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For a couple of years the company I had been working for had been operating an office in Mexico City and was sending folks down there to train the local employees. I was never really interested in going there, but decided it might be a nice break to go there for a couple of weeks and see a new place and meeting some new people. Little did I know that this city would change my life.

I didn't know a lot of Spanish, but was assured by a colleague that everyone in the office and the area we were staying would speak English, so I took off on this adventure. We flew late evening to Mexico City and I overheard many conversations in Spanish while on my flight. I didn't know what they were saying, but Spanish did sound very similar to French which I had studied and I could recognize a few words such as numbers.

The flight from Houston to Mexico City was short, less than 2 hours. When were were landing in Mexico City I was amazed at the number of lights and houses. I grew up in a small town in eastern Canada, Newfoundland to be exact, and was now going to a city with over 20 million people.

I went through customs pretty easily and then proceeded to take the taxi to my hotel, the Hotel Marquis Reforma on the Paseo de la Reforma. I didn't know what to expect with the hotel, but was amazed when I got there. I was greeted by the concierge at the door and was told I had a special room and rate negotiated by my company. The bell hop then took my luggage to my room which was a king suite that had a living room and master bedroom. I was also well pleased that there was a jacuzzi in the bathroom. I then went to sleep well pleased with my first night in Mexico City.

The next morning I took a taxi to the office and was greeted by one of the local managers who gave me a tour of the building and office. It was a very nice building in the Lomas de Chapultepec area of the city. I worked a few hours and then they took me out for my first lunch. We went to a small restaurant and had a nice meal of quesadillas, frijoles, and a sopa de pollo. The only problem I had seen so far was adjusting to walking in the elevation and the smog that had gathered from the traffic of the morning commute.

I had heard from a lot of people that Mexico City was very dangerous and that I should only eat at the hotel and not venture out at night. I did this for a day, but was easily bored and not too happy with paying $1000 pesos for a meal at the hotel restaurant. I knew I needed to get out and see the city.

The

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