Things I (will) miss

(A conglomerate of things I miss about home and things I will miss about here) 

-Things I miss about the UK-

Cheese
Don't get me wrong - I have developed a soft spot for quesillo (stringy cheese from Oaxaca which melts really well) and the shitty sliced manchego and gouda you get in the supermercado, but I really miss a crumbly mature cheddar. Whilst I was vegan in the UK and am now distinctly not vegan, I hanker for the tang and texture of Cathedral City.

Baked Beans
As a sweet, sweet accompaniment to aforementioned Cathedral City it can only be the one and only Heinz - OR if you are a bean maverick, by own-brand and add butter, salt and pepper ;) Here beans are a staple, but the brown variety which I think we call pinto? I have tried to explain baked beans to my compañeros but I don't think I can really convey their cultural significance.

A predictable climate
Whilst it is more agreeable living in a country that is significantly closer to the equator, I have come to realise that Mexico City's climate is erratic and impossible. The mornings are chilly and require a jacket, whilst midday to around 5pm is sunny and very burnable for white people (and really does not require a jacket), whilst the evenings often feature a heavy shower and another temperature drop. There is no way of dressing for this weather.

Knowing the songs at parties/clubs
Whilst I have received a THOROUGH education in reggaeton and perreo (google it - I don't want to explain), this hasn't led to a liking of this kind of music. I won't say I dislike it (because I don't) but it's really hard to dance when you don't know any of the words and it's in a different language (and all the songs pretty much sound the same??? sorry). 

Being able to drink outside
This is very illegal in Mexico. It would be nice to enjoy a beer in the sun sometimes without the threat of having to bribe a policeman if you get caught.

Not being looked at for uncomfortably long lengths of time
I guess this is relatively normal when you look a bit different from the native population of a place. I have started staring back at the starers, but this does nothing. 

-Things I will miss about Mexico-

Being able to buy almost anything on the street for a decent price
A fresh juice/smoothie, a tamale in torta, chewing gum, a dog lead, a single cigarette for 5 pesos. It is pretty useless looking in a shop for something because you're more likely to find it on the street/metro. This often renders Google Maps completely useless, which is both a blessing and a curse.

The warmth
Not only of the sun, but also of the people. I feel as if I have learnt so much from strangers here, and as damp as it sounds it is just from their smiles and greetings. Mexican hospitality is REAL, and it is delicious. Also, despite moaning about the weather I do really like the climate here. The days are generally warm and pleasant and nights out don't involve a freezing walk home/having to lug a big coat through a nighclub.

The pasillo outside my faculty
A nice walkway of secondhand books, stickers, falafel burgers, coffee, donuts, pambazos, quesadillas, tacos de canasta (basically just loads of cheap food) plus you will always bump into someone you know here. It is right next to the main library and Las Islas - a huge green space with a small lake where dogs happily frolick. Not to mention it is all completely public, like the university itself. Anyone can sit here and frolick with the dogs.

The lack of health and safety
It is refreshing to live somewhere where there are less rules. You can squeeze as many people into a taxi as you want, no one has a driving licence, the stairs up to my rooftop could collapse at any point, the metro doors have no mercy and WILL shut on your leg and remove your shoe, the lady in the fruit and veg shop will handle your goods with raw chickeny hands, you may get electrocuted if you accidentally touch a socket in an airport.

Mercado culture
When I arrived I here I was disappointed by the prices in the supermarkets, and also surprised by their often peopleless aisles....until I discovered mercados. Every colonia (or every few streets) there is a covered market selling nearly everything and also acting as a kind of community hub. Most times I go to my local mercado I usually come away in a better mood because everyone is so nice and everything is so cheap. Having avoided hairdressers for a few years, I am almost a regular at the tiny peluqueria, and have also discovered a good selection of quesillo and interesting fruits (often scarce and expensive in the supermarkets). Before coming to Mexico, 'markets' had become a sort of hipster revival which I associate with yummy mummies and gourmet brownies in unappetising flavours. This is also existent in CDMX (vegan delicatessen tucked away at the back of the mercado) but I don't see this tradition fading out anytime soon. 

Las Islas