A Little Family History

 

Dear Friends,

I love stories. Personal stories. I'd like to share a little about myself and why this particular part of the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accesibility Training is important to me personally.

A little family history to create a foundation. My father was born in Germany after World War II. His parents were Jewish Holocaust survivors. They migrated to the US when he was small to live, as my grandmother liked to say with a smile: The American Dream :-) My mother was born in Texas (very much of Irish and Scottish decent). My parents married and chose a life of overlanding. Their travels carried them mostly up and down the west coast of the US and throughout Mexico. While my mom was pregnant with me in southern Mexico, she and my dad managed to hitchhike back to Oregon so I could be born in the US. Eight months pregnant and hitchhiking! Seriously. Jogging to get in the next car.

My childhood continued with these travels. I spoke English first and began speaking Spanish at the age of four naturally from hanging out with the locals. I was a toe head who blended in culturally and yet stood out physically. When I was seven, my parents decided to settle down in northern California, leaving Mexico behind until my mom returned when I was a teenager and I had forgotten my Spanish. I'd disconnected from this place physically, culturally, linguistically. When she moved here, I rebelled and stayed in the US. Then decided to follow in her footsteps and was immersed in ninth grade. It was like starting kindergarten. Regression. My language skills were basic. Gracias y porfavor. Six months of immersion and my mom was right, I did remember. Again, I blended in culturally and stood out physically.

The next few years included a deep conflict about where to eventually build a life. When I would return to the US to visit, Mexico was a dream. I wanted to stay there. When I visited here, the US became a dream. I wanted only to be here.

My heart is here and so I began a life here as a young adult. Immersed in the Mexican culture and community. Until my early thirties when I started taking yoga classes. Then, only offered in English. I started kiteboarding. Wind and waves draw athletes to this beautiful destination. Yoga, wind and water were my social reconnection with the US. This filled a need I had to reopen and include this part of myself.

I am married to a local. Our children are bilingual and bicultural.

For a great deal of my life, I didn't feel like I belonged to either culture and at the same time, I belong everywhere I am. Because I wasn't sure where I fit in and often felt like I was straddling both sides of the border, somewhere in the middle, I found a sense of freedom. To be who I am. And create my own path. I imagine this discovery in my life lead me to Buddhism. A natural fit. The middle road.

I am an architect. My husband is a civil engineer. We've been business partners for over twenty years. Longer than we've been married. We were friends and colleagues for several years before I realized: I love this man.

Realizing that no one was teaching yoga in Spanish to the local community --- booming offerings in English for tourists and part timers or expats --- I became certified six years ago and teach in both languages. I started in Spanish with the locals and then branched out.

Our clients are predominately from the US or Canada or abroad. We live in Mexico. A developing country. In a rural area where goats still walk the dirt road by our house daily. I can hear their bells as they meander by. The beauty of Baja captured my heart when I was a teen. A moon rise over the Sea of Cortez and that was it. This place draws people in. Many who are from different backgrounds.

Now, my life feels more balanced in both cultures and within my own being. I continue to navigate with a certain freedom. And, I have questions. I have so much to learn about diversity, equity, inclusivity and accessibility.

Thank you for listening. I look forward to learning more about each one of you.

With love and deep gratitude,

Tehroma

This letter was written to my Affinity Home group as we are encouraged to introduce ourselves to our group of peers at the onset of each program. The entire MMTCP program runs two years: February 2021-February 2023. The required affinity home group for DEIA is considered a critical and fulfilling part of our journey in the the MMTCP, filling a time period of June 2021-December 2021.