#i just seem to write better in 2nd for el specifically | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

a-spacecadet · 2 years ago

Text

~My thoughts on JFK’s character assassination from S2~

Okay finally writing this all out!

(Sorry, these are all the negative things I have to say, my positive impressions will have to be another post)

First off, I really love jfk, in both seasons. Are they the same guy? Not really. One person on here on Tumblr made the comment that s2 jfk is the jfk in the mirror. Headcanon accepted! XD

So, why is he out of character in the 2nd season? First off, he’s a genuinely nice guy, which is waaaaayyy different than how he acted in s1, even at the end. He definitely had some growth and development in s1, but even in the last ep he was still punching other dudes, had 5 different girls as his prom dates, and made jokes of his rival Abe (although at this point it was a bit justified, but anyways…) All in all, he’s not a bad person per-se, but he’s definitely still a 16-year-old teenager.

So in s2, after what is only ONE NIGHT OF SLEEP for him, his personality has a huge change. He doesn’t bully other boys (like Confucius, a social-media obsessed teen with a weird sense of fashion), he’s loyal and loving to ONE girlfriend (never had the first show really established that he loved Joan in that way), he’s no longer antagonistic, and is rather quieter and less crude. (I say less crude because although he still makes sex jokes, other students are shown that they DO find them funny and his jokes tend to not be misogynist like they were in s1).

I actually like that jfk has changed and become a better person, I think that’s great, he’s maturing! But when? When does this happen? When he slept overnight in the meat locker? Nothing indicates that he would have a reason to change. (Some argue his love for Joan, but again, this seemingly came out of the blue). Speaking of his love for Joan, I’ve seen some great fanfics add context to s1 in how he really was in love with her, but the show itself really doesn’t indicate this at all.

*Side tangent to expound on this!* Did he have crush on John Darc (really Joan)? Yeah, but really for no other reason than his boyish instinct (or Kennedy sense as he calls it lol) detected a hot girl!! He liked John Darc because he’s attracted to hot women, not Joan specifically. Also, he doesn’t seem to follow up his crush with her after the episode because I really don’t think he was interested in her other than the fact that she’s a pretty lady. Of course, I think this comes back full circle when we get to the finale, when Joan believes she has to dress up like a slut in order to be considered pretty… which is why jfk says he likes her when she’s just being herself. Because he knows she’s been “a knock-out Betty” this whole time, unlike that “chowder-head Lincoln.” However, not being dense like good ol’ Abe to realize Joan is stunning as she is… doesn’t quite equal the “love of his life.” OF COURSE he likes her, because she’s a babe! But her being a babe doesn’t indicate that he’d suddenly have a massive character change to be dedicated and loyal to her!! *Side tangent over*

Specific changes that I noticed that were off:

“I like boobies and butts! Any shape or uh, size.” No, no he doesn’t. Why would his opinion from s1 (“You know my policy, no fatties!”) Suddenly change? Ofc I’m glad he’s no longer fat-phobic, but why?

“Your fourth string kicker won’t let you down!” What? What happened to being captain of the football team? “El capitan of the futbol team?” Winning the track meets? Being overall a competent athlete?

“I let all my male friendships fade away!” Okay, this one is tricky. JFK really did lose Ponce, and he did in fact end up losing Gandhi even if he wasn’t aware of it. HOWEVER, s1 suggested he was one of the popular kids at school, you’re telling me he had no other friends? Like, not even Julius Cesar who was very often seen with him? Also, s2 does not even mention Ponce (unfortunately) which may have been used as a very good excuse for jfk to be so upset. (Right now, JFK’s tears in s2 ep 2 from missing Ponce only exist in headcanon).

“I’m afraid Joan is the love of my life and I’m not good enough for her!” See my side tangent, but also, why is he suddenly so insecure? One of his traits in s1 was his confident swag.

“Woah, I’ve never had anyone turn me down before…but that’s okay!” I mean, not usually, if he wasn’t asking FREAKING JOAN. The same Joan that was known for kicking, hitting, smacking, and punching him for every little advance he made towards her. He should know better at this point? Even if he did successfully sleep with her, I can’t imagine he’d really be that surprised she told him no, or as she said in the show “let me think about it.”

His crying. He cries SO much in s2. But didn’t he cry in s1 as well? I can hear you asking. Yes, but he cried specifically in ep 10 because HIS BEST FRIEND TRAGICALLY AND SUDDENLY DIED. Also, the reason the “Litter” ep is so funny is because up until that point we’ve never seen jfk so upset and distraught before, he’s genuinely weeping and mourning and we’ve NEVER seen this side of him, nor will we again. But in s2, he cries about everything! He’s literally the depressed loser crying in the freaking bathroom cause he “has no friends”! I guess I wouldn’t have minded as much if it didn’t literally make him look like a crybaby. Even in s1 he cried a bit at the notion of losing Cleo, but he wasn’t known for that.

“Your lips are like a fine chalice of…uuuuhhh, wEt sTUfF!!” Heatstroke jfk was pretty funny, but it also highlighted another change. He’s freaking STUPID in s2. I’m not saying he was particularly “smart” in s1, but he definitely wasn’t the dumb “hurr durr” kinda idiot he is in s2. The one time I think jfk came across as actually dumb in s1 is when he thought Ponce was a genie, but tbh that was more sad than him being just plain dumb. Other things like talking to his reflection or his weird accent were more like quirks, not indicating that’s he stupid. He aced his PXJT test for crying out loud! (“Did you see me on that test Cleo? I smoked it! I can’t wait to see my time.”)

Wanting to be like his clone father. Back to his accent, I genuinely believe he is trying to do an impression (albeit bad) of the real JFK, he’s not talking like that because he has an actual speech impediment. Also, being faithful to Joan also doesn’t work on another sense because he thinks the real JFK was “a macho womanizing stud who conquered the moon!” and I think clone jfk was trying to live up to his legacy by being a womanizer, something not seen at all in s2.

“Woah a little spaceship! I’m gonna go chase it!” Another thing that bothered me is that he really does act like a golden retriever in s2. He’s been reduced to nothing more than a cute puppy dog, a plot device for Joan, a wholesome himbo who’s dumb but well-meaning, and overall BORING.

The only thing on his mind is sex. Like, really? Literally everything that comes out of his mouth in s2 has something to do with sex, much to Joan’s annoyance and part of the reason she broke up with him. S2 tries to make it seem that jfk is very shallow and has no hobbies or interests, but that is NOT TRUE! He loves sports, watching (“But you usually watch SportsCenter up in your room baby” - Wally) and playing them, he cares about his appearance and knows a bit about fashion (hey, his efforts to help Gandhi resulted in the dude becoming instantly popular), he records his own music! HE SINGS AND HAS HIS OWN STUDIO! He likes cool cars and drag racing! He likes throwing parties!! There’s more to his character than just sex!!

Okay, that’s most of it.

Of course, I will also mention the obvious (that others have already pointed out) he went from genuinely hilarious to slightly obnoxious and annoying.

TLDR: he’s turned from a macho womanizing stud, a confident chad, a jerk with soft side, a man of swag and style, to…an insecure crybaby, a boring “nice guy” who’s also a huge idiot.

To end, I still love JFK, even in s2. I appreciate the cute moments he has, and ignoring lack of time for character development I like that he’s trying to be a better person and that’s he’s matured. I could talk about all the things I did like about him in s2, but that will have to wait another day haha.

#long post #I finally got this off my chest ahh!!#clone high #clone high season 2 #clone high s2 #clone high jfk #clone jfk #jfk #ch jfk #jfk clone high #roxi's rambles

47 notes · View notes

theirmagearc · 3 years ago

Text

i tried to write third - person here and el said no <3

#looks like 2nd person it is #if anyone prefers 3rd i can keep it for our threads #i just seem to write better in 2nd for el specifically

0 notes

autismgavemychildvaccines · 6 years ago

Text

Economic downturn, racism and war.

So, normally I’d be in some sort of non-sober state while writing this, and be full of my typical rash wit. But not today. Today I want to talk about what I (and many others) are seeing down the tube. First, let’s go over the quick run of what’s going on. 1, we’re having concentration camps of both migrants as well as asylum seekers. This is inherently inhumane and a violation of various multiparty agreements that were made post world war 2 to not cock things up like Germany did with the Jews, or more locally relevant, what we did to fuck over the Japanese in the same period. 2, We’re in a trade war with China, who is itself trying to do a hostile takeover of Hong Kong (and don’t kid yourself for a moment, that’s exactly what the fuck that is), which happens to be the 3rd most important economic center in the world by most accounts. 3, Russia is fucking around with our politicians and buying them off to make for easier voter suppression and just bloody hacking the electronic voting machines, which oh by the way, an adequately caffeinated high-school nerd could probably do. 4, And finally, despite not technically being “in a war”, we’re not at peace, either. Hell, we haven’t been for as long as I can remember. Like many people on this website, one of my first memories was 9/11 and the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. I vividly remember the latter, as we sat in our living room watching the bombs drop and my mother in hushed tones said “Well.. This is it.” and my stepfather, an Army Ranger at the time, looked tired and said matter of factly “we’ll not be rid of this until you’re a grown man, and even then..”. And he was right. Now, all of these things seem somewhat not related. Well, I guess I should say the 1st doesn’t exactly line up with the 2nd and 3rd, which have some geopolitical relevance to each other. But let’s take a history trip together, shall we? First, be sure to bring the hairspray, because we’re going into the Reagan-era and just before for a bit. Imagine if you will the supposed dying throes of the Cold War. Bioweapons program supposedly being shut down, the Soviet Union splitting away, and the Americas? Well they’ve gone through hell, and by no small measure it was due to proxy wars, puppet governments and a complete disregard for “other” people for the sake of borders and protection. Panama, Nicaragua, Guatemala and other countries are having civil wars funded by both sides of that iron curtain, causing institutionalized violence, setting the development of these countries back fucking decades, and setting them up to fail. [Note that when I say “setting the development back”, I do not mean they are in any way lesser to us due to this. In fact, in my wheelhouse of Public Health, they arguably do a better job of handling shit than we could dream of in the US. They’re damn fine people, and in some ways thriving, but to say we didn’t fuck with them would be a disservice. ] Part of this “setting up to fail” strategy was the use of drugs as a means of easy funding, which the U.S. government did wholly support to the point of screwing African Americans (and to a much lesser extent, poor people in general) in particular over by introducing things like Cocaine and Crack to poor neighborhoods (though it should be noted such drugs had been in the realm of public notice for the better part of a century before, just not as accessible). Funny thing about using drugs to fuel wars. Wars can end. But the demand for drugs by a population that doesn’t have the ability to be treated due to some “moral outrage” against helping addicts? Well, that still remains a very profitable venue. So even after we stopped giving a fuck about any of these countries and their governments gave up the sale of illegal drugs, at least in the open, criminal elements showed up to do what they did best: manufacture and transport drugs to where the best demand was, the United States typically. And to protect this profitable enterprise, these groups would claim territory, claim children as recruits, commit other crimes to support the chain, etc. And these activities still go on today, wherein some cartels and gangs have gotten rich enough to effectively buy off governments and have their own fiefdoms, where those with any ability risk their lives to run. And yet, so many do. Also, it’s important to note that while countries like Mexico are arguably more stable than say, Honduras or El Salvador, they’re still pretty fucked from the radiation of these activities. So these families try to make it to the closest, arguably “most stable” country they can, ironically the one that set the stones for the foundation of where they found themselves. And they are treated as trash, as less than human, as animals. Because we refuse to see our own guilt. We refuse to see what we have done, not centuries ago, but less than 50 years ago. And who is egged on the most to hate these people? Well, if you look at it, it’s the least “most powerful” group that can easily be manipulated: Lower class white groups by a vast majority. Groups who themselves see hardships, certainly, but more than anything know two words: Fear and Authority. They are afraid of the “other”, the “jawb steelin’ immigunts”, the “criminals and rapists” as the person who inhabits the White House calls them. And they respect and adore those who can wield an iron first. Someone they can imagine being, whether it’s a business tycoon of a dictator they see as a near-messiah, who says it’s not their fault they are struggling, and then makes an easy, low effort “solution” for them to point to as to what could cure all those ills which are, at their root, legitimate. [Note: This by no means excuses any White Supremacist or other racist ideologies. That shit needs to be fixed, and there is no excuse for that.] Let’s take a pause for a moment on that, as it’s significant. Is this the first time this has happened? Heavens no, in fact, many examples exist in history. But one stands out to me above all. Go back with me again, if you’d be so kind. You feel the warmth of the sun on your face, you can hear the distant waves, and the not so distant hustle and bustle of a city. You smell a mix of salt water infused air with just a hint of smelted metal or gunpowder. Perhaps you hear some music from The Andrew Sisters crackling out of a radio near an open window. You’re in San Francisco, not too long after the World’s Fair, where the hopes of Utopia were promptly shut off to be dismantled and loaded for the war effort of World War 2. In fact, as you look around, you see the strangest thing. There are clearly Japanese inspired markets and homes all around, but inhabiting them? No Japanese, surely, but the Shoe Shines and markets filled with a vibrant African American community. Some would one day call this the West Coast Harlem. And by their account, it was a wonderful community, of which I have no doubt. However. Those who lived and worked and loved in these buildings just months prior were put into camps. In Utah, in Nevada, California, Washington. In fact, it pains me a bit to know one such place is but a very hearty stones throw from where I sit writing this. They were put there and made to stay due to risk of espionage, national security, or “for their own safety”. They were told to join the war effort as translators or soldiers, or remain there. The doctors of that community and the nurses too would end up working without pay, saving their own communities with limited supplies and truly working goddamned miracles in these camps to keep people alive, as politicians would brag “For every cent we spend on the Japanese, we spend a whole dollar on our boys out on the front!” That kind of shit sound familiar? And that African American community? Well, while it was a positive thing for that demographic, certainly, and they had a valid right to be a community, that was by no means organic. The military spread out to places like Arkansas, Texas, Georgia, wherever there were large populations of blacks, whom the whites saw still as highly undesirables, and the military saw as cheap labour. Well, the military found their people. And those people found cheap, effectively abandoned communities, and were able to live somewhat better than where they came from, all while building warships. However, just like with the previous example, this war wouldn’t last forever. But not just like that previous example, the demand for warships is rather... Specific, in both timing and transferable skills, shall we say? So, this cheap labour was made of a demographic that could be relatively easily discarded without them having enough of a voice to cause waves. And soon enough, the Japanese would return from their internment camps, and let’s just say things were... Tense, between these two groups. Two groups who were, by most accounts, politically undesirable, and if they were fucked, well who would care, right? If it caused generational issues, and exacerbated an economy that would make a good deal of trouble, as long as it’s not the demographic that matters... No worries. It’s not like they even really have good proof of who was really at fault, nor who profited from later real-estate scoop ups and other such economic trends. After all, they moved for the jobs, and the Japanese? Well that was a national security issue.... Don’t you love your country? While this isn’t analogous to what we are seeing today, I hope you can notice the similar theme. Except this time, the demographic in question has to feel “empowered” in some way, and having who they want voted in anyways due to international meddling is more an afterthought to the “yay, we won!” mentality. And the expendables will have a bit more of a veiled attempt to undercut their work via a trade war with a nation who is admittedly, a scumbag (which we have collectively supported with corporate dollars for decades). This trade war will cause a lot of businesses, farms, and the like to close, making it easier for corporate groups to buy out the competition and profit all the more for it (despite some initial risk due to economic trends). All the while, a different, remarkably innocent group is being blamed and tortured for their “crimes”. It would not surprise me if in the next 2 years, we will see a recession that will make 2008 look pretty alright. And make no mistake, it will not be due to the president at that time. The gears of the machine have been turned now and in the last year and a half. Likewise, we may well see a war. With who? I do not know. But I most certainly know who will profit from it. And who will die from it, and who will be dehumanized further to be the scapegoat. We’re in incredibly dangerous times, and we need to be aware of why, if we have any hope of surviving.

2 notes · View notes

janetchavezcom · 6 years ago

Text

My Run-In With A Notorious Mexican Drug Cartel

My Craziest Travel Story

Somewhere In Mexico…

This is the story of how I accidentally wandered into an extremely remote Mexican village that was openly controlled by a ruthless drug cartel — and what happened next.

No, this is not an April fools post. Posted April 2nd!

The other week I was taking an Uber from the airport, chatting with the driver about traveling and working around the world as a nomad.

After asking the standard question everyone asks “what’s your favorite country”, he wanted to know if I’ve ever felt in any danger while traveling.

Sure, I’ve been scared before.

When I crossed the border into Afghanistan by myself on foot.

Balancing on rusty beams 300 feet over a canyon in Spain.

Attempting to wade across a crocodile-infested river in Costa Rica.

Scuba diving without a cage in Fiji face-to-face with bull sharks.

Spending the night on an erupting volcano in Guatemala.

Illegally hopping a freight train while hitchhiking across America.

Yes, looking back, I’ve done some stupid & risky stuff over the years…

But the most scared I’ve ever been — was on a journey through Northern Mexico about 7 years ago. And it’s a story I’ve NEVER shared on this blog.

I wrestled with writing about this experience for a long time.

It just didn’t feel appropriate to share publicly, or even very safe for that matter. I was worried about the possible consequences for myself and others.

Yet I think enough time has passed that I finally feel comfortable sharing my crazy (and pretty dumb) encounter with dangerous members of a notorious drug cartel in the lawless mountains deep within Mexico’s Copper Canyon.

Maybe the story will be entertaining, but I hope you’ll learn something too.

The Sierra Tarahumara Mountains

Once Upon A Time In Mexico…

My tale begins in the Mexican tourist town of Creel. A major stop for the popular Copper Canyon Train which runs from the cities of Chihuahua through the Sierra Tarahumara mountains to Los Mochis on the coast.

After a very scenic (but uneventful) train journey through the mountains, I planned to explore more of this mountainous area on my own. Hoping to spend time with the Tarahumara, a Mexican indigenous group.

While chatting with locals, I learned of small villages at the bottom of the canyon that would present a more “authentic” Northern Mexican experience. Off-the-beaten-path if you will.

These places were not easy to reach, and the drive would take hours on rough mountain roads. I mentioned my plan to a local guy (let’s call him Fede) who I’d worked with earlier, and he offered to take me in his vehicle.

Fede wasn’t just some random dude. I’d already spent a few days traveling with him. Even crashing overnight at his family’s house. He was a well-known local professional. I trusted him completely.

Rugged Dirt Roads in Mexico

Surprises Down In The Canyon

I’m not going to name the specific village I traveled to in this story. However, I’m sure if you dig deep enough, you’ll probably be able to figure it out.

Because it’s not like what goes on down there isn’t unknown within Mexico.

Over the course of our 4+ hour drive down winding dirt roads into the depths of the Copper Canyon, Fede starts to share some unsettling information with me.

“When we get there, you may see some stuff that’s alarming. But don’t worry. They know you’re coming.” – Fede

“Wait, what?! What kind of stuff? Who knows I’m coming?” – Me

“The Cartel. They control this town. But when the guesthouse has a tourist, the owner informs The Cartel. They won’t bother you as long as you don’t do anything stupid.” – Fede

“……….” – Me

The Cartel he was referring to is the Sinaloa Cartel. Aka Cártel de Sinaloa, aka the Guzmán-Loera Organization, aka The Blood Alliance.

The same cartel controlled by the notorious drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who was just on trial in the United States for drug trafficking, murder, and money laundering.

What the hell did I just get myself into?

The Golden Triangle – Drug Production Area in Mexico

Mexico’s Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle is the nickname given to a remote and mountainous region in Northern Mexico that encompasses the states of Chihuahua, Sinaloa, and Durango.

It’s where Mexico’s powerful cartels have been growing billions of dollars worth of heroin & weed to supply an insatiable demand for drugs from the United States.

Cartels are able to produce drugs in the Golden Triangle because the area is so rugged & inaccessible that it can take hours to reach these small villages on unmarked dirt roads.

Mexico’s Copper Canyon, if you haven’t heard of it before, is a massive canyon that’s technically larger and deeper than the US Grand Canyon. It is the perfect hiding place for fields of illegally grown opium poppies & marijuana plants!

Combine this fact with a desperately poor workforce of indigenous people called the Tarahumara, and you’ve got a Mexican drug lord’s wet dream.

This is where I found myself.

On the edge of the Golden Triangle, in a village controlled by the Sinaloa Cartel.

The Only Bridge Into Town

A Surreal Travel Experience

As we pull into the village, over a narrow bridge, I see a kid talking into a military-style radio. He’s announcing our arrival to the cartel. My heart begins to race.

Further down the road, we pass a group of men dressed in black, armed with assault rifles. I begin to sweat.

Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all…

Fede notices my apprehension and assures me everything will be ok. I’m not the first tourist to visit this town.

Because the cartel doesn’t want to draw any attention to themselves, they’d never harm a tourist. That would force the military to intervene and ruin everything.

I check into my guesthouse, the only one in town, and we eat lunch at his friend’s place, which is basically a small restaurant run out of her home.

One of the Cartel’s Trucks

Keeping Tabs On Me…

Fede says his goodbyes and leaves town. He has to go back to work. So I’m on my own now. I walk around town. I visit some abandoned silver mines nearby.

I stop into the local museum and sign the guestbook (the last signature is over a month old).

I pass by the group of cartel members I saw earlier. We say hello to each other. While they certainly appear to fit the stereotype of hardened criminals, they seem friendly enough.

I still can’t quite believe this is happening.

My goal for the day is to visit an old Spanish Mission, located a few miles out of town. On the way, I run into a pickup truck with blacked-out windows on the side of the road. As I approach, the driver’s side window rolls down.

“¿A dónde vas?” says a large scary dude in a cowboy hat. There’s a beautiful woman half his age in the passenger seat.

“La misión Española” I reply. He nods, and the window slides back up. They’re keeping an eye on me. Making sure I don’t stumble into their fields of poppy or marijuana.

Friendly Mexican Drug Farmer

This Sack is Full of Weed…

Everyone Works For The Cartel

Over the next few days, I learn that basically the whole town is working for the cartel. They are the sole employer.

I’m not sure if it’s by choice, or by the threat of violence, but growing and trafficking drugs for the cartel is how this town survives.

And some of them are not afraid to talk about it. Growing marijuana is as normal as growing corn. It’s just another crop — only one that pays much better.

After chatting with one local farmer for a while, he takes me up to a small barn behind his house, pulls out a large sack, and offers me two giant handfuls of freshly picked marijuana buds!

I start laughing, thanking him for his generosity, but explain that there’s no way I can bring his gift back into the United States with me.

But… because I’m a polite guy, I accept a few flowers so he isn’t offended.

This man isn’t some murderous cartel member, he’s just a friendly, impoverished farmer trying to make a living for his family with very limited opportunities.

Making Friends in Town

More & More Ridiculous

So while the whole cartel situation had me feeling pretty nervous, this next part was the scariest moment of the whole few days I was down there.

My comfort level had been improving. I was getting used to chatting with cartel members each day. Maybe too comfortable.

One evening, a young Mexican guy dressed like a rodeo cowboy walks into the home-based restaurant where I’m eating dinner.

He’s wearing a pair of beautiful, very fancy white-handled revolvers on his hip. Like right out of your typical Spaghetti Western movie.

A heavily armed bodyguard wearing a bullet-proof vest waits for him outside.

We happily chat for a minute in Spanish, asking how I like the food, before they both disappear into the darkness of night. This is seriously feeling like I’m caught in the middle of a movie.

On another occasion, I watch a team of five armed men loading blue 55-gallon drums of something from a truck into a guarded building.

Weed? Opium poppies? Human remains dissolving in acid? My imagination starts to run wild…

Sinaloa Cartel Members (Faces Censored for Safety)

Getting The Shot

I REALLY wanted a photo of one of these guys. No one would believe all this happened to me unless I had a photo!

So the next morning, I cut a small hole into the side of my backpack and tape a GoPro inside. My plan is to use “time-lapse” mode, quietly shooting photos automatically as I walk past them.

However as I approach, I decide to stop and chat. With my adrenaline pumping, I simply ask them directly. Pointing at the camera around my neck. What’s the worst that could happen?

“¿Puedo tomar tu retrato?” (Can I take your portrait?) – Me

“Jajaja… no.” – Cartel Dude #1

“Please? My American friends back home would love to see your big gun. I can leave your face out of it if you’d like.” – Me

“Jajaja… no. But you can get a photo of my amigo here.” – Cartel Dude #1

So, without thinking about the consequences, I aim my wide-angle lens at the truck driver sitting next to him. *CLICK*

Cartel Dude #1 is in the photo too, but just doesn’t realize it.

Immediately I start to panic — internally. What if he asks to see the photo? That was so dumb! I’m going to get myself killed. Maybe I can quickly use the zoom button before showing it to him…

Fortunatley he never asks — and just assumes the camera wasn’t aimed his way.

I try to act normal, end the conversation, and walk off down the road contemplating just how stupid that was.

I think it’s time for me to leave this town.

Patrolling the Village

Mexico’s Remote Golden Triangle

Cartel Wars In The Mountains

As someone who has spent almost 2 years of my life both living and traveling through Mexico, I’ll be the first to tell you it’s one of my favorite countries.

I certainly don’t want my story to scare you from visiting Mexico. This is NOT a typical Mexican vacation experience.

I specifically went out of my way to visit a remote area that isn’t very safe. Even for the Copper Canyon itself — if you stay on the normal tourist trail you’ll be fine.

However if you venture off-grid in this region, there’s a lot of sh*t going on.

Mexico is an amazing and beautiful destination, but like any country, it can also be a dangerous one if you go looking for danger.

Golden Triangle In Flames Again (Borderland Beat)

Extreme Race in the Shadow of Extreme Danger (New York Times)

Drug Gangs Delay Sierra Trail Riders (My San Antonio)

One particular story that shook me recently was the murder of North Carolina teacher Patrick Braxton-Andrew, who was visiting a similar remote village in the same region last year.

That one hit close to home. A curious traveler looking for adventure, trying to get off the beaten path, exploring a dangerous area on his own… mistaken for a DEA agent and shot.

When I first started traveling, I did many risky and stupid things seeking that addictive jolt of adrenaline. Hell, I haven’t completely cured myself of it even now!

Luckily everything has turned out ok so far, and I have some pretty incredible memories and stories to show for it.

But that isn’t always the case for everyone.

My Scariest Travel Story

I’m not sure if there is a lesson in this story. Maybe there are many.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes? Young people traveling with no responsibilities often take unnecessary risks for fun? Don’t be an idiot like me?

I’m sure I’ll be judged and ridiculed a bit for writing about this. That’s ok. It happened, and I have to live with it. I’m probably lucky to be living at all…

Have you ever done anything stupid like this while traveling? Taken on too much risk? Gotten yourself into a sticky situation that you regret later?

Frequent travelers have this insufferable tendency to “one-up” each other’s travel stories — and this one is mine. The one I share at bars after a few drinks.

Now it’s your turn to share.

Take a minute to quickly describe your scariest/dumb travel story.

If only to make me feel like I’m not the only one out there who’s done something stupid on the road…

Maybe we can turn it into a guide on “what-not-to-do while traveling.” ★

READ MORE TRAVEL TIPS

My 50 Best Tips After 9 Years Traveling Is Instagram Ruining Travel? How To Take Better Travel Photos Why I Quit Being A Digital Nomad Tips For Starting A Travel Blog

What’s your scariest travel story? Have you ever done something dangerous or stupid while traveling? Drop me a message in the comments below!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

from Tips For Traveling https://expertvagabond.com/scary-travel-story-cartel/

0 notes

superjollystrangerstudentst-blog · 7 years ago

Photo

POETIC TEXTS

" Where There's A Wall "

By: Joy Kogawa

Retell:

The poem inserted above is called, "Where There's A Wall" by Joy Kogawa ,and its a poem that talks about obstacles , and problems, you may have that is blocking your way in achieving something.

The word being used in each stanza, "wall" , is being used to describe some kind of message and it's basically the main word that is significant to the meaning of the article. The wall is symbolizing how someone is going through an obstacle in life and they can't seem to get past it. In the real world many of us are stuck with obstacles/challenges that we may face that is difficult to get passed. This whole passage is mostly talking about an obstacle someone may be having/ or other people around us , because the author says, "Where there's a wall, there's a way through a gate or door". This is stating that when we wish to either go through a wall or pass , we first have to find a way to get out of it , like either a door and or a alternative route. In the poem it remarks, where there's a wall , there's a way through a gate or door , meaning even though there will be obstacles , coming your way , you can always try to overcome it and can achieve what you may want to achieve; you would always find a way around a wall ,that is stopping you from what you want to succeed in.

The author is using imagery in this poem so it can show what it means for someone to overcome an obstacle , by usually visually descriptive or figurative language. For example, "There are methods of torture for extracting clues to maps of underground passages. There are zeppelins, helicopters, rockets, bombs , battering rams, armies with trumpets whose all at once blast shatters the foundations."The author has used figurative language , visually descriptive language to tell us a more dangerous , and a much intrusive way to overcome a obstacle. And then on the 2nd stanza, she is using a much calm way of overcoming an obstacle , from the text it says, "There there's a wall there are words to whisper by loose brick, wailing prayers to utter, birds to carry messages taped to their feet. There are letters to be written--poems even. This stanza is the opposite as the other one where one shows a more dangerous way of overcoming an obstacle and this one is a more calm way of overcoming an obstacle.

Lastly, the last stanza in the poem is stating, "Faint as in a dream , is the voice that calls, from the belly, of the wall". This line is telling us that whatever method you may be using to overcome an obstacle , there is a way to overcome it. "Is the voice that calls", has personification , and its indicating that there are challenges that is meant for someone to overcome and beat. When we were discussing this poem in class , we came across a line where it said,"from the belly of the wall" , we found what it actually referred to ;the belly of the whale . It’s how a hero is going on a quest approach and people think that the hero has died. Even thought this may seem opposing and adverse , it still has a good motivate towards it as its telling us to beat the obstacle that has been constantly been in our way. To conclude , from this last stanza , the person is getting to overcome their obstacle and is getting much stronger after they've experienced a great ordeal.

Relate

Text to Self

In life, even if we have a obstacle in our way, there’s some sort of solution that can get us out of it which would make us more confident and stronger as a person when dealing with these kinds of scenarios. Where others may see inexplicable barriers , they will see challenges to embrace and they will have obstacles to overcome. An example of an obstacle I faced was when , I wanted to be a chef at a young age , but someone told me , your too young to be a chef and you would never become successful. I told them, age is just a number , with that attitude of not being able to accomplish anything at a young age , wont get you far in life. Famous people like, Betty White and other successful entrepreneur. I have experienced many obstacles in my life , mostly all of them were difficult and I had to find a way past it. Where others see impenetrable barriers, they see challenges to embrace and obstacles to overcome.

Text to Worldhttp://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/successful-people-obstacles_n_3964459

Text to World

A obstacle which a billionaire now has faced in the past is , Bill Gates. You wouldn't have ever imagined , the worlds richest person not being able to make money when he started his first device. His first ever company named, " Traf-O-Data " ,and the first ever device he has made , that was designed to read traffic tapes and also capable of processing data did not work out so well. When Bill & his partner , Paul Allen started to first sell the product, it didn't work. Even though they had an obstacle in their way, that didn't stop them from not trying again cause they learned from their mistakes :"Even though Traf-O-Data wasn’t a roaring success, it was seminal in preparing us to make Microsoft’s first product a couple of years later." A few years after, Bill Gates became the richest man in the world ,even when he faced difficulty , he and his partner still fought to make a successful product. Lastly, all famous people have had many obstacles throughout their lives to become who they are today ,and it helped them make their life better ,and it made them a better person mentally ,and physically.

Reflect:

This topic is important because it helps us realize reality, there will be obstacles coming your way , you would need to try and try to be able to overcome it. It helps us realize the only way we would be better people , is from experiencing from obstacles , because without facing them , you wouldn't achieve anything or get far in life. I only recently found out the poetry blog was due, even when I had many isu’s to finish off , I didn't start this until the last minute , it was difficult for me to all of them on the same day , so I did the isu’s that were due first. It was a hurdle I had to overcome ,and very time-consuming .But at the end, I found a way by overcoming this obstacle ,and that was reducing the amount of time I worked on each blog ,and timed how long I would do each blog. This poem motivates us to live our own lives ,and don't think what others would have to say because at the end of the day , the many obstacles you have faced would make you successful in what you may be doing. The questions I had while reading this poem is that, Where did all these ideas come from ? "Why did you choose to write this kind of poem ?, Did the author ever overcome an obstacle where it was unbearable"? After I found out the answer by doing some research I saw that, she was born in Vancouver ,British Columbia, Joy Kogawa , her family were being sent to an internment camp for Japanese-Canadians when it was World War II ,and she has faced lasting scars of racism where she interprets on while writing this poem. I can only imagine ,"How she was feeling when this was going on, Who she turned to when this was going on ?”

This obstacle is long-lasting and would haunt you forever ,its something where you would need counselling and talk to people who would help you because obstacles like this , you can get a mental illness from and its good if you get help from people that you can talk to easily. I think this poem would change the way I think/feel/do , because it made me realize reality while reading , annotating it because, you cant be who you are today without facing obstacles ,and I've experienced numerous amounts of obstacles but found a route to face it. Many celebrities who haven't faced obstacles , think they can get any high career, like modelling by their wealthy parents is wrong because you wouldn't feel like you accomplished it but someone gave you a boost to get to where you are today and haven't earned it in any way.

" Black Sheroes "

By: El Jones

Retell:

This poem is called, Black Sheroes and its about historical black woman who were figures , were were very significant and were civil rights leaders.

Black Sheroes , was a repeatedly used word in this poem ,it means black woman who were heroes and represent the specific beauty that black people have. I know this because in the poem it states that , But my sheroes are more than a trend and they're bigger than a hairstyle , For their people they risk death,imprisonment ,and exile ,and exile. In this stanza , they are describing the beauty of black people , how for their people even if they risk their life they would try to help them in a way. For example, Martin Luther King Jr. who was an civil rights activist help stop racism and fought the rights for blacks to vote.Even when he got imprisoned many times he did it for his people ,even if it meant him being killed , because then he would be remembered as a hero who tried to help get his people equality and get the same rights as whites. On the ninth stanza , it says, " If you're only telling the history of Black men then theres a half that you missed . " The stanza is referring to black men being more acknowledged then woman ,and woman dont get more praise over what they've done because men and woman are both equal and one shouldn't get more praised for the other for doing the same thing. The author states on the 12th stanza it states, "But without civil rights queens like Septima Clark , Diane Nash, or Ella Baker , There would be no kind. " This stanza is saying that these female civil rights activists , Septima Clark ,had developed the literacy and citizenship workshops which had played a significant role in voting rights. Clark developed the literacy and citizenship workshops that played an important role in the lift for voting rights.Diane Judith Nash was an American civil rights activist , a leader and strategist of the student wing in the civil rights movement. Her campaigns have been one of many successful of the era. Ella Baker was an African-American civil rights and also a humans rights activist in Virginia. Without these 3 woman to start the foundation of the civil rights movement , without them it would have started.

Relate:

Text to World

An historical event that relates to this poem , is the civil rights movement from 1954 through 1968 which Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister and activist and he has become the most striking spokesperson and he was a leader in the movement.

Reflect

This topic is important because we should all know that racism still exists ,and black woman should be recognized the same amount of men because they shouldn't be below men because we are all equal and everyone should realize that. We should recognize black woman who have done so much for the black community because men are only praised and I dont really know much female civil rights leaders like , Harriet Tubman. Even if shes a black woman she shouldn't be recognizable below everyone because they're are many black female civil rights leaders who are a strong force.

" CXIV "

By: SONNET L'ABBE

Retell:

In this poem , its experiencing hate speech , is about discrimination. I know this because they are discriminating against her by treating her different , because shes black. In the second stanza they say , "Go back ,wherever Pakis or niggers come from. " This is one of many hate crimes I've come upon while watching the news . They are ignorant & dont understand the difference between ethnicity and race. In the first stanza they say, "Im not sure whether it happened in Manitoba or Alberta. " They clearly know shes from Canada but still tell her to go to Pakistan. She says, " I walked home alone-- "home" -- i went where my parents paid rent, right ? Our house wasn't ours ? " The young girl wasn't sure if that was her home ,that's why she quoted the word because she feels unwanted by other and doesn't feel like shes suppose to live there.

Relate

Text to Self:

I can surely relate to this poem , because Im a Muslim , and Im black. Muslims like me get many hate comments , and several hate-crimes was committed to our Muslim community. If Im on the bus , I get looks mostly by white people , mostly looking at me up & down and I can only think that they're either just looking at me and or don’t like Muslims. Even when I go downtown , to Eaton Centre , theres many white people who have posters who are shouting racist comments about Muslims ,and are saying why are they in our country and so on. Many think that all Muslims are terrorists , have a bomb but , real-life terrorists like ISIS are not Muslims , no where in Islam does it say to kill someone but terrorist groups say , Islamic chants like , " Allahu Akbar ", mostly before they do a terrorist related act.

Many Muslims are subjected as, "Terrorists ", when many people who try to bring up Islam do not know anything about it ,and but claim false news. Just because terrorist do these violent things doesn't mean all Muslims are involved and or pointed as terrorists. Many Muslims are affected by what people say about Muslims on social media , while they share this news to other people they gain more and more hate for us when just some people only say this hate. You shouldn't state facts if you dont know about the religion and arent a Muslim yourself or learned about the practices we do.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/charleena-lyles-seattle-shooting-pregnant-black-mother-of-four-brettler-family-place-a7797971.html

Text to World: A example that happened June 18,2017 , was the last day a young black mom was last seen alive. Charleena Lyles was a mother of 4 at the time. This happened in Seattle, where she had called police to complain about a burglary. She had been living in a complex home where it's for people who used to be homeless , after the police had arrived at her home, and spotted her armed with a knife.They didn't think twice about why she has a knife , and but they immediately shooted her 2 times in the back and she was supposedly 15 weeks into her pregnancy after her family had confirmed. This happened because of her race , many young black males have been shot because they are,black. Police in America use excessive force while on duty and dont think twice before anything but take out their guns and shoot they have no mercy for you.

Reflect

This topic is significant because many people may not be aware that racism and discrimination is still happening . It does not matter who , where you come from, what race you are , everyone is suppose to gain equality. It doesn't matter how many things you accomplished , or if your parents are wealthy , because we are all human and deserve the same equal rights. Racism and discrimination is a serious & major problem that many people need to realize and think before they say a hate comment against anyone , it doesn't matter if they know them or not because it hurts and just because you may be one color doesn't mean your better than then the person who is a different color than you are.

I didn't really have a person say some racist & discriminating comment , other than look at me up and down and just stare at me for a while. I may be a Muslim, but other people need to realize Muslims are having it hard , are facing Islamophobic hate , and doing hate-crime towards us just because they see fake posts of us online , and think its true . Muslims are not the only ones who are facing the same problems ,and dealing with them. People should realize we are all different and , " what makes us different makes you different makes you stronger. "

" Marrying the Hangman "

By: Margaret ATWOOD

The title of this poem is, " Marrying the Hangman "

Retell:

This poem is about a woman who has to marry a hangman in order to avoid getting a death penalty. This poem is about gender injustice ,and this is situated on a real event that has happened.

The first stanza in the poem is saying, " She has been condemned to death by hanging. A man may escape this death by becoming the hangman, a woman by marrying the hangman.But at the present time there is no hangman;thus there is no escape. So basically what this means is that in order for this woman to stay alive , is only if she marrys a hangman which is a person who is an executioner who hangs condemned people. It was something that was basically a tradition in Quebec in the 1700 ' s where you had to follow these rules to avoid death.

So, because she has to obey these rules, she has to find a hangman who would want to be with her.When she says, " She must persuade this man at the end of the voice, this voice she has never seen and which has never seen her , this darkness,she must persuade him to renounce his face, exchange it for the impersonal mask of death ,of official death which has eyes but no mouth , this mask of a dark leper. " So she must allure the man , into being her hangman in order for her to be alive and marry him as well. She has no choice but to ask him , because its between life and death and she wants to stay alive so she has to fight.

Relate:

Text to self: I'm a woman myself and I can relate to the girl because some cases men have it higher than woman and are classified lower. Especially woman , when they work in their jobs , or young girls are sexually abused by men , are told to not say anything , or are threatened until that man is charged , other woman come forward and you have more support. Woman have it harder than men in many ways and are classified as being not higher than men like different sports, like soccer and shouldn't be in certain things just cause we are woman and cant handle it. Woman are seen as doing all the household chores while men only go to work , make money while the woman have it harder.

Text to Text:

This book reminds me of a book that I’ve read called, I am Nujood,Age 10 and Divorced. In this book,Nujood whos a young 10 year old girl is forced to marry a guy whos 3 times her age because of the family's status and because they were poor so they needed support from Nujood's inlaws. And in this poem, the woman had no other choice but to marry the hangman , if she wanted to stay alive. And in this novel , many other countries like Pakistan , Afghanistan , India ,many others woman are forced into arranged marriages , even as little as a child. Many of these countries there are many reasons why they make the girl get married such as poverty , part of their culture is to have arranged marriages even if you don't love the person. In the poem and this novel it had the same situation as in which they had to marry a person despite knowing the physical , emotional abuse that they would receive but they don’t have any other choice ,and but for them to be able to live they had to do this until they could fight for their rights.

Reflect:

This theme/topic is important because not only in this poem , what happened long ago but even know everyone should be equalized and regardless of what gender you may be , everyone needs to be treated fairly and equally. No matter what sex we may be , we are still humans , it shouldn't differentiate that we came from the same place so we shouldn't be treated differently.

This poem wouldn't change how I view things because I already know gender inequality still goes on , and many woman are treated lower than men which shouldn't happen because men are not different from us only by our sex so I don't understand why they would be better than us? It just made me realize these issues , which I didn't remember about it till I read this poem and many others should be aware of how woman are treated and the suffering they get from , “being a woman”. Many woman on social media have in their bio as being feminists , the amount of woman who are coming forward for this woman's movement is slowly getting there in woman having the same equal rights as men. And woman be acknowledged , the same as men get and should get praise as well. All in All, the poem makes people aware , realize that this is still going on , we need to do something to prevent it from happening and its a reminder to people since this topic is not really recognized.

" I Lost My Talk "

By: RITA JOE

Retell

The poem , "I lost my Talk " , is about the author who is Rita Joe's real life experiences she faced with residential schools and she she talks about the experiences she has come across and the speculation she has.

The first stanza of this poem , shes stating how she lost her talk , the talk you took away , which means she was taken away from her language and her culture and was forced by white people to live in residential schools , left everything behind including her parents and made her forget about her Indigenous background and who she was as an aboriginal person. The last line on the first stanza is telling us the kind of residential school she used to go to in Nova Scotia , Canada , called, "Shubenacadie school ".

In the second stanza , she says , "You snatched it away, I speak like you , I think like you , I create like you ,and The scrambled balled , about my words. Here she is using repetition with using the word , you , with means that she is a mammal like them , shes human like them , she has the same traits as them , so, " why would she be treated differently ". But, she was treated in a unimaginable . They were the people who greatly influenced how she behaved and appeared but they totally changed her lifestyle & they way she used to live before so they were responsible for her actions.

Lastly , the last stanza , she is basically wanting other people who dont have the right needs of getting education , in certain country's to get their rights and to get educated. When she says, "So gently I offer my hand and ask, Let me find my talks, " even though she has suffered a great ordeal she is still offering her hand ,and she is accepting to what already happened to her and is wanting to know about herself after the whites brainwashed them and changed their religion so she has to find herself. She is willing to allows others to know about her , after she finds who she is and learns about her religion.She isin't willing to start violence , but peace , all she wants is for her to be her own person , no one telling her what religion to be in because that's her choice. Even though she has faced an obstacle , thats life scaring that she wouldn't forget , she still accepts what happened to her and is willing t go past it and move on.

Relate

I have never has an experience where my culture was snatched away from me. Im a Muslim and I follow the many rules we have to follow , the traditions. This girl in the poem never got to practice anything about her religion cause she got forced to follow a religion which wasn't hers and had no choice but to follow it. My parents are are Ethiopian , but they speak Somalian but I understand it but dont speak it at all. Many Canadians now a days dont know how to speak their parents language ,and they wont be able to pass it on to their kids and the next generations after. We would have certain celebrations like Eid , which comes once a year after Ramadan where all Muslims come together to celebrate .Its a celebration among Muslims when we break our fast and give money to the homeless during Eid al-Fitr which marks the ending of the holy month of Ramadan. We would make foods such as, samosas,dates, and many delicious foods and sweets. I love my culture ,and if I was ever forced away from it like how Rita Joe was then I wouldn't know what to do. Rita Joe , and many other Indigenous children that got taken away from their parents , must have been really difficult and saddening to just be snatched away your culture one day and cant really do something about it.

Reflect

This topic is obviously significant its world history, it explains that importance to readers that we all have equal rights , shouldn't be judged on what culture we have because thats what makes everyone different and unique. We all deserve to be cared for , and safe . What Rita faced would stay with her forever , but its something that would make her into a better person , wanting to be good at her culture even more so that she can teach other people about it and speak about to always know your culture so you can identify who you are and differentiate yourself from others. The questions I have are, " How did Rita feel when she was free from the residential school and what was going through her mind ? , " How did she pass the obstacle and face the residential school she was living at ? "

I think this poem wouldn't change how I feel about this topic because , I already know about residential schools ,learned it in history class in grade 10 how it was like. I know how I feel about this topic and how I feel about aboriginals and what they have to face in the schools such as , beatings , verbal , sexual and even mental abuse which can scare them for life , and but even have mental issues after they came out of the residential schools.

0 notes