One of the things people said to me (in reference to no longer having a gallbladder) when they learned I was going to be living in Mexico for an extended period of time had to do with "but how are you going to deal with all the greasy Mexican food?" As I gently explained, food in Mexico isn't exactly what you might get at your local Ole Taco, where most things are fried and/or drenched with a goodly amount of cheese sauce. So I though maybe writing a bit about food might be appropriate to illustrate some differences between the perceptions people in the US have of Mexico, and the reality that I'm experiencing. As with most things I've written about so far, I'm sure I'm over-generalizing, both about US perceptions and Mexico reality, so look for the kernels of "truth" here.
I mentioned in a previous post that Doug and I were continuing our usual habit of eating out frequently and there are many, many restaurants in our immediate neighborhood. About a quarter of a block away is an intersection with restaurants on three of the four corners, for instance. With all of the nearby restaurants and all of the eating out, guess what type of food we've had most frequently: Italian. We've also had Lebanese, Uruguyan, some kind of stir-fry (that was Doug; I was scared), as well as some hanburgers and sandwiches of various types. A place that's a block away on our street bills itself as "in the style of a New York deli," which cracks me up. It's very good, as are NY delis, but really the only resemblance between the two are a case with some meat and cheese.
When we go out for breakfast (usually not first thing in the morning but more for lunch), Doug will often have an omlette with spinach or asparagus and I will have one of three things: huevos rancheros (you've heard of that), chilaquiles (you might have heard of that), or molletes (I doubt you've heard of these). Molletes use day old bread (usually some kind of bun or bread for a torta), which may first be toasted, spread with mashed beans (either pinto or black beans) and a slice of cheese, heated under a broiler until the cheese melts. They are served with pico de gallo. Sometimes they have thin ham or thin turkey slices. We first had them a couple of years ago during one of our homestays in connection with a Spanish language school. Those, followed by arrachera (a marinated flank steak), are the Mexican foods that I've eaten most frequently since we got here. Not a single basket of chips has been placed on our table, even in Mexican food restaurants.
I have some other food issues to discuss. When you travel to Mexico, you are typically warned not to eat or drink anything that's not boiled (the water), cooked or peeled with your own hands. The reason to avoid vegetables that are not cooked and fruit that is not peeled is that the bacteria and whatever else that finds its way onto fruit and vegetables is stuff we aren't used to. Same with water that isn't purified in some way. When Doug and I first started traveling to Mexico, I was paranoid about fruits and vegetables. Now, I'm conservative at first, with tomato on a sandwich, for instance. But if I'm going to live here, not just visit for a couple of weeks, I have to be able to eat fruit and vegetables. From some of our previous stays in Mexico, we learned that there are ways to disinfect fruit and vegetables, so that's what we're doing at home unless they are going to be cooked. One of the hardest things for me, though, is that I am used to munching on green or red pepper, parsley, zucchini, etc. when I'm cutting it up in cooking. I'm having to restrain myself! We've made it three weeks with neither of us getting sick, though!
Of course, it's always a little weird cooking in someone else's kitchen and I'm having some issues with that, too. We've rented an apartment that's fully furnished, complete with kitchen stuff, etc. There are no less than three pair of scissors in the kitchen among the utensils, but there is nothing to measure with--no measuring cups of either kind, no measuring spoons. There also is no strainer/collander and nothing to stir with in non-stick pans except a spatula. The first time I cooked pasta, I had to fish it out of the cooking water with a wooden salad spoon and fork! We made a trip to a Wal-Mart-type store (it is probably even owned by Wal-Mart, sadly) where I was able to buy a large seive and a large spoon of a material that won't hurt the non-stick surface. I have not, however, been able to find measuring spoons or cups. Good thing I don't follow most recipes very closely!
One of the things that I really like here is there are many types of stores. For breads and some other kinds of baked goods, there are panaderias. For cakes and other types of desserts, there are pastelerias. There are also frutarias and carnicerias, although I haven't seen either of those in this area. There is a tortillaria fairly nearby, though. You can buy all of these types of things at the supermarket, but tortillas from the tortillaria are extremely fresh and good. And, all of these small, specialized stores are part of the economy. Even though there isn't a frutaria, there is a guy who sells fruit out of the back of the truck. Just like in Columbus, it's much better than what's in the supermarket.
All types of fresh food are available in markets, one of which is within walking distance (past the tortillaria). I'm afraid some of it is a bit too fresh for me just yet, though. I don't really want to see the meat being "processed" out in the open! Maybe before we leave I'll get up my nerve.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
A little bit about commerce--selling stuff in the street or whereever one might be
Again I'm combining recent observations with some previous ones to describe an aspect of life in Mexico, that of encountering people who are selling various things in various locations that would not be recognized as retail outlets in the US. I was thinking of a subtitle along the lines of "the good, the bad, and the ugly," but actually needed more than three categories, so I'll add a fourth, "the benign".
What I am referring to here is inclusive of:
--a guy on a bicycle cart with a loudspeaker and a recording touting various food offerings;
--a small child going table to table in a restaurant with little packets of chewing gum (chicle);
--a truck driving through the neighborhood sounding a sort of pinging or whistling chime;
--a person (usually man or boy) trying to polish your shoes, even while you are walking and saying "no!";
--a man with a cart with fruit, moving along the sidewalk and calling out the names of the fruit;
--people with various jewelry, toys, baskets, trinkets, either in stationary locations or approaching tables in restaurants;
--people going through cars on the subway (Metro) selling chewing gum, candy bars, candy, multi-part puzzle toys, snacks of various sorts, CDs (bootleg? recordings of their own music?);
--people going among vehicles stopped at a stoplight selling much of the same stuff as on the metro, but also including newspapers, refrescos (bottled water or softdrinks), bagged cotton candy, fruit;
--people delivering their own live performance, vocal or on various musical instruments, with varying quality and length of performance.
I have to say that my categorization of almost all of this was for a long time "bad" or at least "annoying". When I had an opportunity to spend more time in one location and in residential neighborhoods in various cities (notably Cuernavaca, Oaxaca and San Cristobal de las Casas) over the past several years, however, I came to see that much of this is actually just the way certain things are sold. In fact, some of it is very much a service that consumers want and need. For instance, the trucks going through neighborhoods with loudspeakers and or chimes are the way in which cannisters of gas (for cooking, heating water, etc.) are delivered. These suckers are about three feet tall and quite heavy, I imagine. I know I wouldn't want to carry one! These trucks are also the way in which purified (drinking) water is delivered in five-gallon bottles. In some locations, there are even water tanker trucks that fill tanks on the roofs of houses with water for washing, bathing, flushing of toilets. Obviously, I would have to categorize all of this as "good". This is the way people get things that they need on a daily basis.
The people with carts, bicycle or otherwise, who are selling food items like fresh fruit or various cooked items (such as burritos, tamales, oaxacaquenos--whatever that is--and several other things that I haven't yet been able to understand) are a service that at least some people seem to want. There is one type of cart that has a steam whistle (do not be standing or walking nearby when it is blown!) and the person is selling baked/steamed sweet potatoes and baked/steamed plantains, so we are told. This cart goes around the neighborhood where we live in the evenings. I have heard the steam whistle as late as midnight. The burritos-tamales-oaxacaquenos cart starts sometimes around mid-day. I have bought fruit from the fruit cart, but not any of the cooked items yet.
People do seem to occasionally buy snack items, gum, or newspapers from the vendors moving among stopped vehicles. I wonder how lucrative it is to sell things this way, but that's another matter I guess.
The children/adults coming around to tables in restaurants trying to sell handicrafts, gum, candy, I still don't like. Especially the really young children--as young as four or five. It seems like glorified begging at best and extremely exploitive at worst. I do understand that the actions are probably associated with extreme poverty and I certainly don't blame the people who are doing this, but I don't think that my participating in this type of commerce is an appropriate response to allieviating poverty. So I am always warm and polite but also firm that I'm not buying whatever it is.
The stationary stands, carts or collection of items displayed on a sidewalk, whether I'm interested in what's being sold or not, seem more benign than when people are actively approaching me. These I can take or leave without my space feeling invaded.
Just so you know, I'm sure that a great influence on my categorizing these types of commerce as "good" vs. "bad" has to do with the concept of personal space, which is largely culturally determined, or at least highly culturally influenced. Thus, as someone from a WASPish US upbringing, my concept of personal space is such that I don't want to be approached; I want to be in control of seeking out what I want and ignoring what I don't want. Someone approaching me sends "danger! warning Will Robinson!" signals. I'm trying to learn which of those initial appraisals is accurate and modify my appraisal process as needed for this different cultural setting. Someone playing music on the sidewalk (or in other places in subway or train stations) who has an instrument case or other container for contributions invades my space only with the music. That's usually okay, even if I don't contribute or like the music. I don't feel threatened. Someone playing music for a short time in a restaurant and then going table to table for contributions, feels like more of an invasion into my space, although not really a threat. We are trying to figure out our system for participating in contributions in this type of situation. Many of the local people ignore or say no to contributing. But then there's the organ grinder, which is apparently fundraising by and for people with disabilities. One of my Mexican role models does give a small amount of change to these folks. There also is the occasional really good musical performance of a greater length in or outside a restaurant--I don't have a problem with this invading my space; I give more to these performers. Someone trying to polish my shoes as I am walking and saying "no!" is clearly over the line--my line, at least.
I have more to say about commerce and the economic situation in general, which I will save for another time. Thanks for reading my narratives, musings, and introspections. If you have comments or questions, post them here--if you are able to (I've had trouble myself)--or e-mail me!
What I am referring to here is inclusive of:
--a guy on a bicycle cart with a loudspeaker and a recording touting various food offerings;
--a small child going table to table in a restaurant with little packets of chewing gum (chicle);
--a truck driving through the neighborhood sounding a sort of pinging or whistling chime;
--a person (usually man or boy) trying to polish your shoes, even while you are walking and saying "no!";
--a man with a cart with fruit, moving along the sidewalk and calling out the names of the fruit;
--people with various jewelry, toys, baskets, trinkets, either in stationary locations or approaching tables in restaurants;
--people going through cars on the subway (Metro) selling chewing gum, candy bars, candy, multi-part puzzle toys, snacks of various sorts, CDs (bootleg? recordings of their own music?);
--people going among vehicles stopped at a stoplight selling much of the same stuff as on the metro, but also including newspapers, refrescos (bottled water or softdrinks), bagged cotton candy, fruit;
--people delivering their own live performance, vocal or on various musical instruments, with varying quality and length of performance.
I have to say that my categorization of almost all of this was for a long time "bad" or at least "annoying". When I had an opportunity to spend more time in one location and in residential neighborhoods in various cities (notably Cuernavaca, Oaxaca and San Cristobal de las Casas) over the past several years, however, I came to see that much of this is actually just the way certain things are sold. In fact, some of it is very much a service that consumers want and need. For instance, the trucks going through neighborhoods with loudspeakers and or chimes are the way in which cannisters of gas (for cooking, heating water, etc.) are delivered. These suckers are about three feet tall and quite heavy, I imagine. I know I wouldn't want to carry one! These trucks are also the way in which purified (drinking) water is delivered in five-gallon bottles. In some locations, there are even water tanker trucks that fill tanks on the roofs of houses with water for washing, bathing, flushing of toilets. Obviously, I would have to categorize all of this as "good". This is the way people get things that they need on a daily basis.
The people with carts, bicycle or otherwise, who are selling food items like fresh fruit or various cooked items (such as burritos, tamales, oaxacaquenos--whatever that is--and several other things that I haven't yet been able to understand) are a service that at least some people seem to want. There is one type of cart that has a steam whistle (do not be standing or walking nearby when it is blown!) and the person is selling baked/steamed sweet potatoes and baked/steamed plantains, so we are told. This cart goes around the neighborhood where we live in the evenings. I have heard the steam whistle as late as midnight. The burritos-tamales-oaxacaquenos cart starts sometimes around mid-day. I have bought fruit from the fruit cart, but not any of the cooked items yet.
People do seem to occasionally buy snack items, gum, or newspapers from the vendors moving among stopped vehicles. I wonder how lucrative it is to sell things this way, but that's another matter I guess.
The children/adults coming around to tables in restaurants trying to sell handicrafts, gum, candy, I still don't like. Especially the really young children--as young as four or five. It seems like glorified begging at best and extremely exploitive at worst. I do understand that the actions are probably associated with extreme poverty and I certainly don't blame the people who are doing this, but I don't think that my participating in this type of commerce is an appropriate response to allieviating poverty. So I am always warm and polite but also firm that I'm not buying whatever it is.
The stationary stands, carts or collection of items displayed on a sidewalk, whether I'm interested in what's being sold or not, seem more benign than when people are actively approaching me. These I can take or leave without my space feeling invaded.
Just so you know, I'm sure that a great influence on my categorizing these types of commerce as "good" vs. "bad" has to do with the concept of personal space, which is largely culturally determined, or at least highly culturally influenced. Thus, as someone from a WASPish US upbringing, my concept of personal space is such that I don't want to be approached; I want to be in control of seeking out what I want and ignoring what I don't want. Someone approaching me sends "danger! warning Will Robinson!" signals. I'm trying to learn which of those initial appraisals is accurate and modify my appraisal process as needed for this different cultural setting. Someone playing music on the sidewalk (or in other places in subway or train stations) who has an instrument case or other container for contributions invades my space only with the music. That's usually okay, even if I don't contribute or like the music. I don't feel threatened. Someone playing music for a short time in a restaurant and then going table to table for contributions, feels like more of an invasion into my space, although not really a threat. We are trying to figure out our system for participating in contributions in this type of situation. Many of the local people ignore or say no to contributing. But then there's the organ grinder, which is apparently fundraising by and for people with disabilities. One of my Mexican role models does give a small amount of change to these folks. There also is the occasional really good musical performance of a greater length in or outside a restaurant--I don't have a problem with this invading my space; I give more to these performers. Someone trying to polish my shoes as I am walking and saying "no!" is clearly over the line--my line, at least.
I have more to say about commerce and the economic situation in general, which I will save for another time. Thanks for reading my narratives, musings, and introspections. If you have comments or questions, post them here--if you are able to (I've had trouble myself)--or e-mail me!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Some observations of cultural differences between the US & Mexico
Some of what I'm going to write about today are observations acquired over time, not just in the couple of weeks we have been here this time, and some of them probably also apply to US culture versus the culture in other areas of the world as well. However, these are observations that have been confirmed for me during this stay.
First, there is a really different culture around dogs, and dogs seem to exhibit, on average, better behavior here. On previous visits in villages or small towns, many dogs seemed to roam freely (or perhaps sleep in the middle of the road) and it always seemed to me that dogs weren't exactly anybody's pet, they just existed among the people. In the neighborhood where we live here, dogs are also frequently sighted--being walked, on or off leashes, or waiting outside a closed door, or wandering into a restaurant with an open door. (A word about restaurants, coffee shops and such--most of them are quite open to the outside, frequently with outside seating.) Rarely are the dogs barking their heads off or trying to jump on somebody (can you tell I'm not a "dog person"?). They are calm. Even the two dogs who wandered into a restaurant where we were seated inside didn't really pay much attention to us. After a while, it was evident that they belong with the restaurant, as staff interacted with them. If one of them was reclining on the floor, inching closer in case we might drop food, the server would call quietly and the dog would go to another room.
Also, I haven't figured out where this is and is not acceptable, but people sometimes bring their dog with them into a restaurant. The dog, then, will usually lie at the feet or under the table. These are not service animals, but rather ordinary dogs, large and small. So, I think the culture is less indulgent in a way (the dogs and/or the people must be trained differently) and less hyper about sanitation. Can you imagine the reaction if a dog wandered into most restaurants in the US? This is not to say that people here are not concerned about sanitation, because sidewalks are frequently scrubbed with soapy water and a broom, and there are signs in the park indicating to the dogs that they are not allowed to "defecar" on the sidewalks. See--the dogs can even read here! (Okay, just kidding on that last one--not about the signs but about the dogs being able to read. I don't have evidence of that one way or the other.)
Another difference is that in restaurants, you have to request the bill. It would never be brought to you otherwise. I know this is the case in European countries as well, maybe elsewhere, too. It takes a little bit of figuring out when to ask for it, too, because servers usually don't approach much after the food is served and they've made sure you have what you need.
A difference that people should be aware of if they plan to spend time in Mexico is that pedestrians DO NOT have the right-of-way. A manifestation of this is that when you are trying to cross a street, when the traffic light turns green for you, you need to make sure that vehicles actually are stopping and you need to be aware of not getting in the way of turning vehicles. So, the way to cross the street is to 1) not get too far out into the intersection until the light has turned and you see that the vehicles have stopped and then 2) walk like hell in case the light turns against you before you reach the other side and then 3) leap up onto the foot-high curb. Okay, not all curbs are a foot high--some are actually higher, some lower.
Some places I have been in Mexico, the traffic is somewhat chaotic (i.e., more vehicles parallel to each other than there are marked lanes). This doesn't seem to be the case in Mexico City, although the traffic is at times very heavy. Most of the side streets are one-way, which makes things a little easier for pedestrians, but I have more than once been in a taxi that intentionally went the wrong way on a one-way street. This is usually at high speed, sometimes in reverse. Keeps things interesting.
First, there is a really different culture around dogs, and dogs seem to exhibit, on average, better behavior here. On previous visits in villages or small towns, many dogs seemed to roam freely (or perhaps sleep in the middle of the road) and it always seemed to me that dogs weren't exactly anybody's pet, they just existed among the people. In the neighborhood where we live here, dogs are also frequently sighted--being walked, on or off leashes, or waiting outside a closed door, or wandering into a restaurant with an open door. (A word about restaurants, coffee shops and such--most of them are quite open to the outside, frequently with outside seating.) Rarely are the dogs barking their heads off or trying to jump on somebody (can you tell I'm not a "dog person"?). They are calm. Even the two dogs who wandered into a restaurant where we were seated inside didn't really pay much attention to us. After a while, it was evident that they belong with the restaurant, as staff interacted with them. If one of them was reclining on the floor, inching closer in case we might drop food, the server would call quietly and the dog would go to another room.
Also, I haven't figured out where this is and is not acceptable, but people sometimes bring their dog with them into a restaurant. The dog, then, will usually lie at the feet or under the table. These are not service animals, but rather ordinary dogs, large and small. So, I think the culture is less indulgent in a way (the dogs and/or the people must be trained differently) and less hyper about sanitation. Can you imagine the reaction if a dog wandered into most restaurants in the US? This is not to say that people here are not concerned about sanitation, because sidewalks are frequently scrubbed with soapy water and a broom, and there are signs in the park indicating to the dogs that they are not allowed to "defecar" on the sidewalks. See--the dogs can even read here! (Okay, just kidding on that last one--not about the signs but about the dogs being able to read. I don't have evidence of that one way or the other.)
Another difference is that in restaurants, you have to request the bill. It would never be brought to you otherwise. I know this is the case in European countries as well, maybe elsewhere, too. It takes a little bit of figuring out when to ask for it, too, because servers usually don't approach much after the food is served and they've made sure you have what you need.
A difference that people should be aware of if they plan to spend time in Mexico is that pedestrians DO NOT have the right-of-way. A manifestation of this is that when you are trying to cross a street, when the traffic light turns green for you, you need to make sure that vehicles actually are stopping and you need to be aware of not getting in the way of turning vehicles. So, the way to cross the street is to 1) not get too far out into the intersection until the light has turned and you see that the vehicles have stopped and then 2) walk like hell in case the light turns against you before you reach the other side and then 3) leap up onto the foot-high curb. Okay, not all curbs are a foot high--some are actually higher, some lower.
Some places I have been in Mexico, the traffic is somewhat chaotic (i.e., more vehicles parallel to each other than there are marked lanes). This doesn't seem to be the case in Mexico City, although the traffic is at times very heavy. Most of the side streets are one-way, which makes things a little easier for pedestrians, but I have more than once been in a taxi that intentionally went the wrong way on a one-way street. This is usually at high speed, sometimes in reverse. Keeps things interesting.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
A little bit about my project and continuing to get adjusted to Mexico City
I've been talking about my project for the past several months but have never quite perfected the "elevator speech" about it--you know, how you describe your research in the time it takes an elevator to get you where you are going at a conference or whatever. My explanation has always been a little long-winded and vague (no comments here about whether this is my usual presentation style) and I think that's in part because I proposed the project almost one year ago and more or less in a vacuum. Of course, there has always been an "out" clause built in as I described the "emergent design" of the project and the participatory nature of it. In other words, although I laid out plans and a timeline, I built in enough wiggle room to get input from the people on the ground here as to what would be useful. I'm beginning to get a sense of that, but probably have a long way to go in nailing down details. And, I tried to write about it in Spanish today, which is something I'm going to need to be able to do (write AND talk). Doug and I decided that we really needed to be taking Spanish classes, so we enrolled and started yesterday in a class just for the two of us. Hence, my immediate need to write about the project in Spanish.
Here's what I tried to say, in a nutshell:
My project for the Fulbright-Garcia Robles fellowship is research in programs in Mexico City that try to help with youth development. The programs are for youth who are at risk because of poverty, drugs and violence in their neighborhoods. There are various types of programs, some of which are run by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and others that are run by the government or civil society. I plan to study the methods being used and the impacts of the programs and to make comparisons between these programs and similar ones that are taking place in other countries. I think that some of the programs in Mexico City are very innovative because the youth are highly engaged. Programs where youth are truly engaged should have better outcomes than ones where youth are less engaged.
There's also a philosophical/theoretical approach to the work, which I'll write more about another time. Essentially, the idea is that when youth are engaged/involved in activites that identify needed change and help to bring it about, they learn they have the power to bring about changes in their lives and the lives of others. This should enable them to withstand some of the negative aspects of their lives and communities.
The plan that Eli, my collaborator, and I discussed last week was for him to put me in contact with people who run at least eight different programs here in D.F. (very much like D.C. in the US--it's a city that is considered a federal district and the capital of the country; like D.C., it is very urban. However, it is MUCH larger, being one of the largest cities in the world.). I will learn about the programs through talking to people, reading materials they might have, and ultimately visiting and doing some interviews, once I have IRB approval for that. I hope to write an integrative, comparative review of the programs here and ultimately to be able to make comparison to programs elsewhere. Eli's idea is to get the school of social work here to put on a couple of forums during the time that I'm here, the first focusing on the views of the youth themselves and the second with researchers, focusing on youth development internationally. Of course, I also have ideas about possibly developing some measures that might help with program evaluation and impact research, if it seems like the people at the program level are interested.
Now if I can only say all of this in Spanish!
As for getting adjusted to Mexico City, that continues to go well. As I mentioned, we decided we need to keep studying Spanish, so we are doing just that. Doug found a Spanish language school, by way of the internet, which is only 4 or 5 blocks from our apartment. We showed up when they opened yesterday morning to express interest and see if we could arrange classes. Of course, they made us take a written test on the spot. I was in no way prepared to do that. Doug reads a lot more in Spanish than I do and has studied much more (okay, I'm saying I'm lazy--it's the truth). He always does way better on these tests than I do, although I typically understand more of what's said to me. We have strengths in different areas. So, of course, they tell him he's at an advanced level; me, not so much. However, it was clear, even to the receptionist, that my understanding and speaking is well beyond what the multiple choice test indicated, so they let us arrange a class together.
So other than the Spanish test, our next biggest issue is that the mealtimes are a bit of a challenge. We want lunch around 12 or 1. Lunch here is the biggest meal of the day, and most restaurants start serving it at 2. (What? You don't think we're eating at home!) Dinner, then, isn't usually eaten until 9 or so, although restaurants are typically serving food earlier than that. It's not really a big deal, but we do have to think about what time it is in relation to where we might be able to eat. Oh yeah, and wine is really more expensive here. That's not exactly stopping us from drinking it, of course.
As I write, Doug has gotten Spanish stuff to study. I better stop this and drag him away from it so he doesn't show me up too much! Besides, we can watch the Daily Show now--last night's, via the web, of course. It's one of the adjustments.
Here's what I tried to say, in a nutshell:
My project for the Fulbright-Garcia Robles fellowship is research in programs in Mexico City that try to help with youth development. The programs are for youth who are at risk because of poverty, drugs and violence in their neighborhoods. There are various types of programs, some of which are run by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and others that are run by the government or civil society. I plan to study the methods being used and the impacts of the programs and to make comparisons between these programs and similar ones that are taking place in other countries. I think that some of the programs in Mexico City are very innovative because the youth are highly engaged. Programs where youth are truly engaged should have better outcomes than ones where youth are less engaged.
There's also a philosophical/theoretical approach to the work, which I'll write more about another time. Essentially, the idea is that when youth are engaged/involved in activites that identify needed change and help to bring it about, they learn they have the power to bring about changes in their lives and the lives of others. This should enable them to withstand some of the negative aspects of their lives and communities.
The plan that Eli, my collaborator, and I discussed last week was for him to put me in contact with people who run at least eight different programs here in D.F. (very much like D.C. in the US--it's a city that is considered a federal district and the capital of the country; like D.C., it is very urban. However, it is MUCH larger, being one of the largest cities in the world.). I will learn about the programs through talking to people, reading materials they might have, and ultimately visiting and doing some interviews, once I have IRB approval for that. I hope to write an integrative, comparative review of the programs here and ultimately to be able to make comparison to programs elsewhere. Eli's idea is to get the school of social work here to put on a couple of forums during the time that I'm here, the first focusing on the views of the youth themselves and the second with researchers, focusing on youth development internationally. Of course, I also have ideas about possibly developing some measures that might help with program evaluation and impact research, if it seems like the people at the program level are interested.
Now if I can only say all of this in Spanish!
As for getting adjusted to Mexico City, that continues to go well. As I mentioned, we decided we need to keep studying Spanish, so we are doing just that. Doug found a Spanish language school, by way of the internet, which is only 4 or 5 blocks from our apartment. We showed up when they opened yesterday morning to express interest and see if we could arrange classes. Of course, they made us take a written test on the spot. I was in no way prepared to do that. Doug reads a lot more in Spanish than I do and has studied much more (okay, I'm saying I'm lazy--it's the truth). He always does way better on these tests than I do, although I typically understand more of what's said to me. We have strengths in different areas. So, of course, they tell him he's at an advanced level; me, not so much. However, it was clear, even to the receptionist, that my understanding and speaking is well beyond what the multiple choice test indicated, so they let us arrange a class together.
So other than the Spanish test, our next biggest issue is that the mealtimes are a bit of a challenge. We want lunch around 12 or 1. Lunch here is the biggest meal of the day, and most restaurants start serving it at 2. (What? You don't think we're eating at home!) Dinner, then, isn't usually eaten until 9 or so, although restaurants are typically serving food earlier than that. It's not really a big deal, but we do have to think about what time it is in relation to where we might be able to eat. Oh yeah, and wine is really more expensive here. That's not exactly stopping us from drinking it, of course.
As I write, Doug has gotten Spanish stuff to study. I better stop this and drag him away from it so he doesn't show me up too much! Besides, we can watch the Daily Show now--last night's, via the web, of course. It's one of the adjustments.
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