CDMX, Day 25 - Tuesday
Tuesday, the countdown to leave is on. I'm trying to make the most of my last few days.
Today was another tough day in class. It started well, but I have been really dragging in the mornings lately. I don't know if it is a hangover from the weekend, or the high altitude, but I find myself really struggling to focus.
Also, the rate of speech in the class has really picked up. I have also found myself to be really hungry in the mornings. I miss my Oats, but I'm not going to spend more money on food, I know I can't finish. Just a few days left.
I bought another Pasteko 2 paste meal for lunch and ate it at the median park on Alfonso Reyes. The weather here is just so nice. This time I tried the Mole , red and green. I like the green more than the red.
During class, we had a serious conversation about gender violence. My teacher said that every woman she knows in Mexico has some horror story of being assaulted, groped, or having some violence against them. Her friend's mother was killed by her boyfriend. The boyfriend was caught but his accomplice got away. She said it is a very shameful part of their culture today. Most men are never held accountable, and the pressure to be a "ladies' man" starts at an incredibly young age. I completely believe her, but it's sad to think that this is still going on. It seems like something out of the 1800s.
And while I understand the men are to blame, what the hell is it about any upbringing anywhere that makes violence against women an option? Probably what scares me is that my faith (and common sense) reminds me I am human too, and therefore not above such behavior. What is the saying "There but for the grace of God go I?" In one of his talks Jordan Peterson said, we are not that far removed from our savage nature, we should not pretend it doesn't exist.
I would say what I have learned not to obsess over what I don't want to be, but rather to focus on who I do want to be. Feed the noble dog. It was a sobering conversation. I wish I knew what the answer was.
The Value of Books
After class, Jackie and I tried to go to another Museum. Mexico City she tells me has the most museums of any city in the world. I believe her. They are everywhere. The museums, unfortunately, close early so we made a detour and found this daily book selling festival. With Amazon and Kindle dominating my library, it was interesting to see how many people sell books in CDMX. Not just at this used book fair, but also along streets and corners.
Apparently there is a market here or people would not be doing it. I did manage to pick up Cien años de Soledad - a used copy 120 MXN (less than $10). It is my goal to be able to read that someday. I am reading Spanish faster.
