That moment … at the airport of Mexico City
It was over.
After spending three marvellous months in Mexico it was time for me to leave again. I already had flown into Mexico City from Monterrey in the North and now I was here at the international airport of Mx City. I could cry – I love it here so much: wonderful colleagues, great trips, awesome parties, pretty cool adventures and so much more! I worked for almost two and a half month in Saltillo (state of Coahuila) and then I travelled for about two weeks to the peninsula of Yucatan and to the amazing capital Mx City. I really didn’t want this summer and especially this experience to be over.
Before going through security I scanned the check-in area for familiar faces, but there were – of course – none, instead I noticed this young Mexican holding a big sombrero in his hand. A smile flushed my face, I was not the only one: some business travellers smiled at him and were like “oh yet another tourist”. I didn’t give it much of a thought then and carried on.
I went to look for my gate and got kind of lost, because the last time I flew the same company to Germany and the gate was located elsewhere (habits 🙂 !). At the right gate then the Mexican with the sombrero appeared again! Surprisingly he was going to be on the very same flight. I had to smile again and he then came to me and asked me why I smiled like that at him. I told him how I –only a few weeks back – went home to Austria shortly and also took a big sombrero with me and people where looking at me the very same way they did at him today.
Since I still had some pesos in my wallet I invited him for a couple of beers to make the long-distance over-night flight more bearable. We talked for long, at least it seemed like it. He was going to Germany for an internship for a couple of month and had never been to Europe before, so he was pretty excited.
Those friendly and open-hearted people are only one of the many reasons why I love Mexico so much! It was the perfect farewell to this so beloved country!
The staff called for boarding, suddenly I realized how crowded the gate had gotten. We checked our seat number and discovered that we would sit only a few rows apart.
I took a deep breath to fill my lungs for the last time with the warm, delicious Mexican air and stepped inside the plane.
Somewhere over Canada I got up from my seat and walked a bit through the rows, when he grabbed my hand and we danced salsa for a few imaginary beats! Now that was great – we immediately had the attention of everyone awake on the plane!
He had a great time in Germany and met the woman of his life – they got married in 2013 and now he is moving to Germany permanently! We are still in contact and I hope to visit him some time soon!
