It's A Girl!
It's a busy week here in the Yucatan! We've got our noses to the digital grindstone, pumping out websites and articles and managing houses being built and houses being sold... it's enough to drive these Working Gringos crazy!
And then comes a toca (knock) on the door (el timbre, the bell, doesn't work because the dogs ate the bell. Really.) Standing outside was Brigida, Soco's mother (and our former housekeeper), with a swaddled baby in her arms. Soco's older sister, Maribel, had her baby on Friday (Caesarean section) at the local hospital. She had just gotten out and though they thought they had a ride home, they found out they did not. Somehow, they showed up at our office door, looking for help.
We quickly showed them in and got them off the hot street. Mari walked in, looking tired and weak, but happy. And Bernabe, the proud abuelo (grandfather), followed. The three of them sat down and Mari took our offer of a drink. She nursed the baby for a moment while Brigida told us her sad story of having no way home (all of Brigida's stories are sad stories, even when they are happy ones). Beatriz, our able bilingual assistant, called the taxi service and we were all shocked to find out that a taxi to Tecoh (the biggest town next door to Oxtapacab, where they live) cost only $200 pesos.
While Mari reassembled herself and the baby, we slipped Bernabe the money for the cab, plus more for whatever else they might need along the way. The taxi drove up, and they drove away, thanking us for our help and looking relieved to be leaving the big city and going home to their Mayan pueblo.
The Working Gringos got their heads out from in front of these square-headed monsters and got to hold a three-day-old baby (not a normal thing for us these days). And we all got these lovely photos. We predict baby-clothes-shopping and a baptism in our future.
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Working Gringos 18 years ago
Well... Funny you should ask, (again)...
This really has nothing to do with Mari's new baby, but we had a long discussion tonight (and a couple drinks) and decided to reveal the following:
Working Gringa is a Dead Head. It all starts there for her (if you ignore her early infatuation with The Monkeys).
Working Gringo was raised on classical music (his mother was a pianist) and spent long hours in band and orchestra in school.
Since then, they have not heard much music they do not like, with the exception of modern, manufactured pop tunes and most rap.
We both love old show tunes, from The Music Man to My Fair Lady.
We both share a profound gratitude for an artist formally known as Cat Stevens (may peace be upon him).
From the U.S. our current favorite mainsteam artists are the Dixie Chicks and Pearl Jam. We also enjoyed Ry Cooder's CD called Chavez Ravine (we are from California, after all).
Since arriving here, we have been listening to more Latin music, anything from the sweet and innocent Yucatan Trova, featured on our website, to Cuban salsa, Mexican rock (como Mana) and vocalistas like Lila Downs. One of our employees is a bass player in a Christian ska-metal band, so we've been keeping up with that genre as well.
Our absolute favorite thing to listen to here in Merida is an eclectic yet traditional station called Radio Yucatan, FM 92.9 on your dial. Check it out!
If you don't live here and are missing the sounds from your Yucateco radio, you can always listen via the Internet from: Grupo Rivas - 40 Principales, Ke Buena, Radio Valladolid y mas!
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CasiYucateco 18 years ago
Another wonderful story!
And I like Carlos' question too: what music do you like? I'm glad he warned me about "MIX"... most popular U.S. music is so... vulgar anymore, I prefer the traditional sounds from Yucatan (trova) and all types of Mexican, tropical, South American music.
And the Working Gringos?
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Carlos Daniel Gallegos 18 years ago
Great Story! I always wondered what at kind of music the Working Gringos and others such as you listen to? Did you bring a collection of english CD's with you? Do you listen to the variety of music in espanol? The Yucatecans love the tropical sounds of Salsa and Cumbias. While I, as a Tejano, like the TexMex and Norteano sounds. So, what music do the working gringos listen to at home and in the car? There is a station in Merida, called: MIX. Which plays music in english. But, the DJ's all speak espanol.
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