Things Mexicans Like #4 – Popeye

Besides every single waking hour in my own mind, I can’t remember the last time Popeye received the admiration that he so deserves in the United States. This is entirely not the case in Mexico. Elvis isn’t king here – Popeye is. On my flight from Mexico City to Oaxaca, there was a kid with a stuffed Popeye doll, which I thought was the strangest and cutest thing ever. Once I arrived I realized that it wasn’t strange at all. Popeye is everywhere. He even has his own brand of Popsicles! And for the record, asking to take this guy’s picture was probably the single most awkward thing I’ve done on this trip.

Mexican emo kids – They do exist, Daniel. This is a picture of the sign for the Mexican equivalent of Hot Topic, where the jovenes (young people) can go to purchase the latest, hippest My Chemical Romance camiseta (t-shirt) or Nightmare Before Christmas mochila (backpack). American pop-culture and bands with lyrical content in English are incredibly popular here. I’ve seen kids sporting the merchandise of Iron Maiden, the the Strokes, and Foo Fighters; walking down the street I’ve heard the sounds of Metallica, Amy Winehouse, and Gnarls Barkley escaping the windows of bars; there’s even a garage band living behind me that plays System of a Down and Cranberries cover songs. We’ve really penetrated their culture, but in the U.S. Mexicans don’t have anything to show except Carlos Santana and Rodrigo y Gabriela.

I’m at Café Orgasmico (again). With all the iced coffee, wifi, bohemian art, and great music I could ever want, it’s kind of like my Café Coco away from home. They play a variety of music with English and Spanish lyrics, so it isn’t too touristy. In fact, I’m the only guera (whitey) here right now. I can hear Mexican jazz/funk/alt/indie (that mariachi polka shit can get old), plus Bob Dylan and Feist in one sitting. It’s great. Viva Café Orgasmico! Viva Mexico!

There are newsstands on all the corners I pass on my way to school every morning. These not only carry daily papers, but a variety of magazines and other printed material. The Banky Edwards in me is dying to snag a copy of Archie en espanol, and… well, to completely liken this situation to a Kevin Smith flick, the Jay in me is dying to buy a smutty Mexican porno. Maybe I’ll meet in the middle and get some Hentai in spanish (they have that too!).

I made it past the halfway point! I’ve currently been here nineteen days, with only fifteen left before I’m back in the States! So I’ve decided to start a new trend in my posts called “Things I Won’t Miss”. Thing I Won’t Miss #1 – the Mothman. Remember the whole no air-conditioning situation? Well, it’s been rather hot in the evenings lately, so I’ve had my windows constantly open. Unfortunately, the lights in my room attract bugs, and the occasional mysterious character from that Richard Gere movie The Mothman Prophecies. This thing is absolutely HUGE, it makes a giant ruckus, and I have no idea how to get it out of my room. Usually when it decides to stop by, I sleep on the couch in the den so it doesn’t eat me. So far this has meant two nights on the couch for me (couch = smaller than a loveseat). I’m just excited to get back to my little world where insects are reasonably sized.

By the way, I’ve dropped out of the Cultural Institute and joined this new Spanish language program.