Mexico City, Part 1

“You are a bundle of energy, always on the go.”

palacio

Palacio de Bellas Artes, as seen from a distance

First off, here’s a list of the casualties from our trip:

  • 1 phone (mine), dead. Thank goodness the boarding pass didn’t get wiped out until after I passed the security checkpoint!
  • Mosquito bites (multiple). Poor hubby! One swelled up to goose egg size on his head :(
  • Aches and pains (ongoing). I’ve still got a crick in my neck from sleeping funny and twisting my head.
ciudadela-jenny

Shopping at Ciudadela

And yet…I had culture shock returning to the States. I really missed the atmosphere over there. The top three things I was aching to experience again?

  • Language. There’s a nice cadence to the Spanish language that I missed hearing.
  • Affection. People are so kind there and very affectionate in their greetings (bye, besos on the cheek!).
  • Passion. Things are doing with great energy; I loved the palpable feel of worship at the local church over there.

Every time I go on a trip abroad, I feel like there’s a special older person that I get the chance to meet. In Spain, it was a professor I met on the train. In Mexico City, it was an Uber driver. Uber’s super popular in Mexico City (which is actually not surprising, given the crazy amount of traffic and aggressive driving). We chatted about his life, things like:

  • Relatives in the U.S. and his brother who will be visiting him soon!
  • Transition from years of working in the jewelry business to becoming an Uber driver
  • The new car he bought so he could motor us around

This post is a lighter jog down memory lane, but next Monday, I’ll blog more about the other part of my trip. We went over to work together with a nonprofit that fights against human trafficking in the area. Sadly, trafficking is a huge moneymaker and one of the fastest-growing criminal activities in the world.

Foodie Friday Fiesta
Foodie Friday: Chorizo

Comments

  1. I’m SO behind reading my favorite blogs. So sorry about it, Jennifer. But I didn’t want to miss your trip to Mexico. I love how you tell about the positive things that you are already missing. Here, we are focusing recently so much about what divides people that it is uplifting to read about the connections that happen between people, wherever we go. I’m sure I’d love Mexico too. The language is beautiful, I agree. So glad you are back with so many stories to unpack. Looking forward to more.

    • Jennifer J. Chow says

      Thanks for coming by, Evelyne! I’m just getting back in the groove of all things social media since my phone died in the airport before my flight.

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