I’m starting to feel strange when I visit the U.S. I’m… anxious. Uncomfortable. I hate watching home decorating shows, because everyone has a huge home and it seems wasteful. I hate going to Bed Bath & Beyond because I can’t buy anything there for my own home — see the shower caddy photo — and I’m frustrated that I don’t have access to such a store in Mexico. Even watching TV at my mom’s house annoys me, because there are so many commercials, and so many shows. How does anyone have time to watch these shows? There’s a reality show about dog groomers hosted by Jai Rodriguez, for goddsakes. I love me some Jai. But Groomer Has It? Like, really?
I don’t know what to make of this. I feel like the girl in the movie who meets Prince Charming, but seethes to everyone, “I hate him!” because she can’t bring herself to admit that she’s in love.
Really, visiting the U.S. makes me suddenly wish I lived there again, and it gets harder to go back to Mexico because I haven’t completely adjusted here yet. It’s hard to conjure up a “Who cares if we have no water?” attitude while taking a hot shower and drinking glassfuls of Olympia tap water, ya know? Yet at the same time, I can’t stop talking about Mexico to my American friends, and the yummy taco shop near our house, and the tianguis, and the little juice guy on the corner. I feel stuck between both places.
The solution seems to be not visiting the U.S. for a while. Good thing, we won’t be there again until late August. And on that trip, I’m going to go to H&M and that’s it. No BB&B.
Bueno, a mí me pasa exactamente lo mismo, viví algunos meses en Denver y cuando venía a México y veía todo tan práctico, sencillo, sin todo el aparato mercadológico de los States, respiraba con una tranquilidad y pensaba, yo no quiero regresar a los Estados Unidos, pero tenía que. Es un asunto meramente cultural, creo. Saludos
BB&B is plain insane. I walk in, see the just-for-garlic peelers and 10 different types of paper towel holders and I get woozy with overstimulation. I’m not saying I don’t troll the aisles in search of that perfect bathroom accessory, but I require a serious sugar injection soon after.
It is called straddling two cultures as I have done for my whole life. The only way to deal with it is to embrace the positive of both cultures and accepting the not so positive aspects.
La Traductora: I completely agree with you. Thanks for stopping by! By the way, I checked out your blog and it’s awesome. Can’t wait to try out some of your recipes.