Blogging in Chacala, Mexico

When I first started blogging, I wasn't aware of very many other bloggers-in-English writing from Mexico. I did find a few blogs or websites about Mexico. Rolly Brook had/has a very informative website, and there were a few others that I knew about. Sparks actually moved to Melaque the next year, and in doing so, became a blogger in Mexico. Rather than a visitor with great travel websites.There may have been more, but the search vehicles weren't very helpful. Even the Google Blog Search, (original version) wasn't very helpful. But I was curious about other people's experiences in Mexico, and always was on the alert for gringas, or gringos, blogging in Mexico.

That was in early July of 2005. My impression is that blogging in Mexico, and in Central America, has really exploded the last couple of years. Especially the last year or so.
I remember when La Gringa and I first noticed each other's blogs. It was much fun to find a fellow blogger. A blogger friend. Particularly someone who also was gardening in an unfamiliar climate.

And since then there have been lots and lots of blogs from people moving to Mexico. And a few gardener type bloggers in Latin America. Diane's blog about gardening in Baja was one of the first I found. Her photographs of cacti just knocked me out. Really lovely.
(http://cabopulmo.blogspot.com)And I started finding more English langauge Mexico blogs, and a few Spanish language blogs and websites. And I especially looked for websites by photographers. Very inspiring. Larpman was one. And there are lots more.

I love having an internet connection at home. Now I have time to do all kinds of esoteric things on the computer. Like storing photos off my computer, taking Spanish lessons, and studying photography websites, late into the night. And actually learning how to use some of the features on Blogger. And I love cleaning out my mailbosex, deleting old and irrelevant emails.But the most fun has been sorting thru all the Bookmarks/Favorites I have been marking for the last year. Deleting some and sorting some into categories. Like News-Mexico, Mexico blogs-new, Mexico-old, travel websites, and blogs. Garden websites, garden blogs. How to blog's. Mexican Law. Government websites, etc.

I deleted many that didn't interest me on second glance, and saved some pretty interesting websites. And blogs.And I have gone back and looked at some blogs that I had lost interest in. And found that sometimes people have really changed, and seemed to have grown. And those qualities are reflected in their websites.

Some people appear to be re-thinking some of their ideas, assumptions, perceptions, values, POVs and are writing with new energy. And a new sense of curiosity about Mexico or where ever they are living now.And some others are still stuck in-between-land. Living in a new culture, and missing home (usually the US) too much to be able to see things with a clear perspective. Looking at life through the same old lenses. Lots of comparing and complaining about how different things are. And many "why don't they just...... here?" remarks. Going to local restaurants and comparing them to "home". The home they no longer live in. Comparing the table service and hours of service in particular.

I love reading the posts where some one has just had an eye-opening experience, an awakening, about their new life. Maybe a new awareness that differences in cultures are not necessarily good or bad. Just different. And that how they used to do it at "home" may not to be relevant or what might not work best in their new environment.

And my very favorite thing to read is an expat's (hate that phrase, but it's handy) small moment personal, spiritual awakening. Someone having a new moment of awareness of some wonderful facet of their new life. Or a moment of being almost overwhelmed by the beauty of the natural world around them. Or the kindness of a neighbor. Or the beauty of any older woman's face. Or a small moment of truth about how they relate the their new environment isn't working, and finding a way that does. The satisfaction of successfully negotiating a new hurdle in their new life.I started this post thinking I would offer specific examples of various blogs, where the author touched my heart. That sounds too much like doing research. But those little moments of connection and heart-felt recognition make my day. Reading someone else's story about how much there is to learn in this world, and how hard things are to learn sometimes, feels sort of reassuring to me. Keeps me going back to some blogs, again and again.And, of course, wonderful photos catch my eye too.