Ruminations of an Expatriate

I returned home to Xalapa this morning, after sleeping through the Xalapa station stop on the late night bus from Veracruz and ending up at the end of the line in the Tlaxcala station. I had no idea where I was when awakened by a nice lady who informed me that we were at the end of the line. Fortunately there was a bus just leaving for Xalapa which I was able to catch.

Cabo san Lucas is really not my type of scene, being too big, too popular, and too expensive. None-the-less I had a great time visiting, and engaging in reprobative behavior, with Life Long Harborite, my good friend and neighbor of thirty years; his wife, brother, and son; a friend of his son; and another couple.

I stayed with LLH’s brother, son, and his son’s friend at the Cortez de Mar, a very nice “budget” hotel (by Cabo standards anyway), with a wonderful staff, a great restaurant, a bar where the 2 for 1 happy hour runs from 11:00 to 6:00; and a nice swimming pool. The hotel is located in the more tranquil center part of town, away from the behemoth resort hotels and in the midst of a number of very good restaurants and more reasonably priced shops.

Seated next to me yesterday afternoon on the AeroMexico flight out of Cabo was a remarkable, and very polite, young fellow who struck up a conversation immediately upon taking his seat. He had been sent on a circuitous route on his flight from Edmonto, Alberta, near where he lives, first flying to Cabo, on to Mexico City, and ultimately to Juarez, just across the border from El Paso, Texas.

José is nineteen, was born in Juarez, and has lived near Edmonton, with his adoptive parents, for the last couple of years. José has never met his biological father and last saw his mother when he was three and placed in the orphanage, operated by a religious group associated with a Pentecostal church. He indicated that life in the orphanage was miserable and that he and the other children were not treated well. He has three sisters from whom he had been separated when placed in the orphanage, but with whom he has regained contact and whom, amongst other relatives, he will visit in Juarez for the next eight months.

When José was five, a Canadian couple came to the orphanage to work for a couple of years. The couple ultimately adopted José before returning to Canada, though were not permitted to take José out of the country. A number of times over the ensuing years José was permitted to visit his adoptive parents but never permitted to leave permanently to live with them.

José left the orphanage when fifteen and spent a couple of years in a gang, during which time, with the help of friends, he applied a number of tattoos to himself, all very tastefully done. (When was the last time your airplane seatmate showed you their tattoos?)

Eventually José made contact with his adoptive parents and moved to Alberta. He now works at constructing condos near a ski resort and studies law online. He indicated he intends to become a lawyer and to work as a private investigator.

He indicated also that he is writing a book recounting his life; and that he had contacted Oprah, who encouraged him in his endeavor and indicated that when complete she would look over the book and decide whether to publish it.

I bought José a beer upon our arrival in Mexico City and helped him with making his connecting flight. He expressed to me a number of times his relief at being back in Mexico and away from the Canadian cold. He thanked and hugged me upon parting.

José is indeed a remarkable young fellow, whether he has actually lived the life he described to me or just very creative at making up such a tale.