Sweet 15

As an example of how warm and welcoming people have been here, Sagrario, a work contact turned friend invited to attend a niece's quinceañera (coming of age gala) in Tehuacan, Puebla. Not only did she arrange a ride for me for the 4 hour drive, but a hotel room for the night and a warm introduction to all of her family and friends.

My ride was Hector (The Pis), who I met last weekend, accompanied by Gabriel, his friend and Sagrario's brother-in-law. We left around 5:30 and, thanks to Mexico city traffic, got to Tehuacan around 10:30, just in time to mingle and have dinner before the events started. The trip consisted of lots of singing, swearing, drinking and smoking (mostly Gabriel), and swapping travel stories. Highlights of the trip: seeing 3 volcanoes and eating my first real Chili Relleno at a roadside stop.

Here's how things went down:
We had a 4 course meal and party favors (engraved glasses, book marks, etc.) in true extravagant party style (flashback to weddings and bat mitzvahs), then watched the godfather's toast (well, a fill-in), and the dance of Sarah Iris (the 15) and her escorts (2, though there can be 2-6). Finally, after she proceeded to waltz with every male in attendance, the dancing by live band began. Hector, a devoted dancer and 7-time quince escort, was my dance instructor and partner for the night. We mostly dance cumbia, but I went from a 0 to about a 5 on the dancing scale, I think. I also have a promise to continue lessons in Mexico City over the next year.

It was a good night. I met and danced with much of Sagrario's family and several people from SERAJ (the org. that she works with and that we're partnering with). The music alternated between band and nightclub (technoish) in English and Spanish, but it all culminated in a live Mariachi band at 4am. We went to the hotel, showered, and took a nap before heading back at 7:30am (Pis had a memorial service at 11 in the city). I got some good champurado (a little different from Philippine champurado. This was somewhere between hot chocolate and Atole) and Mole Poblano in on the way back, too.