WOO HOO!

Woo Hoo! I'm back home in Brownsville. You know what my favorite part is about driving home from McAllen? The drive down Boca Chica from the Expressway towards Central Blvd. I love passing by the three resacas and seeing the sunset, palm trees, weeping willows and ebony trees reflected off the water. Sometimes I may be lucky and catch the sight of a group of pelicans perched upon a dormant ariator or of a stork poised for a portrait by the edge of the resaca. But I have an even bigger Woo Hoo in store for you all....you all ready?......

WOO HOO!

I am going to Mexico! Since I am going to Mexico, perhaps I should yell "AAAIIIIIEEEEE!!!" Yes, indeed my pilgrimage to Mexico, MEXICO (no D.F. needed here) will be happening. I am intent on getting my Garden State/Barbaric Yawp moment on top of The Pyrimad of the Moon!

I will also be looking into the Wal-Mart controversy at Teotihuacan. I agree that it is disrespectful for Wal-Mart to build so close to such a monumental and significant site in Mexican culture and history, but I also feel hypocritical typing this as I wear my black sweater and polka dot shirt which I bought at Wal-Mart. So first I am going to get my first-hand observations and then write a piece about it for The Backword for their May issue.

This vacation will also be a cultural pilgrimage of sorts as I go to rediscover my origins. I could say that this is my first "Chicano" initiative, though many of my past projects can be seen as such. If I am a social and cultural, Mexican-American activist, why don't I just call myself Chicana? I don't know...but I am still not comfortable with it and so maybe when I return from this trip I will understand my feelings on this better. I know one time at a lecture, I caused a stir when I brought up the issue of the "Chicano" label. Afterwards, people would ask...if you don't consider yourself Chicana, then what do you call yourself? Some people were more befuddled than concerned, but I just couldn't see why having a label is so important. There is more to me than just being Mexican-American, but it is a part of me that I do celebrate and pursue to understand...so does that instantly make me a Chicana? This is complicated indeed. Aver que pienso en cinco dias.

OK I got go now. I am falling alseep as I type this and I have to wake up early to catch a flight. I'll try to blog again very soon! Hasta Luego!