Yesterday (Friday), Corey and I went to our first Newcomers Club meeting. Newcomers is a club that is run by volunteers and organizes activities, crafts, tours, charity events, lunches, etc for the spouses of expatriates to participate in. Most of the members are women from the United States, and almost everyone speaks english. It's supposed to be a great way to meet friends and a great resource for finding things in Mexico. Everyone was super wonderful and nice, and I'm looking forward to some of the activities they had available. It will be nice to expand my world down here a little!
When we went to sign up for the club, we were given this bag with some books the Newcomers Club had put together as a guide for expatriate families. There was one information sheet in particular that caught our eye...it's called Basic Rules For Driving In Mexico City. Here are some of the bullet points, verbatim:
- Mexico City is often acclaimed as the most exciting city in the Americas in which to drive.
- When in doubt, accelerate.
- Taxicabs should always be given the right of way, unless you are bent on suicide.
- Never, ever stop for a pedestrian unless he flings himself under the wheels of your car.
- Learn to swerve abruptly. Mexico City is the home of slalom driving, thanks to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, which puts potholes in key locations to test drivers' reflexes and keeps them on their toes.
- Never get in the way of a car that needs extensive body work.
- Always look both ways when running a red light.
- It is tradition in Mexico City to honk your horn at cars that don't move the instant the light changes.
- Seeking eye contact with another driver revokes your right of way.
- Never pas on the left when you can pass on the right. Passing on sidewalks is also an option.
- In making a left turn from the right lane, employ the element of surprise. That is, do it as suddenly as possible, so as to stun other drivers. Crossing the entire 4 lanes of traffic in one block always gains respect and salutes.
Now, this list may seem meant to inspire laughs and be comical in nature, but the fact of the matter is these are all essentially true. This should give you an idea of why I have white knuckles every time we are driving to Wal-Mart 1.5 miles away :)
Let's see, I think this is about all that is new. Corey left today for Red Wing, he'll be home on Friday. It's the longest he's been away from Avery and the longest he's been traveling since April. Then he's home for 2.5 days, and leaves Monday (that's right, my birthday...) evening for another trip, this one to Peru, during which he'll be gone until Friday. Busy few weeks!
Until later,
Oh yeah.... I forgot to ask you for your address. They do ohave maiol their don't they? please send it to me ASAP. so I can send a card! Oh yeah... what do thei call mexican food down there? my guess is FOOD!!! I love you Amy and Corey, I couldn't be more proud of both of you.... this is an undertaking that "my guess is" about 1/2 of 1 percent of people ever could even dream of trying! Although Corey might have had a little help from his family's "genetic pool" (that is supposed to be funny)... I think we all know that genetic pools don't alwasy produce the great results that corey's did!! Or mayber its Corey himself...whatever.... I'm just so proud of you both................love Dad...........p.s. if you see one of those Dog/Horses for sale cheap.. could you buy it and send it to me?..
ReplyDeleteFor emergency purposes our address is Tamaulipas 36 Departamento 402, Col. Condesa, DF Mexico 06140. We aren't receiving mail here though, we have a service that is taking it all in the states. It's best to save cards and things to send to us until one of us is back home! I'll be home from October 2nd until October 13th, can I maybe just get it then? Thanks for your support dad, it means a lot to both of us! Haha I'll look into the horse dog and exportation routines...
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