RTW: Exchange in Chile

Chingon

What you see as the headline is the word I would use to describe Mexicali and its people. Of course, this is a very subjective view as this is the place where I stayed in exchange seven years ago and some of my best friends live here. What the headline means is unfortunately somewhat hard to explain, but let us just say it is a masculine way to say that something is excellent.

Mexicali is a growing border city in the Northwesternmost part of Mexico, a couple of hours east from Tijuana. In the past seven years the number of people living here has doubled and the city is spreading across the desert quite fast. It is known for its supposedly unfriendly climate as it is in the middle of desert and in the summer it is one of worlds hottest places, in August of 1997 I got greeted with some +50 centigrades. However, it soon became clear to me why someone would stay in here: the people, the food, todo, is in a word, chingon. As I do know this place I have just spent my time meeting friends, eating what is likely to be worlds best foods and, of course, partying.

Due to its Chinese immigrants this place has excellent Chinese food, and to this date I have failed to find it as good anywhere else. And then there are the tacos.. That was a true story of love at first sight. There just are not this kind of tacos anywhere else, you will have to take my word for it. Even in Mexico it is just the Northwest that eats wheat tortillas (which are NOT like what you can buy in stores in Finland, I am told the difference is in the flour), and within these tortillas you should put meat (and NOT minced meat but good beef) to make tacos de carne asada con tortillas de arina. And to my American friends, forget about Taco HELL, they have no clue of what is going on.


Anyway, this being my third visit here, I am happy to see that my friends here are basically all doing great. Some are married and with kids and others are either studying (like my godson Luis, the accountant) or doing what they like to do for living. For example, one of my fellow exchange students, Olivier from France, lives here now as a teacher (so it is not just me that loves this place) and my good friend Carlos is making his way in singing and playing guitar. In the picture above you can see my comadre (that is how I call the mother of my godson) with her granddaughter and below I'm in a bar with my friends Fer and Carlos.


At this point I would like to thank everybody for the great reception I got, especially Carlos and his family and the family of my compadre Dr. Peraza. Ya saben, en Finlandia tienen a su casa cuando les conviene.

posted by Kassu @ 3:50 PM