Monday, February 25, 2008

For about five years now I have wanted to run in a 5k, yet every time the opportunity presents itself I make an excuse for why I should or cannot run in it. While the idea of running in a 5k has always been in the forefront of my mind, the idea of coming in last and reaching the finish line panting and crashing to my knees has always prohibited me from entering a race. So, when I turned twenty-four last year I made a promise to myself that before I turned twenty-five I would run in a 5k race. I figured I had a year to talk myself into it with something like this: “Look Joanna it’s only 3.2 miles and it’s not about winning it’s about participating and giving it your best.” I think that is what my parents told me when they wanted me to participate in sports as a child. Last Thursday February 21, 2008 the opportunity to run a 5k presented itself to me in my community. A teacher in the high school, Don Francisco, put up a flier welcoming all students, teachers, and community members to run it a 5k race as a commencement to the fiesta patronales in Azacualpa. My neighbors and some close friends told me they would run and that I should join them. The only thing that gave me pause was that I thought I would be the only woman because well women here detest running and see it more as a form of punishment than enjoyment. So Thursday morning I put my pride aside and my running clothes on and made way to the plaza where the race began. It was so much fun!! There were only about fifteen of us, which is a sad number considering the hundreds of people that live in the community, but it turned out to be a really good group. I was one out of four women which thrilled me because I was not the only one. There were two teachers, myself and the rest of the runners were students, but one teacher spoke eloquently about the importance of exercise and a healthy body. I was presented a medal for being the first girl to cross the finish line and am happy to say that I came in before some of the guys. I was not only proud of myself but super proud of all of the people that participated, because here a 5k race is something rarely seen especially in the campo and to participate in something new and different takes guts. Here are some pics of those who ran and kicked butt.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

I finally had my first quinceañera experience this Sunday. It was much more than I had expected. It was very different than MTV’s version of “My Quinceañera.” Through this experience I learned it really is glorious to turn fifteen in this culture. While my fifteenth birthday was very lovely with a small gathering of my friends and parents, I don’t remember feeling like I had just become a woman. Actually I can not remember one day in particular when I became a woman, I may still be waiting for that day to come. The quinceañera princess’s name is Evelyn. Evelyn is a girl that I have gotten to know very well, she has become a good friend. So when she and her mother accosted me to take photos of the special day I was more than happy to record her day of becoming a woman. Becoming a woman in this culture is awesome it is like having a wedding but only for yourself. There is no one that you have to share the attention with: it really is all about you and your journey in a new phase of life. I have taken various photos of the birthday girl and her special day. The pictures speak for themselves. Enjoy!