Mexico City Trip Report 3/23/17-3/26/17

     I went to Mexico City this past weekend, but chose to leave my camera behind. I was worried I would lose it in the hustle and bustle of the trip, but that turned out to be a big mistake. So, I'm writing this for posterity's sake. Here are the highlights from the trip. Beware: there are a ton of highlights because the trip was 110% amazeballs.

Thursday

• Got in at 1AM, walked around, found street tacos. Got 4, which would've cost 40 pesos ($2), if we had any. We didn't, so we paid with a $5. It STILL felt like a steal.
• When we got back to our hostel, the bar below us was still bumping music pretty hard, so I threw in a pair of ear plugs and fell asleep on the top level of my (twin?) bunk bed, haha.

Friday

• In the morning, I went around looking for a lock to secure our stuff. But... I don't know much Spanish and so all I had found was a tube of Sensodyne because I didn't pack any toothpaste.
• Went to a stand and got 2 tacos for breakfast, went across the street to a different one and got the best tacos of the whole trip - the meat was delicious (that was the case for all of them tbh) and the tacos were topped with freshly fried fries (not like McDonald's fries but there's nothing else I could call them)
• Headed down to Centro Historico, where there are a bunch of ancient churches (it wasn't surprising to see that some were in bad shape, but that they were still standing was very impressive)
• Visited the National Palace, which is a pretty huge governmental building that's been around since ~1400-1500. They had some awesome murals depicting Mexico's history, showing colonization and periods of Mexico as far back as ~1300-1500. The garden was rather tranquil. Stuff on the murals: 
• Karl Marx is at the top of one
• Harsh enslavement and conversion (slaves being put to work while being blessed or converted)
• Fighting against various outsider groups 
• Walked around a street market for quite some time, just window shopping. Throughout the area they were selling ice cream bars, juices, and other snacks. We picked up 2 huge cups of Horchata and a Strawberry juice for a buck.
• Grabbed a beer at a restaurant bar on a balcony overlooking the neighborhood.
• Headed back to the hostel for a short nap before heading to Estadio Azteca. It took us a good ~2 hours riding public transit, but a cool experience nonetheless.
• Mexico vs. Costa Rica! The home squad won 2-0, but what really caught my eye was the various vendors making their rounds around the stadium. They were selling: 
• Ice cream/snow cones 
• Pizza 
• Tortas
• Hamburgers
• Chips
• Popcorn
• aaaaand my personal favorite - Cup Noodles (Maruchan brand, if you were wondering). I got a shrimp flavored one, with added hot sauce and lime. That was a cool $1.50.
• Some highlights from the experience: 
• The crowd doing the wave, going around the stadium a good 6+ times without stopping
• The crowd winding up and going: aaaaaaAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY PUTO!!!! It was seriously ridiculous. On the ticker going around the stadium, it read "Chanting 'Puto' does not make you more Mexican, help us avoid punishment by FIFA!" (As it was explained to me, it would be similar to a crowd winding up and shouting faggot, so, y'know, there's that)
• Afterwards, grabbed tacos and fried plantains from street vendors. So heavy, so sweet, so delicious.
• Afterwards, went to a gay bar. Which no one knew was a gay bar. But the art on one wall (that was like 20 ft tall) was a naked Mexican guy riding a horse. Sooo... there was that. Some highlights about the experience:
• One of the people we were with asking of me & Eli "Are you guys straight?"
       -"Yes"
       -"Did you guys know this was a gay bar?"
       -"No"
       -"LOL me neither! Wth!"
       -Me: ???? (Aren't you from here bro??)
• Double shots of tequila for $2.50 a piece (!!!! one of MANY points throughout the trip when I KNEW I was going to have a great time)
• Listening to this 2x in one Uber ride and 4x in a later ride (it goes so hard, 10x so because the vibes were so strong when it was playing): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDCcLQto5BM
• Went to another spot that we couldn't get in to because we didn't have enough girls :( (the group was something along the lines of 6 guys and 5 girls). When I remarked that I didn't realize Mexico City was Vegas, I was told that, indeed, most of the clubs around wouldn't let you in without a proper number of females (did they have to be attractive as well? Probably)
• So then that was the conclusion of our night - we went to get tacos for drunchies, and then turned in to the hostel about 4

Saturday

• Woke up about 11, then headed to the Museo Nacional de Antropologia (National Museum of Anthropology). The museum was located in the Chapultepec Park, which is a pretty expansive area of Mexico City that holds a lot of landmarks - the office and residence of the Mexican President, a zoo, the Castillo Chapultepec (Chapultepec Castle)
• Highlights:
• A video exhibit showing the creation story of the Mexican people
• A concrete, circular fighting ring maybe 20 feet across where people fought to the death in sacrificial rites.
• Some re-creations of ancient sites and blocks from the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon 
• A disturbing number of skeletons with cranial deformations. Apparently, there had been a tradition where they used some tool to shape and mold skulls of children. It resulted in some scary cracks.
• After the museum, we headed over to the Castillo. It was about a 15-minute walk from the museum, so we had some ground to cover. On our way, we came across an open rock concert they were having in the park, so we took a seat and soaked it in for a few minutes.
• This is the biggest regret of the trip for me: I wanted to make it to the castle, but we also wanted to squeeze in seeing the Frida Kahlo museum, so we were on a time crunch. Result being I could really only venture around the castle for 15 minutes. But I knew I really didn't want to miss it, so I just bit the bullet.
• In one word, this place was: extravagant
• Rooms full of artifacts and gifts from various sovereigns
• It was just so impressive - 2 stories, stunningly beautiful gardens that were perfectly manicured, murals, paintings on some ceilings, and a piano performance so serene that I invested 2-3 of my precious minutes. I just had to stop to close my eyes and appreciate the gravity of the moment - to appreciate the history and to give myself a moment to soak in awe that I was, for some reason, in Mexico City in a gorgeously appointed castle I had only looked up 3 nights previous. 
• Considering the sundry artifacts collected in and around the castle, I could only imagine the wealth amassed in its vicinity. 
• I hadn't mentioned the view! It was a brisk uphill walk for ~10 minutes from the park to reach the castle, and you could really appreciate the height of the castle from any side you were on. From every angle, you were overlooking the sprawl of the city - buildings, parks, roadways, even the roller coasters from an amusement park. 
• After I got my time in (I seriously wish I had prioritized it over anything else, it was that amazing), we headed to the Frida Kahlo museum. By the time we got there, though it was about an hour from closing, the line was long. So long that we knew we weren't going to make it in, so we headed to the Coyoacan market for some eats. 
• Did you say EAT?? From the moment we stepped inside, we were offered samples of chicharron and meat from vendors luring prospective customers in. Somehow, the (delicious) bait didn't fool us, because we just grabbed the samples and continued our circuit of the market. Eventually, we ate from a couple different stands. We had:
• Quesadillas (chicken mole, carnitas, and some type of squash?)
• Tostadas (shrimp & ceviche)
• The shrimps on the tostada were YUGE. We're talking 7-8 shrimp that were probably 1.5in long, stretched out? And the tostadas were $2 each it was SO amazing!
• Elote (corn on a stick) 
• Tamarind candy (I shoulda bought a lot more... :'(   )
• A cup of watermelon juice and a cup of horchata
• We headed back to the hostel for a power nap, woke up, grabbed a beer, hung out for a bit, then met up with Eli's friend Maria for dinner. Since everything had been so cheap, we were tryna ball out and get a fat steak dinner. Something got lost in translation, though, 'cause she took us to a seafood market lol ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. It was delicious, but it definitely wasn't what we had in mind. Highlights from the dinner experience:
• We ordered oysters - that was a mistake, considering we live in Louisiana, but w/e lol. Oysters are still oysters.
• Octopus w ink over rice
• Their mixed drinks - pours were generous, to say the least. I'll never look at a rum & coke the same
• We also had some iced espresso mixed drink. It was so delicious I gulped it down, hardly tasting the liquor. This was a mistake.
• By the time we finished dinner, it was 11 and I was fading fast. I said I probably had it in me to stay out 'til 1 before I headed home.
• We get to the club where Maria's friends have bottle service. I remember slamming shots (of tequila, of course), some real animated conversation about where the 2 of us were from, and marveling at the experience I had over the weekend and how lucky I was to be going out in Mexico City at a locale I never would have been without Eli (the MVP) & Maria (co-MVP, she was such a great hostess). A couple bits of conversation that stood out to me:
• When I said something about sticking out like a sore thumb bc I was the only Asian basically anywhere, her friend [Carime? The spelling is probably off] said she felt the exact same way when she was at school in London (as the only Mexican).
• When I was gushing about how amazing the trip had been and how cool it was for us to be chillin' wherever we were, the same friend said something along the lines of "Yeah, this is as Mexican as it gets!" and I just remember this distinct feeling of being impressed. Like... wow, I'm in another country, going out with locals. Cool would be a major understatement.
• The next thing I remember is pulling my head up from the table to a table empty of everybody except Eli. Time to go home, lol.

     Our last morning was marked by disappointment - we attempted to go back to the Frida museum, but even though we showed up 15 min after opening, there was already a long-ass line. We waited for 45 min 'til we decided to make the best use of our time by heading back to Coyoacan market and eating our hearts out at 2-3 diff. vendors. So... that's exactly what we did. & it definitely made up for it, haha.

     Overall, I had a spectacular trip. I enjoyed everything - the food, the spirit of the city, the food, the history and architecture, the food, the hospitality we received, the national pride that filled the stadium, and everything else I mentioned throughout this post. Every single bit of the place was an absolute pleasure. 

     A couple people asked me how much the trip cost, in all. With flight (300), the total was ~500, give or take 50. Once we got there, the cost for all the food, experiences, drinking, 8-10 ubers averaging half an hour each, and our hostel stay amounted to about 150, 200 tops. I could say this was probably the first time in my life I spent without restraint. A part of me knew that no matter what I did, the damage wasn't going to be so bad - and it wasn't.
   
     I hate to say it, but I don't know the next time I'll be going back to Mexico City. What I will say, though, is I'm damn glad I went and will forever be grateful for the opportunity to partake in such an adventure.

The Time I Saved A Life

     This is a story I really enjoy because it's one of the things I remember most from the earliest days of my friendship with one David Ngo. Throughout the 14+ years since it happened, we have referred to this event plenty of times. However, it has always remained somewhat of an inside joke between the 2 of us because no one else was present (besides my mom). I'm sure we've told it plenty of times, but I wanted to get it down in writing for the sake of posterity. And to share with you all, of course.

     I don't remember particularly when or in what grade we met, but in 5th grade our friendship blossomed. We were in the same class, shared the same social circle at school, and then hung out some more afterwards (along with a cast of various other characters from Cherrywood). This was a very convenient friendship considering we lived (essentially) one intersection away from each other, on the opposite sides of Hostetter and Agua Vista. Fast forward to the end of the school year, and needless to say our bond has only strengthened throughout the months. Now that I think about it, for a couple of children, being great friends for a whole year without any type of squabble or anything like that is pretty remarkable (because children are generally fickle creatures). Anyways, we finished out 5th grade and moved on to 6th grade at Sierramont Middle (where, incidentally, I might be employed next year) close as ever.

     A brief information session on the geography of the story. While we lived pretty darn close to Cherrywood, Sierramont was a bit further afield (probably 2 or 3 times as far as Cherrywood was, which is a lot of land for a child to remember). This wasn't really an issue for me, considering my mom picked me up from school 99% of the time anyways. & as far as I was concerned, David must have been an excellent navigator of the neighborhood, considering he had walked to and from school for... well, as long as I'd known him (at least to my knowledge). To my young self, as far as the Berryessa area was concerned, David was a real professional - in line with Christopher Columbus, or Ferdinand Magellan. 

     Well, this wouldn't be much of a story if that were the case, would it? At the end of our very first school day, I hung around, waiting for my mom to pick me up, while David got to walking. Either my mom was late or that after-school traffic really was as bad as it is in my memory (y'know, hopping into your car then not really going anywhere because the area is all congested with pedestrians or parents waiting for their children REFUSING to move from their position in the middle of the parking lot smfh), but whatever was going on, it was taking a while.

     Traffic notwithstanding, we eventually make it out and onto Hostetter Road. We're cruising down the road before we hit the spot to turn into my neighborhood. However, before we get too close, I can see David standing on my side of the intersection (remember, we live on opposite sides). He's looking around with a worried expression on his face and scratching his head in the exact way you expect someone who is puzzled to scratch his or her head. Like so:

 Seeing him there was confusing to me too, because...well... he was on the wrong side of the road. Clearly something was up. I told my mom he was a friend, and to pull over because it looked like he needed help. 

     As we pull up next to him (in my minivan, btw), I hit him with the "Hey man, are you lost??" He responds in the affirmative, and that he doesn't know which way his house is (which is literally 2 blocks away from where I found him, lol). I tell him to hop in and we'll give him a ride home. I direct my mom to his house because for some reason I remember better than he does where he actually lives. He is dropped off safe and sound, and that's the end of the story.

     ~5-6 years ago, he's over at my house and my mom says it's nice to meet him. I remind her of this story, that this is that kid, and she starts to laugh and says she remembers. She adds that, without me, he'd still be lost. So there you have it, folks. He basically owes me his life, haha. Hope you enjoyed this story, and if you're lucky some day you'll read it from his perspective.

What I Want

     I just finished watching "Minimalism," a documentary featuring various people who've taken to that kind of lifestyle. While I agree with the message of the film, I didn't find it terribly captivating, informative, or even new. The gist of the film is that our current rate of consumption is unsustainable, it doesn't make us any happier to have more belongings, and that we should be more deliberate about our lifestyles (to save our planet, raise our kids right, make it easier to pursue meaning, etc. etc.). Go figure, right? Unfortunately, the funny thing about people is that we can think about things when it's intellectual - when something exists just in our minds or as a discussion - but when it comes time to connect our reality (our actions) to our desired outcomes... we fall flat. Some prime examples are:

1. Wanting to look/feel good but not having the discipline to make it happen.
2. Wanting to conserve the environment but going on to consume (food/clothes/plastics)
3. Desiring simplicity but refusing to release all the clutter (physical/social/mental or any kind of clutter, really)

     That's not why I started writing, though. One of the messages I received from the film was to consider what it is I want in life. So I figured I'd set aside a few minutes, think about it, and write it out. The list is short enough where I don't feel greedy, broad enough so I feel it covers my bases, and just long enough to make me think that I've put some careful consideration into it. So, here are the things I want in life. Not just now, or tomorrow, but ideally, for the rest of my days.

1. The basics
   a. Food to sustain me
   b. Roof over my head
   c. A warm bed to sleep in
2. Love (both to and from)
   a. My family (which I feel I've always had, thank God)
   b. My partner (which I'm still surprisingly amazed by)
   c. My friends (what's there even left to say after all these years?)
   d. My community (my coworkers, students, their parents, and just all the people I see on a regular basis)

     That's not too much to ask, is it? So long as this post is around, I guess I can always check in and see how far I've come and whether or not I've stayed true to my desires. In the meantime, it might do you some good to sit down and think about what you want in life. & of course, writing it out somewhere (journal, blog, scratch paper) will make it that much more meaningful.

An (Extremely) Informal Poll Regarding Our 2016 Presidential Candidates

     This last Friday, my warm-up for the first 5 minutes of class was "What do you think of the presidential candidates? Why do you think that? Use at least 3 complete sentences." Here are the results, transcribed by yours truly. For a selection of high schoolers, I feel like their responses accurately capture the concerns of many Americans. But what do I know?  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 "There both retarted. Because there both crazy. They both have stupied ideas" This sentiment was pretty common - many of the students and people on my FB feed are disenchanted by both candidates.

 "I think that we don't have much of a election. We should have better people to pick from. I just think it's a waste of time" Again, not a fan of either candidate.

 "I think this year presidental candidates are the worst ever. We are screwed this year for president. Both Trump and Clinton shouldn't be president." ...and again.

"1. I think that Hililary Clinton will ruin the United States.
  2. I think that Hiliary Clinton will be too much emotional to rule the country.
  3. Donald Trump doesnt have a period so he dont get mad easy once a month."
First (and only) response I saw that detailed how Hillary's status as a woman will so clearly screw the United State.

 "I do not like Hillary. I love Donald Trump. I think he is going to do a good job if he keeps his mouth shut." ...but he can't keep his mouth shut??

"I think Hillary Clinton should win. Donald Trump is not the president I want to have. Hillary is planning to take guns and I dont argree with it but she better than Donald." This student is going with the lesser of 2 evils approach. I think there are a lot of people with this feeling as well

 "I think they are both not suitable for the job. They both make fools of themselves. However, it is fun to watch because they make fun of each other." Isn't this the sole reason anybody is still tuning in to the debate...?

 "I think they're both bad. One of them are racist (Trump). Hilary can't be trusted. Both are not good with people." I'm not sure how anyone who isn't good with people can become the nominee for their respective parties...?

 I don't like either of them. Hillary doesn't seem to be firm in what she believes and Donald is terrible towards women, pocs, disabled, in general trash, etc."
Doesn't like either of them, Trump is an asshole, etc. etc.

 "I do not like trump or hilary. I don't want neither one of them to win because they are both irresponsible." No love for either candidate yet again!

 "It's sad wha that The choices we have to choose from are ridiculous. They are both immature. Our country is screwed either way." Note: The student asked "Am I gonna get written up if I use the word 'screwed' in my answer?"

 "I'm not sure what I think. Not sure what I think because they aren't good. Half of my family aren't voting this year." The candidates are so bad they're driving voters away! :(

 "Terrible because they are bad people who are trying to ruin the world. All Trump wants to do is talk down on people. All Hillary wants to do is make herself look good." This "both candidates are shitty" theme is real real strong for this group....

 "I think we're screwed. Cause they are both bad people. Who ever wins the election is bad either way" You get the point if you've made it all the way down here. But there's a few gems if you keep going to the end!

 "I think we need to get new people. There are no right answers. I think they're both terrible"

 "They are both horrible. Trump is arrogant. Clinton is an email deleting liar"

 "I hope Trump looses b/c he has bad ideas and he is racist. Actually IDK anything about the election. :(" This kid's a real one. I don't know anything about the election yet (either), kid!

 "They are all garbage trash. I'm tired of only two parties. Third parties have no chance." Honestly, I don't know how old I was when the idea (finally) entered my mind that not every country in the world was governed in the same way and that some had more than two parties.

 "I think Trump will be elected. I think this because Clinton is a woman. Then again I do not know anything about politics"

 "I think no matter who win the world just won't be okay. Both candidnates aren't that good. But I think + hope Hillary win."

 "Our presidential candidates suck. I like Trump more than Hillary because she's an idiot. They should build that wall." Haha, taking the lesser of 2 evils went the other way this time. And this is the only mention of the wall I saw all day!

"I don't care about either! Personally, I feel like america should be single for a few years :). God for president #2k16. #MakeAmericagreatagain" Aaaand another answer to really reinforce the idea that these students are not having anything to do with either candidate! Punctuated with a great face and a couple hashtags. Excellent work.

What It's Like Being Asian

     After writing my last post, somebody remarked to me that they had expected more anecdotes. It's not that I don't have any to share, but I'm also kind of reluctant to share. On one hand, I don't feel like they're worth sharing because I truly don't consider it a big deal - whenever someone says or does anything racist, I know it just reflects a lot more of their character than it does mine. On the other hand, I guess it's nice just to get it off my chest and get it on paper to look back on some time. Plus, y'know, sharing experiences and perspectives and all that good stuff. So, I've made the decision to share a couple examples of what I'm referring to when I write about being Asian. I'm describing one microaggression and one outright racist incident that, combined, have contributed to making me more conscious of my Asian-ness than ever. [Also, if you don't know the definition of the word microaggression: "indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group" (Oxford Dictionaries)]. There have been more than just 2 instances, but I feel like these 2 sum it up pretty nicely as far as my experiences go.
     At a professional development session for my school district, the math teachers got together for some planning. As part of the training, we did some ACT word problems. At some point, there was a word that the person running the session didn't know how to pronounce, so I read it for her. Just a few problems later, she was reading another word problem and then stopped and asked me how to pronounce something else. I hadn't really been paying attention, but I figured she'd just come across another long or difficult-to-pronounce word. My eyes darted through the word problem looking for anything that could be tricky - y'know how word processing doesn't take very long? Well in microseconds, I had looked the problem up and down and my eyes lit up on the only word she could be referring to - "Zhang," as in the name. The word problem involved car sales and the name of the person selling the cars was Zhang. Which she didn't know how to pronounce because she's not Asian. Which I didn't know how to pronounce because I'm not whatever background you need to be to recognize it. Anyways, I give it my best shot and pronounce it "zang" (...like any-fucking-body would, Asian or not). Immediately after I do, though, I look up and make eye contact with one of my friends to give each other the double-take, like did that really just happen? I laughed it off afterwards, but my take on the whole thing can be summed up with this photo:

     The part of me that doesn't feel bad at all thinks it was inevitable - Asian-looking name, ask the Asian guy. No-brainer, right? The irritable side thinks ... well, was it inevitable? If I'm reading and come across a name that's foreign to me, do I just gloss over it, knowing it's irrelevant to the problem? Probably, yeah. I mean at the end of the day, when things like that happen I'm just not really sure what to make of it. Does it hurt me? No, not really. It makes me feel unusual, sure, but I'm no stranger to that feeling, nor do I find it one to be particularly harmful. Someone with more tact than me could have probably found a way to turn it into a learning moment, but I just let it slide because I didn't really care. I'm not really tryna make waves and I don't know how to react otherwise, y'know? So yeah, that's it for that story.
     Another time, I was out playing some basketball with a couple roommates. A few young black men in their 20's rolled up to play with us, and one of them was being very aggressive. He kept calling me Jackie Chan and saying I was Chinese, then told me not to worry because he isn't racist. O...kay...? I didn't say much because I had just met the guy and... I mean, I teach high schoolers. The ignorance runs strong at school. So anyways, we proceed to play. Turns out he's from Akron, Ohio (where Lebron is from). This tidbit's important. Later on in the game, he decides to chuck the ball really far and has to run to go get it. He takes his sweet time, and we're waiting around for a long while. As he nears the court upon his return, someone on the court tells him to "Speed it up, Akron" (pronounced "ak-rin") and he's immediately fired up - "Did you just call me African?!"
     "No man, I said Akron!"
    "Oh okay, good. 'Cause I was gonna have to tackle you or something"
     Cue the eye rolls. This black guy spends the first 5 minutes on the court calling me Jackie Chan and referring to my Chinese background (which is wrong)... then gets upset at being called Akron (because he thinks he's being called African).
     So.... yeah. It's weird because this situation, while having everything to do with skin color, actually doesn't have anything to do with skin color. At least, that's not how I'm reading it. What it does involve, though, is ignorance, insensitivity and sensitivity alike. Ignorance on his part to assume I'm Chinese. Then the insensitivity on his part to single me out for my skin color. Then the sensitivity on his part to be offended for what he perceived to be getting singled out for his skin color. IT JUST MAKES NO SENSE. I didn't even care that he thought I was Chinese - I only cared when HE started caring about being called African. Like... what kinda ass backwards processes are going on in your head? Just recently you were being wildly aggressive about me being Jackie Chan, and now it hurts because you heard somebody call you African (which didn't even happen lol)? It boggles my mind how people could be like that: you assume something about someone else and still find the feelings to get upset when someone else does the same to you. This is not exclusive to race, but of any features. It eats at me because it boils down to a few things:
     - You made it this far through life without realizing that when you assume, you make an ass of u & me.
     - You feel the need to obnoxiously broadcast your assumptions
     - You are an overly sensitive baby back bitch. The world doesn't owe you shit!
     - You just don't have the good sense to shut your goddamn trap
     I say that last bullet because we all make assumptions - it's fine, that's exactly what your brain was made for. It stores information and remembers things for a reason. I'd be lying if I said I don't make assumptions all the time. However, just  have the sense to make the distinction between what you are assuming and what is real. And if you can't do that, then try not to be so loud about your ignorance. And if you can't do that, then it's probably a good opportunity to reevaluate yourself.

     At the end of the day, it's just weird to be singled out for my skin color. It doesn't bother me in the sense that I wish I weren't Asian or anything stupid like that. I just keep coming back to one adjective: weird. It's a complex thing and I don't have any expectations because I just expect these issues to go away with time. It's all solved with some decency and sense, but I'm not sure how to effectively bring that about. So...what do I or we (as a society) do? Who knows.
     When I first started this, I wrote that these weren't a big deal to me, and I stand by that. You can tell the two different events get me worked up to a certain degree, but even still... I just chalk them up to a couple of life experiences. I appreciate that Asians don't have it anything like minority groups who feel like their lives have been marginalized, but it also makes things more confusing. So the way I deal with the confusion? Just to always try and be a decent person, mostly. Because I'm pretty sure the concept of race isn't one we'll outgrow in our lifetime, unfortunately. Oh well - what can you do  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯?

Being an Asian American Teacher

    Some time during the application process for TFA (it might have been answering questions on the app, or during my interview), I was asked about how my identity would impact my role in the classroom. I thought it was a strange question because I hadn't ever really considered my identity in the first place. Asian American, male, recreational athlete, son, friend, brother, director, teammate, teacher - those are a few descriptors of many that make up my identity.
     After having been here for a year, I've thought a lot more about my identity as it pertains to my classroom role. It isn't fully formulated (hard to say if it ever will be), but here is my view on being an Asian American in the classroom (currently in the South).
     Even though I'm Vietnamese, everybody assumes I'm Chinese. I've explained to some students that Vietnam is a different country entirely (by showing them Vietnam and China on Google Maps). I've also explained that just because I'm Vietnamese doesn't mean I'm not Asian. So in this regard, I get to teach students a little about geography (Vietnam≠China, Vietnam & China + other countries = Asia) and ethnic background.
     I also try and use the opportunity to teach them some cultural awareness. Although some students are willfully and maliciously ignorant, those are few and far between compared to the number of students who simply lack an accurate cultural education. This could be something simple as dispelling the notions that I know kung fu, that Asians all speak the same language, or that all Asians are good at math. I guess, from their perspective, the last idea (that all Asians don't excel at math) is hard to believe when I am the math teacher and the 3 Asian students are all high achievers in math. But... whatever.
     Lastly, I feel that my responsibility on a personal level (after the professional level of getting them to want to learn and emphasizing better attitudes) is to give the students some exposure. Exposure to someone who looks, speaks, and has different ideas from them. The best thing is - it doesn't even take any effort besides being me! And the benefit is that it helps to normalize Asian people in their eyes. In case you haven't realized it, Asians are still really exotic in the eyes of the majority of the American population. It's fair, considering we make up less than 5% of the population (as of 2011, according to the CDC). I don't know about y'alls experiences, but just this past week after telling someone I am Vietnamese, he felt the need to tell me that he has a Vietnamese friend. & for some strange reason, some people feel the need to tell me they love fried rice and/or phở. Like... that's irrelevant. I don't tell black people I love fried chicken. I am willing to tell anybody that Popeye's > KFC, if it comes up in context. But it doesn't have any more to do with black people than it does to anyone, really.  I also don't tell white people I love meatloaf - it's delicious, for sure, but once again irrelevant.
     So in summary, I guess I like being a teacher in order to:

1. Normalize Asian people to others
2. Combat stereotypes
3. Give students some greater awareness and understanding of other cultures            

It's not why I became a teacher, but those are some positives I draw from being an Asian American teacher. They're also reasons why I think we need more Asians in the classroom - so if you're at a point in your life where you're not sure what to do with your life, come on in to education and see if it fits you. If  it helps to entice you at all, summer is 10x better as an adult than it ever was as a student, haha. 

(Almost) A Year on the Job

     That title is incredible to consider - although I feel like I've barely just started, the school year is about to end. Due to the many events coming up, I'm faced with a wide range of feelings: anxiety, happiness, dismay, regret, humor. These feelings come for many reasons:

•  I'm real excited to return home (after almost 6 months, probably my 2nd longest stretch from SJ) 
• I'm nervous about state testing for my students (and the corresponding results)
• I'm haunted by the knowledge that I haven't done absolutely everything I could to prepare my students for success
• I find hilarious (as a way of coping with despair) the possibility that 10% (or more, even) of my students will be returning to my class
• and best of all, the ~2.5 months I get off for summer break. 

     It's a lot going on in the coming weeks, but I wanted to take some time to reflect on the past year (well, the last 10 months, really). Here's a list of of things that have come to pass since June 2015:

• I completed a 5-week training program at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. In a word, the experience was surreal. And that's by the closest definition - not with positive or negative connotation, but strictly bizarre. 
• I spent more time than ever with family that I typically never see. I stayed with them for a week of summer and we celebrated Easter together. After the school year ends, I also get to head down to celebrate my niece's graduation.
• I moved from San Jose, California (population 1 million) to Natchez, Mississippi (15k)  so I could teach in Vidalia, Louisiana (4k).
• I went on spring break. As a teacher, it's different. You might end up gambling at Harrah's New Orleans with a teacher from DC who is also on spring break. & who is also going to Vegas the next day with his teacher friends, just like you are going with yours. And you might end up hitting it off and hanging out the next night, even.
• Then you might spend another 3 awesome days there, going to places you hadn't before and chopping it up with strangers.
• A student told me I was her favorite math teacher ever. I said it didn't count because she's only a freshman and had a lot of math classes to go, but inside I was still proud.
• I had a few students tell me that I was the first math teacher that bothered explaining the material to them - that made me real proud.
• A student (who is in his 2nd round of Algebra 1) wrote that he hadn't cared about math until he had me. 
• I celebrated Mardi Gras in New Orleans with Daisy (and various friends) - we snagged a gazillion beads and souvenirs, went to some spots for bomb food, and had a heck of a few days together.
• I visited my brother in Washington, D.C. Went on some amazing tours and just soaked in the grand feeling of our nation's capital. 
• Went to Baton Rouge a few times - spending a number of weekends eating, dancing, and gambling.
• Went canoeing in Texas (at Lake Caddo State Park, in particular).
• Moved in with 4 strangers, with whom I spend a great majority of my time in close proximity. We spend something along the lines of 15 hours every single day within 50 feet of each other. The sole reason we're apart is that we don't all work at the same school.
• Out of those 4, I got placed in a classroom next to one of them, Brett - we hang out 24/7. Since moving in to this house, we've probably spent 95%+ of the time within shouting distance of each other. To really sell the point: while living here, there is probably just one hour a day where I can't walk over and talk to the guy.
• I was told to go "back to Mongolia" by an ignorant college kid outside of a bar. 
• Some students still insist that I'm Chinese. I honestly can't tell if they're joking or not. I'm pretty sure they are, but then again...
• When I said I was Asian, one of my students goes, "But I thought you were Vietnamese??" Bless her heart. 
• Overheard some students arguing in homeroom - "Chinese? Japanese? Vietnamese? Ain't they all the same? They got all them -ese's." So I walked over and asked, "Ameri-CAN and Afri-CAN - are those the same?" and then the kids he was arguing with laughed at him. 
• The staff at the casino (which is a 10-minute walk away, if that) recognize me and no longer ask for my ID.
• Speaking of staff at the casino - a student's mom works there, and we chat about once a week about how her daughter is doing in my class
• Although I've gotten used to it by now, when I stop to think about how far I've come from San Diego and San Jose, it's still a trip that the only Asians I encounter on a regular basis are the 2 in my homeroom. Everywhere else I go, I can count on being the only one. Besides Brett - he's half Indian, so there's that. 
• I cook once a week - that's been an awesome and super underrated feature of living with roommates. We take turns cooking Sunday-Thursday and it works out pretty well (except for the duds, but we all have off days lol).
• I've had fried chicken much more than I used to - I'm not saying I make weekly trips or anything, but definitely having it more than I used to. That goes for fried food in general, at least when we go out.

     So there you have it. I'm surprised by how non-school-centric that list is. I think that's just because that side of things doesn't make the highlight reel for me for a couple reasons - when I started off the school year, I was a shitty teacher. I still am, but slightly less so. I've had my moments of success, but they truly are just moments - most of the time, I am not doing a good or even mediocre job. I'm working on it, but I've heard a million times that the first few days count SO so much. Unfortunately, my first few days were pretty loose, and my classroom (zoo?) reflects that. 

     Besides the fact that things in my classroom haven't been pretty, the other reason I haven't written about it much is because of how mundane it is. Not that it's boring to me - just that it feels boring to share, I guess. I'm trying to get better by planning ahead of time, making the material understandable, having a better handle on my class, and a million other little things. None of those sound particularly interesting, but I realized that self-improvement never seems sexy. There's nothing inherently impressive about reminding myself that I should pace the room, take different disciplinary tactics, or that a class should have a point added or taken away based on their behavior. But they are things, and they're my things, which is really all that matters. 

     Fortunately, I'm still really into the profession. As much pressure as there's been, and as much as I've felt that I've done an awful job thus far, it's nothing compared to the gratification of seeing the moment of understanding, or when a child hands you a quiz that he/she knows is perfect and tells you that you "made [them] like this." Contrary to the students' popular belief - I don't really give a damn about math. I never liked it much as a student. Pretty much the only reason I rated math highly in my application is the need for math teachers. But if I can help students realize that a challenge isn't impossible, that even if something that seems like the worst thing in the world can be solved - then I've got that much, at least, and that's something I can come back to every day. 

     Here is the stat line from Tom Brady's 2nd career start: "he went 12-for-24 for 86 yards and lost two fumbles while the Patriots lost 30-10" (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/18/tom-brady-said-im-going-to-be-a-great-one-after-his-second-start/). Afterwards, though, he still said, "I kid you not, it’s not that hard. I’m going to be a great one." While I don't have the obsessive mindset or work ethic of the guy, I'm on the same level of confidence. I've got a long way to go, but I can honestly say I still feel like a million bucks about it. It was a shitty year, and I'm a shitty teacher. But the start isn't what matters - hardly at all, really. As long as I have the desire, I will always be able to improve my skills. With some luck I'll be building myself up over not just years, but even decades. If you can't tell, I'm real excited. I'll update you with test results in a few weeks, and I'll make sure to let you know how things go next year. Til next time, ✌️