Tour Two Sweet Spot

I started this blog post back in May but lost the motivation to see it through. I'd like to think the title still applies so I'm picking it up a few months later. Don't expect anything that will join the pantheon of all-time blog posts as I can't really say that I have some newfound inspiration. Just wanted to do something productive on a sick day. With that I'll set the bar low and aim for mediocrity. 

Today marks 17 months since we arrived in Mexico City and we have a little less than seven months to go. We've settled into life in the big bustling metropolis and we don't have to get ready to pack up and leave anytime soon (though DiploWife has recently been feeling the urge to purge). We've learned the ropes in our jobs and are enjoying a normal workday routine. We already have our next assignment and won't be consumed by all the stress of bidding over the coming months. Our plans for next year in DC (March-July), Colorado (early August) and Oman (late August) are also starting to take some shape. In short, we're enjoying a period of relative stability and complacency in a lifestyle replete with change and uncertainty.

Adding to that, Mexico City has really grown on us as a fantastic place to live, quite possibly topping the list of big cities we have called home for more than one year. True it has its fair share of annoyances but it also has its own special character and redeeming qualities. Sunday morning runs or bike rides down the leafy downtown promenade almost makes one forget about battling weekday traffic through the concrete jungle. The vibrant informal street markets mask some of the eye sores of overpopulation and underemployment. Cultural activities ranging from the folkloric ballet to lucha libre wrestling are a spectacle in and of themselves. All this and I haven't even mentioned the food.   

The DiploBoys are also happy and doing well in their small bilingual school, which offers a feeling of close community. Their friendships have expanded our own social circles beyond the usual Embassy and expat crowd. They seem to have grasped everyday Spanish and they relish pointing out and mimicking our gringo accents. That said, they have gotten a healthy dose of (Norte)Americana over the past six weeks, spending ample time with grandparents, cousins and relatives in Colorado. It's been a win-win summer for everyone, including the DiploParents who have taken advantage of their utter lack of responsibility to visit boring museums, take long road trips, and eat in front of the TV as much as possible. Life returns to some sense of normalcy next week when the kids are back and we resume our god-given rights of parental nagging. 

The momentary convergence of wellness in these circles of work, life and family leads me to believe we have found our sweet spot for this tour. We'll surely look back fondly on this carefree time in the coming months and years. Just need a nostalgic song to remind us. Cue the "Time of My Life" from Pitbull (I had to look that up on YouTube) or from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack (for all my fellow Gen Xers).

P.S. Well, this blog post didn't turn out too bad. I'm glad I made myself sit down and do it. I've feared this blog going dark like so many Foreign Service blogs do. At the very least this post relieves the guilt for a couple months. We'll see what kind of spot we are in next.