Happy Cinco de Mayo! As I learned yesterday from a post over at Yucatan Holidays, Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of a battle the Mexican army won against the French in 1862 (in a war Mexico ultimately lost). What surprised me to read is that in Mexico it’s apparently very much a regional holiday whereas it’s celebrated in the US nationwide with bigger celebrations in areas where more people of Mexican descent live. Here in West Texas, the celebrations are probably nothing compared to what is going on in San Antonio or Houston, but we still have parties and almost everybody is celebrating Mexican culture with Mexican music, food, and drinks. So, just as I drink green beer on Saint Patrick’s Day, maybe I should have a Corona on Cinco de Mayo? Since I can’t stand Tequila (bad, bad memories my body still seems to have of a night a looooong time ago in Germany), Corona might be my best option 
Maybe I’ll try to make my own Guacamole as well and enjoy some tortilla chips with that tonight. I really like it in restaurants, but I’ve never made my own. Guess it’s about time after seven years here! Sounds simple enough: avocados, lime or lemon juice, spices like salt and cayenne pepper or chiles, onion, tomato, garlic and cilantro. I really am not a big fan of cilantro, so maybe I’ll substitute parsely and/or basil for that and see how it turns out Or maybe I should make some nachos? I’ve never made those at home either… Or maybe I’ll just go out to a nice TexMex place after work and postpone making that stuff until a later day. Cinco de Mayo in Texas – another new holiday for me. The joys of being a expat: you get to celebrate all sorts of holidays.
I enjoy Cinco de Mayo in Texas, but my favorite new holiday as an expat is definitely Halloween. What are your favorite new holidays in your adopted country?
via Wikimedia Commons
via Wikimedia Commons
via Wikimedia Commons
via Wikimedia Commons
via Wikimedia Commons
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Wait there is a real holiday for Cinco de Mayo? I thought it was created by the Corona people, just like a lot of holidays are created by Hallmark or the Mattress stores for sales reasons. 5.Mayo in Raleigh seemed to be an excuse to drink beer (like we needed another one) and go out in the warm before the summer heat starts.
My favorite German holiday? Umm. I like all the random holidays that lets me out of work even though I don’t really understand them. Does that count?
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Yes, that counts
Especially since holidays in Germany usually come with a nice, long weekend!
Well, it’s a holiday in the sense that it’s cebrated like one – not in the sense that we get a day off. I talked to a Mexican friend earlier today and he said that’s it’s so amusing to him that Americans celebrate all things Mexicans on May 5th. When growing up in Mexico it was apparently just a military holiday instead. So, it looks like it’s more celebrated by Americans than Mexicans
Anyways, you are probably right: I’m sure Corona pushed it with lots of ads… and who doesn’t like to have another reason to have beer?! On the other hand… do you really need a reason?
Cinco de Mayo is an excuse to eat Mexican food and drink margaritas! LOL like I needed an excuse.
My current favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. My children are all home, we get the turkey in the oven, make cocktails and play games for a couple hours before finishing the meal. Great new tradition!
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Same here, no excuse needed to indulge once in a while
Your Thanksgiving sounds like fun! I’m too far away from family to understand that part of Thanksgiving, but we have a group of friends here who throw an “Orphan’s Thanksgiving” every year and it’s been nice to get together with friends, eat good food, and just take it easy for a day.
So interesting to hear your perspective on Cinco de Mayo and that you’re celebrating it – yeah! Unfortunately it’s not really celebrated where I lived in Canada, unless you happened to have Mexican friends. In terms of the fun holidays, I have to agree that Halloween is right up there. As an expat in Germany, my favorite holiday has been Karneval – love it!
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That makes sense. One of my favorite holidays in Germany is Karneval and since that doesn’t exist here, I had to revert to the next best one with costumes, Halloween
Do you think you like Karnival because Halloween in Germany doesn’t really exist? Or for other reasons?
Cinco de Mayo is my favorite ridiculous holiday! I love tacos (seriously could eat them every single day) and a day that celebrates that- even if it’s totally built up in America, then I am totally okay with that!
Yep, no complaints here to have an excuse to indulge in some Tex-Mex either
But… I think I might prefer green beer on St. Patrick’s Day. I have no idea why… It’s just fun to drink green beer. Coincidentally, this year I had green beer with a side of tacos 
Go figure!
This regarding your post about expats, and you also mention what we do when being abroad. Well, some of this we miss when we get back. Luckily, contacts and friends help us keep ut with the americanness.. Last Friday (although one day late) I attended a cinco de mayo party at the American embassy here in Oslo!!
Great fun, good drinks, good food. Loved it. and all American stuff. Sadly, after two (maybe 3 or so) beers, my friend and I went to the bar to get ourselves a strawberry margarita – and they were out! Bummer!
I’m sure I’ll miss a lot of things if and when we leave here! How did you score an invite to a party at the American Embassy? Sounds like fun
Sorry about the margaritas though…
I am a part of a mentoring programme, intended for aiding students who wants to go to the US for studies. It was initiated by the embassy, and a friend of mine who was spnsored by the Norway-America Association managed to invite me to the program as well
Anyways, NAdege and I made margaritas this weekend. Yummy!
Very cool
Enjoy the drinks, ladies!