Remote in Merida, Mexico

I got here yesterday and my first impression was simply how hot it is. I guess I was overly optimistic that the "fall" would be slightly cooler, but so far it's been positively blazing. My Airbnb host, Martha, was kind enough to pick me up from the airport, and I waited about a half hour for her outside in the heat. This isn't long, but I had worn jeans on the plane, so the sweat was just dripping down my face and body. I must have looked like a frazzled maniac by the time she arrived. I was really wishing it wasn't the tradition to kiss on the cheek, since I felt disgusting.

The neighborhood didn't blow me away when I saw it but the house is nice and really big.  I don't actually need all this space, but it's two bedrooms and has a little yard. Unfortunately, there's only A/C in the bedroom, which means I'll have to work there instead of the big dining room table I thought would make a good workspace when I booked this place. It would just be too hot. I didn't think to ask if the A/C was in the whole house. Live and learn!

Martha is incredibly nice and welcoming though. She even invited me on a camping excursion with her and a friend from Europe who's coming to visit. I'll definitely go! I also met my neighbor, an older guy, who was friendly. He told me when garbage days are (or rather, nights--they pick up at around 8 p.m. here) and which street to avoid-- the one with girls who smoke and have tattoos-- so I'll have to check that one out.

I didn't really go anywhere yesterday because it rained really hard for a long time, and when the rain finally stopped the streets were completely flooded. I made an attempt to explore and went out looking for coffee for the morning (there was only a spoonful of instant here in the house) but the puddles were too much and the convenient stores had no coffee (just potato chips and soda), so I headed back. Along the way, I leaned down to say hi to a cocker spaniel and it tried to bite me. It was definitely time to go back to the casa and watch Netflix.

Today I walked around a LOT. I mapped out the ATM and the Plaza Grande, or central park, and left my house. I'm proud to say I found both. The walk was a bit long, about 20 minutes, but it wasn't hot yet so I didn't mind. Interestingly, I saw zero foreigners! Merida is not a tourist town, although I did see a few when I got to the center.

Central Merida is a lot nicer than the outskirts, and it had a good vibe. There are markets, cafes, and parks, and people are all out and about. Today is Sunday so they close off one of the main streets for bike traffic only. I saw all kinds of people on bikes-- some with kids, dogs in baskets, drinks in hand, or with speakers blasting music. Very cool. I even saw three guys, who were apparently very comfortable in their skin, on a bicycle built for three. :)

The people are not as friendly here as they were in Guatemala, (they don't say hi when you pass them) but nobody was rude or creepy either, which I appreciate. I even met a couple of people in my exploring. They were both travel guides but they were nice and not pushy so I chatted with them. The first one told me about some good places to visit in town. The other one I met a bit later, and he told me about Merida and the trips his company arranges. I imagine they're expensive, but I'll look at his website. You never know. It would be fun to do some things and socialize. I also asked him about Spanish classes and it turns out he has a program where people can learn Spanish in exchange for teaching English. It's free, which is perfect! Before we parted ways, he pointed me to a park where there was a band and people randomly dancing salsa and cumbia up on stage. People here seem really happy.

After exploring for a while, I took an Uber to Walmart where I got food, including coffee (yay!), and some other stuff, like a yoga mat. However, I got so hot trying to carry my groceries and find a taxi to get home that when I finally arrived I was a sweaty, red-faced mess. I took a cold shower (my hot water isn't working here but I don't even care) and ate some lunch. I might go out again later because there's a Mayan festival in the park, but we'll see if I'm that ambitious.

My overall assessment of Merida is that it's a fairly big, authentic Mexican city with nice people and a safe vibe. I can already tell I won't spend another month here (this heat!) but I think I'll enjoy the city, especially if it works out that I can take Spanish classes. I also joined a couple of Meetups, so that could be fun, too. Next time, however, I will not pick a hot place. I'm adding a minimum elevation requirement for future remote work destinations!