Week 5

What happened this week? You can probably guess; a lot! And since we had so little contact this week, I'll tell you everything as detailed as possible :)

On Monday, I suddenly notice that everything is decorated. The month of September is dedicated here to the independence of Mexico around 1810, which is celebrated on the 15th/16th. Whether from cars, on people, or in the streets, the pride in one's country is celebrated here with thousands of flags, which is something a German is not used to.

On Tuesday, we book our Airbnb for Colombia, yay I'm excited! Also, in the evening we meet up with my roommates in their studio-like part of the house. Together with a few others, we watch “Drag Race Mexico,” a kind of Germany’s Next Topmodel for drag queens. I find it quite funny that the two of them (who are a couple) seem to only seek contact with non-hetero people, so the group is particularly enthusiastic about this queer-friendly series. I’m not really a reality TV fan, but it’s nice with the others. Sydney, a Mexican, brings tamales, atole, and mazapán, typical food from here that we all share. Really sweet. We also have snacks like nachos with guacamole and vegan cookies!

On Wednesday, I work for university and then on my gift for Dad, who has a birthday on Friday. For that, I’m sitting -again- in the café in Coyoacán. At home, I just don’t feel comfortable enough to do university work.

Afterward, I meet Diego (the one from salsa) in a nice restaurant. We eat pizza, but then we have to hurry because we’re going to watch a movie at the Cineteca. I make a list every week of things I want to see or do, and this was on the list this time. We watch a thriller from the 80s, Possession, which takes place in West Berlin. It's super creepy and totally confusing, but well made, and it’s impressive to see such a deserted, different Berlin near the wall on video.

On Thursday, the next date already continues: I meet a girl for the first time here! Her name is Laila, she comes from Veracruz, studied English education, and is currently on vacation here. In between, she works at a hostel in the city center to fund her month. We meet AGAIN in my café, but we only grab a drink and then stroll to a small green park because the weather is so nice. We get along really well and want to see each other again on Sunday because the second thing on my list for the week is the Soumaya Museum. She doesn’t know much here either, so we can explore the city together quite well. After two hours, we both have to leave again.

In the evening, I go to a football game. Our team wins, but the cheerleaders are way cooler than the game itself. I'm also really happy because I'm there with my new Mexican friends (and Paula) from university. They are two girls from one of my classes and two guys from another. Afterward, one of them, Aranza, desperately wants to introduce me to her friend, a football player. It feels like a forced marriage (or a staged marriage), and I think we both feel a bit awkward about it. Maybe we'll go out to eat next week, we'll see, I’m not so convinced.

On Friday, I already feel the amount of activities again, but in the evening, I go out to eat with Alan. A friend of his gives me travel and club tips for Mexico, which is nice. However, Alan annoys me because I told him I only want to eat briefly. Instead, he takes me back to his corner of the city again and prolongs bringing me home endlessly. In the end, I get home at 11:30 PM, and I had actually wanted to finish Dad's recipe book. So, it will be quite a late-night effort. But then it’s done, and I hope he will be happy about it. Happy Birthday Dad, I love you!!

On Saturday, I’m tired. But there’s no stopping! Because? It’s the Saturday market, yay! I love it; by now, I already know a few good spots and bargains. I've already shown you what I found, but here again:

After that, I immediately head to... of course, to Coyoacán. I should really move there, my goodness. We’re going to the Frida Kahlo Museum today; we bought the tickets about three weeks ago. We are visiting Frida and Diego Rivera’s house, where they spent most of their lives.

Due to her polio illness and later her serious car accident, Frida lives with constant pain and has to spend much time in bed. The courtyard of her house is a true oasis, where she spent a lot of time with her husband, who is 20 years older, and many friends and guests. It’s a beautiful museum!

What she dies of in 1954 at only 47 years old is not entirely clear. She is seriously ill, half of her leg has to be removed, and she says she has never suffered so much.

Plagued by severe depression, she takes many medications the night before her death and dies at night from a pulmonary embolism. Whether that was self-determined is not known, but she must have known that she would die soon. Before her death, she writes that only her husband gives her life meaning, although this love may be in vain (he's already having another affair, the jerk).

Despite all the pain, Frida creates great art, is a funny, empathetic, and clever woman, and seems to have known how to make use of and enjoy her life. She says, “What do I need feet for when I have wings?” Inspiring.

Then we continue to the amazing Mercado de Coyoacán, where there is really everything, especially food. I get a great fruit salad. However, I realize that I am really worn out and a bit under the weather. So we head home afterward.

In the evening we go out to party. We pregame at one Mexican's place, Isaac, play beer pong and Mario Kart, and then head to a house party. Another Mexican invited us, and I would feel bad not to go. But I regret it because some others go to a techno club, which is supposed to be quite good. At our place, everyone is just standing around and drinking tequila again, so Mexican house parties do not convince me at all. Around 2/3, we head home.

And on Sunday, as announced, the museum is up. Laila and I have both been out for a long time and are accordingly tired when we meet at noon in the sliding sun at the modern wealthy district of Polanco in front of the Soumaya Museum.

The museum is named after the richest man in Mexico (and probably the world) Carlos Slim, who built the building in honor of his deceased wife. The museum is huge and feels like an expensive junk shop because thousands of artworks are wildly distributed and disorganized across six floors.

And there are works by Van Gogh, Renoir, Chagall, and so on; it’s unbelievable. The owner simply bought a bit of art with his wealth.

Laila says, however, that he is very generous; he built the museum to make “both Mexican and Western art freely accessible to everyone who cannot travel to Europe.” Definitely a completely different vibe than our museums at home.

Then we take a walk by the Chapultepec Park on the huge main road, past the Angel of Independence and many anti-monuments, which I have already told you about.

I try teriyaki fried chicken for the first time; it actually tastes quite good. Then Laila has to go back, and I head out too. I decide I cannot always take Uber and will use public transport today. In the end, I take THREE hours; first, I get caught in heavy rain, then it calms down as I walk for 20 minutes, and after finally waiting 20 minutes for the bus, I’m on my way south. On the bus, I meet Paula, which is nice. Then, when getting off, the downpour starts again, so I seek refuge in a Walmart. I do my weekly shopping (very soaked), and next week I won't eat any sugar! At the checkout, the man notices AFTER I’ve packed everything that the card system isn’t working. Great, fantastic, I have a little internal breakdown. So I sort out one item after another until I can pay the remainder with my 25 euros and then walk home in the rain for 20 minutes.

I’m so exhausted; this week has been too much for me. And spoiler - it will show next week. But now, enough about this week, I’m curious how long you read this for! I’m sending you a kiss! Bye-bye