Mexican Living: Issues of Life


This morning when I got out of bed, I had some severe issues that have been worrying me.

Friends and family wonder just what I do all day as an American Expatriate. I worry and I am good at it. So I thought I would share with you the life-shattering issues that worry me as an American Expatriate and that have been worrying me to no end.

Worry One: The Rainy Season. The rainy season is almost on us. We have about 6 weeks before all raining hell cuts loose on Guanajuato. So I have to plan just what am I going to do for fun and diversion while it's raining outside and I cannot get out.

I will have to lay in a supply of extra hand towels to pack into the windows. You may not know this but all houses in Guanajuato leak like sieves and you have to stand vigil-day and night-over them when it rains. There is also the waterproofing plastic tape I will need to buy that I use to tape the small pinholes that spring up when I least expect it around the windows frames.

Guanajuato house builders do not build windows well.

My wife and I will also go about, in the next few weeks, checking out about 4,000 new books from the English lending library here so we have something to do between running from window to window checking for leaks.

We plan to do much more writing because that's what we do and because our eyes will be swollen and ready to pop out of our heads from reading all of those books.

Worry Two: My infertile male parakeet. Don't laugh at this. He isn't. We raise Australian parakeets. It is a hobby we had when we lived in the States and have engaged in it afresh here in Guanajuato. We have a male parakeet that is having some difficulty getting his point across to the female-if you know what I mean and I think you do.

Poor Chucho.

We put him with an experienced female who has had two clutches with another male so we know it isn't her. We've tried Chucho with two hens and alas, he isn't getting the hang of things. He tries with all his little parakeet heart but the eggs, which the hen lays, turns out to be no good.

What are we to do?

I wonder if there is parakeet Viagra that we can sprinkle on his food. I've tried talking with him but that doesn't do any good. We coach him and though things look like he's dead-on center during "the process," it's a no-go with infertile eggs.

Are there sex therapists for parakeets? Is he frustrated? Is the hen frustrated? Am I frustrated? Yes, I am!

Worry Three: My two Mexican parakeets. We also have a pair of what we were told are "Mexican parakeets." However, no one, and I mean no one, in Mexico knows what species these birds are.

We hit the Internet and corresponded with a parrot biologist who specializes in the parrots of Mexico. I sent him some pictures and according to this expert, these are NOT Mexican parakeets at all but illegally smuggled Brown-Throated Conures from St. Thomas Island.

Oh that's just great.

We have these two birds, Rickie and Lucy, who are HOT and probably would get me at least 10 years in a Mexican prison bunking with someone named, Bubbito (that's Spanish for Bubba).

We can't unload them because they are our sweet babies and it would traumatize them (and me) to dump them. I won't do it.

I wonder if Bubbito likes chocolate?

So there you have it. I do not lead a life of uncomplicated leisure here in Mexico. I have grave worries and concerns that fill my life with worrisome vexations.

Maybe Chucho needs sex-ed classes?

Doug Bower is a freelance writer and book author. His most recent writing credits include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Houston Chronicle, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Transitions Abroad. He lives with his wife in Guanajuato, Mexico.

His new book, Mexican Living: Blogging it from a Third World Country, can be seen at http://www.lulu.com/content/126241







Related News



What are the humanities good for? - Macleans.ca

What are the humanities good for?
Macleans.ca, Canada -15 hours ago
There is an interesting article titled: “The Role of the Humanities in the Modern University: Some Historical and Philosophical Considerations” “This ...

Just wrapping up - Macleans.ca

Just wrapping up
Macleans.ca, Canada -12 hours ago
Although I agree that the business of the humanities is not to directly save the world or bring revenue, Fish's ... Dale, You will be able to find the G&M ...
Something you don’t see every dayMacleans.ca
all 2 news articles

Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture renames its Summer ... - Dallas Morning News

Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture renames its Summer ...
Dallas Morning News, TX -Jul 18, 2008
The Teachers Academy of The Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture has renamed its Summer Institute for Teachers, now 25 years old, the Sue Rose Summer ...

HRD Ministry mulls uniform quota for IIT faculties - Expressindia.com

HRD Ministry mulls uniform quota for IIT faculties
Expressindia.com, India -6 hours ago
While at present there is a quota in the Humanities streams at all levels, for Science and Technology streams, a quota has been proposed at the entry level. ...
New IIT opening on August 2Times of India
85% quota seats going empty as candidates fail to make the gradeLivemint
all 10 news articles

Art show winners announced - Waverly News

Art show winners announced
Waverly News, IA -47 minutes ago
The Bellevue Artists' Association Bellevue University Summer Art Show is on display in the Humanities Building Gallery and will run through July 30. ...

Farmers missing out on industrialization benefits - Thanh Nien Daily

Thanh Nien Daily

Farmers missing out on industrialization benefits
Thanh Nien Daily, Vietnam -5 hours ago
Dr. Tran Thi Thu Luong, deputy director of the HCMC University of Social Sciences and Humanities’ Center for Korean Studies, said the city’s ...

An Idaho Poet - Boise Weekly

Boise Weekly

An Idaho Poet
Boise Weekly,  USA -23 hours ago
In 2005, he was awarded the state's Outstanding Achievement in the Humanities award. But Studebaker will perhaps be remembered most for the words he left ...

Resignations at VCU following the school's investigation into ... - WBT

Resignations at VCU following the school's investigation into ...
WBT, NC -7 hours ago
Robert D. Holsworth is resigning as interim dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences. The noted political analyst will continue as political science ...


Director named for Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness. - Red and Black

Director named for Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness.
Red and Black, GA -1 hour ago
This transformation is the focus of University researchers who received a three-year grant to establish a pedagogical model for re-connecting the humanities...

Rose State College schedules enrollment - NewsOK.com (subscription)

NewsOK.com (subscription)

Rose State College schedules enrollment
NewsOK.com (subscription), OK -4 hours ago
Rose State offers course work in the areas of humanities, social sciences, engineering and science, health sciences and business and information technology. ...