Independently Minding My Own Business
A Guatemala-based expat's take on a mother's newly performative American patriotism, and the phone call that proved it.
My Own Private Avocado
I avoided guacamole for over a decade, convinced my mother was lying about how good it was. Then one bite at a fancy backyard party at age 12 changed everything.
The Body of Evidence
Neighbors in Guatemala remember my mother as "El cuerpo." A force of nature. A woman they speak about in awe. I inherited her face. I'm trying to figure out if I also inherited the thing that broke her.
Calling It Quits
Since I joined the neighborhood council, my mother has called me less and less. Where before she would call me daily, she is now avoiding me like the plague. Or at least she was, until she got bored and decided it was time to try and feed off my energy. How do I know this? Because at 3am, when I was already asleep, I was awakened by my mother’s ringtone. And when I didn’t answer the first time, the ringer went off again, and again, until I set my phone to vibrate. The out-of-the-blue calls Her calls, when she is seeking control, are timed to disrupt my life. To control…
No Trespassing: A Field Guide to Boundaries
A field guide to setting boundaries with toxic family, from someone who's been overruled, gaslit, and managed by committee. Five rules, zero apologies.
