Then there is the lack of convenience. No Walmart, so I have to plan ahead, which is not one of my best skills. Ask my husband. No Burger King. No school cafeteria. That means A LOT of homemade meals, which has probably been the hardest thing for me to get used to. I'm still not.
That being said, there are the pros of living here...and they far outweigh the cons. Here are some things that we can do here in Mexico that we wouldn't be able to do if we lived most mid-size to large cities in the states...
1. Ride a four-wheeler to school.
2. Talk down the seller on almost anything you would like to buy.
3. Experience the Mexican people's love and affection for children and babies.
4. Learn spanish by immersion.
5. Enjoy a very long growing season.
6. Learn and be able to teach the children the difference between "wants" and "needs". Make friends with a large family who lives in a one-bedroom home with a dirt floor and a wood-burning stove for cooking, and you learn the difference very quickly.
7. Learn how to make authentic Mexican cuisine.
8. Ride a horse down the main road in town.
9. Carseats are optional. Yes, most of the time we do use them, but if we are driving a block or two, it's nice to not have to worry about getting arrested for not buckling three toddlers in 5-point carseats.
AND....
10. A backhoe driver's permit won't get revoked if he decides to operate his machine with a very blond 3-year-old on his lap...
(This man has been working with us for nearly two years and we have a very friendly relationship with him. I was totally impressed by how he could operate his backhoe with one hand and hold the 3-year-old with the other, and oddly enough, I was completely comfortable with it. The 3-year-old was, too, apparently, as he fell fast asleep within fifteen minutes. Look...)
My list could go on, but it's time for me to put my laptop down and get the twins out of the tub. Thanks for listening!
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What a wonderful TT post. We take so many things for granted, I especially enjoyed your pictures! That one of the napping backhoe is priceless! Happy TT! -Laurie
ReplyDeletetalking down a seller on the things i'd like to buy is very much like here in the philippines. i do that all the time. haha!
ReplyDeleteI love how you wrote, 'my list could go on and on'...we do have an awesome Father God!!
ReplyDeleteYour second paragraph highlighting the lack of convenience really says a lot. I think the lack of convenience in this sense makes us more conscience of what's really going on around us. We learn to depend on one another and want to truly help one another. Otherwise we become numb and lose a sense of self.
ReplyDeleteI love your all of your thoughts on this post. Great post. More should read it.
I loved reading this. That is one of the hugest reasons we were hoping my hubby would get the job in Mexico. We wouldn't be moving full time but we could go in spurts for a month at a time. It doesn't look like it will happen but still praying about it. I want the kids to experience some 3rd world culture.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Enjoyed getting to know more about you and where you live. Always a good thing to learn from other experiences. Hugs, Bobbi Jo
ReplyDeleteThanks for the informative post! I do think it is important to teach our children the difference between "wants" and "needs." I hear all the time that people who go on missions trips to other countries get their eyes opened!
ReplyDeleteNot only do we not use carseat we also drive with the kids on our lap, sometimes a couple! And you forgot the most important thing! MAry Poppins!!!! And the fact that our 12 year olds can drive cars here.
ReplyDeleteToo cool- ya, you definitely couldn't ride a 4 wheeler to school here in Ohio. Fun to read a different perspective!
ReplyDeleteSince first finding your blog, that is one thign I have admired about you--your ability to live outside your native country and make so many good things happen there.
ReplyDeleteJulie, it's so good to hear from you! It seems like it's been ages. I always love your comments. They're inspiring and uplifting, so thank you. I'm off to visit your blog to see what's going on with you!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post, HOWEVER #10 we can do here in East Texas, and when we were visiting a small town in Tenn, we decided that riding 4 wheelers was almost manditory!! (also that children on 4 wheelers have the right of way:)
ReplyDeleteIsn't it great to KNOW you are where you are supposed to be?
Great thankful post. Mexico sounds very interesting. My sister once lived in Mexico City for a while while in high school (foreign exchange program with the Lions Club). Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteNice. I think you are lucky! I would love to live down there. You have all handled the adjustment well.
ReplyDeleteAwesome post, thanks for sharing with us!
ReplyDeleteI am crazy about Mexico! My husband and I travel there as much as we can and managed to live there for a year between undergraduate and grad school. I'd love to figure out how to live there again and would love to hear more from you on making it happen. What a great place to raise children!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad I found your blog through entrecard- I have bookmarked and will be back, everything I've read so far seems so interesting to me.
ReplyDeleteAt 10 p.m. Sun. night (MI time) I tried to subscribe via email to your site and was told "feedburner" was not able to do email subscriptions for this site ....
ReplyDeleteI so enjoy the realness of your postings!!