New Mexico—where the sunsets look Photoshopped, the food comes with a mandatory “red or green?” decision, and half the conversations include the phrase, “No, not Mexico—New Mexico.” If you’ve ever planned your entire day around the chile harvest, casually referred to a roadrunner as a neighbor, or driven two hours just to see some rocks and called it a spiritual experience, you’re fully Land of Enchantment. If these 11 things seem totally normal, congrats—you’re New Mexico through and through, órale.
Table of Contents
You Answer “Red or Green?” Faster Than Your Own Name
And “Christmas” is not just a holiday—it’s a lifestyle on your enchiladas.
You’ve Had to Explain That Yes, New Mexico Is in the United States
And yes, we have Wi-Fi. Most of the time.
You’ve Built a Meal Around a Bag of Hatch Green Chile
Roasting season is a sacred time—don’t plan anything else.
You’ve Driven 100 Miles to Get to a “Nearby” Town
Two hours on a straight road with no cell signal? Sounds like a solid Sunday.
You Know the Difference Between Adobe, Faux-dobe, and “Nice Try”
If it’s not mud and straw, we’re not impressed.
You’ve Said “It’s a Dry Heat” and Meant It
104 degrees? Eh. At least you’re not sweating through your jeans.
You’ve Seen a Dust Devil and Thought, “Neat”
Unless it’s headed toward your car. Then it’s war.
You Refer to Anything Outside the State as “Back East” or “Out West”
Even if it’s literally north.
You’ve Bragged About the Art Scene While Standing in a Desert in Silence
Santa Fe chic or Roswell weird—you’re here for all of it.
You Know a Roadrunner Isn’t Just a Cartoon
And you’ve probably had one stare you down in your driveway.
You Get Weirdly Defensive About Green Chile Being Better Than Everyone Else’s Hot Sauce…