red, white, and green.

i just got back from mexico.

a warning…this is going to be a very long post.

i went to visit my friend jared who lives there:

with my friends ashley and jonathan:


i hadn’t seen any of them in a YEAR. not cool.

i’ll start by sharing the most shocking part of my visit. the one cultural norm i cannot ever embrace.

they don’t serve chips and salsa in mexican restaurants.

i know, it’s hard to accept, but it’s true. in my uninformed, slightly biased, but perfectly accurate opinion…i think texans came up with it. they must have known instinctively that something was missing in the mexican food dining experience. or maybe they got tired of staring at the bowls of salsa on the table that just sat there mocking them with their deliciousness.

i experienced so many things! i LOVED being in another culture, and i’m glad i was with someone who lives there. it was better than just being a tourist. i’m going to put some of my 360 pictures on facebook, and that will have some more of the details. we saw a castle, and the national cathedral, the national palace, some beautiful Mexican art, ate a lot of good food…seriously. the whole trip was amazing.

and OH YEAH…i climbed a pyramid. this one.

for real. it happened.

i almost didn’t make it to the top. i felt like I was going to faint. so i was going to stop with about a third of the stairs left, and i decided…i have to push through this. if i don’t, i’ll regret it forever. and if i faint, i faint on top of a pyramid. everything is better on top of a pyramid. so I can live with that. you know, hopefully.

anyway, the pics on facebook will show a lot.

so here, i want to comment on the cultural differences that i found fascinating. it’s so cool to be in another country. i felt this small amount of discomfort the whole time because i don’t know the language, and i didn’t know how things were supposed to be done…all the things that go along with visiting another country. but i loved that feeling. so i’ve divided the things i observed into three categories…1) parts of mexican culture i wish america would adopt, 2) parts of mexican culture that i could adjust to and feel comfortable with eventually if i lived there a long time…but i’d probably always think “this is mexican” not “this is normal”, and 3) parts of mexican culture that are psycho, no offense

1) parts of mexican culture i wish america would adopt
- limes. they put lime on everything. it sits on the tables where salt and pepper usually goes. got some enchiladas? add some lime. want a quesadilla? add some lime. enjoying some lime jello? sprinkle some lime on top. (actually that one only applies to jonathan…)

- art. there is art EVERYWHERE! like these paintings and mosaics on the sides of some buildings…

they are not afraid to use color. everything is so colorful. i just love that there is art everywhere. even when you’re just riding the metro, there is art on the wall.

- taxis without front seats. maybe you think this should go in part three. but you’re wrong. not all taxis are like this, but there are some. so jared had to sit on my feet a lot. it felt so wild and crazy.

- the little buses! they were my favorite form of transportation, i think because they felt so foreign. half the people sat down, and half the people stood up holding on to these bars. i bet someone tried to drive these in america, but then some pansy fell down and broke his fingernail, and sued them. let’s give it another try.

- tacos al pastor. america….oh, america. you don’t even know what you’re missing. so content with your tamales and chalupas… at least we have our chips and salsa.

- no shorts. i don’t care if other people wear shorts, but i personally hate them. i never wear shorts. i’m always in favor of other people changing to be more like me, so you should all stop wearing shorts.

- the free dog policy. it’s an actual policy. (it’s not actually a policy). i probably wouldn’t have paid much attention to this without jonathan, but the dogs did seem unusually happy. they were able to roam about freely. their options weren’t limited to being on a leash or in a yard, or being put to sleep in the pound. they walked around with the people. jared says they also like to chase people, but i seriously doubt that. i never saw it with my own eyes. therefore…not true.

2) parts of mexican culture that i could adjust to and feel comfortable with eventually if i lived there a long time…but i’d probably always think “this is mexican” not “this is normal”

- enchiladas in the morning. i love mexican food, so i like the fact that they eat it for breakfast. my stomach wasn’t ready for that, but i would embrace that tradition without hesitation.

- the air kiss greeting. ummm…americans don’t touch each other. so that’s why i’d have to adjust to it. but it seems nice.

- alternate forms of transportation. that’s not uniquely mexican, but it was new to me. and i liked it. i hate, hate, hate, driving. seriously. i had fun riding the metro, and the taxis, and buses. a lot of walking too, which does the body good.

- lunch at 4, and dinner at 9. what? it really happens.

3) parts of mexican culture that are psycho, no offense

- no traffic rules after 10:30. i would surely die.

- people shouting “guero!” (not sure if that’s how it’s spelled) when white people walk by. if i ever yelled “black guy! a black guy is coming!” here i would get shot in the face. no trial. no chance to explain why. just a bullet in the face. sorry if that’s too graphic. but that was weird to me.


and a million other things i can’t think of right now. it’s so much to process…

the best part was seeing my friends. living alone, not having someone to talk to every day, hating my job, not knowing what my future looks like…these things and other normal life frustrations weigh on me. just sitting in a room with them watching seinfeld lifted my spirit. until i had to leave. but it was a really good trip.