Sucking the Marrow out of Life

Things continue to be pleasant here in Mexico City. I've hung out the last few nights with Paola, who works with my advisor's (Hallie) husband here in Mexico at their environmental consulting business. Friday she took me to a fine dining restaurant with Mexican dishes in a fancier style. We ordered yummy fruit juice, soups, and a variety of appetizers to share in order to get a good sample of the fare. The most adventurous thing we ordered was tuetano, or bone marrow. It is served roasted in the bone and you scoop it out with a spoon and spread it on a tortilla, and put salsa, onions, and cilantro on top. Really it is just flavorful fat that usually we give to our pets. It was interesting, pretty tasty, and too intense for me to sample again (see picture). Last night she took me to a birthday party of a friend and I met some other nice people here, who thought I might be Colombian based on my funny choice of vocabulary (see note below on vocabulary). We ended the night dancing cumbia in the living room, and I used my salsa skills to pretend like I knew what I was doing. They thought I was pretty good for a gringa (see note below on gringo).

Yesterday I also was asked for directions for the SECOND time! And I again knew the answer, which was a feat. I think that people assume I won't rob or assault them, so I must seem safe to ask. Today I went to the local luxury gym with my landlord, Trisha, who treated me to a few hours of awesome gym perks, like a sauna. In the afternoon I wandered around the Central Park of Mexico City, called the Bosque de Chapultepec ("Grasshopper Forest"). In the Bosque you can find tons of amazing museums, and I went to the Rufino Tamayo art museum (bottom picture), which features some interesting modern art exhibits. I took the subway (middle picture) there and back, which was pretty crowded for a sunday. People were especially going to the Bosque with their kids. I really enjoy the subway system here, although when it's crowded it's a little tiresome. They tend to keep it clean, though.

Note about vocabulary: Spanish has very distinct vocabulary words that vary from country to country and often within countries as well. I was just taught the word bembo last night, which means "silly" in Oaxaca but not used anywhere else in the country. My vocabulary is mostly South American, and specifically Venezuelan and most people note it right away. The most common difference is my use of the word chevere, which means "cool" in South America, whereas in Mexico and especially Mexico City they say padre.

Note about gringo: Another difference in vocabulary is that in South America, people openly and commonly use the word gringo to mean someone from the U.S. Another way people say it is to use the word Americano, which I (and lots of others) hate because we're all from North or South America so it doesn't make sense that the U.S. folk are the only Americans. And another word is Estadounidense, which is just way too long (literally means, person from the United States). So gringo it is. The word originated in Mexico and apparently people think it's derogatory. It supposedly was referring to the military in the context "green go home," or gringo (although origin is unknown). I openly refer to myself as a gringa, and the Mexicans think it's funny. It's like they're somehow liberated and can call me gringa too.