Mesoamerica and Me.

Several times throughout high school, I traveled to Tijuana, Mexico to build houses. I loved every trip. It was incredibly eye-opening coming from Santa Barbara, to see the stark contrast in living standards separated by a mere fence. We could see the border down the street from the building in Tijuana we stayed at, and the towering metropolis beyond. The poverty I witnessed throughout the barrios is what I remember most; the houses we built were only 12 square feet, but more often than not, an immense improvement on what the people had been living in prior. I also recall the vibrance of the culture, and the delicious greasy al pastor tacos we ate. On one trip, we hosted a community concert where local bands came and showcased. As soon as the music started, laughing and dancing erupted--I love the musical appreciation of Latin American culture. Other than those short trips, my only experience in Mesoamerica is a month I spent in Nicaragua teaching instrumental music.

Three things that come to mind when considering Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, and Mexico are: poverty, immigration, and history. As I mentioned before, during my time in Nicaragua and Mexico, the poverty was brazen. The vast majority of residential communities I witnessed was comprised of what most Americans would call lean-tos or sheds. These structures used tarps for a roof, and two-by-fours to maintain structural integrity if they were lucky. Since adding Latin American Studies to my degree, I have had the opportunity to learn a lot more about the immigration from Mesoamerica into the United States. We watched a film called El Norte in one of my classes, which documents a brother and sister from Guatemala immigrating to Los Angeles. Their story is filled with desperation, grief, and hardship, but it is the norm for anyone wanting to come to the USA from Mesoamerica. Also through my LAS courses, I have had the privilege of studying a little bit about the history of the area, and I am blown away. The Aztecs especially left relics indicating a rich culture of advanced technology, agriculture, and social systems.

I sincerely hope to visit and explore much more of Mesoamerica over the course of my lifetime.