THIS IS MEXICO

I’ll be honest with you-it’s been a tough few days.  Changing our lives with dizzying speed, saying goodbye to old friends & new, leaving our longterm workplace & home where so much has taken place, entering a new country with new identities as temporary & permanent residents, has been challenging to say the least.

Just today I started to feel a little bit more grounded, rested, relaxed.  We’ve worked so fast for so long to make this happen that slowing down-especially while trying to set up a new living space with limited items-is gonna take some time.  I’ve realized how very (project) driven I am with the chatter in my head constantly pushing me forward.  Time for change.  Time for letting go.  So let me sum up our activities & observations for the past few days.

We spent Monday night at the Comfort Inn in Raleigh & arrived at the airport at 4AM.  We flew United & won’t do that again.  They allow NO carry-on’s so we spent a lot of money checking bags because of our Basic Economy tickets.  Seats were incredibly cramped.  I won’t go on.  Let’s just say we were glad when it was all over & we landed in Guadalajara where we showed our Mexican visas for the first time, listing our residence as Mexico.  A friend picked us up for the 40 minute ride to our new home.  After a brief rest we walked 3 blocks to a small pizza place where we ignored our GF dairy free diets & paid for it for the next couple days.

Wednesday-cold & rainy.  All day.  The 75 degree weather we were prepared for was 65 & our house (no HVAC remember) was flat out cold.  We awakened early & very shortly heard LOUD music.  A truck radio?  Walking out on our terrace we realized it was a live band playing for a neighbor-in the rain-as part of the celebration of construction workers.  That’s right.  They honor their construction workers.  And anyone else they can find a reason to celebrate.  It was quite touching & felt like a personal Bienvenido.  This is Mexico.  Dressed in layers we headed out for a meal at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants then picked up a few necessities for the kitchen at the local “dollar store”.  We took the bus home for 7 pesos (~40 cents) & crashed, wet & cold.

Thursday-rumor had it our housekeeper might not show.  No one seemed sure that she’d been here the first 4 Thursdays so we weren’t sure what to do.  If you let a housekeeper go here, you better have the reason in writing & you can plan on paying her the amount of wages that she’s earned in her time working for you.  This is Mexico.  Gratefully, Chayo showed up.  She is probably in her 30’s, speaks no English & is delightful-& thorough.  I think I actually figured out what she needs for next time-I used Google translate to ask her first.  We stayed here the 4 hours she worked just to, well, make us all feel better I guess.

Friday-We took the bus to the village to eat & shop again.  The streets around the plaza were literally filled with old timey carnival rides.  Bright shiny colors dampened by the rain, water pouring over the cobblestones heading to the lake which is at one of its highest levels.  Vendors of plastic toys, kitchen goods, tight jeans & patterned socks side by side, covered by multicolored tarps.  This is Mexico.  At our favorite vegetarian restaurant owners Jorge & Jessica & their delightful baby boy, Karon (ca-roon), which means “whole being”, greeted us warmly.  The food & atmosphere are comforting…I felt like I was home.

Saturday-Checking on towels hung over the terrace rail to dry, I looked over & saw my Wilmington, NC neighbor waving.  Come for coffee & conversation at 11?  You bet.  We hit it off right away.  New neighbors from Ohio move in next to her on Tuesday.  In the next house 3 related families with children live in a house smaller than any of the others around.  Giggling children step out to play & I say “Hola”.  “Como se llama?”  What is your name?  Who knows what they said but it was a delightful interaction just the same.  This is Mexico.  We met a friend for lunch at a restaurant with white donkeys in the lawn.  Legendary donkeys.  Photo op.  A craft show at the Lake Chapala Society grounds drew us to the village by way of the lake (which is very high now-playgrounds & beaches have disappeared).  “LCS” is the “caregiver” organization that helps gringos settle it, provides services, Spanish classes & a whole lot more.  We take the bus home & crash.  Again.

Words pop into my mind this Sunday morning.  Birds-glorious sounds all day long.  Bus-riding the bus is easy & interesting, as well as cheap.  Stuff-our mover says she expects to deliver our household goods December 19th.  Fingers crossed.  Trash-pick up is laborious here.  Most trucks are older & men jump down-pick up-sling-jump up hundreds of times daily.  They work really hard.  There is a lot of talk about recycling & steps being taken in the village proper for now.  Turns out Mexico is the world leader for PET recycling.  Check it out on YouTube.  Windows-our doors & windows are open all day-this is December!-now that it’s warmed up & dried up a little.  Yoga-on the terrace with the sun pouring in.

Plans for next week include an appointment with an immigration lawyer, COSTCO with friends, a jazz concert & dinner, mattress shopping, rent & electricity to pay…now I understand why residents of the retirement community I worked in were always so busy.  Don’t say YES to committees & groups this year folks tell us.  Get your bearings first.  This is retirement.  Back to my mat!