I have been going through some serious, serious thinking and wrestling in my life. And there’s no way I can possibly match adequate words to my thoughts right now on this blog. So I’ll spare you what would most definitely be rambling, and instead I’ll share with you some shallow cultural observations.

Well really, they’re not even cultural really, they’re just things about town that get me thinking about one thing or another…

• Blaring on the speakers at a cafe today was Johnny Cash covering Depeche Mode. It was bizarre. My language helper knew neither Mr. Cash nor the song Personal Jesus, so I had a hard time explaining why it was strange to hear that song here, of all places.
• Eva Longoria does ads for an ice cream here, and right now they’re at every bus stop. Reminds me of Bill Murray’s character in Lost in Translation, or better yet, Joey selling Ichiban – lipstick for men.
• We haven’t subscribed to cable yet, but we’re going to, for language learning among other reasons. I’ve been told they show Dora the Explorer, but like most kids’ shows, it’s dubbed in the language (as opposed to English sound with subtitles). I’m really curious as to what they do when she speaks Spanish.
• As always, people say “cowboy!” when they hear I’m from Texas. The other night, someone was shocked – shocked – when I told them that yes, there are still cowboys around. I tried to explain that it’s not quite the old west it used to be, but I just don’t know that much language yet. I think for them, cowboys were in the same category as unicorns and the Loch Ness Monster.
• The other day I asked my language helper what was her overall stereotype of Americans. Her answer? They work really hard and they don’t know their neighbors. Quite the reputation we have to live up to.

On a completely different note, we will be in another country from tomorrow until Monday, and I don’t know about our internet access. So if you don’t hear from me for a few days, you know why.

Happy early weekend!

posted: 07 May 24
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