Many of you are probably wondering “VCarr what the ---- (you choose the expletive) are you doing going to Mexico?” My parents asked the same thing, minus the naughty language. As a wise mentor once told me, “right now you are long on time, and short on money. When you get a job, it will be the reverse. So live it up now and pay for it later.” Many of you probably are thinking, didn’t you already live it up, VCarr? Wasn’t that what Hong Kong was for?” Ummm, clearly my study abroad in Hong Kong was for exactly that… studying. My trip to Mexico is for a va-ca-tion(!)—a very cheap vacation. So there is an obvious difference here.
Now you are probably asking yourself, well, I suppose after graduating from business school and working all summer with 2nd graders (more on that later), VCarr does deserve a vacation. But why not make it a stay-cation? Why go all the way to Mexico when you could do it cheaper in say… Minneapolis? Yes, Minneapolis is in the state of a thousand lakes, and it does have lovely nature things to do, and the shopping at the mall of America, and some great family and friends living there. But does it have margaritas? Real ones? And sombreros? And Aztec ruins to explore? Does it have CANCUN???? Clearly not. So when my dear partner in crime from my study abroad in HK asked me if I wanted to join her when she visits her homeland of Meh-he-CO, I said, “No. I have no money. I can’t go.” A week went by. A check from my summer school work came in. My friend said I could stay with her for pretty much free. And for those of you who don’t know “stay for free” are the words that eclipse the fiscally responsible side of my brain (sorry ‘nanan) and send me into a blind frenzy of online travel booking! And there you have it. I finally get to go to Mexico…. With a real live Mexican to show me around! I need not worry about my Spanish language barrier or the drug cartels and random kidnappings…. I have Super Mexican (nickname still pending) to take care of it all! J
Really this is all my parents’ fault. They basically forced me into this. I had no choice. They refused to let me go with them on their road trip East. Oh, dear East coast friends, I tried to persuade them that I would stay with you and not make a peep in the car as we drove the 1000 some odd miles. But they said “No! This is a couple’s trip. No kids allowed.” I didn’t know parents could still be couples after 30 years of marriage, but apparently it helps them keep the spark alive… or something. So with the cheap option eliminated because of parental alone time, I was forced to go south… very far south.
Et voila! I will be in Mexico for 10 days starting Aug 16th. And it won’t be all fun. Clearly, I’m going to continue my job search (really!)—that’s what the laptop is for (… and for movies on the beach)! J
