Why do they call it NEW Mexico?

After posting my last blog, Ten Questions You Shouldn’t Ask a New Mexican, I decided to search for other blogs that had similar themes, such as “Things Only New Mexicans Understand,” “You Know You’re From New Mexico If…”, etc., and there was one reoccurring theme (apart from an obsession with red/green chile). Please observe.

Only New Mexicans understand:

Neo,

Our license plates must say “New Mexico USA” to avoid confusion.

An important history lesson:

So you see my point. I’m not exaggerating when I say people don’t know where New Mexico is or know that it’s part of the United States.

One of my friends left me this anecdote on Facebook after reading my blog:

“My favorite example of being taken for a foreigner comes from just this last year: I was chatting with a woman in a hotel elevator in Atlanta. Upon my telling her, “I’m originally from New Mexico,” guess how she responded? “Oh,” she says, ‘I’m from Wisconsin. Have you… ever heard of Wisconsin?'”

SO, ironically, two days after I posted my last blog, I watched the newest episode of The Bachelor, and they all visited Santa Fe*, New Mexico.

*or “Sante Fe, NM” as the show’s graphics misspelled

I was so thankful for Megan, who proved me right, yet again.

Megan is 24 years old and from Nashville, TN. She has made it to the top 11.

(And a special thanks to Ellen DeGeneres for airing this first clip, and shedding some awareness onto our plight, although I’m guessing 10% of her audience didn’t understand why it was so funny):

Her quote: “I never figured out why they call it NEW Mexico instead of OLD Mexico. I guess there was already a Mexico…”

Chris, Mr. Bachelor, I hope you do not choose this woman to be your wife.

Seriously.

(Or Kelsey, because she’s legitimately crazy.)

That is all.