Marco is from Mexico City, Mexico’s capital. He is a city kid, who likes tinkering with1 cars and playing video games about cars. Marco also enjoys watching football match, and lucha libre2, the country’s unique style of wrestling. When he has time, he trains at a nearby boxing gym. Until recently, Marco was studying for the national exam that Mexican students must pass to get into high school.
His studies took a new turn when his parents received a surprising offer. His mother’s employer said that he would pay for Marco to spend a year at a school in Toronto, Canada. There he would be able to learn English.
Marco was uncertain at first. “But then I opened up to the idea.” he told us. “Because of the language, to get to know the city and to know the culture there.”
So last summer, Marco prepared to leave Mexico for the first time, his new suitcase packed with borrowed sweaters. He admitted that he was nervous at the thought of being all alone, in a place where he doesn’t know anybody. Yet he was excited too.
“I think it will be worth all the effort,” Marco said.
“I began training at the boxing gym at the end of January, every evening from 7 to 9 p.m. I’m a featherweight3. At the beginning, it seemed easy and boring. But then they give you harder exercises. I’ve already done some sparring4. The experience of being in the ring5 is the best. You feel like all your anger is just leaving you. It brings out6 all your strength.” —Marco
Cumbia and Hip-Hop
With nearly 20 million people, Marco’s hometown is the second most-populous urban center in the world. Mexico City was founded in the 14th century as Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire.
In 1521, Hernando Cortes, a Spanish explorer, conquered the Aztec and destroyed Tenochtitlan. The city that rose from its ruins is a mixture of rich and poor people, and Spanish and Indian culture. One of North America’s most important cultural centers, Mexico City is a place where modern skyscrapers rise close to tin-roofed shacks.
Marco’s working-class neighborhood, called Juventino Rosas, is one of modest concrete houses and corner stores7 where mothers and small children shop for food. Norteno8 and other Mexican music mixes with hip-hop in the streets. It is a comfortable, family-oriented neighborhood, where fathers start their Sundays by washing the car.
The Jimenez family lives in a three-room apartment on the top floor of a two-story building. Marco’s grandparents, who live below them, run a building-supply business from their garage. Many of their neighbors also run small businesses.
Marco’s sights are set on Mexico’s National Polytechnic Institute9, and then a job as an automotive engineer. “The engineers... watch how the cars are assembled, they follow the design,” he said. “I like cars. I’m interested in fast luxury cars.”
More Opportunities
Marco’s family struggles to get by10. Marco’s father works as a driver and handyman11 for a wealthy family.
For Marco, education is the key to getting ahead. After he finishes college, he will face an extremely competitive job market. That is why his parents are so excited about his chance to study in Canada, where he will be immersed in the English language. They believe that a year there will give Marco an edge.
“It will be a letter of introduction,” said his mother, who is a secretary. “He will be on a different level from the rest in his school.”
Marco thinks his future will be more promising outside Mexico. “I feel there are more opportunities abroad.” he said.
New Responsibilities
A problem Mexico faces is drug-and gang-related violence. Ricardo, 19, was expelled12 from high school after he joined a gang and left home. “I became what’s called a ‘hooligan13’,” Ricardo admitted. “I fell in with some bad friends and took the wrong path.”
Eventually, Ricardo returned home to the bedroom he shares with Marco.
During the summer, Marco counted down14 the days before he would leave for Canada. He was carrying a big responsibility but seemed to wear it lightly. “I know that I can do this,” he said. “You just have to put your mind to it.”
马克来自墨西哥首都墨西哥城。他是一个城里孩子，喜欢鼓捣汽车和玩有关汽车的电子游戏。马克还喜欢看足球比赛，以及自由摔跤赛——墨西哥特有的摔跤比赛。他一有时间，就会在附近的拳击馆训练。最近一段时间，马克正在为全国考试作准备。墨西哥学生必须通过这场考试才能升入高中。
当父母意外得到一份工作时，他的学业出现了新的转折点。他妈妈的老板说将资助马克在加拿大多伦多的一所学校学习一年。他会在那里学习英语。
刚开始马克不知所措。“但接下来我接受了这个主意。”他告诉我们，“因为学会英语，就可以了解那个城市和那里的文化。”
所以去年夏天，马克已准备好首次离开墨西哥，他的新手提箱里塞满了借来的毛线衫。他坦言，一想到将要孤身一人生活在一个举目无亲的地方，他就感到紧张和激动。
“我想，所有这些努力都会是值得的。”马克说。
“1月底，我开始在拳击馆训练，每天晚上从7点练到9点。我是一名最轻量级拳击选手。刚开始的练习简单而枯燥，不过到后来他们就给你加大了训练强度。我已经开始练习打拳击了。站在拳击台上的体验是最棒的，你会感觉你的所有愤怒离开了你。它将你的所有力量展现出来。”
——马克
昆比亚舞和嘻哈乐
马克的家乡有将近2,000万人口，是世界上人口第二多的中心城市。墨西哥城的前身是14世纪的特诺兹提朗城，当时的阿兹特克帝国首都。
1521年，西班牙探险家荷南多·库特征服了阿兹特克帝国，特诺兹提朗城也被毁坏。在废墟之上建立的墨西哥城已成为一个贫富共存、西班牙文化与印弟安文化交融的城市。作为北美洲最重要的文化中心之一，墨西哥城中现代摩天大楼和铁皮棚屋毗邻而立。
马克家住在名叫约文蒂诺·罗萨的工人阶层居住区，到处都是普通的混凝土住宅，及大人小孩购买食品的小商店。街头播放的音乐里，诺特诺和其他墨西哥音乐混合着嘻哈乐。这是一个轻松惬意的、以家庭为中心的居民区，父亲们会以洗车作为周日生活的开始。
希门尼斯家居住在一栋两层楼顶楼的一个三居室公寓里。马克的祖父母住在他们楼下，用车库做门面搞建材生意。他们的许多邻居也做着小生意。
马克的目标是进入墨西哥国家理工学院，准备以后做一名汽车工程师。“工程师……监督汽车组装的流程，他们按设计图进行组装。”他说，“我喜欢汽车，尤其对豪华快车感兴趣。”
更多机会
马克一家只能勉强维持生计。马克的父亲为一个富有的家庭开车、打杂。
对于马克而言，教育才是出人头地的关键。当他念完大学后，他将面临一个竞争激烈的就业市场。这也是他的父母对他有机会到加拿大学习感到如此兴奋的原因——在那儿，他将沉浸在英语环境中。他们相信，一年的学习将会增强马克的竞争优势。
“这次经历等于是他的一封推荐信，”他身为秘书的母亲说，“他将处在一个与学校其他孩子不同的水平上。”
马克认为走出墨西哥，他将会更有前途。“我觉得在国外机会多一些。”他说。
新的责任
困扰墨西哥的一大问题是涉毒涉黑犯罪行为。马克的哥哥、19岁的里卡多，因为加入帮派离家出走而被学校开除。“我成了人称的‘小流氓’。”里卡多承认，“我结交了一些坏朋友，误入歧途。”
最后，里卡多回到家中，与马克同居一室。
暑假期间，马克一直数着还有几天动身去加拿大。他肩负着重大的责任，但看起来似乎很轻松。“我知道我能做到。”他说，“你只要用心去做就行了。”
1. tinker with 修补；倒腾；摆弄
2. lucha libre墨西哥自由摔跤赛
3. featherweight n. 最轻量级选手
4. sparring n. 拳击
5. ring n. 拳击场
6. bring out 展示出
7. corner store 住宅区附近的商店
8. Norteno 一种墨西哥民族音乐
9. polytechnic institute 工学院
10. get by 维持生活
11. handyman n. 做杂事的人
12. expel v. 开除
13. hooligan n. 小流氓
14. count down 倒计时