8 Comments
Mar 5Liked by Beth Broderick

LA Senora Idiota...I resemble that remark! Absolutely loved the photos; thank you for including them. Considering all the people from Mexico who I, a native Californian, have come to know, I'm not surprised you found so many kind and helpful local people there. I have personal experience walking lost tourists to their hotels...it's a great way to get to know people from other places, even if they can't speak English. Big smiles all around. May your memories of your birthday trip bring you smiles for the rest of your life.

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Mar 5Liked by Beth Broderick

Your writing was as evocative as being there! Oh, wait... I was there. Thanks for the stroll down memory lane. A journey to last a lifetime! You bring magic wherever you go.

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What beautiful comments about us Mexicans, our culture and our cities <3. We are definitely living in very good times, all thanks to our president, the best we have had in a very long time. I'm so delighted to read your beautiful experience in our country, hope you come back soon aunt Zelda :)!

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Mar 5·edited Mar 5

In my Mexican-American household on the Arizona-Sonora frontier, I was taught never to say "estupido," as this is considered a pretty serious insult which came close to being an actual cuss word. "Idiota" was nearly as bad. I had always understood it to be Spanish, but maybe it is border speak, or maybe it just does not get as much use further south. "Tonto" is a bit more acceptable, but reserved for special occasions.

"Menso" or "loco," which both literally mean "crazy" or "insane," but are also considered relatively mild and almost polite ways to call someone foolish. I like "menso" because it gives bilingual folks a good laugh when someone brags about being in MENSA.

As far as your broad, myth-busting observations about Mexico, these are appreciated. Our ignorance as a nation about Mexico is rather astonishing. Popular culture barely acknowledges that the country exists, except as a place for Americans to misbehave. Every so often, it starts to look like this attitude is changing, so there is hope in this regard.

Back when I was in the legislature, I learned the statistic that commerce from Mexico is worth about $1 billion just to the economy of my humble city of Tucson alone. Despite this, a lot of folks who should know better deny that maintaining a friendly relationship with our neighboring nation is good for everybody.

To close this, I just want to say that I think that you would have rocked that swimsuit, but if you do not agree, it is probably best that you put it aside.

Thank you again for giving us a lot to think about.

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