PREFACE
The following stories are written by two English as a Second Language students, Maria Catelina Aldana Amaya and Katherine Satizabal, taught by their ESL teacher, Carol Bowman, for over 10 years. Throughout the years both have struggled to learn correct English grammar and recently the class has progressed to the point that they were given the assignment to write a short story in English. They were coached on writing all types of stories – informational, nonfiction, fiction, and even memoir. It is important for the English-speaking public living here in Mexico to understand how much Mexican adults want to learn this second language and how much effort they put into learning all aspects of it. Neither of these stories has been edited by the teacher. They are presented, as written, for you to enjoy, and marvel at the degree of competence each has achieved. If this preliminary offering is accepted by the reading public with enthusiasm, perhaps other students in the class will be motivated to share their stories with El Ojo readers in the future. Carol Bowman
I remember the first time I arrived in Mexico. I was so excited for this new adventure in my life. The first days were fun. I was very happy about experiencing this new culture with its places, food and people. Mexico is an explosion of color in many senses, and principally I was impressed with the way this country views death. It’s a party! – to honor those who we love in life and have gone. I think this is beautiful, but at first for me this was a little strange because in my Colombian culture, death is a moment to be silent and quiet and to show respect for those who we loved in life.
Before my arrival in Mexico, I lived all my life with my mother, my brother and my grandmother. I always felt they were a part of me, and my separation from them was very difficult. I missed them so much because I couldn’t go back to visit them easily. I needed to wait for many months to go back to Colombia and hug them again. I didn’t know how to calm that feeling of emptiness. I tried to be busy all the time and keep my mind occupied; however, that feeling didn’t disappear easily. I couldn’t control it and I started to cry every day. Not all the time, only for moments each day. That situation continued at least for six months. With time, that feeling began dissipating, especially when I went back to visit my family, finally.
The other important and very difficult event for me was the passing of my grandmother in Colombia during the pandemic. She was 84 years old and she was suffering from high blood pressure. She used to worry about many things in life. During the pandemic she was cared for at home by my brother and my mom; however, the news on the TV with the contagious virus and many deaths around the world was a shock to her. Her worrying about this event aggravated her ailment. I wished to fly to Colombia but all the airports were closed. She stayed for a few days in the hospital, but the doctors said they couldn’t do anything more and it was necessary to say goodbye. I had a video call with her and it was very painful to say ‘I love you’ under those circumstances. Finally, she couldn’t bear it any longer and she died.
One thing I can say is this – love doesn’t disappear when those who we love pass away. I feel gratitude for her life, gratitude for giving me life through my mom and gratitude for the time we shared; for her lovely spirit and presence in my life.
- The Hardest Thing in Mexico - August 30, 2024
