My Cinco de Mayo

Last year I ordered my Cinco de Mayo dress to wear to school for my Spanish students. I had wanted something similar for years, and I finally found one on ebay. This year I'm at a new school so they got the Cinco de Mayo "surprise" too.

It is so hard to be in a bad mood when wearing this dress. I think I might look for something similar to wear more often. (Or maybe not.) By the way, in the United State Cinco de Mayo is all about the beer.

Me and the Virgin (of Guadalupe)

Since my days as a Spanish student at the University of Tennessee, I have been intrigued by the story of la Virgen de Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico and Mexico's version of the Virgin Mary.

As a Spanish student I read about the conquest of Mexico and the appearance of la Virgen to the Indian Juan Diego.

As a Spanish teacher, I teach about la Virgen each December and show the movie Guadalupe.

I've always been fascinated with stories of people who pledge to crawl so far in the Basilica on their knees if she answers their prayers or the gang members who get large, intricate tatoos of her on their backs so that la Virgen "has their backs". There is also a current television series, La Rosa de Guadalupe, that tells stories of how la Virgen is watching over her people today.

During my spring break trip to Mexico City, la Basilica de Guadalupe was one of the places I was most interested in visiting.

I went on a Thursday around noon. It was one of the busiest tourist attractions I've ever seen. I call it a tourist attraction because it was apparent that the majority of visitors were tourists like myself. However, I'm afraid "tourist attraction" doesn't quite fit because most of the people, unlike myself, were there on a spiritual pilgrimage of sorts. Those Catholic tourists who found themselves in el D.F. that day went to the Basilica to honor and pay tribute to la Virgen.

As a Christian and Protestant, I view the Basilica as a place full of Mexican culture and history. I believe that the work of Jesus Christ on the cross was enough to redeem me and guarantee me eternity with Him in Heaven. I do not believe that I need to call upon the Virgen Mary, the Virgen of Guadalupe, or any other saint in order for God to hear my prayers. I believe that the work of Jesus on the cross tore away the need to approach God by a third party as was required under Old Testament law.

While all the crosses in the Basilica show Jesus still nailed to them, I believe in a cross that is empty. According to the New Testament, Jesus was taken from that cross dead shortly after he was placed there. His body was taken to a tomb that had been given to him. It was to that same tomb that Mary Magdalene went on Sunday morning. An angel appeared at that tomb to announce that Christ had risen from the dead. I believe in an empty cross because I believe in an empty tomb.

At the Basilica, I agreed to stay for Mass out of respect for my Mexican, Catholic travel companions. Although I certainly wasn't looking for it, I did receive a spiritual revelation there. It was as if Jesus himself were asking me why I can't worship and honor him like all those around me were worshipping la Virgen.

There were thousands there that day to pay tribute to la Virgen de Guadalupe. There is no spiritual tourist attraction like that for Protestants. Most Protestants, myself included unfortunately, are hard pressed to go to church once a week, let alone travel to a site central to their faith like Mexican Catholics.

I returned from Mexico as if from another world. My experiences during one week in el D.F. have made me re-evaluate certain things about my life on this side of the border. One of the most important of those is the state of my relationship with Jesus Christ. I am now challenged to live for Him in a new, fresh way.

'Fuego' Ratings

Juan and brothers were popular last Friday night.

I love telenovelas

A Perk of Being Bilingual

Mexican Kisses

Need a Valentine's Day date spot? Why not head to Mexico City to be part of the world's largest kiss?

Movies every gringo should see

It's perfect weather to spend a little time curled up on the couch watching movies. I think movies are great for learning more about the culture of other people. Good movies can totally transplant viewers in their worlds for two hours. I have a few favorite Latino movies that do just that.

1. My Family is probably my favorite Latino movie. It's definitely in one of my top 10 faves of all time and genres. It totally encompasses almost all of the issues Mexicans face in the U.S. I love the history it unveils and the way it portrays the side of the story that we gringos aren't used to.
2. Edward James Olmos is THE staple Latino actor in Hollywood. The great thing about him is his diversity. I love him as Paco, the narrator of My Family. He was the inspiring teacher in Stand and Deliver. I love to hate him as dictator Rafael Trijillo in In the Time of the Butterflies based on Julia Alvarez's book In the Time of the Butterflies. He was Selena's dad in Selena . He was the hard-core head of a Mexican prison gang (view discretion is advised) in American Me. Most recently I loved his work as Jess, the anti-immigrant, Mexican-American patriarch of the Gonzalez family of East L.A. in the PBS television series American Family - The Complete First Season. (Watch one episode and I promise you won't believe it's from PBS!)
3. I recently saw Under the Same Moon. I cried during that movie and movies rarely make me cry. It does a great job of portraying the hopelessness of our current immigration system.
4. A Day Without a Mexican is a great movie for poking fun at the U.S.' ridiculous immigration system and the anti-immigrant phobias of the masses.

Have fun viewing and let me know what you think.