Provecho

Provecho is a commonly said phrase throughout Mexico before a person eats a meal or snack of some sort. It is very similar to people saying Bon Appétit in France or Mahlzeit in Germany. However, when translated to English, provecho means:

“Make the most of your meal.”

Now, as someone who loves to eat and doesn’t understand a whole lot of Spanish, hearing this phrase every time I sat down was confusing. To me, someone was saying a random word at me, and I was smiling back awkwardly because I had no idea what you are saying. It wasn’t till one day at lunch with my friend Tony that someone said provecho to me, and he asked if I was going to say Gracias's back. I looked at him, confused, and asked why. He then explained to me that when you sit down next to someone in Mexico and they are eating, they will tell you provecho, and you should thank them and say it back. This is considered a basic sign of respect, and to not do it is disrespectful. But it also means that you weren’t making the most of your meal.

That got me thinking. Have I been making the most out of every meal? Have I been grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had so far? The short answer is no.

A prime example of this is the walks to and from the station on Monday and Tuesday. For some context, the main CIMMYT building (Where I start my day) and the station where I was working are about 1 km or 0.62 miles apart. Now, that doesn’t sound too far away until you go back and forth a total of three times for a meeting, lunch, and back home at the end of the day on Monday. I was extremely frustrated with all this walking, and I felt like I was wasting my time. Then Tuesday came around, and I was walking. I thought to myself, what a beautiful day it is, I’m lucky to have this time to reflect, think, or to simply walk in silence. I began to notice little things like the two makeshift scarecrows in the field and how funny they looked, or the number of ants swarming on the ground. I decided to make the most of my walks.

Me on my walks to and from the station

When I was at the station filling up PVC pipes covered in mesh with a nitrogen leaching prevention chemical, my shoulder was killing me. It was very hot in the building, the other student I was working with didn’t speak a lick of English, no matter what I did, I couldn’t get exactly seven grams in the PVC, and we had to do 600 of these in two days. I was frustrated and leaned back in my chair. That’s when I stopped and noticed the music floating into the building, the smell of the soil, and the hum of the fan as we worked. What I was doing mattered, and no amount of frustration could change the fact that there was a deadline that needed to be met. So, I decided to focus on what a seven-gram scoop of the chemical looked like and get as close as possible in the first scoop. I made the most of my time.

Me filling up the PVC with the chemical

On Tuesday, I attended a Tech Talk about the processes of CIMMYT’s genebank. This was led by Dr. Carolina Sansaloni, the Wheat Germplasm Bank Curator & Genotyping Specialist. As she was explaining the different processes of the genebank, I felt very unknowledgeable compared to all the other adults there. She would say something, and I wouldn’t understand what she was talking about. Instead of letting the impostor syndrome set in, I decided to work up the courage to ask her a question after the tour was done. I wanted to make the most of this learning opportunity.

The Tech Talk I attend at CIMMYT's Gene Bank

On Wednesday, I got the opportunity to go collect insect samples with Sylvanus Odjo and another student. Even though bugs make my skin crawl and itch for the rest of the day. I was determined to learn new things. When walking with Sylvanus, he was teaching me about the mechanization of Mexican agriculture and post-harvest techniques. He then began to tell about why we are collecting insects and the partnership he has with Kansas University. That’s when he looked at me and said, “Bugs don’t need visas to cross the border.” I was shocked and burst out laughing. I then thought to myself, what if I wasn’t supposed to laugh at that? He then told me that science and research aren’t all about being serious. It’s about connecting with people to solve a problem, and the best connections come from those created in laughter. I decided that I was going to make the most of this conversation and laugh.

Collecting Insect samples with another Student and Sylvanus

On Thursday, I spent over ten hours in the car on my way to different research platforms in the Valles Altos Hubs with Jessica Gonzalez. These ten hours were long and uncomfortable. I was getting car sick, and APPARENTLY, in Mexico, in the State of Hidalgo, they feel the need to put a speed bump EVERY TEN FEET!!! After hours in the car, both Jessica and I were done with the speed bumps, unmaintained roads, and the rain that poured down, making it hard to see. That’s when I realized this is my first time seeing Mexico. I decided to pay attention to what I saw. The mountains, tiendas, mercados, perros, people herding their sheep and cows across roads, and the maize. Jessica and I began to talk more about our families, favorite foods, and how the speed bumps are just giving us a free back massage. We made the most of our adventure. 

Pictures I took on the drive through Hidalgo

Me talking with a Research Coordinator at one of the Research Platforms

Last Sunday, I was able to make the most of my meal with friends. Dani, Liz, Jean-Flavien, and more. I learned how to play Loteria, and even when I struggled to pronounce the words, the encouragement from these people made it so much more fun. I decided I’m going to make the most of my meals with friends

Playing Loteria with my friends on Sunday while we ate Pizza