Back to the Mother Land... or so I thought...

Tomorrow marks the one week anniversary of my arrival in Mexico Lindo. I feel like I've been here a lot longer than a week, I must admit. Within one week I moved into my studio, got (somewhat) acquainted with the enormous city I will be calling home for the next 10 months or so, and started teaching English at La Universidad Autónoma de la Cuidad de México (or UACM). Because I'm a bit behind in starting this blog, I'll highlight the past week for you.

Saturday I wondered around El Centro Histórico (The Historic Center), yearning to see with my own eyes the massive Mexican flag that dances in the middle of the Zócalo. As I walked upon it I had to keep my cool and not act like a nerdy tourist. It was a Saturday and the entire surrounding area was packed with people all in a hurry to be somewhere. Not the place to take out my camera and marvel. So, I quietly marveled and continued on my journey. My plan was to find the university where I'll be teaching, but to no avail. With the limited knowledge I had about the location of this place, it was just enough to get me within the vicinity of it. I wandered down small streets, inhaled deeply as a walked past corn cooking on open grills, tacos being fried up and tortillas being served with salsas of all colors. Listening to the advice of our Fulbright/Comexus mentors, I passed on the food and ate another favorite treat of mine... MAGNUM ICE CREAM (except here it's Hollanda.). Oh, yes.

Soon I realized I was not where I thought I was. Lost? Well, that's a relative term. It was just a matter of getting back to La Reforma, one of the main streets in Mexico City and, thankfully, one of my cross-streets. I turned a corner and laughed really hard inside at what I was surrounded by; about 100 mariachi guys standing in an area I only guesses was where one would go to hire a mariachi (?). As I walked by I was extremely conscious of the fact that, not only was I the only woman around, I was the only person not wearing a fancy jacket with matching pants, holding an instrument of some sort. What must they have thought of the little lost gringa that stumbled upon them? Oh, Gretchen....

Sunday morning I set out with certain areas of Mexico City in mind for discovery. To my surprise La Reforma was completely closed on both sides and was filled with people on bikes, on rollerblades, running, etc. What is THIS?!?! You'd think I'd died and gone to heaven! Apparently every Sunday they do this thing here as a campaign for healthy families and they shut down most of La Reforma and allow people to enjoy the city on wheels and on foot, sans cars. I can't wait until next Sunday!

I found Chapultepec Park (the name of my dorm at SDSU!) and, wow, it's huge. I decided that I would leave the actual Chapultepec Adventure for another day, with my running shoes strapped on. I'm hoping to eventually live closer to this park so that it can become my regular running spot. I won't look like a total weirdo running in there.

I think the funniest thing to happen to me yet happened yesterday. I hadn't had the chance to see "Harry Potter" so I waited until Wednesday to go. I paid 36 pesos (Wednesday's are half price day in Mexico, too, like in Spain) for the movie, which is like $2.75. I KNOW. Guess where I'll be every Wednesday?!?! Anyway, I walked out of the theater which is on La Reforma. There was a ton of people outside, all wearing their Mexican soccer jerseys, waving their Mexican flags, and shouting México! México! With all of the police presence I thought it was some sort of political protest or something, especially since I've been hearing a bunch of stuff on the radio about "Nuestro México" (Our Mexico) and how they're trying to work on unity right now. I was a little nervous because I know that political protests can get a little hairy...

I ducked into a little restaurant to grab a bite to eat and asked the women working there what was going on. "It's just that Mexico just won the soccer game against the US." Oh, yeah! duh! I had been hearing all about that, too. I looked down at my shirt, the one with the Spanish flag that says, "Hola Barcelona". Hmmm.... not exactly patriotic USA material but not Viva Mexico either. I was supposed to go look at an apartment at 8 o'clock and didn't want to be walking around wearing anything that was NOT representing Mexico's red, white and green. I quickly went back to my studio to put on the shirt Sarah gave me that says, "Mexico. Jugamos para Ganar." (Mexico. We Play to Win). I thought it was only fitting that the Americana wear this shirt. Hopefully I wouldn't be lynched. I made my way to the apartment, walking through La Glorieta del Angel de la Reforma (one of the main roundabouts in Mexico City, the one they always show in Rebelde :>). As you can only imagine, I got everything from cheers for being the gringa in the Mexico shirt to belligerent fans telling me that they won. Really? I hadn't noticed. I really did enjoy the sights and hearing the people cheer with so much pride just has to put a smile on your face, even if it was your country that they beat. (Although you all know that, even if I had been at home, I would have been rooting for Mexico.)

What happened yesterday was truly an example of how you can take the Gringa out of Gringolandia (what they jokingly call the U.S.), but she'll always be a gringa. I don't try to hide my "gringoness", I just try not to flaunt it. I think even if I went to a beauty shop here and told them to give me a complete Mexican Make-over (whatever that means, I have no idea), I would still have GRINGA written across my forehead. This is a truth that I will have to face all year. It's for reasons like this that I'm here... I represent our country and I'm hear to teach about our country, what it is to me, and to put a face to what my country is. Hopefully, I'll be able to teach, at least my students, that some gringos are not so bad, we're even pretty cool. :)