Septiembre

by Mandy Ades (United States of America)

I didn't expect to find USA

It was 2018 along the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, my dad and I were pushing ourselves to the top of a pass, dozens of miles from civilization and over 10,000 feet in elevation, when I heard yelling. Dogs emerged and ran around our tires. There was still yelling, “Septiembre, Septiembre!” At first I thought someone was calling out the name of one of the dogs, then I recognized the spanish word for September. We came to a stop. There was a man sitting on a grassy hill a little ways from us. He was in the middle of a flock of sheep, his skin leathered and tanned from being in the sun. Other than the sheep and the dogs, he was completely alone in the middle of nowhere. He stood and walked towards us still saying “Septiembre” over and over again. Eventually I confusedly said, “September?” Recognizing that I had understood, he started rapidly speaking to me in spanish. I had to shift gears. It had been over a month since I had spoken any spanish, so it took me a second to comprehend it. Eventually, I caught on that he had been on the mountain since May and he would be there until September. He had been trying to tell us how long he would be there. After that realization, my spanish came a little easier, and I was able to converse with him on a basic level. His name was Victor. The rest of his family lived in Chihuahua, Mexico.With love in his eyes, he told us he had ten brothers and sisters, a beautiful wife, a daughter and two sons. Chuckling, he showed us how one of his sons was much taller than him, while the other was a head shorter. From his joyful smile and the way he joked, it was obvious they were very close. He explained that he came to the United States on a work visa and was a sheep-herder so that he could send money home to his family. His only way to converse with them was through letters-where he sent and received them from is still beyond me. Eventually we finished our talk, and took a picture with him. This encounter was riveting for many different reasons. In a basic sense, I was very glad my educational background provided me the opportunity to speak with him at all. It was a huge moment for my personal growth, and his reaction to us demonstrated people’s basic need for human interaction. It was also a beautiful glimpse into the life of someone else. Victor’s life is drastically different from anyone else’s that I have ever met. He is a sheep herder, which is not a job that you typically hear about. It is hard work. From what I saw during my trip, sheep herders only had a small wagon that was towed by a quad. I imagine they tow their trailers miles to restock food and have to live off of whatever they have packed until they can come back to their restock spot. His lifestyle showed how much he cherished his family. He was willing to work in harsh conditions, completely isolated for months at a time, in order to provide for them. When he spoke of his family, it gave off a strong sense of purpose and pride. They were the reason that drove everything he did. It was enlightening to witness, especially as a girl who has grown up watching families around me fall apart. He was willing to sacrifice everything for his family and that was beautiful. Our mad dash to Mexico brought many new faces and stories into our lives. Being able to have a conversation with all of these different people was life-changing. Because of the people we met and spoke to, I can realize that our lives do not have to stick to the mold we have been spoon fed since childhood. We can change who we are and grow as individuals, if we only stray from the beaten path, challenge ourselves, make sacrifices, we can build a life without limits that is completely different from what society tells us it should be.