Different kind of love story (-ies)

Just wanted to share the great way of saying out loud the injustice: mixedandhappy (.com) project.
Story that more probably could happen in Latvia where marrying or even just dating a foreign partner is still if not something totally extraordinary, then a shame and shock for all the society.

In Latvia only some start to speak about it and say out louder the problems that exist when encountering mixed couples both within laws and people's minds, e.g., this article from politika.lv shows injustice of many couples.

The story about mixedandhappy is even simpler and obviously biased. A judge denied a marriage license to an interracial couple with an argument of well-being of the children in this kind of marriage. The judge now is ex-judge but the couple is collecting pictures from 100 mixed families to send him as a Christmas greeting - a proof how happy and blessed they all are. In their blog you can already see 89 of them, just 11 more to go.

Love comes in all different shapes,sizes and colors. That is what makes the world go round. /Quote from one of the contributors/

Way to loud topic for Latvia and our closed society. As I've discovered in my Bachelor thesis research we are not ready even for foreign employees in our companies, not even talking about couples that are from different countries but I'm positive that these thoughts are changing. And changing only for our own good.

Yes, I am quite subjective because of my own relationship, but we cannot deny that despite the angry protests, hate and discrimination, world is getting smaller and smaller by every day.
And that makes life only more interesting and beneficial, but doesn't makes us to lose our identity, traditions or worldviews.

3 months in Mexico

Balance sheet of 3rd month:

• Things finally are getting less weird. Guess, this should be the sign of end of cultural shock. Crazy buss driving seems normal, I approximately can orientate myself in Guadalajara streets (ok, very approximately, but still it's a progress), it's getting harder and harder to "switch off" Spanish language, so now Im understanding even things I would rather not listen, Im having my own favorite telenovela every working day evening, and Im trying not to get scared of constant yelling around me (= normal locals' conversation at any time of the day). No, with the last one more adaption will be needed.
• One Mexican wedding - hours to prepare and much less to enjoy the event. Hard to admit but still the fancy food and surroundings here cannot be compared to the fun stuff and the amount of traditions that we are having in Latvia. Oh, yes, guess who pays for the wedding - the bride's family, so, please, stop asking me when I'm planning mine (did I say my boyfriend has around 80 cousins - just the cousins?).
  
  
  
• Moving to the sky of Guadalajara and realizing that even despite to the magnificent view which saves the space for TV in living room (window is the TV now), my dream place of home would be in private owned house with not more than 2 floors. Here is super-cool and super-fancy but perhaps still my Latvian modesty is too strong :)
  
• Obsession with coconuts moved to elote (corn, boiled and mixed with lemon, cream and cheese). Still making friends with chili, that also will be a longer process.
• Latvians found here in Jalisco (state where Guadalajara is). Ok, I havent met anyone yet, but anyhow the feeling that here around are people who think, speak and partly experience the same as I, is great. Indeed we are from different continent (quoted: Evas Meksikas dienasgrāmata) and this thought helps to go through the occasional everyday weirdness.
• New hobby - aquarium. Two and half weeks and first lethal mistakes. Let's hope the fish are survivors and won't be too mad about the beginners' activities.
  
• Started Spanish courses - 10 times more relaxed than in Latvia and lots more focus on conversation skills. And useful discovery that's it's possible to talk to foreigners (i.e., my group mates, not Mexicans) in other language than English, even better discovery - it works pretty well and we can understand each other.
  
• Día de Muertos - a great similarity with Latvian Veļu laiks, more colorful and a bit more positive. Celebrating the life of a person, not mourning for it's death. Mariachi in the cemetery, tons of yellow and orange flowers (cempasuchitl or to make it easier in Latvian - samtenes) and altar with tasty gifts for the passed away relatives. Lots of thanks to my Spanish teacher Liliana for sharing these traditions.
  

  From Dia de Muertos

• Still from time to time arguing about cultural differences (e.g., uselessly trying to let know that ignoring mails or making unbelievable excuses is much worse than saying things straight away). Yes, also a conclusion that after all Im not so culturally sensitive as I thought. I can accept many things, but not being put into frame of others.
  
• One rejected job application and one uncertain on the way. I'm seriously considering to quit being intelligent with my Bachelor degree and look for something simple. Looks like selling tacos would be much more beneficial than trying to convince companies that European with average Spanish is as good as someone from Latin America. Tired to make plans as here they simply don't work, but time runs faster than light.
• ¿Qué más? (What else?) Right! The "winter" is here. No rain anymore and in nights it's good to have your coat around. Punishing myself why I needed to leave my scarf home. But got small and warm boots to survive. Of course, everyone around me is telling that this night temperature (by day it's still sunny and up to 26 degrees, so no worries :) ) should be my daily temperature at home and Latvians as from North should handle everything. Sorry - no. Mexicans do have hotter blood and that's why can wear T-shirts 24/7.
  
• Booked tickets back home with weak hope to change them for later.
• Some Mexicans made angry, because I'm not giving up yet to return home so fast, and people should be if not fully responsible, then at least interested in helping for what went wrong. Or simply answering the e-mails and being honest.

Will see what happens next...