Orgulloso de Quien Somos
I am a firm believer that culture can be as powerful as you want it to be. Whether it is resisted, hidden, ignored, shared, or celebrated, culture will still make an impression on you. It is not up to you as your family passes it down to you. Whenever I think about my family as Mexican-Americans, the way my parents were raised, and how my parents brought up my brother and I, I become fascinated by the way culture changes and shifts. In my household, there were many aspects of Mexican culture that were present and aspects that were not present. I think this is normal for a family that integrates into the United States, which is a melting pot of various cultures. My mom and dad had the big challenge of maintaining our heritage but also to help us grow in a society that does not favor people of color. Parents act as a medium through which culture transcends time and that resulted in changes and shifts in my family. But what happens when the son or daughter of a family acts as the vessel for culture?
I had the privilege to be that vessel for the last 2 weeks for my parents. Since I moved to Mexico 3 years ago, I have been dreaming of the day I get to share this country, our culture, with my mom and dad. We finally found an opportunity and went on a whirlwind of an adventure through 5 Mexican states. Since my parents are still connected to our culture and had their own expectations of what this country is all about, it was very important to me that I show them what I felt embodies Mexico. While planning a trip like this was nothing new considering that my parents have visited me in other places I have lived, I found the task somewhat challenging. What if they get disappointed? What if they don’t feel the magic that this country emits? What if their expectations are not met? These were all thoughts I had prior to their arrival so I made sure to be very selective with what we did.
Over the span of 2 weeks, we ate delicious Mexican food, visited various museums, explored Pre-Hispanic temples, danced to salsa music, swam in crystal-clear cenotes, and chatted with warm and welcoming people. These are some of things that make this country special. And I could tell that my parents were in awe of how rich and vibrant Mexico is. While it was a tiring adventure, I feel very lucky to have parents who are still open, curious, and youthful enough to travel with me. My mom and dad both said on various occasions that had I not been here or called them to come, they may have never experience what we did.
One highlight was Teotihuacán. Only 1 hour away from the metropolis that is Mexico City, it was impressive to feel and see the vastness of a metropolis from Pre-Hispanic times. Seeing the original plaster on the pyramid walls, hearing the intentionally designed acoustic spaces, and observing how the pyramids of the sun and moon integrated with the natural landscape left you in awe of the attention to detail that went into building this city. We got emotional simply walking around!
Another highlight was the food in Oaxaca City. We knew this pueblo magico was known for its cuisine but we had no idea how tasteful and creative their dishes could be. My dad was not a big fan of mole before visiting and can now claim to be! Maybe he has just been eating the wrong mole his entire life. We went to a restaurant called Levadura de Olla, which incorporated maiz into water, positioned different types of mole on the same plate, and blended pulque and mezcal into the same cocktail.
A third highlight were the cenotes in the state of Quintano Roo. They served as relief from the almost unbearable heat in Eastern Mexico and were almost too beautiful to be true. Snorkeling amongst fish and turtles, and jumping off wooden decks made for the perfect day in the sun. Cenotes are just another example of the natural beauty of Mexico.
The experience I had passing culture upwards and back to my parents was special and one I will never forget. Considering that I am on a life-changing journey exploring my identity and roots and being able to share a piece of that with my parents is a rare opportunity for which I am grateful. I do not believe this kind of thing happens too often and it goes to show the power of culture. Now that my parents have returned home, I can only hope they feel re-inspired, more curious, and proud of our culture. Check out some pictures from our adventure below!
