Liabilites

I was sure to encounter vast cultural differences during my tenure here in Mexico, and yesterday I did just that. I signed up for a once a week elective class for which I am unlikely to receive credit at UGA called "Introduccion a la Escalada" - Intro to rock climbing. I expected what came on our first day of class, which of course was a lecture about safety, procedures, and how rock climbing is much more than just climbing rocks - it is, and I translatedly quote, "an adventure towards the core of your being." We showed up at the gym for class number two, where attendance was taken and volunteers to drive were elected before we piled into to whoever's car and headed to La Hausteca, the nearby pass in the mountains.
Once we got there, the instructor pulled out some equipment, somehow got to the top of the rock pictured below, tied up some ropes, came back down, gave us all harnesses and helmets then asked us to follow him. We walked to to the base of a trail of sorts that lead to the 3 foot wide landing at the top of the rock face. Milton, our instructor announced in Spanish, "Ok compañeros, follow me carefully and watch out for the small plant with (something that I didn't understand) as it is will give you the (something else I didn't understand but it sounded bad)." Everyone laughed. I didn't, because Milton just told me to avoid a plant I can't identify or something bad that I don't even fully understand will happen to me. We scurried up the rock face, mostly on all fours until we reached the right height and could walk across to the ledge where the rappelling was to take place.

The trek was by no means easy or safe, and as I was walking on the two foot wide flat sliver of rock with a slick wall to my right and a thirty foot tall fast lane to lots of broken bones in a foreign country to my left, the aforementioned cultural difference hit me: I haven't signed a waiver, Milton isn't holding my hand, and no one thinks anything of it. At first I was shocked. There was no guide rope, no rubber mat to keep you from slipping, no steel handrail, nothing to hold onto, no handicapped access, and no moonbounce at the bottom. No "warning, falling off tall ledges hurts" signs. No yellow paint to mark the edge. No Lawyer's business card's sticking out of the rocks. When I recognized the absence of the business cards, the concept hit me. Mexico, my university, and the person who ass is on the line if I die (I don't know who this is, which concerns me), thought it a novel idea to leave it up to me as to whether or not I would enjoy falling off of a forty foot tall rock face today. Whaaaaaaaat? If Mexico means to say that there will be no one to sue except for me (and I'll most likely be dead or severely injured if there's suing to be had) if I should fall, who is to take the fiscal punishment for the irresponsibility for my actions? Beer me back to America, Pronto.


We finally arrived at the top of the ledge. Three of my classmates and I were up first, and Milton gave a lengthy explanation and demonstration of the procedure and left us to ready ourselves. I was fumbling with a caribeener and tightening some straps before I leaned back over a fifty foot tall ledge when Milton came by. He gave me the thumbs up and I leaned back to start the decent. He looked me over quickly and asked "Randál, entiendes bien el Español?" (Randall, do you understand Spanish well?) I stuttered when I answered "Si" which I'm sure was convincing. This was a pertinent question as I'm sure Milton was thinking "Yea, everything looks secure on this kid, but I would hate for this gringo to die on account of a faulty translation." I was thinking "Dude I am currently leaning at a 45 degree angle off of a sixty foot tall cliff, this is one hell of a time to ask." This did, however, make me think of a new assessment method for high school Spanish teachers. Bring your class to the top of a sixty food ledge, throw some rock climbing equipment on the ground, explain how to use it in Spanish, explain how to rappel in Spanish, and those who live pass. Underachievers have no fear, those who break bones and live will receive C's.

After I landed more or less safely, that is to say I passed with a B+, I looked back up the ninety foot tall rock face that I just rappelled with a sense of accomplishment. And that's the story of how I rappelled down a one hundred thirty foot tall rock face.

-Randall