I just returned from my getting some hot dogs for dinner, two this week. And I was right last week to feel awful, they are TRECE not tres pesos (13, not 3). OMG, I’m so embarrassed. The lady didn’t say anything about last week though, bless her.

We gabbed while another lady got my order together. One of the things she asked me if I’m staying here, on Isla, for the whole of my stay in Mexico. I didn’t understand her question the first time, so she rephrased it. I didn’t get it a second time, so she rephrased it again. And then I got it!

What threw me is she kept saying ‘siempre’ (forever), so my first answer was that I’m only here for the winter and then that I arrived in November and am leaving in April. How she finally phrased the question was something along the lines of “Are you stay here for that whole period of time?”

I am so grateful when people are so patient because how else am I going to learn?! Too many people would have just accepted my incorrect answers, but took the time to teach me. And all within the couple of minutes it took to get my hot dogs together!

BTW, a carry out order translates literally to “para llevar” (to carry). I said “para ir” (to go) to the first lady, who did not relay that to the second lady, who then asked me if I wanted my dogs “¿para aquí or para llevar?”, another sneaky way of teaching me vocabulary, albeit probably unintentionally.

Mayonnaise seems to be popular here and the lady putting together my order started reaching for it. I said no, eggs make me ill. The lady I was speaking with interjected and proudly recited my order from last week (cebollas, tomates, mostaza)! She really did remember me and let me save face about the whole 13/3 peso thing. She’s a darling! So 26 pesos (just over 2CAD) for these, pricier than for a couple of steamés in Quebec, but maybe even more delicious. As it turns out, the dogs are cooked in bacon. No wonder they are so yummy!