Wednesday, March 13, 2013

The Color of Chocolate

It's ironic but true that in Mexico, where the vast majority of people are not this color, this color is still known as "color carne": flesh color. 

Last week in Isaias' class, they were coloring paper dolls of their families.  The teacher asked what color skin is, and the children chorused: "COLOR CARNE."

But Isaias said, "NO.  Mi papito es de color
café.  Mi papito es el color de chocolate."  My daddy is brown.  My daddy is the color of chocolate.

His classmates laughed.  Many of them are, themselves, brown.  All of them have family members who are brown.  And they laughed. 

Isaias insisted.  He would not color his papito the wrong color.  His papito is the color of chocolate.  Finally his teacher said that he was right, and told the children not to laugh.  And he colored his papito brown. 

He didn't stay inside the lines.  But I think he did a beautiful job.