10
Tania dlg
AlejandroMartínez
18martinez4785 @ asfm. mx
A Mexican in an American school
“ The school is supposed to be forming the country’ s next leaders, but can we really lead a country we don’ t know much of?”
I’ ve been a student at The American School Foundation of Monterrey( ASFM), an institution amongst the best in the country, for the past 14 years of my life, and I have loved it. An education at this school has given me an intellectual foundation that is reason for envy. But amongst all of this opportunity and vast sea of knowledge there is an evident gap: Mexican culture.
In my mind, and the same goes for the rest of ASFM, there is a shameful blank space when it comes to learning about the riches of our nationality. This school has succeeded in everything an American school should, but in doing so it’ s failed to meet the educational standards of most areas regarding the country they stand on. The sad truth is that the underfunded and understaffed public schools in Mexico far surpass this expensive, top-tier institution in our knowledge and understanding of the nation. The school is supposed to be forming the country’ s next leaders, but can we really lead a country we don’ t know much of?
This isn’ t a result of bad teachers; our teachers excel at what they do. The fact that they are able to fit language, culture and history into one class a year, and actually have the students retain some knowledge is impressive. We may know everything about everything in the world, but know nothing about our direct neighbors.
I do not aim to be aggressive in this piece, or to seem resentful. I come from a place of confusion. I am 18 years old at this point, and I am troubled at my ignorance. I just now was struck by a feeling of social responsibility and patriotism, which urges me to learn more about Mexico. I am confused because I feel as if I lived in a bubble, one popped whenever I talk with anyone who isn’ t part of the ASFM cult. I love my American school with everything in me, but ask of it only thing: please do not deprive me of my nationality.
Opinions expressed in this section do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper or ASFM.