of Mann in Mexico..

hmmm.. its almost like I forgot I had a blog.. I chose to write about whats happening in mexico.. but only to a selected few people through emails.. Anyways, am back.. may be people expect me to put up pics and tell them whats been happening here.. haa! I shall choose to take another path.. i mean obviously i'll show u my pics soon.. and the pics will show you what I've been upto for the past 2 months now in this country!
I shall talk about here the experience.. the people, the inside scoop..

Seriously, I've never encountered a more friendly and warm bunch of local people anywhere. Mexicans have surely taught me a lot.. taught me how to be welcoming and inviting.. to be hospitable and helpful.. but I've also learnt a few things the hard way.. how never to say No at first, as that may seem rude. and only say No at the last moment!! ouch that hurts! Mexicans everywhere i have gone uptil now have treated me nicely! very nice to be precise. The moment they realise am from the faraway exotic land called India, i've seen expressions changing.

My best interactions here have been with the taxi drivers. especially bargaining with them.. the moment i use the magic line, discuenta por extranjeros, somehow thats challenging their hospitality.. and instantly they agree to my quoted price. But at the cost of talking to them the whole way in spanish.. about my country. I've talked about topics from Indian names, to currency, to the Gandhi family, to weather and even the education system. enlightening indeed!

Mexico has challenged my limits in a lot of ways.. I mean, the guy who usually ends up sleeping at 5 am in singapore or even India, now has to wake up at 545 for his almost daily 7 am classes. its a torture. the guy who had never cooked for the last 5 years in singapore in suddenly making exotic indian curries and enjoying it! the guy who never attended a single class of theory in singapore is now attending all of them, including engineering classes in spanish. I must say, these engineering classes in spanish should be the greatest challenge that I've undertaken in my life. I only hope to come out stronger from this experience. as they say, no sacrifice is ever left waste. and finally, the guy who used to party rarely like once a month, is now doing it extensively, so much so, that he confesses to himself deep inside, that he is tired of partying sooo hard!!

Mexicans have this unique capability of studying super hard, and partying even harder.. and the lazy me is used to having some time for wasting, some time for just doing nothing, watching random stuff on tv, or just sleep.. thats a luxury here!!

I've been an international student before, but the last 5 years, I've been at a place where u cud find a lot of indians, and mostly asians. the experience of living among no asians, indians whatever has seriously been a lot of fun. Before coming here, I only hoped to know Mexicans at the end of the semester. But I must say, I came to know a lot about the Europeans as well. But I shall choose not to say much about them now.. the fact that my closest friends here are Europeans shud sum it all. but one thing's for sure, a lot of myths i had about them have been shattered.

As u people know, making friends has been never too hard for me.. I instantly attach myself to people whereever i go and make sure I love them a lot! but the same old story continues here i guess, whereby my feelings have been misinterpreted.. only the people u get attached to have the power to hurt you. and for me, I've given this power to a lot of people, owing to my very friendly self! and that has hurt me time and again, so much so that I've surprised myself that I could let myself be soo vulnerable.. but alas. some things are never meant to be!! But isnt that the point of this whole experience here.. to get to know what kind of pepople you get along with, and what kind you dun! To look at the brighter side, I've made some excellent friendships that i hope, last for as long as they can! I am already so much in love with so many people here, that it will be really hard saying goodbye. there will be chances i might not see most of them again, but for sure, the memories these people have given me, or will give me, shall always be with me!

So yes, Mexico has taught me one most important thing. Dealing with a Loss. 4 days in Mexico and my laptop and ipod got stolen. priceless pictures, songs i collected individually after soo much effort. all gone in a jiffy. i remember that phase. I hadnt eaten for 23 hours, before Paulina realized that and rushed me for some quesadillas. I remember how much i cried, coz this had to be the greatest monetary loss i have incurred, that too a loan taken by me. but i got over it. just took some time and a new laptop! soon later i lost a friendship too, someone i cared for a lot. but miscommunication and misinterpretations led to the downfall. I cried, sulked, affected myself adversely, coz I had never lost friends like that. but i got over it finally. just took some time and new people in my life! Mexico taught me lessons the hard way, but i guess i had to learn these sooner or later.

Living in a house for the first time with other people has been a lot of fun. I love everyone in my house sooo much.. and to think of it, my decision to live here was at the spur of a moment. and thankgod i made it. super cinco rock!!

Lastly, travelling around Mexico has been a wonderful experience. as much as i have seen, a lot of misconceptions i had before coming here have been cleared.. Mexico is a place that instantly makes you its own. it does this magic on you. I've always lived at places (delhi or singapore) where i know, that even when i go somewhere I'll only return back again. Mexico is one place that am sooo much in love with. and i know a fact. that once i leave, i might not ever come again. at least for so long.

So let me live my life once here. Just once, enough to have memories and friends for a lifetime..