I'm in Mexico!

Historically, my MO for travel has been to show up in a place and blunder my way through it artlessly, while picking up awesome stories because of my own incompetence. I didn't have to do that in Peru and Morocco and Israel, and I remember thinking on all of those trips that they would have been much different if I had been left to my own devices.

Cut to me, in Mexico, being left to my own devices, and recall why I probably shouldn't travel this way. I picked a hotel solely because it was close to the conference site and cost $22 per night, and while it's fine, it's about what you'd expect from a room that costs $22. (Like, light fixtures, flexible mattresses and pillows, and a functioning television cost extra.) I managed to get a full night's sleep, figure out my shower, and make it to a cafe, which were each accomplishments in themselves. Still, since my Spanish is terrible, I accidentally ordered cake for breakfast AGAIN, although it was layered cake in Peru and this time it was cheesecake. (I ate it both times, mostly because I was too embarrassed to do anything else.) I then proceeded to get lost on my way to the conference site, but I did find it, and it turns out that this is basically academic pornography for anyone interested in queer studies.

The highlight of my day was when I finished lunch and the waiter brought over a phone number from a girl who thought I was cute. I may not be competent, but it's nice to know that I've still got it. It's a decent consolation prize.