An Unexpected Language Barrier

Anytime a person travels to a foreign country where the people speak a different language, they have to accept the fact that they will inevitably encounter situations where they simply cannot find the words to communicate. Whether trying to give directions to a taxi driver or attempting to comprehend an elaborate restaurant menu, language is an obstacle that all travelers must overcome. As I prepared for my trip to Mexico, I felt fairly confident that I would not encounter too many situations where I would be unable to find the correct Spanish vocabulary. For the most part, I have proven myself correct and find it relatively easy to survive on the Spanish I have been taught at Haverford. For my internship with Micro Meda Mexico, an NGO affiliated with La Casa, I make a four-hour round-trip commute to a pueblo called Tlalmanaco in the State of Mexico, just outside the city. On my first day, my "boss" Andres (right) picked me up at 7:15 in the morning. Throughout the drive we chatted about basic things such as what I am studying at Haverford, what I do for fun, and whether I miss my family. I had no trouble understanding Andres, and he seemed to understand my Spanish, so I was pretty pleased with myself. However, as we sped along the highway out of the city, we soon came to a high point on a hill and he pointed out into the sky ahead of us. Through the haze and clouds (sometimes it's from pollution, sometimes it's a coming storm) I could just make out the peak of the volcano Popocatepetl. I suppose I was simply not prepared for the amazing view, so the only word I could think of was "wow," which it turns out is actually quite a difficult word for Mexicans to pronounce. Since then, my internship has taken me on other various road trips outside the city to small towns like Chalco and Ixtapaluca. Everytime I see another amazing view I am faced again with the same internal language barrier. I don't know quite how to explain, in English or in Spanish, the awe I feel when I get to see yet another new and exciting place. The image above shows my "boss" Andres and my coworker Olaf (left) in front of one of the beautiful vistas in the countryside of Ixtapaluca. I couldn't explain to them at that time how incredible I thought the land looked, so I simply said, "Necesito sacar un foto" (I need to take a picture), and they understood.