5 Most Salient Memories: Chihuahua

Chihuahua is a sprawling jumble of a desert city, blanketed by a perpetual cloud of dust and pollution.  As far as the tourist goes, there's basically nothing to see, which is perhaps the reason I failed to encounter a single other white person in my seven days there.  Yes, it's an unimpressive city, and if all I'd seen were the buildings and museums I doubt I would have stayed in Chihuahua more than two days, but with all the friendly people I met and the amazing experiences my host Abiel included me in, in that short week Chihuahua grew to be a place I truly learned to love.  Looking back on my time there, these are the five experiences that stand out the most:


1) Hanging out for four days behind the counter of my host's art store, laughing and joking with three of the workers (Kenia, Fuyi, and Michel).  I learned more about mexican food and culture from them than I ever could have imagined.


2) Learning to swim the backstroke, all in Spanish.  When your ears are filled with water and there's an impossible echo-- not to mention the splashing waves and other people yelling-- it's sort of an exciting act of pantmime.


3) Seeing an interior designer doing his thing in a person's home.  It's truly a thing of beauty to watch the paintings being chosen, the colors being selected, and the furniture being laid out so as to best accentuate the natural beauty of the room as well as highlight the natural advantages of the home's owner.

4) Getting the VIP treatment at the most expensive and exlusive bar in Chihuahua (granted, this was because I was there with several millionaires; I guess I was part of the entourage, which is still kinda cool)

5) Dancing for two hours with a cute 22-year-old Chihuahuan schoolteacher while getting tips on how to pick up chicks from a local guy who acted as my wingman for the night.  The girl was ultimately not that interested, but the wingman was such a genuinely nice guy and taught me a lot about Mexican women (with which he was clearly quite successful, based on what I saw).  It's odd how many incredibly nice and helpful Mexicans I've met in so many unexpected places.