The Best of Both Worlds

I have enjoyed these last two weeks more than any other in my time in Mexico.  I have been celebrating with friends, eating good food, and drinking just enough beer and tequila that nearly every night has been fantastic.  The posadas continued last week, and I also ended up getting invited to a few parties at people’s houses.  These weren’t just get togethers with older, middle-aged folks like I have been going to all year; no, these were honest to God real parties with people my age drinking, talking, and listening to music.  I cant believe it took me eight months to get invited to one! 

I miss parties with friends so much.  Without them I don’t meet anyone new, and I just go about my life in a middle of the road, go to bed early every night, type of way.  But when I know that if I go out at night, I have the chance to chill out, engage in some cool conversation, well that is when life gets exciting.  You need other people in your life!  It sounds simple, but I forget that often.  Being by yourself for a while can be good for stress relief and your spiritual being, but you are missing out on so much if you go it alone for too long. 

Well the parties weren’t especially Christmasy, but they fit in with the posada theme, and a cheery Christmas mood definitely carried over into our evenings.  The first night Carlos’ friend from Germany, Nora, had a little get together at her place in Coyoacan.  I passed her off at first as the cold nordic type of personality I expect to find out of northern Germans,  but she treated me well so I cant complain too much.  Nothing much happened in the evening, but I ended up chatting with a sweet girl from Guerrero and some guy from the city who had been to Bolivia and was raving about it to me. 

The other party, the next night, was a surprise party for one of Carlos’ cousins.  It felt so nice to be welcomed so warmly into a near stranger’s house.  After searching out my tequila, I found a group of guys hanging around outside listening to music, and had some good conversations about soccer, the states, and Mexican mixed drinks.  Luckily for me these guys werent into dancing either, or I would have been the only one stuck outside looking like the loser who couldnt get a girl to dance with him (when in fact it was me who chose not to!) I am not sure why, but I was very intimidated at first by the guys down here, but I always end up getting treated so well.  Mexicans are such a warm people, and have welcomed me at every event I have been to.