November adventures

Continuing on backwards - onto November!

November, 2007

1. We’ve been covering the Desert Rock story in the classroom as part of a thematic unit on renewable and nonrenewable energy. It shocks me that so many students have no idea about such a local project that has tremendous impact on their lives. One day, Priyanka and I were talking and somehow Desert Rock came into our conversation. She told me that there will be a vigil held against the building of the power plant. As it turns out, Burnham is only a turnoff few minutes away from Newcomb. We checked out the dates and decided to head there together.
2. Friday afternoon was the end of a terrible day. JC would not comply with my classroom rule about cursing. For yet another time, he went to the office for the same offense. At the end of the day, I questioned myself, do I really want to continue this profession? Am I really cut out to be a teacher? I asked these questions on the phone to Zack’s parents who have plenty of experiences being middle school teachers. I felt like myself again and very soon, Priyanka arrived to unpack her car so we can begin our journey into the coal plants in the dark.
3. It was only 5:30PM, but the sky has completely shut down. At some points in our drive, we decided to be adventurous and decided to turn off the headlights while driving. It was insane! The night was nevertheless bright with stars. We psyched ourselves out with the little stunt and after what seemed like hours of driving, finally got on the dirt bumpy road (so glad that we were taking her SUV rather than my tiny Corolla whose wheels may not take the ride actually) and found the encampment where people gathered around a campfire. They were telling stories (one elderly who sat on a log was a storyteller by profession) and sharing experiences. It was such an amazing time because I’ve never felt so environmentalist in my whole life. I keep thinking about all the things I’ve done at McGill with Green Week and later the interview with Green Corps, all the involvement I’m trying to do with environmentalism, none of it felt real until now. All of that were simply an issue that we were trying to raise awareness but half of it we had no clue about it. Driving through the land mines, seeing the “Beware, blasting ahead” signs, and finally being among people, some who cared so much that they hitchhiked for days just for a 4-day vigil, seemed out of this world. This is real, this is what environmentalism should be, this is the real world. The stories of the rangers and police tagging license plates and monitoring the encampment made it even more movie-like.
4. Everyone camped the night, but we were not prepared for the intensity. Instead, we returned the following morning and helped to cut up vegetables for the stew. The day before, they killed a lamb for sacrifice and started cooking since yesterday. The notable Ms. Elouise Brown from the New York Times article was present during the day. She has been camping out there, often times by herself in the bleak desert, for 11 months now. Her act is a silent protest against a project that in 2012 will mostly likely be built despite local opposition. The tribal Navajo government supports the project by claiming it will bring the young ones, the college graduates, back to the reservation because otherwise it has nothing else to offer them.
5. It was an inspiration to be among the rubbles, the tattered tarp put over the sticks as roof. Even Elouise Brown’s son, a 13-year-old 8th grader, set up his own tent on a mound of dirt, right next to a telescope. He claims he is the security because through the lens, he can monitor the activity of rangers parked in the distance, who are in turn, watching their every move. We peeked through the telescope, and there they were, staring right at us from their white vans! There were other younger individuals who hitchhiked for days, or drove from Tuba City and California to join the movement. I thought my students deserve to hear about this story, to see the mines, and watch what is happening at the moment around them. The young people on the site are inspirations for them as well.
6. In the afternoon, Priyanka and I received a list of grocery from Elouise. We left the encampment to go to Farmington to buy the goods. At night, we sat around the same fire, sipping on the same mutton soup from earlier, and sitting with the same people. Few more arrived from California. Not everyone at the encampment was Navajo, some Apache and some Pomo. Later on, Elouise’s brother built a sweat lodge, which is a spiritual site where people gather for cleansing and praying and sometimes socializing. Traditionally, Navajos sweat in separate lodges for the two sexes. However, because of the small number of people present tonight for the ceremony, and since there is only one lodge built, we had a mixed sweat session.
7. Last minute, I decided to join the other 7 people and participate. Many of them brought change of clothing: shorts, towels, and swim trunks, but since I was not prepared, I was still in my jeans but luckily, I had a tank top on. As soon as the curtains fell on the tent and all the rocks burning in the ceremonial fire outside the tent were brought inside the tent, the leader (Elouise’s brother) poured water on the rocks and another person spread some sage on the rocks for it to sparkle. The tent became unbearably hot, difficult to breathe and difficult to concentrate. Drops and then streams of liquid began to ooze out of my body. I had to bury my face in the towel to avoid the intense heat. On top of the heat, the other began chanting, singing and praying loudly. I’ve never had to pray with others so openly so for awhile I did not know what to do but to absorb the moment and listen to others.
8. There were 4 20-minute sweatings with a 10-minute break in between. During each session, someone would take the lead in praying and singing. On the third session, the leader asked the “young woman who is here tonight” to lead the prayer. I asked if it was OK to do it in my own language. I had no higher being to pray to, so instead I prayed and talked to mom, explaining what was happening and how I was feeling. While I talked, others joined in all sorts of languages. It was such an amazing experience. When we were done, I was asked again to sing a song. So I sang a song in Chinese among the heavy breathings and cooling down. The song reminded me of where I am, where people lived simple lives, love was pure, and land and sky joined in the horizon. It was amazing, in one respect, I was thankful that I was spiritually healthy to undertake such a feat. By the time we emerged from the tent and shook hands with the sisters and brothers who endure the physical struggle, it was also past 1AM. The midnight breeze was refreshing. We walked back from the ceremonial fire in the dark, under the starry night.
9. Weekend before my birthday, Leah and I take a trip to Taos, NM. I had a romanticized view of Taos, from what I have heard and based on my lovely and adventurous impression of Santa Fe. “Julia Roberts lives in Taos, she buys the jewelry from the shop at the foot of the mountain!” So I pictured a place as hip and trendy and in-the-woods as Santa Fe, if not more. But when we arrived, Taos turns out to be an extremely hippy place. The first shop we stopped at was an oriental clothing store run by middle-aged hippies still stuck in the 70s while there was a psychic fair going on in the background. I enjoyed it, it was simply different from what I imagined. The historical square was deserted however, and we walked in and around all the jewelry shops and bookstores until we felt nauseas by all the touristy air.
10. Decided to drive on Kit Carson Road. Kit Carson was once a well-known southwestern scout who explored the desert and apparently spoke several different Indian languages. He helped the American settlement as well as the massacre of thousands of innocents. Today he is remembered as a hero. The drive however, away from the touristy parts and into more residential areas, is beautiful, exactly how I pictured it would be. After winding through the narrow alleys and onto the main road, we faced a giant sleeping mountain.
11. While cruising on Kit Carson, we passed two Bed and Breakfast mansions. One was closed and out of curiosity, we checked out the price for the other one. The innkeeper was so friendly, “I have a great deal for you, check it out if you’d like, but we’d love for you to stay. You are looking for a place to stay, and we are looking to rent it out for the night. It’s a win-win deal.” He showed us the only place left for the night, a two-bedroom suite complete with a fireplace, kitchen, full bathroom, TV (with over 60 channels!) and a dining room. It was a luxury far better than the original B&B we were looking at online. “This suite was originally $179 for the night, but there is a special tonight for $139. BUT for you two, I’ll give it to you for $89 a night.” WOW, the price is even cheaper than the room we were thinking of going but is now booked, not to mention this is a suite! We happily accepted the offer. We purchased a bottle of white wine and drank with the other guests at the inn while watching free-range chickens roam the farmland and the sun descend in the distance. At one point, I looked around the crowd, and commented to Leah, “We are the youngest here, and everyone’s in couples.” “Which is why the innkeeper probably thinks we are a lesbian couple.” We laughed about the insinuation, and quickly applied to all the conversation with the innkeeper thereafter. Things made a lot more sense, and it was hilarious. True, what people our age goes out of their way to find a B&B? Only us I suppose.
12. We caught the happy hour at the restaurant we ate earlier in the day when we chatted up with the bartender about Kit Carson and what there is to do in Taos. The crowd is rowdier and more packed at this hour. The waitress checked my ID and reminded us, “Is this a birthday celebration?” I completely forgot that it is in fact close to my birthday and so happily accepted the drink on the house. The bar scene was not enough for me, so we went to the Indian Trading Post that is actually a fancy, upscale restaurant. While I dined on my escargot with fried paste and Leah dined on water and breadstick, we shared one of the deepest conversations I’ve had since coming to New Mexico.
13. Ever since the accidents, I’ve had a fear of driving. Now snaking through the narrow mountain highway, I got the creeps. Instead, I let Leah take over the wheels while I marveled at the beautiful cliffs and hanging rocks outside the window. The ancient Puebloan village that we wanted to check out was unfortunately closed on Sundays. Disheartened, we headed back south.
14. I never anticipated that I would have such a wonderful birthday wishes and celebration. For months, I tried to plan what I would want to do on my birthday. As I walked into school, everyone who saw me wished me a happy birthday. The first person being Nora of course. Over the past several months, with cheerleading, our early check-in schedules, and the proximity between my classroom and her office, she has become one of my closest friends at NMS. What I didn’t expect was a surprise lunch planned for me, a birthday cake, and a birthday card filled with signatures from staffs and students. Everyone passing me by in the hall smiled, “Happy Birthday Ms. Tang! How old are you now?” “32,” I smiled back.
15. This was also the last day before Thanksgiving break. I quickly packed up my car and drove to Farmington where Justine was kind enough to give me a ride to Albuquerque for my early flight the next day. After several hours of driving, we get into town and met up with Leah and Gracielle for a birthday dinner at an Indian restaurant, the first one I’ve been to since last April or May in Montreal. It brought back so many fond memories of dinners with friends at university, how time travels forward while we sometimes are still stuck in the past. Justine’s boyfriend and later his friend joined us for laughs and mango lassees.
16. After bidding the Gallup crew goodbye, we went to John’s house for another birthday celebration for one of his friends. The partying turned from drinking to something else and ended with a trip to the local convenient store (depanneur) at 2 in the morning, again, reminiscent of college life, or perhaps these people are still stuck in those days. John was an extremely good host at such late hour, I slept so well in clean sheets and a nice bed.
17. Going back to Montreal was a much-needed break from the chaos that happens everyday in school. I had a “date” with somebody every single moment for every meal of every day I was there. In the middle of the day, I’d return home and take a shower and change into something else. “You think this is a hotel service, don’t you?” My aunt asked. Unfortunately, I do… Next time, I promised myself, no matter how tedious home may be, I’ll be good and not go anywhere for the Christmas break. Let’s see if I can actually bide to the rule I made for myself.
18. When I came home, the following week, I had my court hearing for the accident that happened in late-October. What a waste of my day off. “Do you plead guilty or not guilty?” The judge asked me before 20 or so others, many teenagers probably there for underage drinking or reckless driving. Of course I pleaded not guilty because I truly think it was not my fault; it was an unavoidable accident. In any case, under the resigned eyes of the other offenders, I walked out of the courtroom after being there for 10 minutes.
19. What should I do for the rest of the day? I was tempted to go back to work and save half a day. Instead, I adopted two puppies from the family across the street – one golden and one black and grey. I already kennels and pet tents for them, so I immediately drove them to the animal clinic to get their first set of shots ready. They were so obedient and quiet, perhaps glad to get out of a zoo of 7 other dogs. What should I name them? On the way to the vet, I scoured my brain for dog names, in a hurry, I said to myself out loud, “Jasper and Casper!” And voila! There they are and here I am, a mother of two – together we’ll build a beautiful relationship hopefully.