Sharing Science and Culture in Mexico

• Published in: The Hispanic outlook in higher education 1993-08, Vol.3 (13), p.8
• Main Author: Chabolla, Elena
• Format: Magazinearticle
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cartagena Hernandez, Lucio; Geology; Personal profiles; Petroleum

Being his first day in Tuxtla Gutierrez and not having driven much under such conditions, [David A. Kring] used extreme caution, often getting stuck behind large cargo trucks or buses and knowing it was unsafe to pass with little or no space to spare. While [Cartagena] pointed out the make-up of the surrounding mountains (mostly limestone), he sometimes motioned to Kring to pass a slow vehicle, exposing to a degree his desire to take over the wheel. Kring, however, explained to Cartagena that he was the only person authorized to drive the rented vehicle -- something about insurance. I can be certain that had Cartagena driven us up there, we would have arrived safely, but with our newly-white hairs standing on end. The closeness and unity of the family -- which he called a Latin family phenomenon -- made an impression on Kring. "I got an awful lot out of it," Kring said, explaining that he and the Cartagenas had dinner together the evening of their arrival. "In talking to his family, I learned a whole lot more about the country, the people, and the customs. On these trips, when there's not much time, I'm a little afraid it will be too antiseptic, where I'm just there to analyze a rock. Essentially, my plug into the culture was through Lucio's family and the people who stopped at the outcrop," Kring said. Kring was equally impressed with the camaraderie shared by the two geologists, who had never before met. "It was wonderful that he was willing to share his expertise about the local geology," he said. "It reflects the open nature of science, which goes beyond the borders of specific countries. It is the camaraderie," he added. "We had never met and we were just two geologists who could appreciate each other's skills and interests, and it didn't matter that we didn't know each other."