I love my mind. I love the way it works. No matter what’s happening in life, I’m always researching, always learning—because understanding something deeply allows me to maximize the experience.
When I found out I was pregnant with my first child, research calmed my fears and empowered me to make informed decisions. It helped me navigate divorce with fewer struggles than many women face. It even made it possible for me to buy my own home in 2018—an accomplishment that’s far too rare for single moms in the U.S. (but it didn’t prevent me from falling into a toxic family cycle, or keep me safe).
Knowledge is power, and I’ve spent years gathering it and I still don’t know shit about fuck, Marty. Right now, I have nearly 750 pages of notes on different towns in Mexico. Some are popular with expats, which appeals to me—I like the idea of an English-speaking community being available, but I don’t need that every day.
I’m excited to immerse myself in Spanish. I watch Netflix in Spanish and today I remembered that I can play it in 0.75 speed, while my ears are still learning. In English I have to listen to a lot of videos in 2x in order to not get bored with the speaker, so I love that this adventure is already having a mathematically neutralizing effect on the swirl of thoughts in my head.
Since deciding that Mexico is in my future, I’ve unearthed my (not so) old college Spanish notes and rediscovered some truly helpful things. If you’re learning too, you can click here to check out my Airtable Database of Learning Spanish for resources. Airtable is free, you just sign up.
I can’t wait to be in Mexico—not just to explore ancient sites or sample incredible food, but to live the language. And I can’t wait to start sharing my research on Mexican cuisine. Eventually, I bet this entire site will be in Spanish.