Although I may not have done anything particularly fancy or exciting today, I feel as though I accomplished allot! My hands hurt, my back aches, and I am utterly exhausted.
Whenever I have free time I feel as though I should be doing something, especially on the weekend. Today was no different. The exception was that I realized I didn't need to go "out" in order to satisfy that feeling.
When I woke up, my mom was out in the courtyard washing laundry (as she is prone to do when it is sunny out). I had already planned on doing laundry today, when it occurred to me that I should take this opportunity to really immerse myself in the culture and "do as the natives do". Not that all Mexican women wash their laundry by hand, but it is allot more common here than back home. So, determined to try it out, I marched down to the local tienda and bought a bar of "Jabon de Zota".
I proceeded to spend the next two hours washing every article of clothing I own here (except for what I am wearing). It was utterly exhausting and oh so fulfilling! I had no idea what hard work it is to wash clothes using nothing more than a bucket of water, washboard, and bar of soap! Standing in the sunshine, soaked from the splashed water, I had a great deal of time to reflect on the mundane task of doing laundry. I have never really thought about it before.. I guess I always kind of took for granted the simplicity and convenience of washing machines. I mean, until recently, this is how it has been down. Imagine, generations of women (and men) washing not only their own clothes, but the clothes of their families! Hours on end, spent laboring to make sure their families have clean clothes to wear.
With that thought in mind, I would like to personally thank women everywhere for all the effort they put in (and have put in) to provide a better life for their families. Thank you so much!!! Without you, we wouldn't have the conveniences of modern technology or clean laundry.
Think about it, next time you throw a load of laundry into the washing machine.
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now perhaps you understand why i am grateful to have the wash-machine i have and don't feel the need for a new one!
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