Monday, November 29, 2004
One degree of Seperation, Wishing for Seven
Everything here revolves around some sort of violence. Its kind of like Kevin Bacon.. Its all connected. Living in and among the poor gives new insights to life. .... And death. At first I thought John Shorack (the team leader for InnerCHANGE VZ. Was just trying to scare me so I would get into trouble. For those of you who know me, trouble can be my middle name, and for those of you photographers out there, you know hanging around the edge of trouble usually means great pix. Cross it, and well, you are in deep trouble. We went to a birthday party tonight in La Montanita.
Taken a few days later in the morning when I felt a little safer, and then got the heck out of there!
I asked John if it was a safe place to pull out my camera real quick and make a few frames. He said not to bring it out at all till we were at Jose’s birthday party. Then he explained how many people were watching us and that they would wait till we left the party, (even if it was hours later) and then rob us. So, I obeyed.
I think Jose turned 30 today. He was not able to fully enjoy his birthday though as he is on crutches.
You see, he was chased by some robbers a while back and long story short someone threw some metal thing at his leg, he fell and jacked up his ankle real bad. He had surgery and is in recovery. So, back to violence and celebrating. Violence is a thread one can not run from. It permeates every little bit of life here. While sitting around the party and eating and drinking the local cuisine John told me lots of horror stories that will be left out for the sake of not wanting to hurt the VZ tourism economy or freaking out my mom for that matter. Later in the evening we all sang some birthday song I had never heard of in Spanish. (no, it was not feliz cuplianos) anyway, he and everybody else was really getting into it.
At some point it hit me that we were not just celebrating the day he was born some 30 odd years ago, but rather another year of life. It hits home real quick, as his sister’s (I think) husband was murdered last year. She is 24 and has three little ones at home. When I made some photos of her and her kids she didn’t want to smile. My gut feeling told me why. Anyway, life is precious, but apparently not to the same standards I’m used to. Tonight was the third time in two days I saw parents giving their toddler (younger than 2) beer. The kids actually drank it. It was sad.
Later we danced. Yes, I said we. I said in my best spanish, "Yo estoy de los estado unidos, y no bailan buen, pero, ensaname a bailar, yo bailo.” enough said.
I don't think I'll ever be able to look at a birthday party the same. From now on, its not only about celebrating one's birth, but about celebrating another year of life on earth.
Anyway, its late, and I need my rest to keep alert and stay away from the bad guys when I shoot today..
Much love- Andy
Ps.. I didn’t even mention that as we were walking in to La Montanita a bunch of kids were all playing with pipes and fire crackers. Big deal you say. Well, all of the pipes were curved like guns. Peter was “shot” by one of the kids as he entered the community. I guess I got lucky. These are the same kids who were using a roller blade to skate down a steep hill the other day. Go figure.
pps, thanks for those of you praying, We shoult not have walked down past 8:30, yet alone past 10.
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Taken a few days later in the morning when I felt a little safer, and then got the heck out of there!
I asked John if it was a safe place to pull out my camera real quick and make a few frames. He said not to bring it out at all till we were at Jose’s birthday party. Then he explained how many people were watching us and that they would wait till we left the party, (even if it was hours later) and then rob us. So, I obeyed.
I think Jose turned 30 today. He was not able to fully enjoy his birthday though as he is on crutches.
You see, he was chased by some robbers a while back and long story short someone threw some metal thing at his leg, he fell and jacked up his ankle real bad. He had surgery and is in recovery. So, back to violence and celebrating. Violence is a thread one can not run from. It permeates every little bit of life here. While sitting around the party and eating and drinking the local cuisine John told me lots of horror stories that will be left out for the sake of not wanting to hurt the VZ tourism economy or freaking out my mom for that matter. Later in the evening we all sang some birthday song I had never heard of in Spanish. (no, it was not feliz cuplianos) anyway, he and everybody else was really getting into it.
At some point it hit me that we were not just celebrating the day he was born some 30 odd years ago, but rather another year of life. It hits home real quick, as his sister’s (I think) husband was murdered last year. She is 24 and has three little ones at home. When I made some photos of her and her kids she didn’t want to smile. My gut feeling told me why. Anyway, life is precious, but apparently not to the same standards I’m used to. Tonight was the third time in two days I saw parents giving their toddler (younger than 2) beer. The kids actually drank it. It was sad.
Later we danced. Yes, I said we. I said in my best spanish, "Yo estoy de los estado unidos, y no bailan buen, pero, ensaname a bailar, yo bailo.” enough said.
I don't think I'll ever be able to look at a birthday party the same. From now on, its not only about celebrating one's birth, but about celebrating another year of life on earth.
Anyway, its late, and I need my rest to keep alert and stay away from the bad guys when I shoot today..
Much love- Andy
Ps.. I didn’t even mention that as we were walking in to La Montanita a bunch of kids were all playing with pipes and fire crackers. Big deal you say. Well, all of the pipes were curved like guns. Peter was “shot” by one of the kids as he entered the community. I guess I got lucky. These are the same kids who were using a roller blade to skate down a steep hill the other day. Go figure.
pps, thanks for those of you praying, We shoult not have walked down past 8:30, yet alone past 10.
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