So okay. We're here. And dadgum, it is unbearably hot. I'm so cranky all the time and want to do absolutely nothing, which makes it awesome that we moved here in the summertime. Just awesome. Really good planning on our part. With all the mosquitoes, 110% humidity and hurricane warnings, a person wonders why people live here. I haven't blogged in so long, because I've always been taught that if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all.
But there are some good parts... I can't really think of any right this second, because my head is throbbing from heat exhaustion and dehydration, but it might come to me.
So the first few weeks have felt weird. Culture shock or somethinglikethat. I was feeling like an awkward returned missionary. Speaking Spanish when I'm out in public and getting overwhelmed by the fact that there are 12 different kinds of dish soap at the grocery store. Twelve! Is that really necessary?!? Bruce said he could barely decide between the 50 different types of balsamic vinaigrette dressing at the store the last time he went. The excess we have here in the States is unbelievable. I walked into the Krogers here and felt like a chorus of angels should be singing in crescendo when I passed through the automatic sliding doors.
But in a way, I feel like I never really left Mexico, thanks to the huge Hispanic population we have milling around these parts. We've had a bunch of workers come traipsing through, fixing up the place. We ask them for the Mexican price. "Not the Gringo price!" we warn, and they just laugh and say "Si claro!" I freakin' love it. I called some people to get one of our rugs cleaned, and when the guy learned I just came back from Mexico City, he started speaking to me in Spanish. He ended up giving me a 20% discount on the cleaning, because I spoke his native tongue. This Mexico City rotation is already paying out dividends.
The very best part of Houston, though, is that we are living by family. And like, they're not even down the street. Tutu and Yeye are right next to us. The kids run over every single day to just hang out at their house. It's amazing. They love their Tutu and Yeye so much. For some reason their house is just more fun. It's like a huge treat to them to be able to go over there (this equates to leverage, my friends). We've never lived close to family before. I totally get it now and feel like this time is so precious. With how nomadic our families are, I know it won't last forever, so I'm so grateful for this little moment.
Anyway, we're adjusting, amigos. I think it will take me a good six months to acclimate back to the U.S. and the gosh awful humidity, but we're adjusting. Though, sadly, "Viva Houston!" just doesn't have the same ring, does it?
2 comments:
You're right... "viva Mexico" is more like it, and it always will be "viva Mexico!" I can't believe you're back! We haven't talked in what seems like forever... let's hook up a phone call sometime soon :)
Seriously making me cry right now. As I'm about to take the opposite journey and leave the country. The hardest part leaving my parents. We've lived right around the corner from them for 10 years. This is going to be hard in that sense. The surplus of things we have in the states I'm ready for that challenge of doing with out. I seriously need to email you, or call you. I'm glad you're adjusting well. :) Wish I could have seen you when you were up this way last week.
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