First month in Mexico

It’s difficult to believe that I’ve been in Mexico for an entire month already. I’ve learned a lot in the past few weeks, but there’s still much to learn (such as how to check out books from the library!). Here’s what I’ve been up to lately:

Academics: After three weeks of shadowing nearly twenty classes, I finally settled on four classes that are engaging in both the topic and classroom dynamics: History of Mexico, Literature (1900-present), Agriculture and Sustainability (Economics) and Sustainable Rural Development (Economics). I’m also hoping to dedicate time to research on the history of chocolate as an independent project this semester. Apparently my interest in the history of chocolate is not as crazy as it sounds; I recently had coffee (well, in my case hot chocolate) with a history student who wrote her thesis on the history of chocolate in Mexico. We chatted for nearly three hours, not just about chocolate but about the overall importance of family and cuisine in the formation of cultural identity. She and I have much in common!

Socially: I’m gradually getting to know my Mexican classmates and have begun spending time hanging out with them outside of the classroom setting. Last Monday a few of us went to la Lucha Libre (a wrestling match that’s held every Monday). Though wrestling is certainly something that I normally gravitate toward—in fact this was my first time watching a match—it’s apparently very popular in Mexico so I wanted to give it a try. When I came back to the house that night covered in confetti from the cheering crowds, my host mom made a very insightful remark that la Lucha that it is “muy mexicana” (a very Mexican thing). Indeed, la Lucha embodies so many elements of Mexican culture, even cuisine. The typical food to eat at la Lucha is a “cemita,” essentially a very elaborate hamburger with fried meat, potatoes, avocado and cheese.

On Saturday two classmates and I toured around the Historic Center of Puebla. Even though it began to rain somewhat heavily mid-afternoon, that didn’t stop us from visiting half a dozen churches, the market, an antique sale and the Amparo Museum (a museum with ancient artifacts from the times of the Olmecs, Aztecs, Mayans and more). Not surprisingly, our conversations often drifted toward the topic of food. It seems like there are countless dishes that are variations of the basic ingredients: tortilla, frijoles, chicken, lime, salt, chile and oil. That, paired with pan dulce (sweet bread) and a café for breakfast, could easily equate to a very typical day of eating. Many of my Mexican friends seem to be on a mission to expose me to the cuisine of Puebla dish by dish. For lunch we ate posole, a rich soup made with a meat broth (in this case pork) with corn kernels, chile, lime, oregano and other spices. It’s eaten with fried tortilla chips, the perfect dish for a rainy afternoon.

Family: Naturally, food is a big component of any family get-together. My host mom’s side of the family is not only large, but also within the close vicinity of the house so it’s not uncommon for one of the daughters or a son-in-law to spontaneously drop by the house and chat in the kitchen for a while. On the weekend there is always a big family lunch (though it’s more like a dinner to me because we don’t eat until 4 or 5 pm). The three daughters and their families meet at a restaurant, the family owned taquería or someone’s home and converse for up to five hours. This weekend we met twice because Monday was a holiday. One of the highlights of the most recent meal together was playing Twister and dancing to traditional Mexican music with my host mom’s five-year old granddaughter.

There’s so much more to tell, but I’m afraid that this is already a rather long post! Thanks for reading my blog.