Cumpleaños, cumbia, y... the Dixie Chicks?

So yesterday was my very first birthday in Mexico! I have to say that the folks here sure know how to throw a birthday bash...

So the preparation for the birthday meal began at around 9 AM, with plenty of cooking, cake decorating, table-setting, and piñata filling! I requested enchiladas verdes, but we also had soup, bread, calabaza, frijoles, and berry punch. Some friends of the family also came on a well-timed surprise visit and brought with them a salad, sodas, flautas (fried tacos), and.... (wait for it....) Kentucky Fried Chicken and biscuits!! Best unintentional birthday present ever. Then we topped it all off with a carrot/pineapple/pecan cake, for which I promise to get the recipe so the joy of that particular confection can be spread around the world; its containment within Mexico would be unjust.

All together, we sat at least 15 people at the table and ate until we no longer could. It made me so happy to see all these people together enjoying themselves. There really is no better present than a fully-laden and fully-surrounded table.

In addition, it should be understood that my family here is very food-oriented, and my Mama Poblana is not shy about making sure that you have eaten plenty. As a result, we all left the table roly-poly and completely unexcited about having to move. Nonetheless, I braved my way to an informal, impromptu, and largely unhelpful dance review session. From there we went to Bernadette's house (our director) for a very suspiciously timed meeting about end-of-semester bureaucratic stuff. Much to my complete and utter and all-consuming shock and surprise, there was a surprise birthday celebration for me, involving pizza, balloons, and what was honestly the best cake I have had in Mexico: a pyramid of bite-size brownies covered in melted chocolate. Clearly they have been paying attention to my habits/addiction to brownies. Also received some gifts from various members of the program (who rock my socks!!):


A dancing figurine made of corn husks, given to me by Bernadette/the program. She's so awesome, but I'm worried about how I'll get her back safely to the USA; she's rather fragile.


Sparkly pear and a box of sangria (inside joke) from some dear friends. You know who you are, and you better know how awesome you are.



Earrings!! Thanks to Joelle and her awesome taste!



And to top off a fabulous day, I went with Joelle and her Mexican boyfriend, Mauricio, as well as our friend Nhi to a public dance in Puebla. This was definitely a dance of the people, which sure beats the fresa (1:snooty, stuck-up, preppie. 2: strawberry)clubs I've been going to. This was normal people attending a free dance with live music on a Friday night. We basically danced the Cumbia with random people until we were half-dead asleep and with aching feet. SO MUCH FUN. I really like that the system of politely asking a stranger to dance with you is still alive and well. Plus, it was really affirming to realize that I have a pretty good handle on this particular dance! Not so affirming was that I felt more conspicuous than I usually do. Nhi and I can generally pull off looking Mexican (albeit with plenty of Spanish blood) until we start speaking, but my dear friend Joelle has a classic fair-skinned, golden-ringlet look about her that pretty much alerts anyone here to her status as a gringa. It therefore became clear to everyone that we were all gringas. Pro: lots of offers to dance. Con: lots of getting stared at. Honestly, though, I was so happy to be dancing such a FUN dance that I was not terribly concerned.


Okay, so on an unrelated note, I want to share with you a video I stumbled over. This both expresses my wish to be home, as well as gives an excellent presentation of images that I consider classically Mexican: unforgettable and integral aspects of my time here. This is in a border town, which adds a border-crossing theme. So minus that, here is Mexico + Dixie Chicks=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4NTn3Pn05A&feature=PlayList&p=529F15A30380B591&index=12