This is one of several posts I wrote while in Mexico.

Between my husband and I, I am known as the one who falls apart when we travel. Especially in another country. Since it’s been about 10 years since we’ve traveled much (save our wonderful Montreal trip earlier this year), I was eager to prove my ability in Mexico. Since I’m the one who speaks Spanish among us, all the more way to prove myself.

I’ve done well, actually. For the most part, I’ve communicated for the family. But I’ve discovered I suck at listening. The hub is much better at understanding Spanish (though doesn’t know well enough how to speak it) than I am, and sometimes he has to tell me what someone said, which I hate. I feel helpless when I don’t understand.

It’s just so different here. Just 30 minutes from wi-fi, sanitary regulations and traffic laws is a whole other world. Some for the better, and some for the, well, I don’t like to judge, but let’s say “less better.”

For instance. Here in Mexico, just like every single other country we’ve visited, they don’t make consumers consume high fructose corn syrup like in the US. Candy, cookies and soft drinks have sugar, like they should. Given the hub is allergic to HFCS, we were thrilled to find azucar as the ingredient, and stocked up on apple flavored soda and candy.

Speaking of apple (I swear I have a post dedicated to food planned, but here I am, talking about it here), they have great apple flavored sodas and yogurts. Mmm.

Road rules? Not so much. If you’re going slow (as I do when going down a dirt road filled with holes big enough to bury a small child in), people pass you. Stop signs are a suggestion.

At shopping centers, there are what we have dubbed “parking maestros.” Just men who guide you with their hands when you’re leaving your parking spot. Seems pointless to us but I’m sure they’ve prevented billions of accidents.

There are taco stands, coconut stands, candy stands, beer stands, any kind of stand you can imagine. And anywhere. On a country road leading nowhere. In our neighborhood. Nestled among stores selling tile and pottery. And they’re all good (back to the food again).

It’s been a lesson in differences for all of us. We’re so judgmental, coming from our safe American lives. It’s good for us to get out of our element, to learn something about how other folks live. Viva Mexico.

I’ve been taking a lot of photos, but not really paying attention to my skills (i.e. not trying to get better). I got a useful email from Samsung (though I use a Nikon D3000; I’ll take good camera advice from anyone) that I thought I’d share on how to take better beach photos:

• The bright sun reflecting off of the sand and water can fool your camera’s light metering system into thinking your subject is too bright, which will unfortunately result in an underexposed image.  In order to ensure that your photos are properly exposed when shooting at the beach, take a look at your digital camera to see if it offers a beach scene mode.
  • This specific scene mode will automatically program your digital camera to take the best photo possible in the bright and reflective environment. When set to the beach scene mode, your camera will know that it’s taking a photo in a bright environment and will properly expose the scene, or more importantly, your subject.
• It may seem a bit silly, but taking beach photos is also an opportunity to make use of your camera’s flash. While you may not think about using a flash on a bright, sunny day, it’s actually one of the easiest things you can do to help make your photos pop, especially if you’re taking photos of your children! Very sunny conditions can often cause unwanted shadows to appear on your subjects’ faces. By simply turning on and using your camera’s flash, you can make sure that shadows won’t be an issue and that you’re able capture that perfect smile for everyone to see.

What do you like to take photos of in the summer?

Except then I have to upload a bajillion photos to my computer. Which is slow. And takes forever. But here they are.

We’ve been to the beach with friends. We splashed and tried to catch baby crabs with squid (some of us more successful than others). We’ve watched our kids do cute dances at Balboa Park. We’ve watched Tahitian and Flamenco dancers. We’ve bonded while our kids grew up in front of us.

Friends are wonderful.

(If you’re not a friend or family you might get bored. There are about 50 photos here. But knock yourself out and watch them anyway. All the kids are damn cute).