I'm hot and sticky, it's 2:22 in the morning, the back of my neck and hair is wet from the heat. I'm in my studio apartment in Puerto Vallarta. There's a trio of drunk mexicans sitting on the corner and I can hear their conversation through the loud hum of the floor fan blowing towards my bed. I can hear someone out there sneezing for god's sake. I want to yell out something smart and succinct at them, but it would take too much energy and thought. The all night Oxxo store, like a 7-11, is in front of me. I could spit on both the store window and the jerks on the corner. The street is Juarez, a very busy downtown street that is continually full of traffic, no matter that all the stores lining it have gone to bed at 9pm. I finally have a clean floor after moving into this second spot, which was vacated by a girl I knew and is a lot cooler than my first apartment one floor higher. There, I melted into a puddle from 11am till 11 pm. In this new one, I have a balcony; which is good for spitting from and if I look right, I can see the pacific ocean and the boardwalk. So, on a positive note, I have an ocean view! I spent my day off cleaning it as whoever did the cleaning after Megan left, should really find another job. Do you know that a sponge mop is impossible to find here? Also an electric kettle; they apparently don't exist either. But I digress.
It's been a week since I started working at the Blue Shrimp, a high end restaurant on Morelos St. just one street over and half way down the block. I could probably spit on it from my balcony too, if I was really good. What I love is that I can leave my house at the same time as I'm due at work, something I've not been able to do legitimately since I lived across from my elementary school and used to jump the fence as the bell was ringing. I swear being so close to my school for 8 years, ruined me for life. I have always since then, been chronically late (5 mins. or more when I'm really trying to be on time). Ah, well, I"m enjoying this. I put my lipstick on halfway there, using a car window as a mirror.
So, I"m a hostess, or as they have it in my contract; a hosstes. That's mexican for hostess. I don't know why I'm there actually, because I hadn't wanted to work that much, but somehow, here I am, helping them out, starting right away because their other person was leaving. I interviewed with the owner to dance at the opening of his new and third restaurant in the old town, on the beach. This hostessing thing is short term, apparently. But apparently, 2 weeks til opening has turned into 4.
My feet are killing me, I"m a wimp, not used to working all day with only one day off a week. That's normal in Mexico. They think we are all rich and lazy in Canada for taking two in a row off, generally speaking. I'm planning on doing the same here, as soon as I make my self invaluable and can ask for something. I mean really, they are lucky to have me.
Basically I stand outside in the hot sun (I go across the street to the shady side in the morning) watch for tourists, who are damned easy to spot and chat them up and give them free appy coupons. I also offer trays of coconut shrimp, I seat people, explain the menu, find out where they're from and where they're staying generally be the nice girl who asks how everything is and gives directions to the beach, shopping, and how to take the bus. I also snap my fingers and a cab appears for them, but that's a trade secret.
The staff are hilarious. Nobody works too hard, and there is frequently a plethora of waiters and bartenders with absolutely nothing to do but hang out near the bar and gab. I miss out on this because my job is outside, but once in awhile, when the bosses are gone, I get to go to the back and be "one of the guys". There is one female waitstaff and she is gorgeous and snooty but cool. Lupita. I love that name. They tease me and play word games because they know I'm not perfect in their language. But one day. . . Luisa is also wonderful and works in purchasing.
The other day, I was working my street (ha) and two mexican ladies passed by with a very little baby, 2 months old and I guess by the way I looked at it, they must have had some 'woman sense' and she came back and plunked it in my arms. Their car was nearby on the street, they were about to go somewhere. I couldn't get over the amount of HAIR it had for two months. A full head. So funny, he was sleeping so soundly and the aunt and I chatted for awhile. No children? she asked. No, not yet I said. One day. It was so sweet and I thought it was a lovely gesture on her part. I miss having girlfriends.
I watched the sunset on the boardwalk last night. I was walking down the busy side streets and saw this big orange ball in the sky and thought I had better go one block and get to the water to enjoy it. It was nice. I'm 2 blocks off the water and have not even gone to the beach yet. It's kind of rough and rocky and there is an undertow. One day, on a day off I will take the bus and go to the beach everyone talks about, towards the south.
Pictures soon!
1 comment:
Hey, check your gmail account.
Post a Comment