My trip to Canada: Toronto & Niagara Falls

Dates: 29-11-05 to 03-12-05

It was my first time out of Mexico, and also notably, my first trip alone (no friends, no family, nothing). Well, it was a strange experience using all the English knowledge I had trying to convince the airport workers that I wasn’t going to stay there; in fact, there were two main reasons to visit Toronto. First, being a huge fan of Depeche Mode, who were in a world tour not visiting Mexico so far then, I chose to going abroad in order to see them live. Canada didn’t required visa then, so it was easier. Second, well, I really wanted to go abroad at least once.

I arrived at night, but there was a very resourceful aspect that I didn’t counted for, Mexican friendliness, especially if having a common objective, the concert. There was a girl who helped me in there, and also were her friends boyfriend, who was living there. They showed me the city, neighborhoods and stores.

But the language barrier was also present, once I went to my place to stay, I asked for directions to some Canadians, but my accent wasn’t so well. Also, I had trouble with the Asian receptionist, who also had a lot of accent issues with English. The food was also a problem, since it was expensive and fatty, maybe because of the cold temperature, but still something not accustomed for. 

Nonetheless, I went with my new friend to the CN tower, one of the highest observation towers in the world. The view is beautiful from there, despite the lacking of sun at the moment. Later, we went to the University of Toronto, which has a beautiful architecture. We entered one of the acting workshops, in fact, the first time I was attending a class or something in a foreign country.

Later we went to the Air Canada Centre to attend the concert, another huge gig of this trip. Canadians were more serious at it, but still seeing my favorite band live for the first time was a unique experience, no matter what. I remembered still singing after the end of the concert.

The next day we went to the Niagara Falls, the final marvel to see. Despite the cold temperatures, I was astonishing at them. So pure, so fantastic and incredible. If wasn’t for my new friend, I could went frozen. I remembered the town, a kind of casino like place.

In my final day, I woke up early in the morning in order to reach the airport as soon as possible, however, that’s not the same for my fellow Mexicans, who arrived late in our return to home.

A first time for a lot of things, but definitively not the last of any of them.

Excuses for entertain our ignorance: Michael Jackson

I wait a little to see how the phenomenon was developing, which seems to have no end. In general, there’re always moments made to distract the population of bigger issues, but now in 2009 there were some which had a big impact in global media. Off course I’m talking about the influenza (BTW, there’s a post about it) and now Michael Jackson.

It’s incredible how the collective unconscious and memory are easy to manipulate, so fragile that change all history in immediate actions. The amount of money that was mobilized in the world around the death of him was so big, absurd and incomparable. But the strangest thing is for “who” they’re honoring.

Michael Jackson was without a doubt a talented entrepreneur, with very good music, but not the most prolific one, just “entertaining”. However, they’re honoring someone who changed his skin color, deformed his faced due to multiple surgeries and apparently “slept” with children (legally not, but come on, who believes that).

More important than everything above, they’re celebrating that he was the best selling artist in the world. Now I wonder; Do we celebrate someone who sells a lot? Do we celebrate someone who is rich because of us and later spend the money in garbage and stays in debt?

Now Chinese investors want to build a neverland ranch with costs of a $14.6m, money that could be invested into something better like food, houses, security or whatever that the population needs the most.

He wasn’t a hero; he never did something for the development of the humanity, so he doesn’t deserve that kind of honors. He even didn’t do something for his own personal development, just for the development of pop entertainment. But, beyond that is that if wasn’t for his death, we will be mocking of his freaking lifestyle, as always.

For an example of how he spent his money, just see this part of the documentary “Living with Michael Jackson”. The segment that I want to show you begins around minute 4:30.

Easter egg: a funny moment on the simpsons (in spanish)

Mexican guide for foreigners: how to talk with us

As a Mexican in Europe, I have found that the culture of the United States had already infiltrated more the perception in Europeans rather than a Mexican or even a Latinamerican point of view, which is as valid to know as the precedent. If you are an European or even anyone else from the world and want to talk to Mexican people, which is in fact easy, try to follow the next steps: 

Never refer people from the United States as “Americans”, unless the Mexican with whom you talk already has begun to use it. We know that everyone else in the world but most of Latinamericans call Americans to U.S. citizens, though even knowing that doesn’t mean that we like it, so try to avoid to use that term; instead use “gringos” or even just “U.S. citizens” if you don’t want to use the first one for respect. You can also try in other languages like “estadounidense” in Spanish, “étatsunien” in French, “statunitense” in Italian and even “US-Amerikaner” in German or “Usonano” in Esperanto. Of course, never use the word “America” to refer the United States, just use the last one: United States. America for us is the continent and sometimes we call ourselves “Americans” not because we were born in the U.S., but because it’s the term for people that live in the continent.

Also, people from the U.S. call the continent “The Americas”, but imagine that for example, British people began to use the word “Europeans” rather than British to refer to themselves and everyone else in Europe began to be called just from their country name. The continent will be called now “The Europes” and in an imaginary scenario where a French guy next to a British are talking to a Mexican, and the last one tell the others “So you’re European because you’re from Europe and you’re French because you’re from France, right?”. Well, that is what we feel when you use “Americans” and “America” only to refer the U.S. Also we feel that U.S. call to themselves America because of their foreign policy, particularly the Monroe Doctrine and as a kind of continent conquest. 

Now, another thing that I have found it’s that geopolitical geography is taught different in every part of the world. At least in Mexico, we consider ourselves part of “North America”, never part of “Central America” or even “South America”. Again, we don’t call ourselves “north-americans” because we love the US, it’s because for us we are in that region; if not, why we’re part of the North American Free Trade Agreement? –NAFTA, which I’m using as an example, not as a proudly international agreement –. However, if you want to relate us to the latin people or region, you are free to say that Mexico is from “Latin America” (term that is actually also debatable, but far less controversial). But remember, never, never say to us “central-americans” or “south-americans”, and don’t insist.

Another thing is despite that we know that the world consider Mexico and Latinamerican countries part of the “Third world”, it’s better to keep your words. If you’re in an open academic debate could be appropriate to discus about it, but if you say to a Mexican or Latin American “Accept it, you come from a third world country”, it’s highly disrespectful. That’s because “Third world” has become a pejorative term rather than an objective debatable one. Sometimes we use that term when we’re disappointed and tired about our people behavior, selfish politics and injustices, but again, we think that term is used with a contempt attitude rather as a reasonable one.

Also, if you say that we are a “poor country” could be inaccurate. It’s okay if you mean that we have a huge poor population in terms of per capita income, but in terms of gross domestic income we are one of the richest countries in the world, despite the richness is lost in corruption and lack of social equity. Also richness for us isn’t only money, is to have history, traditions, a multifaceted culture and locations, something that we have a lot of and are proud of it.

So if you want to make Latinamerican, or in this case in particular Mexican friends, follow this rules, because that would mean that you really take care about us. If you don’t, isn’t serious at all, most of us are friendly and still will be open to have a conversation; but of course you will cause a bad impression, not only seeing you arrogant and boorish but also the culture that you represent as well.

Desacuerdos en la historia / Disagreements in the history / Désaccords dans l’histoire

Quizás mi pregunta está un tanto retrasada y fue más discutida a inicios de la década (o del siglo / milenio). Estaba editando un artículo de wikipedia y encontré una fecha del año 2000 clasificada en el siglo XX. Decidí corregirla y ponerla en el actual siglo pero, oh sorpresa, fue reeditada en menos de lo que esperé. 

Recordé ese gran debate que hubo en ese tiempo y decidí leer la página correspondiente al siglo XX. Para mi gran sorpresa los siglos y milenios comienzan en el año 1 y terminan en el año 0; no obstante, lo que más me tiene en incógnita es que las décadas comienzan en el año 0 y terminan en el año 9.

Si algún historiador (o cualquier otro) llega a leer éste post y sabe del tema está invitado a aclarar el porqué las clasificación de los tiempos no suele ir sincronizada. 

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Maybe my doubt is out of time and was much discussed during the beginning of the decade (or the century / millennium). I was editing some article in wikipedia and I found a date from the year 2000 classified in the 20th century. I decided to correct and put into the current century but, oh surprise, it was reedited in less than I though. 

I remembered the huge debate that existed that time and I decided to read the corresponding page of the 20th century. For my great surprise centuries and millennia begin in the year 1 and ends in the year 0; however, what maintains me enigmatic is that the decades begin in the year 0 and ends in the year 9.

If some historian (or anyone) reads this post and knows about it, is invited to clear why this classification of time isn’t synchronized.

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Peut être que ma question sois un peu retardataire et elle a été plus discutée au début de la décennie (ou du siècle / du millénaire). J’éditais un article de wikipédia et j'ai trouvé une date du 2000 classée au XXe siècle. J'ai décidé de la corriger et de la mettre à l'actuel siècle mais, oh surprise, elle a été rééditée dans moins que j'ai attendu.  

J'ai rappelé ce grand débat qui a existé dans ce temps et ai décidé de lire la page correspondante au XXe siècle. Pour ma grande surprise les siècles et des millénaires commencent en année 1 et finissent en année 0; cependant ce qui m'a plus déconcerté est que les décennies commencent en année 0 et finissent en année 9.

Si un historien (ou n’importe quel autre) lit ce post et sait du sujet il est invité à éclaircir pourquoi ce classification des temps n'est pas synchronisée.

The lines of language education: a mexican case

Sometimes there’s a lack of information, data and discussion about some topics because the minor interest that represent for the people who live it; so to argue the next text, I needed to use my experience of my everyday life again, but currently the most resourceful base for critique.

For about almost of my levels of basic and superior education, I saw that the study of the English language was an ever presence in the academic curricula. Most of this academic life that I had in the study of languages was particularly in English, which wasn’t one of my favorite subjects. Nonetheless, at some point the knowledge opened the doors to much information, especially that which needed time to be translated or interpreted by some people or institution into Spanish material.

However, what most has surprised me is the fact that, despite these efforts, the minority of my acquaintances have a good level in the language. What seems to be actually is the knowledge of some phrases or words, but without an integration that can make some sense. What can be behind this phenomenon? I think in two suppositions: One could be that because the imposition of a foreign language study must be felt annoying, especially because the country that most encourage it is the United States, which is not particularly a good example of a motivation because of its unique culture perceived here.

Another idea, which not necessarily excluded the previous one, is the fact that even Spanish language education is not a good example of national pride. The deficient system of education has also privileged Spanish over the other regional languages within the country. So, what to expect, if all the language education in general is only reduced to the barely information, enough only to make a basic communication, if ever?

Well, the answer might not come from me, because indeed need a reflection of everybody, which cannot be excluded from the other dimensions of the global project, the macrodimension of the micro personal life.