Mexico XIX - Poverty

These pictures speak for themselves.

Most were taken from the highway headed north to the Pyramids. Mexico City is surrounded by slums, and shanty-towns like these. Entire hills covered in concrete. Homes put together with scrap metal, tarps or pieces of wood. These are places cars can't even pass. I think of myself living in the US, lamenting that I didn't have granite counter-tops or a custom pool in my backyard. These pictures give me a quick reality check and I must again and again feel gratitude for all that I have, for all that ALL of us have living in the US. I don't want to hear about any more fake problems - a home rennovation, a broken dishwasher, not being able to find that perfect home in that perfect neighborhood with a perfect school... seriously, most of the worlds population lives like this...

I don't really make politally charged comments, but for all of those people who hate illegal immigrants, I think they need a tour of one of these shanty towns. If it were me, trying to raise my family in one of these shacks, earning less than $5 a day, with nothing to loose, I would risk everything to enter into the US illegally. There is so much hatred in the US towards Mexicans, especially in places like Arizona, Texas, and California - but do you blame them? I know it is costly for our government, but we all have more than enough clothes in our closet, food in our pantries, our houses are warm and dry, even with all the taxes we pay - so why should we complain about sharing with our neighbors. Keep coming my friends. Mi casa es tu casa. Mi pais es tu pais.

Mexico - XVIII - The move

Our move - May 2009.

Swine flu really saved us as we moved to the other side of Polanco in early May. With every business, restaurant, school and store shut down we were easily able to make runs from our old apartment to our new house. Normally, this would take about 30-40 minutes a trip (to go 2 miles) and we would have to fight for a parking spot for the truck. This particular week, swine flu made it very easy.

We were very excited to move into a house with a small patio. I started to feel less safe with the security guards, who knew when Scott was traveling and knew when I was alone. We have no private securtiy, but the house is old and does not call attention to us. Why break into a pretty shabby looking place when the street is lined with mansions? And the best part of all, is that the kids school is directly across the street. We can literally get them there in about 20 steps. If you have ever experienced Mexico City traffic you would really understand what a lifesaver this is. We also leave two doors down from my favorite brunch restaurant, SAKS, and just a couple of blocks from the grocery store, and more shopping, located on Mexico's Rodeo drive - Masarik. At some point, I need to take more pictures of the front of our house.



How to move in Mexico. Find a few guys willing to work and a maid to watch your kids. We didn't do much and spent about $200- total, for the use of a truck and three strong workers. The professional bid was aroudn $1300, and of course we are always trying to save a buck - even if it means they will levy your furniture out the window, break the leg of your crib. I guess we could buy a new crib with the savings. As I wrote in an earlier post, our old apartment's elevator was broken. Making it even more difficult. Another plus, we will save over $700 a month on rent - take that our old evil landlord Roberto Charvel.

I wish I had a video of this caotic event - the garbage bags full of beanie babies flying out the window, the bunk bed they somehow got over the balcony in one piece, and the way the workers smiled and laughed through it all - they would each go home will 1000 pesos (about $80) so why complain? Here is a picture of us taking a break eating a little KFC.



While we waited for our phone and internet connections we found a week wifi signal on the roof. How is this for a home office? The old tenants were kind enough to leave the broken chaise - we brought up our beach gear. When the weather is nice, Scott brings up our TV and we watched a movie on the roof. The kids love it! (behind the treeline you can see the windows to the kids' school - Colegio Ciudad de Mexico).



The kids love having stairs to play on. Look at the lovely flooring in our new place - it kind of reminds me of the carpet you'd find in a stake center. Oh ya, and the maid Adriana prefers to sweep it. I keep telling her the vacuum is much more effective at sucking the pollution out of the carpet, but I don't think she believes me.



Home Sweet Home. Nothing like a cheap sofa from IKEA to curl up on. Ok, I think Matilda and Timothy are the only ones not faking :)