Saturday, January 13, 2007

Ex-Pats or Loco Gringos

A month ago I wrote about the opening of Mega a new super market here in town. One of our ex-pat community talked to the Manager of the new store and the Manager told him that he would see about stocking items available in Mexico that the Gringos wanted. This was posted on one of the chat groups here in town. Now the list has been finalized and would you believe that they are going to take a list to him that includes:

  • 13 sauces
  • 28 cans and jars of food items
  • 13 cold dairy items
  • 11 frozen food items
  • 46 general food items
  • 4 meats

Okay, so you may be thinking that the list is long. True, but it is more than just a long list, it also embarrasses me since I'm a part of this ex-pat community. It embarrasses me because they are asking the manager to get things like Kitchen Bouquet sauce, Crisco, Ro-tel brand canned tomatoes, canned pineapples in juice (not heavy syrup), Van Camps Pork and Beans, Pillsbury Ready to Bake biscuits and Crescent Rolls, Marie Calender's Frozen Meals and chicken pot pies, McCain's Steel-cut oatmeal, Asian rice crackers, Chai latte tea mix. It embarrasses me because many of the items on the list are already available here in the Bonanza and Espino markets or in Carey's which specializes in bringing in food for the gringos. It embarrasses me because they are ignoring a Mexican equivalent food item. It embarrasses me because some of the ex-pats think that the new Mega super market was built just to service their needs.

We are living in Mexico! And yes, I know that at times we all miss a food item that we ate in the USA and we can't find here. But to present this long list of items to the Manager of Mega, some of them are not even available in Mexico and some of them will only be bought two times a year by maybe three people in the whole town, makes the ex-pat community look like Loco Gringos.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Billie -
This list is too funny! I have to admit I got the biggest laugh out of 'Pace Picante Sauce'!
Have a great day! Deb

Anonymous said...

I agree. This list makes us all appear loco.
Rick

Jon of SMA said...

Billie, as a fellow gringo resident of San Miguel, I don't know if I was more embarrassed or amused by the group preparing this list. It seemed like a contraction that they want to have their old white bread USA products but at the same time want to boycott Walmart, Subway and other American franchises that have ventured down to Mexico.

Everyone who is here should either enjoy the culture, the people and the cuisine of Mexico or please go back to the USA. Life is too short not to enjoy what a place has to offer and instead try to change it to something that you left.

Brenda Maas said...

Pace Picante Sauce??? Tooo funny. Well, actually kind of sad.
Brenda

Nancy said...

There are certain types of people who just think that their way is the best way. We run into them everywhere in life, and they are pretty much a bore wherever you happen to meet.

The thing that astounds me is they must incredibly unaware..to not even see the disconnect in their desire for all things US while living in Mexico.

Billie Mercer said...

Glad all of you think this list is loco. On the email group where it originated, some have pointed out the irony of some of the people who put things on the list are also some of the same ones who are opposed to growth and development in SMA

Kathy said...

I was right there with you Billie until I got to the Chai tea. Have you no HUMANITY, woman? :)