that warm family noise

In 1996, a set of circumstances enabled me to go to Europe for two semesters to learn German, I was 17 back then.

I came to Innsbruck, studied German and then enrolled at the University to study political sciences. By the time I finished my studies, I was member of an incredible and lovely circle of friends. I bonded so well with them that taking the decision to stay in Innsbruck and look for a job was not hard at all.

I know many Mexicans who cannot live without consuming Mexican products: Chillies, sauces, snacks and sweets. During my first years in Austria I also showed symptoms of that gastronomic nostalgia. My mom used to send me candies, salsas and chips by either parcel, or with someone who happened to travel to Innsbruck. At present, I can survive extreme long periods of time without consuming Mexican food, but there is something I cannot turn my back to: my family.

The only reason I still travel home is to meet my mom, my brother and sister, and my vacations turn even better if I meet my grandmother, my grandfather, my father, my aunts, my uncle, my cousins and their children. There are also a number of good old friends with whom I enjoy chatting, but sadly, most of them no longer live in Chihuahua.

I came back from Los Cabos only three days ago. While there, I spent most of the time with my relatives, who came for the wedding of my cousin William and to spend christmas and news year's eve there. We were around 30 Castro-clan members. Those weeks were everything but calm: children playing, running and yelling; the adults were eithwer watching TV, cooking, discussing or eating. It was noise and chaos at its highest peak, all the time and everywhere we went to.

Right know, I am happy to be back in Austria, I love my apartment, my friends and the cultural offer here; however, I am missing something: that warm family noise...