In the border area between the United States and Mexico, life is like a tossed salad. This salad is like avocados, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots and whatever else the cook thinks might go well - maybe some squash or some grated cheese. Though people from everywhere call this home, the three predominant ethnic groups are anglos, Hispanics, and Native Americans. It is a place of fusion where people mix everything - food, language, marriage, religion, politics, and family life. It's a place where you can get an American hamburger and a Mexican Tecate beer one time and green chile enchiladas and a Coke the next. Out here you can go to a festival of La Virgin de Guadalupe one weekend and a wine tasting with jazz musicians the next, and nobody thinks that's strange. Most of our ancestors came from Europe, bringing with them the languages and customs of Ireland, Spain, and England. Some of them are Spanish Catholics, some with a strain of Judaism hidden somewhere back there from the expulsions of the Inquisition. And the descendents of those Tigua Indians here who rebelled against the Spaniards up in New Mexico keep their ancient culture alive while going about the business of being Americans.
