Some people sail through life happily. Others are dragged through it
kicking and screaming. I'm usually in the second group, and during
college there has been a lot more screaming on my part than I'd like to
admit. However, as obnoxiously cliche as it sounds, every cloud has a
silver lining. And what's more, these last couple years I have still
been blessed with instances where I am thankful to be alive, grateful
for what I have, and actually glad that I was given the chance to live
this life and interact with the people whose paths have intersected
mine.
Right now is such a time. I'm in Ensenada once again, the first time I've been back since my stint here a few years ago. Back in June I called up my Mexico parents (Dennis and Debbie), and said, the gist of it is, I'm sad, I miss you guys, I need to get out of Boise, can I come see you? And them, being the generous, wonderful people that they are, said yes. * Click * I booked my tickets online while we were still on the phone.
And two months later, here I am. There wasn't much of a culture shock this time around, I actually feel like I'm picking up from where I left off. All that's changed here is that a few new stores have popped up, others have closed, and my friends here are all 3 years older and some have babies.
Don't think I'm claiming to be Mexican through and through. Far from it. I totally stick out as a gringa. After a year of living and breathing nursing, and speaking almost no Spanish, my verbal skills in the language are shot. Another example is that you almost never see anyone jogging on the streets here. And no one walks their dogs. So, I got a lot of whistles and stares from people when I took Tormenta for a run (just call me "la gringa con el perro." Everyone else did.) :-P
But, even if my Spanish is horrendous, and even if I do things that are very un-mexican, I'm so happy to be back. There's something so magical about eating some birria and sharing a bottle of wine with friends you haven't seen in years, catching up on life, and being around these guys who have the patience to put up with your bad Spanish. There's something about wanting a massage and going to a Catholic woman who works out of her little one bedroom apartment and only speaks Spanish and charges only $25 per hour which ends up being hands down the best massage of your life. And there's something else about having been to so many places in a foreign city that you actually have preferences for where you want to eat, shop, and hang out. Because you've done it all so many times. And paying with pesos, throwing your tp in the trash can, not putting ice in your drinks - all totally normal.
And even with all of my gringa-quirks, there are times where I feel right at home here. I've been here a week and had yet to run into anyone from the States besides Dennis and Debbie until today. We were doing some shopping in downtown Ensenada, and when we were in this one store a family barged in and was doing the whole, "ooh mom look at this? twenty percent off! look, ooh I want this!" and immediately I thought, "damn, Americans are loud." Kind of like when me and the Mexican RLM staff used to make fun of the youth group from Arkansas back in 06. but that's another story.
I have more travel aspirations. And while I may not have the time to master every single language of every country I visit, I want to be able to communicate, and I want to experience the true culture of each place (being a traveler and not a tourist). The idea of staying in a hotel is so unappealing to me right now. I am perfectly happy to couchsurf at each new place I go.
Right now is such a time. I'm in Ensenada once again, the first time I've been back since my stint here a few years ago. Back in June I called up my Mexico parents (Dennis and Debbie), and said, the gist of it is, I'm sad, I miss you guys, I need to get out of Boise, can I come see you? And them, being the generous, wonderful people that they are, said yes. * Click * I booked my tickets online while we were still on the phone.
And two months later, here I am. There wasn't much of a culture shock this time around, I actually feel like I'm picking up from where I left off. All that's changed here is that a few new stores have popped up, others have closed, and my friends here are all 3 years older and some have babies.
Don't think I'm claiming to be Mexican through and through. Far from it. I totally stick out as a gringa. After a year of living and breathing nursing, and speaking almost no Spanish, my verbal skills in the language are shot. Another example is that you almost never see anyone jogging on the streets here. And no one walks their dogs. So, I got a lot of whistles and stares from people when I took Tormenta for a run (just call me "la gringa con el perro." Everyone else did.) :-P
But, even if my Spanish is horrendous, and even if I do things that are very un-mexican, I'm so happy to be back. There's something so magical about eating some birria and sharing a bottle of wine with friends you haven't seen in years, catching up on life, and being around these guys who have the patience to put up with your bad Spanish. There's something about wanting a massage and going to a Catholic woman who works out of her little one bedroom apartment and only speaks Spanish and charges only $25 per hour which ends up being hands down the best massage of your life. And there's something else about having been to so many places in a foreign city that you actually have preferences for where you want to eat, shop, and hang out. Because you've done it all so many times. And paying with pesos, throwing your tp in the trash can, not putting ice in your drinks - all totally normal.
And even with all of my gringa-quirks, there are times where I feel right at home here. I've been here a week and had yet to run into anyone from the States besides Dennis and Debbie until today. We were doing some shopping in downtown Ensenada, and when we were in this one store a family barged in and was doing the whole, "ooh mom look at this? twenty percent off! look, ooh I want this!" and immediately I thought, "damn, Americans are loud." Kind of like when me and the Mexican RLM staff used to make fun of the youth group from Arkansas back in 06. but that's another story.
I have more travel aspirations. And while I may not have the time to master every single language of every country I visit, I want to be able to communicate, and I want to experience the true culture of each place (being a traveler and not a tourist). The idea of staying in a hotel is so unappealing to me right now. I am perfectly happy to couchsurf at each new place I go.
But, even with all my grand plans for the future, I am doing all that I can to try and live in the moment, and be here now. And right now I am in Ensenada, which is right where I should be.
These are Tix Tix - my favorite candy in Mexico. I'm kind of obsessed.
Found my old tool belt in the tool shed. I was pretty excited.
