The Dangers of Teaching, Part 2

This time I didn't hurt myself. Rather, today we're talking about the specific dangers of teaching in New Mexico. Or more specifically History of New Mexico.

I knew this would probably happen ahead of time so I was prepared.

After class this woman comes up to me. She had already identified herself specifically as Spanish during a discussion today. No doubt she then loved my descriptions of Juan de Oñate, the colonizer of New Mexico, cutting off the feet of every Acoma Indian over the age of 25 in 1599.

Anyway, after class she comes up and asks where I'm from. I answer. Oregon. This is not cool in New Mexico. A friend of mine warned me--she is from Nebraska and had to deal with this. So this student is like, is there anyone here who really knows New Mexico history. Meaning is from New Mexico. Now if you want to piss me off, imply that I don't know my history. I contained myself and simply told her that there wasn't a person who taught the class who was from New Mexico. This she just couldn't understand and then she just left.

On the other hand, I got to share with my class the time a goat at a petting zoo tried to eat my coat when I was about 3 and how it has made me not like goats forever. You know what I'm best at when I teach? Staying on topic.