Mexican Leaves/Jamaican Trees (Buying Souvenirs)

I hate clutter, and don’t like to create it for other people.  So when I bring home souvenirs I like to make sure that they are useful.  On my return from Mexico, I was focused on bringing my family and friends back items that I enjoyed during my stay but were not available in New York.

I ran to local markets and street vendors to purchase various items.  One of the items (we’ll call them “Mexican Leaves”) was wildly popular all over Mexico City and I wanted to bring some home for my family to enjoy.

I was really nervous about getting them through security at the airport because they looked like drugs.  To make matters worse, I had purchased so much of them that one of my carry-on bags was almost completely filled with the leaves.

As I drove to the airport, I reminded myself to think good thoughts.  I hoped that in the worst case scenario, the security officers would confiscate the leaves and let me board my flight home.

As I walked through the metal detectors I heard the security agent say “is this your bag?” then “follow me, I need to check it.”  I held my breath and prepared for the worse.  The agent opened my bag, read the contents of a can of chili that was inside it and let me go; with the leaves in tow.

I couldn’t wait to get home and give everyone their gifts.  As I gingerly gave my dad his leaves, he looked at me and said in a very dry tone, “you brought me something from Jamaica?”  I was shocked to hear him say that since he knew I just got back from Mexico.  Then I stopped to remind myself that he once forgot how old I was.  He even bought me a birthday card with the wrong age on it.  So, with that in mind, I politely reminded him that I just got back from Mexico and the leaves were from there.

It wasn’t long before I found myself understanding why my dad was talking about Jamaica when I gave him gifts from Mexico.  As my Spanish skills improved, I somehow stopped translating everything I heard or saw in Spanish to English.  I just understood things as being what they were.

In Mexico, there’s a wildly popular drink that is almost as common as “Coca-Cola” in all restaurants and supermarkets.  The drink is made from these Mexican Leaves.  But never ever did I realize this until I returned to New York.

One day as I’m strolling through a fruit stand in the Bronx I see a huge display stand for sorrel.  I did a double take and realized, THOSE ARE THE LEAVES!  In Mexico, the drink that the leaves make is called “Ha-my-ka” or in English, Jamaica….

I couldn’t believe all the trouble I went through running around to different stores, and street vendors to get “enough” tea, when it was available for sale right here in New York.  And to make matters worst, my when my dad read the tea bag it clearly said “Jamaica Tea” but I told him he read it wrong.  I never saw the English word “Jamaica” just the Spanish drink “Ha-my-ka.”

In addition, there was a larger version of the same exact canned chili’s I brought from Mexico in my pantry when I got home.  Apparently, my stepfather’s Mexican co-worker had given it to him sometime before I left to try with his food.

I was successful with the cookies I brought back though.  I bought enough so that all my friends and family members could try a pack.  The only problem was that my parents really loved them and, in turn, ate them all.  I guess it’s the thought that counts?