As of today, I only have a month left in Mexico. How sad is that?!? Anyway, yesterday we went to another pueblo, Komchén. The pueblo has two big fiestas each year, one in May and one in December. Yesterday was the last day of the fiesta and as part of it, there was a “corrida de toro,” which means “bull fight.” We left after classes for Komchén and when we arrived around 5:00, multiple people were already drunk. There was one guy we passed several times who was very vocal in his excitement to have a group of gringos present. I couldn’t understand a word he was saying but it was super funny….and I think all of us were a little afraid to get any closer to him. Laurel wanted a video, so we sneakily got one when we walked past. She pretended to be taking a picture of me as we were walking. So it’s basically a video of my smiling face and the crazy drunk man yelling behind us haha. I’m going to try to get it from her so I can post it on facebook. The pueblo was obviously less well-off than Mérida, but it was a cute little place. Here’s a home we passed:
This is a picture of something really common in Mexico. These bikes are found in all shapes and sizes and are used for all sorts of purposes such as carrying people, animals, and items.
I was a little apprehensive to attend the fight because watching a poor animal being taunted before being killed for entertainment isn’t really my thing. They tie a rope around the bull’s body, restraining his reproductive organs in order to make him irritated, uncomfortable, and more aggressive. Then, they wave colorful capes at the bull, so he will try to ram the “matador” (bull fighter). This goes on for a while until people get bored or the bull loses interest. Traditionally, they kill the first bull to enter the ring. Luckily, they did that yesterday so we didn’t witness anything bloody. But I was talking to a girl in my program who also studied in Spain and she told me about what happened there. In Spain, they kill each of the bulls that enter the ring by stabbing them to death. She told me that one of the matadors didn’t do a very good job at first, leaving the bull bleeding and liming around. She said that the crowd encouraged the matador to continue so the bull was killed painfully and slowly as it struggled to get away. My roommate’s dad studied in Mexico when he was young and he told her about the bull-fight he witnessed. He said that it was super bloody and drawn-out. They cut off the bull’s ear and stabbed it repeatedly as the crowd cheered. So anyway, I’m grateful our bullfight was nothing like that! It was supposed to start at 5:00 (I think…) but since it was just a small pueblo, it started whenever they wanted. Which ended up being almost 7:00 haha. So, first we went to the area where the bull fighting takes place. Here is a picture of the program director, Profe Laraway, and I:
Outside the arena was an ambulance, ready and waiting for the bull-fight to start. It didn’t encourage much confidence haha.
Next, we went to a house where the residents of the village went to celebrate and drink. There were a lot of Mayan people which was cool. One older guy was trying to teach us some words. Here is my entire Mayan vocabulary as of right now:
Xiic – armpit
Wiix – urine (the noun)
Wiixar – to urinate (the verb)
Xix - crumbs
Ko’ox – let’s go
Po’ox – butt
Moxito – boy
Extensive, huh? So anyway, at the house, we met the owner of the house, who was super nice and welcoming. Our tour guide is connected with the pueblo, so we were able to go to the party. This is the tour guide explaining some details in the flag. (check out his pants!)
As a group of Americans we were obviously different from the villagers. Our clothing, mannerisms, accents, faces, hair, size, even the way we walk. Because of that, we were quite the attraction. At one point, we were worried the bull fight started without us and Nate (program facilitator/participant who served a mission in Mérida) told us we have nothing to worry about because we were basically VIP’s and they would wait for us to arrive before it started. They even roped off a section of chairs. Anyway, At the house were a bunch of ADORABLE Mayan children. I talked to them for a while and they were so cute! The first thing they asked me is why we all have blue eyes. I told them my eyes aren't blue and I asked them what color they were. The little girls couldn't figure it out haha. Their only other guess was yellow. I realized that light-colored eyes are as weird to them as yellow eyes would be to us. They were really curious and not at all shy about it! The little girl in the blue asked me if I spoke a different language (she noticed my accent) and when I told her English, they began asking me tons of questions about how to say things. They asked me how to say dog, house, soccer field, etc… Also, I learned I can understand kids speaking Spanish better than adults. Weird, huh?
After we left the house, we went to the village cemetery. It was way different from cemeteries in the US. Instead of tombstones, they have large cement constructions. The bigger part is where the casket is placed and often there is a smaller compartment for other items. They believe you cannot make it into heaven without shoes or a hat, so they put those in the other compartment with flowers, drinks, and anything else they think the dead will need.
After the cemetery, we went to the bull-fight! We sat in the upper level and I had a front-row seat :)
The arena was literally being held together by sticks and branches.
First, the matadores came out. They were young men, dressed in the traditional attire.
Here’s how things work: they tie a rope around the bull, restricting the bull’s reproductive organs. This makes him irritated, uncomfortable, and more aggressive. After that is finished, they let a bull out. Then, they taunt him with the capes, trying to get him to ram the capes with his horns. This goes on until the bull gets tired or becomes uninterested. Then, a bunch of vaqueros on horses come out and lasso their ropes around the bull’s horns. After they have a good hold on the confused, scared bull, they get it out of the ring and let another one in. If the matador is being chased by the bull or feels in danger, there are some white wooden barriers behind which he can hide. The whole thing was really interesting. Definitely a learning experience.
The white thing that say "Mini Super La Ciruela" is where the matadors hide if things are getting too close with the bull.
After the Corrida, we went back to Mérida. We wanted to buy ice cream but our mamás had made dinner for us, so we hurried home, ate quickly, and several of us met again to go to a little Argentine ice cream store. On the way, we passed a house in which there was someone who shouted after us, “GRINGOS!!” To which Nate looked around and responded, “¿DÓNDE?” It was so funny! Obviously we are the Gringos. We stick out worse than a sore thumb. At least you can put a glove or covering on a sore thumb. Here, It’s too hot to wear anything more than the bare minimum that complies with the honor code.
As for classes, they’re going well! The expectations are a bit higher because the professors are native Spanish speakers but they’re a lot of fun! The upper level students in the program are taking some really challenging classes that require long, difficult papers so I am very happy to be in my mid-level grammar and conversation classes! Tomorrow for my conversation class, we’re going out for breakfast. :) That makes it sound like it’s super easy but it’s actually a bit difficult at times. We won’t JUST be eating breakfast. We will be questioning the waiters about each thing on the menu and where they get the ingredients we’re unfamiliar with. We’ll be conversing with random people. There are only three of us in the class so we can’t get away with putting forth minimum effort. The instructor, Addy, REALLY encourages us to speak to people while we’re out and at times, I can’t think of anything to say haha. But I don’t really have a choice, so I have to carry a conversation. It’s challenging but really fun! I registered for a conversation class in the fall at BYU and although I’m sure it will be great, I have no doubt I will miss Addy and all of the unique learning experiences we’ve had with her!
Well, that’s it for now!
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