{"id":11995,"date":"2018-10-18T09:00:51","date_gmt":"2018-10-18T13:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/?p=11995"},"modified":"2018-10-12T12:23:40","modified_gmt":"2018-10-12T16:23:40","slug":"things-i-miss-from-mexico-and-other-places","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/things-i-miss-from-mexico-and-other-places\/","title":{"rendered":"Things I Miss From Mexico (and other places)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Living far from home and in a non-Spanish country has given me an extra connection with my\u00a0lengua\u00a0materna<\/em>\u00a0(native language) that I didn’t feel before. The distance has also made me long for so many cultural things, and, when talking to friends from Venezuela, Guatemala, and Spain, I hear so many\u00a0similitudes<\/em>\u00a0(similarities).<\/em> Here is a list of some of the things I miss!<\/p>\n

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Personal photograph from my last trip to Mexico<\/p><\/div>\n

La comida<\/h3>\n

Yes, of course, this is obvious because of how important it is for all cultures. From Mexico, I miss eating\u00a0tacos<\/em> at all hours of the day and night. My favorite are\u00a0tacos al pastor,\u00a0<\/em>but I also love\u00a0tacos de arrachera<\/em>\u00a0(hanger steak) from the North of the country and even the delicious Tex-Mex breakfast tacos with\u00a0huevo\u00a0con chorizo<\/em>\u00a0(egg with chorizo) or\u00a0huevo con papa <\/em>(egg with potato).\u00a0Even though I do not eat anything\u00a0picante<\/em> (spicy), I also miss the variety of\u00a0salsas<\/em> in the restaurants of all colors and intensities.<\/p>\n

Funny enough, I also miss food from other countries even if I am not from there. When I go to Spain,\u00a0patatas bravas\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0jam\u00f3n serrano<\/em> are definitely on my list to eat. When it gets cold in the Netherlands, I long for a sunny day in Spain eating some tapas and drinking vino tinto.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Another food I have a lot of nostalgia for, and I have only eaten once is\u00a0arepas! <\/em>I had them once in Mexico City with a Venezuelan friend. She served them as she was making them and I thought it was one of the most amazing dishes in the world! In Latin America, we have a thing for food made with ma\u00edz<\/em>\u00a0(corn) and\u00a0delicious meat fillings. After that one taste, I always miss\u00a0arepas!<\/em><\/p>\n

El clima<\/h3>\n

Another obvious one is the weather! I live in the Netherlands and we have a lot of days with\u00a0nubes <\/em>(clouds)\u00a0and\u00a0lluvia<\/em>\u00a0(rain). Winters can be cold, and this is when I miss the\u00a0clima templado<\/em>\u00a0(mild weather) from Mexico City so much! In Mexico, you can definitely go to the beach in December, at least in the states from\u00a0del sur<\/em>\u00a0(the south).<\/em>\u00a0By March, I am tired of the ritual of\u00a0vestirse<\/em>\u00a0(dressing) and\u00a0desvestirse<\/em>\u00a0(undressing) each time you get somewhere with all the jackets and\u00a0bufandas<\/em>\u00a0(scarves). I am not sure how the winters in Spain are, but I suspect they might get more sun!<\/p>\n

El caos<\/h3>\n

This might be a surprise, but I sometimes miss the chaos of Mexico City. Have you ever driven in Mexico City? That is an adventure all on its own with crazy drivers, unbelievable traffic, and roads that make little sense compared to the\u00a0calles organizadas<\/em>\u00a0(organized streets) of Northern Europe. The thing with chaos is that it also brings about sorpresas\u00a0<\/em>(surprises).\u00a0While you are taking an\u00a0atajo<\/em>\u00a0(shortcut) to avoid traffic, you might find yourself in a cute little street or see a hidden cafe. Surviving traffic might make your meal across the city even more memorable. Avoiding traffic might also push you into the\u00a0cine<\/em> giving you an unexpected pleasure in the middle of the week. The chaos might also make you cranky and tired. You never know!<\/p>\n

Enojarme<\/h3>\n

The one obvious sign Spanish is my\u00a0lengua materna<\/em>\u00a0(native language) is the way it pops out when I am angry. I cannot get angry in English or Dutch or Italian the way I can get angry in Spanish. My mouth just wants to say\u00a0carajo<\/em>\u00a0(fuck) and\u00a0ya estoy hasta la madre\u00a0<\/em>(I am fed up)\u00a0and\u00a0cual es tu pinche problema<\/em>\u00a0(what is your fucking problem)! While there are equivalents to these in other languages, they do not feel right.<\/p>\n

The video below translates a few insults, and while they might sound ridiculous in English, sometimes you need that ridiculousness in your life!<\/p>\n