Cumpleaños

So, as an anthropologist and a rational human I know that stereotypes don't just show up out of thin air, there had to be some place they came from. Maybe they are not always one hundred percent acurrate or fair, but they are based on some truth- either picked up by the "others" or used to create inside jokes.
When I think of Mexico, I think of tacos (and other tasty foods), the chihuahua (which I have learned is also the name of a mountain range), and piñatas. And that's exactly what there was at the birthday party we attended today. Ok, there really wasn't a chihuahua, but one woman did actually use the expression "Ay, chihuahua," no joke. I thought it funny because when I thought about coming to Mexico I did not think it would actually be the way I imagined. I thought that they would eat things like we do at home, which they do, but there is always some kind of chili or salsa or tortilla to accompany the green salad or beef. There are a lot of things that are different from how I might have expected if I had time to expect anything, but a lot of things really are how they are. I guess that some Mexican traditions have become so ingrained in America now that it seems that they shouldn't really be Mexican...or something like that.
Anyway, the birthday party was a lot of fun. It was at a place kind of like chucky cheese, but a lot smaller. Really I should compare it to the McDonalds Play Place, because that it was it was more like. There was lots of food and I got to listen and practice my Spanish some. It also gave me a day to not have to constantly run after the kids (although yesterday was not hard since Clemence and Louis are both sick- with different things might I add).
The strangest things about the whole situation was the amount of foreigners at the party. Since the kids go to a French school many of the people are French (mostly the women). I met some women from the US as well. One woman I had met previously at Louis' swimming was born and raised in Mexico but has French parents and spent a year in Michigan as an au pair. Another Mexican woman had spent three years in France as an au pair. The people all have very interesting backgrounds and it will be cool to see if I get to talk to any of them more because, again, as an anthropologist all this is entirely intriguing to me. Often Nadine asks me if I am bored because I guess I appear to be completely spaced out, but it is just that I have to concentrate hard when listening to conversations in Spanish at a distance.
Anyway, I have to get to bed. I have not clue what I will be doing for the weekend, but I'm sure it will bring on more crazy thoughts for you to suffer (I mean read) through.

Jenn