remembering to be grateful

At 1pm today I was on the verge of tears because I am frustrated with school. I am failing my meteorology class and generally am feeling "done" with school here. Yet, this afternoon I had a well-needed experience that reminded me, things could be worse. Struggling in meteorolgy in Chile with a mean profesor is NOT the end of the world.

This afternoon I went over to the house of Inés, a 58 year old elementary teacher who works at the school at which I have been volunteering. Inés is trying to learn English to better converse with her step-children who live in the states. She asked me to come over to both practice English and to advise her on ways of teaching basic english phrases to her second graders. In the end, Inés seemed to be looking for friendship, someone to listen to her. Inés's life is the following: five years ago her husband had a stroke (he was 70 at the time) and paralyzed him on half his body. He is immobil, incontinent and requires much superivison. On top of that, he has severe alzheimer's or dimentia and does not ever recognize his own wife anymore. He spontaneous swears and acuses her of beating him. During the day, Inés goes to teach and a woman comes to the house to care for him, but evenings and late into the night, it is all her. there is no good care for the elderly here, not if you aren't filthy rich. Beyond that, this woman's parents are still alive, they live in the neighborhood. One has cancer and the other has parkinson's. Inés cares for them as well. She has one son, a 21 year old, who apparently takes no responsibility in helping his family.

In her broken English Inés tells me that her life is very bad, but it is the school children that keep her going. She loves to teach. The children are the future, but the future of Chile concerns this middle-aged, self-proclaimed traditional Chilean. She tells me she feels things are moving too fast for her to handle, that the Chilean identity is threatend by the invasion of American pop culture and economic pressures are turning ciities like Santiago into dangerous and poverty-filled places like she belived only existed in the poorest of countries. She speaks of the cultural threats of globalization as far stronger than any physical threat, "a pacifist invasion" of pop music, mini skirts, and gangs. She is outraged that the new trend is youtube videos of kids beating eachother up.

I learned a lot from this woman, and I also was reminded to be greatful for what I have. I can't always be proud to be an American...but I can personally be thankful for my health, my family, and for people who love me.