Some Slang Used In Mexico
I don’t know it all, but here are some of the slang words and uses I have picked up in Mexico. Some of them may actually used in other Latin American countries as well.

Güey- Probably the most used slang in Mexico. It is like “dude,” and is used ALL the time (pronounced almost like “way”).
Pinche- fucking (adj.)
No manches- No way! Not to be used in formal situations.
No mames- No way! The cussword version. Definitely do not use this in formal situations. literally it basically means don’t blow me.
Mamada- blow job
@- used when a word can be male or female, to represent both the “O” and the “A” in the word.

Perhaps my number one recommendation for a visit to Mexico City is to see one or more markets. There are major markets all over the city where people go to buy everything from fruit and veggies to clothes and toiletries.

Most markets also have an amazing butcher section. Don’t seek that out if you are a squeamish vegetarian, but it is worth a look if you won’t get sicked out. Huge cuts of meat, whole, skinned heads, whole bodies of large and small and generally unidentifiable animals. On hot days, flies everywhere.

Other than the general markets that are everywhere, almost always right near a metro stop, I especially recommend two:

1. Mercado Merced/Sonora (Metro Merced)

Hello all! My time in Mexico is winding down. I have only 3 months left on my contract, and then will be moving to NY where my fella lives. I have been thinking about what is on my “list”— things I want to make sure I do before I leave. I was recently at a happy hour for NGO workers and environmentalists, and another gringa I chatted with mentioned that she was thinking about her list as well. I also recently had some visitors with whom I saw some of the basic sights again, and loved them just as much— or more!— than the first or second (or third) time(s).

Most Mexican morning
The other day I had a conference, so I took an alternate route. Normally I have a short walk to work, through a mostly residential area. This day, I walked through the main park of my delegation (Coyoacan) and through business streets.
First, I saw every business owner doing what small business do every morning. First, they open the giant metal garage-style doors that protect storefronts at night, and then they wash the floor of the store or restaurant as well as the sidewalk in front of their door using soapy water and a broom to scrub. A lot of them also have giant squeegees that they use to push the rinse water out.

A commercial for a skin-whitening lotion called White Secret has inspired some musings about race and skin color in Mexico. A few thoughts.