MEGA!

My first week in Playa del Carmen, living as a local, is in the books.

Three big accomplishments this week.

1. I have successfully memorized my address. In espanol. Which has enabled me to take two taxi rides on my own and almost hold a conversation with the taxi drive. I'm so incredibly focused on remembering the address and properly delivering it that once that happens, my brain is basically fried. After that it's just a lot of me saying "que?" and pointing to the proper turns. Remember in the movie Zoolander when they're trying to get the files out of the computer and they bang on it and make a lot of monkey sounds? That's what I look like when trying to have a conversation with someone who speaks minimal English. Like a big dumb animal. I'll get there though. Hopefully.

2. I bought a sweet bike.


3. I have only gotten lost on said bike once. And I really wasn't lost, I just got turned around and went around the block by Mega about 4 times.


Mega is the grocery store in Playa. It's actually right next door to Wal-Mart, it's cheaper and the place that my family goes when we buy groceries on vacation. It's also the place where most of the locals go.  Since I don't have a job (yet - I promise I'm working on it Mom and Dad) I have spent the first week going back and forth to Mega to get things for the house. Being a grocery store in a third world country, there are some rules that we have in the US that don't apply to Mega.

For example - they have all of their seafood, meat, etc, just kind of hanging out, it does not appear (based on the smell in that area) to be properly refridgerated. So the entire place smells kind of fishy. We got some shrimp last night and the guy grabbed it for us barehanded. I washed it when I got home, of course. With water that you can't drink so I don't know if that really made it any better.  Also, they don't believe in the "wet floor" signs (piso mojado).  Lyndsy and Brad can attest to this as well, last February I slipped and fell. Thankfully I used the cart to catch myself, which led to me wondering the next day why my ribs hurt. The margaritas/beers at La Pesca had nothing to do with the fall, believe me.

ANYWAY . . .  The best part about Mega? The pastries. You get a little tray and a pair of tongs and you can just go nuts with all the fresh bread, muffins, cookies, etc. When you're done, you take your tray up, they weigh it and usually you pay like 75 cents or something ridiculous for a huge bag of goodies. We made the mistake of hitting up the pastry aisle last night when we were hungry.

As week two begins, I'm cleaning the house, working on my Spanish and looking online for jobs. I'm hoping to start my advanced open water diving certification this week at Dive Balam, there's a chance I can help them out in the dive shop in exchange for getting certified.

 

 

The Alley (gulp)

In order to take a hot shower or use the hot plate, I have to venture between our house and another building and turn on the gas. If its for the shower, I have to light the water heater. Not a big deal, pretty easy to do. Not something I've ever done before but this trip is about new experiences right?! Easy peasy.

Except . . . In this small alley lives a not so small possum. I hate possums, with that rat tail and those beady eyes and the way they hiss at you. Disgusting. Problem solved, I will not go in the alley when it's dark, even if it means taking a cold shower. And if I must go back there to get the gas turned on for the hot plate, it's one of those deals where I look back in the alley, listen for that nasty possum, turn on the gas, open the line and then Usain Bolt my ass back to the house.

¡Guácala!

Cruising the beach on my bicicleta nueva!!

Lunes was a big day. Minus my stuff being missing from my suitcase and my mom having to spend the entire day trying to figure out how to file a claim, it was a good day.

I got a bike finally, check it out!! Big difference between this bike and what I rode at home - no gears and old school brakes, like when you were a kid. Plus, a freaking sweet basket. Also, we got the Internet last night which makes me feel not as isolated from the world.

Damn you American Airlines!!

So got my bag on Sunday, turns out when TSA searches your bag and you're not there to watch, they take whatever they want. I have a list of things that are missing, the majority of them are things that I got for Christmas, still with the tags on. Boooooooo.

My raincoat, a bra, a couple of shirts, some bracelets, a bag of headbands and hair things, make up face wipes, chargers for my cameras.

The more I remember what I had in there, the more pissed I get. A bracelet my mom brought me from Scotland and one I bought at a boutique in Chicago that was my favorite. Ughhhh. It's those things that bother me the most, the irreplaceable things.

It makes me want to yell curse words.

Mi casa

Bienvenidos!

For the first time in 10 years of traveling to Mexico, one of my suitcases did not make the trip. After waiting for 45 minutes, watching the carousel slowly empty and getting more anxious and sweaty, I made my way to the baggage claim area where they had me on the list, my suitcase would arrive the following day from Chicago. I was given 30 USD to spend on toiletries and i tried to finagle my way to the front of the customs line but it was a no go.

Aside from the suitcase situation, it was a really easy trip. Made it through immigration and got my visa stamped for a 6 month stay. Any longer and i have to go to the immigration office in town to ask for more time. Interesting thing when I was waiting in line for customs, Reggie Bush (NFL player, USC Heisman trophy winner, who relinquished his trophy because he's a cheater) was ahead of me in line with his very pregnant wife. He let her push the cart full of luggage while he ate Pringles. Who says chivalry is dead?!

It's a balmy 80 degrees here, I am always sweating. On Saturday we went to Walmart and bought a couple things for the house, something to store my bathroom stuff in, some groceries. I still need to find a dresser for my clothes and a bike. C is busy teaching me my way around, the street we live on, the neighborhood, trying to make it so I don't get lost.

And - big milestone today - I shut off my cell phone. It was a pretty liberating feeling. That being said, I have one of em's old flip phones that I'm going to get a card for, so I can use it here.

Ciao for now!

Adios!!

Sitting at the airport, always early because it makes me incredibly anxious to not have a ton of extra time to sit around and wait. I've already checked my bag three times to ensure my passport is exactly where I put it. My biggest accomplishment - 2 suitcases, 6 months worth of clothes and toiletries - total weight 100.5 lbs. I pack like a champion.

Said goodbye to Bishop and Jess with an amazing burger at ZB and a lot of peer pressure for them to take a spring vacation to Playa. Went home to watch some football with KG, Ben, and Brain. I have been really lucky to become a member of their group of friends, three truly fantastic and fun people who have never made me feel stupid around them, even though the three of them are hands down the smartest people I've met. I have them beat when it comes to useless movie trivia though. And maybe sports knowledge.

Mom, dad and Harley saw me off and in about 8 hours the temperature is going to change by 60+ degrees. It would be an understatement to say I'm excited. More to come as my adventure begins.

Salud!!