Tag Archives: culture

Dec13

Friday The 13th and Other Superstitions

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Friday The 13th and Other Superstitions

This post isn’t about any Friday the 13th movie. Instead I want to delve into the world of superstition and the idea that bad things happen on Friday the 13th.

I must admit I’ve been rather tentative when it comes to Friday the 13th. I vividly recall Friday February 13th, 1976. Three minutes short of the halfway point from Winnipeg to Denver en route to San Diego, Frontier Airlines turned us back to Winnipeg due to engine trouble. Obviously I missed the connecting flight in Denver.

Then there was Friday November 13th, 2015 in Mazatlan when the ATM thought it would be fun to eat my debit card. Needless to say I don’t use BBVA Bancomer anymore.

All other Friday the 13ths have been proven to be uneventful although today is far from over.

But why the big deal about Friday the 13th? Here’s a few tidbits I gleaned from history.

I’ll begin with a Christian root. Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus. He was also the 13th guest at The Last Supper.

Next we turn to Norse mythology. Twelve gods were invited to a banquet. A thirteenth god named Loki (the trickster god) crashed the banquet. This resulted in fighting and death.

We then go to France where King Philip IV decreed that all Knights Templar in his kingdom were to be arrested. These people were viewed as heretics as they denied Christ and worshipped idols. Many were executed and the Church disbanded the group.

Now let’s look at some other superstitions and what some people do to avoid bad things from happening.

Break a mirror lately? That could mean seven years of bad luck.

Don’t walk under a ladder or something bad is sure to happen.

Watch out for that black cat, especially on Friday the 13th.

Throw a pinch of salt over your left shoulder to keep evil at bay.

Remember this one from childhood? Step on a crack and you break your mother’s back.

How about looking for four-leaf clovers for luck? Or carrying around that lucky rabbit’s foot? Walk into any Casino or Bingo game and look around at all the lucky charms people have.

And let’s not forget knocking on wood.

How superstitious are you?

Dec3

Poinsettia

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Poinsettia

As I was scrolling through my newsfeed this morning, I found an article that was a refreshing change from politics and war. It was about the poinsettia and the story behind it. When I lived in Tlaquepaque, a school where I taught actually had a poinsettia tree growing out in the courtyard.

The poinsettia has its roots in Mexican culture, dating back to when the Aztecs used the red leaves to make dye and medicine for fevers.

Legend has it that this plant first bloomed after a battle near Taxco between Montezuma and the Chontales tribe. Apparently the Chontales were reluctant to pay their taxes. When the battle ended, the road to Taxco was a bloody one covered with dead warriors. Red flowers amazingly bloomed. The Aztecs believed that these flowers were sacred and that the souls of the dead returned as hummingbirds to drink from the petals.

There is another Mexican legend regarding poinsettias. Two very poor children wanted to bring a gift to Baby Jesus for the Christmas Eve service. But they had no money. An angel appeared and told them to pick some weeds and put them next to the Baby Jesus. They did and the weeds became beautiful red poinsettias.

Franciscan friars used poinsettias in their Christmas celebrations. They believed that the star-shaped leaves signified the Star of Bethlehem and that the red color was a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice.

How did the poinsettia arrive in the United States? Joel Poinsett was the first American ambassador to Mexico. He adored these beautiful flowers and in 1825 brought them to the USA. Hence the name poinsettia.

Poinsettias are synonymous with Christmas all around the globe. While the most popular color is red, there are also varieties in pink, white and yellow as well.

I recall buying poinsettia plants when I lived in Canada. They were always red and I was never successful in keeping them alive for more than a few weeks after Christmas. I kept them indoors due to the frigid temperatures outside, but obviously they thrive better outdoors in a warmer climate.

Jul24

Things I Didn’t Know

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Things I Didn’t Know

Whenever I travel to new places, it’s amazing all the things I find out that I never knew before. The cultures all have their own unique twist and eastern Washington state has a few of its own that I encountered when I first came to Leavenworth in 2016. It’s 2023 and I’m still learning new things.

The other day I was having lunch at the senior center and the topic of bears came up. A retired taxidermist informed me that bears are attracted to clover. Someone else told me that the refuse containers are available with bear-proof lids. The problem is that when the trucks arrive it’s all automated and it can’t open these lids. The driver isn’t going to get out of the vehicle to open them either. That means that overnight bears often get into the garbage.

Speaking of garbage. People here have three separate bins. One is for the usual garbage, one is for recycling and one is for yard waste. Bins have to be rolled up to the street for collection. When I lived up the Icicle it was a walk up to the highway. Here in East Wenatchee it’s just at the end of our driveway, much more convenient.

Do you have to go to the bathroom? Then you have to go potty here. I haven’t heard that expression since I was toilet-training my kids back in the eighties.

Pest control is big business here. All kinds of unwanted creatures live in the mountains and forests here. And they often find their way into people’s homes or destroy the structures. And let’s not forget those big black flying ants or the creepy spiders either.

Speaking of forests, wildfires are a real danger here. Thunderstorms are dreaded as lightening often causes these fires when careless humans don’t. The strong winds don’t help either. I often get alarms on my phone but I’ve never had more than a level one alert so far this year.

With fire there’s smoke. Over the years I found myself sporing an n95 mask long before the arrival of Covid. There were days where you couldn’t see anything more than a block away. This is problematic for everyone but especially those with respiratory issues.

Washington state is one of the most expensive places in the USA to live and boasts the highest gas prices.

Washington was also one of the first states to legalize marijuana and there is an amazing variety of items available here. You can also trip over all the outlets or have it delivered by ordering online if you’re so inclined.

Then there’s the jargon. Attorney instead of lawyer. PCP instead of doctor. Physical therapist instead of physiotherapist. Etcetera.

Amazon Prime. A staple here. You can order anything and everything and have it delivered pronto. No need to go browsing from store to store in search of treasure. Nope! Those days are long gone.

There’s lots more but that’s it for today’s post. A week from today I’ll be traveling to Canada and still have lots to organize.

Have a marvelous Monday!

Aug5

Challenges Of A Teacher

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Challenges Of A Teacher

I’m retired now, but I’m often asked what kinds of challenges I faced while teaching English here in Mexico. I basically divide them into two distinct areas….. actual English teaching in the classroom and the challenges associated with the difference in the culture here from up north.

In the classroom, aside from the obvious grammar and pronunciation, there were the more abstract things included in the curriculum. I always found the topic of white lies versus black lies a challenge. There was always that one student who insisted that his steady girlfriend of so many years didn’t need to know about the new woman in his life because he wasn’t sure which one he wanted to be with until he got to know the new one better. He’d tell his girlfriend he was going out for a beer with the guys instead. In his eyes this was no different than telling a friend his new shirt was amazing even though he really thought the shirt was hideous.

Classroom management was definitely an adventure. Teacher aides for students with behavioral issues such as autism simply do not exist here. At one private school where I taught I had one student who consistently tried to climb out of a second story window when he wasn’t interested in the topic we were studying at the moment. Needless to say, his behavior always disrupted the entire class.

As a teacher, students rely on you for far more than just teaching them English. They often came to me with personal problems. The culture here is different, and I was always cautious, especially when it came to teenagers. Many problems students struggle with are really quite universal, adults and children alike, no matter which country you live in.

But these challenges pale in comparison with what teachers face today in light of COVID-19. The additional responsibility for providing safety from infection to students is huge, not to mention that teachers are putting their own lives at risk the moment they step into the classroom.

There is so much controversy about whether or not schools should open again when the virus is still surging. Here in Mexico the schools will not open this month. My heart goes out to teachers everywhere else in the world where schools are reopening. I admire your dedication and I pray for your safety.