Part 1: Nueva Casa
Tour of Baja Leai; scholarship announcement; campus tour and aptitude test at Baja Leai University; soccer at the park; Jesus grows hopeful about attending.
The following day was spent in a frenzied blur of bus passes, buildings, and billboards as the group, led by the uncharacteristically peppy Osito, traversed through the sprawling downtown district of Baja Leai. Fueled by the insatiable tourism market, Baja Leai was twenty years ahead of Nueva Casa.
Movie theaters, cafes, and department stores lined the streets, and people from all ethnic backgrounds, dressed in colorful, stylish fashions passed by them.
“This is the old capitol building,” Osito said, pointing at a concrete building with four stories, “Now it’s a post office, and rents out the top two floors to local businesses. That,” He indicated a squat, white building with tall Romanian columns and a domed upper level, standing proudly in front of a beautiful plaza surrounded by gardens and punctuated by a fountain that shot twenty feet in the air, “Is the new capitol. They finished building it during my second year here at Baja Leai.”
They followed him into the plaza, from which they could overlook the Pacific Ocean, where surfers and swimmers were out in force enjoying the sunny, warm weather. Osito gave a long, detailed account of the history of Baja Leai and how it had grown to become a cultural center of the surrounding area, but Jesus’ attention had wandered to the flock of American girls, wearing bright sundresses and wide brimmed hats, accompanied by a skinny, well groomed tour guide. They seemed entranced by whatever tale he was spinning, and Jesus was in turn entranced with them.
“Look at the brunette,” Christian remarked, noting the girls as well. He pointed out a tall, slender, athletic looking woman in her mid-twenties. Her floral top left a cut of her toned midriff exposed, and her short yellow cutoff jeans left little of her legs to the imagination.
” … And he, not surprisingly went on to opening the first bistro in town, right next to the movie theater, which is our next stop,” Osito finished, and on cue the group began walking towards the opposing street.
Osito led them to a large, showy movie theater where they saw a film about a love story during the French Revolution. It was good, but most of the students were bored by the end of the lengthy and pretentious movie. After it was over, they went to the Museum of Traditional Art and History, which was, as Jesus had feared, just as boring and uninteresting as it sounded. He did, however, enjoy some of the impressionistic artwork of long-dead Mexican artists, in particular a landscape scene of a cattle ranch, featuring two ranch hands attempting to restrain a bull. The colors were vibrant and an extreme exaggeration of reality, bright shades of golden orange and deep cobalt accentuating the thrashing beast’s struggle. The ropes frayed and splintered into convoluted wisps of motion around the animal, as if the painting was moving before his own eyes. Jesus could feel the bull’s intense, animalistic power through the splintered painting, great swathes of muscles rippled with energy and eyes bulged. The bull was the focal point of the painting, inhabiting the center of the landscape. Towards the edges, a greenish-pink haze obscured the farm buildings and livestock, drawing the eye towards the middle.
They had dinner at the most expensive restaurant Jesus had ever been to, and also one of the only restaurants he had even been to, an Italian eatery with white linen tablecloths and blacked-out waitstaff.
He gorged himself on the delicious garlic bread and ordered a chicken pasta dish smothered in thick, creamy white sauce with peas and bits of barbequed shrimp. It was delicious, one of the best things he had ever tasted, and put him right to sleep when they finally returned to Layla’s home.
In the morning, Sophia announced that they would be visiting the Baja Leai University, an old and well established school only a quarter mile from the sprawling Baja coastline. Every year, she said, the University gave out dozens of scholarships to worthy students who scored well on a standardized aptitude test and wrote an essay on a different subject matter every year.
“Those of you that wish to can apply for the scholarship. It just so happens that our visit coincides with the application period. Tomorrow,” She said, addressing Jesus, Christian, Enrique, and Andrea, “I want you to apply for the scholarship. We can fill out the paperwork during the tour.”
Baja Leai University was a beautiful, old campus with a fusion of modern high rising white brick buildings and traditional, short copper and black colored ones. The campus was sizable, stretching between almost a dozen buildings surrounded by a tall latticework terrace. The campus was a brisk twenty minute walk from Layla’s boarding house. She often had students staying with her from the university, sometimes for only a semester, and some for their entire college careers. Jesus had never truly considered the route of higher education. It hadn’t ever been a viable option. Now that a chance had been laid in front of him, he wanted to seize it and use it for all its worth. Now, he was glad that Senora Sophia had been such a thorough teacher and that she had given him so many extra assignments in the recent weeks.
Osito led Christian, Andrea, Miriam, Enrique, and Jesus in a guided tour of the campus, pointing out which buildings had been there before when he had attended, and which ones were new additions.
“This used to be the student center and gymnasium. Now they’ve made it into an indoor soccer arena,” Osito said. They gawked at the huge, high-ceilinged room from the inside, somewhat jealous of the players’ field- a big improvement from the field in Nueva Casa. Jesus observed the students with interest. What were their stories? Where did they come from? What was life like outside of the fishbowl enclosure of Nueva Casa? He longed to be one of them, to belong to something bigger than the village he grew up in.
The informational tour continued through the mathematics and science, fine arts, and social studies buildings before they met a stout, brown man with a broad, distinctive forehead and bushy moustache. He introduced himself as Superintendent Lopez, and informed them that Osito had been an outstanding athlete and student in his day. He greeted each of the young prospects and explained that every year, nine applicants were selected to receive free tuition at the school under the stipulation that the student maintain a requisite GPA and code of conduct.
“Mr. Zuniga,” Lopez continued, motioning towards Osito, “Was a recipient of this very scholarship. You all look like bright young men and women. I have high hopes for all of you,” His moustache wiggled as he talked. He went on to give a brief explanation of Leai University’s interesting past, most of which Osito had previously covered. The school was founded in the 1890’s by a wealthy landowner who died of old age without a wife or heir to pass on his fortune to. His will was entrusted to his lifetime friend. Pedro Lalo, who diligently used his funds to establish the third-largest university on the west coast of Mexico. The school had enjoyed good financial returns and philanthropic support, and had continued to grow in the following years into the bustling, lively campus it was at present.
Lopez supplied them with thick applications, and instructed them to return them at no later than 9:00am the following morning. Osito assured them that they would be back in time to make the deadline.
An excited, nervous anticipation had been growing in the pit of Jesus’ stomach. Was this his chance at a better life, and an escape from poverty? As he looked around the whitewashed buildings and bright, youthful faces full of intellect and promise, he told himself that this was the place for him. In a year’s time, he would call Baja Leai home.
On the way back to the home, Jesus walked between Enrique and Andrea behind Miriam, Christian, and Osito through the middle-class college neighborhood surrounding the university.
“I’m going to get that scholarship,” Enrique stated definitively.
“I’m definitely going to try,” Jesus said. Despite his hopefulness, Jesus was nervous of the test.
“I don’t even want it. I’m just going to take the test and write the exam so Sophia is happy,”
Andrea said.
“You guys are always so negative,” Enrique said, “Have some faith, Jesus, I’m sure you’ll do fine. You’re smarter than I am,” He nudged Jesus encouragingly with his elbow. Up ahead, Christian and Miriam were talking. Jesus eyed Christian with a trace of jealousy.
“It sucks that we have to wake up so early tomorrow. This is supposed to be a vacation,” Andrea complained in typical fashion.
“It’s no earlier than we usually get up,” Jesus said.
“And we have to fill out these huge applications,” She said, indicated the stack of paper in her hand, “I can’t wait until we go to the beach.”
“I got to go to the beach once when I was a kid,” Enrique said. Up ahead, Miriam was laughing at something Christian had said. She playfully touched his arm, and they looked at each other warmly.
That evening, after dinner, Jesus carefully filled out the lengthy applications, writing about his health, history, home and education. Sophia had told all of them what to write for the orphanage’s address, and the type of schooling that they had received. The papers were thorough to a point of redundancy, and Jesus had to fill out the same information several times. Finally, he closed the application and sat back, finished and satisfied. Enrique had also finished, but Christian was still working on his.
“So what did you guys do today? What are all those papers for?” Asked Juan. Jesus explained to him about the college visit and the scholarship. “We got ice cream today. Mrs. Zuniga is really nice.
That’s Osito’s wife,” Juan said. Jesus nodded, thinking about the huge indoor soccer field. He was going to go to Baja Leai, he knew it. He was so excited about the educational prospect that he had completely forgotten about Christian and Miriam.
In the morning, Osito roused the five prospects before dawn and checked through their applications while Layla served a hearty breakfast of eggs, beans, rice, chorizo, and jellied bread.
Enrique and Miriam buzzed with excitement, discussing possible test questions and essay topics. Jesus felt quietly hopeful about the affair, but a blanket of doubt hung over him. Christian and Andrea’s dispositions were equally quiet, but Christian’s silence seemed to be that of a relaxed coincidence whereas Andrea exuded a palpable aura of mild apathy.
The group made the return journey to Leai University, walking on the sidewalk of the paved residential street lined by tropical trees and modest homes. This time, they were accompanied by Sophia as well as Osito, who both spent the walk explaining simple tips and tricks for the test.
“If you don’t know an answer, just guess,” She said, “It’s better to guess than have no answer.
The test is timed, so don’t spend too much time on any one question.”
“If a question is too hard, you can mark it and come back later if you have time,” Added Osito.
The students graciously listened to their advice in anticipation of their trial. They brought the completed forms to the office where they had met with Lopez the previous day, and a soft-faced secretary accepted their forms and instructed the group to find seats in the office. They waited for nearly an hour before the secretary led them to a nearby classroom lined with desks. Osito and Sophia waited outside as they were led into the room with around twenty other students and were instructed as to the testing procedures.
Finally, Jesus opened the test and begun to work. The questions were diverse, ranging from simple things they had practiced ad-nauseum in class to ideas he had never heard of. He stayed hunched over the paper, working to fill in answers and recheck old questions for an intensely focused two hours.
The instructor called time, and the whole room handed in their tests. Jesus had completed the test with time to spare, and had spent the last twenty minutes reviewing the mathematics section. They were then instructed to leave the room for a fifteen minute break before the essay portion began.
Jesus discussed the various portions of the test with his companions and with Osito and Sophia.
After the break, they started the essay portion of the test.
What is the relationship between hardship and professional success? What hardships have you faced, and how have they affected you?
They had an hour and a half and three sheets of lined paper, with instructions to write no less than two pages. Jesus’ hand quickly began flying across the paper, scribbling down sentences almost as quickly as they could come to his mind. Before he knew it, the instructor had called time, and Jesus had filled up almost all the pages with text. He breathed a deep sigh of satisfied relief and momentarily reveled in his completion of the test. Now, all the chips were on the table. The only thing that remained was to see who held the high hands.
Afterwards, they met Rosa with the rest of the others at a park some distance away, taking two different bus routes to get there. When they arrived, she was preparing a charcoal grill and picnic table with the makings of a late lunch.
Juan produced a checkered football and began kicking it around with Christian and Enrique.
Jesus eagerly joined in, and an informal pickup game ensued as nearby parkgoers began to notice and join in. When the teams were formed, Jesus and Enrique stood with four others against Andrea, Christian, Juan, and three athletic-looking students a few years older than them. Despite his recovering injury, Jesus played to the best of his ability, and he felt considerably more spry and strong then he had the previous time he had attempted to play. On one occasion, he deftly captured the ball and guided it past the opponents’ goalie with a swift kick, scoring a picture-perfect goal. The older University students, however, were too good, and Jesus’ team couldn’t keep up with the superior athletes. They scored goal after goal, and after an hour, Christian, Juan, and Andrea’s team won a decisive victory. Jesus decided to talk to one of the university students after the game. He learned that the short-haired, long legged student was a second year physics major from Santa Cruz. He spoke highly of the school and its facilities.
Eventually, the discussion brought them to Baja Leai University’s journalism program.
“It’s one of the best in the country,” The older student boasted, “Our English program is on par with American Universities, too. We have professors from England and The States.”
“How good is the writing program? Do you have any authors or poets there?”
The guy laughed, “Yeah, just about every other freshman fancies himself as the next Pablo Derota. You’ll fit in just fine.”
Jesus walked away satisfied with what he had learned about the school. He gorged himself on barbequed chicken thighs and rice with vegetables before the group retired to a bus bound for Layla’s house. On the way back, Jesus’ mind stayed occupied with thoughts of how he had performed on the test.
The scholarship would ensure a future for him, he was sure of it. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn’t notice how close Miriam was sitting to Christian.