Culture Shock
So I went to Mexico for Christmas! How COOL! I left Samara on Dec 17th, spent the night in San Jose to get to the airport bright and early on the 18th. I got to the hostel and basically went right to bed, after the 5hour bus ride to the city sleeping was all I could think about, plus I had to wake and get myself ready at 2am to take a cab by 3am to the bus stop to take the bus to the airport to arrive by my 4am check in. Great. Plus at the hostel they told me at a bus leaves for the airport every hour on the hour. SO planned to take the 3am bus.
I get ready and the hostel calls me a cab. I tell him where Im heading, and he takes me to the Coca-Cola bus stop... woah.. wait.. I dont think I wanna get out of the car here, actually I dont even want to the cabbie to slow down in this area. So the Coca-Cola bus stop is on the corner of a block and the station is like an L shape from one side to the other, but the corner is still intact.. leaving many dark creeper corners for thugs and hobos and weirdos and the like to hide.. and not to mention whos hiding, the people out and about are enough to not want to have anything to do with this place. Sorry San Jose, but until you get control of the trany-prositutes, I reall y dont think people are going to have many nice things to say about you.. So the cabby and I agree that he should drive me to the airport. But crap. The reason I wanted to take the bus the the airport was to save money.. But the situation at hand, $30 was worth not waiting at the stop... I mean could you imagine little ol gringa me, with my backpack in the scariest, loneliest bus stop ever? NOPE, I didnt like the sound of it either, so I was able to talk the cabby down to $19 dollars and I got to the airport safe and sound.
Once there I waited and waited for the TACA people to show up and check us in... I had carry ons, so it was just a matter of getting my ticket and cruising through security. Once at my gate I needed to find a CAFE! But there was this aroma in the terminal... I followed my nose and it lead me to a freaking Cinnabon.. Damn you America. A CINNABON. Ok. Maybe Ill spurge... pecanbons are delicious... but the rolls cost $7 a pop! No way Cinnabon, not happening. So I save $5 and get a $2 cup o joe instead.
The flight to Mexico has a lay over in El Salvador and I was hoping they would have some yummy pupusas in the airport, but the planets didnt a line :( By the afternoon I had arrived in D.F Save and sound and my sweet Ruben picked me up from the airport. We then take a bus from DF to Querretero(?) switch buses and head on to San Luis Potosi. Woah these buses are nice! And they gave us food! A little snack bag, apple, manis, jugo, sandwich... Plus the seats recline.. Im a long way from CR and my orginal trip to Samara DE PIE! I asked Ruben about that, and he says thats not even allowed. Oh and the mexican busses play movies. Seriously they are better then Grey Hounds.. Actually tico busses are better then Grey Hounds- well atleast cleaner anyway.
But this all this going on, Im feeling really out of place. In Samara I ride a Bike. And Im rarely in a car thats not a taxi for more then 5 minutes and I was just feeling strange. SO many people. Coming and going. Plus I was in different cities, and even though spanish is spanish, that doesnt mean they speak the same in Costa Rica as they do in Mexico... For instance, having forgotten that, I asked Ruben ¨Y su amigo, todavia anda con esa guila?¨ Meaning, is you friend still dating that girl? And he looked at me and I knew instantly that I shouldnt have said that, and I hoped no one heard me.... In Costa Rica a guila is a kid or a girl- like a chica linda- muchacha etc (chill feminists, all is well), but in Central Mexico a guila is a slut... basically and in NORTHERN Mexico a guila is a realllly skinny girl. And thats not even the half of it. I felt like my spanish had gotten better, but the verb usage and the vocab. varies so much I felt really really lost sometimes. Oh I was a little beach mouse in the big city...
Okay, So we arrive to San Luis Potosi. All is well, but Im cold. Im absolutely freezing. Houses south of the border rarely have insolation, fine, but when a girl is used to sleeping with a fan and just a sheet, having 90degree weather on the beach, and then is thrown into the desert.. shes bound to get cold, and I did.. It went right to my bones. Okay, so it wasnt that cold, but like I said, it was a desert and well its hot in the sun in the day, but the shade and at night- forget about it! BRRRRR.... I couldnt drink enough coffee... But I was happy because I was in good company.
For the two weeks I was there I got excess to a country club. Que Lujoso! And it was a great club, but honestly, it made me miss the beach soo much. Watching everyone inside working out, spinning classes and swimming in the pool... I wanted to be swimming in the ocean or surfing and biking along the beach or up the big hill to El Torito. I didnt want to be in a cage working out like a hamster.. at least last how I felt. It made me realize oh fortunate I am in Samara to live an active life style and not have to force myself to go to the gym.. but one can choose to living actively, and thats how I want to live my life... But my attitude changed when I found out the Clubs showers had a steam option... Now that was nice. That made me feel really spoiled. In Samara I had a little apt, and I love my little apt.. but I didnt have hot water. I had gotten used to hot water, but when I have hot water available.. omg- I like it HOT and steam! HEAVEN! I was in love... But then something knocked me off my hot water high...
A major reason I wanted to go to Mexico was because my Dad and Ivy and the WHOLE Mexican Family were going to be in Zacatecas and I was dying to see my pops and everyone. And I dont know if you follow the news- propaganda of fear.. . the word on the street was that the Camino from San Luis Potosi area to Zacatecas was a Lonely Camino (kinda like the coca-cola bus stop) and that it was PRIME for trafficcing, luting and killing. Great. I came all this way and I can see my dad. I was crushed. I talked to them when they got to Monterrey and I was just soo sad that I might not have been able to see them. It just frustrates me that these drug dealers find it nescessary to harm innocent people, especially around the holidays. But I thought about it. I thought about my odds of getting harmed. I mean I was going to be on a bus, but Im super gringa looking. Would I stick out like a sore thumb and just be asking for a muggin? No. I have good vibras. I believe in Karma and I was confident that nothing would happen, so I took the bus to Zacatecas. I figured I would get there and then walk around until I found the Hotel where the family was staying and ya....
Well unknown to me.. Zacatecas is huge. The bus ride was about 3 hours and when we arrive I realize that there is NO way I can just walk around until the find the hotel. SO I hop in a cab and they take me to the ¨The hideway of Don Carlos¨and it was a hide away because hardly any of the taxis knew where it was... But we found it and I was the first to arrive... so I decided to check out the cultural part of the city...
Zacatecas, familia y mas....
I get ready and the hostel calls me a cab. I tell him where Im heading, and he takes me to the Coca-Cola bus stop... woah.. wait.. I dont think I wanna get out of the car here, actually I dont even want to the cabbie to slow down in this area. So the Coca-Cola bus stop is on the corner of a block and the station is like an L shape from one side to the other, but the corner is still intact.. leaving many dark creeper corners for thugs and hobos and weirdos and the like to hide.. and not to mention whos hiding, the people out and about are enough to not want to have anything to do with this place. Sorry San Jose, but until you get control of the trany-prositutes, I reall y dont think people are going to have many nice things to say about you.. So the cabby and I agree that he should drive me to the airport. But crap. The reason I wanted to take the bus the the airport was to save money.. But the situation at hand, $30 was worth not waiting at the stop... I mean could you imagine little ol gringa me, with my backpack in the scariest, loneliest bus stop ever? NOPE, I didnt like the sound of it either, so I was able to talk the cabby down to $19 dollars and I got to the airport safe and sound.
Once there I waited and waited for the TACA people to show up and check us in... I had carry ons, so it was just a matter of getting my ticket and cruising through security. Once at my gate I needed to find a CAFE! But there was this aroma in the terminal... I followed my nose and it lead me to a freaking Cinnabon.. Damn you America. A CINNABON. Ok. Maybe Ill spurge... pecanbons are delicious... but the rolls cost $7 a pop! No way Cinnabon, not happening. So I save $5 and get a $2 cup o joe instead.
The flight to Mexico has a lay over in El Salvador and I was hoping they would have some yummy pupusas in the airport, but the planets didnt a line :( By the afternoon I had arrived in D.F Save and sound and my sweet Ruben picked me up from the airport. We then take a bus from DF to Querretero(?) switch buses and head on to San Luis Potosi. Woah these buses are nice! And they gave us food! A little snack bag, apple, manis, jugo, sandwich... Plus the seats recline.. Im a long way from CR and my orginal trip to Samara DE PIE! I asked Ruben about that, and he says thats not even allowed. Oh and the mexican busses play movies. Seriously they are better then Grey Hounds.. Actually tico busses are better then Grey Hounds- well atleast cleaner anyway.
But this all this going on, Im feeling really out of place. In Samara I ride a Bike. And Im rarely in a car thats not a taxi for more then 5 minutes and I was just feeling strange. SO many people. Coming and going. Plus I was in different cities, and even though spanish is spanish, that doesnt mean they speak the same in Costa Rica as they do in Mexico... For instance, having forgotten that, I asked Ruben ¨Y su amigo, todavia anda con esa guila?¨ Meaning, is you friend still dating that girl? And he looked at me and I knew instantly that I shouldnt have said that, and I hoped no one heard me.... In Costa Rica a guila is a kid or a girl- like a chica linda- muchacha etc (chill feminists, all is well), but in Central Mexico a guila is a slut... basically and in NORTHERN Mexico a guila is a realllly skinny girl. And thats not even the half of it. I felt like my spanish had gotten better, but the verb usage and the vocab. varies so much I felt really really lost sometimes. Oh I was a little beach mouse in the big city...
Okay, So we arrive to San Luis Potosi. All is well, but Im cold. Im absolutely freezing. Houses south of the border rarely have insolation, fine, but when a girl is used to sleeping with a fan and just a sheet, having 90degree weather on the beach, and then is thrown into the desert.. shes bound to get cold, and I did.. It went right to my bones. Okay, so it wasnt that cold, but like I said, it was a desert and well its hot in the sun in the day, but the shade and at night- forget about it! BRRRRR.... I couldnt drink enough coffee... But I was happy because I was in good company.
For the two weeks I was there I got excess to a country club. Que Lujoso! And it was a great club, but honestly, it made me miss the beach soo much. Watching everyone inside working out, spinning classes and swimming in the pool... I wanted to be swimming in the ocean or surfing and biking along the beach or up the big hill to El Torito. I didnt want to be in a cage working out like a hamster.. at least last how I felt. It made me realize oh fortunate I am in Samara to live an active life style and not have to force myself to go to the gym.. but one can choose to living actively, and thats how I want to live my life... But my attitude changed when I found out the Clubs showers had a steam option... Now that was nice. That made me feel really spoiled. In Samara I had a little apt, and I love my little apt.. but I didnt have hot water. I had gotten used to hot water, but when I have hot water available.. omg- I like it HOT and steam! HEAVEN! I was in love... But then something knocked me off my hot water high...
A major reason I wanted to go to Mexico was because my Dad and Ivy and the WHOLE Mexican Family were going to be in Zacatecas and I was dying to see my pops and everyone. And I dont know if you follow the news- propaganda of fear.. . the word on the street was that the Camino from San Luis Potosi area to Zacatecas was a Lonely Camino (kinda like the coca-cola bus stop) and that it was PRIME for trafficcing, luting and killing. Great. I came all this way and I can see my dad. I was crushed. I talked to them when they got to Monterrey and I was just soo sad that I might not have been able to see them. It just frustrates me that these drug dealers find it nescessary to harm innocent people, especially around the holidays. But I thought about it. I thought about my odds of getting harmed. I mean I was going to be on a bus, but Im super gringa looking. Would I stick out like a sore thumb and just be asking for a muggin? No. I have good vibras. I believe in Karma and I was confident that nothing would happen, so I took the bus to Zacatecas. I figured I would get there and then walk around until I found the Hotel where the family was staying and ya....
Well unknown to me.. Zacatecas is huge. The bus ride was about 3 hours and when we arrive I realize that there is NO way I can just walk around until the find the hotel. SO I hop in a cab and they take me to the ¨The hideway of Don Carlos¨and it was a hide away because hardly any of the taxis knew where it was... But we found it and I was the first to arrive... so I decided to check out the cultural part of the city...
Zacatecas, familia y mas....
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