My First Toluca Weekend

Things I’ve learned about driving in Mexico from the trip to Toluca:

• Drivers use their flashers to tell people ahead that traffic is stopped
• People generally don’t use turn signals
• Red lights are more like stop signs

On the way to Toluca, we were treated to dinner by our mentors. This was the first of many times I had a quesadilla made with a blue tortilla (just as delicious). For the next several days I stayed with a host family. One of the women who works in the office of my mentor took me in. Her cat obsession reminds me of my own sweet mother. The night I arrived she took me out to eat and began her motherly role. I was to not drink the tap water, wash my fruits and vegetables before I ate them, stay away from foods that are too spicy and not drink milk directly from the cow (which eliminated my drink choice of hot chocolate at the chocolatería). My parents were happy to hear I have a Mexican mother.

My first weekend in Toluca was a busy one! Saturday morning my mentor picked me up from my host family’s house and we went out to breakfast in a restaurant in los Portales (a commercial shopping center in the historic center of Toluca). We also looked at a potential apartment for me and one of the other Fulbright recipients placed in Toluca. The apartment was beautiful. It had three bedrooms and the price per month was all inclusive: gas, electricity, water, drinking water, and even a cleaning service.

During the afternoon Jess, Jemina and I started exploring Toluca. We are the only three placed in the state of Mexico. We went to the Cosmovitral, which is a botanical garden, and lucky for us they had a mushroom exhibit. We also walked through a market, climbed the hill behind the market for a great view of the city, had some authentic Mexican food, visited a church (Templo del Carmen), and escaped the rain under a music festival tent. We then learned that it rains at least 5 days a week in Toluca around this time of year.

 The best part of Sunday was going to a family party with my host family. It was at my host mom’s sister’s house about 30 minutes away. I have yet to see a more beautiful Mexican home than hers. The room we were in was a large gathering room with chandeliers and art glass on the doors. Everyone was very welcoming. One of my favorite Mexican traditions is greeting people with kiss on the cheek. It makes coming and leaving a lengthy process, but it’s worth it. There were about twenty people there, but that was a small get-together for them. They couldn't believe that when my family got together back in the United States there are usually just 6 of us.

One of my goals while I’m in Mexico is to learn how to make some staple Mexican dishes. I wish I could cook like these people did. For dinner we had flor de calabaza (pumpkin flower) quesadillas, chicken and potatoes in a spicy, creamy chipotle sauce, chili chicken, Mexican rice, and chicharrones (pork rinds) and vegetables in a spicy sauce. My nose was running from all the spicy food but it was delicious! Then the younger generation played spoons. I taught them how to play using the whole deck of cards and I think they enjoyed it because we played more than 15 hands. My host mom’s sister said I could come back whenever I wanted! It was a great way to end my first weekend in Mexico.