Tonight an old Chacala friend arrived late in the evening. Via Trini & Cundo’s airport pickup. I wasn’t sure what time she was arriving, so I spent the early evening hanging around with some of the folks staying the Nueva Espana, watching for her arrival. Nueva Espana is a nice rental right across the way from Mirador, where my friend will be staying for two months.
“Chacala friend” means someone I only know in Chacala. This woman has been here two years previously, but this is her first time solo, and I wanted to welcome her. So I hung around the pool at Nueva Espana with a nice group of people. Two of the couples have been here before. And are here again for long stays. Two months or so.
The conversation was interesting. But I am kind of embarrassed and uncomfortable about part of it. There were some kind of semi-racist comments, or at least extreme stereotyping.
And I think I started the conversation when I mentioned how surprised I was when I first came to Chacala, and found that one group (nationality) of gringos have a kind of bad reputation here. I am embarrassed that I helped start the conversation, and that I seem to have absorbed, or accepted, this kind of stereotypical thinking about any group of people.
It feels kind of crummy and I am surprised at myself.
“Chacala friend” means someone I only know in Chacala. This woman has been here two years previously, but this is her first time solo, and I wanted to welcome her. So I hung around the pool at Nueva Espana with a nice group of people. Two of the couples have been here before. And are here again for long stays. Two months or so.
The conversation was interesting. But I am kind of embarrassed and uncomfortable about part of it. There were some kind of semi-racist comments, or at least extreme stereotyping.
And I think I started the conversation when I mentioned how surprised I was when I first came to Chacala, and found that one group (nationality) of gringos have a kind of bad reputation here. I am embarrassed that I helped start the conversation, and that I seem to have absorbed, or accepted, this kind of stereotypical thinking about any group of people.
It feels kind of crummy and I am surprised at myself. 
1 comment:
Beautiful beautiful pictures! Sorry to hear you had one of "those" conversations, I know what you mean. Take a deep cleansing breath and know that in your heart you do not share their sentiments and that karma will come and get them one day.
Focus on the sand castles, not the burros!
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