Storyteller Reaching Out to Children in Mexico

Percibald Garcia knew that staying at home during the coronavirus lockdown is especially difficult for children. So, the 27-year-old architect decided¹ to read them stories.

Almost every day since the beginning of May, Garcia can be seen in Mexico City with his "wandering microphone²." With it, he broadcasts stories to children who gather at apartment building windows to listen.

While many children today have cellphones or computers, Garcia wants them to hear the human voice. He also wants them to realize they can use, even from a distance, the public plazas⁴ that have been an important part of Mexican life for hundreds of years.

"We realized that almost nobody was looking after the way that kids were experiencing this lockdown," Garcia said recently.

Setting⁵ up in one of the green spaces near apartment buildings, he read "The Crazy Opossum," by David Martín del Campo. It tells the story of a possum who suffers because he is so short. The possum tries to reach the moon to feel taller. Once there, he eats the moon — and then must decide, with other animals, how to bring it back.

Before reading a story, Garcia often plays music by the Mexican composer Francisco Gabilondo Soler, known for his children's songs.

Sometimes other storytellers perform, as does a puppet⁶ troop. And always, children appear at the windows of the apartment building to listen to the show.

"In the last three months, everything has gone online, — work, contacts, shopping," said Garcia. He added that he thinks of his work as an "act of resistance⁷" against technology moving into every part of human life.

Rogelio Morales listened to the stories from the window of his grandmother's home. Since March, the 9-year-old has spent much of his time playing video games.

"The only thing I go out for is to walk my dog," he said. "It's a little boring. I miss school."

"It's nice," Rogelio said of the storytelling. "If we have something to do, or if we're very frustrated⁹, we can relax a little."

Luna Gonzalez came with her mother, Tatiana Vega, to listen to the stories from a safe distance. They both wore face masks.

"I imagine the characters, I imagine what the animals are like," said Luna. "Sometimes we go out, because I get bored at home."

Garcia calls his project "De la Casa a la Plaza³." In English, that means "From the house to the plaza."

"The public plaza has been extremely important in Mexico since the time of our ancestors," Garcia noted¹⁰. "It is where people meet, talk, where the life of a neighborhood develops."

Some children have even asked Garcia to read their own stories. Other people have been invited to read stories too.

"This is an invitation to people to continue using the public plaza," he said.

It is not only children who listen.

Rogelio's grandmother, Maria Elena Sevilla, also listened from her window.

"This young man will get a special reward from God, because it is not just children he is entertaining, it is people of my age, too," she said.

I'm John Russell.

Words in This Story

lockdown – n. use of restrictions¹¹ as a security¹² measure

architect – n. a person who designs buildings

wander – v. to move around or go to different places usually without having a given purpose or direction

plaza – n. a public space or open space in a build-up area

composer – n. a person who writes music; songwriter

puppet – n. a movable model of an animal or person

shopping – n. the action of buying goods from stores

boring – adj. uninteresting

frustrate⁸ – v. to cause (someone) to feel angry because of not being able to do something

entertaining – adj. providing enjoyment

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 microphone   

n.扩音器，麦克风，话筒

参考例句：

• He gave a tap at the microphone before speaking.他在讲话前先轻叩了一下扩音器。
• She behaved naturally before the microphone.她在话筒前表现自然。

3 plaza   

n.广场，市场

参考例句：

• They designated the new shopping centre York Plaza.他们给这个新购物中心定名为约克购物中心。
• The plaza is teeming with undercover policemen.这个广场上布满了便衣警察。

4 plazas   

n.（尤指西班牙语城镇的）露天广场( plaza的名词复数 )；购物中心

参考例句：

• At focal points, there are seating plazas as rest points for users. 在主要主景点上，有空间较大的广场提供休息的地方。 来自互联网
• Such products are suitable for lighting and decoration of plazas, courtyards, parks, residential district and roadside. 本产品适合于广场、庭院，公园、小区草坪和道路的装饰和照明。 来自互联网

5 setting   

n.背景

参考例句：

• The play has its setting in Vienna.该剧以维也纳为背景。
• Where and when a story takes place is called the setting.故事发生的地点和时间称为故事背景。

6 puppet   

n.木偶，玩偶；傀儡

参考例句：

• That indicates you're merely a puppet.这说明你只不过是一个傀儡。
• Yes,only a rat puppet beat them out.没错，只有一个老鼠木偶打败过他们。

7 resistance   

n.抵抗力，反抗，反抗行动；阻力，电阻；反对；adj.抵抗的

参考例句：

• Very little resistance was put up by the enemy.敌人没怎么进行抵抗。
• An aircraft has to overcome the resistance of the air.飞机须克服空气的阻力。

8 frustrate   

v.使失望；使沮丧；使厌烦

参考例句：

• But this didn't frustrate Einstein.He was content to go as far as he could.但这并没有使爱因斯坦灰心，他对能够更深入地研究而感到满意。
• They made their preparations to frustrate the conspiracy.他们作好准备挫败这个阴谋。

9 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

12 security   

n.安全，安全感；防护措施；保证(金)，抵押(品)；债券，证券

参考例句：

• A security guard brought him down with a flying tackle.一名保安人员飞身把他抱倒。
• There was tight security at the airport when the President's plane landed.总统的专机降落时，机场的保安措施很严密。