Still aboard the train of thought that rattled through this space last week, I’m musing over the dilemmas confronted by folks who are packing up to make the move to a new home at lakeside.
The topic was spawned by a thread that popped up on a popular web board a few weeks ago. Appearing under the title “The ‘ONE’ Thing,” the original poster wrote: “So, we’re finally making the move and wanted to get your thoughts on the ONE thing you wish you could buy at Lakeside that you were able to buy back home.”
After scrolling through the suggestions posted by seasoned expat denizens, I compiled an eclectic short list of “must have” items that are hard to come by here. Most responses referred to ordinary consumer goods, such as small kitchen appliances, high thread-count bed linens, special cleaning products, and footgear for people who wear large sizes.
Favorite foods that were mentioned ranged from authentic Asian cuisine, Indian spices and Aussie licorice on the exotic end of the spectrum, to Idaho potatoes, deli pastrami, and salted butter on the mundane fringe. I’m pretty sure the latter or very close equivalents are available locally if you know where to look.
As for intangibles, one former inhabit wrote, “Peace & quiet - they’re not available at any price, period.” That sentiment also cropped up in a separate thread where another ex-expat observed, “The loud music, parties and cohetes at all hours of the night is one of the reasons we decided to leave.”
A sage responder quipped, “The answer is to buy and wear what I call Mexican sleeping pills,” tagging on a photo of top line ear plugs.
Back in the days before GATT and NAFTA radically changed Mexico’s consumer market, foreigners here were elated when friends returned from border trips with stashes of imported treats like Snickers and Butterfingers, peanut butter, dill pickles and Dove soap bars to gift the domestic help. Today, all that plus much more extravagant stuff is stocked on the shelves of local grocery stores.
Cruising the aisles of SuperLake, I find a plethora of coveted products to tempt me. There’s corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, horseradish and rye bread to slap together Ruben sandwiches. I can indulge my weakness for candied ginger, cherry Coke and Lindt chocolates.
Gourmet chefs rejoice the availability of juniper berries, truffle oil and Himalayan salt. Brits salivate over the Marmite. For lazy cooks and comfort food freaks there are boxes of Kraft Mac &Cheese, Hamburger Helper and Stove Top Stuffing.
I can’t afford to satisfy all my cravings on a steady basis, but I keep a wish list of luxury items in hopes that Santa, El Niño Dios or the Reyes Magos will drop off a goody basket during the holidays.
Getting back to the One Thing theme, here’s my take on what is absolutely indispensible to stuff into your brain before moving to this paradise: patience, tolerance, openness to a different living paradigm, joie de vivre and an ample sense of humor. Leave behind your prejudices, sense of entitlement and unrealistic expectations. Then relax and enjoy the ride.