How Mexico Has Changed Me

Sorry for taking so long to post, this day has been non-stop. Overflowing the washing machine - and therefore flooding my three downstairs neighbors patios - is just a highlight. But here I am, as promised, with a sampling of how living in Mexico for the past year has changed me. Feel free to add to the list in comments if you think I've missed anything.

I Rarely Wear Makeup
I was never one to coat myself in makeup suitable for theater, but I rarely left home without the basics. After one summer in Mexico I've discovered why Mexican women wear so much eye makeup: it's the only thing that doesn't slide off your face. I don't own eyeliner, although I have been experimenting with darker shadows, so I tend to stay bare-faced.

I've Learned to Cook
I could cook before moving here but I didn't experiment very much. I could follow a recipe and not burn things but I didn't try things without knowing how they'd turn out, especially when cooking for someone else. Now I can cook several traditional Mexican dishes and don't even hesitate when dinner time rolls around and I need to whip something up. Perfect example: tonight I'm cooking fish in foil on the stove top. I've never tried it this way but I'm tired of fish tacos and the fish always falls apart if I just cook it in the skillet. It'll taste good, even if it looks scary.

I Can Drive Like a Mexican
Today I drove a few people to the airport and the traffic was particularly disorderly. I maneuvered through without batting an eye, talking to the people the entire time, when one of them commented I drive just like the locals. I think he meant it as a compliment because he also threw something in there about being aggressive. Go me.

I'm Much More Relaxed
Or so they say. You really can't be uptight and try to live here. Everything moves slower, takes longer, and sometimes can't be done till mañana. When I was home over Thanksgiving a friend commented that they've never seen me so calm. I'm not sure how they reflects my personality before, but I guess it's a good thing.

Oh Yeah! Spanish
I can function on my own in a Spanish speaking country. I still get tripped up on certain words but I can even understand the radio!

I Don't Mind Killing Bugs
Or ingesting the occasional ant (said as I pick an ant out of my water glass). This doesn't mean I like bugs, just that I don't scream and run when I see them. Today at the market I saw a mouse running through the produce, I pointed it out to the lady, and we shared a laugh over the ratón trying to eat the avocados. That's funny right? Please tell me that's funny. Anyway, not so scared, I just clean things extra well.

I've Become a Housewife/Taxi Driver
Every morning I sweep, put away whatever has been left out from the night before, and do endless amounts of dishes. Some days, like today, I spend hours doing laundry and mopping the floor. Although today I mopped because of the washer, but whatever. I know other people do this, too, I'm not claiming to be anything special, just pointing out how I've changed. The taxi driver bit... well, I've spent a lot of time ferrying hotel guests around town. Perhaps that's why my driving has improved.

I'm Talking Like a Canadian
This is a recent change, all thanks to my lovely girlfriend from Canada who says 'ay' every other sentence. I'm also saying 'sorry' with a long 'o'. Didn't think I'd pick up a Canadian accent in Mexico, but I did.


So, did I miss anything?