Today is the day I’ve been dreading for months. Today is the day we move back to the US.
Living in Mexico has meant a lot to me these last two and a half years and I am sad to leave. At some point Mexico City stopped being just a place where we were living and it became our home. I don’t know if it was when we moved into our apartment, or when we made good friends here, or when our son was born here, but it happened, and I’m glad it did.
I’ve lived lots of places in my life. Too many to count. And every time I’ve ever left a place I’ve been sad to go. You would think I would be better at goodbyes by now. I’m not. But maybe that means I’m doing it right.
There have been lots of tears over the last few days, and I’m sure there will be lots more. If you are reading this I am already en route to Texas to meet the dogs and begin our journey back to DC.
But this isn’t goodbye.
Hasta pronto, Mexico. I already miss you, but I will be back.
My remaining time in Mexico City is slipping through my fingers like sand. While I am devastated to leave in only a matter of days, my impending departure has prompted me to do things around town that I have been putting off for years.
This comes a little late, but I am still recovering from celebrating my first Mother’s Day as a mom in San Miguel de Allende. Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there, including my own wonderful mother. I’m learning everyday how hard it is to be a mom, and it makes me realize that we all owe our own mothers a big THANK YOU!
So thanks, mom. Now I will always remember to send YOU flowers on MY birthday. xo
As we enter our last month of living in Mexico City, it occurs to me that some things that we’ve done many times over the last two and a half years we are now doing for the last time. There are things that I never posted about because I thought, “oh, there will always be next time.” We’ve been to lucha libre many times, enough that we know the characters and the routine. I think, however, we might have seen our last lucha this past weekend.
My tiny bebé is already a 3 month old chunk! These newborn photos were taken when he was just under two weeks old and I don’t believe he was ever that small. At least I have photographic proof. If you are looking for great family photos in Mexico City check out our friend Martin, he is great with kids and his enthusiasm is infectious. Oh, and he takes fantastic photos.
We are 6 weeks away from packout and I am in total denial about leaving Mexico. I hate having to think about it, but The New Diplomat’s Wife’s roundup of tips and tricks for a smooth packout is perfectly timed for those leaving post this summer. Check out advice from diplomats around the world [including yours truly] here.
While I’m most sad about leaving friends and a life that we love, I have to admit that delicious tacos on every street corner is high on the list of things I will miss. I tweeted this video about street tacos in Polanco a while back and I’ve had tacos on the brain ever since.
Speaking of food in Mexico City, I am definitely ordering this issue of Swallow Magazine
If you are looking for new inspiration in your instagram feed, @usinterior is the best thing I am following these days - makes me excited about a Great American Road Trip when we are back in the US.
We have been singing mariachi songs to bebé to get him to go to sleep, which he seems to like and also has helped me learn all the words to some classics that I have loved for a long time. “México Lindo y Querido” is one of the songs we sing and I came across this version by Playing for Change that made me all weepy. As we close out our tour here in Mexico I am having a hard time thinking about leaving. Mexico certainly has its share of problems, but it has been a great adventure and I have loved living here. México is a place that has a way of getting into your blood, so when they sing…
México lindo y querido
Si muero lejos de ti
Que digan que estoy dormido
Y que me traigan aquí
…I sort of get it.
Note: the video starts out with “Cielito Lindo” so be patient.
Yesterday was our first Easter Sunday in Mexico, usually we travel back to the US to spend the holiday with family. This year, we mixed old and new traditions.
I never got around to posting photos from our New Year’s trip to Tulum, mostly because it was only a few days after we returned that bebé was born. [note to self: next time around don’t cut it so close with the travel during pregnancy]
Looking back, that trip was a dream. I was so sad as we drove off, knowing that I would go back but it would never be as carefree again.
This is pretty much what our weekend looked like, plus some tennis, running and college basketball. This time of year I especially love living in Mexico. Will be back to more substantive posting soon - hope everyone’s weekend was wonderful!
When I was a kid my mom always went out of her way to give us little Valentine’s Day surprises - nothing fancy, just a few goodies that made the day special. That is probably why I don’t think of Valentine’s Day as a super romantic mushy holiday, but as a holiday to do something nice for friends and family.
In that spirit, I thought I would round up a few goodies I would love to be surprised with this year.
Hi there! I'm Kristin. This Gringo Honeymoon is where I blog about the things I like and the places I go. I live in Mexico City with my husband the diplomat, Lucy the English Bulldog and Mila the Mexican street dog More...
