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Home » Featured, Living

You Know You’re A Gringo In Mexico If…

Submitted by Manzanillo Blogger on Wednesday, 18 February 200913 Comments

A while ago we posted an article: You Know You Are A Mexican If... originally found on the amazing Mexico Today Blog. Many of our friends read it and decided that they were indeed Mexican. We promised to post a follow up the next week so as promised we now have our own, slightly late, follow up to that article. Hey, it's Mexico, whatcha gonna do?

Have you been living in Mexico for too long? Are you going native? Does living South of the border feel more like home to you than your colder Northern homeland? Have you begun to notice some perculiar traits cropping up in your daily habits? If so, perhaps some of the following will ring true:

You Know You Are A Gringo In Mexico If...

  • You automatically show up at least 15 minutes late to anything.
  • You forget what closed toe shoes were.
  • Checking for scorpions in your shoes is just part of your morning ritual
  • Clothing begins to weigh a thousand pounds.
  • You're motto is that "It's 5 o'clock somewhere..." every time you pop open another bottle of beer for breakfast.
  • Spanish palabras come to your mind before English ones.
  • Any time you go to an ethnic restaurant back home you try to order in Spanish... even if it's Japanese
  • Tequila stopped burning on the way down a long long time ago.
  • Even your creases are tan.
  • Fine dining is anywhere that puts a table cloth on the white plastic tables
  • You put limon in everything and no longer thing it's strange that it even comes in your shampoo.
  • A night out consists of a movie in the air conditioned Cinepolis and caramel popcorn, where you learn a little Spanish through subtitles.
  • You stop checking the weather report every day. They are ALL hot.
  • If nobody in your neighborhood is blasting music in some form you wonder what is wrong.
  • Banda and Mariachi music no longer drives you insane.
  • Discovering a new favorite taco stand can make your week.
  • The prices of Starbucks irritates you.
  • The prices of Office Depot irritate you.
  • The prices of most anything irritate you.
  • Your driving style has become... more creative...
  • Finding yellow cheddar cheese, crunchy peanut butter, beef jerky, or pastrami excites you.
  • In desperation you have tried every ceran wrap available only to discover they are all terrible.
  • Socks and sandals no longer are the fashion faux pas they once were
  • Monitoring exchange rates is a pastime.
  • You drive with your hazard lights permanently on.
  • Upon returning to the homeland, you feel alien, constricted in clothing, and in wonderment of the strange people you used to live among.
  • You catch yourself humming the Global Gas theme song.
  • Every time you hear the Pink Panther song you suddenly want ice cream.
  • When the temperature dips below 75 you put on your 'winter' clothes
  • Your winter clothes consist of a long sleeve shirt and a pair of jeans.
  • Three of your closest friends are named Jesus
  • Tourists look ridiculous!

Related posts:

  1. Flu Season… even in Mexico
  2. In Defense of Mexico- Finally Some Good Press
  3. US Bailout Plan Rejected, Mexico Economy Hit, What’s An Expat To Do?
  4. Top Ten Mexico Customs and Cultural Differences
  5. Being A Vegetarian In Mexico

Shark Hunter | Manzanillo Free Diving - Sport Fishing - Volcano Expeditions

13 Comments »

  • Aubreyd said:

    Oh wow. that made my day. hilarious and true. Especially the pink panther and ice cream one. I’ve had that song stuck in my head for weeks.

    - 18 February 2009 at 7:09 pm
  • Gary said:

    This gave me a good laught. As gringos who have returned north we have taken a lot of the traits back with us. Anything involving heat and weather got left behind but the memory returns doing street work in below freezing temperatures. Thanks for the memories, off to the street now.

    - 19 February 2009 at 9:50 am
  • Aubreyd said:

    oh and socks and sandals are still a no no. more like a NO!!! NOOOOO!!!!!!!!

    - 19 February 2009 at 7:00 pm
  • Fiugeg said:

    I loved it and made me laugh so hard.
    Im a Mexican living in Manzanillo (I was born in Guadalajara).
    I check your blog frecuently, keep the good work rolling.

    :D

    - 23 February 2009 at 2:56 pm
  • heidileon said:

    OMG, this is SO funny!…lol…
    I’m a true Mexican living abroad and after reading this all I can say is yes: This is mi Mexico!.

    Totally agree with the 15 minutes (we keep doing it, even abroad…haha), and the weather!! I live now in Shanghai, China and is totally, totally the opposite to Mexico.

    The one I didn’t understood was the pink panther and the ice cream..

    btw, congrats on the Lonely Planet nomination!

    - 25 February 2009 at 4:54 am
  • Manzanillo Blogger (author) said:

    WOW! I was nominated! That’s awesome, I had no idea, you just made my week!

    The pink panther song is the theme song that all the ice cream trucks play here, I will forever associate the song with ice cream now.

    - 25 February 2009 at 8:34 am
  • Karen_NY said:

    This is my first time in your blog.
    this list is so funny! How your views and habits can change depending on where you live. before I moved to NY I never looked at the weather…I would just looked outside but in US you have to.
    The Jesus thing is true. Americans don’t use that name at all but in south America half the kids are name Jesus.

    Congrats on the nomination you guys! hope you win.

    from Queens the best wishes!

    Karen.

    - 26 February 2009 at 1:39 pm
  • Shaunee said:

    This is a really funny blog! You guys are crazy… When I was in Mexico I had a nice time, so enjoy the work you are accomplishing and keep the party going.

    Great Job on being nominated. Don’t worry you are going to win, LOL

    Shaunee- Queens, NY

    - 26 February 2009 at 5:47 pm
  • El zorro platiado said:

    I like the new picture! I’ve actually seen some Mexicans wearing a sombrero similar to that while working on the road. It does cast a long shadow, but would be a bear to put in the overhead bins of the plane.

    - 27 February 2009 at 8:35 am
  • Lydia y Víctor said:

    Hello! We are Lydia and Victor the authors of http://objetivolima.wordpress.com (also nominated by Lonely Planet in the Best Spanish language blog cattegory). We would like to congratulate you for your blog and congratulate you on your nomination and wish you all the best.

    Kind regards

    Lydia and Victor

    - 1 March 2009 at 2:41 pm
  • Miguel said:

    Hilarious entry… glad to see your blog is still running strong!

    - 11 March 2009 at 11:46 am
  • Cheryle - Colima MX / Pacific NW, USA said:

    I loved this! I needed a chuckle and 9 more days I’m returning to my beloved ranch in Parades Grande! I’ll spend two glorius days in Manzanillo! Can’t wait, I’m rusting up in the Pacific NW

    - 23 March 2009 at 4:34 pm
  • Rocky Point, Mexico said:

    Really funny post. After spending 20 years in Mexico..I can proudly say I am Mexican and yeah I do some of above things …dont all..

    - 6 October 2009 at 6:08 am

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