Mariachi Birthday
Last weekend, I had a great chance to get a glimpse at true Mexico: a good friend had invited me to join him and his friends for a mariachi serenata. The occasion for this performance was one guy’s girlfriend’s birthday. Here’s how it works: you hire a (probably expensive) mariachi band with eight musicians on various instruments. A little after midnight you go to her house and the band sings her a couple of traditional Mexican songs. They start outside at the door and, once everybody woke up, they continue in the living room. Everybody gives their “happy birthday!”‘s, guy gives girlfriend a kiss, girlfriend is happy. And, really, it is sweet — you should see it yourself. Once the music is over though, guy and friends all leave together and get drunk. Girlfriend goes to bed.
Now, I find this funny. But maybe it is just another way of showing affection? Most importantly, though, it is just simply great to see a different culture like this. And when it comes to seeing its culture, Mexico is awesome: I do not think any European would have let me into his life so deep, so fast, after knowing me so little. Thank you!
