Do what you love

If you, like me, sometimes wonder if you've chosen the right career path or still haven't decided for sure, here you can try out this free Jung Typology Test.
I turned out to be INFP and it seems I have to make peace with the fact that I had chosen right... or become a psychologist! :)

P.S. It's just that sometimes I get tired of people!

A Loophole

Despite my having lived here for almost five years and counting, decent Spanish and pretty acceptable taco-handling skills, I am still mostly viewed as an outsider...

Suppose, many of us immigrants find ourselves in this situation: we live in our new country for quite a while, and start feeling attached to it, as a new home, we care more and more about what is going on there, have our opinions... still, when it comes to voicing them... it's becoming more complicated because the reaction of the people you talk to may vary from "yeah, you are right... (you superiour, high-horse riding brat!..) I feel that way too..." to outright "well, if you hate it so much here, so why don't you go back home?!".. What they don't understand is that there's not much to go back to.

I am not an expat, I am not here just to work for a few years for my company and then return with more money in my pocket. The decision to move was made consiously (well, sort of..) and for good reasons (kinda..), and most bridges are long burnt. No one knows how life will change in a few years, but for now it is my home and my heart is bleeding for everything that is wrong with it.

Maybe I am imagining things? I was taught to never impose my point of view on anybody or hurt anyone's feelings, so I might be too sensitive about it.
How do you deal with it? And our hosts, what is your reaction when someone points out the problems in your country that you are very aware of yourselves?

Día de Candelaria

Today is another important day in Mexican tradition and, as always, it has a lot to do with food :) On Jan 6, El Día de Reyes, everyone (but me - glup glup) shared a Rosca de Reyes, a delicious sweet bread that came to Mexico from Spain. But it is not all that simple with Rosca here... When they are baked, a tiny toy Jesus is hidden in the dough, and the one "lucky" to get it, has the commitment of offering tamales and atole to everyone present at the table, on Feb, 2.. Tamal is a prehispanic calorie-packed dish of crushed corn with an infinite variety of fillings wrapped and cooked in corn leaves. Another famous variety that comes from the state of Oaxaca is basically the same thing but wrapped in banana tree leaves.

Elaboration process is rather complicated and time-consuming, but you can find them sold almost on every corner - it is one of the most common and easily-available snacks, and very cheap too!

Atole is a drink that usually goes with tamales. Its base is corn as well - corn flour, and it can have any taste you want - from plain vanilla to mango.

Those a great to keep you warm on a chilly damp day like today :) ... but still, it's better not to abuse them if you don't want to look like tamal yourself ;)

times of change

When all you do when you go out is buy some food and medicines,.. the sign of what is it??

And this is our burn unit... it's relatively new (C)

Now I know why one shouldn't open a pressure-cooker while it is still boiling...

yeah, yeah, I did it!.. Honestly, I don't know what I was thinking.. and then, not only I had to nurse the burns on my legs, feet and left hand, but also clean the kitchen from top to bottom before my hubby came back. At least, I didn't get any on my face! Well, a lesson learned :) hmmm...

anyway, my heart is not really in homemaking these days, - today I forgot the rice on the stove, - there are other issues on my mind. Let's hope second time is the charm :)

Bon appetite!

New Year, New Horizons

Well, many things are the same, but now I feel like writing in English for a change.

2010 is well into its first month but still.. Happy New Year!!



Besides the traditional propositions everyone makes every year, I'll also learn to drive properly(!) and overcome my (pretty rational, in my own opinion) fear of driving in the city, take good care of myself and generally have more fun. That last one I began to fulfill this Saturday, playing (pretend) poker for the first time at a friend's birthday. Now I know I should never go to Las Vegas :), but fun it was!

And finally, it's warm again in México City! Sleeping in warm pj's under three blankets is over!!!

Divino Domingo

Hace mucho que no escribo aquí, pero esta es una muy buena razón para volver a hacerlo.
La Navidad está cerca y milagros pasan.. Ayer esta enorme cuidad se detuvo por varias horas para escuchar al maravilloso tenor de Placido Domingo.

habrá muchos otros quien podrá describir el evento tanto mejor que yo pues me faltan las palabras que harían la justicia a este talento.. pero puedo decir "yo estuve allí"!.. y la memoria se quedará siempre conmigo.

El escenario temporal fue construido al pie del Ángel de la Independencia (y había estado causando un caos vial por muchos días antes del concierto). Nosotros llegamos caminando tres horas antes del concierto para encontrar un buen lugar, pero ya había mucha gente en Reforma esperando. Durante el sound-check él parece que estaba de mal humor y les fue como en feria a los músicos y a una de los sopranos que cantó con él pero.. la tercera llamada y la magia empezó.

Al inicio cantó ópera y luego, tres canciones con la letra de Juan Pablo II. Una de ellas, por primera vez, junto con su hijo, Placido Domingo Jr. Las miles de personas en el citio escuchaban en perfecto silencio para no perder ni una nota.. Después Domingo pasó a cantar varias famosas canciones mexicanas y invitó el público cantar con él. La verdadera fiesta empezó con las canciones de mariachi, y nos ayudó entrar al espíritu navideño con los villancicos..

Regresamos a casa casi a las once y media, nos tomamos un par de tequilas para el frió y nos dormimos esperando el día de hoy en la fantástica Ciudad de México donde milagros suceden.