Estufas
Cada dos días más o menos, cuando llegamos a la oficina por la mañana o regresamos a casa por la noche, uno o varios papelitos aparecen metidos en la puerta, debajo de la puerta o entre las hojas. Son anuncios. Muchas veces se trata de volantes muy bien producidos y de colores brillantes que venden pizza o comida rápida; otras, son notas fotocopiadas de emprendedores locales que ofrecen sus servicios de limpieza doméstica o control de plagas.
Esta noche, cuando llegamos a casa, encontramos un papel blanco con letras en negritas que nos encantó por completo, así que pensamos compartirlo con ustedes. Queremos señalar que todo el aviso está escrito en inglés (más o menos), lo cual es lo primero que vemos así, de modo que deben saber que aquí viven gringos. Otra señal más de las adaptaciones del mercado y de los cambios sociales que están ocurriendo en Mérida hoy en día.
El aviso dice (exactamente):
REPARACIÓN Y MANTENIMIENTO DE ESTUFAS (FOGONES) EN GENERAL
Si decimos que su fogón no tiene reparación, tenemos todo para sus estufas, fogones.
Mantenimiento anual
Válvulas (llaves)
Quemadores
Luz piloto
Fugas
Sistema eléctrico
Puertas de hornos
Protección contra ratones
Nota: Damos servicio a domicilio y garantía.
Teléfono: 923-70-86. Celular: 044-9991-91-32-84.
Calle 66 #430 x 49 y 47A. Col. Centro. Mérida, Yucatán, México.
La verdad es que no solo nos encantó el aviso, sino que además llevamos bastante tiempo viviendo con un encendido eléctrico medio caprichoso en nuestra “stoven”. Así que mañana, ya saben a quién vamos a llamar.
Comments
Eduardo 17 years ago
Joseph,
I do not know what planet you have been living at, People in Merida have've been speaking english since a long time ago, it is not a recent thing. For people who speaks Maya it is easier to learn english than spanish, For sure working gringos can get deeper into it.
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robert 18 years ago
can someone recommend a termite control company?
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Margo 19 years ago
We're planning a 16 day Peninsula road trip next year on the March Break and I'm the datadigger. The more I find sites like this, with their beguiling blogs, the more I WILL partially retire in Mexico and, at the distance of half a world, snicker safely at snow forevermore. Thanks for the reading. PS: is it cheaper to rent a vehicle in Merida, to be picked up at Cancun Airport and left there?
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jose e. vazquez 19 years ago
WONDERFUL! NO WONDER I AM LOOKING TO RETIRE IN THE YUCATAN. JUST 9 MORE YEARS AND (I HOPE) A SIMPLE CITIZEN STATUS. I AM NEW TO BLOGS (IS THIS WHAT THIS IS?) BUT I AM SLOWLY BECOMING AN ADDICT OF THESE SIMPLE HEART WARMING NOTES ABOUT REAL LIFE IN A LIVING SOCIETY. PS I LIVE IN WASHINGTON D.C IN AN AREA THAT IS VERY HISPANIC BUT NOT QUITE THE SAME THING. WILL CONTINUE TO READ ABOUT THE AREA AND WITH LUCK WILL BE PURCHASING NEXT YEAR.
JOSE
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Working Gringos 19 years ago
Kim: We're using it. But is it pronounced "stoh-ven" or "stuh-ven"?
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Kim Galle 19 years ago
Another charming post.... Love your blog. And I love "stoven," sort of a portmanteau of stove and oven. Makes me want to use the term myself.
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Working Gringa 19 years ago
Hang in there, Andrea! You'll be back before you know it. And the Yucatan (and Merida) aren't going anywhere. You seem to be one of those people that Merida "chose" so just be patient :-)
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Andrea 19 years ago
I could have used them in the house we rented. We actually had a mouse skeleton in there. Arvi had to clean it out with a big pair of gloves! I'm so glad to read more posts so I can still feel like I'm there.
Oh you guys! I am so "homesick". We are back home in Arizona and this post makes me cry. I cried like an idiot all day today missing Merida. It's just awful. I can't wait to get back. I'm trying to pack already and I haven't even unpacked from the journey.
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alisa 19 years ago
Mouses! I'm completely charmed, too. Three cheers (and hopes your stoven is fixed soon). You have a beautiful front door, by the way.
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Dave 19 years ago
Funny isn't it? When was the last time some gringo in the US put together a note in Spanish to try and sell their wares? Other than big business. With all the ranting here in the states about Hispanics needing to learn English ... kind of gives new meaning to entrepreneur.
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Khaki 19 years ago
What a precious note... and how homesick it makes me. Am stuck in a "lap of luxury" "gated community" in the States... so the stoven repair man would never have gotten past the gates. Nobody up here understands why I love Yucatan so... It's really quite simple... because we have no stoven repair man here.
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