This week marks the 200th anniversary of Mexican Independence. Which translates into epic party for Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, lots of yelling, and fantastic food.
We started the week with a quaint little parade and ended it with shots of tequila from the Mexican Consulate. Okay maybe a lot of shots with the consulate.
I spent Thursday in Laredo with other transplants working the disaster relief scene. We sat down to lunch and immediately they started complaining about how they hated Laredo. Granted these were well-off gringos with families back in Houston and Austin and would never choose Laredo, but they didn't like anything about it.
The biggest complaint was that they were stared at all the time. This is a common thing down here, mostly because if you aren't hispanic, you're a misfit. They wanted to be greeted when they walked in a store, thanked when they left a restaurant, and generally accepted. I sat silently at first, because this type of thing doesn't bother me. I mean I'm always stared at. If it isn't because I'm the wrong skin tone, it's because I have mile-long legs, and if it isn't that it's probably because I'm doing something stupid. The Austinites just couldn't handle it and couldn't wait to get back inland to where they belonged, and didn't have to hear spanish.
I realized as I was driving home that I felt the same way, kind of. The whole day I couldn't wait to get back to Eagle Pass. I wanted to see people I knew. I wanted to be the misfit in this little town. I am okay with the crazy gringa title.
Crazy.... who would of thought this would be where would I be.
But really, if you think about it, who would want to pass up a town where you can spend the night in boots drinking tequila with Eagle Pass royalty?
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