When I was 12 years old, my family impulsively decided to pack their bags and move back home. Back home for them turned out to be one of the most polarizing experiences of my life. Here are 7 things I took away from my experiences south of the border that changed me forever.
1. Don't drink the water!
I was extensively warned by my relatives in Mexico that no matter what, under no circumstances, should I drink the tap water. I was worried about silly things like going to a new school, learning how to speak Spanish and making friends. I never thought that something as simple as water would be my worst nightmare. Of course, me being the rebellious moody teenager at the time, I thought it would be a great idea to make that decision for myself. Least to say I didn't get much sleep my first night in Mexico.
2. Taco Bell who?
After years of eating boxed mac and cheese and ham sandwiches, my palate was shocked to be experiencing a colorful array of spices. I quickly learned that Mexican cuisine was far superior to anything that an American fast food establishment had to offer. The one thing that could always bring families together was food! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were always an experience of love and passion. My taste buds have been suffering from their insatiable desire to be satisfied the way they were back in Mexico.
3. You'll have the most intimate interactions with strangers on public transportation
Only in Mexico would it be legal to cram over 15 people in a tiny minivan. These medieval commutes became an everyday ritual. I relied on these jam-packed minivans, also known as kombis, to get to and from school every day. Some people would have to stand in them because of how packed they were. Not to mention the crazy turns and hills that would leave me dizzy at the end of each ride.
The only positive thing I can recall about these death cabs is that they were insanely cheap, about 10 pesos per ride which is equivalent to about 60 American cents. You would have to squeeze in so close to one another to fit into them. I recall the day I met my best friend in one of these; he noticed we were wearing the same uniform. I mean, how could he not, we were practically leaning against each other. So I guess these kombis weren't so bad after all.
4. Food markets are actually magical fruit labyrinths
I would have never thought that I would be looking forward to the weekend, not to have fun with my friends or to enjoy my freedom from the uncertainties of Mexican high school, but to go to my local tianguis. A tianguis is an open-air market where vendors from surrounding villages and colonies would bring their produce to sell. It's a mash-up of different cultures and foods woven together by the charm and hospitality of Mexican farmers.
You could get anything at these tianguis, from boxer briefs to traditional clay sculptures and memorabilia. The best part of going to the tianguis every Sunday was the Huitlacoche quesadillas, literal corn fungus (it was good, trust me) and the Mamey fruit shaved ice. Walking through one of these markets was a magical experience, like I was walking through a visual representation of my country's vibrant history.
5. Halloween is 10x better in Mexico
Dia de Muertos or Day of the Dead is the Mexican celebration of our family and friends that have passed away. No witch costumes or trick-or-treating in this celebration. Creating an altar was probably the best part. You would surround a picture of your loved one with different offerings like bread, traditional Mexican dishes, and marigold flowers. If you were lucky you could steal one of these offerings in the middle of the night to snack on. I was, unfortunately, not so lucky and was met with the wrath of my mothers chancla.
6. F@#% the haters
One of the hardest parts of living in Mexico was going to school. Yes, I spoke Spanish before moving to Mexico, but I didn't speak it the way they did. I was also an easy target for bullies; not only was I the new kid, I was the new kid with an accent that was also very feminine. Being a gay male in Mexico was hard given that every generation of males are born with a healthy dose of Machismo (toxic masculinity) and homophobia. Despite this, I was still able to rise above the hate and make the best out of my experience. My experience in Mexico made me who I am today; I am now a thousand times more appreciative of what I have and for the privilege that I carry with me as a Mexican-American.
7. Being Mexican is kinda amazing
It's as if I was being isolated from a part of myself that I didn't know I had in me. Being Mexican in America is drastically different from being Mexican in actual Mexico. From the way you speak, the mannerisms, the scents, and the expressions you come face to face with every day, everything about living in Mexico was different and it was amazing. It is an experience that I wouldn't trade for anything.
