My First Days...mis primeros dias

Aug.16, 2009

Getting to Mexico was somewhat of an old fashioned journey, although I was traveling in a modern day jet. The problem was I had to switch planes in Cancun and then in Mexico City, get on the Mexicana Click to Puerto Escondido, the city I am staying at which is on the southwest coast of Mexico, about a five hour drive south of Acapulco. Usually switching planes in most airports isn't a problem since they move your luggage for you, and all you have to do is show up at the next terminal. There is usually even a two to three hour layover, so you have time to grab an overpriced airport snack and relieve yourself. Well, in Mexico you must do things manually. In both Cancun and Mexico City, they made me go through immigration, which now includes a swine flu check, which was the most accurate doctor's evaluation I've ever had. First, you fill out a form that asks if you're experiencing high fever, body aches, weak limbs, etc. Then after you check the boxes, you hand the form over to a man wearing a white coat and a stethescope. The man reads over your sheet then takes a look at you, noting your complexion and the crust in the corner of your eyes, and then gives you a nod to continue on. But just when you think you've passed the cool test, you have to go over and press a button to see if you get the green light, meaning proceed, or the red light, meaning you're screwed. Well, I got the green light so I must have been smelling good that day. So after that, they make you grab your luggage, leave the airport, re-enter the airport, check in at the airline desk, go through security (which I realized doesn't require you to take off your shoes as I stood there barefoot getting strange looks), and then sprint to the terminal because you have about 30 seconds before the gate doors close. I had multiple anxiety attacks that day.

From the plane leaving Mexico City, I got a good view of the monstrous place. The city is so big, it doesn't make sense. No city should be that big. It made my stomach turn thinking about going back there and taking a look around. For now, I won't think about it. Here in Puerto Escondido you don't have to think about much. You have to remember some necessary daily routines like reapplying sunblock every couple hours, taking your multivitamin, and drinking bottled water, although the free water from the tap looks so tempting. Then there's deciding what to eat for breakfast, which area to surf at, if these are clean underwear or the one's I was wearing yesterday, etc. Surfing here is difficult for me so far. The waves break fast and powerfully, and there is only about four feet of water under you. Wiping out here is like getting punched in the gut, except you can't let out that gasp of air because you are going to be underwater for at least 30 seconds. So you just have to suck it in. I did manage to get a good ride last evening, amidst a thunderstorm. It felt like the sky was yelling at you, and the water was yelling at you, yet it felt so peaceful feeling the warm water beneath me and the cold rain hitting my face.

Everyone I come across seems to speak as much English as I speak Spanish, so I've been getting by with some hardcore Spanglishing. It has been kind of hard to meet people here, since I am staying in an apartment and not a hopping hostel. I think because of my dark skin, non-natives think I'm a local and are scared I might bight. The Mexicans are very friendly with me however. One Mexican guy of Guatamalan decent named David pulled up to me on his moped and told me he was working, but maybe after work I might like to take a ride with him on his high performance street bike. He even gave me his professional card from JOX Tortas Gigantes so I could give him a call, riiiiiight. I surfed at the local's end of the beach yesterday, but no one said anything to me or told me to leave. They were funny with their use of random English words. Example: Buena ola Meng! tu eres un CAVEMAN...or a guy gets a nice ride and everyone screams...VOLCANO!...CAVEMAN! yaaaaaaa.

Hypothetical Question: So say I was running through some tall grass, and a very big bug flies up my right nostril with such force that it was able to lodge itself in that little canal from your nose to your throat. Now will it eventually die and decompose and slowly trickle down my throat? which is ok I guess, protein and all, as long as it doesn't start to reek while it's decomposing in my nose.
Observation: Although a baby donkey approaches you in a friendly sort of way, it will still try to eat your hand when you go to pet it.