3rd World Kitchens

Friends, there are some things that really get me down about comparing my life to the life that is very easily accessible in the US of A.

Kitchens. They are a beautiful gathering place and a space to create. The average house or apartment has counters, a dishwasher, full size oven, etc.

Take this kitchen...

spacious, gorgeous, lighted (Cue Debbie Gibson singing "Only in my Dreams")--this would be my dream in the States.

Here in Mexico, things are a little different. When we moved in last September, we looked high and low for the basics of what a little Expat girl like me would need. Frankly speaking an oven was a necessity. My husband often said to owners, "I'm sorry. We cannot rent here. My wife needs an oven."

So here is the best we can find. And I actually love this tiny little thing.

 See the difference? I liken it to a kitchen in a condo in Orlando, FL that you use on vacation. I am trying to spruce it up. In July, I want to make a cutie little curtain to hide the under-the-bar part. I try to keep things orderly and less cluttered. Which it might be time to pear down the fridge.

But on Saturday, we bought a rug at Costco. I LOVE COSTCO. It sometimes is like my home away from home. The rug said 2"x6" and I said to Gabo that it was probably the exact size of the alley between the bar and the wall.

 And I was completely right.  Above is my empty floor. And below is my new beautiful rug!

It makes a world of difference actually. It's soft and catches all the water that falls from my dinky sink and dish rack.

I am looking forward to other improvements that I can do to maximize my space and make lemons out of lemonades.