Lost in Monterrey

Streets in the bordertown of Nuevo Laredo (cross from Laredo, TX) were confusing. We were told to get a permit for the car we brought into the country. So we looked around for a while - signs are not Mexico's forte, IMHO. Once we found and figured out what we needed to do, they wouldn't give us the permit for lack of original documentation under JS' name. (the car was mine until about 8 days ago). But we don't have the original because it needed to go to Sacramento, CA! They wouldn't budge. Defeated, frustrated, tired, we didn't want to spend 45 min. crossing back to the US like they told us to. Thank God for creativity in crisis: JS suggested we tried asking for a permit under my name, since the car has documentation with my name on it. Fortunately they went for that idea - and we passed through.

I tell ya, something totally kicked in when we entered Mexico.

Adrenaline.

Following this episode, we drove around Monterrey for 1.5 hours. Bad signage + bad traffic + 2 foreigners trying to navigate a new city = getting lost. I can't even re-tell how we got to where we needed to go. SP, our host in Monterrey, gave us directions to a McDonald's (that we almost missed because the sign wasn't lit. What did I just say about bad signage in Mexico?) where she met us and then guided us to her home. Major props to JS for being patient and keeping his cool while we weaved through Monterrey traffic.

We went to dinner with S at a sushi establishment. (I know, I know, predictable, no? But she loves sushi too, which is why we will stay friends!) Her English is excellent, much to my relief, so conversations flowed. I appreciated how she shared about her life so openly to us - a lot of it painful and deep, the kind you don't typically hear on a first meeting. It could've been awkward; strangely, it wasn't. My heart goes out to her. If you happen to be reading, SP, keep on asking questions, keep searching.