Month: July 2025

I Love Mexico

/ Gardy Loo Pismire / 1 Comment

So, I have been in Mexico a little over a month and I am loving it here. The weather has been perfecto, I feel safe, and there is always something new to discover. The grocery stores in Juriquilla put the ones in the USA to shame. They are so clean you could eat off the floor. Uber costs me with tip about $3.50 per ride. The food is fantastic and fairly cheap. And thus far I have visited the Colonial Towns of San Miguel Allendende (right) and Bernal (left) both of which are charming in their own way. Barbarita (whose house and dogs I am looking after) has been busy arranging for her friends to babysit me and I have confess it has been wonderful to be looked after in such a loving and caring way. Thank you, Barbarita, and thank you to my new friends!

Since I have been in Mexico there are times I have floundered but mostly I feel as if I am flourishing…as if life is finally opening up to me and I am holding on tight as I direct the ride. I am taking Spanish classes twice a week. I don’t know what kind of superhero I thought I was but for some odd reason I just thought I would be fluent in Spanish within a month or two at the most. The joke’s on me and apparently on others too as I try my best to converse in Spanish. So far I have had two major gaffs. The first was this: I meant to ask a young woman how old she is but instead asked her how many buttholes she had. (Anos vs Anos with the little squiggle over the N) Who would have thought one little virgulilla could make such a difference! Then just this week, I called this wonderful woman named Conchita the word Cochinita which means a nasty-smelling pig like creature of a woman. Oops! Because of this, I am now watching these amazing cartoons everyday that teach Spanish using Spanish subtitles, then English and Spanish subtitles and then no subtitles at all. It is helpful to say the least. The program in on YouTube and it is called Learn Spanish With Simple Story. I can honestly say that all these cartoons are making me feel young at heart and improving my Spanish. Language or the lack of it is definitely the floundering part of life for me here in Mexico.

The second aspect of my floundering has come from having my Facebook account hacked and then Facebook banning me from the site. Every time I have tried to set up a new one they bad that too. Sometimes it is hard to be away from “home” and not be able to communicate with people who have touched my life in profound ways even though some of whom I have never met face to face. In addition, I decided I had to step back and put some distance between myself and a relationship that I treasure.

But the flourishing part of this adventure is what I am truly reveling in. Here I can make my own mistakes without comment. Here I am finding my confidence again by stepping out of my comfort zone and taking chances. Here I am allowing myself “to be” without worry about what any else thinks. And here is where the rubber meets the road to determine how effective I can be out on my own acting as my own advocate in situations that are challenging. And I am proud of how I have handled things that might make other squirm. I am finally living my life with no one to blame except myself on how it all turns out. In the past, I have always had someone else’s hand to hold to give me strength and confidence and now I have to look inward to find those things. Now, I hold my own hand. I am also working on crafting a legacy…one that will hopefully make my family proud.

Yes, I miss my friends and I miss you ( you know who YOU are) but I don’t miss myself anymore for I have finally found her and she is pretty cool.

Traveling solo at this age (64), living out of two small suitcases for long periods, is damn hard at times. You worry about your health, your ability to defend yourself, and if selling everything is an early sign of dementia. Yet, it can also be so rewarding as I look to myself for all that I desire and need. I suspect things will get tougher in Costa Rica and even harder in Colombia. But by then, I think that I will have learned that I can trust in myself enough that I will easily be able to find the courage to face whatever comes my way.

Screenshot

And if you are interesting in following my travel blog here it is: https://youshouldbeatravelingfool2.com

Mexico Turns Me Into A Socialite

/ Gardy Loo Pismire / Leave a comment

If you know me, you know I am a pretty quiet person who doesn’t really “DO” parties and the like. I tend to stay at home, live quietly, and rarely go out. To most people that sounds like a person who is a wall flower but that is not me either. As a former journalist, I can talk to anyone and make them feel at home. But just because I can talk to anyone doesn’t mean I am gregarious or comfortable being outgoing…I am not but because I can ask questions people mistake me as such. So imagine my great surprise that since I have been in Queretaro I have become a MAJOR socialite.

To be fair, Barbarita took it upon herself to ask all her friends to check in on me and to invite me to different social situations. To say that her friends have followed her request would be a horrible understatement…and I am exhausted… but having fun. And I can say that I have learned that being a socialite, while exciting, is also hard work! LOL!

This past week, on Wednesday, I went and volunteered at the distribution center. On Thursday, B invited me to go into historic Queretaro and visit the sites. Then I was invited to dinner.

Thursday B invited me to girls coffee and grocery shopping afterwards. I got home and got a text from a lovely couple who invited me to dinner that night.

Friday, I was busy with another friend and when went out on a set-up date (don’t ask!). Today, two lovely ladies came over and taught me to make my first true Mexican dish from scratch…sopas. They spent the afternoon teaching me Spanish while I attempted to teach them English and it was a great way to spend the afternoon..

Tomorrow I have a dentist appointment ($53 USA for exam, X-rays and having a cavity filled) On Tuesday and Thursday I have my Spanish lessons. Wednesday is working at the distribution center. And several other social invitations for next week await. While I can say with all honesty that this is not the “”usual” me; I will let you in on a little secret. Before I came to Mexico, I made myself a promise that I would try to say “YES” to anything asked of me and so far that is working out great. I am seeing so much and getting to know so many friendly people who are extremely kind and have taken this “gringa” under their wings. I have found that people on the whole are kind and compassionate and as a single woman housesitting throughout the world I find that I really appreciate this “socialite” role I have been thrust into thanks to Barbarita and her family. Adios Amigos!