LOOKING BACK

When we got to Laredo, TX last week we asked the boys to help us make a list of the things they were going to miss about Mexico and things they had missed about the US.  Here is the list:

THINGS WE WILL MISS ABOUT MEXICO (SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE)

1-The Jardin-  The Jardin is a great place to hang out.  For less than $5 we could buy bouncy balls, large balloons, and other toys.  There were also Mariachi bands, comedians, magicians, and breakdancers.  We went there almost everyday because there was always something going on.

2-The Blue Door Bakery-  We loved this bakery.  We tried to go back a second morning and it was closed.  After spending $23 dollars in KC for 2 dozen donuts, we missed the $7 dozen of homemade pastries even more.

3-Walking everywhere- We loved walking to and from town and taking a taxi when we got tired.

4-Tortillas at every meal-Mason added this one.  They boys learned to love the corn and flour tortillas that came with every meal.

5-Quiet-  We had very few american tv channels and no american radio stations so it was quiet around the house in a lot of ways.

6-Outside- We loved having the windows and doors open and just hearing the sounds around town.

7-Guapo-Porter loved taking care of the neighborhood cat.

8-Heat from the fireplace-There is no central heat in the houses so when you come home and it's chilly you turn on the gas fireplace in whatever room you are in to get cozy.  There's something really fun about that.

9-It's so laid back-We don't wear watches and since our phones didn't have signals, we didn't carry them.  Therefore we rarely knew what time it was and we just did what we wanted to do when we wanted to do it.  The stores don't have an hours sign on their door so they may or may not be open when you go there.  The people are very laid back and not hurried.  The waiters don't rush to bring your check and hurry you out.  It takes some getting used to, but you learn to like it.

THINGS WE REALLY LIKE ABOUT THE US

1-Fountain drinks with ice.  Drinking warm pop gets old really fast.

2-There are no fireworks and roosters crowing.  This was a drawback to the outside living.  One night the fireworks started at 4am, one night they ended at 4 am.  When you go to bed in KC, you are unlikely to hear chaos outside of your door everynight.

3-US bathrooms-It Mexico you pay 4pesos to use a public restroom.  It may or may not be clean, and it may be in someones house or back yard.  Also no toilet paper goes in the toilet.  It all goes in a trash can.  We like US bathrooms better.

4-In the US your lights don't flicker.  At our Mexico house the lights would flicker and dim at random times every evening.

5-Safe food- For the most part in the US, you don't have to worry if the food is safe.  You also know what you are getting when you order it.  One night at Pollo Feliz we ordered "hamburguesas" We thought we were getting hamburgers, but in fact we got chicken patty sandwiches.  It's nice to order off the menu and know what you're getting.

6-Fast food- There is fast food in Mexico at the street vendors.  It looks delicious but they are not regulated at all so we didn't eat at any of them.  Therefore every meal was at a sit down restaurant.  It was nice for the most part, but sometimes you just want to eat and run.

7-You don't have to speak spanish-  no explanation needed...added by the Phillips boys.


We really loved our time in SMA and it was a great experience for our family.  We met several people while we were there that said they fell in love with SMA so they moved there.  I can't say that, but I can say that I learned a lot about a different part of the world as well as family.