Legend has it that when the artist, Salvador Dali, arrived in Mexico, he promptly left. Why? He reportedly said that he did not ‘want to be in a country that was more SURREAL than his Art”…
And that precisely describes the reason ARTE exists, why we are here and staying. Presenting to you what is interesting, ethereal, earthy, and surprising about a place we call Home.
I’ve lived and worked around the world, but Mexico has captured my heart, soul, and my imagination. My goal as the Editor Creator of the El Arte Del Bienestar ezine is to present to you compelling stories, photos and videos so you too can fall in love.
When I was a schoolgirl, I studied in Saltillo, Mexico. As a college student, I spent the summer in Guadalajara. I was a volunteer with the Guadalajara Red Cross through a program sponsored by the American Red Cross called Friendship Latin America. The following year I returned for an International Red Cross, Red Crescent confab in Mexico City where I was a featured Youth Speaker.
Although I spent my Junior Year Abroad studying at the University of Madrid and majoring in Spanish, frankly, upon graduation I never really thought about anything related to Spanish at all.
Fast forward a few decades, and this is where my Mexico storybook begins.
My high school Spanish teacher was from Barcelona, Spain. She was my teacher for four years, and she organized the Mexico summer study trip. The flight to Texas was routine. But the moment I set eyes on the Mexicana airplane we were about to board, I knew something different was in the air. All their planes were painted in bold, bright colors! That was my very first impression of Mexico. (On the plane, my teacher, Mrs. Libenson, ordered a Sherry. At the time, I had no idea what that was, but it sounded very sophisticated, and the cocktail glass was nice. She ordered a second one).
Upon arrival in Monterrey, we were loaded into a rather rickety bus. The mirror and dashboard were filled with religious symbols. And this was my second impression of the country. My third impression was the cozy home of my host family. The stairway was marble and so cool to my feet going down to breakfast in the morning.
The family was lovely. The two eldest daughters had made up their minds to marry Germans. Apparently, there was a German company in town, and I think one or maybe both girls worked there. I remember asking them, “why do you want to marry a German”? They spouted many reasons which were baffling to me. I knew nothing about romantic love, and I didn’t have a boyfriend back home. During my stay, though, I was awakened in the middle of the night by one of the sisters. In my nightgown, I was ushered to the bedroom balcony, where below there was a group of young guys strumming guitars and serenading me. There were so many other memorable events. Drinking my first alcoholic drink, a Cuba Libre. Learning what a piñata was and how to make one. Having construction workers who I passed on my way to school say to me: “estas como mango”. I didn’t know what they were saying, so I just smiled. Eating mangoes carved into a flower from a street vendor. These are just some of my memories.
These memories and more were re-awakened in me when I returned to Mexico in 2021. By that time, I had traveled the world and experienced many cultures. When I was young in Mexico, I did not have the capacity to fully understand the depth and nuances of the country. So I am here to journal, share, and journey with you through an incredibly soulfully rich country which I now call ‘mi casa’. ¡Bienvenido!
@Lorena Be Any Star
