I got to Mexico city last Saturday and have gotten the pleasure of experiencing the backwards third world for a few days and thought I would share my experiences.
First of all, the city is filthy, dirty and disgusting. Please see the picture below for an example. (The square thing is a mall)
Secondly, the government services are ridiculously slow. It took me 3 documents, 30 dollars (not bribe money), and 3 hrs to get a voter registration card (which is the national id card needed for any transaction ever), a drivers license, and another card I apparently need which I still cannot figure out what its for.
Thirdly, the service on my blackberry took nearly 5 minutes before it was seamlessly syncing with my company at home so I can continue to receive paychecks.
I know I just got here, but I think I am ready to go home. The live in maids and natural food are making me crazy. Please feel really really bad for me.
Peace
-Evil I
Comments (6)
Live in maids? I'm crying a river.
And your document experience sounds like cake compared to when I was in Venezuela, trying to apply for a visa for my future ex-husband (at the time, now he's just my ex-husband) and one of the immigration documents HAD to be copied on pink paper. Not only was a bitch to find a place to make photocopies in Venezuela in 1998, but in order to find pink paper and then make a copy on pink paper, I had to go to at least 5 different places. And then it took me 2 hours at the post office to mail the thing, this was after they closed for 3 hours for lunch.
Frustrating, yes, but I still preferred my lifestyle then to mine now.
Oh, and did you drive down there? How long did it take? What's a good route? Why are the toll roads so freakin' expensive? I want to take a road trip next month to check out the monarchs in Michocan, spend a day or two in San Miguel de Allende and perhaps see friends in DF, and I need to figure out how long it'll take to get back.
Posted by heather | November 27, 2007 10:45 PM
Posted on November 27, 2007 22:45
Heather,
I didn't drive, but I am planning on going to San Miguel since I have family there. I know we had planned to meet someday in Austin, but San Miguel could work too. I really really love that place.
As best I can tell, the toll roads are expensive because the real roads really suck. I think the other part of it is that cutting mountains to make good roads is really hard. To get to San Miguel though, just take 35 south and follow the signs.
Posted by Evil I | November 27, 2007 11:12 PM
Posted on November 27, 2007 23:12
Awww my poor friend. I feel soooo sorry for you it hurts.
Posted by Lauren | November 27, 2007 11:19 PM
Posted on November 27, 2007 23:19
what's with all the skyscrapers? people there work for a living?
Posted by particleman | November 28, 2007 8:00 AM
Posted on November 28, 2007 08:00
Of course not p-man. Nobody really uses those buildings. They are only built for practice by future illegal immigrants. After they build them, they tear them down to practice that too. This isn't a real city or anything.
Posted by Evil I | November 29, 2007 3:35 PM
Posted on November 29, 2007 15:35
Yeah, that picture looks totally Photoshopped. Those buildings probably aren't even real.
Posted by particleman | November 29, 2007 8:57 PM
Posted on November 29, 2007 20:57