Our story that always kind of captures my imagination.

The street's lost culture.

And you're listening to Kearning cultures.

And you're listening to Kearning cultures.

Our episode today comes from contributor Alice Fordham.

She's a radio producer and journalist who used to live in Beirut, Baghdad, and tons of other places, between Cairo, Tunis, Sanhra, you name it.

And after nine years in the Middle East, Alice went to Mexico.

And this is where this story begins.

I had just quit my job as an NPR correspondent covering Syria and Iraq.

I felt guilty for walking away from wars so many people were stuck in,

and I couldn't quite believe I was leaving the Arab world, which I had lived in for years

and which I love. But I was exhausted and unwell, and I couldn't do the job anymore.

When some friends suggested I visit with them in Mexico City, I gladly accepted.

I came for a week, and I stayed the summer.

And part of why I was happy was that it was so different there.

The language, the food, the music, the weather.

I'd never been to Latin America before and it was refreshing to be immersed in somewhere

totally new.

Occasionally though, I would have little unexpected twinges of recognition.

On a weekend trip with some friends, we were touristing around and admiring painted plates

for sale. And I looked at these rich dual colors and symmetrical patterns and

little fluttering bird designs. And I thought, wow, they look so familiar. And then we'd be

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