Dia de La Madre

With my head already in DC, it's sometimes easy to forget that I'm still working here in Juarez. Since spring and late fall are the two times of the year when the climate is somewhat forgiving here, there's all kinds of events popping up. More, in fact, than my spouse and I can commit to going to. 

For example, this weekend restaurants all across Juarez will be jam-packed with tons of Juarenses taking their mother's out to brunch to celebrate Mothers' Day. It's a big deal here, big enough to merit a three day weekend starting Friday. Neighborhoods will be taking up a collection to hold picnics and raffles in honor of Las Madres, special deals on everything from furniture to movies, etc. etc. According to my Mexican coworkers, it's more subdued here in culturally mixed Juarez (most of the population look to the U.S. as much as Mexico culturally and economically). In states south of here like Durango, entire cities and small towns shut down as mothers march in a parade/procession. 

We're not really going to be observing the madness this year, as we'll be taking the opportunity presented to us by a three day weekend to head to the good ole U.S. of A. It's just starting to sink in that we're going to be apart for a variable amount of time that could last up to three years, so spouse and me are making a joint effort to spend as much time as we can exploring more places (or in some case, places that we've already been to but would like to see more of). Plus we've found that in order for us to stay sane, we need to get out of chaotic, in-the-bubble CJ about once a month. It allows us to go to tranquil places where you can walk outside without fear of getting shot or, more likely, getting run over. And we get to placate one of the urges that prompted us to join the foreign service, the need to explore new places, to seek out new places, to boldly go where no man or woman in our families has gone before. 

So Happy Mothers' Day to all the ladies out there. We'll be celebrating, in our own way.