The Eternal Hajj
Sunday, August 05, 2007
The Return of the Gringo
It's been almsot a year since I did any blogging or any type of journal of my activties.
So after a year of doing what I thought I should do at the time, now I am doing what I want to do, and I think I should do for my future.
I am once again in Monterrey, Mexico. This time not for a trip, but to stay for as long as I feel confortable and productive here.
Now a week has passed since I first arrived.
The past Sunday I arrived early in the morning. My great friend Alvaro (aka Padrino) was waiting at the bus station for me. He stood at the front of the bus with a sign that said "Bienvenido a Casa Wey!" (Welcome Home Dude!.) But besides that I was disappointed because my two other good friends in Monterrey, knows as Guns and Kasasa, had gone on a trip to Tampico that weekend. So, I arrived at Padrino's house and slept a while. Then I got up and Padrino took me to run some errands of mine and of his. After some of those were down we stopped at a bar called La Bar K (La Barca.)
I ordered a giant Indio beer, because I hadn't had that beer in a long time. So, I was drinking it nice a relaxed when Padrino started rushing me. He said he still had to go get a jackhammer for his business from a wearhouse and so we had to hurry. So I did.
Then we pulled up to a small wearhouse and he went in. After 5 minutes he called out for me to come help him. I went in to find Kasasa, GUns and another friend Magda sitting there. It was a surprise party! They never went to Tampico!!
¶ 10:19 AM 0 comments
So after a year of doing what I thought I should do at the time, now I am doing what I want to do, and I think I should do for my future.
I am once again in Monterrey, Mexico. This time not for a trip, but to stay for as long as I feel confortable and productive here.
Now a week has passed since I first arrived.
The past Sunday I arrived early in the morning. My great friend Alvaro (aka Padrino) was waiting at the bus station for me. He stood at the front of the bus with a sign that said "Bienvenido a Casa Wey!" (Welcome Home Dude!.) But besides that I was disappointed because my two other good friends in Monterrey, knows as Guns and Kasasa, had gone on a trip to Tampico that weekend. So, I arrived at Padrino's house and slept a while. Then I got up and Padrino took me to run some errands of mine and of his. After some of those were down we stopped at a bar called La Bar K (La Barca.)
I ordered a giant Indio beer, because I hadn't had that beer in a long time. So, I was drinking it nice a relaxed when Padrino started rushing me. He said he still had to go get a jackhammer for his business from a wearhouse and so we had to hurry. So I did.
Then we pulled up to a small wearhouse and he went in. After 5 minutes he called out for me to come help him. I went in to find Kasasa, GUns and another friend Magda sitting there. It was a surprise party! They never went to Tampico!!
¶ 10:19 AM 0 comments
Monday, August 07, 2006
Mexico y yo
This journey, as it approuches it's end, has taken me to all kinds of emotional extremes.
There were times when I wanted to leave- when I wanted nothing more than to be back in my suburban Dallas womb. And there were times when I couldn't imagine leaving- when I knew that nowhere could I be more content.
Sometimes I felt like a giant yellow freak who tripped over his own tongue while trying to talk. Other times I felt like a golden guest, welcomed by all, always with an audience for my babblings.
At times I was alone and rejected. Other times I was I was in the company of people who loved me like no others.
Ever since I have studied Spanish, and likely even before that, I found and made connections with Mexican culture. As always in my life, in college I had Mexican friends, but as my ability to speak the language expanded so did the number and diversity of aquaintances, including undocumented workers from remote mountain villages to upper middle-class students who came to study in Dallas from the modern industrialized cities of Mexico. And, of course, all kinds of eople in between those extremes.
Without generalizing too much or making an unfounded conclusion I would have to say that those people became my close friends BECAUSE THEY WERE MEXICAN. That is to say, the openess and friendly tendancy found in these particular Mexican peopel allowed them to discover and accept who I was far better tahn any of my countrymen, friend or foe.
I can say this because for all of my childhood and adolescence I found an excess of rejection and attempts by others (my countrymen) to deconstruct the image I had created for myself.
For some reason I have difficulty with the modern American identity. Everyone lives entirely in the present, forgetting the rich history that we have and ignoring the future that we must work hard to ensure. I am constantly bewildered by my American friends. They are lovely people but their social behavior usually leaves me cold and its a struggle not to get my feelings hurt. I guess I cannot criticize any of this because it is totalyl satisfactory for most Americans, but that's why Ia m sure that I am not "most Americans."
And it's not th at Mexico is free of the same sociological phenomena, but somehow, at least in my view, Mexican society tends to be more individualistic (or better said, accepting of the individual) and more collective (as in, people can depend on one-another) at the same time.
Of course, I speak I speak only from my experience. The Mexican national character cannot be explained in a few pages of my journal let alone a compaison beween the two societies (see "Labyrinth of Solitude" by Octavio Paz). To explain my personal connection, this does suffice. ¶ 9:58 PM 0 comments
There were times when I wanted to leave- when I wanted nothing more than to be back in my suburban Dallas womb. And there were times when I couldn't imagine leaving- when I knew that nowhere could I be more content.
Sometimes I felt like a giant yellow freak who tripped over his own tongue while trying to talk. Other times I felt like a golden guest, welcomed by all, always with an audience for my babblings.
At times I was alone and rejected. Other times I was I was in the company of people who loved me like no others.
Ever since I have studied Spanish, and likely even before that, I found and made connections with Mexican culture. As always in my life, in college I had Mexican friends, but as my ability to speak the language expanded so did the number and diversity of aquaintances, including undocumented workers from remote mountain villages to upper middle-class students who came to study in Dallas from the modern industrialized cities of Mexico. And, of course, all kinds of eople in between those extremes.
Without generalizing too much or making an unfounded conclusion I would have to say that those people became my close friends BECAUSE THEY WERE MEXICAN. That is to say, the openess and friendly tendancy found in these particular Mexican peopel allowed them to discover and accept who I was far better tahn any of my countrymen, friend or foe.
I can say this because for all of my childhood and adolescence I found an excess of rejection and attempts by others (my countrymen) to deconstruct the image I had created for myself.
For some reason I have difficulty with the modern American identity. Everyone lives entirely in the present, forgetting the rich history that we have and ignoring the future that we must work hard to ensure. I am constantly bewildered by my American friends. They are lovely people but their social behavior usually leaves me cold and its a struggle not to get my feelings hurt. I guess I cannot criticize any of this because it is totalyl satisfactory for most Americans, but that's why Ia m sure that I am not "most Americans."
And it's not th at Mexico is free of the same sociological phenomena, but somehow, at least in my view, Mexican society tends to be more individualistic (or better said, accepting of the individual) and more collective (as in, people can depend on one-another) at the same time.
Of course, I speak I speak only from my experience. The Mexican national character cannot be explained in a few pages of my journal let alone a compaison beween the two societies (see "Labyrinth of Solitude" by Octavio Paz). To explain my personal connection, this does suffice. ¶ 9:58 PM 0 comments
Friday, August 04, 2006
SLP, The Trip
At just shy of 6am I arrive in Monterrey after 12 sleepless hours on a bus. When Alvaro comes to pick me up he says: "Hey men, vamos a Real de Catorce." So about 8 hours later, of which maybe I slept 2, I am again on the road, heading south to the state of San Luis Potosi and the old mining town of Real de Catorce.
Sure I have always thought going to visit San Luis Potosi would be nice, the same way I feel about, say, Arizona. A cool place, sure, but never a specific goal of mine.
The magnificent mountain landscapes I had hoped to see between Monterrey and Guadalajara had been disappointing but along the way to Real de Catorce I saw the type of scenery I had been hoping to see. So, right away the trip was well worth it.
* * *
The Trip
We arrived to Real de Catorce with the intention of camping, but it was already late. Only shortly before leaving were we warned about the cold. The altitude of Real is about 3000 meters. Strong cold winds blow throughout the night.
After we got situated in the Hotel San Juan (Us$10 per person) we went to eat at a taco stand. At 20 pesos (2 dollars) you could either enjoy the platter of 5 tacos or 5 enchiladas. Enchiladas por favor!
Despite that fact that my digestive system was in a mess wither from eating pork and/or an excess of spicy food, I sauced up my enchiladas with some delicious green chile sauce. By the fourth enchilada I was ready to pay the price so I want to the hotel to use the sanitary facilities.
We all ended up in a hip(pie) type bar to have a Few beers. Still tired from the previous night's journey I retired just before everyone set off to the old bullfighting ring to sing and enjoy the night.
Everyone is:
Me: El Gringo
Alvaro: Padrino, a great old friend
Guns: Your typical regio bad-ass
Casasa: The self-styled leader
Chino: El Ranger, an adventurous guy
Fernando: a very friendly fellow
Slow: sort of a hippie type guy
The next day Padrino woke us up to go to the desert. We set out on a stone road that wound its way down into the valley. About 1/4 of the way down we came across a jeep and a driver and we decided to pay him for a ride. Myself and a few others rode on top of the vehicle. This gave us a beautiful view and also a sense of danger. We were repeatedly hit by tree branches and a poorly timed stop could have sent us flying over the side of a cliff. I made this comment: "La proximidad a la muerte hace que todo parece mas hermoso. (Being this close to death makes everything seem more beautiful.)
Along the mountainside we came across little villages. It was hard for me to comprehend their existence. How do people live in such places?
In the desert we took part in an ancient native ritual.
The day had been ideal and from that point until nightfall a feeling of euphoria ran through my blood. I visited the local market where a variety of things such as locally made crafts,cheezy souvenirs, traditional Mexican sweets and Chinese-made toys were being sold. I bought a gorra knit-cap, which I believe is traditionally Peruvian and so not typically something of the region but I have always wanted on and it was cheap ($5) and it would be functional at night. Something else I got from the market was the chance to hear indigenous people speaking their native tongue to each other, an opportunity that I never had before in Mexico.
We set up camp in the old bull-fighting ring on the side of the mountain under the view of a church dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe and St. Francis of Assisi. The hippie-type people were already congregating and playing their drums.
After some effort we constructed the tent. Then we got the fire going and put the grill on to cook some sausages and carne asada. Night came and brought with it the cold and the wind. I commented: "Todo esta con madre y a la vez a la verga." - "Everything is really good and at the sametime really bad." (In the typically vulgar Monterrey venacular.)
Soon that balance broke down and fell over to the negative side. The wind took our tent to task, first pulling it out of its supports, then after we tried to reinforce it, one of the support poles broke. We discussed abandoning the campsite and even heading for Monterrey that night. With the tent broken and fearing even more damage we had to put it away.
So we were without a place to sleep, but we had convinced ourselves that it wasn't worth the pena to return to Monterrey at that point. Our financial situation left us with just enough money to get back the next day. Another night in a hotel was not an option. At that point either the stress of the situation, the smoke of the fire, the poor diet of the last few days, the thin mountain air or a combination of these factors had me feeling terrible and I tried to sleep in the truck. I never got much sleep and by morning I felt much worse. I slept as much as I could on the ride back and upon returning to Monterrey I took a shower and went to sleep. I woke-up just in time fore Alvaro's birthday celebration. We had cake, talked for a few hours and then I went back to bed. ¶ 7:04 PM 0 comments
At just shy of 6am I arrive in Monterrey after 12 sleepless hours on a bus. When Alvaro comes to pick me up he says: "Hey men, vamos a Real de Catorce." So about 8 hours later, of which maybe I slept 2, I am again on the road, heading south to the state of San Luis Potosi and the old mining town of Real de Catorce.
Sure I have always thought going to visit San Luis Potosi would be nice, the same way I feel about, say, Arizona. A cool place, sure, but never a specific goal of mine.
The magnificent mountain landscapes I had hoped to see between Monterrey and Guadalajara had been disappointing but along the way to Real de Catorce I saw the type of scenery I had been hoping to see. So, right away the trip was well worth it.
* * *
The Trip
We arrived to Real de Catorce with the intention of camping, but it was already late. Only shortly before leaving were we warned about the cold. The altitude of Real is about 3000 meters. Strong cold winds blow throughout the night.
After we got situated in the Hotel San Juan (Us$10 per person) we went to eat at a taco stand. At 20 pesos (2 dollars) you could either enjoy the platter of 5 tacos or 5 enchiladas. Enchiladas por favor!
Despite that fact that my digestive system was in a mess wither from eating pork and/or an excess of spicy food, I sauced up my enchiladas with some delicious green chile sauce. By the fourth enchilada I was ready to pay the price so I want to the hotel to use the sanitary facilities.
We all ended up in a hip(pie) type bar to have a Few beers. Still tired from the previous night's journey I retired just before everyone set off to the old bullfighting ring to sing and enjoy the night.
Everyone is:
Me: El Gringo
Alvaro: Padrino, a great old friend
Guns: Your typical regio bad-ass
Casasa: The self-styled leader
Chino: El Ranger, an adventurous guy
Fernando: a very friendly fellow
Slow: sort of a hippie type guy
The next day Padrino woke us up to go to the desert. We set out on a stone road that wound its way down into the valley. About 1/4 of the way down we came across a jeep and a driver and we decided to pay him for a ride. Myself and a few others rode on top of the vehicle. This gave us a beautiful view and also a sense of danger. We were repeatedly hit by tree branches and a poorly timed stop could have sent us flying over the side of a cliff. I made this comment: "La proximidad a la muerte hace que todo parece mas hermoso. (Being this close to death makes everything seem more beautiful.)
Along the mountainside we came across little villages. It was hard for me to comprehend their existence. How do people live in such places?
In the desert we took part in an ancient native ritual.
The day had been ideal and from that point until nightfall a feeling of euphoria ran through my blood. I visited the local market where a variety of things such as locally made crafts,cheezy souvenirs, traditional Mexican sweets and Chinese-made toys were being sold. I bought a gorra knit-cap, which I believe is traditionally Peruvian and so not typically something of the region but I have always wanted on and it was cheap ($5) and it would be functional at night. Something else I got from the market was the chance to hear indigenous people speaking their native tongue to each other, an opportunity that I never had before in Mexico.
We set up camp in the old bull-fighting ring on the side of the mountain under the view of a church dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe and St. Francis of Assisi. The hippie-type people were already congregating and playing their drums.
After some effort we constructed the tent. Then we got the fire going and put the grill on to cook some sausages and carne asada. Night came and brought with it the cold and the wind. I commented: "Todo esta con madre y a la vez a la verga." - "Everything is really good and at the sametime really bad." (In the typically vulgar Monterrey venacular.)
Soon that balance broke down and fell over to the negative side. The wind took our tent to task, first pulling it out of its supports, then after we tried to reinforce it, one of the support poles broke. We discussed abandoning the campsite and even heading for Monterrey that night. With the tent broken and fearing even more damage we had to put it away.
So we were without a place to sleep, but we had convinced ourselves that it wasn't worth the pena to return to Monterrey at that point. Our financial situation left us with just enough money to get back the next day. Another night in a hotel was not an option. At that point either the stress of the situation, the smoke of the fire, the poor diet of the last few days, the thin mountain air or a combination of these factors had me feeling terrible and I tried to sleep in the truck. I never got much sleep and by morning I felt much worse. I slept as much as I could on the ride back and upon returning to Monterrey I took a shower and went to sleep. I woke-up just in time fore Alvaro's birthday celebration. We had cake, talked for a few hours and then I went back to bed. ¶ 7:04 PM 0 comments
La Terminal
For the first time ever while travelling I actually saw a movie I wanted to see. Ever since I first heard about "The Terminal" I have wanted to see it. Thankfully it was not dubbed.
The experience of the protagonist really made me forget my own travel anxiety. Heck, I am in a country not far from home where I speak the language.
Police looking for bribes, soldiers all over the place and teh ahrdships I have faced have made me uncomfortable but otherwise I am doing fine. At the time I first visited Mexico I usually felt like an outsider even in my own country, Now I have generally a lot more confidence but that means that the actual un-easiness of being a foreigner is more appearent.
I have made progess in feeling comfortable in my own skin in my native country- but it will only go so far- I still don't have exactly the same values and desires that make up the modern USAmerican character even though at my own roots and at the routs of the US of America I am eternally connected to my country. If I find myself living in one place or another will I ever grow into that place and belong? When my skin is what most makes me stand-out will I ever be comfortable in it? ¶ 6:33 PM 0 comments
The experience of the protagonist really made me forget my own travel anxiety. Heck, I am in a country not far from home where I speak the language.
Police looking for bribes, soldiers all over the place and teh ahrdships I have faced have made me uncomfortable but otherwise I am doing fine. At the time I first visited Mexico I usually felt like an outsider even in my own country, Now I have generally a lot more confidence but that means that the actual un-easiness of being a foreigner is more appearent.
I have made progess in feeling comfortable in my own skin in my native country- but it will only go so far- I still don't have exactly the same values and desires that make up the modern USAmerican character even though at my own roots and at the routs of the US of America I am eternally connected to my country. If I find myself living in one place or another will I ever grow into that place and belong? When my skin is what most makes me stand-out will I ever be comfortable in it? ¶ 6:33 PM 0 comments
Guadalajara a Monterrey
5:24 07/25 Central de Autobuses - Guadalajara
The bus I am taking goes all the way to the border city of Matamoros. It's safe to assume that at least someone on this bus is planning to cross the border illegally into the United States.
I met a lot of people in Guadalajara and when I told them I was from Dallas they would eitehr remark "I have relatives living there" (probably trying to earn dollars) or they would say " I love the malls there!" In that you see the class division that exists in Mexico. One group has no better option than to travel over 1000 miles from their home to occupy the lowest socio-econommic position in a foreign country. The other class has teh liberty to leave a world where they are among the few who have the ability to shop in the plazas with stores like Liverpool and Sanborn's to go a world away to shop in slightly nicer malls with slightly nicer stores.
The frustrating thing about Mexico is that Mexican society has shown itself to be capable of developing tot he higest levels, but it's not able and/or willing to provide access to that developement to all of it's citizens.
In the US many people who work in a place like Wal-mart are among the poorest people in the country. Wal-mart is the biggest employer in Mexico, but while their employees are usually still considered poor, they are much better off than a significant part of the population.
The question is will more Wal-Mart type business help Mexico or hurt it. If more poor people have a chance to earn improved wages will that lift up the economy? Or will improving access to the university education and removing the bureacratic chains on business allow some of today's Wal-mart level employees to move on to have better, more productive jobs allowing the underclass to move into those working class positions? ¶ 5:46 PM 0 comments
The bus I am taking goes all the way to the border city of Matamoros. It's safe to assume that at least someone on this bus is planning to cross the border illegally into the United States.
I met a lot of people in Guadalajara and when I told them I was from Dallas they would eitehr remark "I have relatives living there" (probably trying to earn dollars) or they would say " I love the malls there!" In that you see the class division that exists in Mexico. One group has no better option than to travel over 1000 miles from their home to occupy the lowest socio-econommic position in a foreign country. The other class has teh liberty to leave a world where they are among the few who have the ability to shop in the plazas with stores like Liverpool and Sanborn's to go a world away to shop in slightly nicer malls with slightly nicer stores.
The frustrating thing about Mexico is that Mexican society has shown itself to be capable of developing tot he higest levels, but it's not able and/or willing to provide access to that developement to all of it's citizens.
In the US many people who work in a place like Wal-mart are among the poorest people in the country. Wal-mart is the biggest employer in Mexico, but while their employees are usually still considered poor, they are much better off than a significant part of the population.
The question is will more Wal-Mart type business help Mexico or hurt it. If more poor people have a chance to earn improved wages will that lift up the economy? Or will improving access to the university education and removing the bureacratic chains on business allow some of today's Wal-mart level employees to move on to have better, more productive jobs allowing the underclass to move into those working class positions? ¶ 5:46 PM 0 comments
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Last Mariachi in Guadalajara
Apparently when I had been trying to call WIll I was calling the number of another host family who happened to be hosting someone else nammed Will and that Will was always out. It seems a bit odd and unlikely but I believe my Will.
So I finally found the wey and we hung-out all day. I went to the Universidad and saw the garden and plaza by there. Then we went to his house. From there we went to the bar by my hotel and we discussed the future.
We watched Los Simpson while waiting for Marisol to take us to the Bariachi. Tequila + Mariachi = Mexico
That was the last time I will see Marisol on this trip. She has made it a very nice time for me when she could.
I feel bad for not getting to spend much time with Will. All the time I thought he was yoo caught-up in his usual routine to make time for us to hang-out he was actually bored and wondering about me.
I have brought a bit of bad luck with me to Mexico.
¶ 10:37 AM 2 comments
So I finally found the wey and we hung-out all day. I went to the Universidad and saw the garden and plaza by there. Then we went to his house. From there we went to the bar by my hotel and we discussed the future.
We watched Los Simpson while waiting for Marisol to take us to the Bariachi. Tequila + Mariachi = Mexico
That was the last time I will see Marisol on this trip. She has made it a very nice time for me when she could.
I feel bad for not getting to spend much time with Will. All the time I thought he was yoo caught-up in his usual routine to make time for us to hang-out he was actually bored and wondering about me.
I have brought a bit of bad luck with me to Mexico.
¶ 10:37 AM 2 comments
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Ahora
Will left me a note at the motel and se supone que we are going to hang-out today. I hope he doesn´t think I am mad at him.
I went with Marisol and her friend Gladys to a cafe called 5pm. It was a particularly nice plaace and almost no men there, just women. Nice.
I like this city a lot and I could live here for a time- at least as long as the police leave me alone. I don´t know if this makes sense but Guadalajara is a lot less Ameriancanized, but a lot more like an American city in comparasion with Monterrey. That is, there are slightly less US businesses, and many less wanna-be businesses with dumb English names. Guadlajara has more colonial spanish arquetectura and more indigenous place names. It´s more orderly. Neighborhoods and places of business seen planned; they don´t seem like they just appeared there like a rapidly growing fungus. ¶ 11:00 AM 0 comments
I went with Marisol and her friend Gladys to a cafe called 5pm. It was a particularly nice plaace and almost no men there, just women. Nice.
I like this city a lot and I could live here for a time- at least as long as the police leave me alone. I don´t know if this makes sense but Guadalajara is a lot less Ameriancanized, but a lot more like an American city in comparasion with Monterrey. That is, there are slightly less US businesses, and many less wanna-be businesses with dumb English names. Guadlajara has more colonial spanish arquetectura and more indigenous place names. It´s more orderly. Neighborhoods and places of business seen planned; they don´t seem like they just appeared there like a rapidly growing fungus. ¶ 11:00 AM 0 comments
Greetings from Starbuck´s
07/25 11:29am La Gran Plaza, GDL, MX
For better or worse i have spent a lot of time in shopping malls in Mexico. I guess part of that is that people here want to show me what they think is best about where they live. they don´t want to take me to the taco place with a dirt floor where they slaughter their own chickens- exciting as that might be for a gringo.
The malls are quite nice. It´s actually a bit hard for me to understand why it´s so common for wealthy Mexicans to take trips to US cities just for the shopping. Of course, I am not really an expert on this type of consumerism. I couldn´t really tell you the difference between Sears and Neiman Marcus- perhaps it´s that finer sensability that brings Mexican shoppers to the malls of the US.
There are amny chain restaurants in Mexico. besides the worldwide fast-food places that you can expect to find everywhere, they also have Chili´s, Applebee´s, TOny Roma´s and others. There is also an Denny´s-like place called Vips that is unique to Mexico (I think) but it is owned by Wal-Mart.
I wonder why Mexico doesn´t have its own comprable restaurants. There are many nice restaurants but they don´t seem to be interested in becoming franchises. Mexico is far from incapable in the business world, many mexican companies are among the largest in the world.
I think the reason lies in that fact that both Mexicans well-off enough to eat in such places and Mexicans wealthy enough to invest in that type of business have a preferential bias towards American products. The substantial contact that Mexicans have with the US means that directly or indirectly they are familiar with places like Chili´s and so if given the choice between Chili´s and an unknown Mexican equivalent they would favor the Chili´s.
Mexican businessmen seeking a profit would also prefer to invest their money and/or time in a business that has been successful in the US or other part of the world. Probably with time the business men in Mexico who are currently working with US companies will learn from it and later seek to have their own business. Maybee too Mexican consumers will desire something that appeals more directly to their tastes.
¶ 10:33 AM 0 comments
07/25 11:29am La Gran Plaza, GDL, MX
For better or worse i have spent a lot of time in shopping malls in Mexico. I guess part of that is that people here want to show me what they think is best about where they live. they don´t want to take me to the taco place with a dirt floor where they slaughter their own chickens- exciting as that might be for a gringo.
The malls are quite nice. It´s actually a bit hard for me to understand why it´s so common for wealthy Mexicans to take trips to US cities just for the shopping. Of course, I am not really an expert on this type of consumerism. I couldn´t really tell you the difference between Sears and Neiman Marcus- perhaps it´s that finer sensability that brings Mexican shoppers to the malls of the US.
There are amny chain restaurants in Mexico. besides the worldwide fast-food places that you can expect to find everywhere, they also have Chili´s, Applebee´s, TOny Roma´s and others. There is also an Denny´s-like place called Vips that is unique to Mexico (I think) but it is owned by Wal-Mart.
I wonder why Mexico doesn´t have its own comprable restaurants. There are many nice restaurants but they don´t seem to be interested in becoming franchises. Mexico is far from incapable in the business world, many mexican companies are among the largest in the world.
I think the reason lies in that fact that both Mexicans well-off enough to eat in such places and Mexicans wealthy enough to invest in that type of business have a preferential bias towards American products. The substantial contact that Mexicans have with the US means that directly or indirectly they are familiar with places like Chili´s and so if given the choice between Chili´s and an unknown Mexican equivalent they would favor the Chili´s.
Mexican businessmen seeking a profit would also prefer to invest their money and/or time in a business that has been successful in the US or other part of the world. Probably with time the business men in Mexico who are currently working with US companies will learn from it and later seek to have their own business. Maybee too Mexican consumers will desire something that appeals more directly to their tastes.
¶ 10:33 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Pura tierra mojada
In two days I have seen will two times. Both times he was barely recieving me, just as much he was sending me away. I don´t take any of this as a personal offense but he did have me believing that I would be better received.
I was going to stay with his host family. I was going to go do things with him and his aunt. I was going to attend class with him at the University for the experience.
I actually came to Guadalajara as soon as possible in order to spend SUnday with him and his aunt, but that didn´t happen.
Again I don´t take this as a sign that he doesn´t want to have fun with me but he has let me down as far as preparation goes.
So, otherwsie I have passed the time with Marisol or alone. With Marisol I have had fun and/or acocmplished a lot, but I can´t depend on her all the time.
Alone I have been okay but since I don´t know the city I am fairly limited. It´s been raining constantly and since all Ic an do is explore the city on foot I have gotten pretty wet.
Last night again I couldn´t meet up with Will . Marisol had her own plans so I set off to find somewhere to geta bite to eat and maybe share some drinks with some cute tapatias but it was Monday night so not such a good night for that.
I found an ¨Argentine Grill¨ called Quilmes. Ironically they didn´t have any Quilmes beer, but they did have choripan so I indulged in that. When I went out the rain had increased but I still hoped to find a nice little bar so I set out walking.
After about 10 minutes of soaking-up the city streets, a police truck stopped beside me. The officer on the passenger side jumped out:
¿A donde vas?
---Este, no mas echando un paseo.
¿Donde vives?
---Estoy quedando en el Motel Puerto Vallarta.
Aja, pero ¿donde vives?
---Estados Unidos. Dallas, Texas.
¿Tienes identificacion?
I showed him my driver´s liscence and my student ID. then the other officer came around and began to ask the same questions. They searched me, continuing their questions.
¿A que te dedicas guero?
--Estudiante. Acabo de graduarme.
¿Tienes drogas, armas?
--No
¿Estas casado?
--No
¿Por que no?
-- Pues...
Looking at pictures of my cousins from Ohio they asked:
¿Y estos niños?
-- Son mis primos.
And it continued like this for a while with some of the questions being repeated and some new ones, all the time the rain falling down.
They were not very respectful. They certainly didn´t realize or care that such an action might leave a bitter taste.
Not that this was quite as extreme but I think I understand a little better now what the urban black and Arab youth of France face on a regular basisi- or even what the Palestinians have to deal with under the authority of the IDF.
maybe not, but I fell like leaving Guadalajara and going back to Monterrey. In Monterrey Alvaro is always there for me, his family welcomes me in their homes and treats me well, I have various friends, old and new, and i know the city better. In Monterrey I don´t have to spend the night admiring the way the wall tile looks under florecent lighting through the mirror.
¶ 12:24 PM 0 comments
I was going to stay with his host family. I was going to go do things with him and his aunt. I was going to attend class with him at the University for the experience.
I actually came to Guadalajara as soon as possible in order to spend SUnday with him and his aunt, but that didn´t happen.
Again I don´t take this as a sign that he doesn´t want to have fun with me but he has let me down as far as preparation goes.
So, otherwsie I have passed the time with Marisol or alone. With Marisol I have had fun and/or acocmplished a lot, but I can´t depend on her all the time.
Alone I have been okay but since I don´t know the city I am fairly limited. It´s been raining constantly and since all Ic an do is explore the city on foot I have gotten pretty wet.
Last night again I couldn´t meet up with Will . Marisol had her own plans so I set off to find somewhere to geta bite to eat and maybe share some drinks with some cute tapatias but it was Monday night so not such a good night for that.
I found an ¨Argentine Grill¨ called Quilmes. Ironically they didn´t have any Quilmes beer, but they did have choripan so I indulged in that. When I went out the rain had increased but I still hoped to find a nice little bar so I set out walking.
After about 10 minutes of soaking-up the city streets, a police truck stopped beside me. The officer on the passenger side jumped out:
¿A donde vas?
---Este, no mas echando un paseo.
¿Donde vives?
---Estoy quedando en el Motel Puerto Vallarta.
Aja, pero ¿donde vives?
---Estados Unidos. Dallas, Texas.
¿Tienes identificacion?
I showed him my driver´s liscence and my student ID. then the other officer came around and began to ask the same questions. They searched me, continuing their questions.
¿A que te dedicas guero?
--Estudiante. Acabo de graduarme.
¿Tienes drogas, armas?
--No
¿Estas casado?
--No
¿Por que no?
-- Pues...
Looking at pictures of my cousins from Ohio they asked:
¿Y estos niños?
-- Son mis primos.
And it continued like this for a while with some of the questions being repeated and some new ones, all the time the rain falling down.
They were not very respectful. They certainly didn´t realize or care that such an action might leave a bitter taste.
Not that this was quite as extreme but I think I understand a little better now what the urban black and Arab youth of France face on a regular basisi- or even what the Palestinians have to deal with under the authority of the IDF.
maybe not, but I fell like leaving Guadalajara and going back to Monterrey. In Monterrey Alvaro is always there for me, his family welcomes me in their homes and treats me well, I have various friends, old and new, and i know the city better. In Monterrey I don´t have to spend the night admiring the way the wall tile looks under florecent lighting through the mirror.
¶ 12:24 PM 0 comments
Alma de provinciana
07/23 12:00pm CentroMagno, Guadalajara, Jalisco, MX
In contrast to Monterrey where once you leave the Metropolitan area civilization practically vanishes, the urban center of Guadalajara emerges subtly from a slowly intensifying scatter of street lights and house lights. It´s a nicer place than Monterrey, probably due to the less harsh terrain. THe streets flow in straight lines and are lined with trees.
My spirits have improved after the desolation found along the way to Guadalajara had me depressed.
The bus I took was actually much nicer than the bus I rode from Dallas. One big improvement was the movies:
1) Better films- Couch Carter and Cinderella Man compared to Son of Mask and THe Princess Diaries.
2) Subtitled, not dubber. I cannot stand overdubbed movies at all!
3) Lower volumn
About an hour outside the city I could pick-up the radio stations. The most common genre I heard (no less than 3 stations) was techno, mainly house- not my favorite type of music but interesting.
SO upon arriving I call Will. He tells me where to to take a taxi but first I have to get some money from an ATM. As I do that, three times I have to turn away the taxistas eager for my pesos.
I couldn´t get money from the ATM.
Appearently I wasn´t so welcome to stay where will was staying but I did manage to get his couch for one night.
6:00pm
In Guadalajra I have found peace of mind and tranquility. Marisol rescued me from my situation of no money, no where to stay, and no luck. The good luck that she brought me must have been the key to me getting money from the ATM because when I tried with her by my side I was able to get money out.
Las Tapatias
The inhabitants of various parts of Mexico are called by unique names. Those from Mexico City are called chilangos. Los regiomontanos or regios are the people form Monterrey. The name given to people from Guadalajara is tapatio.
Las tapatias (the girls from Guadalajara) are known for being quite beautiful. I would have to agree. Probably the source of their physical beauty is their heritage. They have the high cheek bones and silky hair of the Aztecs mixed with the beautiful eyes and tall slender figures of the Spanish. ¶ 11:42 AM 0 comments
In contrast to Monterrey where once you leave the Metropolitan area civilization practically vanishes, the urban center of Guadalajara emerges subtly from a slowly intensifying scatter of street lights and house lights. It´s a nicer place than Monterrey, probably due to the less harsh terrain. THe streets flow in straight lines and are lined with trees.
My spirits have improved after the desolation found along the way to Guadalajara had me depressed.
The bus I took was actually much nicer than the bus I rode from Dallas. One big improvement was the movies:
1) Better films- Couch Carter and Cinderella Man compared to Son of Mask and THe Princess Diaries.
2) Subtitled, not dubber. I cannot stand overdubbed movies at all!
3) Lower volumn
About an hour outside the city I could pick-up the radio stations. The most common genre I heard (no less than 3 stations) was techno, mainly house- not my favorite type of music but interesting.
SO upon arriving I call Will. He tells me where to to take a taxi but first I have to get some money from an ATM. As I do that, three times I have to turn away the taxistas eager for my pesos.
I couldn´t get money from the ATM.
Appearently I wasn´t so welcome to stay where will was staying but I did manage to get his couch for one night.
6:00pm
In Guadalajra I have found peace of mind and tranquility. Marisol rescued me from my situation of no money, no where to stay, and no luck. The good luck that she brought me must have been the key to me getting money from the ATM because when I tried with her by my side I was able to get money out.
Las Tapatias
The inhabitants of various parts of Mexico are called by unique names. Those from Mexico City are called chilangos. Los regiomontanos or regios are the people form Monterrey. The name given to people from Guadalajara is tapatio.
Las tapatias (the girls from Guadalajara) are known for being quite beautiful. I would have to agree. Probably the source of their physical beauty is their heritage. They have the high cheek bones and silky hair of the Aztecs mixed with the beautiful eyes and tall slender figures of the Spanish. ¶ 11:42 AM 0 comments
Monday, July 24, 2006
Entre Monterrey y Guadalajara
07/22 5:43 Zacatecas
I have NEVER in my life felt more out of place than I do right now in a little spec of a town in the state of Zacatecas. This is the first stop we have made and despite being very hungry, and needing both the restroom and the telephone
but I could barely get myself off the bus and from there again I had to force myself to go inside the restaurant.
I don´t really understand what this is but of course this is very unfamiliar territory- the farthest I´ve been inside of mexico and the most significant time I have spent alone here.
The tacos were 5 pesos (fifty cents) and the bathroom cost was 2 pesos. After that and the money they took from me on the bus I didn´t want to give up my last few pesos for the phone at this point.
6:19
Again I have seen something new: A giant dust cloud
¶ 12:09 PM 0 comments
I have NEVER in my life felt more out of place than I do right now in a little spec of a town in the state of Zacatecas. This is the first stop we have made and despite being very hungry, and needing both the restroom and the telephone
but I could barely get myself off the bus and from there again I had to force myself to go inside the restaurant.
I don´t really understand what this is but of course this is very unfamiliar territory- the farthest I´ve been inside of mexico and the most significant time I have spent alone here.
The tacos were 5 pesos (fifty cents) and the bathroom cost was 2 pesos. After that and the money they took from me on the bus I didn´t want to give up my last few pesos for the phone at this point.
6:19
Again I have seen something new: A giant dust cloud
¶ 12:09 PM 0 comments
La 2a Fase
After a late night of some mild desmadre I had to get going in the morning to make it to the bus station for my 12:15 departure to Guadalajara. Alvaro accompanied me in the Transregio local bus to the Central Station. Transregio Air Conditioner:
The local buses zig, zag and wind their way through Monterrey and by the time we arrived at the station it was 12:07. Sitting in the bus I had to pay the driver 250 more pesos ($25) becasue my international student ID wasn´t valid for the student price.
The time I have passed here has been ideal. Alvaro has done everything to accomadte me and his parents have made me fell welcome and comfortable. Even more so than before the friends of Alvaro have been very cool to me. We sat and talked about politics for hours. Back home I can´t get away with more than the slightest criticiism of the US before my opinion is discounted and ignored. I have been able to tell these guys everything that I think is screwed up about Mexico and they take it as a legitamate point of view even if the disagree. Monterrey is probably the city that most supports Felipe Calderon and the PAN party. Conservativism is basically an ideology that perserves society in its current state. Whoever thinks that Mexico should maintian itself as it is rather than make drastic progress is not very aware of the extent that poverty is ingrained in the country.
I am eager to be out of Monterrey and to see much more of Mexico than I have ever seen before. But again its scary because I don´t know what to expect on the way nor when I arrive. ¶ 11:41 AM 0 comments
After a late night of some mild desmadre I had to get going in the morning to make it to the bus station for my 12:15 departure to Guadalajara. Alvaro accompanied me in the Transregio local bus to the Central Station. Transregio Air Conditioner:
The local buses zig, zag and wind their way through Monterrey and by the time we arrived at the station it was 12:07. Sitting in the bus I had to pay the driver 250 more pesos ($25) becasue my international student ID wasn´t valid for the student price.
The time I have passed here has been ideal. Alvaro has done everything to accomadte me and his parents have made me fell welcome and comfortable. Even more so than before the friends of Alvaro have been very cool to me. We sat and talked about politics for hours. Back home I can´t get away with more than the slightest criticiism of the US before my opinion is discounted and ignored. I have been able to tell these guys everything that I think is screwed up about Mexico and they take it as a legitamate point of view even if the disagree. Monterrey is probably the city that most supports Felipe Calderon and the PAN party. Conservativism is basically an ideology that perserves society in its current state. Whoever thinks that Mexico should maintian itself as it is rather than make drastic progress is not very aware of the extent that poverty is ingrained in the country.
I am eager to be out of Monterrey and to see much more of Mexico than I have ever seen before. But again its scary because I don´t know what to expect on the way nor when I arrive. ¶ 11:41 AM 0 comments
