Everyone has a story

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ALEM

When I was student teaching in Germany, Papa Burcham always reminded me that EVERYONE has a story…. But it’s not enough to simply know that a story exists. We have to make a deliberate effort to understand and appreciate each person’s unique history, because in doing so, we will inevitably love them as well.

When I worried about “How do I be a good and effective teacher?” the only advice Papa B. would ever give was, “Love them. Each and every day, love each and every one. Once they know that, everything else just happens.”

I can’t emphasize how much that advice has been ringing true again and again these past few weeks here at ALEM. Most recently, the ALEM team just finished up a 4-day course in human relations. The goal was to help everyone better understand themselves and their own histories so that we can all better relate to and respect one another and our differences.

In hearing the stories of the folks at ALEM, the thing that seemed to thread all of them together was that simple need for love and respect. One woman described the absolute joy she felt the first time she fell in love. Before that moment in her life, she didn’t think she deserved it. After all, only people who could walk ever fell in love. She then realized that not only is she capable of love, but she DESERVES it just like every other person on this earth.

The idea of someone not feeling as if they deserve love is infinitely painful to me. What is even more painful is that some people may not even understand what love is, or how to obtain it, because it has never been given to them. How does that happen? How do we fix it?

I personally have no idea. The only thing I know how to do is to love the people I meet, and take the time to learn their stories. I may not be able to change the things that have happened in the past, but maybe by simply giving and receiving love, we can find the confidence to continue moving forward.
Adelante.
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Sidenotes:
I attached a couple of videos to this post as well. (I hope they'll work!) The video at the top of the blog is just a little clip of the women working and singing their hearts out. That usually goes hand-in-hand here at ALEM, and I absolutely love it.

There's also another 8 minute video about the ALEM workshop that will give you a good picture of not only what I’m doing, but also the people I’m currently working with. This video is hiding as a smaller link just after the text portion of this blog. It's worth taking a look.


And last but not least, of course I have another Spanish mishap for you all…
So I got home from work before my host family the other day and when Bertin (pops) got home and was surprised to see the door open, I poked my head out of my bedroom window and attempted to say,
“Hey, I’m robbing your house.”

BUT, since I still can’t roll my “R’s” correctly, he thought I said I was TASTING his house! They still give me crap about licking the walls...
Oy.

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Photos

No smoking, please!
Lili and Ale smoking underneath the "No smoking" sign

Lucha Libre!
Advertising poster for the Lucha Libre (free fight) that I went to with a couple of the folks from ALEM.

My very own Luchador
Juan de Dios in the Taxi on the way to the fight... yeah, he's kind of a huge fan. (In case you couldn't tell)

Juan de Dios
...and that mask! I just love it.

Superman?
No... Lucha Libre is pretty much Mexican WWF but with WAY better costumes, and if you can believe it, sometimes even worse acting. The angry old ladies in the audience are pretty cool though.

More costumes
One thing a Luchador will always have is a mask. There's also usually some kind of 'good vs. evil' theme going on as well where good always wins by the final round. (Unless it's a 'gay vs. straight' match...but with the machismo thing, maybe it's all kind of the same.)

Luchador Lapdance!
Ale getting a lapdance from her "novio"

Mexican Independence Day
I'm told it's normal for the independence parade, but I've never seen such a military showing in my life. I walked for 20 minutes and over a mile along the parade route, and the ONLY thing I saw were soldiers and tanks. Made me think of military repression, Chiapas, and the School of the Americas. It was supposed to be a celebration, but I couldn't help it.

Doing his thing
Our new buddy Jerry at his bar after the Grito (the traditional shout and fireworks in the plaza for independence)

Everyone and their dogs..
Even the dogs had face paint for Independence Day!

Virgin of Guadalupe
Just one of the many shrines along the streets of Mexico.

Comments

[diane dardon]

Thanks for the love
You are so amazing. I love you! Thank you for these wonderful words of wisdom--wisdom that is well beyond your young years of life. Keep loving, my dear friend...Adelante! Hope your diet of white wash and cinder block improves soon...it's way too much roughage! Love you and miss you like crazy! Dona

[Sally]

You are the heart
Alisha, You are amazing. Thanks so much for your blog and the pix and the videos. You embody this song by Drucker. I'll sing it to you when I see you next: "You are the heart. You are the hands. You are the voice of Spirit on Earth. And who and you are and all you do is a blessing to the world." You're a blessing to the world and, Yes, it is about the stories. Hugs, Sal