reminders about the (usually) awful conditions in factories around the world: their labor practices, low wages, environmentally suspect policies, and increased questions about what impact I can possibly have as a consumer, especially when it's so hard to learn about individual companies' practices.

Every  morning on these retreats we start the day with some sort of reflection.  One morning Alicia led a short Bible study on part of John 9.  The last verse in the chapter reads:

"Jesus said, 'If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.'" John 9:41 (NIV)

I know it's pretty dangerous to take just one Bible verse and use it to prove a point, but you'll just have to trust me here that these conclusions came from a longer discussion of the rest of the chapter as well, and reflect the context from which we were thinking during the retreat.

Our group decided that this verse was an affirmation that we are not allowed to claim ignorance on issues of globalization and food.  It's a challenge to us.  Now that we're (at least semi-) educated, we can't be innocent of the actions we take and choices we make.  I believe an exact quote from this discussion was, "Now that we've seen some things, what are we going to do about it?" 

So that's my challenge to you.  Now that you've read this blog, try to educate yourself a bit more on some of these issues.  Choose one that pertains to your home community, a country where a YAGM is currently serving (a list of most of their blogs can be found here), or research your favorite clothing company to see if you can ethically support them.  Try to be an educated citizen of our global community, because the choices you make have greater implications.

Now that you've seen some things, what are you going to do about it?

November Retreat in Photos

Here's the start of my reflections on my first retreat here in Mexico.  It was an incredibly life-giving week with close friends, and here's some photos!

This plaque is on an old building in Mexico City, close to where we stayed on the retreat.  It commemorates the Irish soldiers who fought on the side of Mexico in the Mexican-American war and were later executed by the U.S.  The plaque reads, "In memory of the  Irish soldiers from the heroic Saint Patrick battalion.  Martyrs who gave their lives for the Mexican cause during the unjust invasion by North Americans in 1847."  Just another example of the victors writing the history books.  It's a good thing to be educated!

Mexico City was a lot colder than Cuernavaca usually is, and it was the first time the 8 of us had been reunited for longer than an afternoon since orientation.  Lots of cuddling time!

giant poinsettia Christmas tree - Christmas has definitely come to Mexico!

Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City (on the Zocalo): according to my guide book it's the largest cathedral in Latin America, and we had some free time to look around inside.  Like everything else on the Zocalo, it's pretty big.

The Zocalo with the GIANT Mexican flag.  It was a little overwhelming, just because of the sheer size.

We had one short afternoon of sightseeing in Mexico City.  It was just enough time to learn how the Metro system works, visit the Zocalo, walk around inside the cathedral, eat lunch, and visit Templo Mayor/Tenochtitlán.  Templo Mayor was the center of the Aztec world, and the ruins were discovered in the heart of Mexico City in 1978.  We got to visit and walk around a little.  This is part of our group at Templo Mayor, with the cathedral in the background (that's how close it is to the Zocalo!)

Thanksgiving dinner!  While our Thanksgiving was a little late, it was pretty delicious, and well worth the wait.  Dinner with all the fixings!  Turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, jello salad, roasted veggies, stuffing, bread, homemade applesauce, and the ever-important pumpkin pie with vanilla ice cream!

I got a few cards at the end of the month that helped brighten my days!  These cards are from the Sunday School classes at Memorial Lutheran Church in Toledo, OH, one of the sponsor congregations for our country coordinator.  It was pretty exciting to get homemade cards, complete with stickers and drawings of tigers.

After the retreat ended we all headed to Tepoztlan to hang out and climb to Tepozteco again.  It's amazing how much easier hiking is when you can see!  It was also just a good time to continue our group bonding with some hiking, a movie, and walking through the Sunday market.

This is what Tepozteco looks like during the day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is the first Thanksgiving where I have never been home with my family (and that list will just keep growing this year, as I've never been gone for Christmas or my birthday either).  I could easily make a list of things that I am frustrated with in my life, but now is not the time.  Even though I am far from home, I am so blessed!

I am thankful for:

• warm days and cool nights (and missing Seattle's gloomiest day in 3 years!)
• supervisors who bring pumpkin pie to work
• country coordinators who share their pumpkin pie spice and support me through all my freak out moments
• fast and reliable internet and skype
• kittens to cuddle with at work
• family who love and support me
• a host family who has taken me in and accommodated all my (sometimes odd) requests
• friends who write me letters and send me numerous emails
• past and present YAGMs around the world who are accompanying me on this journey and working to change the world one relationship at a time
• relationships with all the other Mexico YAGMs
• the relative safety of having an American passport
• not feeling culturally obligated to get up early tomorrow morning to go shopping

I made my family roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes,  and pumpkin pie today.  This is just the first step, as all the Mexico YAGMs are cooking Thanksgiving dinner together during our retreat next week.  My brother ate some mashed potatoes, tried one bite of pumpkin pie (he doesn't like it), and then told his friends that his dinner was "muy rico" (very good), while I think my host mom was just happy to not have to cook for once.  My supervisor at ALEM bought a Costco pumpkin pie for everyone to share at work today, and then let me leave early so I would have time to cook.

This Thanksgiving has not been much like any of my previous Thanksgivings.  I'm not in a food coma (although who knows after our Thanksgiving dinner next week!), I didn't get to make or eat several of my favorite foods, and I'm not curled up in front of the fireplace with a movie and my cat.  But I know that I will have those experiences again, and in the meantime, I get to eat lots of tacos!

pumpkin mania

I've always loved any type of food with pumpkin in it.  Pumpkin bread? Check.  Pumpkin cookies?  Most definitely.  Pumpkin cinnamon rolls?  Delicious.  Pumpkin gelato, ice cream, truffles, pie, cake, you name it, I have probably eaten it and loved it!  I told this to my host family one day, kind of lamenting the fact that it was fall but that no one in Mexico really eats pumpkin the way I do at home.  

Well, be careful with your words!  My mom came home on Monday afternoon with two giant grocery bags filled with pumpkin chunks from Walmart, telling me that she bought it all for me so I can bake pumpkin pie.  I just kind of looked in astonishment at the sheer amount of pumpkin sitting in our kitchen, at a loss for words as to what to do with all the chunks. 

This is about a quarter of the pumpkin that I had to work with, and this is how it comes from Walmart!

As a disclaimer, I have never cooked with fresh pumpkin before.  I love creating pumpkin baked goods, but my pumpkin has always come from a can.  So I looked at this as an adventure!  I've also been a little sad with the fact that I don't really get to cook or bake at all in my house because my family loves to take care of me.  But that all changed today!

 I spent almost 4 hours in the kitchen today, cooking pumpkin, roasting pumpkin seeds, creating the pumpkin puree, and packaging it for easy access in the freezer.

some of the pumpkin cooking in our tiny oven

pumpkin puree

the finished product!  8 cups of pumpkin puree

As I was working with the pumpkin, my mom looked over and remarked on the quantity.  She commented that I will be eating this pumpkin all year.

I sure hope so!

Día de los Muertos

On November 1st and 2nd we celebrated Día de los Muertos here in Cuernavaca.  My family was out of town for a wedding, so I was hanging out with Colleen all weekend. 

Thursday night we headed to Ocotepec, which is a community in Cuernavaca.  It's one of the few communities where homes are open to the public for Día de los Muertos.  Every family that has lost someone in the past year creates an ofrenda in their home.  People are invited to view the ofrenda/altar and eat the provided food.  Colleen and I arrived as dusk was falling, and immediately bought some candles, as it's tradition to give a candle to each family; it's a kind of exchange, with visitors giving candles and receiving food and drinks in return. 

We then met up with Andrea and her family at the church in Ocotepec, before heading out to visit homes.  At each house we waited to enter, then viewed the altars set up for the deceased family members.  Each altar included some sort of physical representation of the person being remembered, usually with photos and some of their old clothing.  Around that, all sorts of food and other items for the dead to use.  These included: bread, tamales, piles of fruit, tools, dishes, photos, cigarettes, marigolds, items shaped like skulls, etc.  After saying hello to the families, either Colleen or I handed them a candle (then put into a box, I have no idea what they are used for!), and then headed for the food!  I ate a taco, a tamale, several pan dulces and pan de muertos, and drank many cups of hot punch (kind of like apple cider, but with different fruits).

Friday morning Colleen and I headed to Jardin Borda, a giant private garden in the Centro.  From Thursday through Sunday entrance was free, there were several large ofrendas throughout the garden, artisans selling their wares, and lots of decorated catrinas, or skeleton ladies.  We wandered the park taking pictures and just taking in the atmosphere. 

catrinas at Jardin Borda

some of the ofrendas

I think this one is for Frida Kahlo

marigolds are everywhere on Día de los Muertos

Many families go to the cemetery on Nov. 2 to decorate the family graves and eat food, but I didn't know anyone who was doing that.  Día de los Muertos is a way to celebrate and remember your ancestors, as the dead come back to wander the earth.  It's a way of engaging with our own mortality while remembering those who we were close to.

"There's an Angry Birds piñata in my living room."

My cousin Humberto's 8th birthday was last weekend, so we celebrated in style!  However, we were very Mexican about it.  In other words, I didn't have any idea of what was going to happen.  On the Friday before, I was told to invite my friends over for the fiesta at 1:30 on Sunday afternoon, which was the first concrete knowledge I had about this fiesta.  On Sunday my parents disappeared in the preparations (literally, as in, I didn't know where they went), and then people started showing up after 2.  This is kind of how things work in Mexico.

We took over the empty house next door (still not really sure why we have a key) to set up tables and all the food.  Lots of refrescos: Coca, Coca Light, and Manzana Lift.  Mole and chicken salad served on crossaint-like rolls.  Popcorn and chicarrones and other snacks.  I enjoyed chatting with some of my family's relatives, although it got a little overwhelming once 20 people were crammed into a small living room, all speaking rapid Spanish.  

Although this was Humberto's party, he and most of the other kids were in Maury's room playing video games all day.  But they all appeared when it was time for the piñata!
 

Maury with the unharmed piñata

Humberto mid-swing

the aftermath!

poor, discarded piñata

 So much candy!  I ended up getting to raid Olivia's candy bag as she ended up with quite the haul.  Then it was time for cake!  And by cake I mean strawberry tarts and brownies, which is actually better than cake in my opinion!

All in all, it made for a great party!


Fundraising Note: Many thanks to Dorothy Holman, who sponsored today in my YAGM year!

time for some tacos!

Saturday night, my family took me out to eat tacos al pastor.  It was quite possibly the most delicious food I have eaten so far in Mexico, which is saying something given the sheer amount of delicious food I have eaten in the past two months. 

This adventure started out the way most adventures here do: my family told me to get in the car.  In other words, I usually have no idea of what I'm getting myself into, but I try to just go with the flow.  As we spend 25 minutes driving through downtown Cuernavaca at 8:30 Saturday night, I wonder why we aren't stopping at any of the numerous taquerías we're driving past.  After all, this is Mexico, there are delicious tacos on almost every street corner!  Well, this long-ish drive was totally worth it. 

We eventually pull up to a brightly lit taquería a couple of blocks down a dark street.  Immediately, I notice the man carving meat from the spit into small corn tortillas before lopping off a chunk of pineapple.  No matter where that pinapple flew, he managed to gracefully catch it in the taco.  Over and over and over again like a piece of choreography.  As we sit down my family greets one of the workers that they know.  My mom asks me what I want.  When I turn to her with a confused expression on my face, she orders me three tacos al pastor with everything.  Waiting for the food, the atmosphere of this little taquería overwhelms me.  The fuzzy little tv in the corner with a soccer game.  The sizzle of meat as it's cooked behind me.  Smelling the overall goodness of Mexican food. 

And then the food comes.  My tacos, loaded up with meat, pineapple, cilantro, and onion.  I try the different salsas on the table, and then wish I hadn't as my mouth starts to burn, my face turns bright red, and I start sweating from the spice.  But it is some of the most delicious food I've ever eaten.  The sweet tang of the pineapple as I take a bite, cilantro and onion falling in my lap.  Needing to finish every last bite.  Washing it all down with the ever present Coca (aka Coca Cola).

I am in heaven.

I hope to return some day soon.