Hi! My name is Sarah Gordon, and I hail originally from Denver, Colorado — born and raised in Denver, educated at the University of Colorado in beautiful Boulder, Colorado. I lived in Washington DC before moving to Chicago to earn a master’s degree in public policy at the University of Chicago. Met my future husband, Fernando, in Chicago. One thing led to another and we moved here in June of 1999.
I’ve spent these first few months in Mexico focusing primarily on re-learning how to drive, finding my way to the grocery store without getting lost, getting to know my in-laws, learning Spanish and planning two weddings. — Fernando and I were married in a civil ceremony in Cuernavaca over Labor Day weekend (about 30 miles south of Mexico City) and a religious ceremony in Denver on October 16, 1999. Being a foreigner and marrying a Mexican in Mexico was a process that was both fun and frustrating, and I felt as though these first few months were a sufficient introduction to life in Mexico. Having completed this “transition period”, I am now working to settle down in Mexico City — my goals being in-depth exploration of the city’s neighborhoods, intense language studies, building permanent personal support systems and a job search.
Being from Colorado, I love the outdoors. I hope to spend most of my time exploring things on foot. I will inadvertently include comments about how “pedestrian friendly” various locations may be. My time in Washington and Chicago conditioned me to big city living — to monuments, museums, and parks. I like these types of places, but don’t love them. I prefer neighborhoods and people — and since moving to Mexico, I have developed a certain attraction for markets (mercados). I am also very “security conscious” and will comment on any personal safety issues I encounter. Apart from locations, I also hope to share with you resources, networks and supports that I identify as I build my life here. I hope that these are helpful to you as well.
My goal in writing these pieces is to share my explorations and my thoughts about my new home. In the few short months that I’ve been here, I’ve found Mexico City both beautiful and repulsive, interesting and mundane. Fernando and I have moved here with the intent of staying for a minimum of 4 years, and quite possibly for the long term. What you will read about are my honest efforts to get established and settled here. My perspective may be naive — I have never lived outside of the US before, and I have never focused on studying places outside of the US. These are only my first impressions of a city and culture that I hope to understand and admire, nothing more.
Most of my movement will be within Mexico City, yet there may be small trips to surrounding towns and sites. If you have any specific questions or areas that you’d like information on, please let me know.