I made it!

Toncs. Okay, it's my fault I missed the flight (but who knew about the 30 minute checked bag rule anyway? I guess it makes sense...) It made me feel better when some business man came running up at 10:08 trying to catch a 10:15 departure, at least somebody else was in the same boat. Traveler's do yourself a favor- pay attention to what you are packing. Instead of watching When Harry Met Sally at midnight, I should've remembered to take the knives out of my carry on bag. I'm not a terrorist, really, I just wanted to peel my mangoes, but now a nice refrigerator repaior man has some extra tools for when he goes fishing.

I caught a 1pm to Atlanta (actually walked on the tarmac up a little set of rolly stairs and on to the plane). Delta's pretty generous: 2 bags of peanuts so that's probably at least a full ounce. Reynosa is about a 4 hour drive from San Antonio so we got on the road. Lots of open empty space in Texas, real ghost towns, no lights. I sat in a desserted SUBWAY, chowed down and then we crossed around 10:30pm. The car got a green light, flew through no questions asked, no one needed to see a passport let alone who was in the car. This morning when I crossed back in to Texas (something that'll probably be doing with frequency) I did have to show them the passport, sometimes you get asked a couple questions, other times not. It seems pretty relaxed to me...

I'm thinking maybe I should've waited to get my wisdom teeth pulled as there are a pleathora of dentists and farmacias right as you enter Reynosa. Mexicans cross to do their shopping at Home Depot and Walmart and the gringos run over here to purchase cheap meds, etc.

It's pretty hot here right now, you shower and then start to sweat as soon as you get out, but I have a fan, all is well. Right now I also have some time on my hands because the first group doesn't arrive until Saturday so this is an exceptionally long post.

I work with Bill (I guess he's my jefe but really four years my senior), Raul (coorinator of the Mexican program), Lupe (su hermano e el encargado de mantimiento) y Julie (financial secretary), so it seems the summer is shaping up to be a pretty exciting one... Siguen repitiendo que me va a gustar

BILL IN THE LIVING ROOM/KITCHEN

Manana me voy!

I should probably start packing- ahorita. But looking for fun pictures and helpful maps to put on this blog is so much more interesting...

Still need to purchase:
-giant pepto bismol and granola bars (k gringita va?)

This website had some interesting background on Reynosa's industrialization:
http://www.cfomaquiladoras.org/serieglobalizacion.en.html

I'm feeling that it would've been a good idea to stick with the Lomnitz's class on border history....

A few things I like about Mexico:
1) Huraches: en el doble sentido, the food and the shoes.
i. Fried corn flour with refried beans inside. mmm. Masa de maiz que lleva FRIJOL adentro. K rico!
ii. KT and I found a pair at Red White and Blue that come in red/orange/green, very festive.