School didn’t go quite as smoothly today as yesterday, but I tried with all of my being to remain calm. I observed one of the first year groups during their Formation and Civics class. It began impressively, as the teacher, straight out of school, ran a very disciplined class. The students had to listen to her and take notes – a challenge, but they didn’t have a chance to get distracted. But, when a mother showed up to speak with the teacher she left the classroom and the students began to change – they were on their feet, hitting, making sounds, noises, were talking and dancing. One student in particular didn’t seem to understand the concept that I was there to observe and I wouldn’t speak with him. He began to stick his tongue out, with his pen cap stuck on the tip, while standing up and talking to me. At that point, with the teacher still outside, I pulled this student to the hallway and he continued to speak, not able to listen. Since he also had problems in my class yesterday, I asked the principal, who was only a couple of feet away, if there was someone available to babysit him during the next period, when I would have his group. I was content to find that the student did not join his group for our English class. If a student is disruptive and prevents his peers from getting all that they can out of a class, then they shouldn’t be allowed to enter.
Later on I met up with Karina and her cousin at Cineteca Nacional, a government-supported nonprofit theater that shows smaller independent films and art films. We were there because Karina’s cousin’s friend’s brother was talking about his new book about the famous Mexican comedic actor, Tin Tan (Germán Valdes). After a short interview session, we made our way to another room to view the documentary, “Ni Muy Muy . . . Ni Tan Tan . . . Simplemente ‘Tin Tan’”. The director of the documentary was also on the panel, which was moderated by a comedic actor who is on TV.
While I was with Karina, I asked her about the rumor I had heard that Fulbright grantees could extend their exchange. This has been true with other countries, unfortunately, with Mexico COMEXUS (U.S.-Mexico Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange) doesn’t have the funding to continue to pay the Mexicans beyond their end-date. And so, I have to face the fact that this experience has to end, and I have to go back to reality. As I left the Cineteca Nacional, on one of the posters for another movie I read the tagline, “La Parte Más Difícil de Salir es Regresar” - The Hardest Part of Leaving is Returning.
