Back to School, Back to School....

I know if you're reading this it means you've been waiting with bated breath for the latest installment on my blog. Therefore I will give you what you've been waiting for.

For those who don't know I signed up to be a substitute teacher this year on the east bank of the Jefferson Parish School System. So far I've had two assignments, both as a sub for PE coaches in elementary schools. I would just like to say I didn't specifically request to sub for PE or to work in elementary schools, but I figured if I wanted to get more assignments it would be best to sign up for every school and well, you never know what a PE coach does until you get there, so I just figured I would take whatever came my way.

My first assignment was at the alternative(problem kids) school for the parish. It was kind of sad to see kids as young as in 1st grade there, but alas they were there. Most of the kids were very well behaved and actually very sweet kids. I generally tried to play whatever game they were playing, but seeing as I was in a skirt and flats some games I just wasn't properly attired for. What made me saddest though was one particular class' teacher assistant. Every class has an assistant that goes with them to every class and for the most part the assistants were very friendly and approachable. But the TA for this class was quite rude to me (yelling at me for having kids near the office door) and treated the children like criminals. In defense of myself the reason I had them by the office door was because the gym was as hot as a sauna and the water fountain's water was lukewarm at best whereas the office I was in (which was really just a desk and chair) has two a/c units in it making it almost uncomfortably chilly. So, when kids got overheated I let them stand/sit in the doorway to cool down. But I'm now fully converted to the idea that if you treat a child like a criminal he would act like one. Later on that day one of the kids from that class was brought in to the principal's office while I was there for trying to start a fight. I realize a certain level of discipline needs to be in every class, but yelling at the kids for no warranted reason is only adding to their motivation to act out, whether for good or bad.

The next day I was assigned to an elementary school near my home and worked along side two other PE coaches. Justin made my day by slipping a note into my bag with a quote from School of Rock (one of our favorite movies) saying, "Those who can't do, teach. And those who can't teach, teach PE." Lo and behold, I was provided with two examples of the second part of that phrase for that second assignment. It comes as a surprise to no one that Math and PE were tied for m least favorite subjects in school and those teachers reminded me why. Whenever a kid came to say they were thirsty, hurt themselves or something the lady would say, "suck it up, it's not that bad" (to 2nd and 3rd graders) and the punishment for acting up in class was to pick up all the rocks in the playground and put it into a bucket (according to the male coach). I mean, they really weren't bad teachers, but it just reminded me of how gruff PE coaches were in comparison to the English and Social Studies teachers I loved as a kid. I have to say the funniest thing about the day though was the male coach with unusual punishments. If he wasn't explaining a game he would stand behind/beside the female coach and stretch. He would stretch his arms, his legs, I'm pretty sure he was trying to stretch his butt muscles at one point because some of the stretches he did were so unusual. It only got better when the band teacher came to speak to the 3rd-5th graders and was playing a flute when this coach, while stretching, asked if the band teacher could play some Jethro Tull. I had to laugh because then they got off topic and were telling the kids about Jethro Tull, but this male coach seriously made me laugh.

I do commend anyone who goes into teaching. I don't mean to criticize them because I realize their jobs are somewhat similar to mothers in that they often go unthanked and under appreciated. But I couldn't help but almost take these two experiences and use them as learning tools/social science research regarding interaction between adults and children. I really didn't see it as a job because it was a lot of fun to work with these little kids and do stretches with them and play soccer with them.

Politics and Family

Recently an acquaintance of mine posted a link to an article written by a girl who attended a Tea Party rally with her father. In it she discussed how despite the fact that her father is a Libertarian she is a liberal and that the experience was very eye-opening for her. While I can’t say I see completely where both sides are coming from (and honestly, who would be dumb enough to wear a t-shirt saying “Don’t hate me because I’m a liberal” to a Tea Party rally??), it was interesting to read things in her article that kind of resonated with me.
For those of you who do not know, I am a registered Democrat. While I can’t say I agree completely with the Democratic Party, it is the party I agree with the most when it comes to different issues today. For those who do not know my father, he is a registered Republican. Given our somewhat tenacious attitudes and tempers, this issue has come up once or twice. I specifically remember an evening in the Fall of 2008 when over dinner my dad and I got into a relatively heated argument over the presidential elections. Finally after my mom and cousin sat in awkward silence for a bit (I think a bit appalled by the situation) my mom finally raised her voice to put an end to the confrontation. She told us to both be quiet, stated her reasons for why she would vote the way she would, and then told us not to talk about politics again. It wasn’t the first time my political views have been brought up by family and friends, but it was definitely the most heated situation. I’m embarrassed to say things got so heated. I guess my frustration got the best of me.
The majority of Mormons in the United States tend to vote Republican (while many Mormons outside of the States, interestingly enough, would be considered socialist by American standards)and being from the South, there are A LOT of Republicans. In my family’s close circle of friends, they’re all Republican. I think the first people I ever met who were both Mormon and Democrats were my sister-in-law’s parents. So needless to say when I came out of the closet as a Democrat, people were a bit miffed. I don’t blame them. It’s understandable. But I didn’t really appreciate the treatment I received like, “How can you be Mormon and a Democrat?” “You’re just young, naïve and impressionable” “You’re too dumb to think something other than what the liberal media tells you” “You obviously haven’t read anything about history or politics to know otherwise” (and yes, I have heard the last two). While I had my own decent answers to all of those questions and more I just felt frustrated that I felt my answers were getting brushed aside or not really listened to. But whatever; I guess that Fall evening I had just gotten tired of the Winston Churchill quote about being a liberal when one’s young because you have a heart and being conservative when you get older because you have a brain.
But the aforementioned article did make me think about the role politics play in my family relationships, specifically with my dad. My father is an extremely intelligent man. I’m not saying you have to get a degree (bachelor, masters or otherwise) to be well-read on something, but it usually doesn’t hurt (having to read numerous articles, books, etc on a certain topic tends to help you get a better knowledge of it than, say, someone who gets their information regurgitated to them via the news channel with their various slants and biases). Despite the fact that my dad didn’t go to college, I find he is probably the most well-read individual I know. It’s not uncommon for people to ask his opinion on different issues because of his breadth of knowledge and growing up I loved how our dinner table conversations often included a brief history lesson of some sort (I blame those on my decision of major) because the man voraciously read (again; I think it’s genetic) about all sorts of things. So what went wrong with me that I chose to go down the other path politically?
I won’t say I’m the most well-read person I know, but I am my father’s daughter. My love of reading anything and everything has fed me continually. I pride myself at looking at both sides of an issue and then doing what my individual conscience tells me I should do and how I should vote. Am I saying everyone should vote the way that I vote because my conscience told me to vote that way? No. One of my favorite principles taught by the Church is that of personal revelation. What may be right for one person may not be right for another. And, as stated in an editorial by the Church’s official Public Affairs director (no, not Glenn Beck) Michael Otterson, political choices are not purely theological, but really are based more on your personal experiences and how you interpret the world around you.
My father grew up in communist Cuba. I grew up in the lively and eccentric city of New Orleans. My father had to sneak away in the night, leaving his parents and other family members behind to escape to the United States. I grew up in a house where gospel principles, patriotism and the ability to think for oneself were highly valued and encouraged. My father had to provide for himself from the time he came to the States and has worked every day since to make life comfortable for my mom, brothers and I. I was fortunate enough to go to a great university and study the subjects I wanted. My father was taught the gospel by sister missionaries after looking elsewhere for religion. I was a sister missionary in Belgium, partly because of the gratitude I had for those sister missionaries and the hope that I could find someone as amazing as my father to share the gospel with. As you can tell our lives have obviously been a bit different. Because of our different experiences and even the different books we’ve read on the same topics, we know different things and have interpreted said things differently. Because of our different lives we vote differently. But the fact remains the same that I am a product of him. I am his daughter.
I do not want political differences to divide my dad and me; my love for him and the hope that my family ties will last long after everything is said and done push me to want to avoid political talk with family members. So we don’t see eye to eye on every minute thing. Variety is the spice of life. Besides, in my opinion, when I am judged on how I lived my life, I think that how I loved and respected my family and those around me will be held in great balance than how I fought for my political ideals.

Healthy Life part 1: A Weighty Issue

Recently I've been thinking a lot about health. Not just physical health (although it is a big chunk of what I think about) but also mental, emotional and spiritual. I've kind of been wondering what other people have thought on these issues, so I figure, why not put it on the blog and see if others have thoughts or comments? If you don't mind I've kind of split things up so it's not one super long boring post, but multiple, shorter, less interesting posts.

Being asked to be in a wedding party is great. The bride having to buy you the largest size the store offers and still having it not fit you, not so great. I mean, I knew I wasn't in an ideal form (when have I ever been) but having 8+ inches of it face you like that is only so much fun. The dress was the final kick in the over sized gut to get me to take some action and consider things on a deeper level.

For the majority of my life I've been overweight. I can't say I've ever been one of those people who tries to fade into the surroundings because of my weight, but I've also never been one of those people who is proud to be out of shape; that just seems so strange. At the same time I've never cared enough to try and take permanent action. I was comfortable the way I was. While sure it did kind of suck having to be the funny, smart, quick-tongued and/or dateless one in my group of friends, I didn't have to push myself to exercise or worry about what I ate. In addition, I finally got married and because I have such a wonderful husband who tells me I look good when I've been sick in bed for three days and haven't showered since I got into said bed (yeah, TMI, sorry) I figured. "Well, why worry?"
To give some reason behind my lack of desire to make drastic changes.. I've never been one of those people who drinks soft drinks a lot or ate white bread or despised fruits and vegetables. To the contrary, my mother has said numerous times she was lucky to have kids who never argued about eating vegetables (unless is was my brother and Lima beans). I prefer wheat bread to white bread, and despite my love affair with red meat, I eat pretty healthy stuff. Too much of it in certain circumstances, but I ate pretty well. But then a few things began to run through my head.

1) Chances are if you're reading this blog you know my family pretty well so it comes as no surprise that in January of 2009 my mom had a triple bypass. I never knew my mom had heart problems, much less problems that serious, so it came as quite the shock. My mom eats the same way I do! We exercise about the same amount! And while neither of us could be considered "tall and statuesque" (despite our running jokes of being so) our profiles didn't mimic beach balls either. How could something so serious happen to my mom who in my mind wasn't in bad shape?

2) In the past year it seems like every few weeks I find out another friend/family member/random person from the mission, ward or school is pregnant. While I know Justin and I don't plan on having kids in the very near future, the goal is there eventually. However, it turns out, I have some female issues and need to take medicine so that eventually I can have kids. I'm not throwing myself a pity party. In fact, I'm kicking myself because it turns out that being overweight exacerbates this condition. Adding to this, a girl I knew in high school has been putting up the typical "pregnancy profile" pictures on Facebook and I thought, "If she wasn't holding her stomach like a pregnant woman I would have never guessed she was pregnant.." Sad thing is she was 8 months along in the picture! I really don't want to be like that! When I'm pregnant, I want people to be able to tell I'm pregnant!
With thoughts of heart disease and pregnancy looming over my mind I decided to actually try making a new year's resolution (I've honestly never tried to make one). And, as luck would have it, my office also decided to start a "Biggest Loser" challenge around the middle of January.
Growing up I cannot count how many weight loss/health books I saw around the house. While I never actually read any of them, I remember my mom suggesting one to me not too long ago. It was called You: On A Diet. I went to Wal-Mart and thought I'd pick it up to see if it said anything interesting. All I can say is "WOW". This book has really changed my vision of things.

The book goes into detail of how hormones in your brain effect your appetite, what exactly happens with fat stored in your body and other interesting things. For instance, did you know that sugar also effects your veins? Maybe I'm the last one to hear it, but I found what they said quite interesting. In addition it pushed me to straighten up on my eating and exercise habits and sign up at a gym (I've never been one to exercise at home; for some reason I need the structure of a gym).

I'm proud to say that I'm the only person who has lost consecutively at work, totalling almost 10 lbs. I realize this isn't a huge amount, but it's a start. I've also become a regular at my gym by making sure I don't skip two days consecutively (I take off Sunday and normally a day during the week). It's worked out pretty well so far. The goal though isn't so much about losing a lot of weight as much as it's about not having health problems; being thinner is only an added bonus. So bring it on, bridesmaid dress!

How about you? Have you made a conscious effort to lose weight? What helped you stay motivated?

Mexico

WARNING: PHOTOS NOT IN ORDER

Chichen Itza

Cenote near Chichen Itza

Justin and the yummy guacamole

Islas de Mujeres and the resident iguanas

Ziplining at Islas de Mujeres

View from our hotel

After my wacky feminist rant I thought I'd update people on what's gone down in the Bush house since our last post in what, July?!

August 17-21 Justin and I took our delayed honeymoon and went to Cancun, Mexico. We were both pretty excited as neither of us have been there (he's been to Cozumel, but only on a cruise, so not quite the same thing). It was quite an eye-opening experience for both of us! Walk a lot reminded us of the mission, but boy were we not ready for the sun (as pictures will attest). While neither of us were huge fans of Cancun itself, we really enjoyed our day trips to Isla de Mujeres (an island north of Cancun) and Chichen Itza. We also went snorkeling, but that's a story to share later on.

In total I would like to say we only spent 450 to get down there and rent the hotel room. Sam's had a special through SmartCircle and we had vouchers from Justin's trip to Rochester, so things were cheap in regards of travel. Part of the deal though, was to take a tour of the timeshare properties on the island, which took most of Tuesday, but we had no set plans, got a free buffet meal and tour out of it and saw some amazing views of the island. Below is the view from our hotel room. Even though the room wasn't very luxurious, we liked it and loved the view. We were right on the beach and it had a few really good restaurants and a spa (which we got vouchers for) in it.

Monday was spent travelling from Houston to Cancun, getting settled in and walking A LOT! My Chacos left crazy blisters on my feet because we didn't think we'd be walking that much. But it was almost better the next day. When we were checking into the hotel they offered us mojitos but we had to request they prepare them without liquor. They were great and I have to say, a non-alcoholic mojito is possibly my favorite specialty drink.

Tuesday we went on the tour with the timeshare people and saw some of the really nice hotels in the area. We felt bad telling the guy we were dirt-poor college students at the end, but he understood and we went our separate ways. For going on this tour though we were given a voucher for any of the really popular tours in the area. We chose the Chichen Itza tour since it's the most expensive. That evening involved walking around the area some more and playing at the beach.

Wednesday was the day of highs and lows! We had booked a "Jungle Tour" which included taking a two-seater speed boat through the lagoon and then going snorkeling once you got into the Caribbean waters. I was excited as I enjoy boats and had never been snorkeling. I was a bit apprehensive however because I feel weird swimming in water with other creatures besides humans (yeah, pretty pathetic, but I'm honest). This experience did not end that fear! The ride was fun and the water was beautiful. We bought a water-proof disposible camera to get pictures of the fish and such. However, the fish were HUGE (no, I'm not overexaggerating, they really were about the size of a human head) and it kind of freaked me out. I think the fish sensed this because more and more started swimming around me. I'll admit, I literally freaked out worse than I ever had. I was physically accosted on my mission, but it didn't mess with my mind as much as these fish! There were honestly about 3 dozen fish swimming around me in a circle brushing against me and after yelling Justin dragged me back to the boat. He went back to swim because he's okay swimming with crazy carnivorous fish.. This shook me up a bit and I vowed to never go snorkeling again. We'll see how that goes.

Later that day we took a ferry to Isla de Mujeres; quite possibly the most beautiful site on the entire trip. I honestly fell in love with the quiet island. Very few people used cars because it was so small, so the main forms of transportation are mopeds and golf carts. We rented our golf cart for 2 hours and drove around taking pictures of the AMAZING water and interesting things to do (see the zipliners in some of those pictures?) and see. At the southern tip of the island there is an area with lots of iguanas and an old Mayan temple. That was possibly my favorite site.

The only downside was the fact that I forgot to reapply sunscreen and ended up burning myself pretty bad which wasn't helped when Justin and I used our spa vouchers and got hour-long massages. It was really REALLY relaxing to get the massage. If my skin didn't feel on fire I think I would have fallen asleep. Justin enjoyed it as well, but since his feet are pretty ticklish, when the woman tried to massage his feet he'd start giggling and she'd stop.. Then start again and he'd start giggling again. It was really quite a fun little experience.

Thursday we used our voucher to go to Chichen Itza. My burn was really bad so my dear husband had to carry my bag the whole day (I'm such a lucky girl). It was really interesting to see all the ruins and learn more about their culture. We explored a lot and kind of stalked this one family from Québec because their tour was in French and we wanted to pretend we were cool and listen along. It was a beautiful trip up there and on the way back we opted for two detours; a cenote (a cave with a collapsed roof that filled with water so people can swim in it) and a meal at a tiny restaurant. Because the cenote waters visibly had fish I decided not to swim, but it was a gorgeous site. The restaurant had dancers and such that were really neat too. That night we ate at the nice restaurant in the hotel (it was called Frida after Frida Kahlo). OH MY GOODNESS was the food good!! We wanted to try real mexican guacamole, but it wasn't on the menu. But our waiter got us the hookup and the chef made quite possibly the best guacamole ever. Not just the best I've ever had; the best EVER! For dessert we got a fruit plate with this custard kind of thing. I discovered two new flavors I love- starfruit and rum. Yes, rum. It had a rum sauce and I decided that it's a good thing there's the Word of Wisdom or else I'd be addicted to rum.

Friday was kind of frustrating. We flew home that afternoon and had quite the hold up at the airport because Cancun is a tourist trap. They didn't tell me to keep a paper for immigration so I had thrown it away. However, to leave the country, you HAVE TO have it. If you don't have it, you have to pay $55 and get a new form. ALL FOR THE NAME OF A SURVEY! The woman at the ticket counter tried to argue with me that every country did that, but (and you'll have to forgive me) in a heated moment I snapped, "How many countries have you been to? Probably none than the US illegally. I KNOW I've been to more places than you and I've NEVER had to keep a form like that. This is the reason Mexico is considered a third world country. Your backwards systems to rob dumb tourists who come down here in the first place." I really shouldn't have said it, but it's true. In the eight countries I've travelled to I've never had to keep something like that. I won't describe what else happened after that as my attitude was not a pleasant one. But let's just say by the time we got on the plane I'm pretty sure that everyone in Mexico was glad to see me go.

Overall, we enjoyed the trip. It really was a lot of fun. Would we go there again? Maybe. But to be honest, I think I learned that I'm not really a "tropical destination" traveller; I'd rather have a crammed city with museums than a beach and psycho fish trying to get me. But hey, who else can say they spent less than $500 on their honeymoon and got to have all of those experiences?

Women's Research Institute

Sorry it's been a while since I last wrote, but to be honest, I don't feel like I have a lot of interesting things to say or write about. I don't have really cute kids to put up pictures of and my life's pretty bland. But I'd like to write about a pressing issue that means a lot to me.

I'm a feminist and I don't feel bad saying so. I don't think it's a bad word (as the picture says), because to me it simply means someone who feels women are equal to men and that they haven't always been treated as they should. Despite what some have accused me of, I don't think I'm being denied anything by being a female, but I do feel women have been overlooked a lot in the past and that we deserve equal treatment, equal credit and equal pay. But I digress.

While I was at BYU my major was history with a minor in Women's Studies. If I could have majored in it I would, however only the minor was allowed. My eyes were opened by wonderful teachers regarding significant contributions women have made throughout history. These teachers weren't bra-burning hippies who swore against marriage, but truly righteous examples. One in particular, Kris Frederickson,was a significant example to me of what I would like to become. She was incredibly well-read and level-headed, had raised a large family and was head of the Study Abroad program in London. When she spoke of her family you knew it wasn't a distant relationship with her family, but a very personal relationship with each child and a real unity she had with her husband. She was also very serious about her study and research in European Women's History. The minor was housed in the Women's Research Institute which funded various research programs such as micro-loans for women and their benefit on the economy in India and relations between children depending on their gender. BYU has decided to close the WRI and put the minor under the Sociology. While they will still have the Emmeline Wells Grant to support the studies, I feel it wasn't given enough of a chance to survive and it is upsetting that they close it.

If there's anything I've learned about women through the gospel , it is that the most important contribution a woman can give to society is a righteous family that is proactive in their community. I see my sisters-in-law as they raise bright, loving, energetic kids who are able to recognize Jesus before the can make full sentences and I realize the bar is set high. If I'm blessed with children that will be my number 1 priority. However, I realize that I may not be able to have that blessing during this life and so I focus on what I can do without having children. I feel that the WRI could have helped recover the dignity of motherhood while still addressing what other things women can do to contribute outside of their home. I'm not saying if you don't do something other than raise your children you're a failure- not at all-- but I feel that by having a correct perspective of who we are as daughters of God with divine nature, we could help correct incorrect principles taught by far-left groups who argue for "women's rights" under false ideas and have academic proof behind it (since that's what so many people argue is fact).

Maybe I'm rambling.... I do apologize. But I feel like it was an untapped resource to help worldwide that has been cut before it reached it's prime.

Travelling, swine flu and the like....

Hello, hello, hello...

Well, I'm determined NOT to take a nap this fine Sunday afternoon and have resorted to updating the old blog... I figure I've read a little, and subjected Justin to Steel Magnolias, so the next best productive thing would be to either update my blog or soak in the bathtub. Seeing as the latter would probably put me to sleep (I am my mother's daughter after all), I figure the blog was the best idea.. So where to begin.. How about since last time?Since the last entry we've been back to NOLA with a few friends, gone to Houston for a friend of Justin's homecoming talk, and found out we had the swine flu. So to start from the beginning...

Every other week I have shorter lunches so that on Fridays I get off early. The weekend of Friday the 17th Justin and I took our good friends Regent and James Payne down to NOLA. Regent lived there for several years growing up and James' parents lived there for a little while before he was born. It was kind of a last minute thing, but a lot of fun. We visited the Mardi Gras museum, ate delicious food, walked around downtown and just enjoyed being home/on vacation. Below are some pictures from the trip...

Regent trying on masks in a souvenir shop.

Regent avoiding the bathroom in the Mardi Gras museum..

(Despite the façade, it was actually a nice, clean restroom)

Justin attempting to eat the kingcake off the wall....

James and Regent striking a pose at the Mardi Gras museum entrance.

Enjoying the delicacies of Sal's Sno-Ball Stand...

The next weekend we headed back to Houston for the homecoming of Justin's friend Stefan. It was the first time I met him and he was a nice kid... No pictures or anything I thought I'd just kill some space and throw that in the post...

Earlier in the month for about a week I had been struggling with a high temperature, heavy congestion, nausea and incredible fatigue. At first I thought it was just a flu, but after going to the doctor, the PA said it was probably bronchitis and a sinus infection. So I took the antibiotic treatment he gave and went on my merry way. Justin fell ill the next week and when he went back to the doctor he got the same response, so being the good patient he is, he took the medicine and went on his way.. Two and a half weeks pass and we still have a lot of congestion and while I cough a lot, Justin can't hear out of an ear.. After we went to a training session with our personal trainer, Justin got very winded and light-headed. Since our doctor's office is also an emergency-physician of sorts after 5, we decided we'd head back and see if he had any suggestions. After discussing the symptoms and having the doctor check us out, he said, "well folks, the only thing I could think of it being is the fajita flu." "The what?" "Swine flu." Huh. "Yes, bronchitis is really something only smokers or people who are exposed to second-hand smoke get." (I wish he'd have told his PA that). Either way, he put us on the highest dosage of antibiotics he could find as well as inhalers. Yeah, we felt like winners. I realize that in order to truly diagnose it as that he would have to take a blood test, but I just wanted to get over whatever I had, so I took the drugs.. And am discussing a t-shirt idea with Justin saying "I survived swine flu". And that's that.... Now let me go cough on someone to see if I can pass it along.

The accent gives it away

I had a funny experience I wanted to share. Today at work I was minding my own business (well, other peoples' business, really) when a guy I'd never seen in my life walked in front of my desk. While I do sit in a cubicle, mine is one of those fancy ones with a window that faces the hallway. He smiled and waved. He passed by a few times until finally this afternoon he came by and introduced himself. He's one of the regional supervisors who was visiting the area seeing how things were going and he wanted to know how I was adjusting as the new kid. Right off the bat I had to chuckle because his accent gave him away. He was from New Orleans. While it is under investigation and pending a responsive text message from my mom, he may have even known her which makes it even more amusing.

I'm not sure why it is, but since moving from New Orleans and still being able to make relatively frequesnt trips back, I've grown more aware of the unique accent New Orleans natives have. I hate when people try to say that the "correct" way to say New Orleans is N'awlins. That's not true. You have to be drunk and stupid to say it like that. I did, however, have a good friend on the mission from Dallas who said frequented New Orleans and said that the best way to describe the New Orleans accent is "a New Yorker gone retarded". While I don't entirely agree with the retarded part, I would say "a very lost New Yorker". I think of one of my great aunts and an old bishop of mine who had this accent and smile because that's how it sounds to me. It has gradually become a very melodic thing to me. If anything it makes me miss New Orleans and all of her quirks and eccentric personalities.

When I first started at BYU I used to hate telling people I was from New Orleans because they would ask why I didn't have a Southern accent. While I would randomly wish I had it (when good looking guys said they liked the accent), for the most part I was proud I didn't have a Southern accent because in my mind having one had a whole bunch of negative implications with it. I was grateful for the fact that neither of my parents had distinctive accents (not even dad's Cuban accent was strong) and that I never picked up the phrase y'all or other stereotypically Southern phrases (I swear I heard it more from dorm mates from the midwest and west than from my own lips).

While it has taken me much longer to appreciate a Southern accent, I am learning that a Southern drawl doesn't necessarily mean ignorance or backwardsness. I have come accept the word y'all in its many forms (my Utah-born and raised in laws love saying "ya'lls"), and even use it every once in a while, yet my mind still corrects people when they say it ("you, not y'all, and DEFINITELY not you guys). I suppose in my pretentious mind I won't be able to move past certain prejudices.