As I was drying my hair the other day, my hairdryer malfunctioned. I had had it for years, so the motor had just bit the dust. As there are no Rite Aid's in Mexico, I thought it would be an adventure to find a shop to buy a hairdryer. I asked someone where I could buy one and I was directed to a store near the Zocalo. There were hairdryers alright, but they were very expensive, like $30 USD starting price. I thought there is no way I am going to spend $30 for a hairdryer when I can get one at home for $10 bucks. For the duration of my stay, I will let my hair air dry!
I put my hairdryer guiltily in the garbage and then a few minutes later, I fished it out. I thought, this is Mexico! They can fix everything here. Last year I had remembered seeing many a fix it shop in Guadalajara, though I didn't see any thus far in Oaxaca. I asked the people at the language school where I could get a hairdryer fixed. They laughed and said, "Everything is really cheap from China now, nobody fixes hairdryers! Buy a new one!". But I said, "This is Mexico, you can fix everything here! It's one of the things I love about your country!" His reply, "Not anymore. That's part of the past." I understood, of course. How could I not? Who wants to fix a hair dryer when you can buy a new one for "cheap" and throw the old one away. Back in the bin it went. But...when I think of all the hairdryers piling up in the many landfills around the world...it pains me...
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