How to Act Like a New Mexican

Are you thinking of buying a home in New Mexico?  From Albuquerque to Santa Fe and throughout the state, there are certain characteristics you may note in the people of New Mexico.  These lifestyle tips will help you out, whether you have purchased a second home, had a job relocation, or have chosen to retire in the Land of Enchantment.  In the forested mountains, desert, city or on a ranch, you will find a certain quality to New Mexicans no matter what their choice in real estate, here are a few...


DRESS THE PART
Nobody will stare at you for wearing a cowboy hat in New Mexico.  Cowboy boots and a big shiny belt buckle won't turn heads either.  You'll see both men and women with heavy silver and turquoise jewelry.  

You don't have to dress Southwestern though.  Just know that the look here is casual and relaxed, whether it's elegant dining, golf, or a backyard BBQ. 

OWN AT LEAST ONE DOG
You may think you're a dog lover – but New Mexicans take it to the next level.  It is not uncommon for people to bring their dogs to work with them, especially in the East Mountains and other rural area shops.

BECOME AN ARTIST
There is something in the New Mexican air that gets your creative juices flowing.  In no time, new residents find themselves enrolled in photography and art classes, making pottery, designing jewelry, and finding a new passion for life. 

CHANGE YOUR DRIVING HABITS
If you come from the big city, New Mexican drivers will appall you.  We're just not used to traffic.  Even in Albuquerque you will find traffic very light as compared to other metropolitan areas.

But, if your car breaks down you will be amazed at the number of friendly folks who stop to help.

Once you are outside the city limits, you will notice people waving at you as they drive by.  This is just a friendly hello from a stranger, a tradition probably left over from the wagon train days. 

BE LATE FOR EVERYTHING
They call this mañana-land.  Things move a little slower in New Mexico.  If you want to make sure your appointment meets you right on time, be very precise about the appointment time.  If you are too casual about a meeting time, the person you are meeting might show up a day late. 

START SPEAKING SPANGLISH
Does your local newscaster authentically pronounce Spanish words and drive you nuts?  As a New Mexican, you'll start doing this too, and amazingly, it won't feel awkward.  Words like adobe and pueblo will become second nature to you.

CHILE NOT CHILI
If you want Chili Con Carne, you will have to open a can or make it from scratch.  A "chile burger" is a hamburger with whole or diced chiles on it. 

Chile (Official State Spelling) comes in two varieties:  Red and Green.  If it is spelled "chile" on the label, you can be assured it came from New Mexico, as any other spelling is against the law.  

New Mexicans are so passionate about their chile, "Red or Green?" is the Official State Question.  The term "Christmas" means a bit of both red and green. 

And in late summer, the stores are flooded with fresh chiles for sale.  The chiles are grown in Hatch, NM, the "Green Chile Capital of the World".  As a New Mexican, you will find yourself counting the days until the next chile harvest. 

DROP THAT AREA CODE
The entire state is in the 505 area code.  This will seem strange to big city folks who are used to juggling five different area codes.   Learn to give phone numbers without area codes, or everyone will know you're from out of town.

LICENSE TO DRIVE
It's the MVD (Motor Vehicle Department) not the DMV.

At the MVD, your car registration is based upon the age and weight of the car.  This was welcome news to one ex-Californian whose registration on a new Mini Cooper went from $460 per year to $32 per year.  Don't worry, a big heavy SUV will cost you under $100 annually. 

When you get your registration, the MVD won't send you your plates in the mail.  They'll ask you if you want the yellow plate or the plate with the balloons.  Then they'll just reach in a box and hand ONE to you, as there are no front license plates in New Mexico. 

You'll get your driver's license right away too and they'll probably ask you to "approve" your picture before they print it up.

All great advantages, but the MVD in the East Mountains closes for lunch!  Don't worry, you can always come back mañana.  

IT'S NEW MEXICAN FOOD
There are no Mexican restaurants in New Mexico.  There are only "New Mexican" restaurants.  Enjoy the Sopapillas! 

LEARN TO PREDICT THE WEATHER
The most accurate way to tell the weather here is to look outside.  The weathermen are always wrong.  At first you will be flabbergasted by this phenomena.  You will accept it once you see rain falling on one side of your house and sunshine hitting the other side.   

Summer days typically begin without a cloud in a crystal blue sky and end with spectacular thunderstorms that clear by nightfall… just in time for you to have the luxury of seeing every star in the sky.  

This unpredictability will have you turning to voodoo.  When you hear yourself predicting a hard winter because the deer have heavier fur this fall, or saying that it is going to rain based on bird or insect behavior, you will know New Mexico is your home. 

When you find yourself giving up all hope of ever knowing what the weather will be, you will have become a New Mexican.  A little rain never hurt anyone...so leave the umbrella at home.  Besides, it will be sunny again in about 10 minutes.

IS NEW MEXICO RIGHT FOR YOU?
New Mexico isn't for everyone.  If you need to be surrounded by the hustle and bustle of big city life, and would never stop your busy day to gaze at a perfect sunset or glorious cloud formation, New Mexico may not be the place for you.  

However for many, there is an automatic connection with the land and the skies of New Mexico.  There is a profound feeling that you have found your home .  There is an understanding of the clarity of light that has drawn artists to the area for the last hundred years.  You literally crave it when you are out of state, but can't quite explain it to those who do not feel the connection.

Above all, there is a knowledge that you cannot live apart from this enchanted land.  A land whose beauty unexpectedly appears and leaves you in awe of nature's radiance.


                     NEW MEXICO...VISIT FOR A LIFETIME