Tag: Mexico

Risk

(Not the board game) Risk has been a constant companion ever since I first went abroad to live in Lima, Peru in the summer of 1972. Whether it was from health threats like dengue, parasitic worms, malaria, yellow fever, rabies, unpronounceable illnesses unknown to most US doctors and/or the paucity of 3rd world healthcare; or... Read more »
By Candace Drimmer,
today at 1:26 pm • 

Solid Gold Mother-in-Law Memory

My mother-in-law Beatrice was one of my favorite chums. Lucky me? You bet. Having heard firsthand about, not to mention read about many mother-in-law versus daughter-in-law wars, I knew I was very, very lucky. What was her trick? She genuinely liked people, including me. Her loving kindness toward me becoming my role model toward my... Read more »
By Candace Drimmer,
July 24, 2020 at 3:46 pm • 

Landlines Before Cell Phones; Life in Banana Republics

In 1989 Guayaquil, Ecuador telephones were always problematic. During the rainy season they were so problematic that they would just stop working for weeks at a time. You got used to it. No, really, you got used to it. At least, I did. And it did prepare me for a handful of years later in... Read more »
By Candace Drimmer,
July 20, 2020 at 3:23 pm • 
Advertisement:

Showering with a Hearing Aid, and other dumb moments

When my recent Meniere’s hearing loss and tinnitus go invisible, I forget to wear my single hearing aid. At the end of the day I don’t find it behind my left ear, but sitting comfortably in its dock recharging from the night before. A case of out of sight, out of my aging mind.  So... Read more »
By Candace Drimmer,
July 3, 2020 at 12:32 pm • 

My Third World Plan for Coronavirus

Having seen this movie before as an expatriate living in the third or developing world, I have a sense of what to expect in the second worst case scenario of the coronavirus. In the first worst case, I would be dead before it came to town. Abroad we planned for things that might happen, so... Read more »
By Candace Drimmer,
February 29, 2020 at 9:08 am • 

Trumpistan; the American Banana Republic

To concur with more famous writers than I, no Americans want to live in a banana republic in America, neither Trumpers nor Never Trumpers. For raised in the heady feeling of freedom, we Americans are an entitled people who believe we have inalienable rights. In banana republic dictatorships, without a rule of law, the state... Read more »
By Candace Drimmer,
February 18, 2020 at 3:08 pm • 
Advertisement:

USA is a Banana Republic

And yes, it is bloody bananas but tragically true. My firsthand experience living for two decades abroad–14 years in banana republics–gives me the street cred to answer Dana Milbank’s Washington Post op ed question of August 6th. “Have we become a shithole country?” Yes indeed. Hop in your TARDIS to time travel back to Donald J. Trump’s kvetch... Read more »
By Candace Drimmer,
August 9, 2019 at 9:20 am • 

The Attempted Inside Robbery

Sophie had always been a light sleeper. Compounded with the challenges and real world threats to her family living in Mexico City, sleep was even more elusive. So it wasn’t surprising she was awake the night of the attempted break-in, distinctly hearing above her the thud of footsteps on their rental home’s roof. With her... Read more »
By Candace Drimmer,
August 2, 2019 at 10:05 am • 

Stores Stocked with Christmas Twinkle Lights in August

Life is weird. We spend a lifetime accruing, learning and if lucky–loving and being loved, only to–WHAM. Die. So what is the point of it all? Does nature make a point? No, it just is. As part of nature, we just are too. What keeps me engaged in this experience we call life is humor. Not... Read more »
By Candace Drimmer,
July 19, 2019 at 9:52 am • 
Advertisement:

Living with Theft in Mexico

Mexico After moving into our home in the summer of 1995, I asked Gary about a home security system. Having grown up in Lima, Peru in the 1960s, to him that meant broken bottles cemented atop the 12 foot walls  surrounding our home. That would do, he said. And for a while it did, that... Read more »
By Candace Drimmer,
May 10, 2019 at 10:26 am • 
  • Advertisement:
  • Advertisement:
  • ChicagoNow is full of win

    Welcome to ChicagoNow.

    Meet our bloggers,
    post comments, or
    pitch your blog idea.

    Sign in Pitch your idea Play games

  • Meet The Blogger

    Candace Drimmer

    TIMELINE June 1972 to June 1973---Candace moves to Lima (Peru)----- June 1973 to May 1974---Candace and The Husband live in Glendale AZ----- May 1974 to August 1974---Living in Toronto, Ontario (Canada)----- September 1974 to May 1975---Living in Aberdeen SD----- May 1975 to July 1979---Living in Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada)----- July 1979 to June 1980---Living in Asuncion (Paraguay)----- June 1980 to September 1980---Living in NYC----- September 1980 to November 1982---Living in Connecticut----- November 1982 to January 1983---Living in Ponce, Puerto Rico (USA)----- February 1983 to July 1986---Living in Willemstad, Curacao (Netherlands Antilles)----- July 1986 to July 1989---Living in Guayaquil (Ecuador)----- July 1989 to July 1995---Living in Connecticut (yes, again)----- July 1995 to August 2001---Living in Mexico City (Mexico)----- August 2001---Return to Gringolandia (a.k.a. United States of America)----- I was an accidental expatriate; love and marriage led me to it. One day I was a bandy-legged kid sitting atop my dogwood tree looking out of my small backyard world in 1950s New Jersey, wanting to move somewhere--anywhere, different. Next thing I knew I met a young hirsute anti-war, soon-to-be-Peace Corps volunteer, fell in love and moved to Peru in the 1970s. WHAT an adventure it's been!! NOTE: I gave up Facebook, so apologies that I cannot answer any comments since it is only set up via FB.

  • Twitter

  • Facebook

  • Subscribe

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Latest on ChicagoNow

  • Advertisement: