The visit to the "festival"

After school, we had one hour to be ready to go to the "festival". We are getting the birds eye view of Mexican life through the guidance of Rosie who lives here. We met out in front of the school expecting to take taxis, but instead we walked about 2 miles down hill to a very indigenous neighborhood. The people were looking at us like "what in the world are you all doing here". It's difficult to describe what the festival was like, but the closest thing I can relate it to is the Southeastern Fair when I was a little girl. The streets were closed to traffic and there were booths set up on both sides and little plastic toys for sale along with food and games. Then at the end of the street was the dancing. Men playing trumpets, tubas, trombones, drums, etc. playing distinctly Mexican music. The people were jumping up and down to the music, which Dr. Cook said was the traditional dance of the State of Moreles, which is where the city of Cuernavaca is located (which is where our school is located). The people were sweating so much in the hot sun, but this did not take away from any of the energy with which they put into their dancing. I mean, there were men jumping up and down holding infants, tiny children, old women, everyone was putting their best foot up and down! This was really a cultural rush, because nowhere have I seen anyone put aside all form of dignity to express themself (expect of course for Terry, ha ha). Closer to the stage there were women, men and tiny children dressed in very exquisite costumes with masks and tall black velvet hats covered in decorations. Dr. Cook told us that these were their way of making fun of the Spanairds who had conquored them back in the 1500s. We're getting a pretty good understanding between the difference in the indigenous people and the criollas (the Spanish) who are now all living side by side. Except the Spanish are given the opportunities and the indigenous (the original Azetecs, Mayans etc) are very poor. Dr. Cook said that her grandmother was born in Mexico and died in Texas and never once moved. I'm learning that indeed everything is political ini this life. We're are being made aware of the unjust politics first hand face to face through the eyes of our professors. This is not just a visit to learn Spanish. The liberal minded professors are always with an agenda. Ross barks down capitalism and America. It hurts to not have enough knowledge to take a position of my own, to just be at the mercy of a onesided viewpoint. I wonder where one can get instruction on history from a conversative perspective. Oh, never mind, my ignorance is bliss!!!