I almost titled this blog Mexico Problems or Mexico ish, and I apologize if the title of this post offends anyone. The truth is, nothing quite explains these daily occurrences in Carmen like "Mexico Sh*t." This post is in jest and for your own amusement. I hope a few of our experiences help you to appreciate the little things in life... like brushing your teeth with water from the faucet.
Mexico Sh*t is when...
-The furniture company says your furniture will take only three weeks, and 10 weeks later you still don't have your couches or anything that resembles what you picked out in the catalog.
-A family of four is riding on one moped, without helmets, with an infant sandwiched between two of them. That's safe...
-Opening weekend of the NFL and tennis is playing on ESPN, soccer on every other channel.
-Trucks carrying propane play children's music as they drive through the streets as if they are ice cream trucks.
-Taxis charge you whatever they feel like charging at the moment AND pick up multiple people until their car is full. Hey, new friends!
-Two guys are riding on a motorcycle, hugging each other, while wearing tight pink shirts... and they are just friends.
-It conveniently rains when you have clothes hanging on the line, even though there wasn't a cloud in the sky 10 minutes ago.
-Billy is considered tall.
-Bikes, buses, mopeds, taxis, and pedestrians cut you off while driving. You soon learn to drive like a bat out of hell, driving halfway into a lane hoping the other person stops before they hit you. These driving habits stay with you when you return to the US.
-You run out of water and/or gas so you can't cook or take a hot shower. Wait, you can run out of water? Yep.
-You can't fill your bath tub with more than 4 inches of water. *Refer to above statement.
-You stop at a red light and a guy washes your window even though you told him not to... and you have to pay him.
-Driving 90km/h and then slamming on the break every 100 yards for a speed bump. Tope!
-Mothers and grandmothers sporting stilettos and super tight jeans, even to the grocery store, always making me feel underdressed. Hey, I want to be that sexy!
-There are no stop signs, only arrows painted on buildings in either red or black to let you know who has the right away. Good luck finding the little arrow, in the middle of graffitti-like ads, going 100km/h, as you approach the intersection.
-You justify drinking a beer because you're scared of the water. Alcohol kills germs, right?
-You are five minutes early for appointments, and the person you're meeting is hours late... if he/she shows up at all. This includes set times for deliveries, services for the house, etc. All in the name of island time.
As you can see, life is far from dull in Ciudad del Carmen. Billy and I are really enjoying experiencing a new culture and meeting plenty of new friends. We currently don't have any trips planned back to the US until Christmas. The next few months will give us time to really dig into living abroad and settle down into our new life. The most important thing is that regardless of all of the "Mexico Sh*t" we are having the time of our lives. I can safely say that we have a newfound appreciation for the little things. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a very shallow bubble bath. :p
