10 Good things about Mexico

I know that so often I'm complaining or grumping about things in Mexico. Recently I have read a few blogs where people were talking of the things they love about Mexico. And I don't mean blogs of those who are retired here and have enough money to live as they please. Don't get me wrong I like their blogs also but it is for sure different when your making and living on pesos. Some of the things that may seem romantic or what not are down right annoying. Se there I go again the point is that when I read those blogs where people list the things they like I find myself shaking my head yes and being like, yeah me to. So here it is here is my list.

1)I do love that the tiendas are all over, we have one on the main floor of the building we live in, and because the owner is also the owner of our apartment we get to keep a tab. So no need to fret if you have no cash. It amazes me how much stuff they can fit in those little stores. Its like going to Walgreens, even if your thinking they prob wont have what your going for most likely it will be there. Or they will tell you that the one across the street has what your looking for. Although I'm sure I would loss some weight if ours wasn't open all the time. It doesn't close till about 1030 I love it. After we get the girls to bed we will often sneak down for a little snack. A good example is last night I was partly through cooking dinner and realized I needed more ingredients. All I had to do was put everything on low heat and run downstairs for what I needed.

2)People watching is totally accepted, and everyone does it. (Kinda freaked me out when I first got here, I'm a watcher but wasn't use to being watched) Now I love it.

3)Anything (and I do mean anything) can be fixed for very cheap. So far we have had like three watch faces replaced, and one watch that fossil told my husband was broke and couldn't be fixed is now in working order and like brand new.

4)Anything (and I do mean anything) can be sold out of your house or on the street. If your crafty or like to cook you can make some cash on the side. I have found that a lot of the fads from my youth are still in style here. For example the hemp style knotted necklaces and bracelets, are going like crazy. So my hippy days are finally paying off.

5)Most people don't get worked up over things that people would freak about in the states. examples bugs (this one kinda bugs me, hee hee), children being brought to work, children running or screaming or crying through a store ext ext. Kids are everywhere and are usually acting like kids and no one cares. Seriously you will seldom walk into a tienda where the owners children are not playing in the floor.

6)Its ok to just sit somewhere and do nothing, actually its expected when your at a relatives house. Sometimes they don't even talk they just hang out all day long.

7)People do your dishes when they are at your house, sure your expected to return the favor but for some reason doing someone else dishes doesn't seem to be as much of a burden. At first I thought this was just something Issacs family did (and I was sure they thought I was a slob and was trying to clean up after me) but the more we have people over the more I find its everyone. I'm curious to if this is just in our area or if this is a Mexican culture as a whole type of thing.

8)So I have to say it... The Food.. how can you have a great things about Mexico list with out the food. Come on people... in Mexico you can get a hotdog wrapped in bacon out on the street on almost every block. Or a Shrimp burger, which is totally made of shrimp, my first order of this I was expecting a burger with a couple tiny shrimp on it. NO we are talking a bunch of big shrimp and you get almost more meat than you do on a hamburger. Speaking of Mariscos oh the soup they make with all the chunks of yummy seafood and tomatoes and lime (not sure what all is in it really )So food could be a post of its own and Ill leave that up to other blogs who do such a great job of it like the The Mija Chronicles and Recipes by Leslie. Sorry I haven't quite figures out how o put links in. Someone care to inform me?

9)Trash pick up is almost every morning. The only days it doesn't come is Sunday and Wednesday. And when you have a ton of stuff there is always a neighbor standing by to help. You actually kind of get to know the neighbors through trash pick up time. Everyone gives a cheer hello and good morning (or evening depending on what time they come by your house).

10)I actually love the greeting and leaving practices. Its so welcoming to get a big hug and peck on the cheek when going to families house. And even when visiting friends you get at least a one arm hug and usually a peck on the cheek. Iv always been a hands on hugging type of person Again going back to the my hippy days coming back lol me and my friends were always greeting and leaving with a hug. So this is second nature to me. I actually missed it a lot as I got older and found that for most of the world this was not ok. Although I did find some friends from my old church who were happy to greet me this way. (wink wink Samantha) I have had a little trouble deciphering the types of kisses and how strong to hug but for the most part people don't look at me strangely if I mess this up.

Well to be honest that took me a while and I had to think about it. But I found that as I thought of these things it made me happier to be where I am. So I am going to make an effort to not only notice the things I love about this country but to also write them down so I can go back to them when I feel discouraged.

Oh I just thought of another one that I actually read about on another blog. I love that you get to see people riding there horses and donkeys through town. My daughter still gets a kick out of it every time and will come yelling, "mommy look horses." And sometimes I have to say," well honey that ones a donkey." And the funny thing is I'm just as excited about watching them as she is.

See this is working already. ;)