Saturday, July 26, 2008

Ten Things I Learned in Mexico, by Crystal Langer (Summer 2007 and 2008 Intern)

Very perceptive insights by Crystal. I would fully agree with all of them!

Ten Things I Learned in Mexico 2008

1. Speed limit signs in Mexico are interesting. No matter what the numbers are, they always mean the same thing: as fast as you can possibly go.

2. One more person can always fit into the van. Always.

3. Options on American cars: MP3 players and leather seats. Options on Mexican cars: brakes and blinkers. (Options on used Mexican cars: doors and floorboards.)

4. Don't ask what words mean when you are eating at the taco stands. You don't want to know.

5. They have probably taught you words in high school Spanish that are technically correct but have evolved other meanings over time. Bad meanings. How do you know? Easy. Watch the eyes. When they bulge out of their sockets, your high school Spanish is failing you.

6. A motorcycle is actually a family vehicle. For a family of six.

7. Light (lowfat) milk is humorous to most people in Mexico. They have no idea what skim milk is. Don't bother with either.

8. Some things are much more efficient in Mexico. Antibiotics for example. Why bother with a prescription or with two weeks of remembering to take the right dose? It's much easier to buy a single bottle that you can drink all at once to kill anything that may be a problem. Suggestion: if you've already chugged the bottle, don't read the long list of possible side effects.

9. Just because the bus looks the same and has the same number does not mean it goes to the same location.

10.They have very different safety standards in Mexico. This makes for scary driving and really fun water parks.

3 comments:

Alan & Beth McManus said...

very good..ha-ha...those are great! very true in every case...we may have to save that list for a book someday...what book? I don't know...it's just something you say when you think it's good enough to be repeated

M Roberts said...

crystal, i love those! rod thanks for putting them up! i think number 5 made me laugh the most, but they all had me going!!! gotta love mexico!

M Roberts said...

crystal, i loved those. and rod, thanks for posting them. the one that really had me laughing hard was number 5, although they all had me going. gotta love mexico! i think i might have to show these to friends.