The city of Guadalaraja shows itself like a spaghetti western. You see the good, bad and the ugly. However, my eyes mostly see amazing things, vibrant neighborhoods, and awesome hard working people.
After living here for 9 months I have come to the conclusion Guadalajara is a super fun and exciting place to live. I started my stay here without a job and only could walk around the immediate neighborhood. Soon after I discovered the mibici pass and enthusiastically started biking the city. After getting my first English Teaching job, I was buzzing to and fro on my daily route. You really get a chance to see a city when you are walking and riding a bike versus sitting in a car.
I never did buy a car or a motorcycle. I loved my bike too much. Well, technically they are the bikes belonging to the city and not mine, but I feel that I own them and the roads. I didn’t think you could feel like a kid again, but to be proved wrong about this isn’t a bad thing. You get to know the roads and neighborhoods intimately. Your body starts to vibrate to the hum of the journey. The lungs gasp and heart pumps with effort but the kid in you says keep going and faster!
Taking the bus is another way to know the people and the city. You discover that so many of us are hard working family oriented people. We want all of the good things for our family willing to get up early and take long trips to earn a better life for loved ones. Some are dirty and tough looking, but they never give me so much as a dirty look. Others are just simple and enduring their routine. Then there are the gems of having civil cooperation and an exchange of smiles.
It is a livable city, with energy and youthful exuberance. I am happy here and invigorated by the adventure around every corner. So I invite you to get out into the world. Leave your comfort zone, forget about material things and do something totally different with your life while you still have dreams inside you.