That's Not My Name

I booked my flight back to Toronto last week. My plane lands at 6:50am, April 15.

I'm sad.

With only a month left in my working vacation I feel there's so much more I want to do and so much more I could have already done. There's so many more restaurants I need to visit and hundreds of taco stands I still haven't found.

And so many things you guys don't know.

Let me start with my nicknames:

Chaparrito-means shorty in a term-of-endearment kinda way.

Chichifo-the name given to Mexican hustler boys trying to land a rich, white daddy who'll pay for a month in a swank, ocean-front condo. Or grandma's very expensive heart medication. Or, perhaps just settle for margaritas on the beach and dinner at Fajita Republic.

It's not a nice thing to be called but all the Mexican's laugh when they see the word emblazoned on the bracelet I wear--a New Year's Day gift from my roommate Alfonso.

When Joe first saw me wearing it he asked in one of his short, angry tones, "Do you know what you're bracelet means?"

I said sure, "Hard-working entrepreneur, right?" Then walked away.

Ryanna-because I sing along to every song on the iPod. I can't help it, Joe's got good taste in music.

Deyanira Rubi-a pole-dancing, feather boa-sporting character created by one of Mexico's favourite morning talk show personalities. Deyanira, has lobbied the Mexican government to make pole dancing, the country's national sport. She argues that many families in Mexico are supported by wives and mothers that strip and without them, Mexico would be bankrupt.

A couple of the bars in this town would be bankrupt without me. Considering cervezas only cost 20 pesos, or about $1.75 that's saying something.

Although, I've taken a bit of a break this week to recoup. I had three nights last week that ended between 5am and 7am. That's a hard lifestyle to keep up with and not enough coconuts in this town to cleanse me of my sins.

And now the weekend is here. I've rested enough. Besides, a flock of new planes is arriving as I type. I can't let the new vacationers down. I have responsibilities and I know what they are.

Wish me luck amigos.